Reading in the summer

I believe that culture issues will be strongly represented this week. The Gulf features a lot too.

Dagens Nyheter published fascinating results of a survey, indicating how happy inhabitants of different countries are. Look at the differences within Germany. Or who is really unhappy - Iraq and Zimbabwe are hardly surprising but our Baltic neighbours? Real food for thought in that list, I found.

OMCT's report on human rights defenders in 2007 for the Middle East can be found here.

Christopher Davidson writes for Open Democracy on developments in the UAE.

Gulf News writes on the vision of development for the UAE Federal National Council. Gulf News also writes on the work against human trafficking in the UAE. The UAE ministry writes here on their work with human rights-related issues.

BBC tells of Dubai plans for a moving sky-scraper...

Svenska Dagbladet followed a Stockholm visit by an influential Saudi prince. Neil Partrick writes here for Chatham House on Saudi Middle East Policy.

Aftonbladets Jesper Bengtsson writes on Iran. Kurdo Baksi pleads for a woman risking stoning in Iran if deported from Sweden.

The National discusses the view on Iraq in the Gulf.

BBC tells of a new Islamic museum in Sharjah.

BBC writes on film events and media in Egypt.

Juan Cole writes in the "Informed Comment"-blog on Turkey's constitutional crisis. Also The Economist writes on Turkey and the veiling issue. svenska Dagbladet (Bitte H as usual) writes on the danger of AKP being declared illegal.

My husband recommends this on Turkey and regional integration with Caucasian neighbours.

Svenska Dagbladet reviewed and Israeli film, "The Lemon grove" (I wonder if that is the name in English?).

Dagens Nyheters weekend-magazine tells the story of a new Oriental night club in Stockholm.

Svenska Dagbladet here interviews the Swedish-Iranian documentary film-maker Nahid Persson, previously known for the film on 2 Tehran prostitutes "Behind the veil".

An international writer's conference in Stockholm has gathered author's from all over the world, including Mozambiques Mia Couto, interviewed by Dagens Nyheter.

Dagens Nyheter reviews the new Narnia-movie, "Prince Caspian".

A Svenska Dagbladet-column arguing against the new and controversial Swedish legislation on electronic intelligence.

In the Swedish summer, a political event of great importance takes place, including a programme of security-policy talks.

Time magazine ran an article on surviving disaster, including talks with Swedish parliamentarian Kent Härstedt, who once survived a sinking passenger ferry in the Baltic sea (Estonia, in 1994).