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A military court in Cairo yesterday dropped charges against Ahmed Mostafa, the young blogger who was arrested a fortnight ago and accused of "tarnishing the image" of the armed forces.
He had written in his Arabic-language blog about someone being removed from a military college so that a… Read more
An al-Qaeda suspect who was taken to hospital in Yemen after claiming to be ill seized a gun from one of his guards and shot him dead, then held two other guards hostage yesterday.
The suspect, named Sharif Mobily – a German national of Somali origin – was eventually overpowered and taken to… Read more
An article for the Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Monitor takes a brief but interesting look at the social roots of al-Qaeda in Yemen.
The author, Murad Batal al-shishani, says al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (as the Yemen-based network is known) is dominated by Yemenis (56%) with… Read more
A rumour has been going round that the Saudi authorities are about the cut off the BlackBerry Messenger service (BBM) – much to the annoyance of its customers. According to versions the cut-off was due to happen last Saturday, though it hasn't materialised yet.
The story… Read more
It now appears that no one saw the murder of Ali Tounsi, Algeria's national security chief, in his office last week. The interior minister has promised "full transparency" in the investigation but says: "The crime was without witnesses."
This is odd but no doubt convenient for… Read more
A demonstrator was shot dead by security forces in Yemen yesterday as he tried to remove a Yemeni flag from a government building and hoist a southern flag in its place during a separatist protest. The shooting, in Radfan (Lahej province), is reported by Reuters and DPA.
Meanwhile,… Read more
Last December, the United States provided "firepower and other aid" for air strikes against suspected al-Qaeda militants in Yemen. At the time it was hailed as a great success. President Obama even phoned President Salih and "praised Yemen's efforts in the fight on terrorism,… Read more
It's strange how Reuters grandly describes the prominent Yemeni separatist, Ali Salim al-Baidh, as "an exiled former president of South Yemen". At a stretch, it's technically correct but it's also misleading.
Al-Baidh was secretary-general of the Socialist Party during the last few years… Read more
The winner of this year's International Prize for Arabic Fiction, announced yesterday, is the Saudi writer, Abdo Khal (pictured above).
His book, known in English as "Throwing Sparks as Big as Castles", is the story of a young man who leaves his family in a poor community in… Read more
Security forces in southern Yemen raided a house in Zinjibar (Abyan province) early on Monday and a gun battle ensued. Several people were killed, including Ali Saleh al-Yafei, his wife and at least two children, plus two or more soldiers. Reports differ on the number of casualties.
According to… 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
