The New Dark Age

23 February, 2011 — creative-i.info

Protests in Bahrain Become Test of Wills
New York Times
Freed political prisoners were tossed in the air by a jubilant crowd in
Manama, Bahrain, on Tuesday. The king released the prisoners as a
conciliatory gesture. More Photos “ By MICHAEL SLACKMAN and NADIM AUDI
MANAMA, Bahrain — More than 100000 …
www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/middleeast/23bahrain.html

Bahrain free prisoners, king leaves for Saudi Arabia
Sify
Manama/Riyadh, Feb 23 (IANS) Bahrain has released 25 political prisoners
following an order of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa who left the country
for Saudi Arabia for consultations Wednesday after a week of anti-regime
protests. …
www.sify.com/news/bahrain-free-prisoners-king-leaves-for-saudi-arabia-news-international-lcxpEhdicjf.html

Bahrain frees activists, pardons opposition leader
ABC Online
Authorities in Bahrain have released 23 Shiite activists held on terrorism
counts and pardoned two others abroad including opposition leader Hassan
Mashaima, an opposition MP said. The 25 men in October were charged with
forming an illegal organisation …
www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/23/3147041.htm?section=world

U.S. praises Bahrain for steps on dialogue
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Bahrain’s ruling royal family has embarked on a
constructive path to open political dialogue after violent protests, but
must ensure its words are matched with deeds, US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said on Tuesday. …
www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/22/us-bahrain-usa-idUSTRE71L65F20110222

Deployment of OFWs to Libya, Bahrain, Yemen suspended
Inquirer.net
By Philip Tubeza, DJ Yap MANILA, Philippines—The government Tuesday
suspended the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Libya,
Bahrain and Yemen, and said it was prepared to evacuate Filipinos wishing
to flee strife-torn Libya, …
newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110223-321723/Deployment-of-OFWs-to-Libya-Bahrain-Yemen-suspended

Thousands of protesters flood Bahrain’s capital
Tampabay.com
Tens of thousands of red-and-white draped, flag-waving protesters flooded
Bahrain’s capital, Manama, on Tuesday. The march came as the embattled
monarchy made another concession to the marchers: releasing at least 50
political prisoners. …
www.tampabay.com/incoming/thousands-of-protesters-flood-bahrains-capital/1153319

Bahrain: Jailed Blogger Ali Abdulemam Free
Global Voices Online
Jailed Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam is finally free. The news was
welcomed by netizens from around the world, as tweeps posted pictures of a
smiling Ali being greeted by family and friends. Ali, the administrator of
a popular online forum Bahrain …
globalvoicesonline.org/2011/02/23/bahrain-jailed-blogger-ali-abdulemam-free/

Libya and Bahrain raise the stakes
Daily Star – Lebanon
By Rami G. Khouri The continuing revolts by enraged Arab citizens across
the Middle East have now spread to Bahrain and Libya, two states that raise
significant issues that go beyond the existing implications of the
overthrow of the regimes in Tunisia …
www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=125184

Rioters return to streets of Bahrain
TTG live
Thousands of protestors have taken to the streets in Bahrain in an
anti-government rally. Demonstrators demanded the fall of the regime, in
the first organised rally in the kingdom since the unrest last week.
Pro-democracy supporters camped out in the …
www.ttglive.com/c/portal/layout?p_l_id=3208370&CMPI_SHARED_articleId=4606479&CMPI_SHARED_ImageArticleId=4606479&CMPI_SHARED_articleIdRelated=4606479&CMPI_SHARED_ToolsArticleId=4606479&CMPI_SHARED_CommentArticleId=4606479&articleTitle=Rioters%20return%20to%20streets%20of%20Bahrain

Saudi King Boosts Housing, Job Spending Amid Mideast Unrest
Bloomberg
Governments in Bahrain, Yemen and Libya have cracked down on activists
calling for greater job opportunities and political openness after
uprisings toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt. “They are trying to
enlarge the pool of benefits for society given …
www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-23/king-abdullah-pours-money-into-saudi-housing-welfare-amid-regional-unrest.html

‘Wait and watch’ policy
Gulf Weekly
By ANASUYA KESAVAN Bahrain’s business and financial sector have adopted a
policy of ‘wait and watch’ after the series of unfortunate events that
unfolded on the island nation last week. While banks and markets functioned
as usual, …
www.gulfweeklyworldwide.com/article.asp?Sn=8132&Article=26555

Bahrain protests grow in size
Edmonton Journal
Tens of thousands of supporters of Bahrain’s Shiite-led opposition poured
into Manama’s Pearl Square on Tuesday calling for the government’s downfall
in the largest rally in more than a week of protests. The capital’s streets
were clogged as protesters …
www.edmontonjournal.com/Bahrain+protests+grow+size/4330872/story.html

Bahrain throngs are king-size headache
New York Post
By ANDY SOLTIS Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the Bahraini capital
yesterday in their biggest-ever demonstration, while the embattled, pro-US
king made another concession. Demonstrators in Manama said King Hamad bin
Issa al Khalifa’s offer to …
www.nypost.com/p/news/international/bahrain_throngs_are_king_size_headache_Vcaq1ZtycG8EiqS7FhsksI

World Leaders React to Gaddafi’s TV Address; Update on Protests in Bahrain …
Care2.com (blog)
In Bahrain, reports ranging from tens of thousands, to hundreds of
thousands of opposition supporters marched through the capital of Manama on
Tuesday, MSNBC says they were “carrying Bahrain’s red-and-white flag and
circling the Bahrain Mall and …
www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/world-leaders-react-to-gaddafis-tv-address-update-on-protests-in-bahrain-yemen-algeria-and-egypt/

Bahraini Jewish MP: Jewish community backs king
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
(JTA) – Bahraini Jewish parliamentarian Nancy Khedouri told JTA that the
protests in her country have been blown out of proportion by the media. At
least eight people have been killed and hundreds wounded in mass
anti-government demonstrations in …
www.jta.org/news/article/2011/02/22/2743072/bahraini-jewish-mp-jewish-community-backs-king

News Wrap: Protests Continue in Bahrain, Yemen
NewsHour
In other news Tuesday, demonstrations calling for leaders’ resignations
continued in Bahrain and Yemen. In New Zealand, the hunt for survivors
began after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake devastated Christchurch, the
country’s second-largest city, …
www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/othernews_02-22.html

Protests continue in Bahrain, Libya
CollegeNews
Protests in Bahrain against the country’s monarchy have entered its ninth
day, as similar outbursts of anti-government protests continue in Libya,
reports AOL News. In Bahrain, the protester’s original aim was to create
more rights and representation …
www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/bahrain_libya_protests_11839/

5000 Teachers in Bahrain join protests
Xinhua
23 (Xinhua) — Thousands of public school teachers in Bahrain have vowed to
continue their general strike to support anti-government protestors, who
managed to force authorities to give up the Formula one race scheduled for
next month. …
news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-02/22/c_13744308.htm

Beck: Where Will Middle East Dominoes Fall?
Fox News
As promised, the chaos has spread all around the region — perhaps most
dangerously to Bahrain. Why is Bahrain so important? Look, Glenn, it’s just
a tiny, little island here. Yes, it is. That’s where you can find the US
base for coordinating dozens of …
www.foxnews.com/on-air/glenn-beck/transcript/beck-where-will-middle-east-dominoes-fall

Bahrain’s Royal Family
NPR
The family that runs the tiny kingdom of Bahrain is Sunni in a majority
Shiite Muslim nation. That’s one of several things that stands out about
the royal family of Bahrain. Robert Powell, a Middle East analyst with the
Economist Intelligence Unit, …
www.npr.org/2011/02/22/133955137/Bahrains-Royal-Family

Bahrain Sunnis out in force behind royal family
Zawya
By Ali Khalil MANAMA, Feb 22, 2011 (AFP) – Sensing the danger of a possible
regime-change that could bring the Shiite opposition to power, Bahraini
Sunnis turned out in thousands at a Manama mosque to pledge allegiance to
the Al-Khalifa dynasty. …
www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidANA20110222T133145ZSXC29/Bahrain%20Sunnis%20out%20in%20force%20behind%20royal%20family

CDS spreads widen in Bahrain and Morocco
Risk.net
Credit default swap (CDS) spreads in Bahrain have been on the rise for two
full weeks and moved from 305 basis points at end of trading yesterday to
327bp by 1.00pm today, their highest fix since July 2009, according to
financial information provider …
www.risk.net/risk-magazine/news/2027987/cds-spreads-widen-bahrain-morocco

Bahrain must protect peaceful protesters from torture
Amnesty International
Amnesty International has urged the Bahraini authorities to ensure the
safety of people participating in peaceful protests and of all detainees
after one demonstrator described how police tortured him and his friend
repeatedly late last week. …
www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/bahrain-must-protect-peaceful-protesters-torture-2011-02-22

Bahrain Protests: More Than 100000 March Through Capital As …
By The Huffington Post News Editors
MANAMA, Bahrain — Tens of thousands of red-and-white draped, flag-waving
protesters flooded this tiny kingdom’s capital Tuesday, a massive show of
force against the embattled monarchy as the king made another concession to
the marchers …
www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/22/bahrain-protests-more-tha_n_826421.html

Lifestyles of Bahrain’s Rich and Ruling as Seen From Google Earth …
By Sarah Firshein
While bird’s-eye photos of Obama’s house probably won’t do much to spark
the ire of folks on this side of the pond, a recent story in The Daily
discusses…
curbed.com/archives/2011/02/22/lifestyles-of-bahrains-rich-and-ruling-as-seen-from-google-earth.php

Watching Bahrain, Saudi Shi’ites demand reforms | Analysis & Opinion |
By Ulf Laessing
When Saudi Shi’ites mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad, meeting at
mosques and exchanging sweets is only part of what’s going on.
blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2011/02/22/watching-bahrain-saudi-shiites-demand-reforms/

WORLDmag.com | Community | Blog Archive | Bahrain king orders …
By Editorial Staff
Tens of thousands of protesters flooded Bahrain’s capital Tuesday, a
massive show of force against the embattled monarchy as King Hamad bin Isa
Al Khalifa made another concession to the marchers—a promise to release
an unspecified …
online.worldmag.com/2011/02/22/bahrain-king-orders-release-of-political-prisoners/

BAHRAIN: Protesters fill streets, King touts ‘national dialogue …
By Molly Hennessy-Fiske
A crush of protesters filled the streets of Bahrain’s capital Tuesday for
yet another anti-regime protest. Tens of thousands of people marched on
Manama in what CNN reported was the biggest anti-government rally since
public …
latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/bahrain-protesters-fill-streets-king-touts-national-dialogue.html

Bahrain Shiites Turn Out in Vast Protest – Worldnews.com
MANAMA, Bahrain — More than a hundred thousand protesters poured into the
central Pearl Square here on Tuesday in an unbroken stream stretching back
for miles along a central highway in the biggest antigovernment
demonstration yet seen …
article.wn.com/view/2011/02/22/Bahrain_Shiites_Turn_Out_in_Vast_Protest/

Roughly 1/5 of Bahrain’s Population Out in Protests — News from …
By Jason Ditz
The island nation of Bahrain’s Pearl Square Roundabout has been the site of
major protests for more than a week, but today they were an absolute mass
of people, with over 100000 protesters, fully 1/5 of the island’s
population, …
news.antiwar.com/2011/02/22/roughly-15-of-bahrains-population-out-in-protests/

Bahrain opposition protests resume | AAJ News
By Reuters
Bahrain opposition protests resume. MANAMA – 23rd February 2011 (30 seconds
ago) . By Reuters. Muslim protesters filled streets in Manama on Tuesday
demanding the fall of the Sunni-run government in the biggest protest since
unrest began …
www.aaj.tv/2011/02/bahrain-opposition-protests-resume/

Bahrain Travel Alert
The U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for
ongoing political and social unrest in Bahrain. We urge U.S. citizens to
defer …
travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_5349.html

Bahrain protesters reclaim central square – World news – Mideast/N …
Anti-government protesters in Bahrain swarmed back into a symbolic square
on Saturday, putting riot police to flight in a striking victory for their
cause …
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41678039/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/

Bahrain Protests: Crowd Returns To Manama’s Pearl Roundabout As …
Hundreds of people have returned to Bahrain’s Pearl roundabout after both
the army and police leave the anti-government protest site.
news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201102115936860