Senegal’s 160ft, $27m new monument 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Random.Tags: Africa, Africa aid, Dakar, Monument of African Renaiassence, Senegal, Senegal statue
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Senegal has proudly unveiled a $27 million, 160 foot statue in the capital Dakar. The ‘Monument of African Renaissance’ is higher than the Statue of Liberty and depicts, its detractors say, ‘un-Islamic scantily clad figures’. Whatever the merits of the design, one can’t help but ask whether this $27 million could have been better spent in a country languishing 168th in the world with a literacy rate of 39%, with nearly 59 infant deaths per 1000 ranking Senegal 185th and with a GDP per capita of $1700 relegating Senegal to 157th in the world according to the CIA world factbook.
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Emirates Airline advertises on Israeli website 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, The Emirates.Tags: Emirates advert in Israel, Israel, Israeli normalization, UAE normalization
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This advert has been captured from the Ynet website owned by Yediot Aharonot, an Israeli newspaper. Interesting timing given Israel and Dubai’s recent history and Dubai police’s token new measures to keep out those with dual Israeli citizenship.
Hat tip: Angry Arab
Missing Iranian nuclear scientist defects 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Iran.Tags: CIA, Defection, Iran nuclear programme, Iran nuclear scientist defects
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The Iranian nuclear scientist who went missing on a pilgrimage to Mecca some months ago has apparently defected to the Americans. Initially it was suspected that he had been assassinated by the US.
This is potentially a gold-mine of information for America. Ahahram Amiri, the scientist involved, worked at Iran’s Fardu uranium enrichment plant near Qom. ABC news who broke this story describes him as one Iran’s top nuclear scientists.
Russian subway killers revenge 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Russia.Tags: Black widows, Moscor subway attack, Russia, Subway bombing
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It is becoming clear that the women who killed nearly 40 Russians on attacks on the Moscow subway last week did so after their husbands were killed is highly dubious circumstances by Russian forces.
Yet now Russian President Medvedev is insisting that Russia’s police use “crueller methods” in putting an end to terrorism in Russia. Do I even need to comment…
Dubai’s Iran ties 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Iran, The Emirates.Tags: Dubai, Dubai Iran links, Iran, Iranian economy, sanctions busting, US Sanctions
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Time Magazine has a good article discussing Dubai’s well-known Iranian links. These are no secret and this is no scoop, but they are presented in a straight-forward and interesting way. Some key points:
– Dubai is a key center for re-exporting both to and from Iran
– Dubai-Iran trade worth $12 billion last year
– 400,000 Iranians live in Dubai
– 8000 Iranian companies are registered in Dubai
– 2 Iranian banks in Dubai – Bank Melli iran and Bank Saderat Iran – are under investigation for funding Iran’s nuclear programme
– Recently, Dubai officials have discovered US aircraft parts destined for Iran’s military and US counterparts foiled the sale of US attack helicopters to Iran via Dubai based export companies
Only a small portion of shipments are checked, and officials rely on the honesty of shipping brokers in filling out manifests.
Left v Right 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Random.Tags: politics, The left, The right
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Again from information is beautiful, a fantastic representation of what ‘left’ and ‘right’ means.
China’s internet censorship 3, April 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in China.Tags: China, China censorship, Chinese internet censorship, Information is beautiful, Internet censotship
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Click to open the picture normal sized.
This rather elegant design represents the key words that China censors in internet searches. Courtesy of information is beautiful.
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