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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… Read more
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… Read more
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… Read more
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
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
"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
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… Read more
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… Read more
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… Read more
Following last month's police raid on a "safe house" in Karbala used used as a refuge for gay, lesbian and transgender Iraqis, there's news of another raid – this time at a male beauty parlour in Baghdad. Interior Ministry forces took away the manager and four workers.
The London-based… 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
