Bahrain's Shiites turn to ballots after crackdowns
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After facing of months of crackdowns, Shiite leaders in the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain awaited results Sunday from parliamentary elections they hope will be a show of strength against Sunni rulers. But early allegations of voting problems point to possible challenges to the outcome in this key Western ally.
The claims, which include hundreds of Shiites reportedly blocked from voting, could complicate hopes of cooling tensions after waves of arrests and street clashes between majority Shiites who claim widespread discrimination and the Sunni leadership seeking to maintain its grip. (AP)
