Basra oil sites draw renewed protests

BASRA - Three sets of demonstrations have targeted Basra oil installations in the past week, echoing last summer's volatile protest movement and highlighting the potential for more unrest as temperatures rise.

While the protests so far have been small and quickly dispersed, they also serve as a warning sign for a new government that is rushing to address long-standing grievances over inadequate services while staving off political rivals looking to exploit popular outrage.