Challenging Calcutta

Dagens Nyheter runs a set of photos from Calcutta today. They are taken by Marianne Ahrne, who also writes about the challenges of the vast city, both for visitors and inhabitants.

Spanarna

One of my favourite programs on Swedish radio, Spanarna, celebrates it's 20th anniversary this weekend!

For all of you who don't listen regularly, Spanarna is a humoristic studio-conversation between 3 people who each give a prognosis of a phenomenon of our time, which they see as defining for the future. They also play cool jazz between each prognosis and have really funny sarcastic conversations on these defining features. Crystal clear? Cannot be explained, has to be lived!

Stockholm!

Stockholm from the seaside!

United Nations

Today is the UN Day - 63 years since the founding of the United Nations.

In Sweden, politicians of both the government and the opposition are highlighting this. I had the opportunity this week to underline this myself too. Strangely, none of the major morning papers seem to have had editorials on the topic today...

Waxholm fort

The fort of Vaxholm.

On seeing this, the German field-marshal von Moltke is said to have laughed one of the two times in his whole life. The other was when his mother-in-law died.

NB I don't know if it's true - but the story is quite widespread in Sweden. ;-)

Human rights award

Another human rights award was given yesterday also, this one to Egyptian activist Nora Younis. Here internet activism has been in focus.

Sacharov award

The European parliament today awarded the Chinese activist Hu Jia with the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Svenska Dagbladet reports here.

Human Rights Watch comments here.

Vaxholm!

Passing Vaxholm, a view of the classic hotel...

Muslim in America

Al Jazeera's English-channel is broadcasting a programme now on being a Muslim in America. It sounds interesting, even if I haven't had a chance to see it yet.

Boating - in Stockholm this time

More from grandma's and my lovely August archipelago excursion - these summer photos are really in no specific order once I get around to blogging...

Blogging Middle East!

Svenska Dagbladet launches a Middle East-blog, by Bitte Hammargren (an old favourite of mine).

My friends at (swedish-language) Pop the casbah have a review of Swedish (and a few other) journalists previously blogging on the same theme - well worth reading too.

Picking mushrooms

Our walking cicerone took to picking mushrooms. I would personally never dare eat anything I had picked, but many Swedes do it regularly and well. And it is a nice pastime in the autumn and a delicious meal!

Late summer views

It was really lovely weather and so nice to get out for a day!

Focus on Arab youth

Abu Dhabi's The National has sailed up as a paper with pathos. This week they launched a feature on Arab youth which seems well worth following, including an interactive web section, in cooperation with Brookings and the Dubai School of Government.

Late summer lake

The same walk took us past a lake.

Nobel!

Nobel awards have been announced this week, as usual. For me, the important ones are generally literature and peace (handed out in Norway) - even if the importance of the prizes in natural sciences is immense.

This year a French author, Le Clezio (unknown to me but seemingly appreciated by many I have heard speak of him in the last day) is the literature laureate. Former Finnish president and conflict mediator Martti Ahtisaari is recognized for the peace prize.

Many congratulations!

Stockholm - late summer images

These images are from a walk in August through a park area south of stockholm - a really lovely summer day.

and, this means I know have access to my photos again!

MEIFF

For the second time, Abu Dhabi's Middle East International Film Festival starts later in this week. Media shows some highlights already. I hope to be able to attend.

Eid backlog reading

I've been slow about blogging lately - without my own computer and photo access. But I've still collected links in the past weeks (even though they've been a bit hectic) to share - so here goes:


LA Times about water issues in Yemen.

BBC collects opinions from Iraqi bloggers. BBC also meets Iraqis in Cairo. Gulf News meets women in Iraq, talking about life and work.

Al-Jazeera on the future of Cyprus.

MERIP on gay pride in Turkey.

BBC looks at hijab-fashion in Cairo.

ICG on governance in Gaza (also available with a link in Arabic!).

Human Rights Watch follows developments in Saudi-arabia.

The Economist looks at families and football in Abu Dhabi. Gulf News looks at "first ladies" in the Gulf.

Gulf News on Iranian networks in the GCC - with an unexpected Swedish twist...

The National on a photo exhibition of the hajj in Arabia - beautiful photos! The exhibition (currently in Dubai!) website is found here.

National Geographic looks at a planned underwater museum in Alexandria.

Barnett Rubin on Afghanistan in The National.

The Economist runs a story on Pakistan's tribal areas. BBC meets young men recording occurences in Kashmir.

Dagens Nyheter worries about the fate of a women's activist and blogger upon forced return to Iran. A more general view of the pressure on women's activists is found here.

The New Statesman features a theme-page "Inside Iran".

Arab popstars in Stockholm! (Svenska Dagbladet features)

Svenska Dagbladet reports on new international regulations for private armed forces.

Fokus runs a feature on the debate in Sweden on the so-called FRA-legislation, on electronic surveillance and personal integrity.

Swedish EU-commissioner Margot Wallström on male political dominance in the EU in Aftonbladet.

Rolf Gustavsson in Svenska Dagbladet ponders passports in Europe.

And a small bonus on EU monitors in Georgia, from the BBC.

Last but not least, QX features a friend, as does Aftonbladet here!