Blog archive all
18th October 2015
Anne-Marie Lizin, the Belgian politician who later became a key figure in GNRD, the controversial human rights organisation, died suddenly on Saturday. Mrs Lizin, who was 66, had been taken ill in Paris on 7 October and briefly hospitalised, apparently with heart problems. She then returned to her… Read more
16th October 2015
In its latest annual survey of religious freedom, the US State Department highlights the kidnapping and extortion of Christians in Egypt. Church leaders say this is on the increase and according Pope Tawadros, head of the Coptic church, it is among the most significant problems faced by Egypt's… Read more
7th October 2015
Husband-and-wife GNRD executives, Jehad Jaghoub and Evgenia Kondrakhina
Norwegian police carried out further raids yesterday in connection with their investigation into suspected money laundering by the Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD).
The first raids, last May, which had been… Read more
6th October 2015
Today's explosion at the Qasr hotel in Aden
It's easy to forget that there's a full-scale war raging in Yemen. Events in Syria which have more obvious repercussions internationally – the refugee crisis and Russian intervention, for example – tend to push it off the news agenda. Besides that,… Read more
4th October 2015
Loai Deeb, founder/president of the Global Network for Rights and Development
Warning to GNRD donors
UAE-linked rights group placed on fundraising watch list
An organisation which monitors charitable fundraising has issued a public warning about the Global Network for Rights… Read more
2nd October 2015
Belgium's supreme court has rejected an appeal by veteran politician Anne-Marie Lizin against her conviction for electoral malpractice. This probably signals the end of her political career in Belgium, though she still has an active globe-trotting role as "High Commissioner" of GNRD, the Emirates-… Read more
30th September 2015
Bahrain's latest PR offensive, which involved sending a 200-strong delegation to the United States under the banner "This is Bahrain", has ended in a rather comical fiasco.
Earlier this week, the delegation – from the pro-government Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA) – claimed to… Read more
30th September 2015
British prime minister David Cameron receiving a decoration from King Abdullah in 2012. The award, The Order of King Abdul Aziz, is given to foreigners for "meritorious service" to the kingdom.
Not only are many Saudis jumpy about their incautious King Salman, the world surrounding the Gulf is… Read more
28th September 2015
A campaign to polish up Bahrain's tarnished image in the United States is reported to have enlisted help from the Israeli propaganda outfit, MEMRI.
A 200-strong delegation from the pro-government Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA) is currently in the US promoting "This is Bahrain… Read more
27th September 2015
One of Mimsy's removed artworks. More examples here.
London police block anti-ISIS artworks
Demand for £36,000 to protect 'free speech' exhibition
"Passion for Freedom" is an annual exhibition and arts festival in London which, in the words of its organisers, sets out to ask "… 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
