Bahraini.TV

Knives and bricks threat to police

Police allegedly attacked when they forced their way into a house to arrest a man, admitted in court yesterday that they did not have a warrant.
The Bahraini is standing trial at the High Criminal Court, where he denies assaulting police, threatening them and resisting arrest.
Police went to his Hamad Town house in April to arrest [...]

Money laundering charge Bahrainis to review verdict

Lawyers of two men at the centre of a multi-million-dinar fraud were yesterday given two months to review a new verdict which effectively axed part of Bahrain’s law on money laundering.
The two Bahraini defendants, each former Alba employees, are facing charges of money laundering, fraud and bribery.
Prosecutors claim the men accepted bribes from foreign firms [...]

Bahrain to Restrict In Vitro Fertilisation

Health authorities in Bahrain plan to impose restrictions on In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) to reduce death cases among premature babies here.
A draft law is being prepared by the ministry of health to monitor private hospitals and clinics to prevent unnecessary IVF procedures performed by them to make profits.
A total of 250 premature babies died out [...]

New adoption law to be drafted soon

A new law banning children below the age of 15 from being adopted could be introduced soon, it has emerged.
Parliament yesterday approved the first chapter of a new child rights protection law, which aims to prevent them from becoming potential victims of abuse.
The bill also forbids youngsters aged under 15 from being hired or forced [...]

Son of late Abu Dhabi ruler put on trial

Abu Dhabi authorities have put on trial Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the ruling family caught on tape apparently torturing an Afghan business associate, the Financial Times can reveal.
Sheikh Issa, one of 19 sons of Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi’s late ruler, is charged [...]

New job switch law spurs hopes

The new law for the sponsorship system for expatriate workers comes into affect in Bahrain today.
Announced in May by Labour Minister and Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) chairman Dr Majeed Al Alawi, it allows foreign workers to switch jobs without their existing employer’s consent and will eliminate the free visa practice.
The move comes in an [...]

Dubai police chief calls to scrap sponsorship

Dubai’s police chief on Wednesday called for controversial labour laws that restrict the free movement of workers to be scrapped.
Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim described the sponsorship system as a “burden” on the UAE’s economy and local population, UAE daily the National reported on its website.

“Employment contracts should be between companies and employees,” Tamim said [...]

Press law amendments hailed but journalists still face jail and websites risk closure

Reporters Without Borders has welcomed some amendments to the press law in Bahrain but voiced concern about some remaining failings that leave journalists and publications exposed to risk.
Despite real improvements, Bahraini journalists still face prison sentences for what they write and officials keep the right to close websites, the worldwide press freedom organisation said in [...]

Open trucks ban ‘to cost BD1bn’

A ban on using lorries, trucks and other unsafe vehicles to transport workers could cost the construction industry BD1 billion, it was claimed yesterday. Firms have time until the end of the year to replace their makeshift transport with proper air-conditioned buses.
However, Bahrain Contractors’ Society president Nedham Kameshki said the move would have major implications [...]

War on Corruption

A pledge to stamp out corruption went out from Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa last night. He vowed to combat corruption in any government ministry, organisation or state-owned company.
Even if it goes as high as a minister, there would be no escape, he said as he visited Municipalities and [...]

LMRA told to rein in market

Businessmen last night demanded a shake-up to the labour market rules to protect employers’ interests. They accused the new Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) of failing to come up with new solutions to old problems.
The LMRA should discipline the market by tackling runaways and restricting expatriates’ ability to switch jobs, rather than making it easier [...]

Violators of traffic rules to get stiff punishment

Any one caught speeding will now be detained by the General Department of Traffic (GDT) for 48 hours after which his case will be transferred to the Public Prosecutor for sentencing. The minimum sentence will either be up to six months in detention or a fine of not more than BD100 or both in certain [...]

King orders fish traps removed

Workers moved in yesterday to remove fish traps, which have sparked violent clashes in Malkiya.Angry youths forcibly removed three out of the 10 traps and set fire to a watchtower overlooking the beach, on Sunday.
The violence was the climax to months of violent clashes over the traps, installed legally by a neighbouring landowner, but which [...]

Heat ordeal as firms defy ban

The cases of two Asian workers, who are in intensive care at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) due to heat stroke, has sparked a call by health officials for stricter enforcement of the ban on labourers working outdoors between noon and 4pm. Another worker, also an Asian, is recovering after having been in the Intensive [...]

Malkiya fishing traps deadline

A deadline will be set to remove fish traps that allegedly block the use of a beach in Malkiya, it was revealed yesterday.
Villagers went on several demonstrations early this month, which turned violent with teargas being fired to disperse rioters, for the removal of the fish traps.
The landowner had placed 10 fish traps adjacent to [...]