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Internet censorship in the Middle East and North African is increasing, according to the latest report from the OpenNet Initiative:
Testing has revealed political filtering to be the common denominator across the region; however, social filtering is on the rise. Many Arab countries have… Read more
The Yemeni authorities have declared a state of emergency throughout Saada province and imposed an evening curfew on Saada city and surrounding towns, the German Press Agency (dpa) reports.
Casualties in the government’s new “iron fist” offensive are unclear but dpa and … Read more
The Vienna-based International Press Institute has issued a statement criticising the Iraqi government’s draft media law.
I haven’t seen the full text (anyone who has a copy please sent it to me) but from what has been reported it contains the usual statements about protecting journalist… Read more
“Broad offensive”, “iron fist”, “all-out onslaught” … the news agencies are reporting a large-scale government attack on the Houthi rebels (Reuters and dpa) in northern Yemen.
The army launched “aerial, artillery and missile strikes on the strategic heights of Matra and Dhahian, the… Read more
A few weeks ago I was chatting with my friend Nesrine Malik about the dearth of science fiction in Arabic literature. There are certainly elements of fantasy in Arabic literature, going right back to the Thousand and One Nights, but that is not quite the same as the futuristic stuff you find… Read more
Despite mediation efforts, the Houthi rebellion in northern Yemen shows no sign of abating. President Salih, speaking at a meeting of Yemen’s Supreme Security Committee, warned the rebels “that the continuation of their assaults and attempts to disturb public security and tranquillity… Read more
Egypt’s real estate tax collectors are due to start an open-ended national strike today. Strikes are commonplace in Egypt but this one is especially significant.
The tax collectors won a major victory in 2007 after a series of protests that
… culminated with a 12-day sit-in in front… Read more
A young man blew himself up in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, on Saturday evening. Nobody else was killed.
It was the country’s first suicide bombing. Some reports suggest the intended target may have been the French embassy and point a finger at Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (… Read more
Mohammad Abdul Fatah, a 73-year-old Egyptian Muslim, has been awarded custody of his seven-year-old grandson because the boy’s parents changed their religion.
Following the parents’ conversion to the Baha’i faith, the grandfather sought advice from Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Gulf News says.
"He… Read more
No two ways about it: learning Arabic is hard work, but the Arabic Media Shack has some useful tips.
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
