Kyrgyzstan presidents’ meeting: Bold initiative for national unity or enlivening drama?
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: What do Askar Akaev, Kurmanbek Bakiev, Roza Otunbaeva, Almazbek Atambaev, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Sadyr Japarov have in common? The five men and one woman are the presidents who have led Kyrgyzstan since 1991 until the present day. Some were nemeses and some have left the Central Asia country. Yet, the current president, […]
Ambassador: Türkiye will never forget Bahrain’s solidarity
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Bahrain’s response to the earthquake emergency in Türkiye is not just humanitarian. It is also a reflection of the deep friendship between the two countries, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Bahrain Esin Çakıl has said. “In the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Türkiye on February 6, the immediate response of Bahrain was […]
World’s geopolitics shift towards Central Asia, seeking deeper engagement, greater lucrative connectivity
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: This growing status, strengthened by grave security considerations, has been attracting several major and other state actors seeking to build political, business, energy and cultural foundations and joint initiatives conducive to close cooperation and robust partnerships. For non-regional actors, mainly European countries, the growing interest in Central Asia also seeks to […]
Women’s achievements hailed as Bahrain looks forward to further successes
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Intelligent, educated, ambitious and determined to succeed, Bahraini have women tenaciously refused to be like driftwood on the waters of the Gulf and instead decided to energetically paddle towards political, educational, social and economic success. And on Thursday, amid pride of what has been achieved and what will be accomplished, Bahrain celebrated with […]
Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan explore opportunities for closer ties
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan are set to enhance relations and expand cooperation across several areas, the Kyrgyz foreign minister has said. “Talks with HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Speaker and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were highly successful,” Jeenbek Kulubaev said. “There was full understanding and we had agreements […]
Kyrgyzstan among Asia’s top five in World Press Freedom Ranking 2022
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: The lush greenery is nothing short of spectacular, providing a soothing and refreshing sentiment. Oak Park, one of Bishkek’s oldest parks, is home to very large trees, an open-air 90-sculpture exhibition, and several important monuments. I envy the journalists, photographers and the staff working at Kabar News Agency, the official news […]
AJA member Nasir Yusoff passes away
By Habib Toumi BAHRAIN: I last spoke with Nasir Yusoff on May 4. He was in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia, and I was in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. He told me about how happy he was to be reunited with his extended family in their root village about 1,400 kilometers from the capital Kuala Lumpur. […]
The Burana Tower: A fascinating history of grandeur in Kyrgyzstan
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: In the interpretation of dreams, climbing spiral stairs is a sign that you are on the right path to spiritual growth and that good things that are coming your way. That hopeful interpretation may be great, but right now I am in a dark place, trying to climb incredibly steep stairs […]
The not so-discreet charm of Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: The Roman Emperor Julius Caesar may have said “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), but I can say “I came, I saw, I loved” when talking about my visit to Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan. My latest “love” was the Osh Bazaar, as no visit to Bishkek, the bustling capital […]
Fact checking … Finding a vaccine for misinformation
A fake picture of Former First Lady Michele Obama walking a rhinoceros at the White House. Several newspapers were tricked into publishing it. Speech delivered by Habib Toumi, Media Advisor, Bahrain, at the World Journalists Conference (WJC2022) By Habib Toumi Fact checking? Do we really need fact-checking? We most certainly do. A few minutes ago, […]
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Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
