Bahrain king says foreign plot against Gulf foiled

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said a foreign plot against his kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from neighbouring countries to help end increasing unrest after weeks of protests.

Bahrain on Wednesday set up an independent committee of legal experts to investigate the bloody unrest during anti-regime protests in February and March, state news agency BNA reported.Ordered by King Hamad, the five-man panel will be chaired by Mahmud Sharif Bassiouni, an international expert in criminal law.

Bahrain's King Hamad on Tuesday proclaimed a three-month state of emergency, a day after a Saudi-led military force entered the tiny island nation to help put down Shiite-led protests."Due to the ongoing circumstances in Bahrain ... King Hamad has announced a state of national emergency as of Tuesday for three months," state television said.The king had instructed the commander of the armed forces to restore order using the army, police forces, units of the National Guard and "any other force" if necessary, said the statement.

Bahrain has foiled a foreign plot to destabilize it, the country's king said Sunday.

Bahrain's King Hamad on Sunday called parliamentary and municipal elections for October 23, the state news agency BNA reported.The king, who chaired a cabinet meeting attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, urged voters to turn out in large numbers for the polls."Decision-making and participating (in the vote) ensures the continuity of the democratic process in the kingdom and enhances the serious work for offering better services for the citizens," BNA cited him as saying.

King Hamad of Bahrain on Thursday appointed a Jew and a Christian among four women to the 40-member upper chamber, following a parliamentary election last month, state media reported.The king kept 30 members of the outgoing Shura, or consultative, council including the speaker, Ali Saleh al-Saleh, according to a royal decree published by BNA news agency.Nancy Khadhori joined the chamber after a fellow Jew, Huda Nono, left the house to take the role of Bahrain's ambassador to the United States.

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain is expected Tuesday to receive a report on the implementation of recommended changes to the Middle Eastern state's laws and security forces in the aftermath of unrest last spring.

Bahrain's King Hamad ordered Sunday an end to the state of emergency from June 1st, after it was declared in mid-March to tackle a month-long Shiite-led protest demanding political reforms, state media said.