auto-update week 30

middle-east/ba.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "Introduction": {
     "Background": {
-      "text": "<p>In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.</p> <p>The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Failed political talks prompted opposition political societies to boycott 2014 legislative and municipal council elections. In 2018, a law preventing members of political societies dissolved by the courts from participating in elections effectively sidelined the majority of opposition figures from taking part in national elections. As a result, most members of parliament are independents. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. On 15 September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed peace agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Israel &ndash; brokered by the US &ndash; in Washington DC. Bahrain and the UAE thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.</p>"
+      "text": "<p>In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.</p> <p>The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Failed political talks prompted opposition political societies to boycott 2014 legislative and municipal council elections. In 2018, a law preventing members of political societies dissolved by the courts from participating in elections effectively sidelined the majority of opposition figures from taking part in national elections. As a result, most members of parliament are independents. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. On 15 September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed peace agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. Bahrain and the UAE thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.</p>"
     }
   },
   "Geography": {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
         "text": "Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu"
       },
       "printed major-language sample": {
-        "text": "<br />كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br /><br />The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
+        "text": "<br>كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
       }
     },
     "Religions": {
@@ -503,13 +503,13 @@
     },
     "Legislative branch": {
       "description": {
-        "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:<br />Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king)<br />Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)"
+        "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:<br>Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king)<br>Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)"
       },
       "elections": {
-        "text": "<br />Consultative Council - last appointments on 12 December 2018 (next NA)<br />Council of Representatives - first round for 9 members held on 24 November 2018; second round for remaining 31 members held on 1 December 2018&nbsp;(next to be held in 2022)"
+        "text": "<br>Consultative Council - last appointments on 12 December 2018 (next NA)<br>Council of Representatives - first round for 9 members held on 24 November 2018; second round for remaining 31 members held on 1 December 2018 (next to be held in 2022)"
       },
       "election results": {
-        "text": "<br />Consultative Council - composition - men 31, women 9, percent of women 22.5%<br /><br />Council of Representatives (for 2018 election) &nbsp;- percent of vote by society&nbsp;- NA; seats by society - Islamic Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3, Minbar al-Taqadumi (Communist) 2, National Unity Gathering (Sunni progovernment) 1, National Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 33; composition - men 34, women 6, percent of women 15%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 19%"
+        "text": "<br>Consultative Council - composition - men 31, women 9, percent of women 22.5%<br><br>Council of Representatives (for 2018 election)  - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Islamic Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3, Minbar al-Taqadumi (Communist) 2, National Unity Gathering (Sunni progovernment) 1, National Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 33; composition - men 34, women 6, percent of women 15%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 19%"
       }
     },
     "Judicial branch": {
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@
         "text": "Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama"
       },
       "mailing address": {
-        "text": "PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100 <br />international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama"
+        "text": "PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100 <br>international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama"
       },
       "FAX": {
         "text": "[973] 1727-2594"
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@
   },
   "Military and Security": {
     "Military and security forces": {
-      "text": "Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force; Ministry of Interior: National Guard<span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard<br /></span> (2021)<br><br>note: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy",
+      "text": "Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force; Ministry of Interior: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard<br> (2021)<br><br>note: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy",
       "note": "note: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy"
     },
     "Military expenditures": {
@@ -1053,7 +1053,7 @@
       }
     },
     "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
-      "text": "size assessments for the Bahrain Defense Force vary; approximately 10,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,500 Air Force); est. 3,000 National Guard (2020)"
+      "text": "information varies; approximately 10,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,500 Air Force); est. 3,000 National Guard (2020)"
     },
     "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
       "text": "the inventory of the Bahrain Defense force is comprised mostly of equipment acquired from the US along with a smaller quantity of material from European suppliers; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of arms to Bahrain (2020)"
@@ -1064,8 +1064,8 @@
   },
   "Terrorism": {
     "Terrorist group(s)": {
-      "text": "al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force<br><br><strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in <a title=\"Appendix-T\" href=\"../appendix/appendix-t.html\">Appendix-T</a>",
-      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in <a title=\"Appendix-T\" href=\"../appendix/appendix-t.html\">Appendix-T</a>"
+      "text": "al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force<br><br><strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T",
+      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T"
     }
   },
   "Transnational Issues": {