One such person was the former Indian Ambassador to Bahrain M P Muralidharan Menon. He is perhaps the first among the first Indian ambassadors to this Kingdom of Bahrain, who had made Indians proud of their work and of their standing in society, here. The news of his passing away two days ago in…
I clearly remember seeing a ‘Dreamliner’, or the Boeing 787, being painted as it got ready to be delivered to an airline in the Arabian Gulf. We were awed when we were told that the 787 will use 20 percent less fuel per passenger than similarly sized airplanes, and produce fewer carbon emissions, and…
In May 2012, ten labourers were found dead due to fire and smoke, in East Riffa. In January 2013, two days ago, 13 labourers were burnt to death, in Manama. And civil defense officials fear that more bodies might still be under the rubble, as they continue working at the site. So, what does…
I saw a resolute leader in HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa who, while addressing a cross section of world leaders, said that, though the events of February 2011 seem to have divided this nation, he believes that ‘dialogue is the only way forward’. In this event hosted by IISS (International Institute for Strategic…
The education of the children of over 30,000 Syrian refugees currently in the Zaatari Camp, has been badly interrupted due to the political turmoil in Syria. And, in my opinion, this swift and magnanimous gesture of Bahrain – to provide four school buildings in which, 4000 students, in two shifts, can continue their education until…
Also killed on the same day were an 11-month-old boy Amar Masharawi, a pregnant 19-year-old woman Hiba Masharawi-Turk, and a 61-year-old man Mahmoud Hmad. Are these not innocent civilians? But Israel claims it is attacking only military targets, since it launched its attacks – in what it calls ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’ – on…
We are amazed at the excellent preparedness and the active response of the citizens and leaders. Despite the havoc thatSandy wreaked on US, not only did they collectively save many lives by early warnings and efficient evacuations, but they are also helping recovery by responding fast in restoring power lines and restarting transport systems. From the US President, to…
There was, therefore, much relief when UN-brokered ‘ceasefire’ – led by the international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, who took over from Kofi Annan – came into force on Friday. But it was soon shattered by fighting and a car bomb explosion in Damascus. Nearly 150 people died on the first day of the truce,…
Both are of young teenage girls, completely unconnected. They are separated by thousands of miles, and by differences in circumstances. But, both news-items show the arrogance of males with nasty guns and whips, as they target females with liberal thoughts and words. In both, girls are targeted in the name of religion. One is…
It is all abuzz with its netizens, on Twitter and Facebook, debating the decision. The topic is trending, but the opinions I think are not really varied. Most users, like me, feel that EU does not deserve it. The glitzy Nobel Prize seems to be gradually losing its sheen. And many jokes are being made about…
The US first lady’s heart-warming speech has been receiving greater attention than even the speeches of Bill Clinton and Barak Obama. It tells us that even though people seek quantifiable figures on economy, and scientific analysis of government performance, connecting with them – on the level of hearts – can be a lot better.…
What was the reason? The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan who built the world’s most beautiful building of that time, did not want his workers to go and build another one, for anyone, anywhere else. Now, I wonder what Shah Jahan would have done if he heard this week’s news that a replica of Taj Mahal will be…
He used a red felt pen to mark a line near the top of the bomb and said that Iran should not be allowed to pass beyond that line. He said the line represented 90% of Iran’s progress in making a nuclear warhead, and added that Iran would reach it “by next spring, at…
So, with the approval of Bahrain’s report by the UN Human Rights Council, at United Nations in Geneva this week, we can see that Bahrain has made significant progress in the desired direction. With this approval, Bahrain should no longer be viewed by International media with doubt or distrust; but should in fact be viewed with respect and admiration.…
Saudi King Abdullah’s invitation to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, for an extraordinary summit of Muslim leaders to be held later this week in the holy city of Mecca, has shocked and surprised many. And equally surprising is the news-report that the President of Iran has quickly accepted the invitation. Call it strange…
I watched with awe and wonder as South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius made history on Saturday. He not only became the first double amputee to compete in an athletics event at Olympics, but also the first such person to reach semi-finals in 400 meters. The 25-year-old Pistorius, who had his both legs amputated below the knee…
Citius, Altius, Fortius. This motto of Olympics, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger,” very effectively reflects the purpose of this global quadrennial sporting event. It shows the eternal endeavor of humans to struggle and surpass themselves. It depicts the soaring spirit of humans to compete and win. That is why I feel the motto…
Every year, when Ramadan month begins in Bahrain, my respect for Muslims here and around the world, grows up higher. And it has been happening for over 30 years now. So, you can say I am obviously full of praise and appreciation for the commitment and dedication with which my Muslim friends follow this month-long…
For six decades, the President of Egypt had always been from the military. And for half that time, it was one man, Hosni Mubarak, a former air force chief, who hounded and jailed members of Muslim Brotherhood. Now, with Saturday’s swearing-in of Mohamed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood man, as Egypt’s first Islamist president, ‘the tables…
That was the beginning of an association that would span over three decades, during which time Soman moved from the level of a sub-editor, to that of a reporter and moving up the hierarchy to the level of Associate Editor. After ending that long innings with GDN in June 2009, Soman joined Bahrain Telegraph, an…
Bahrain marks today the tenth anniversary of its historic National Action Charter and it is appropriate to assess the State of the Nation in terms of the achievement of its aims, objectives and directions. The Charter is akin to the Business Plan of an Organisation that sets the pace for growth…