Bahrain at a crossroads: Economic challenges loom

Bahrain at a crossroads: Economic challenges loom

The nodding donkeys in Awali, where oil was first discovered in the centre of Bahrain in 1932, are museum pieces now. The government is pushing for the surrounding oil settlement, an unreconstructed mid-twentieth century company town complete with cricket pitch, pub and church, to be listed by Unesco as a world heritage site. To the north in Manama, the capital, the lower house of parliament has just approved the budget. The government has propo…