Kamahl Santamaria

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Kamahl Santamaria
News & Programs Presenter | Qatar
Biography
Kamahl Santamaria has more than 10 years experience in television news throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Now stationed in the Middle East, he has anchored numerous major breaking news events.

Latest posts by Kamahl Santamaria

By Kamahl Santamaria in Asia on October 17th, 2011
Photo by Reuters

I write this blog not in my capacity as a news anchor or the host of a business show, but as a New Zealander. 

One who knows a bit about the psyche of the country and its extraordinary fascination with rugby, and who started his career as a sports reporter in Auckland almost 13 years ago.

The current backstory, for those of you not so sport-inclined, is that New Zealand's rugby team - known as the All Blacks - will play France in the final of Rugby World Cup 2011. 

The tournament's been hosted by New Zealand, and there's more than a little pressure on the home team to win back the Webb Ellis Cup.

I say "more than a little pressure".  Actually it's a phenomenal amount.  

The happiness of a nation almost seems to rest on these next 80 minutes of rugby. If the All Blacks lose, I honestly don't know what to expect. All I know is that I'll be glad to be in Doha rather than back home in Auckland.

It sounds like

By Kamahl Santamaria in Americas on April 28th, 2011

This week, a man died in the United States at the age of 91. I'd never heard of him before, and yet his invention is arguably what keeps me in a job. 

He was Hubert J. Schlafly, the creator of the teleprompter.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch this.  It's how we explained it on-air on Al Jazeera English on April 27:



So the story goes that Schlafly was approached by a soap opera actor who couldn't remember his lines and needed a solution. 

By Kamahl Santamaria in Business on April 7th, 2011
Photo by EPA

I feel cheated. Big time. And by the leader of a Western European nation no less!

A few months ago, Jose Socrates, the prime minister of Portugal, was in Doha and made an appearance on Al Jazeera's business programme Counting the Cost, which is fronted by yours truly.

Obviously I wanted to talk about Portugal's precarious debt situation, and all the talk from markets and analysts that the country's visit to the EU and IMF for a financial bailout was a foregone conclusion.

There's a link to that specific programme and interview here.

Watch it, if you've got 10-15 minutes spare, and tell me if you think Mr Socrates was being genuine when he told me "we don't need any kind of help but confidence". And when he assured me that a financial bailout wouldn't be necessary.

Because two weeks ago he was forced out as prime minister.

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