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23rd November 2009
The National newspaper reports from Oman on a rarely-discussed phenomenon: prejudice against widows.
"Many Omani widows struggle to lead happy lives after losing their husbands in a society that treats them as a burden and bad luck," the paper says. "According to a local superstition, anyone they… Read more
23rd November 2009
Police in the Emirates have now joined the campaign pioneered by the Saudi mutawa to rein-in fashion-conscious youngsters.
Gulf News reports that scores of young people have been arrested in Ras al-Khaimah shopping malls "for violating decency laws" with "unusual hair styles" and trousers and… Read more
23rd November 2009
Al-Jazeera is reporting that Saudi ground forces have entered Yemen in what seems to be a large-scale offensive.
A statement from the Houthi rebels said: "The Saudis began an attack along many fronts on the Yemeni border ... The Saudi army has been using all kind of weapons; land, air, tanks, and… Read more
23rd November 2009
Just days after King Abdullah "confirmed" that "all armed infiltrators" had been driven out of the kingdom, Saudi forces have suffered their heaviest casualties since entering the war against Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Three soldiers were killed and an unspecified number wounded in an attack by "dozens… Read more
22nd November 2009
Two weeks after Prince Khaled bin Sultan announced that Saudi forces had “purged the mountains inside the kingdom” of Yemeni guerrillas, military operations in the border area arecontinuing with aerial bombardment by warplanes while troops on the ground search for “infiltrators” and hidden weapons… Read more
21st November 2009
Computer ownership in most Arab countries is well below the world average. In Algeria, Egypt, Djibouti, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen it is less than half the world average. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only Arab countries where computer ownership exceeds the world… Read more
20th November 2009
A lengthy post on the Qifa Nabki blog tackles the sensitive question of Lebanon’s 400,000-plus Palestinian refugees – more than half of them living in camps:
The living conditions of these refugees – most of whom were born in Lebanon – is dismal. They have few civil rights; they are banned from… Read more
20th November 2009
Writing in the Financial Times, Roula Khalaf calls for a rethink on Saudi policy towards Yemen, and the Houthi rebellion in particular. She argues that the Saudi bombing of Houthi positions is adding fuel to the fire and suggests the kingdom is “allowing its resentment of Iran to cloud its judgment… Read more
20th November 2009
Overshadowed by the war in the north of Yemen, separatist violence continues at a lower level in the south.
A fuel truck was hijacked in al-Habilain district of Lahej province on Tuesday, according to government media. In Dhali’ (Dalea), also on Tuesday, a military supply vehicle was intercepted… Read more
20th November 2009
Just to put my recent criticisms of Obama’s foreign policy in context, it’s worth recalling that a different result in the US election would have brought Sarah Palin within a heartbeat of the presidency. Here she is, expounding on the Israel-Palestine question:
I believe that the Jewish settlements… 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
