Write to the editor

I have a kitten that I’m fostering that needs a new mummy ASAP. My big cat hates her. She is a real darling. Lost her tail after being hit by a car and had a dislocated foot. Bad start to life. She is very cuddly and is about six months now.

Awesome write up for the carols. Thanks GulfWeekly.
We would also like to specially mention the stage, sound and light arrangements by Maestro Music and the Rugby Club for hosting the Cats musical.
Lydia Martin,
Inspire Bahrain

As part of the Interior Ministry’s counterterrorism efforts, a reminder has been issued to individuals, NGOs and organisations that deal in any way with terrorist organisations that all such interactions are against the law.
A series of security and legal steps will be taken against organisations or individuals with links to terrorist organisations. This includes anyone who joins a terrorist group or possesses images, logos or symbols in the support of one or more terrorist groups. Investment, commercial and economic activity will also be considered, in addition to those who patronise fake charities that are fronts from terrorist groups. Bank accounts and money transfers linked to terrorist activity will also be investigated.
The Kingdom of Bahrain considers Hezbollah of Lebanon, February 14 Youth Coalition, Saray Al Ashtar, and Saraya Al Muqawama terrorist groups.
These steps taken by the ministry to fight terrorism coincide with the announcement of the GCC to work together to deal with terrorist organisations and co-conspirators living in Gulf countries.
The ministry applauds the decision of brotherly Saudi Arabia for imposing penalties against individuals and organisations with links to Hezbollah. The Saudi-led Islamic military alliance to fight terrorism will play a major role in fighting terrorist groups and protecting civil peace.
Lieutenant Hesa M Sanad,
Police Media Directorate,
Ministry of Interior,
Kingdom of Bahrain

Morag

‘It’s the change in the weather,’ I am told from all and sundry in Bahrain. The non-believer in me would be rolling her eyes in disbelief at this ridiculous statement.
I mean, just how does the weather here make people sick? If only I could collect a dinar for every time I hear this, I might consider becoming a lady of leisure.
Oh, but how wrong I was…
It appears everyone is full of it, including myself and I have named it the ‘Bahrain Lurgy!’ The initial signs of tiredness slowly creep in along with shivers, aches, fever and a constant trail of mucus, which varies in shades of stunning yellow and lime green.
On the second day, it floored me, big time. I started to wonder if this was karma biting back at me for foolishly disregarding ‘the change in the weather’ warnings!
The germophobic husband promptly jumped ship to the spare room as I lay under a pile of Kleenex. I have learned to expect no sympathy from the husband during times of sickness, but I will pay him back in kind!
Having spent another miserable, sleepless night with tissue stuck up each nostril to ebb the flow, I drag myself off to the American Mission Hospital in Saar. I am greeted by a packed waiting room of miserable patients, all with the ‘Bahrain Lurgy’ and discussing the change in the weather.
No longer am I rolling my eyes, instead, I find myself nodding in agreement and comparing ailments!
I leave with a large bag of various potions and pills to perk me up and I have a glimmer of hope that I might manage to make it to at least one Xmas party this festive season. But then I glance into the car mirror upon reversing and spot the appearance of a nasty cold sore, my crusty red nose and a 90-year-old woman that looks just like me!
Instead, I will be tucked up in bed waiting for Santa, unless he’s still in the spare room…

YouthTalk by Joe

It’s the little things this Christmas

With Christmas right around the corner and I have time off school, it’s that time of year again to strangely put a tree up in the living room and jump into the ugliest sweater you can find!
Bahrain might not celebrate Christmas like the UK might do but I feel that the spirit around the island does lighten and everyone gets rid of the stress and starts to feel quite jolly. I love Christmas, it’s my favourite time of year without a doubt, because of the sheer time of year that everyone forgets their worries and just sits up with their family and friends and gets out the hot chocolate.
Christmas is a strange phenomenon to me, however, due to the ironic things it displays that would leave people in disgust at any other time of the year. These are things like low-rated movies that are considered festive, listening to only Michael Buble and lighting fruit cake on fire - they are amazing for everyone and I have no idea why.
This is the Westernised mainstream way to celebrate Christmas, whereas many other countries celebrate it in many different, and quite strange, ways. My favourite example of strange Christmas traditions is if you’re in Finland, you will probably spend Christmas Eve sleeping on the floor. This is so that the dead can use your bed for the night because it is a time of remembrance for them.
Another tradition in Ukraine is that they let spiders loose in their homes a week before Christmas, and when they wake up on Christmas day and find webs on the tree, then that is a sign of good fortune.
Strange as they come but as generous as they need be, no matter how little of a strange thing they celebrate this Christmas – I can’t wait! Merry Christmas everyone!

The Whisperer

A group of white-bearded men and women from the British Club rolled through the kingdom over the weekend to spread some festive cheer. The merry club members, decked out in full Santa gear, brought laughter and smiles to onlookers as they cycled along Adliya’s popular Block 338 on their decorative bikes.
Amused by their get-up, The Whisperer stopped a group of the Claus lookalikes to snap a picture to which they were more than happy to oblige. When they heard it was going to be featured in GulfWeekly they began to yell: “We know Stan! We love Stan!” There you have it Stan. Meet your fan club!