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| Khalifa ibn Sulman al-Khalifa, Bahrains premiärminister (diktator) |
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| Bahrain är en konstitutionell monarki. Statsöverhuvud är kungen (fram till 1999 kallad emir), det vill säga al-Khalifah-dynastins överhuvud, för närvarande Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah. Parlamentets undre kammare väljs i fria val där kvinnor tillåts delta. Den övre kammarens ledamöter utses direkt av kungen. Premiärministern, som utser regeringen, utses av kungen. Samme premiärminister, den nuvarande kungens farbror Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah, har varit vid makten sedan 1970. Som en följd av jasminrevolutionen i Tunisien och revolter runt om i arabvärlden har frihetsandan även spridit sig till Bahrain, där protesterna börjat rasa i februari 2011. /Wikipedia |
Police Severely Attack Bahraini Shia Protesters in Lulu Square Feb. 17th:
BLOOMBERG:
Clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters killed 2 people overnight in the Bahraini capital Manama, human rights groups said.
The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights said in an e- mailed statement that the two people killed were Ali Khadeer, 52, and Mahmood Makki, 23. Maryam Alkhawaja from the Bahrain Centre of Human Rights said she saw the bodies of two people.
Bahraini police fired teargas shells at protesters this morning after hundreds of Bahrainis had gathered yesterday at the funeral of a demonstrator, who died in clashes on Feb. 15. The protesters are demanding democracy and the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, a member of the Sunni Muslim royal family who has held the post for four decades.
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Bahrain 'gateway for US companies'
Bahrain can make an ideal hub for US firms looking for investment opportunities in the Gulf, said the chief executive of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa was speaking at a gathering of economic and investment decision-makers during a visit to the city of Phoenix in the US.
Shaikh Mohammed is heading a Bahraini delegation to the US in a roadshow that started on Monday and includes talks with a number of US companies on joint economic and trade opportunities.
He said Bahrain is looking to build stronger economic relations with the US market which will bring more benefits to the Bahraini citizens.
In a presentation at the Walter Cronkite School, attended by members of Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Shaikh Mohammed said Bahrain is keen on improving investment in a number of economic sectors, outlining the recent steps taken by the kingdom to diversify its economy and create investment opportunities.
He said Bahrain's economic diversification and its proximity to the Middle East's largest markets make it an ideal gateway to a $1 trillion market.
Shaikh Mohammed also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with City of Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.
The MoU provides a framework for joint action in which the two parties seek to establish a bilateral partnership and strengthen co-operation between Bahrain and Phoenix in the areas of development and follow-up business, joint projects and exchange of information and technology knowledge between them.
It will also include strengthening the support and co-operation among parties in the sectors of manufacturing, food processing, ICT, logistics, industrial services as well as heating and air-conditioning, in addition to focus on promoting exports.
The delegation includes representatives from Mumtalakat, Tamkeen, and a number of businessmen representing the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry like Khalid Al Zayani, Hamed Al Zahani, Khalid Al Ameen, Adel Al Safar, Sameer Nass, Moenis Al Mardi and Jehad Ameen.
The kingdom has close historical ties with the US in various fields and levels, especially bilateral trade and investment opportunities. Bahrain hosts 53 US companies, and 193 US-Bahraini partnerships.
Bahrain was among the first countries in the region to sign a free trade agreement with the US, which came into force in 2006, contributing to doubling the foreign direct investments in the kingdom from just about BD1.13 billion before signing the agreement to BD2.4 billion three years later.
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BBC 08:18 Swedish Time
The BBC's Ian Pannell said Pearl Square, which had formed the centre of the protests, was now occupied by the police
"---The streets are now very quiet, there are rumours of some form of curfew - there is an almost complete absence of traffic and the large presence of police and military vehicles would possibly suggest that is the case. At a large shopping centre in the centre of Manama, the car park has been taken over by the military and they are using it as a command and control facility---".
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Vad säger Obama?
