Bahrain and Syria Seek Closer Partnership
During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen and expand cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Syrian Arab Republic. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations across various sectors to serve the shared interests of both nations and their people.
The visit also highlighted the importance of boosting joint Arab efforts to promote unity and collaboration within the region.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
19 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Supreme Council for Women Approves New National Plan to Empower Bahraini Women (2025–2026)
The Supreme Council for Women (SCW), chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the wife of the King and President of the Council, has approved the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women for 2025–2026. This plan highlights four key focus areas as priorities for the coming period: family stability, decision-making, economic participation, and quality of life. Each focus area includes various initiatives organized around five main pillars: policies, gender-responsive budgets, awareness and training, auditing and monitoring, and follow-up and evaluation. Family Stability: A Core Priority Family stability stands as a top priority in the new plan, emphasizing the crucial role of women as active partners in building the nation, family, and society. The Council stresses the importance of preserving Bahrain's family values and heritage to create a supportive family environment that helps women balance their family and societal roles. Empowering Women in Decision-Making The second main area focuses on increasing women's participation in decision-making roles. The Council is committed to promoting equal opportunities and gender balance to empower Bahraini women fully. The goal is to raise the number of women in leadership positions across various sectors, allowing them to contribute effectively to the country's development. The Council has developed innovative approaches to address women's and families' issues, recognizing that true progress for women depends on a stable family environment. Efforts aim to build an integrated system that protects and supports women at every stage of life. A Holistic Vision for Women's Empowerment The Council continues to work toward empowering Bahraini women by integrating their needs into national development programs. This ensures the sustainability of family stability and strong family bonds, which are essential to Bahrain's social cohesion and prosperity. The Council's work extends beyond serving women alone; it positively impacts their families—the fundamental building block of Bahraini society. Collaboration with partners remains vital to achieving family stability, based on the belief that sustainable community development depends on a balanced partnership between men and women. This partnership ensures women's full participation in development while fulfilling their family roles. The plan includes dedicated resources, policies, and programs to address women's needs and promote gender equality. Promoting Gender Balance in Leadership The Council emphasizes the importance of women's ongoing participation in leadership roles, considering gender balance essential for inclusive decision-making and diverse perspectives. International experience shows that institutions with balanced gender representation tend to be more innovative and effective. Guided by the SCW, public and private sectors, along with civil society, are working to strengthen women's skills and prepare new female leaders capable of competing for decision-making positions. Princess Sabeeka Award for Bahraini Women's Advancement Among the notable initiatives is the Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for the Advancement of Bahraini Women. This award is the first of its kind in its scope and goals, aiming to enhance women's competitiveness as productive contributors by promoting gender balance and sustainable progress in the workforce, thereby increasing women's contribution to the national economy. The award also encourages government agencies, private companies, and civil society organizations to support working women through training and development, helping more women assume leadership and decision-making roles and reinforcing non-discrimination policies. Key Initiatives Under the Plan Family Stability: Reviewing family-related laws and policies, improving social care and protection services for women, updating the national strategy against domestic violence, expanding family guidance centers and protection offices, and supporting women with disabilities or those caring for people with disabilities. Decision-Making: Updating policies to sustain women's roles in leadership across public, private, and civil sectors; increasing women's participation on boards of publicly listed companies; and supporting women in judicial and diplomatic roles. Gender-Responsive Budgets: Enhancing housing services for women, ensuring budgets meet women's needs in all housing programs, and coordinating emergency support for women in urgent situations. Awareness and Training: Conducting programs for soon-to-be-married couples and parents about rights and responsibilities; life skills training in family management, savings, work-life balance; awareness about women's roles in preserving national values; and developing school curricula to promote gender equality, mental health, communication skills, and bullying prevention. Youth Volunteerism: Implementing the Princess Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa Youth Volunteerism Award, highlighting success stories in volunteer work and studying its impact on youth volunteering programs. The Supreme Council for Women reaffirms its dedication to advancing Bahraini women's status across all areas of life, ensuring their active role in building a strong, stable, and prosperous society.
Daily Tribune
21 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Legal Reform Bill nears final review
A draft law to rewrite Bahrain's legal profession, requiring insurance, barring lawyers from public posts, and imposing fines of up to 10,000 dinars, has almost cleared Parliament's Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, according to sources familiar with the matter. The committee expects to finish its review within two months. Once done, the bill will be passed to the Bureau, which will decide when to put it before the full chamber. The draft introduces several new requirements, starting with compulsory professional liability insurance. Lawyers would need to maintain an active policy throughout their time on the roll. Those found in breach may face a written warning, suspension, a requirement to attend training, or a financial penalty. The bill also expands the definition of misconduct to include violations of any regulation issued under the law. Civil and criminal liabilities remain untouched. The penalty of 'reprimand' is removed. Warnings must be issued in writing. A ban from practice becomes a formal suspension. Trainee lawyers Trainee lawyers would face tighter restrictions. They would only be allowed to represent clients in minor courts, using their own name, and always under the direct supervision of a qualified lawyer. They would not be allowed to open their own office. Joining the profession would also require passing a training course and an entrance exam approved by the ministry. Article 4 of the bill states that legal practice may not be combined with roles in government, Parliament, state bodies, banks, companies or associations. A Royal Decree may grant an exception, but only following Cabinet recommendation. A central roll will be kept by the ministry. It will include lawyers' names, places of residence and offices of work. The roll will be divided into categories for practising, non-practising and trainee lawyers. Further sub-rolls will cover those licensed to appear before specific courts, including minor, major, appeals, cassation and constitutional. Foreign lawyers Foreign lawyers may, under specific terms, appear in Bahraini courts if paired with a local lawyer licensed to practise at the top level. They are barred from handling criminal, administrative or Sharia matters. Eligibility Eligibility rules remain unchanged in principle. Lawyers must be Bahraini, of full legal capacity, hold a law degree and be of sound character. A new rule would require them to submit proof of valid insurance from a licensed Bahraini provider. The minister will decide the minimum coverage amount for each lawyer category. Article 12 removes reference to the Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs in relation to removal from the roll for non-payment. A lawyer struck off for failing to renew must pay both the late and re-entry fee to be listed again. Article 13 instructs lawyers who stop practising, either permanently or temporarily, to request transfer to the non-practising roll. Those who return may apply to move back to the practising or trainee roll, depending on their status. If the committee completes its work on time, the bill may be scheduled for debate before the end of the year. The proposed law rewrites how the legal trade is structured and supervised in Bahrain.
Daily Tribune
a day ago
- Daily Tribune
Gaza control plan stirs global anger
TDT | agencies Israel yesterday announced its decision to take control of Gaza City, triggering swift and widespread criticism from the international community, including Saudi Arabia, China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the UN's human rights chief. In a strong rebuke, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying Riyadh 'categorically condemns [Israel's] persistence in committing crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people.' In a separate statement, also posted on X, the ministry added that it 'condemns in the strongest and most forceful terms the decision of the Israeli occupation authorities to occupy the Gaza Strip.' Under the newly approved plan by security cabinet, the Israeli army 'will prepare to take control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside combat zones', Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said yesterday. Before the decision, Netanyahu had said Israel planned to seize complete control of the Gaza Strip, but did not intend to govern the territory where nearly two million people are on the brink of famine. 'We don't want to keep it,' the premier told US network Fox News on Thursday, adding Israel wanted a 'security perimeter' and to hand the Palestinian territory to 'Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us'. Netanyahu's office said a majority of the security cabinet had adopted 'five principles', including demilitarisation of the territory and 'the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority'. Hamas denounced the plan as a 'new war crime', while staunch Israeli ally Germany took the extraordinary step of halting military exports out of concern they could be used in Gaza. 'Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorise any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice,' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the cabinet's move as 'a disaster that will lead to many other disasters'. He warned on X that it would result in 'the death of the hostages, the killing of many soldiers, cost Israeli taxpayers tens of billions, and lead to diplomatic bankruptcy'. Gaza residents said they feared for the worst, as they braced for the next onslaught. 'They tell us to go south, then back north, and now they want to send us south again. We are human beings, but no one hears us or sees us,' Maysa al-Shanti, a 52-year-old mother of six, said.
