MANAMA // Long after the fires have been put out, black marks left by burning tyres scar the roads around the village of Sanabis.
Inside the predominantly Shia enclave, the narrow, run-down streets are lined with small shops and houses scrawled with political slogans, some of them recently covered by a fresh coat of white paint.
The slogan on one wall - "Free our prisoners" - has survived efforts by authorities to erase allusions to the clashes and unrest that have beset this village on the outskirts of Manama for more than a week. It refers to people recently detained, including Abdel Jaleel al Singace, a prominent opposition figure arrested this month as he arrived back in Bahrain from the UK.
In the past 10 days there have been dozens more arrests of opposition figures, with their mainly young supporters across the island responding by burning tyres and rubbish dumps and vandalising public buildings.
Security forces, some heavily armed, have maintained a presence most nights around the most volatile neighbourhoods
Just two months before the country's parliamentary elections, the government and its opposition have accused each other of instigating the violence.
In the village of Daih, near Sanabis, flags flutter above the narrow streets in preparation for Gargaoon, which marks the middle of Ramadan. But Salman, a village resident in his early 30s, said there is little to celebrate.
"People are scared and they don't know what the future holds," he said.
Salman said he knows at least six men arrested in recent days, something he said recalls the political unrest of the '90s, when tension between the Sunni-lead government and the island's Shia population was at its highest.
"There is work now, but it is still more difficult for the people from the villages because of the sectarianism," said Salman, who is employed with a private company.
The government has laid the blame on "instigators" intent on destabilising the country.
"The acts of sabotage and the arson attacks have nothing to do with the freedom of opinion. They amount to a crime against the nation and its sons," said a government statement. Among the "acts of sabotage" was an attack on an electricity substation Friday, which left many homes without power. In another incident, hundreds of tyres were set ablaze in a warehouse.
Outbreaks of violence in the country are nothing new, said Naser al Fadalah, an MP with the Al Menbar Islamic Society.
"The Bahraini government and the people have been waiting for 10 years with patience for people to get wise and stop this violence," he said. "There is no use for this kind of violence and terrorism."
Mr al Fadalah believes the unrest has been fomented by people with an "agenda outside of Bahrain" and links to Iran.
However, Muneera Fakhro, a Waad party candidate in the upcoming election, believes the root causes are closer to home.
"This has to do with Bahrainis. I think it is internal because we had this parliament and it did not work well during the last four years," she said. "It is also to widen the distance between Sunni and Shia."
Khalil al Marzooq, the deputy chairman and spokesperson of the opposition Al Wefaq bloc, names a litany of concerns. He blames the pace of political reform, discrimination against the Shia, limited opportunities and services for young people, and the sale of public land.
"Housing is the main important thing, as well as finding jobs for young people and services for most of the villages, especially youth facilities," Mr al Marzooq said.
Members of the opposition say the granting of citizenship to thousands of recently naturalised Bahrainis has also stoked sectarian tensions. There are also concerns that the unrest may discourage people from participating in the October 23 election.
Last week, six parties - including Al Wefaq, Al Menbar and the liberal Waad - issued a joint statement, condemning the violence by both sides. The groups called on the government to release those recently detained and urged both sides to open a dialogue.
Standing outside one of the many mosques in the winding streets of Sanabis, a 34-year-old man from the village of Al Dair, where police and opposition supporters have clashed in recent nights, voiced his concern.
"People in the village are nervous and scared, especially the children who are too scared to play outside," he said. "This is because some people don't have jobs or anything. They want to get married, have a house, buy a car, but they cannot."
zconstantine@thenational.ae
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Company%20Profile
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
Getting%20there%20
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Company%20profile
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SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
UAE SQUAD
Ahmed Raza (Captain), Rohan Mustafa, Jonathan Figy, CP Rizwan, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Usman, Basil Hameed, Zawar Farid, Vriitya Aravind (WK), Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Darius D'Silva, Chirag Suri
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions