Starbucks Starbucks, along with its partner Delek Group of Israel, closed all six of its locations in Israel, citing "on-going operational challenges" and a "difficult business environment." The Starbucks location in the former imperial palace in Beijing closed in July 2007. The coffee shop had been a source of ongoing controversy since its opening in 2000 with protesters objecting that the presence of the American chain in this location "was trampling on Chinese culture." In July 2008, the company announced it was closing 600 underperforming company-owned stores and cutting U.S. expansion plans amid growing economic uncertainty. On July 29, 2008, Starbucks
Aftermath of the Bahraini uprising (July–December 2011) legislators rather than democratically elected ones, can overrule its decisions. A mob of hundreds of Bahrainis stormed the office of the international Bahrain Commission of Inquiry after local news reported that the commission absolved government officials of wrongdoing over the crackdown, forcing the office's closure. The commission denied the news reports and said its investigation was ongoing. King Hamad announced a pardon for many protesters, saying that "we today announce that we forgive them" for "abusing us and senior officials in Bahrain". He also outlined a plan under which detainees who had proven abuse by security forces could receive financial