His Majesty King Hamad has ratified two laws approved by parliament and the Shura Council.

Some articles on copyright and neighbouring rights were amended, and the GCC Trademark Law (System) will be effective six months after the issuance of its executive statue, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

His Majesty issued a royal decree amending creation and organisation of the national committee for follow-up of the implementation of the national model for inclusion of women's requirements in the government action plan.

Under the decree, the national committee shall be formed under the presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa the president of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW).

Other members of the committee will be the vice-president and the secretary-general of the SCW, the Social Development Minister, the executive president of the Economic Development Board, the chairmen of woman and child affairs committees of parliament and Shura Council, the director-general of the Public Administration Institute and the chairman of the Bahraini Women's Union.

Adding to the panel will be members whose ranks should be not be lower than assistant under-secretary from the Finance, Labour and Industry and Commerce ministries and the Civil Service Bureau.

His Majesty also issued a royal decree forming the commission for the rights of prisoners and detainees.

It will be presided over by the Ombudsman secretary-general.

Other members are Dr Jawahir Shaheen Al Modahki, Osama Ahmed Khalaf Al Asfoor, Maria Antoine Khoori, Dr Waleed Khalifa Al Mani, Abdulla Ahmed Al Durazi, Saad Abdulla Al Shamlan, Ahmed Yusuf Al Maliki, Ateyatala Hassan Rouhani, Mohammed Mirza Aman, Mai Sami Mattar, Wael Rasheed Bu Allai and Ali Abbas Al Showaikh. Their term will be for three years. - TradeArabia News Service