Bahrain’s King Lauds Saudi, UAE, Kuwaiti Support

King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa attends Arab summit in Riyadh in this file photo taken on January 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed
King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa attends Arab summit in Riyadh in this file photo taken on January 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed
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Bahrain’s King Lauds Saudi, UAE, Kuwaiti Support

King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa attends Arab summit in Riyadh in this file photo taken on January 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed
King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa attends Arab summit in Riyadh in this file photo taken on January 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa stressed the vitality of achieving fiscal balance, economic diversification and developing the oil energy sector in Bahrain. His remarks were made on Wednesday at the Kingdom’s fifth legislative parliamentary session.

King Hamad praised Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait for supporting Bahrain in achieving financial stability, stressing that Manama seeks economic integration with fellow Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

"We convey our sincere thanks to our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the State of Kuwait, for their noble stances, which we highly appreciate, in supporting our national efforts to achieve the sought after financial balance and economic growth, through which we will work to strengthen facets of our integration and economic cooperation with our brothers, within the context of our common policies that aim to maintain the security and stability of the region and safeguard its gains,” he said in his address.

King Hamad also reiterated enduring commitment towards the Palestinian cause, saying his Kingdom will continue to support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“As part of our commitment to our Arab and Islamic surroundings, we will continue to defend our Arab and Islamic causes in international forums, and the Palestinian issue is at the forefront of our interests. We will seek that the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” King Hamad said.

“We thank all the relevant State institutions for their outstanding performance in ensuring the success of the electoral process with its impressive outcomes, and which witnessed the participation of individuals that greatly pleased us… and we thank them for their keenness which demonstrates their solid will,” he said.

“Their participation is a great example of the commitment of Bahraini citizens to managing the affairs of their country,” King Hamad added.



Oman Police: Attackers in Wadi al-Kabir Were 3 Omani Brothers

The attack killed six people. Reuters
The attack killed six people. Reuters
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Oman Police: Attackers in Wadi al-Kabir Were 3 Omani Brothers

The attack killed six people. Reuters
The attack killed six people. Reuters

The three gunmen who shot and killed six people in Oman this week were all Omani nationals, police said on Thursday.

The shooting took place in the Wadi al-Kabir neighborhood of Oman's capital Muscat.

The Royal Oman Police said in a statement the three gunmen were brothers and "were killed due to their insistence on resisting security personnel.”

The statement said that police investigations had indicated the three gunmen were "influenced by misguided ideas.”

The six people killed by the gunmen included a police officer responding to the attack.