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21st July 2010
It looks as if the on-off Houthi war in northern Yemen may be on again following two days of clashes that have left at least 22 people dead and more than 50 injured.
The German news agency, citing tribal sources, reports that seven pro-government tribesmen and five Houthi rebels died in battles on… Read more
21st July 2010
Several papers are reporting the case of Sabbar Kashur, a 30-year-old Arab from East Jerusalem, who has been sentencedto 18 months in jail after having sex with a Jewish woman.
An Israeli court convicted Kashur of "rape by deception" because although the sex was consensual he had misled the woman… Read more
21st July 2010
The National reports on Saudi Arabia's efforts to codify its largely unwritten law in the face of opposition from religious conservatives.
"The absence of a penal code with clear definitions of crimes and appropriate sentences gives judges great latitude and it is not uncommon for a judge to… Read more
20th July 2010
The latest issue of the Tunisian weekly, al-Mawqif, has disappeared from the news-stands – apparently confiscated by government agents.
There has been no court order (which would make the seizure legal) and the government denies taking action against the paper, though witnesses have reported seeing… Read more
19th July 2010
After months of delay, Yemen's ruling party, the General People's Congress, has signed an agreement on national dialogue with the opposition alliance, the Joint Meeting Parties. The goal is to hammer out electoral and constitutional reforms ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for April… Read more
18th July 2010
I received an email the other day from Jonathan Wright about myrecent comments on divorce and the Coptic church in Egypt. He writes:
I rather think you're missing the point in your comments on the Coptic Church and remarriage. You end by saying that "Meanwhile, the Coptic church continues to… Read more
17th July 2010
"The fate of the Arab world’s two most important states lies in the hands of ageing autocrats," The Economist says, referring to Egypt (where there is renewed speculation about the health of 82-year-old President Mubarak) and Saudi Arabia (whose ruler, King Abdullah, is in his mid-eighties). "The… Read more
16th July 2010
Houthi rebels in northern Yemen ambushed a convoy of police and pro-government tribesmen on Wednesday, killing three officers and eight tribesmen. The convoy was reportedly carrying food supplies in the Majaz district of Saada province.
The attack came came amid growing tensions between the Houthis… Read more
16th July 2010
The French parliament's vote to ban the niqab has aroused international controversy. Meanwhile, Syria's attempt to ban the niqab in schools has attracted less attention. The Economist saysabout 1,200 teachers are affected and some of them have been transferred to other jobs.
Joshua Landis discusses… Read more
15th July 2010
More than 20 armed men attacked two adjacent security/intelligence buildings in southern Yemen yesterday. As many as five people may have been killed.
The attack occurred in Zinjibar (Abyan province). The Yemen Observer says:
The attackers who were masked and riding motorcycles fired machineguns,… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
