New year's war - and other links...

A nasty flu and deep sadness over the mad war going on has kept me from blogging lately. Now there is at least a ceasefire and a lot (but not all) of the below relates to recent events in the Middle East.

The Nobel prize-awarding Swedish Academy has been given a new permanent secretary, the eminent historian Peter Englund, mostly known for his writings on war and on mentality history-style essays. His most recent book is an expose over individual fates in the first world war, elegantly combing the 2 genres. He is probably the single person to have done most to reach out to a broad readership with a soundly academic historic writing in Sweden today. My (belated) congratulations, not least to the academy!

Irak
Dagens Nyheter writes a longer analysis of Kirkuk and the situation in northern Iraq.

Svenska Dagbladet tells the story of a Palestinian family from Iraq, earmarked by UNHCR for resettlement in smalltown Sweden.

A debate has also taken place on how the situation of Christians in Iraq is viewed, here also from Svenska Dagbladet.

Good news though, Iraq Body Count counts a significantly lower number of Iraqi casualties in 2008 compared to previous years. BBC writes of the Basra museum.

Palestine
ICG published several reports on the situation in Palestine, both before and after tha war in Gaza broke out.

A number of Swedish articles during the Gaza war (some translated):
Nathan Schachar in Dagens Nyheter on the coalition opposing Hamas, Michael Winiarski (same paper) on the marginalization of Abbas, Bitte Hammargren for Svenska Dagbladet on civilian suffering and the passive world, Göran Rosenberg on evil circles of conflict, Amira Hass published in Dagens Nyheter on Israel in the Gaza war, Bitte Hammargren remembers Gaza, Anna Dahlberg for Expressen discusses how to handle Hamas, Olle Svenning for Aftonbladet on all the losers of the war, Peter Löfgren on nurturing monsters, Gideon Levy for Dagens Nyheter on "talking peace, making war", Dagens Nyheter meets the man in the film on Young Freud in Gaza, Dagens Nyheter on Gaza's history, Peter Weiderud in Dagens Nyheter on the need for a dialogue with Hamas, and exploring the importance of Al-Jazeera coverage in Dagens Nyheter.

Athanasiades for the National on Turkey's role in the Gaza war.

Other
ICG also calls attention to the dire straits of Turkish reform and the challenges of 2009... Yavuz Baydar for Utrikesbloggen worries over it too, as does Svante Cornell (also published via Utrikesbloggen - check it out!). I can only agree with Svenska Dagbladet recommending a visit to Cappadocia.

Svenska Dagbladet also writes on government-sponsored matchmaking activities in Iran! Iason Athanasiadis writes for the National on Iran. National also tells of coming 3G services in Iran.

Dagens Nyheter explores the concept of hawala. Their photographer Paul Hansen visited Yemen. The National visits the art biennale in Cairo. Svenska Dagbladet talks to Swedish burger-chain Max on establishing in Saudiarabia (read the whole article, is my tip!).

Dagens Nyheter also writes on prostitution in Europe.

Ingrid Hedström writes for Dagens Nyheter on recent mother French justice minister Dati.

Åsa Petersen for Aftonbladet writes on homophobia and catholicism in Lithuania - another complicated chapter.

Dagens Nyheter on ethnicity and daily life in Sarajevo.