Blog archive all
The UN Security Council yesterday welcomed Yemen's National Dialogue, after Russian objections (reported here yesterday) were overcome.
The statement issued yesterday names both ex-President Saleh and southern separatist leader Ali Salim al-Baidh in connection with "reports of… Read more
The acquittal of five Kuwaitis accused of "offending the emir" on Twitter has raised hopes for a more sensible approach to freedom of expression online.
Human Rights Watch has called on the Kuwaiti authorities to "take a cue" from the court's decision and end the criminalisation of "… Read more
Russia has prevented the UN Security Council from issuing a presidential statement welcoming Yemen's National Dialoguewhich is due to start on 18 March.
According to diplomats cited by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Russia objected to a paragraph mentioning "persistent… Read more
Ever since Valentine's Day became popular in Saudi Arabia, the authorities' attempts to suppress this harmless bit of romanticismhave been widely mocked both inside and outside the kingdom.
The strange effect of their annual crackdown (as I pointed out in 2010) was that bunches of roses, heart… Read more
A retired US admiral has joined those calling for the Fifth Fleet to pull out of Bahrain.
Dennis Blair, a former chief of the US Pacific Command who also served as Director of National Intelligence in the first Obama administration, complains that American support for democracy and human dignity is… Read more
"Egypt sinks deeper into junk status," a headline in the Financial Times says after Moody's announcement that it has downgraded the country's bond rating from B2 to B3 with a threat to downgrade it further "depending on the severity of possible adverse developments".
Moody's gives … Read more
What are we to make of Egypt today, on the second anniversary of the people's uprising? Mubarak may be gone but the old, paternalistically authoritarian attitudes linger on under the country's new leaders.
The problem was neatly encapsulated yesterday in reports of a contretemps between Ahmed Fahmy… Read more
A new round of political dialogue is due to start in Bahrain today amid generally low expectations. The last such talks, in the middle of 2011, collapsed quickly.
However, the Bahraini government has faced growing diplomatic pressure to talk to the opposition and the latest talks may have… Read more
In the welter of debate about legalising same-sex marriages in Britain – including ferocious opposition from some religious elements – one fascinating aspect has scarcely been noticed: the attitude of Muslim members of parliament.
Unexpected as it might seem, only ONE of the eight MPs who identify… Read more
There are many unknowns in the Syrian conflict but perhaps the most important of all is a lack of knowledge about the thoughts and intentions of Bashar al-Assad. Outside Syria, few are better-placed to cast some light on that than Professor David Lesch, who gave a fascinating psychological profile… 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
