CNN International will focus on Bahrain in its latest iList series, which will highlight the economic, cultural and political profile of the nation in a special week of primetime programming and reports, starting March 8.

CNN’s Richard Quest will be presenting his weeknight show Quest Means Business from numerous live locations across the capital Manama throughout the week at 10 pm.

On March 8 and 9, the show will be airing live from the Formula 1 circuit ahead of the first race of the season.

CNN Marketplace Middle East’s John Defterios will also join Richard on the ground each evening to give his economic and business updates from across the Middle East as well as presenting his Marketplace Middle East show on March 12 from Bahrain.

Special reports will run throughout the week plus the iList regular segments including ‘My Bahrain’ which will this month profile a female taxi driver working in Manama.

The highlights from the week will be interviews with the Crown Prince His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Minister of Finance Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Shaikh Salman bin Rashid al Khalifa, a member of the Bahraini Royal Family and an international F3 race car driver, among others.

There will also be a wide variety of stories including the state of the economy, the pros and cons of the proposed single currency, the global appeal of Formula 1; the building of the world’s longest marine causeway; reviving the pearl industry; the Bahrain tourist industry; unemployment among graduates; the wealth gap across the Middle East; who owns the biggest oil and gas wealth; and many cultural snapshots to give viewers a taste of life in the country, a statement said. – TradeArabia News Service