22nd January 2014
Cleanliness is close to Godliness. Godliness is probably little more than a distant aspiration for most of us. But cleanliness is easy, on a personal level and in our communities. Keeping our neighbourhoods clean is good for everyone. It is good for our souls because it increases our feeling of dignity. It is good for […]
8th January 2014
The New Year saw the usual spate of cartoons about the departure of the old year and the arrival of 2014. For Jordan, the New Year brought the start of the country’s two-year stint on the United Nations Security Council. This role brings major new responsibilities. But what does it mean in practice? What can […]
18th December 2013
Nelson Mandela once said: Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” An inspirational phrase. But how can people use this weapon? And what is the battle they are fighting? The enemy is unemployment. The way for the foot soldiers leaving education to sharpen their swords and be prepared for […]
4th December 2013
What does the star of a “posh soap” have to do with a refugee camp in Jordan? A lot. Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary in the popular British drama series Downton Abbey visited Za’atri last month. In the show she plays an aloof and disdainful aristocrat; in reality she is extremely sensitive and anxious […]
20th November 2013
Laws are good. They help to prevent murder, theft and violence. But sometimes they suffocate, stifle and smother growth. In these cases, governments need to get out of the way of business. The private sector is the main driver of economic growth. Jobs that are productive, encourage innovation and unleash creativity will only be generated […]
6th November 2013
At an exhibition in Jerusalem recently I saw a display of amusing but thought-provoking objects. One was a simple box of safety matches, the kind that you can flip open. The only difference was that the heads of the matches were shaped like the domes, spires and minarets of Jerusalem. The message was clear: this […]
23rd October 2013
A Malay proverb says “clapping with the right hand only, produces no noise.” When it comes to being effective in our day-today work, how can we make sure we make noise, ie produce effective results that make a difference? One way is by working together better. Team-building is an essential part of running any office. […]
2nd October 2013
Did you know that enough sunlight falls on the earth in 1 hour to meet the whole world’s energy demand for a year? Exploiting this source of clean and readily-available energy must surely be a no-brainer. Promoting renewable energy used to be seen as a fad for environmentalists. And there is no doubt that there […]
18th September 2013
Last week the Jordanian national football team “Nashama” beat Uzbekistan in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out, inching closer to qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Brazil. It was a tremendous win and Amman erupted into celebrations as enthusiastic supporters drove round town honking their horns and waving flags. Unfortunately, some supporters also fired their guns […]
4th September 2013
The world’s media has been dominated by the politics of how to respond to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against civilians on 21 August. As often happens, the facts are obscured by false claims and rumours. The main question is whether the United States will launch a military attack. The United Kingdom has […]