Reading in January

More on George Bush's Middle East trip, this time from the Economist.

Anna Dahlberg in Expressen writes on the discreet life of Swedish foreign policy thinktanks, especially notable as their input would contribute both to policymaking and to public debate. Dagens Nyheter's Ingrid Hedström ponders the importance of the Eurovision Song Contest in European integration politics, here with a not so happy example from Serbia.

An analysis of Al Qaida by Faisal Devji, published in Svenska Dagbladet. What can you tell me about him?

An article on an English man's love for Delhi, sparked by reading his Times obituary.

Expressen tells of a brave girl and her family in Egypt - a very young mother whose life would have deserved a different turn.

The daily possibilities of women in Saudiarabia may be progressing, if in small steps. Svenska Dagbladet writes on being able to check in to hotels. We're still waiting for driving. In Iran, women candidates for parliament are discussed here by the BBC. The lifting of the headscarf ban at Turkish universities is a related issue, here in an article from International Herald Tribune.

Al Jazeera gives attention to the socio-economic situation in Kurdish-majority south-eastern Turkey. Also on Turkey, Today's Zaman reports on the visit to Ankara by Greek PM Karamanlis.

Patrick Seale writes in Gulf News on Lebanon's ongoing political ordeal. BBC here on the same topic, also.

Much media attention has been given to the breakout from Gaza into Egypt. I believe personally it only serves to illustrate the futility of ignoring actual political forces such as Hamas. For the regional equation to add up politically, they must be calculated into the solution. Here is Svenska Dagbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Swedish radio (especially on consequences for Egypt), BBC and Svenska Dagbladet again.

Life on the creek

Traditional (and more modern) boats on the creek!

Modern souq

This souq in Dubai is quite modern, but very nicely done in an old style - so thumbs up, definitely!

Making traces

A glimpse of us, trailing around the Dubai souk. And some little kittens sunbathing too...

Developments in Arab media

Developments in Arab media have been highlighted this week, not least through media coverage on and from this Swedish-hosted journalists and blogger conference in Alexandria, Egypt.

Here you can listen (radio sound file, about 30 minutes) to a discussion between participants in the conference.

No discussion on Arab journalism is complete without a debate on the role and importance Al-Jazeera! ;-) Now the issue is whether their reporting is politically sensitive to changed Arab Gulf attitudes toward Iran and Saudi-arabia?

A new British magazine on Arab issues is being launched - The Arab. I believe it's not for free on the internet but still want to share the link with you.

Gulf future energy vision

This week's World Future Energy Summit here in Abu Dhabi highlights issues of future clean energy and business opportunities.

Even Swedish media gives attention to Abu Dhabi's Masdar company and their plans for a city on a net-zero carbon emission goal. BBC writes here about it.

Visions are important. Implementation is the next step.

UPDATE from the inauguration - it was adressed by a zero-carbo-emitting, holographic Prince Charles! Welcome to the Gulf!

Hrant Dink - 1 year in memoriam

One year ago yesterday, Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink was murdered in Istanbul. BBC here writes on how the sad occasion still divides Turkish society. Swedish radio reports here from a memorial rally in Istanbul.

India

India is never far from the Gulf and has special place in my life since a long time. Getting good Indian food is one of my everyday joys of being here!



I recently read this book on India and would like to recommend it for reading on the development of politics and the economy in India today. Luce is well placed to give such and understanding, not least due to his thorough knowledge of development relevant economic indicators. Very impressive work and well written!

Dubai - the creek

The first impression of Dubai for many - and definitely for me - was of highrises along Shaikh Zayed Road. But coming down to the Creek, I finally got a feeling for Dubai as something more than a freeway system... Here you have photos of traditional boats on the creek, and more will come.

This week's reading links

We start this week's reading recommendations with a think-tank report on Iraqi refugees and their situation in neighbouring Syria and Jordan.

For those of you with a Foreign Policy log-in, you can here read Graham Fuller's thoughts on how Islam shapes the world and whether Islam as such shapes the world of today - or would the same problems not take another shape in A World without Islam?

This week in the Middle East has been dominated by the journey of president George Bush. Svenska Dagbladets here writes on the visit from a Gaza perspective. Expressen here describes it as "the last chance for Bush". Dagens Nyheter calls in "monkey politics"...

Freedom House has just released their latest index and report - see their webpage.

The imprisoned Iranian-Kurdish journalist Adnan Hassanpour has been reportedly been awarded Reporters without Borders press freedom prize for 2007. I can't find more information on it though - so I may come back on it.

Here in the UAE, apart from the visits of Bush and Sarkozy, this week's more noteable events include "heavy" rain. See BBC's pictures of street floods!

BBC pictures also notes the celebration of Ashura. And BBC publishes a story on a returning Iraqi refugee woman and what she finds in her Baghdad home - returning so to the topic of today's first link above.

For this week's diversion from current politics and the Middle East, read here about the Prague ball season!

Among the Arabs

Living in the Gulf, the topic of how Arabs live and how they view each other is a very current topic always. Listening to Cecilia Udden speak on the Swedish radio on intra-Arab prejudice was very interesting, and sometimes played out live in my close environment.

New Year's dinner

Maybe not fully climate-aware - but very very nice!

Celebrating Christmas

Just to assure you all now afterwards we didn't just eat - we also decorated for Christmas. As usual there was also a remarkable pile of gifts, especially considering that we were 3 adults celebrating together - no kids in sight... ;-) an embarrassing amount of them were for me...

Christmas for real... also here!

Well, I showed you the Christmas food preparations - now here is what the result looked like!

Ski Dubai!

The indoor ski-slope in gigantic shoppingcentre Mall of the Emirates in Dubai has quickly become legendary. Here it is - I was there and saw it! It's minus 4 degrees and separated from the shopping mall (biggest in the Middle East) by a glass wall. It looked quite busy, too... ;-)

Recent ICG-reports

I often quote Crisis Group and recently they were named among the top ten most influential think tanks! Here are also links to some of their recent reports:

from December on clan-ism in Gaza, from early January on Pakistan after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and from today on Cyprus and counteracting partition.

More Christmas preparations

Well, the evening of the 23rd turned our home and our kitchen into the Christmas mode very rapidly, as you can see here!

Sad news on literacy in the Arab world

The Arab equivalent of UNESCO, called ALECSO (unfortunately I cannot access the English webpage at the moment, does anyone know if it is active at all?), has, according to reports in Swedish radio
released illiteracy firgures for the Arab countries that are stunningly high, not least for women. one out of three cannot read or write, and among women one out of two, it is said.

This is a real challenge that countries of the region need to take on seriously, even if efforts are also being made (I wrote before I think on the foundation started by the ruler of Dubai).

I discussed this just yesterday with someone, guessing that the combined effect of the difficulties of the formal written Arabic (and it's difference from the spoken dialects) and the poor education systems would be at the core of this issue.

Happy orthodox Christmas!

Holidays still abound - now is the orthodox Christmas, BBC pictures from celebrations here.

And on Thursday is the Islamic New Year.

Update: more photos, from Al-Jazeera this time

Reading on culture events

I have collected some links especially on cultural events that I'd like to share now.

First some books - this one is a book review from Svenska Dagbladet on Sweden's involvement in Finland's Second World War.

I have written earlier on Khaled Hosseini's novels from a wartorn Afghanistan - here is an interview with the author, from Dagens Nyheter.


And some music events I would like to have experienced!
This Hugh Masekela-concert I would really like to have gone to! The greatest jazz trumpet-player, ever. Thank you Daniel for the link to the review.

A recent favourite artist, French-Algerian Souad Massi, released an acoustic live recording. This review isn't wildly enthusiastic, but I'm still looking forward to the record.

And, not least, Iranian icon Googoosh played in Stockholm - I missed that too.... :-(

Pakistan

See some of Dagens Nyheter's photographer Paul Hansen's photos from Pakistan after the death of opposition leader and previous prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Also a picture special of Bhutto's life.

Reading from the holidays

I have been quite absent from blogging during the holiday period - first many hours of hard work and later lazy days with the family has kept me away from the computer lately. But I have been collecting links to share and have some photos to show you later also.

So these come from December mainly.

Sadly, research in shows that violent conflict is on the rise... a grim reminder of our responsibility for the future.

But most of my links are as usual on the Middle East.

First some BBC reporting on the US military in Iraq. Early in December, Swedish radio also reported on how the Iraqi middle class to some extent are returning to Baghdad - probably mostly because they have trouble supporting life in exile.

Here is Swedish Expressens page on Iraq, with blogs and special features. One particularly haunting story from Expressen on women in Iraq. Anna Dahlberg here writes on the responsibility of Iraqis for their country's future.

Also from the BBC, this time on Arab media. Aftonbladet interviews Egyptian feminist Nawal el-Saadawi here.

Svenska Dagbladet reports on the treatment of bloggers in Egypt and their contribution to breaking taboos on freedom of expression. BBC reports on the situation for bloggers in Saudiarabia.

BBC has a resume of 2007 in Iran. LA Times also writes on Iran here, trying to investigate the circles of power ruling the country.

Here, the Israeli ambassador in stockholm gives his view of the region post-Annapolis.

Away from direct news developments in the region I suggest this for reading:

Swedish author Anita Goldman writes here in Aftonbladet on coexistence and conciliation.

Svenska Dagbladet has a series of articles on religious beliefs - so here is one on being Jewish in Sweden and one on being a modern muslim in Sweden. I really recommend both for reading - real food for thought!

Outside the direct Middle East-region:
Aftonbladet here writes an editorial comment on the Bhutto family tragedy... Svenska Dagbladet also had a useful comment on developments in Pakistan.

And finally a BBC forecast for Turkey in 2008.

Memories of summer...

Some photos from a lovely summer excursion with my grandmother - going to sandhamn on the far edge of the Stockholm archipelago in the last summer weekend.