Stories about Bahrain from June, 2007
Bahrain: The Tale of a ‘Legal Slave’
No longer a tax haven, people in Bahrain are fuming at the introduction of a one per cent tax to benefit an Unemployment Fund. Bloggers caught on the bug and are ranting and fuming on their blogs in this report by Ayesha Saldanha. In other related matters, bloggers talk about a new law which bans workers from working between noon and 4pm in the summer heat, lavish weddings and the forgotten 'martyrs' of the civil unrest which rocked Bahrain in the 90s.
Mideast Youth Wins Award
Mideast Youth announced today that it has won an award for Best New Intellectual Entrepreneurship Project for promoting liberty.
Bahrain: Martyrs Never Die
Martyrs continue to live on, notes Bahraini blogger emoodz, after visiting a cemetery for a burial ritual.
Bahrain: National Treasure Burnt
Bahrain's legendary Tree of Life was burnt by vandals, reports Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif.
Bahrain: Are Taxes Un-Islamic?
Money matters feature high in the posts of Bahraini bloggers this week, writes Ayesha Saldanha. Other issues being tackled include: Are taxes un-Islamic? Is culture and art appreciated in Bahrain? And how hot does it really get in the Middle East in Summer?
Bahrain: Weekly Podcast
Bahraini blogger emoodz posts his weekly podcast – in Arabic and English here. Enjoy the rant!
Bahrain: Thoughts on the One Per Cent
Bahraini blogger emoodz gives us his two cents on a new scheme to introduce the dole in Bahrain.
Bahrain: Mahmood's Den Gets a Face Lift
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif gives his popular blog a face lift.
Bahrain: MP Branded a Kaffir
A religious Bahraini MP has been branded a “kaffir” – an apostate – and Mahmood Al Yousif discusses how this could become a dangerous trend in society.
Arabeyes: The Middle East in Pictures
This week's pictorial tour of the Middle East takes us to a wedding with a difference in Amman, Kuwait in a dust storm, where Lebanese escape the news and finally a picture of a hatching Bulbul in a tribute to a loving father from Bahrain.
Bahrain: Red-Taped Social Responsibility
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif discusses “red-taped social responsibility” in this post.
Bahrain: High Score in Failed States Index
The Third Annual Failed States Index is out, reports Bahraini blogger Jadd William. “Bahrain has scored relatively well. At 134, Bahrain ranks better than Kuwait (at 124) and Saudi Arabia (at 83 ). The remaining GCC countries beat Bahrain: Qatar (at 137), UAE (at 138) and Oman (at 146),” he...
Bahrain: Blog Birthday
Bint Battuta, from Bahrain, marks her blog's first anniversary – with a lot of philosophical questions.
Arabeyes: The Power of Fatwas
The stir caused by a fatwa or legal opinion by an Islamic scholar, which allows women to breast feed their male colleagues doesn't seem to want to die down. Two unconnected Arab bloggers ganged up this week to express their disgust with such fatwas.
Bahrain: Don't Press ‘Forward’, Press ‘Search’
What do Bahrainis think of conspiracy theories? How pleased are they with the services their ministries offer and the statements coming out of their ministers' mouths? And what does a Bahraini studying in Japan have in common with a homeless man? To answer these questions read this week's review of Bahraini blogs by Ayesha Saldanha.
Bahrain: US Human Trafficking Blacklist
Silly Bahraini Girl links to a news article which puts Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar on the US human trafficking blacklist for failing to halt what it called the scourge of “modern-day slavery.”
Bahrain: Education Reforms
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif attended the official launch of the “Implementation of the national Education Reform Initiatives” and gives us his take on it here.
Bahrain: Lebanese Appeal
An appeal has gone out for Bahrainis to dig deep in their pockets to help Palestinian refugees caught up in the crossfire in Lebanon, reports Haitham Sabbah, who is based in Bahrain.
Bahrain: Omar Al Khayam
Bahrain's Bint Battuta gives us some poetry – the famous Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam – and their various translations to digest.
Bahrain: Internet Costs Down
The prices of internet packages for businesses are going down, thanks to competition in Bahrain's telecoms market, writes a happ(ier) Mahmood Al Yousif.
Bahrain: It's Your FAULT
“By default, a constitutional, absolute monarchy is absolutely fault- free, unless royally decreed otherwise. So, a gentle public service reminder to fellow commoners of this faultfreeocracy: Next time you want to open your mouth to complain about key thing or turn your accusatory finger at key person, you better double...
