Archive: bahrain

30th September 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Good news from Bahrain where the American PR firm Qorvis was recently hired at $40,000 a month to polish up the kingdom's image. An announcement via PRNewswire reveals that Bahrain is to fund "a state of the art special hospital in Somalia as well as a nursing school to train medical personnel." It… Read more
27th September 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Something is going on at the official government news agency in Bahrain. Normally it churns out dull and unilluminating reports about royal comings and goings, such as this one: "His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa today received Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who conveyed… Read more
11th September 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
It emerged last month that the American public relations firm, Qorvis, has signed a $40,000-a-month contract with the government of Bahrain to spruce up the kingdom's tarnished image. Heading the firm's Bahrain operation is Matt Lauer, listed by Washington Life magazine earlier this year as "one of… Read more
4th September 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
The government of Bahrain is developing quite a reputation for lying – in particular, by circulating false claims of international support for its repression. Last week, Amnesty International issued a statement about the 14-year-old boy who died during a peaceful demonstration in the kingdom –… Read more
6th August 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Mystery continues to surround Liliane Khalil, the "veteran investigative journalist" who last month became "North America bureau chief" for the Bahrain Independent and formerly held the title of contributing editor for the Bikya Masr website. Earlier this week, questions were raised as to whether… Read more
30th July 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Bahrain on Friday, protesting at the outcome of the government's "national dialogue" which they say will not deliver far-reaching reforms. For news reports, see al-Jazeera, the Daily Star and the Financial Times. The dialogue – widely viewed… Read more
20th April 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Two versions of the same meeting. First, from the UN News Centre: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his concern to Bahrain’s Foreign Minister about the violence in the country in which demonstrators have been killed or injured, and called for maximum restraint and caution. During their… Read more
17th April 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Following the regime's harassment of al-Watan newspaper in Bahrain, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports that one of the paper's founding board members has died in state custody. Karim Fakhrawi, who died last Tuesday, was apparently arrested after going to a police station on April 5 to… Read more
12th April 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
More details have emerged in another "publishing false information" case – this time in Bahrain, where Mansoor al-Jamri, founder/editor of al-Wasat – the kingdom's only independent newspaper – wasforced to resign earlier this month. Since then, al-Wasat's content has become barely distinguishable… Read more
4th April 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
The authorities in Bahrain have ousted the editor of the kingdom's only independent newspaper, along with two of his senior colleagues. Al-Wasat newspaper was not allowed to publish on Sunday and access to its website has been blocked inside the country. The paper has also been suffering production… Read more