Blog archive all
19th September 2009
The Yemeni government last night declared a temporary truce in its war with the Houthi rebels for the duration of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, according to the German Press Agency. Whether it will take hold remains to be seen. A similar unilateral ceasefire declared a couple of weeks ago lasted only a… Read more
18th September 2009
Ramadan is coming to an end, and in the Arab countries this year it has been accompanied by a rather unusual development: the issue of compulsory fasting versus personal liberty has at last entered the public discourse.
In Egypt, the police diligently rounded up 150 people for fast-breaking – only… Read more
17th September 2009
Attacks by warplanes reportedly killed as many as 87 displaced civilians in northern Yemen yesterday. Details are sketchy but the Associated Press report cites several witnesses to the large number of casualties.
Human Rights Watch, which has called for an investigation, said in a statement:
The… Read more
17th September 2009
Following the conviction of Lubna Hussein in Sudan for "indecently" wearing trousers, Egypt's government-appointed Grand Mufti, Ali Gomaa, says it's OK for women to wear trousers so long as they are loose-fitting and not see-through.
Posted by Brian Whitaker, 17 September 2009.
16th September 2009
Next week sees the official opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia,described as “a bridge between world cultures”.
The university, intended to promote international research, has been established by the king outside the control of the education… Read more
16th September 2009
A Jordanian doctor could face legal action after reportedly abandoning his Indonesian maid near Directorate of Chest Diseases and Foreigners' Health after she developed tuberculosis.
The 28-year-old woman was allegedly beaten by the doctor’s mother and received no wages during the 19 months that… Read more
15th September 2009
Under the headline "Areas outside state control", the Yemen Post has published a round-up of the country's multiple security problems, noting that in most governorates, the state controls only the main cities. Some key points:
Bani Dhabian, Sanaa: "Bani Dhabian is a tribal district… Read more
15th September 2009
Tapes attributed to Osama bin Laden rarely cause much of a stir these days, and the latest one is being interpreted (perhaps correctly) as evidence of al-Qaeda's current weakness.
However, Marc Lynch on the Foreign Policy blog suggests "it deserves attention in ways which many recent al-Qaeda… Read more
14th September 2009
In theory it’s very simple. A group of people get together to form a political party, then the voters decide if their policies are worth supporting. But in those Arab countries where parties are allowed – which rules out Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for a start –… Read more
13th September 2009
There's an intriguing tale about Tunisia on the French-language blog, Chakchouka Tunisienne, and I'm hoping readers may be able to shed some more light on it.
It says a businessman in Sfax was getting married and invited Belhassen Trabelsi, the president's brother-in-law to his wedding. Trabelsi… 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
