Blog archive all
11th May 2010
Next Sunday, May 16, is the International Day Against Homophobia, or Idaho for short. Uniquely among the Arab countries, it will be observed in Beirut (as it has been for several years now).
Rather controversially, the title of this year's Idaho event in Lebanon is "Ana Shaz" ("I am queer… Read more
10th May 2010
Health authorities in the holy city of Madina are investigatingallegations of nepotism and fraud at the King Fahd hospital.
One senior official at the hospital is accused of appointing his nephew to fill a vacancy; another is accused of using fraudulent means to get his son and two nephews employed… Read more
10th May 2010
The issue of child labour in the Arab states "has long been viewed either with indifference or with a degree of scepticism," the International Labour Organisation (ILO) says in a new report. "However, the last decade or so has witnessed a dramatic change both at the government level and in civil… Read more
9th May 2010
Bahrain's unelected upper house of parliament has blocked a move by the lower house (elected and Islamist-dominated) to impose a total ban on the public sale and consumption of alcohol.
With backing from Bahrain's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Shura Council last week amended the bill to say… Read more
9th May 2010
Yemen has joined the list of Arab countries trying to stop people making cheap phone calls over the internet. According to the Yemen Times, blocking of Skype was introduced earlier this yearat the request of TeleYemen to protect the revenue it gets from international calls.
TeleYemen's terms and… Read more
7th May 2010
Today's Arab News has an interview with Sir William Patey, who has just moved to Afghanistan after three years as Britain's ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is changing, he says, and for the first time in ages it has a sovereign and group of senior people who are thinking long-term: “They… Read more
6th May 2010
Omani women can now appeal directly to Sultan Qaboos if their family do not allow them to marry the man of their own choice, according to a royal decree reported in The National. The paper explains:
Many parents, according to judicial experts, use the court of law to prevent their daughters from… Read more
6th May 2010
What do these gestures mean? The Yemen Times explains.
Posted by Brian Whitaker, 6 May 2010.
6th May 2010
With Britons voting today in an general election, you may be wondering how a change of government could affect Middle East policy. Rosemary Hollis discusses the question here.
For myself, I suspect it would make little difference and anyway, as Hollis points out, the days when Britain had much… Read more
5th May 2010
Egypt's absurd ban on Sufi dhikr ceremonies continues. This is the most stupid government move since the great pig massacre of a year ago and a major infringement of religious freedom.
So far, the ban hasn't been getting much comment in the media or the blogs but it's good to see some resistance on… 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
