It's been a hell of a year for Yemen, especially the last few months. The next year looks to continue things, especially with the elections in April. The election situation is getting crazier and crazier. The leader of the Yemen Socialist Party who was arrested has been ordered released. Saleh and the GPC have formed a panel to "dialog with the opposition." The GPC is also working on some amendments to the Yemeni constitution, like increasing seats in parliament for women. One of them decreases the presidential term from 7 years to 5 years, but also gets rid of the 2-term limit. Some people are worried that could make Saleh president forever.
About 460 Houthis were released from prison in Sana'a and Saada provinces. Qatar has been mediating a ceasefire between the Houthis and the Yemeni government. There may be more Houthis released soon. The government got back 10 military vehicles in return.
An unknown fever is making people sick in al-Hudeidah. Most of the sick people seem to have al-Dhanak (I think that's dengue fever). IRIN (humanitarian news) says there was an outbreak of Dengue Fever over the summer.
The government has banned some companies from trading, because they didn't pay their taxes. And many others aren't even registered.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
UAE Boots Canada
Canada and the UAE are now feuding. UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad wanted to expand their flights in Canada, but Canada refused. So the UAE is now requiring visas for Canadian visitors - and if you don't fly on a UAE airline, a 30-day visa is $250 (Canadian). The UAE has also told Canada to get out of its base in Dubai. Canada also has a lot of trade with the UAE, which could be affected.
Turkish Headscarves
I have had numerous posts over the years about headscarves, especially in Turkey. The whole issue is explosive in Turkey. Headscarves were banned for many years, but have been making a comeback lately. It was a very big deal that the First Lady of Turkey actually wears a headscarf. The Turkish Daily News has a section dedicated to the Headscarf Issue, so if you're interested, it will keep you up to date on how headscarves are affecting Turkey.
Palestinian Activist Banned From Home
A Palestinian from Jerusalem has been banned from that city. He led protests against new Jewish housing there, so the Israelis used an old law to ban him from the city. He originally filed an appeal, but withdrew it, because he didn't think the Israeli Supreme Court would rule in his favor, instead of the Israeli military.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
YemenWatch: Tuesday December 28, 2010
The upcoming elections are getting messier and messier. A southern separatist leader is saying the JMP (Joint Meeting Parties) financed some of their sabotage operations, so the Interior Ministry is investigating. The leader of the Yemen Socialist Party has been detained. Two deputy prime ministers and 7 ministers of parliament have resigned, because they have to be out of their jobs for 3 months so they can run in the elections. President Saleh is calling for monitors to oversee the elections, which have been boycotted by the opposition parties. The elections are in April and it should be interesting.
A man accused of killing a French engineer will get his verdict next month. He is on trial along with Anwar al-Awlaki and Othman al-Awlaki (in absentia).
Yemen is expanding its counter-terrorism forces. It's creating 4 new branches in Shabwa, Marib, Hadramawt, and Abyan provinces. The Yemen Times quotes an expert as saying it's because of pressure by the US.
The International Committee for the Red Cross has set up video conferencing for Yemeni relatives of Guantanamo Bay detainees.
A man in Aden and his bodyguard were killed in a tribal dispute.
Somebody tried to burn down a journalist's home, but his neighbors helped put out the fire.
South Korea is helping to fund some hospitals in rural Taiz province.
A huge fire at a Turkish furniture store in Sana'a is estimated to have cost the store $2.5 million.
The Anti-Khat Al-Najat Foundation has launched a campaign to keep students off of khat (qat). It's estimated that Yemenis spend about $7 million per day on qat and the trees need a lot of water.
A drug bust netted 37 kilos of hashish in Sana'a.
A man accused of killing a French engineer will get his verdict next month. He is on trial along with Anwar al-Awlaki and Othman al-Awlaki (in absentia).
Yemen is expanding its counter-terrorism forces. It's creating 4 new branches in Shabwa, Marib, Hadramawt, and Abyan provinces. The Yemen Times quotes an expert as saying it's because of pressure by the US.
The International Committee for the Red Cross has set up video conferencing for Yemeni relatives of Guantanamo Bay detainees.
A man in Aden and his bodyguard were killed in a tribal dispute.
Somebody tried to burn down a journalist's home, but his neighbors helped put out the fire.
South Korea is helping to fund some hospitals in rural Taiz province.
A huge fire at a Turkish furniture store in Sana'a is estimated to have cost the store $2.5 million.
The Anti-Khat Al-Najat Foundation has launched a campaign to keep students off of khat (qat). It's estimated that Yemenis spend about $7 million per day on qat and the trees need a lot of water.
A drug bust netted 37 kilos of hashish in Sana'a.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Top Stories December 27, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Kingdom to make cars for Gulf and N. Africa - King Saud University will be working on this with a South Korean company. The first car should be available in 2 years.
Lebanon Daily Star: Saudi Arabia, Syria step up bid to end crisis - More on their efforts to help Lebanon survive the coming indictments from the Special Tribunal.
Haaretz (Israel): Deputy defense minister: Hamas made Gaza into troublesome abscess - The minister says that "Hamas is "rying to conquer Jerusalem."
Turkish Daily News: Turkish-Germans struggle with dilemma of double identity - Turks in Germany face discrimination, but they sometimes have problems in in Turkey too.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): World corrupt powers support anti-human measures: President - Ahmadinejad was speaking with the Somali Parliament Speaker, and mentioned Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as places where extremists are causing problems.
Lebanon Daily Star: Saudi Arabia, Syria step up bid to end crisis - More on their efforts to help Lebanon survive the coming indictments from the Special Tribunal.
Haaretz (Israel): Deputy defense minister: Hamas made Gaza into troublesome abscess - The minister says that "Hamas is "rying to conquer Jerusalem."
Turkish Daily News: Turkish-Germans struggle with dilemma of double identity - Turks in Germany face discrimination, but they sometimes have problems in in Turkey too.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): World corrupt powers support anti-human measures: President - Ahmadinejad was speaking with the Somali Parliament Speaker, and mentioned Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as places where extremists are causing problems.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas Update
I'm taking a few days off for Christmas. I'll be back for the Top Stories on Monday morning.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
YemenWatch: Thursday December 23, 2010
Yemen has asked Interpol for help in tracking down 90 suspects, not all of them terror related.
A ceasefire early this year stopped the 6th Saada War between the Yemeni government and the Houthis. New figures show how badly that war went for the government. Yemen Post quotes the figures as 3,000 soldiers dead and $3 billion spent (I think they mean $3 million).
More fighting between Houthis and tribesmen, at a Houthi checkpoint.
Another Yemeni fishing boat was hijacked by Somali pirates.
A meeting was held in Cairo for the Arab Justice and Interior ministers. One of the 5 agreements they reached was in regulating prisons. Let's hope that means less torture.
President Gul of Turkey will visit Yemen in January. I wonder if his visit will overlap with the visit by some US congress people?
The Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies did a poll asking about what could help Yemen out of its current crisis. [Not sure if they mean the Sheba Center for Strategic Studies.]
A Yemeni man won the Star of the Gulf singing competition held in Dubai. He's a music teacher in Taiz province.
Interesting article by a US journalist: An American Woman Peeks Behind Yemen’s Veil.
A ceasefire early this year stopped the 6th Saada War between the Yemeni government and the Houthis. New figures show how badly that war went for the government. Yemen Post quotes the figures as 3,000 soldiers dead and $3 billion spent (I think they mean $3 million).
More fighting between Houthis and tribesmen, at a Houthi checkpoint.
Another Yemeni fishing boat was hijacked by Somali pirates.
A meeting was held in Cairo for the Arab Justice and Interior ministers. One of the 5 agreements they reached was in regulating prisons. Let's hope that means less torture.
President Gul of Turkey will visit Yemen in January. I wonder if his visit will overlap with the visit by some US congress people?
The Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies did a poll asking about what could help Yemen out of its current crisis. [Not sure if they mean the Sheba Center for Strategic Studies.]
A Yemeni man won the Star of the Gulf singing competition held in Dubai. He's a music teacher in Taiz province.
Interesting article by a US journalist: An American Woman Peeks Behind Yemen’s Veil.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Civil Rights Sit-In in Saudi Arabia: Update I
The sit-in has been cancelled. You may remember that ACPRA had called for a sit-in on December 23rd. Well, yesterday they were called in to the Interior Ministry and told their permit request was not approved. So they decided to cancel it. I'm guessing that without approval they were simply too intimidated to go through with the protest. I don't blame them. I would be terrified of doing an illegal protest in Saudi Arabia, but that's usually what it takes for anyone to pay attention. Protesters getting beaten up or imprisoned and tortured, until the rest of the world says "Enough!" and pressures their governments to do something. But that might not happen since the Kingdom controls a lot of oil and has a lot of influence in the US government.
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup: Update III
The FIFA player's union has joined calls for moving the 2022 World Cup to the winter months. They cite the extreme heat and humidity of Qatari summers as their main concerns.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
YemenWatch: Tuesday December 21, 2010
A cable released by WikiLeaks says that some nuclear material was left unguarded at a warehouse in Yemen.
Supposedly President Saleh refused to meet with a US diplomat because of some of the WikiLeaks Yemen cables.
Forty separatists were released from prison in Aden.
The World Customs Organization is sending a team to Yemen in mid-January, to help start some new programs.
Yemen just sent a new ambassador to Iraq.
In 2010, 12 Yemeni children died when they stepped on land mines. Sa'ada is one of the most dangerous provinces for land mines.
A 24-year-old man is facing the death penalty for a crime committed when he was only 15 years old. Amnesty International is asking Saleh to halt the execution. Another teenager has already had his execution halted.
Supposedly President Saleh refused to meet with a US diplomat because of some of the WikiLeaks Yemen cables.
Forty separatists were released from prison in Aden.
The World Customs Organization is sending a team to Yemen in mid-January, to help start some new programs.
Yemen just sent a new ambassador to Iraq.
In 2010, 12 Yemeni children died when they stepped on land mines. Sa'ada is one of the most dangerous provinces for land mines.
A 24-year-old man is facing the death penalty for a crime committed when he was only 15 years old. Amnesty International is asking Saleh to halt the execution. Another teenager has already had his execution halted.
Women's News December 21, 2010
A Bangladeshi woman was sentenced to 40 lashes under Sharia law, for adultery. She was caned a month ago, then hospitalized, and died last week. Caning was outlawed earlier in the year, so several people have been arrested in this case.
An organization met in Yemen about press freedom. The article calls it Women Journalists Without Chains, and it seems to be a Yemeni women journalists group. It looks like their chairwoman was arrested in October.
There's a photo exhibition going on in Sana'a about the hijab and politics. The article I linked to has some photos.
An organization met in Yemen about press freedom. The article calls it Women Journalists Without Chains, and it seems to be a Yemeni women journalists group. It looks like their chairwoman was arrested in October.
There's a photo exhibition going on in Sana'a about the hijab and politics. The article I linked to has some photos.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Incoming Iraqi Government
Check out the new government of Iraq, courtesy of Yahoo!.
- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
- President Jalal Talabani
- Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi
- Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq
- Deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani
- Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari
- Chairman of the National Council for Strategic Policies Ayad Allawi
- Finance Minister Rafia al-Issawi
Muslims Increase at Catholic Universities
The Washington Post has a good article about how Muslim enrollment is increasing at Catholic universities in the United States. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it. Islam and Christianity do have a lot in common, and it's easier to be actively religious at a religious school. Hopefully this will expose even more Americans to Islam so they can see that Islam is NOT a religion of terror.
Top Stories December 20, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Allawi to join Iraqi govt - Allawi is the former prime minister and a Shi'ite, but had a lot of Sunni backing. But it wasn't enough for a majority in parliament.
Lebanon Daily Star: Syria, Saudi Arabia scramble to defuse tensions - The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is getting ready to hand out indictments for the assassination of Rafik Hariri, which may implicate Hizbullah, which could cause an outbreak of violence.
Haaretz (Israel): IDF to deploy super-armored tanks along Gaza border - The number of anti-tank missiles in Gaza is increasing.
Turkish Daily News: Turkey's main opposition party cleanses its Augean Stables - The head of the Republican People's Party changed 46 members of the 80-member assembly for his party.
Lebanon Daily Star: Syria, Saudi Arabia scramble to defuse tensions - The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is getting ready to hand out indictments for the assassination of Rafik Hariri, which may implicate Hizbullah, which could cause an outbreak of violence.
Haaretz (Israel): IDF to deploy super-armored tanks along Gaza border - The number of anti-tank missiles in Gaza is increasing.
Turkish Daily News: Turkey's main opposition party cleanses its Augean Stables - The head of the Republican People's Party changed 46 members of the 80-member assembly for his party.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sharks at Sharm el-Sheikh: Update IV
A friend sent this article to me. Supposedly a drunk Serbian man killed the killer shark at Sharm el-Sheikh. Here's an excerpt:
“Dragan jumped high and plunged down to the sea, but didn’t make as much splash as we thought he would”, explained Milovan.I really doubt this is true, but it is a great drinking story!
. . .
Dragan was able to swim to the shore and told his friends he had twisted his ankle, telling them the water was not that soft.
The water is soft buddy, you just landed on a shark.
YemenWatch: Sunday December 19, 2010
You've probably already heard this by now, but yes, the 4 Americans who were attacked do work for the CIA.
An Army major was kidnapped in Lahj province. There's been a lot of unrest there lately, with the southern separatists holding protests, so the military has moved in more forces. The separatists are asking for prisoners to be released in exchange for the major.
Sheikh Salman al-Ouadah of Saudi Arabia is the head of IslamToday. In a TV appearance, he asked Anwar al-Awlaki to take a good look at what he is doing and stop killing people.
In the north, families of prisoners from the Houthi mess held a hunger strike at a prison in Sana'a.
More election mess. The JMP is still threatening to boycott the elections in April, which they say are rigged in favor of the GPC. This sounds almost Egyptian. President Saleh appointed 9 judges to the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum, which only the GPC voted for and chose. More on the GPC point of view.
Russia and Yemen want to "strengthen there historic relationship." South Yemen was socialist until reuniting with North Yemen in 1990.
An Army major was kidnapped in Lahj province. There's been a lot of unrest there lately, with the southern separatists holding protests, so the military has moved in more forces. The separatists are asking for prisoners to be released in exchange for the major.
Sheikh Salman al-Ouadah of Saudi Arabia is the head of IslamToday. In a TV appearance, he asked Anwar al-Awlaki to take a good look at what he is doing and stop killing people.
In the north, families of prisoners from the Houthi mess held a hunger strike at a prison in Sana'a.
More election mess. The JMP is still threatening to boycott the elections in April, which they say are rigged in favor of the GPC. This sounds almost Egyptian. President Saleh appointed 9 judges to the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum, which only the GPC voted for and chose. More on the GPC point of view.
Russia and Yemen want to "strengthen there historic relationship." South Yemen was socialist until reuniting with North Yemen in 1990.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
News in Yemen
I thought some of you might be interested in where I get the information for my YemenWatch posts. Getting news from some countries often feels like an art more than a science. Yemen is one of those countries. I get my news (in English) from several different sources. And some of those have problems writing in English.
- There's the "official" news from the Yemen News Agency. Like most government news agencies you have to take what they say with a grain of salt.
- There's the Yemen Times, which has interesting articles but feels more like a magazine.
- There's Al-Sahwah, which seems to have regular news, but has formatting issues.
- There's NewsYemen, which doesn't have a lot of stories.
- There's the Yemen Observer, which has a problem I'll mention in a minute.
- There's the Yemen Post, which claims to be the "First Hourly Updated Independent English News Website" in Yemen but has some English language problems.
- I also get random articles from people I follow on my twitter feed.
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup: Update II
There is a movement starting that thinks maybe the World Cup in Qatar should be held in December or January, when the weather is cooler. This would mean changes to the European football schedule. A plus for holding the Cup in winter is that different countries would be available for hosting, since winter in the northern hemisphere is summer in the southern hemisphere. The president of FIFA also met with representatives for Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait; these countries could help host the games. Qatar would have to be the one requesting it though.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Iraqi Christians Leaving
The number of Christians in Iraq has been dropping since the US "freed" Iraq from Saddam Hussein. The Church siege killed several priests and about 70 other Christians. Now the UN is reporting that thousands are leaving central Iraq for Kurdish areas which are considered safer. The UN High Commission for Refugees is also worried because some Iraqi Christians who are trying to get asylum in Europe are being sent back to Iraq to areas that simply aren't safe for them. One of these countries is Sweden.
Bahraini Blogger Still in Jail
Ali Abdulemam is still in jail awaiting trial. The BBC has an interview with his wife on their site. Ali was jailed after he wrote a blog post about Shi'ites who were arrested and accused of trying to overthrow the government. His trial is currently set for December 23rd.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
YemenWatch: Thursday December 16, 2010
Someone put an explosive device in the back of a vehicle belonging to 4 Americans who work at the embassy. It's still a bit unclear. Some reports said it was a grenade, some say a bomb (see my earlier post). A Jordanian man was arrested, but may not be involved. And the Yemeni government is saying that AQAP is not involved but some newspapers say it is AQAP.
Two soldiers died in a clash with armed men at a weapons market in Lahj province. A third man also died, and may have been on a wanted list. The article is a bit unclear.
A leader of the Joint Meeting Parties was attacked in Sana'a. The JMP says the ruling party is responsible.
A sit-in was held by families who have relatives in jail. I believe they are in jail because of the Houthi rebellion. They held the sit-in to protest torture and because they can't get in to see their relatives.
Nine people in Yemen came down with H1N1 flu in early November, and 4 of them have died. The hospital said they were told to keep it quiet since this was just before the Gulf Cup.
The National Dialogue Preparatory Committee met the Houthi Group today and they agreed to form a joint commission for national issues.
The US Congress is sending a delegation to Yemen. I'm guessing this will be early next year once the new congress takes over.
Two soldiers died in a clash with armed men at a weapons market in Lahj province. A third man also died, and may have been on a wanted list. The article is a bit unclear.
A leader of the Joint Meeting Parties was attacked in Sana'a. The JMP says the ruling party is responsible.
A sit-in was held by families who have relatives in jail. I believe they are in jail because of the Houthi rebellion. They held the sit-in to protest torture and because they can't get in to see their relatives.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Nine people in Yemen came down with H1N1 flu in early November, and 4 of them have died. The hospital said they were told to keep it quiet since this was just before the Gulf Cup.
The National Dialogue Preparatory Committee met the Houthi Group today and they agreed to form a joint commission for national issues.
The US Congress is sending a delegation to Yemen. I'm guessing this will be early next year once the new congress takes over.
Breaking News: Yemen Bomb Misses Americans
American Embassy workers were not hurt, but a grenade was thrown in the back of their vehicle outside of a restaurant in Sana'a (h/t @yemenwatch). News from Toronto Star and Herald Sun. A Jordanian man has been arrested.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Flotilla Investigation Update IV: Turkey & Israel
Turkey and Israel have been at odds since 9 Turks were killed on the flotilla in May. The two countries have been having talks, to ease tension and bring back their old relationship. So far, things are not going well. Turkey wants an apology, and Israel doesn't want to give one.
I haven't heard any news about more flotillas, but I will keep looking.
I haven't heard any news about more flotillas, but I will keep looking.
Women's News December 15, 2010
A Saudi woman has made the short list for the Arabic Booker Prize. Her name is Raja' 'Alim and her nominated book is a novel titled Collar of the Pigeons.
There is a move to get more women into parliament in Yemen. A workshop called "Women and the Next Parliament in 2011" is being held in several parts of the country.
Another workshop was held for imams in the Hadramawt area of Yemen. It was a UN workshop focusing on gender and economic empowerment. The imams appear to have liked the workshop and want more in the future.
An article on wearing the veil in Yemen. Female judges are now required to unveil during work hours. A similar measure for parliament met with resistance and claims that it infringed on a woman's rights.
A woman in Georgia is suing because when she went to a court hearing, the courthouse tried to force her to remove her hijab. They stopped her at the metal detector, and when she tried to leave she was taken before a judge, charged with contempt of court, and had to remove her hijab for the booking process. The law was later changed in 2009 to allow religious or medical headgear. I would like to point out that this whole thing was about the hijab - that's a headscarf, not a full facial veil like the niqab.
I will say again, I am for a woman's rights. And that includes her right to wear a hijab or niqab or whatever she wants. As long as it is her choice. I do not believe in forcing a woman to veil, as Saudi Arabia does. But if a woman in America wants to wear a headscarf, how can we condemn her? This nation is supposedly founded on freedom. That does not mean freedom, except for those things you disagree with. It means liberty and justice for all.
There is a move to get more women into parliament in Yemen. A workshop called "Women and the Next Parliament in 2011" is being held in several parts of the country.
Another workshop was held for imams in the Hadramawt area of Yemen. It was a UN workshop focusing on gender and economic empowerment. The imams appear to have liked the workshop and want more in the future.
An article on wearing the veil in Yemen. Female judges are now required to unveil during work hours. A similar measure for parliament met with resistance and claims that it infringed on a woman's rights.
A woman in Georgia is suing because when she went to a court hearing, the courthouse tried to force her to remove her hijab. They stopped her at the metal detector, and when she tried to leave she was taken before a judge, charged with contempt of court, and had to remove her hijab for the booking process. The law was later changed in 2009 to allow religious or medical headgear. I would like to point out that this whole thing was about the hijab - that's a headscarf, not a full facial veil like the niqab.
I will say again, I am for a woman's rights. And that includes her right to wear a hijab or niqab or whatever she wants. As long as it is her choice. I do not believe in forcing a woman to veil, as Saudi Arabia does. But if a woman in America wants to wear a headscarf, how can we condemn her? This nation is supposedly founded on freedom. That does not mean freedom, except for those things you disagree with. It means liberty and justice for all.
YemenWatch: Tuesday December 14, 2010
Two soldiers were injured when gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Shabwa.
A high-ranking police officer was killed (tribal attack) in Abyan, while another escaped a bombing attempt. The Yemen Observer calls the policeman who escaped an "intelligence director" and says it may be related to an AQAP assassination list of policemen.
There was a gunfight between Houthis and tribesmen, and "Houthi followers" killed 8 people in Sa'dah.
The Houthi Group says that Houthi prisoners in jails are being tortured. It looks like things may be heating up again between the Houthis and the government. There seem to be more incidents being reported in the papers.
More WikiLeaks material says that the US helped Saudi Arabia fight the Houthis by giving the Kingdom intelligence and even weapons. Which may explain why the Houthis thought some of the AQAP bombings were actually caused by the US.
An interesting editorial on the whole Houthi-AQAP-US situation in Yemen.
HOOD (Yemen human rights organization) wants an investigation into the detention of 5 Cameroonians. They were detained in 1995, never tried, and one of them died shortly after incarceration. The remaining 4 were just deported.
The Yemen Polling Center did a survey about elections and reform and will discuss the results today and tomorrow.
The former president of Yemen, Ali Nasser Mohammed, wants those accused of crimes in WikiLeaks material to be prosecuted. Especially for the innocent civilians who died in air strikes (I'm assuming he means the US air strikes that Saleh said were carried out by the Yemeni air force).
The Joint Meeting Party held a protest in front of Parliament yesterday. They are very concerned that they're being shut out of the election process. The protest was met by riot police and the Socialist Party accused them of hitting women involved in the protest.
A high-ranking police officer was killed (tribal attack) in Abyan, while another escaped a bombing attempt. The Yemen Observer calls the policeman who escaped an "intelligence director" and says it may be related to an AQAP assassination list of policemen.
There was a gunfight between Houthis and tribesmen, and "Houthi followers" killed 8 people in Sa'dah.
The Houthi Group says that Houthi prisoners in jails are being tortured. It looks like things may be heating up again between the Houthis and the government. There seem to be more incidents being reported in the papers.
More WikiLeaks material says that the US helped Saudi Arabia fight the Houthis by giving the Kingdom intelligence and even weapons. Which may explain why the Houthis thought some of the AQAP bombings were actually caused by the US.
An interesting editorial on the whole Houthi-AQAP-US situation in Yemen.
HOOD (Yemen human rights organization) wants an investigation into the detention of 5 Cameroonians. They were detained in 1995, never tried, and one of them died shortly after incarceration. The remaining 4 were just deported.
The Yemen Polling Center did a survey about elections and reform and will discuss the results today and tomorrow.
The former president of Yemen, Ali Nasser Mohammed, wants those accused of crimes in WikiLeaks material to be prosecuted. Especially for the innocent civilians who died in air strikes (I'm assuming he means the US air strikes that Saleh said were carried out by the Yemeni air force).
The Joint Meeting Party held a protest in front of Parliament yesterday. They are very concerned that they're being shut out of the election process. The protest was met by riot police and the Socialist Party accused them of hitting women involved in the protest.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Bombing Iran? Again - Really?
Wow. I was hoping this had gone away, but the Republicans will be back in control of Congress starting in January. You my remember my posts from June about the US or Israel possibly bombing Iran (Bombing Iran? and Bombing Iran? Again). Well, the Washington Post has an article explaining why we need to change our Iran policy (h/t @abuaardvark). Luckily another article points out the fallacies: What's Farsi For 'Cakewalk'?
I really hope no one is taking the idea of bombing Iran seriously. Bombing a country is not something to do lightly - it is an ACT OF WAR. Iran is NOT Iraq or Afghanistan. Afghanistan was run by the fanatic Taliban and had no real air force. Iraq was already on its knees from the embargoes. Iran is neither of those. Iran has a large population, a large military, an air force and navy, and long range missiles. I would be concerned about Iran bombing Israel in response to any attack. And any notion that dissident Iranians would welcome us helping to oust Ahmadinejad by force is ludicrous! Think about it - think of the worst ruler your country has ever had in your lifetime. If an outsider attacked, would you welcome them with open arms, or would you fight to protect your country?
I really hope no one is taking the idea of bombing Iran seriously. Bombing a country is not something to do lightly - it is an ACT OF WAR. Iran is NOT Iraq or Afghanistan. Afghanistan was run by the fanatic Taliban and had no real air force. Iraq was already on its knees from the embargoes. Iran is neither of those. Iran has a large population, a large military, an air force and navy, and long range missiles. I would be concerned about Iran bombing Israel in response to any attack. And any notion that dissident Iranians would welcome us helping to oust Ahmadinejad by force is ludicrous! Think about it - think of the worst ruler your country has ever had in your lifetime. If an outsider attacked, would you welcome them with open arms, or would you fight to protect your country?
Nigerian Governor To Be Extradited
The UK has been trying to get its hands on a former governor of Nigeria, James Ibori, for corruption charges. He's accused of stealing almost $300 million and socking some of it away in UK banks. He managed to escape when Interpol tried to arrest him, and then he ended up in Dubai, UAE. The high court in Dubai just ruled that he can be extradited to the UK.
Sharks at Sharm el-Sheikh: Update III
The saga continues. The experts are saying that the decline in fish for sharks to eat, plus people trying to feed the fish and/or sharks and dumping animal carcasses, are the reasons for the shark attacks. The experts want the dumpers fined, as well as watch towers on the beach and boat patrols in the water too. If you haven't seen the movie Jaws, you really ought to.
Top Stories December 13, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Storms, snow, rains lash Mideast; Madinah valley being evacuated - Yes, you did read that correctly. The Middle East is getting pounded by inclement weather, mostly rain in Saudi Arabia.
Lebanon Daily Star: Arrival of winter takes Lebanon by storm - Massive storm in Lebanon. This is the first time in ages the Special Tribunal hasn't been the top story.
Haaretz (Israel): Visiting U.S. envoy Mitchell to push Israel for stance on core Mideast issues - The US envoy is meeting Netanyahu about the peace process.
Turkish Daily News: Barzani's KDP important for Iraq's ties with Turkey's Kurds, experts say - Barzani is the leader of Iraq's Kurdish Democratic Party. [One of the top stories for Turkey was also the weather - snow!]
Lebanon Daily Star: Arrival of winter takes Lebanon by storm - Massive storm in Lebanon. This is the first time in ages the Special Tribunal hasn't been the top story.
Haaretz (Israel): Visiting U.S. envoy Mitchell to push Israel for stance on core Mideast issues - The US envoy is meeting Netanyahu about the peace process.
Turkish Daily News: Barzani's KDP important for Iraq's ties with Turkey's Kurds, experts say - Barzani is the leader of Iraq's Kurdish Democratic Party. [One of the top stories for Turkey was also the weather - snow!]
Saturday, December 11, 2010
YemenWatch: Saturday December 11, 2010
General James N. Mattis, head of US Central Command, is on his first visit to Yemen, to discuss security issues and "understand the Yemeni viewpoint."
Yemen spends about 40% of its budget fighting terrorism.
Saudi Arabia is funding some Yemeni tribes in an effort to fight AQAP. It seems to be somewhat effective, but it's also undermining the actual state of Yemen. And the tribes near the border may be smuggling too.
The UAE lifted its ban on Yemeni air freight.
An appeals court upheld the sentences of 7 AQAP members. They were arrested in October of last year.
An AQAP member who helped bomb the USS Cole in 2000 and was reported as dead in Pakistan, is now reported as alive in Shabwa province. It isn't unusual for terrorists to die and live again in Yemen, but this time it looks like even the US may have thought he was dead.
The man accused of bombing the Al-Wahdah sports club in Aden in October was sentenced to death. His brother received jail time and 3 other suspects were acquitted. The announcement set off protests and 7 policemen were kidnapped.
Eight people were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the qat market bombing on Wednesday. (It just occurred to me that many of you may not know what qat is. Here's the wikipedia article on it.)
More on the election mess in Yemen.
Yemen and Somalia are discussing their relationship. Yemen just arrested about 80 Somali refugees, and another 50 went to a refugee camp in Yemen. And on Wednesday 2 Yemeni fishermen were killed by Somali pirates.
A riot at a prison in Taiz province ended with 2 prisoners dead from smoke inhalation.
According to the Yemen News Agency, the US and Yemen discussed information and journalism, and even exchanging journalists:
You just gotta love government news agencies. The Yemen one has a great quote from the head of a Yemeni tourism delegation to Oman:
Yemen spends about 40% of its budget fighting terrorism.
Saudi Arabia is funding some Yemeni tribes in an effort to fight AQAP. It seems to be somewhat effective, but it's also undermining the actual state of Yemen. And the tribes near the border may be smuggling too.
The UAE lifted its ban on Yemeni air freight.
An appeals court upheld the sentences of 7 AQAP members. They were arrested in October of last year.
An AQAP member who helped bomb the USS Cole in 2000 and was reported as dead in Pakistan, is now reported as alive in Shabwa province. It isn't unusual for terrorists to die and live again in Yemen, but this time it looks like even the US may have thought he was dead.
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The man accused of bombing the Al-Wahdah sports club in Aden in October was sentenced to death. His brother received jail time and 3 other suspects were acquitted. The announcement set off protests and 7 policemen were kidnapped.
Eight people were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the qat market bombing on Wednesday. (It just occurred to me that many of you may not know what qat is. Here's the wikipedia article on it.)
More on the election mess in Yemen.
Yemen and Somalia are discussing their relationship. Yemen just arrested about 80 Somali refugees, and another 50 went to a refugee camp in Yemen. And on Wednesday 2 Yemeni fishermen were killed by Somali pirates.
A riot at a prison in Taiz province ended with 2 prisoners dead from smoke inhalation.
According to the Yemen News Agency, the US and Yemen discussed information and journalism, and even exchanging journalists:
He [the Information Minister] noted to the new law and its freedom guaranty of the press via prohibiting and preventing the imprisonment of journalists.Gee, it's nice to have those laws, now if they would only abide by them. If you've been reading the YemenWatch posts, you know that journalists have been arrested and jailed.
You just gotta love government news agencies. The Yemen one has a great quote from the head of a Yemeni tourism delegation to Oman:
Dispelling fears that Yemen is prone to internal strife, Abdul-Wahab said, “It is the creation of Western media and Yemen is more safe than the West. It is a peaceful country and the peaceful conduct of the Gulf Cup held in Yemen points out to this".Yes, the Gulf Cup went off without a hitch. So forget the bombings that took place before it, or the bombing and bomb materials found in Sana'a this past week.
Iranian Woman Still in Peril: Update I
More information is coming out about the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, who also may have murdered her husband. Iranian TV showed a re-enactment, with the actual woman. Initially, she was convicted for having relationships with 2 men after her husband's murder, then she was convicted of adultery, and after being tortured she confessed to the murder. It appears that the man who supposedly helped her kill her husband is not in jail. This whole thing is crazy. Ahmadinejad is even claiming that the adultery sentence was not to be stoned to death.
It sounds like, after her husband was killed, she decided to mess around a bit, and got caught. One of the above articles even suggested that maybe she was convicted of murder because there would be too much outcry if she was stoned to death for adultery. I hate it when governments legislate morality.
It sounds like, after her husband was killed, she decided to mess around a bit, and got caught. One of the above articles even suggested that maybe she was convicted of murder because there would be too much outcry if she was stoned to death for adultery. I hate it when governments legislate morality.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Human Rights Day
Today is International Human Rights Day. There's a good opinion piece in Haaretz about the human rights problems going on in Israel. There have been a lot of civil and/or human rights issues in the news lately, so consider this a Salute to Human Rights Activists world-wide. Keep up the good work!
Civil Rights Sit-In in Saudi Arabia
Yes, you read that correctly. A sit-in is scheduled for December 23rd in Saudi Arabia. The organizing group is the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). They have asked for official permission, but the sit-in will go on even if it isn't granted. They are calling for all Saudis to join the sit-in.
You may remember that last week a magazine editor was arrested for speculation on the succession issues in Saudi Arabia. According to the ACPRA website, a university professor and human rights activist was arrested on Sunday. He had recently published an article about the royal family on Facebook.
I'd like to wish Good Luck to everyone involved with the sit-in. It is easy for me to write about civil and human rights, because I live in America. But it takes a lot of courage to do that in the Middle East.
You may remember that last week a magazine editor was arrested for speculation on the succession issues in Saudi Arabia. According to the ACPRA website, a university professor and human rights activist was arrested on Sunday. He had recently published an article about the royal family on Facebook.
I'd like to wish Good Luck to everyone involved with the sit-in. It is easy for me to write about civil and human rights, because I live in America. But it takes a lot of courage to do that in the Middle East.
Sharks at Sharm el-Sheikh: Update II
Well, some of the beaches are now open. Most of them are still closed. I guess they're waiting to see if they can catch more sharks, or counting how many they see. I read an article that compared the situation to the first Jaws movie. It's a bit scary.
Palestinian State Recognized: Update II More on Gentiles Ban
More info about the ban on selling homes to Gentiles. A top rabbi has condemned the religious ruling and two rabbis who signed their names to it have changed their minds because of him. The top rabbi is non-Hasidic Orthodox which is really helping the situation. The attorney general for Israel is looking into the original ruling, in case it violates the law.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
YemenWatch: Thursday December 9, 2010
A bomb exploded in Sana'a, at a qat market. Thirteen people were injured. There's no word yet on who is responsible.
An explosive device and drugs were found in a woman's purse in Sana'a, and TNT was found in her car.
I don't know what's going on in Sana'a lately, but if you are in Yemen, please be careful. It's always a bad sign when bombings move to the capital city.
The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) held protests in Taiz province. Parliamentary elections are set for 2011, but the JMP is saying those elections are illegal. This whole thing is a mess, and I'm not sure I completely understand what is going on. It sounds like the political parties are all fighting and were hoping to have dialogues and then the election in 2011, but the dialogues are not going well.
Yemen is getting 4 Huey II helicopters in January for military support.
The Specialized Criminal Court sentenced 3 suspected AQAP members to jail in the Hadramout.
An explosive device and drugs were found in a woman's purse in Sana'a, and TNT was found in her car.
I don't know what's going on in Sana'a lately, but if you are in Yemen, please be careful. It's always a bad sign when bombings move to the capital city.
The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) held protests in Taiz province. Parliamentary elections are set for 2011, but the JMP is saying those elections are illegal. This whole thing is a mess, and I'm not sure I completely understand what is going on. It sounds like the political parties are all fighting and were hoping to have dialogues and then the election in 2011, but the dialogues are not going well.
Yemen is getting 4 Huey II helicopters in January for military support.
The Specialized Criminal Court sentenced 3 suspected AQAP members to jail in the Hadramout.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Palestinian State Recognized: Update I More on Gentiles Ban
You may remember the letter signed by dozens of rabbis, saying that Jews shouldn't sell or rent property to Gentiles (read: Arabs). I'm happy to report that some Israelis are protesting and calling the letter racist. Amnesty International is also criticizing it.
Edit: added to title
Edit: added to title
Sharks at Sharm el-Sheikh: Update I
The beaches are still closed at Sharm, and another shark has been caught. US shark experts are there helping out. The shark that was caught is a Mako, and they're still looking for an Oceanic White Tip.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
YemenWatch: Tuesday December 7, 2010
You may remember seeing news about a WikiLeaks memo where a Yemeni minister jokes about lying to parliament when he said there were no US air strikes. Well, parliament is not happy.
Five members of AQAP turned themselves in to authorities in Abyan province. The government is getting the tribes to put pressure on AQAP.
Four men are on trial for allegedly forming a terrorist cell.
There was a protest in Lahj province, over the arrest of some of the southern secessionists.
It sounds like the Yemeni government may be a bit worried. A presidential advisor to Saleh keeps saying that Yemen is not like Pakistan, and there shouldn't be any American troops in Yemen.
Five members of AQAP turned themselves in to authorities in Abyan province. The government is getting the tribes to put pressure on AQAP.
Four men are on trial for allegedly forming a terrorist cell.
There was a protest in Lahj province, over the arrest of some of the southern secessionists.
It sounds like the Yemeni government may be a bit worried. A presidential advisor to Saleh keeps saying that Yemen is not like Pakistan, and there shouldn't be any American troops in Yemen.
Saudi Succession
I've been meaning to get back to this subject. King Abdullah, who is 86, is currently recuperating from surgery. The next-in-line for the throne is his brother Prince Sultan, who is 85. As I've mentioned before, so far all of the kings have been Abdul Aziz and his sons. That generation is getting very old now, and soon the crown will have to pass to the next generation.
It's been a while since I looked at this, but I think that in the past, when the king died, the Al-Sauds got together and chose the next heir. At the moment, Sultan is set to become king after Abdullah. But at their ages, it wouldn't surprise me to see some major turnover in the next 5 years. Joseph Kechichian wrote a good book on the subject almost a decade ago. His access to members of the royal family really showed some of the succession lines.
I'm not sure what will happen when the next generation takes over, but apparently I'm not the only one concerned. A magazine editor was arrested for writing an article speculating about how the kingdom could collapse after Abdullah's death. There are different factions in the royal family who may fight over who gets to be in charge. Abdullah himself must have been worried because he created the Allegiance Council (of sons and grandsons) in 2006 to officially govern the succession. Things could get interesting in Saudi Arabia in the near future.
It's been a while since I looked at this, but I think that in the past, when the king died, the Al-Sauds got together and chose the next heir. At the moment, Sultan is set to become king after Abdullah. But at their ages, it wouldn't surprise me to see some major turnover in the next 5 years. Joseph Kechichian wrote a good book on the subject almost a decade ago. His access to members of the royal family really showed some of the succession lines.
I'm not sure what will happen when the next generation takes over, but apparently I'm not the only one concerned. A magazine editor was arrested for writing an article speculating about how the kingdom could collapse after Abdullah's death. There are different factions in the royal family who may fight over who gets to be in charge. Abdullah himself must have been worried because he created the Allegiance Council (of sons and grandsons) in 2006 to officially govern the succession. Things could get interesting in Saudi Arabia in the near future.
Palestinian State Recognized
Last week Brazil recognized Palestine as a state, and this week Argentina did too. Apparently Uruguay will do the same next month. These countries are recognizing Palestine in the 1967 borders, which were then conquered by Israel, even though under international law it is illegal to gain territory that way. As you can imagine, Israel is rather ticked off with all the recognitions and claims it is hurting the peace process. I really don't see how. If anything is hurting the peace process it is settler Israelis building homes and towns on land that is supposed to belong to the Palestinians. Add to that the US deciding to stop pressuring Israel for an extended moratorium on West Bank construction. But somehow it is never Israel's fault if the peace doesn't work.
Oh, and it gets even better. Dozens of Israeli rabbis are supporting a religious ruling that would prevent Jews from selling or even renting homes to non-Jews (Gentiles). Even Netanyahu has spoken out against it. I'm all for freedom of religion, but not when it discriminates against people of other religions.
Oh, and it gets even better. Dozens of Israeli rabbis are supporting a religious ruling that would prevent Jews from selling or even renting homes to non-Jews (Gentiles). Even Netanyahu has spoken out against it. I'm all for freedom of religion, but not when it discriminates against people of other religions.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Egyptian Elections: Update II
Well, the runoff elections are over. And, no surprise, Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party won. As usual, the elections were plagued with charges of fraud and even voter intimidation. The Muslim Brothers boycotted the runoffs, which means they were shut out of parliament. Human rights organizations are calling for the elections to be annulled. Personally, I doubt that will happen. Considering all the irregularities in past elections, why would Mubarak care about this one? Especially since his party has even more control over parliament (an estimated 83% plus help from some independent parties). Next year is the presidential election. You'd think the United States would be concerned about democracy in Egypt.
Atheist Blogger Arrested: Update I
The atheist blogger, currently being held but not charged, has posted an apology to his family, and Palestinians in general. It is unknown whether this is related to some kind of deal for his release. Human Rights Watch is calling for his release, and says:
Laws that criminalize the peaceful criticism of religious beliefs violate international human rights standards, and the PA should ensure that it applies legislation in ways that are consistent with international protections of the right to freedom of expression.
Top Stories December 6, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Leaks damaged US credibility: Turki - Prince Turki al-Faisal is the former Saudi intelligence minister, and former ambassador to the US. He's worried that diplomats won't be able to deal with US diplomats, because anything they say may get leaked.
Azzaman (Iraq): The world should take Iraqi government's statements on 'terror' with a pinch of salt - This editorial claims that most of the Al-Qa'eda terrorists arrested aren't al-Qa'eda and may just be Iraqi resistance fighters.
Haaretz (Israel): Firefighters subdue Carmel fire after 77-hour blaze - The fire is finally contained. Twenty-four aircraft from foreign countries helped out.
Turkish Daily News: Cry of 'plot' from Turkey's Grey Wolves - The National Party has had some political problems lately and their leader is accusing the Justice and Development Party of trying to destroy them.
Azzaman (Iraq): The world should take Iraqi government's statements on 'terror' with a pinch of salt - This editorial claims that most of the Al-Qa'eda terrorists arrested aren't al-Qa'eda and may just be Iraqi resistance fighters.
Haaretz (Israel): Firefighters subdue Carmel fire after 77-hour blaze - The fire is finally contained. Twenty-four aircraft from foreign countries helped out.
Turkish Daily News: Cry of 'plot' from Turkey's Grey Wolves - The National Party has had some political problems lately and their leader is accusing the Justice and Development Party of trying to destroy them.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Pakitstan's Blasphemy Laws Abused
Pakistan has some strict blasphemy laws, which can be taken advantage of if you're mad at a non-Muslim. A Christian woman has been sentenced to death for blasphemy, because she dared to defend her beliefs when she was taunted by Muslims. Now, first of all, I believe in freedom of speech, so the whole concept of blasphemy sounds wrong to me. Secondly, if you're going to have a blasphemy law, couldn't you at least use it against people who were actually blaspheming, instead of innocent people who just aren't Muslim? This issue appears to be dividing the country, with those who support changing the law being attacked for it. It's pretty sad if you can't even discuss the issue because you're worried about being killed.
Sharks at Sharm el-Sheikh
There has been another shark attack at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Four people were attacked last week, and beaches were closed until 2 sharks were caught. They had only been open a few days when the current attack happened, and now the beaches are closed indefinitely. This could really hurt Egypt's tourism industry, since much of it is beach tourism.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
YemnWatch: Saturday December 4, 2010
The Houthi Group has decided to set up security checkpoints, following the car bombings last month. They arrested a student attending a conference for the Islah party. AQAP has claimed credit for the bombings, and is saying they are trying to protect Sunnis from the Shi'ite Houthis. AQAP says they assassinated a Houthi spiritual leader in the bombings, but the Houthis are saying he died of natural causes. The UN and HOOD (Yemen) are concerned about the escalating violence.
Hillary Clinton spoke with the Yemeni foreign minister at the Regional Security Summit in Bahrain. The Australian foreign minister said that Australia may increase its aid funding to Yemen. And in 2011 the Friends of Yemen group will meet in Saudi Arabia.
The Yemen News Agency is quoting Gulf journalists covering the Gulf Cup, who are saying how wonderful Yemen is, and how terrorism is not as bad as other media has claimed.
Yemen is still talking with the World Bank.
Hillary Clinton spoke with the Yemeni foreign minister at the Regional Security Summit in Bahrain. The Australian foreign minister said that Australia may increase its aid funding to Yemen. And in 2011 the Friends of Yemen group will meet in Saudi Arabia.
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The Yemen News Agency is quoting Gulf journalists covering the Gulf Cup, who are saying how wonderful Yemen is, and how terrorism is not as bad as other media has claimed.
Yemen is still talking with the World Bank.
Forty Dead in Israeli Forest Fire: Update I
It looks like firefighters are making headway against the fire, but they're still worried it might flare up at night, when the winds pick up and firefighting aircraft can't fly. So far, 41 people are dead and almost 50,000 dunams of land have been destroyed (I think 50,000 dunams is 5,000 hectares or 12,400 acres). Police have arrested two 16-year-old boys who are suspected of starting a fire near their home that got out of control.
Let's hope the winds die down so the firefighters can get the fire under control before anyone else dies and any more land is destroyed.
Let's hope the winds die down so the firefighters can get the fire under control before anyone else dies and any more land is destroyed.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup: Update I
I've been seeing a lot of articles in the US about how horrible it is that Qatar won the bid for World Cup in 2022 and it's really getting on my nerves. There have been 19 World Cups so far. In 2010, the first one was held in Africa. In 2002, the first one was held in Asia, in Korea and Japan. Otherwise, all of the World Cups have been held in Europe or Latin America, plus the US in 1994. In my mind, this seems to deny half the world the opportunity to have a World Cup in their country or region. Which is why I'm getting so irritated at these articles blasting Qatar and FIFA.
Let me reply to some of the complaints listed in the Yahoo! article I linked to above.
1) "heat, which will force fans and players to endure temperatures soaring over 100 degrees during the tournament."
Yes, because it's not hot in the southern US where the 1994 World Cup was held. Oh wait, it is. I watched that World Cup. It was very hot, and in the southern US it's also very humid. In Qatar, it's not as humid. And yes, there is a big difference between dry heat and humid heat.
2) "impracticality of hosting a global event in a nation with only one major city"
As long as their airport has the capacity, and there are enough hotels, I don't see the problem. One could even make the case that the teams and fans won't have to travel as much when they play. Qatar is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the sea, so there won't be much foreign travel from there (SA). But I could see Bahrain and the UAE picking up tourism and helping to transport them to the games.
3) "security risks of staging it in the midst of a politically unstable region"
Really? Considering how many World Cups have been held in Central and South America, you're going to trot out security? Qatar is a stable country in the Middle East. They're one of the only Middle Eastern countries to have an Israeli trade office.
4) "Qatar’s political alliance with Iran"
Qatar is located directly across maybe 40 miles of water from Iran. Most of the Gulf States are. Qatar and Iran have an economic relationship, and Qatar believes Iran should be able to use "peaceful nuclear technology." Oh no! If they don't condemn Iran, I guess that means they're evil!
5) "Qatari women still suffering from routine sexual discrimination"
At least this is a valid argument. Although Qatar is making inroads into equality, and hopefully will soon have elections for the Majlis al-Shura.
To me, this just sounds like sour grapes. If Australia had won the bid, I don't see this much reaction from the US about it. But how dare some pipsqueak little Arab country that we have to protect win it instead of us.
Let me reply to some of the complaints listed in the Yahoo! article I linked to above.
1) "heat, which will force fans and players to endure temperatures soaring over 100 degrees during the tournament."
Yes, because it's not hot in the southern US where the 1994 World Cup was held. Oh wait, it is. I watched that World Cup. It was very hot, and in the southern US it's also very humid. In Qatar, it's not as humid. And yes, there is a big difference between dry heat and humid heat.
2) "impracticality of hosting a global event in a nation with only one major city"
As long as their airport has the capacity, and there are enough hotels, I don't see the problem. One could even make the case that the teams and fans won't have to travel as much when they play. Qatar is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the sea, so there won't be much foreign travel from there (SA). But I could see Bahrain and the UAE picking up tourism and helping to transport them to the games.
3) "security risks of staging it in the midst of a politically unstable region"
Really? Considering how many World Cups have been held in Central and South America, you're going to trot out security? Qatar is a stable country in the Middle East. They're one of the only Middle Eastern countries to have an Israeli trade office.
4) "Qatar’s political alliance with Iran"
Qatar is located directly across maybe 40 miles of water from Iran. Most of the Gulf States are. Qatar and Iran have an economic relationship, and Qatar believes Iran should be able to use "peaceful nuclear technology." Oh no! If they don't condemn Iran, I guess that means they're evil!
5) "Qatari women still suffering from routine sexual discrimination"
At least this is a valid argument. Although Qatar is making inroads into equality, and hopefully will soon have elections for the Majlis al-Shura.
To me, this just sounds like sour grapes. If Australia had won the bid, I don't see this much reaction from the US about it. But how dare some pipsqueak little Arab country that we have to protect win it instead of us.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Women's News December 2, 2010: Yemen
It's an all-Yemen post this time.
A neat article about Yemeni women becoming more interested in sports. Some women-only gyms have opened, but are seeing resistance from some religious authorities.
A Yemeni woman runs the Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights and doesn't wear the hijab either. There are some scary statistics on the lack of women's equality in this article.
An article on the bizarreness of some children's names in Yemen, and how men usually get to choose them.
A neat article about Yemeni women becoming more interested in sports. Some women-only gyms have opened, but are seeing resistance from some religious authorities.
A Yemeni woman runs the Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights and doesn't wear the hijab either. There are some scary statistics on the lack of women's equality in this article.
An article on the bizarreness of some children's names in Yemen, and how men usually get to choose them.
YemenWatch: Thursday December 2, 2010
According to the Yemen News Agency, the Vice-president of Yemen is quoted as saying:
The 7th Annual Regional Security Summit started today in Bahrain, and Yemen is taking part.
Elections in Yemen are still set for April 2011, although the ruling party and the opposition party are still at odds over many issues.
The World Bank is financing programs at 8 Yemeni universities to help improve the quality of education.
Yemen started a big tourism campaign yesterday in Doha, Qatar. They also accused the media of distorting events in Yemen to make it appear less safe than it really is.
Several dozen Houthis were arrested on the Day of Al-Ghadeer, which led to a sit-in for their release today in Amran province. They claim the arrests were illegal.
The Yemen Observer has what looks like interesting articles on the Yemen Special Olympics Team and an international conference on medical education, but I'm getting errors messages when I click on them.
cooperation with America in the fight against terrorism is limited to providing "logistical and technical support"Even though WikiLeaks says otherwise, but Yemen has accused WikiLeaks of lying.
The 7th Annual Regional Security Summit started today in Bahrain, and Yemen is taking part.
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Elections in Yemen are still set for April 2011, although the ruling party and the opposition party are still at odds over many issues.
The World Bank is financing programs at 8 Yemeni universities to help improve the quality of education.
Yemen started a big tourism campaign yesterday in Doha, Qatar. They also accused the media of distorting events in Yemen to make it appear less safe than it really is.
Several dozen Houthis were arrested on the Day of Al-Ghadeer, which led to a sit-in for their release today in Amran province. They claim the arrests were illegal.
The Yemen Observer has what looks like interesting articles on the Yemen Special Olympics Team and an international conference on medical education, but I'm getting errors messages when I click on them.
Forty Dead in Israeli Forest Fire
A forest fire in the Carmel Mountains of Israel has killed 40 people, mostly student prison guards. Their bus was trapped by fallen trees as they headed to a prison to evacuate prisoners. The fire is causing evacuations near Haifa and has overwhelmed emergency crews. Twelve to 13,000 people have already evacuated. Netanyahu has asked for everyone's help and according to Haaretz's breaking news crawler, Spain, Cyprus, and Greece have firefighting aircraft on the way. More info from BBC.
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup
And as you can imagine, the Qataris are ecstatic. They are the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup and beat out the US, Australia, South Korea, and Japan. More info on the bidding process. Personally, I think it's about time a Middle Eastern country got the bid, considering how big football (soccer) is there.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Egyptian Elections: Update I
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Wafd have pulled out of the run-off election in Egypt, in protest of election fraud. According to the BBC:
Following the first round, Egyptian media carried images and testimonies of mass faked ballots and voters being intimidated at polling stations.The end result is that most of the seats in parliament will go to the National Democratic Party of Hosni Mubarak. So much for democracy in Egypt.
Iraqi Church Siege Over: Upate III
Twelve terrorists were arrested in Iraq for their role in the church siege last month. They appear to belong to a group called the Islamic State of Iraq. And Al-Qa'eda in Iraq also belongs to that group.
Al-Qa'eda in Gaza?
Israel is claiming that Al-Qa'eda has operatives working in the Gaza Strip. The Prime Minister for the Hamas government there is denying the allegations, and says Israel is making it up so that they have an excuse for attacking.
I'm not sure what to make of this. The US considers Hamas a terrorist organization, but that does not necessarily mean they would get along well with Al-Qa'eda, which has its own agenda. But on the other hand, if Al-Qa'eda offered to help them, perhaps they would agree to it. And yes, it is entirely possible that Israel is looking for an excuse to invade Gaza (again). We'll have to wait and see what happens next.
I'm not sure what to make of this. The US considers Hamas a terrorist organization, but that does not necessarily mean they would get along well with Al-Qa'eda, which has its own agenda. But on the other hand, if Al-Qa'eda offered to help them, perhaps they would agree to it. And yes, it is entirely possible that Israel is looking for an excuse to invade Gaza (again). We'll have to wait and see what happens next.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
YemenWatch: Tuesday November 30, 2010
An AQAP attack wounded 2 soldiers in Abyan province (southern Yemen).
A Saudi doctor, traveling in northern Yemen, was kidnapped and then released. His family was also released. He was kidnapped to pressure the government into releasing some prisoners allegedly linked to AQAP.
Some families in the Houthi areas of northern Yemen have fled to Saudi Arabia to escape the fighting.
I you would like more information about the AQAP magazine Inspire, and the article they wrote about the parcel bombs, the Yemen Times has an article about it.
Yemen wants to expand its ties with Russia. The relationship has been fairly good, which makes sense since there used to be a North Yemen and a South Yemen (socialist).
President Saleh agreed to an opposition party's proposal that the election commission be formed from judges, instead of the usual method (appointed?, elected?). This way there are no political parties on the commission.
A lot of Yemenis don't have health insurance or access to health care facilities. Homelessness is also increasing.
A Saudi doctor, traveling in northern Yemen, was kidnapped and then released. His family was also released. He was kidnapped to pressure the government into releasing some prisoners allegedly linked to AQAP.
Some families in the Houthi areas of northern Yemen have fled to Saudi Arabia to escape the fighting.
I you would like more information about the AQAP magazine Inspire, and the article they wrote about the parcel bombs, the Yemen Times has an article about it.
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Yemen wants to expand its ties with Russia. The relationship has been fairly good, which makes sense since there used to be a North Yemen and a South Yemen (socialist).
President Saleh agreed to an opposition party's proposal that the election commission be formed from judges, instead of the usual method (appointed?, elected?). This way there are no political parties on the commission.
A lot of Yemenis don't have health insurance or access to health care facilities. Homelessness is also increasing.
Islamophobia in Oregon?
By now, you've probably all read about the failed bombing in Oregon that was an FBI sting (or setup, depending upon your view). Well, over the weekend, a fire was set at an Islamic center in Corvallis, where the bomber went to university. To me, this sounds like backlash against Muslims, because of the bomber's religion. Because, as we all know, the best way to handle a bombing is to lash out at innocent people with the same religion. This kind of thing really gets on my nerves, because it shows just how ignorant some Americans still are.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Egyptian Elections
Elections were held yesterday in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood and New Wafd appear to be the losers and the Brotherhood is claiming fraud. Which is pretty standard for elections in Egypt.
Queen in Gulf
The Queen of England is in the Gulf States on a 5-day tour. She was in Oman when the Tate loaned pictures to the Sultan's palace. Many of the smaller Gulf States started out as British protectorates, and some rulers were educated in England, so Great Britain has had a presence there for a while and tries to stay on good terms.
Edit: And a British frigate has been sent to the region to protect other vessels from pirates off the coast of Africa.
Edit: And a British frigate has been sent to the region to protect other vessels from pirates off the coast of Africa.
Top Stories November 29, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): King Abdullah undergoing physiotherapy - The surgery went well and the king is recovering.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Iran backs Saudi-Syrian bid to defuse crisis - Apparently the Iranians have decided to back Hariri and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Which may indict Hizbollah, which may cause fighting to break out. At least they are backing the government.
Haaretz (Israel): WikiLeaks expose: Israel offered to coordinate Cast Lead with Egypt and Fatah - Yes, you read that correctly. Before Israel attacked Hamas in Gaza, it asked Fatah and Egypt if they were willing to take over.
Turkish Daily News: WikiLeaks unleashes flood of confidential US cables - Info on the massive WikiLeaks documents release.
Russian News Agency: U.S. officials spy on UN diplomats - WikiLeaks - More info on the documents.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Iran backs Saudi-Syrian bid to defuse crisis - Apparently the Iranians have decided to back Hariri and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Which may indict Hizbollah, which may cause fighting to break out. At least they are backing the government.
Haaretz (Israel): WikiLeaks expose: Israel offered to coordinate Cast Lead with Egypt and Fatah - Yes, you read that correctly. Before Israel attacked Hamas in Gaza, it asked Fatah and Egypt if they were willing to take over.
Turkish Daily News: WikiLeaks unleashes flood of confidential US cables - Info on the massive WikiLeaks documents release.
Russian News Agency: U.S. officials spy on UN diplomats - WikiLeaks - More info on the documents.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
YemenWatch: late November
AQAP has taken credit for killing Shi'ites (Houthi) in northern Yemen. The Houthi Group has blamed the US for the bombings, which the US says is not true, and it has condemned the attacks. The Houthis may also be expanding their control to outside of Saada.
It looks like a suicide bomber blew himself up in Aden. His bomb went off as he left a taxi, headed for a police station. No news yet on who he was working for.
A lot of the air strikes against AQAP were carried out by the US, but President Saleh told his people it was the Yemeni military. He's been exposed by WikiLeaks.
The trial of journalist Abdul Elah Haidar is now set for December 5th. He's a terrorism expert accused of working with AQAP.
The separatists in southern Yemen held a protest this week. And later a separatist activist was arrested, which set off some fighting.
Apparently the US has a new strategy for fighting AQAP in Yemen. Finally. More from the US Ambassador.
It looks like a suicide bomber blew himself up in Aden. His bomb went off as he left a taxi, headed for a police station. No news yet on who he was working for.
A lot of the air strikes against AQAP were carried out by the US, but President Saleh told his people it was the Yemeni military. He's been exposed by WikiLeaks.
The trial of journalist Abdul Elah Haidar is now set for December 5th. He's a terrorism expert accused of working with AQAP.
The separatists in southern Yemen held a protest this week. And later a separatist activist was arrested, which set off some fighting.
Apparently the US has a new strategy for fighting AQAP in Yemen. Finally. More from the US Ambassador.
Israel Attacks Gaza?
According to the Qatar News Agency (and repeated via SabaNews of Yemen) Israel attacked southern Gaza. They quote Palestinian sources. So far I have found no outside news sources mentioning this.
Update: So far, all I have found is an air strike against Khan Younis 2 weeks ago.
Update: So far, all I have found is an air strike against Khan Younis 2 weeks ago.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Holidays
I'll be out of town a few days, and Thursday is Thanksgiving Holiday here in America. So I probably won't be posting as much as I normally do this week.
Top Stories November 22, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): King to leave for treatment in US; Sultan returns - King Abdullah is heading to the US for medical treatment. He has a slipped disc and blood clot in his back.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Saudi-Syrian efforts to defuse tension increase - The Special Tribunal for Lebanon has been investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri. But that's a controversial topic in Lebanon and had led to a political deadlock.
Haaretz (Israel): Netanyahu: No settlement freeze vote without U.S. offer in writing - Netanyahu wants to see an offer of incentives, in writing, before he'll ask the cabinet to vote on a settlement freeze.
Turkish Daily News: Turkey unshielded from NATO debate - Turkey asked that Iran not be named as "the main source of a potential attack" against a NATO ballistic missile shield, and it was agreed upon. There are also some other topics up for discussion.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): Minister: Muslim states account for 50% of Iran's non-oil exports - This was discussed during the Second International Seminar on Economic Convergence Among Muslim Countries.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Saudi-Syrian efforts to defuse tension increase - The Special Tribunal for Lebanon has been investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri. But that's a controversial topic in Lebanon and had led to a political deadlock.
Haaretz (Israel): Netanyahu: No settlement freeze vote without U.S. offer in writing - Netanyahu wants to see an offer of incentives, in writing, before he'll ask the cabinet to vote on a settlement freeze.
Turkish Daily News: Turkey unshielded from NATO debate - Turkey asked that Iran not be named as "the main source of a potential attack" against a NATO ballistic missile shield, and it was agreed upon. There are also some other topics up for discussion.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): Minister: Muslim states account for 50% of Iran's non-oil exports - This was discussed during the Second International Seminar on Economic Convergence Among Muslim Countries.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Earthquake off the coast of Yemen: Update II
More small quakes off the coast of Yemen. If I'm reading the seismology maps (earthquakes) correctly, this appears to be fairly common. The Arabian peninsula, up to parts of Turkey, is on its own tectonic plate, so it makes sense that there would be quakes along the edges.
YemenWatch: Sunday November 21, 2010
AQAP published details of the parcel bombs plot on a jihadist website and in their magazine (they have an English language magazine).
The Yemeni government was offended by a comment made by Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal. He said that Yemen is divided, which is helping AQAP infiltrate Yemen. The Yemen Post quoted him as saying:
American Sharif Mobley's hearing will continue next Sunday. It was adjourned because a translator was not available for him. This is the man who was accused of joining AQAP (those charges were dropped), then shooting a soldier while trying to escape.
The Gulf Cup officially starts on Monday. This is the first time it's being held in Yemen.
The Yemeni president met with the presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea. They all want to improve relations, and they're concerned about Somalia. The presidents are sticking around for the opening of the Gulf Cup.
The Yemeni government was offended by a comment made by Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal. He said that Yemen is divided, which is helping AQAP infiltrate Yemen. The Yemen Post quoted him as saying:
The situation in Yemen in general is making it easy for terrorists to infiltrate into Saudi Arabia and operate actively there. Also, many Yemenis flee into the kingdom amid conflicts and deteriorating humanitarian situation in their country.
++++++++++++++++++++
American Sharif Mobley's hearing will continue next Sunday. It was adjourned because a translator was not available for him. This is the man who was accused of joining AQAP (those charges were dropped), then shooting a soldier while trying to escape.
The Gulf Cup officially starts on Monday. This is the first time it's being held in Yemen.
The Yemeni president met with the presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea. They all want to improve relations, and they're concerned about Somalia. The presidents are sticking around for the opening of the Gulf Cup.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saudi Ailments
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has a blood clot in his back. He was ill during the Hajj with a ruptured disc in his back, and the clot is related to that. The king is also 86 years old, so it's worth taking a look at what will happen whenever he does pass away. So far, all of the kings have been the sons of Abdul Aziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia. After Abdullah, it will pass to the next generation. I'll post more on this later.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Women's News November 14, 2010: Update I
Two of the female lawyers arrested have been freed. This comes as the UN passes a resolution saying they are concerned about human rights abuses in Iran. And the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning appeared on television. Well, it may have been her - they blurred her face and used a translator (she spoke in Azeri Turkish.)
Nuclear Iran: Update I
In a post at the beginning of the month, I mentioned how Israel is claiming that Iran is close to having enough nuclear material for one bomb. The US and the UN have been putting a lot of pressure on Iran to work with the IAEA, and accusing Iran of not doing that, based on leaked documents. These documents show Iran working on nuclear missiles. But there's a new problem: the documents may be fake. Truthout has a long in-depth article discussing all the discrepancies and problems with those documents. Not only are they probably fake, but there's a good chance Israel was behind leaking the documents, through an Iranian dissident group.
Human Rights for Workers: Update I
An Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia is in the hospital after allegedly being tortured by her employers. An official team from Indonesia is there investigating the incident. They are also looking into the murder of another Indonesian maid. Human Rights Watch issued a report on migrant worker conditions in April.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Human Rights for Workers
There is a big problem in parts of the Middle East, in regards to workers' rights. This is generally a problem for workers from Southeast Asia. There are large numbers of Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, and others in the Middle East, especially in the Gulf states. And they are often mistreated.
Human Rights Watch is looking into cases involving maids from Sri Lanka working in Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. In these case the women either had nails pounded into their bodies, or were forced to swallow nails.
Another maid in Saudi Arabia was convicted of murdering a baby in her charge. She says the baby choked on his food and she could not save him. And considering how little regard is given to people from Southeast Asia, it would not surprise me if the baby's family wanted her life because their baby died.
This is a major problem, and I have seen it myself, in the Gulf. For some reason, people from Southeast Asia are seen as menials, and often expendable. They are the equivalent of illegal Mexicans working in the US, who cannot go to the police, except that in the Middle East they generally are not illegal. Just mistreated.
Human Rights Watch is looking into cases involving maids from Sri Lanka working in Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. In these case the women either had nails pounded into their bodies, or were forced to swallow nails.
Another maid in Saudi Arabia was convicted of murdering a baby in her charge. She says the baby choked on his food and she could not save him. And considering how little regard is given to people from Southeast Asia, it would not surprise me if the baby's family wanted her life because their baby died.
This is a major problem, and I have seen it myself, in the Gulf. For some reason, people from Southeast Asia are seen as menials, and often expendable. They are the equivalent of illegal Mexicans working in the US, who cannot go to the police, except that in the Middle East they generally are not illegal. Just mistreated.
YemenWatch: Thursday November 18, 2010
President Saleh is a bit upset with all the criticism and boycotts involving Yemen. He says that Yemen and the Yemeni people are victims too.
The Bani Thabian are denying foreign reports that their district is home to AQAP. The head of the local council said there is no Al-Qa'eda and no air strikes.
According to The Telegraph (UK), the US knew about possible parcel bombs several months ago. American officials claim to have intercepted test packages in September.
The president of the Kuwaiti Football Federation said that Aden is safe for the Gulf Cup. The Kuwaiti team arrives on Friday.
A man threw a hand grenade into a relative's house, where he was having a qat party. Three people died and 21 were wounded. He may have ties to the Houthis in the north. It's a bit unclear right now.
A Yemeni C-130, on its way home from Jordan, ran off a runway and caught fire at Sana'a International Airport.
A Panamanian ship sank off the coast of Yemen. All on board were rescued.
Schlumberger is in trouble for bribery. The Wall Street Journal has an investigative report into the matter. Apparently there is some sort of US law on foreign bribes. Look, I'm all for people in America trying to keep bribes out of the picture in the US. I firmly believe in getting things done on merit or cost. But in some parts of the world, bribery is how you get things done. It's not thought of as "bribes" it's thought of as the cost of doing business. So if you tell American companies that they can't pay "bribes" in certain other countries, then you're putting them at a disadvantage, behind the other companies who are paying the bribes. There's a big difference between bribing an official in America and bribing one in Yemen.
Also, the Yemeni volleyball team is having trouble concentrating at the Asian Games (cheerleaders!). (h/t Waq al-Waq)
The Bani Thabian are denying foreign reports that their district is home to AQAP. The head of the local council said there is no Al-Qa'eda and no air strikes.
According to The Telegraph (UK), the US knew about possible parcel bombs several months ago. American officials claim to have intercepted test packages in September.
++++++++++++++
The president of the Kuwaiti Football Federation said that Aden is safe for the Gulf Cup. The Kuwaiti team arrives on Friday.
A man threw a hand grenade into a relative's house, where he was having a qat party. Three people died and 21 were wounded. He may have ties to the Houthis in the north. It's a bit unclear right now.
A Yemeni C-130, on its way home from Jordan, ran off a runway and caught fire at Sana'a International Airport.
A Panamanian ship sank off the coast of Yemen. All on board were rescued.
Schlumberger is in trouble for bribery. The Wall Street Journal has an investigative report into the matter. Apparently there is some sort of US law on foreign bribes. Look, I'm all for people in America trying to keep bribes out of the picture in the US. I firmly believe in getting things done on merit or cost. But in some parts of the world, bribery is how you get things done. It's not thought of as "bribes" it's thought of as the cost of doing business. So if you tell American companies that they can't pay "bribes" in certain other countries, then you're putting them at a disadvantage, behind the other companies who are paying the bribes. There's a big difference between bribing an official in America and bribing one in Yemen.
Also, the Yemeni volleyball team is having trouble concentrating at the Asian Games (cheerleaders!). (h/t Waq al-Waq)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Egyptian Blogger Beaten: Update I
Egyptian blogger Kareem Amer has finally been released! He finished serving his prison term two weeks ago, but was detained and beaten. Officially, he was convicted of insulting Islam. He has written posts condemning Al-Azhar university and conservative Islam. Now, he is home with his family.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
YemenWatch: Tuesday November 16, 2010
Yemeni security believes the people who sent the parcel bombs are hiding out in Shabwa province.
The Secretary-General of the Arab League says the West should not intervene in Yemen, like it has in Afghanistan. He called on the Gulf countries to help Yemen.
There were a number of earthquakes off the coast of Yemen. You can see my previous posts for more info on that (post 1, post 2).
Twenty-seven Houthi militants were killed in Saada province, in the north. A ceasefire started in April, after 6 years of fighting, but things have been heating up since then.
The Secretary-General of the Arab League says the West should not intervene in Yemen, like it has in Afghanistan. He called on the Gulf countries to help Yemen.
++++++++++
There were a number of earthquakes off the coast of Yemen. You can see my previous posts for more info on that (post 1, post 2).
Twenty-seven Houthi militants were killed in Saada province, in the north. A ceasefire started in April, after 6 years of fighting, but things have been heating up since then.
Islamophobia in Greece
Some Muslims in Athens were heckled and had eggs thrown at them during Eid al-Adha prayers. But at least one group was able to pray in peace, near Athens University. Apparently there are no "official" mosques in Athens, so Muslims pray at community centers, in homes, etc. There has been antagonism to mosques being built, but the current Greek Orthodox Archbishop is supporting the Muslims, so there should be a mosque soon.
Earthquake off the coast of Yemen: Update I: Clusters Suck
There have been more earthquakes near Yemen. The first appears to have happened on Sunday, followed by several others. There have been so many that's I'm having trouble getting them all organized, so if you're interested, go to http://earthquake.usgs.gov/search/ and type in Yemen, in the search field. There's less than a dozen, so far, and all of them are around 5.0. I found a list of all the earthquakes for the past week, and there are around 30 of them near the Yemeni coast. Most of them happened on Sunday. They were mostly in the 4.5 - 5.0 range. If you count the ones closer to Djibiouti, then there are even more of them. No word on any high waves. No idea on when this will stop either. I am not an earthquake or tsunami expert, but I would be a bit nervous if I lived on the coast. At least the worst appears to be over now.
Edit: updated post
Edit: updated post
Monday, November 15, 2010
Earthquake off the coast of Yemen
There was a 4.7 earthquake off the coast of Yemen not long ago (h/t @yemenwatch). Here's the map. No further news yet.
edit: added link to twitter
edit: added link to twitter
Daewoo Electronics Bought by Iranian Company
Entekhab Industrial Group just bought Daewoo Electronics. Daewoo used to be a giant conglomerate who made everything from cars and electronics to AK-47s and supertankers. They had some financial problems in the 1990s and several of their subsidiaries were spun off. Daewoo Electronics was bought for about $518 million.
Top Stories November 15, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Mina reverberates with 'Labbaik' -Officially, about 2.5 million people are in Mina for the Haj.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Tribunal, arms aid on Hariri's Russia agenda - Prime Minister Saad Hariri is visiting Moscow.
Haaretz (Israel): Contentious Jerusalem construction taken off the agenda - The Prime Minister's bureau asked 2 committees to take the construction of 1,300 homes in Gilo off of their agenda. Gilo is on the other side of the Green Line.
Turkish Daily News: Istanbul animal bazaar overrun ahead of Feast of the Sacrifice - Tuesday is Kurban Bayram, when animals are sacrificed. Istanbul has set up a big animal market, including mobile slaughterhouses, to handle the traffic.
Tripoli Post (Libya): CAF Confederation Cup: So Near, Yet So Far for Ittihad as they Miss Final on Away Goals Rule - Ittihad won their game (soccer), but did not have enough total goals to progress to the next level.
Daily Star (Lebanon): Tribunal, arms aid on Hariri's Russia agenda - Prime Minister Saad Hariri is visiting Moscow.
Haaretz (Israel): Contentious Jerusalem construction taken off the agenda - The Prime Minister's bureau asked 2 committees to take the construction of 1,300 homes in Gilo off of their agenda. Gilo is on the other side of the Green Line.
Turkish Daily News: Istanbul animal bazaar overrun ahead of Feast of the Sacrifice - Tuesday is Kurban Bayram, when animals are sacrificed. Istanbul has set up a big animal market, including mobile slaughterhouses, to handle the traffic.
Tripoli Post (Libya): CAF Confederation Cup: So Near, Yet So Far for Ittihad as they Miss Final on Away Goals Rule - Ittihad won their game (soccer), but did not have enough total goals to progress to the next level.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Women's News November 14, 2010
A lot of stuff happening involving women this week.
Iran has arrested 5 lawyers. Three of them are women. They have been involved with human rights issues in Iran. It is unclear where they are being held.
A female physician from Saudi Arabia, who is a breast cancer survivor, just finished a visit to Yemen, where she promoted breast cancer awareness for Yemeni women.
The UN Refuge Agency will be working with the Yemeni government to help train refugee women in technical and vocational education.
Yemen will also be joining the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. The protocol started in December 2003.
Iran has arrested 5 lawyers. Three of them are women. They have been involved with human rights issues in Iran. It is unclear where they are being held.
A female physician from Saudi Arabia, who is a breast cancer survivor, just finished a visit to Yemen, where she promoted breast cancer awareness for Yemeni women.
The UN Refuge Agency will be working with the Yemeni government to help train refugee women in technical and vocational education.
Yemen will also be joining the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. The protocol started in December 2003.
Facebook Blocked in Saudi Arabia: Update I
Saudi Arabia is denying blocking FaceBook. Apparently it was just technical problems. Gosh, I hate it when that happens.
Hajj News
It's that time of year again. The Hajj has started and people are flooding in to Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is trying to control the huge number of pilgrims, but illegal ones are also getting in. The Saudi's are going more high-tech, by creating a light rail system to aid pilgrims. It's not yet fully operational, but should be for next year. The first part is called the Mecca Metro. Really. More rail info.
The president of Sudan has said he is going on Hajj this year. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but some African and Middle Eastern countries have refused to arrest him. Since this is the Hajj, I expect Saudi Arabia to not arrest him as well.
The Saudis have also been preparing for attacks by al-Qa'eda. According to Yahoo!:
Hajj photo gallery on ArabNews.com
The president of Sudan has said he is going on Hajj this year. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but some African and Middle Eastern countries have refused to arrest him. Since this is the Hajj, I expect Saudi Arabia to not arrest him as well.
The Saudis have also been preparing for attacks by al-Qa'eda. According to Yahoo!:
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula responded with an Internet statement Sunday saying it would never target pilgrims and accusing the Saudis of spreading lies.
Hajj photo gallery on ArabNews.com
YemenWatch: Sunday November 14, 2010
There's a lot happening in Yemen right now, so this post will be rather long.
First of all, SabaNews (Yemen News Agency) has an interesting interview with one of President Saleh's advisers. It's definitely worth a read. His mind-set is a bit disturbing.
The Yemeni military is carrying out air strikes in northern Yemen, on areas where AQAP is suspected to be hiding. This is happening around Sana'a. I'll have to check, but I thought most of the fighting in this area was tribal, not AQAP.
Last YemenWatch I linked to an article from a Kuwaiti paper saying that many al-Qa'eda leaders from Afghanistan were now in Yemen. The Yemeni government (a "security source") is unofficially saying that's not true, and calling for the media to be more accurate.
Germany will now allow passenger flights from Yemen. Last week they had banned all flights, so Yemen invited them to check their new security procedures at Sana'a airport. A German team did that, so now passenger flights are re-allowed.
On September 13th a liquid-natural gas (LNG) pipeline from Marib to Shabwa was blown up. AQAP just released a video claiming credit for that.
The American who moved to Yemen and was arrested for terrorism has been tortured. Which appears to be typical for Yemeni jails. What is interesting is that according to the Yemen Post: "He is now being trialed not on terror charges, but for killing a soldier. Yemeni government has said that there is no proof that Mobley is linked to terrorism." I really don't know what is going on with this situation. Is he really a terrorist, or is this some person who was easy to accuse, and then tried to escape from his captors and killed one of them? His wife is really upset, and says the US embassy is not helping much.
Separatists staged a protest in Shabwa province, demanding that one of their leaders be released from prison. Four of them were arrested. The overall leader of the separatist movement seems to be Ali Salem Al-Baidh, who used to be vice-president of Yemen. He is currently in exile, probably in Germany.
There was a large fire in Aden over the weekend. The 4th one this year. Supposedly it was started by an electrical malfunction, but who knows. Considering the state of affairs in Aden and southern Yemen, it could just as easily be separatists. Of course, it could just as easily be a short-circuit. It's really hard to tell what's actually happening in Yemen.
Prisoners in Hudaydah province went on a hunger strike to protest their treatment.
A girl in Dhale province was killed when a clock sent to her father blew up, as she plugged it in.
First of all, SabaNews (Yemen News Agency) has an interesting interview with one of President Saleh's advisers. It's definitely worth a read. His mind-set is a bit disturbing.
The Yemeni military is carrying out air strikes in northern Yemen, on areas where AQAP is suspected to be hiding. This is happening around Sana'a. I'll have to check, but I thought most of the fighting in this area was tribal, not AQAP.
Last YemenWatch I linked to an article from a Kuwaiti paper saying that many al-Qa'eda leaders from Afghanistan were now in Yemen. The Yemeni government (a "security source") is unofficially saying that's not true, and calling for the media to be more accurate.
Germany will now allow passenger flights from Yemen. Last week they had banned all flights, so Yemen invited them to check their new security procedures at Sana'a airport. A German team did that, so now passenger flights are re-allowed.
On September 13th a liquid-natural gas (LNG) pipeline from Marib to Shabwa was blown up. AQAP just released a video claiming credit for that.
The American who moved to Yemen and was arrested for terrorism has been tortured. Which appears to be typical for Yemeni jails. What is interesting is that according to the Yemen Post: "He is now being trialed not on terror charges, but for killing a soldier. Yemeni government has said that there is no proof that Mobley is linked to terrorism." I really don't know what is going on with this situation. Is he really a terrorist, or is this some person who was easy to accuse, and then tried to escape from his captors and killed one of them? His wife is really upset, and says the US embassy is not helping much.
++++++++++++++++++
Separatists staged a protest in Shabwa province, demanding that one of their leaders be released from prison. Four of them were arrested. The overall leader of the separatist movement seems to be Ali Salem Al-Baidh, who used to be vice-president of Yemen. He is currently in exile, probably in Germany.
There was a large fire in Aden over the weekend. The 4th one this year. Supposedly it was started by an electrical malfunction, but who knows. Considering the state of affairs in Aden and southern Yemen, it could just as easily be separatists. Of course, it could just as easily be a short-circuit. It's really hard to tell what's actually happening in Yemen.
Prisoners in Hudaydah province went on a hunger strike to protest their treatment.
A girl in Dhale province was killed when a clock sent to her father blew up, as she plugged it in.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
My Very Own Bookstore
Thanks to Amazon, and some help from a friend, The Ali Gator Blog now has its very own bookstore on Amazon: http://astore.amazon.com/aligat-20 It's an affiliate store, so if you buy something from there, they'll send me a kickback....er...affiliate bonus or something like that. (Apparently the world does run on baksheesh!) You can also click through my store to Amazon.com and I think they'll send me money for those purchases as well. Enjoy!
edit: It's still a bit small right now, but I'll be adding to it over time.
edit: It's still a bit small right now, but I'll be adding to it over time.
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