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Between 8,000 and 12,000 people have fled their homes in al-Hota, southern Yemen, in what is said to be a battle between government forces and al-Qaeda militants, according to Red Crescent sources in the area.
The town, in Shabwa province, has reportedly been subjected to heavy… Read more
Don't you just love Egyptian humour? Following the al-Ahram debacle, when a sharp-eyed blogger spotted that the leading pro-government newspaper had doctored a photo to show President Mubarak apparently leading the way along a corridor in the White House, it seems that anyone can now get… Read more
In Yemen, the deputy governor of Abyan province, Ahmed al-Rahawi, survived an assassination attempt yesterday when his convoy was ambushed in al-Rai district of Jaar.
AFP says a roadside bomb exploded, injuring three soldiers and a fourth person who was in al-Rahawi's car. A civilian was… Read more
The New York Times has a report giving a few more details about the case of Ali Ahmad Asseri, the Saudi diplomat who is seeking asylum in the US on the grounds that he is gay. The Los Angeles Times also notes some negative reactions in the Arab media.
Writing in the Crossroads Arabia blog, John… Read more
The international Friends of Yemen group must do more than fight terrorism and provide economic aid, Christophe Wilcke of Human Right Watch argues in an article for the Yemen Times.
"If Yemen’s friends don’t tie economic assistance to improvements in the country’s rapidly… Read more
Saudi Arabia may be a miserable place to live, but it's not very often that a Saudi diplomat seeks refuge in the United States. The last time it happened was in 1994.
At the weekend, though, it emerged that Ali Ahmad Asseri, first secretary of the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, has applied for… Read more
Al-Qaeda's campaign to demoralise the security forces in souther Yemen has taken a new twist.
Following a series of assassinations of officers, the militants have issued a list of 55 names – 31 state security officers, 15 members of the judiciary police and nine members of military… Read more
The authorities in Bahrain have warned religious leaders not to "misuse" mosques during the coming parliamentary and municipal election campaign.
"All religious individuals who are standing in the elections will be prevented from speaking in mosques from the moment their application to run is… Read more
Kuwait began recruiting women into its police force earlier this year and now has about 60. The move was highly controversial and is still opposed by some Islamist MPs.
One MP, Mohammed Hayef, was quoted as saying their role is "an abuse to the female identity, a violation of Islamic ethics… Read more
In the continuing crackdown on dissent in Bahrain, the government has seized control of the Bahrain Human Rights Society, the Associated Press reports.
The organisation's director, Abdullah al-Derzai, has been dismissed and a replacement will be appointed temporarily, pending the election of a new… 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
