Blog archive all
What do these gestures mean? The Yemen Times explains.
Posted by Brian Whitaker, 6 May 2010.
With Britons voting today in an general election, you may be wondering how a change of government could affect Middle East policy. Rosemary Hollis discusses the question here.
For myself, I suspect it would make little difference and anyway, as Hollis points out, the days when Britain… Read more
Egypt's absurd ban on Sufi dhikr ceremonies continues. This is the most stupid government move since the great pig massacre of a year ago and a major infringement of religious freedom.
So far, the ban hasn't been getting much comment in the media or the blogs but it's… Read more
More absurdity from Egypt. About 50 students at Cairo universityhave been banned from completing their end-of-year exams because of their unauthorised activities on campus. They broke the rules, apparently, by sticking up anti-smoking posters.
Perhaps the nastiest part of it is the way they… Read more
The Egyptian musicians' union is seeking to prevent Elton Johnfrom performing at a private concert in Egypt on May 18, because of his sexuality and his views on religion.
Mounir al-Wasimi, head of the musicians' union, told the German news agency: "How do we allow a gay, who wants to… Read more
Amid unprecedented public debate in Saudi Arabia about gender segregation, the head of Mecca's religious police has complained that he and his family are suffering threats and verbal abuse – including accusations of atheism – as a result of his controversial views.
Ahmed al-Ghamdi… Read more
Sufis are the latest religious group to fall foul of the Egyptian authorities' control freakery. Earlier this week, security forces in Cairo closed the Sayyeda Zainab and Sayyeda Nafisa mosques after night prayers and turned off their lights in order to prevent the holding of Sufi … Read more
Yesterday several Saudi newspapers, including Arab News and al-Watan, published a very unusual photograph showing King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan surrounded by a group of more than 30 women. (The complete picture is here.)
The women attended a National… Read more
Violence in northern Yemen seems to be increasing again, despite
the truce called by the government in February.
On Wednesday, the interior ministry said three tribesmen (described by Reuters as "pro-government") were killed by Houthi rebels.
Yesterday, officials said … Read more
A woman in Riyadh was stopped by police earlier this week and questioned about her legal status, Arab News reports:
They learned that she was a runaway maid who fled her sponsor five months ago.
According to police, the maid then fell prey to a group of men who had offered her a job with… 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
