Qatar’s population explosion 17, October 2009
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Qatar.Tags: Population pyramid, Qatar, Qatar population, Qatar population growth
3 comments
These clips are taken from the Qatar Statistical Authority and show the growth in Qatar’s population in recent years. I realize that the clips below are too small to really show the difference so go to the website and play their little sideshow. It grows more or less slowly but surely from 1986 onwards until 2004 when the population explodes.
Israeli flag flies in the Emirates 17, October 2009
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, The Emirates.Tags: Abu Dhabi, Israel, Israel-Gulf relations, UAE
1 comment so far
Even though Israel does not have any formal relations with the UAE, the Israeli flag flew at a recent meeting in Abu Dhabi of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Perhaps the UAE, like Qatar, feel that there is little to be gained from prolongued isolation of Israel and they seek to test the waters with such a minor event.
Angry Arab on the NYT 17, October 2009
Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations, Middle East.Tags: Angry Arab, New York Times
1 comment so far
The Angry Arab, in a brief comment on a recent New York Times article, comes up with an absolute peach of a comment, laying out American hubris and purported exceptionalism bare and for all to see.
Look at this dispatch by Adam Nossiter: “China has been determined in its pursuit of minerals in Africa, often without consideration of how countries are governed.” Was there no editor at the desk to note that this is not different from US policies? Like US ever cares about how oil-rich countries are governed? Let me re-write this sentence for you to see what I mean: The US has been determined in its pursuit of oil in the Middle East, often without consideration of how countries are governed.” The only word I would change is often: I would replace it with always.
Indonesia bans maids going to Kuwait 17, October 2009
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Kuwait.Tags: Domstic servitude, Indonesian maids, Kuwait, Kuwait maids, Modern slavery
add a comment
The Kuwait Times reports that the Indonesian Government has banned its nationals from moving to Kuwait to work in domestic service. This drastic step has been taken as there are currently 600 (six HUNDRED) run-away maids in the Indonesian embassy in Kuwait City. Until their cases have been sorted out Indonesia has thankfully decided to stop allowing maids to be sent to Kuwait. Whilst this is a sensible and humane decision, it is hardly attacking the underlying issue of exactly why there are 600 maids currently residing in the Embassy. Are the work shy? Don’t they like the heat? No, they are tortured and worked half to death. It is – make no mistake whatsoever – modern-day slavery. (More here and here).
The Gulf blog 