Bahrain King Hamad Ibn Isa Al Khalifa blamed the monthlong protests in his country on a foreign plot to destabilize his government, claiming that he has successfully foiled it. He said that the conspiracy has been 20-30 years in the making. At least 13 people have been killed the revolt that led Al Khalifa to declare martial law last week. Strictly enforced curfews and bans on public gatherings brought protests largely to a standstill. Reuters reported that shops reopened on Sundays as life began to return to normal. The protest was brief and disbanded before police could arrive to break it up. Uprisings across in Tunisia and Egypt are believed to have inspired the protests, which called for a constitutional monarchy.
