There was fighting between the Yemeni military and separatists in Lahj province. The army took control back of Al-Habilain district.
The Interior Ministry is blaming the Houthi Group again, saying they threatened the mediators from Qatar.
The families of Yemeni prisoners at Guantanamo Bay held a protest on Saturday.
The Committee to Protect Journalists wants the government to release the 2 detained journalists.
There was a small rally in Yemen in support of the Tunisian people and against the current Yemeni government.
The lawsuit against the sales tax has been rejected by the Yemen Supreme Court.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup: Update V
The president of UEFA (Union of European Football Agencies) is giving his opinion for the 2022 World Cup to be held all over the Gulf, not just in Qatar. He's already suggested moving it to the winter months in Qatar. And as I posted earlier, the president of FIFA has met with representatives from some Gulf countries who are interested in helping out Qatar.
Lebanon on the Brink?: Update II
A possibly damaging tape has come to light. It's from 2005 or 2006, and it's Saad Hariri talking with a man who was later discredited as a false witness, Muhammad Zuhair Siddiq. As the post I've linked to points out, Hariri is not doing anything wrong on the tape. He is listening to the witness, whom he appears to believe, and this is before the witness was discredited. But considering the timing, it could be damaging. Hizbollah timed their parliament resignation for Hariri's US visit, and now this tape comes out just before a new prime minister is in the works. We'll have to see how Hariri resonds.
Revolution in Tunisia
I haven't commented much on Tunisia, because I really don't know that much about it. But the people have revolted and managed to kick out the president. See chronology of events. The former president is now in Saudi Arabia. And other people in the Middle East are starting to think, "hey, maybe we could do that too." It's probably the only way Egypt will get rid of Mubarak. If Tunisia can do it, why not other countries?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
YemenWatch: Thursday January 13, 2011
President Saleh is accusing the Houthis of violating the Qatar-mediated ceasefire. The Houthi Group said it is the government who keeps violating the ceasefire, not them.
Someone tried to assassinate the governor of Dhale province. Separatists are believed to be responsible.
The General Assembly of Traders is filing a lawsuit against the President of the Tax Authority. This is in response to a lawsuit filed against them as "agitators" against a sales tax law.
Fouad Rashid, editor of the Al-Mukalla Press (online newspaper), was arrested on January 10th. Rashid was released in May 2010 after serving a year in prison with no trial. Reporters Without Borders has condemned the arrest. Another journalist, Ilah Haydar Shae, is still in solitary confinement.
Note: Al-Mukalla is the capital of Hadramout province.
The Minister for Oil and Minerals was suspended, following a fuel crisis in Yemen.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response both arrived in Yemen today. They're looking at problems in the Houthi region (north) and problems in aiding Somali refugees. There are currently about 170,000 legal Somali refugees in Yemen.
It seems like the Yemeni military now has a Koran memorization course. The first group of soldiers graduated today.
Election Mess:
Apparently Hillary Clinton did meet with the JMP opposition parties. One of their leaders is saying that the US is in favor of change. Also, is appears that the GPC and JMP have agreed to delay the elections from April to June of 2011. Yahoo! is saying that Clinton met the JMP at the US Embassy, which would explain the new law: if you want to visit an embassy, you must get government approval.
Someone tried to assassinate the governor of Dhale province. Separatists are believed to be responsible.
The General Assembly of Traders is filing a lawsuit against the President of the Tax Authority. This is in response to a lawsuit filed against them as "agitators" against a sales tax law.
Fouad Rashid, editor of the Al-Mukalla Press (online newspaper), was arrested on January 10th. Rashid was released in May 2010 after serving a year in prison with no trial. Reporters Without Borders has condemned the arrest. Another journalist, Ilah Haydar Shae, is still in solitary confinement.
Note: Al-Mukalla is the capital of Hadramout province.
The Minister for Oil and Minerals was suspended, following a fuel crisis in Yemen.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response both arrived in Yemen today. They're looking at problems in the Houthi region (north) and problems in aiding Somali refugees. There are currently about 170,000 legal Somali refugees in Yemen.
It seems like the Yemeni military now has a Koran memorization course. The first group of soldiers graduated today.
Election Mess:
Apparently Hillary Clinton did meet with the JMP opposition parties. One of their leaders is saying that the US is in favor of change. Also, is appears that the GPC and JMP have agreed to delay the elections from April to June of 2011. Yahoo! is saying that Clinton met the JMP at the US Embassy, which would explain the new law: if you want to visit an embassy, you must get government approval.
Lebanon on the Brink?: Update I
The President of Lebanon will start talking with the different factions on Monday, to try and find a new prime minister. Hizbollah, of course, wants the new guy to be one of their allies. They're claiming that their faction (called March 8) has a majority in parliament. And since Israel is on the southern border of Lebanon, the Israelis are on alert (or not) in case things turn violent, although Hizbollah leader Nasrallah says it won't. Everyone is concerned about what's going to happen next. Even the Lebanese stock market fell. Let's hope that Nasrallah is sincere, and that this fight stays strictly political.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Lebanon on the Brink?
Hizbollah has left the Lebanese government. Eleven members left the 30-minister government, just enough to bring it down and force a new one to be created. The UN's Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has been looking into the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri for a while now, and is expected to hand down indictments soon - specifically, indictments involving Hizbollah. Saudi Arabia and Syria have been trying to keep the government together ahead of these indictments, but it looks like that's over now. Hizbollah is blaming that on the US, while they also try to thwart the STL.
At the moment, things do not look good in Lebanon. Once the expected indictments come out, Hizbollah and its allies are not going to be happy. The current situation arose when a power-sharing agreement was reached in November of 2009. But as Hizbollah was implicated in the Hariri assassination, things began to go downhill. Let's hope the situation doesn't disintegrate into violence.
More from the BBC.
At the moment, things do not look good in Lebanon. Once the expected indictments come out, Hizbollah and its allies are not going to be happy. The current situation arose when a power-sharing agreement was reached in November of 2009. But as Hizbollah was implicated in the Hariri assassination, things began to go downhill. Let's hope the situation doesn't disintegrate into violence.
More from the BBC.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Another Israeli Boycott
This time it's Israeli academics. A group of professors has banded together and decided to boycott a college that's in a settlement in the West Bank. The professors signed a petition saying they won't participate in any activities there.
This is the kind of thing that will help create peace. As more and more Israeli groups boycott illegal settlements, and more and more academics start writing about Israel in the 20th century. Too often, Israeli historians who write about what's been done to the Palestinians are called "self-hating Jews." Because pointing out that your own people have done something wrong means there must be something wrong with you.
The whole thing reminds me of America in the 1950s and 1960s. If you were a child then, you learned about how people came to America and made a nation out of nothing. Manifest Destiny was king. Nowadays, you learn that other people actually lived in America before the white man got here. And these other people were killed and herded onto reservations. It seems like Israel is just starting to go through that process. That enough people are finally saying, Stop It! I want to know the truth. Only after BOTH sides have accepted reality will peace be an option.
This is the kind of thing that will help create peace. As more and more Israeli groups boycott illegal settlements, and more and more academics start writing about Israel in the 20th century. Too often, Israeli historians who write about what's been done to the Palestinians are called "self-hating Jews." Because pointing out that your own people have done something wrong means there must be something wrong with you.
The whole thing reminds me of America in the 1950s and 1960s. If you were a child then, you learned about how people came to America and made a nation out of nothing. Manifest Destiny was king. Nowadays, you learn that other people actually lived in America before the white man got here. And these other people were killed and herded onto reservations. It seems like Israel is just starting to go through that process. That enough people are finally saying, Stop It! I want to know the truth. Only after BOTH sides have accepted reality will peace be an option.
YemenWatch: Tuesday January 11, 2011
The US and Great Britain are sending special forces units to Yemen, to train Yemeni counter-terrorism units. The new units will be in Abyan, Shabwa, Hadramout and Mareb provinces. In Abyan, 6 soldiers were killed in an ambush over the weekend. Two military convoys were attacked on Friday. And more soldiers were injured in fighting on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia is looking for Al-Qa'eda members and says 16 of them are hiding out in Yemen.
A Yemeni air force plane fired a rocket on a village in Sana'a province. No word yet on what that is about.
There was more fighting in Lehj province between the government and southern separatists, including protests in Aden.
Tribesmen in Jawf province set up a checkpoint on the road to Sana'a. There are also some problems between (I think) another tribe in Jawf and Saudi Arabia. Apparently a tribesman was killed so the tribe was holding some Saudis prisoner. Four of them were released.
Four Egyptians were extradited back to Egypt. They were captured in August, fighting for the Houthis.
An American man in California was convicted of spying for Yemen and shipping military materials there. He is originally from Yemen.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Yemen today to talk about counter-terrorism efforts. She may also have met with the JMP opposition parties.
The president of Turkey was in Yemen on Monday to talk about investment opportunities there. Turkey and Yemen are also working on an agreement so that visas are not required to visit either country.
Germany has offered 5 million Euros to help Yemen with "awareness of reproductive health" issues.
Parts of Sa'adah province have been hit hard by the fighting between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, so the EU, UN, and World Bank want to help rebuild it.
Election Mess: A member of the GPC has set forth an initiative to try and help the political crisis. The JMP is looking at it. The initiative would postpone the elections that are supposed to be held in April (which the JMP is threatening to boycott as illegal) and may help form a coalition government.
Saudi Arabia is looking for Al-Qa'eda members and says 16 of them are hiding out in Yemen.
A Yemeni air force plane fired a rocket on a village in Sana'a province. No word yet on what that is about.
There was more fighting in Lehj province between the government and southern separatists, including protests in Aden.
Tribesmen in Jawf province set up a checkpoint on the road to Sana'a. There are also some problems between (I think) another tribe in Jawf and Saudi Arabia. Apparently a tribesman was killed so the tribe was holding some Saudis prisoner. Four of them were released.
Four Egyptians were extradited back to Egypt. They were captured in August, fighting for the Houthis.
An American man in California was convicted of spying for Yemen and shipping military materials there. He is originally from Yemen.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Yemen today to talk about counter-terrorism efforts. She may also have met with the JMP opposition parties.
The president of Turkey was in Yemen on Monday to talk about investment opportunities there. Turkey and Yemen are also working on an agreement so that visas are not required to visit either country.
Germany has offered 5 million Euros to help Yemen with "awareness of reproductive health" issues.
Parts of Sa'adah province have been hit hard by the fighting between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, so the EU, UN, and World Bank want to help rebuild it.
Election Mess: A member of the GPC has set forth an initiative to try and help the political crisis. The JMP is looking at it. The initiative would postpone the elections that are supposed to be held in April (which the JMP is threatening to boycott as illegal) and may help form a coalition government.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Top Stories January 10, 2011
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): South Sudan decides - For anyone not paying attention out there, southern Sudan held a big vote Sunday to see if they want to split off from Sudan.
Lebanon Daily Star: Upbeat Syria sees Lebanon solution this month - Saudi Arabia and Syria have been working on an agreement to keep the peace, in regards to indictments by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Haaretz (Israel): EU diplomats say East Jerusalem should be treated as Palestinian capital - The report that this came from really criticizes Israel's practices towards the Palestinians and lays out possible actions by the EU. Definitely worth reading this article!
Turkish Daily News: Release of Turkish Hizbullah members sparks controversy over its future strategy - This is NOT the Hizbollah you're thinking of - this is a separate organization, Turkish Hizbullah. They do have a history of violence.
El Watan (Algeria): Les mineurs seront liberes selon Ould Kablia - The Algerian government is arresting lots of people in the riots and protests, including an El Watan reporter. And the interior minister says that minors who were arrested will be released. We'll see if that actually happens.
Lebanon Daily Star: Upbeat Syria sees Lebanon solution this month - Saudi Arabia and Syria have been working on an agreement to keep the peace, in regards to indictments by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Haaretz (Israel): EU diplomats say East Jerusalem should be treated as Palestinian capital - The report that this came from really criticizes Israel's practices towards the Palestinians and lays out possible actions by the EU. Definitely worth reading this article!
Turkish Daily News: Release of Turkish Hizbullah members sparks controversy over its future strategy - This is NOT the Hizbollah you're thinking of - this is a separate organization, Turkish Hizbullah. They do have a history of violence.
El Watan (Algeria): Les mineurs seront liberes selon Ould Kablia - The Algerian government is arresting lots of people in the riots and protests, including an El Watan reporter. And the interior minister says that minors who were arrested will be released. We'll see if that actually happens.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Pakitstan's Blasphemy Laws Abused: Update I
Well, it's getting worse. Now a lot of Pakistanis are protesting against any changes to the blasphemy law. They think that insulting Islam should carry the death penalty. This comes after the governor of Punjab province was killed by his own bodyguard on Tuesday, because he wanted to save a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death for blasphemy. And at least one group called for a boycott of his funeral!
I find this whole subject crazy. I've said it before, but I do firmly believe in freedom of speech. And that includes the ability to discuss or argue about religion(s). I just hope that most Americans don't look at this and think that all Muslims are fanatics. Christianity has had its own problems in the past with killing or jailing "blasphemers." Just last week Bill O'Reilly even yelled at an atheist leader for "insulting" Christianity and wouldn't listen to any of his reasons (No, I am not an atheist.). Why do so many people get so upset if anyone dares to say something about their religion that they don't like? Why can't we simply discuss things like supposed adults instead of attacking each other like unruly children?
I find this whole subject crazy. I've said it before, but I do firmly believe in freedom of speech. And that includes the ability to discuss or argue about religion(s). I just hope that most Americans don't look at this and think that all Muslims are fanatics. Christianity has had its own problems in the past with killing or jailing "blasphemers." Just last week Bill O'Reilly even yelled at an atheist leader for "insulting" Christianity and wouldn't listen to any of his reasons (No, I am not an atheist.). Why do so many people get so upset if anyone dares to say something about their religion that they don't like? Why can't we simply discuss things like supposed adults instead of attacking each other like unruly children?
Women's News: Yemen Edition
The Yemen Times has chosen a woman as their 2010 Person of the Year. Her name is Fauzia Ahmed Noman. She helped found the Yemeni Family Association and was one of the first women to run for parliament. She died in November.
The Yemeni parliament is looking to pass some constitutional amendments. Some of them are not good, but one of them would dedicate 44 seats in parliament to women candidates. This is part of Saleh's pledge to have 15% of parliament be female. What I find ironic is that currently, in the US, about 17% of Congress is female.
Yemen Online has a story about a woman who is in jail, because she wanted to marry someone her father doesn't approve of. I believe I may have mentioned this in another post a while back. The reason her father doesn't approve is because the man's occupation is considered dirty. Which means he's possibly a butcher or a barber, or something like that.
The Yemeni parliament is looking to pass some constitutional amendments. Some of them are not good, but one of them would dedicate 44 seats in parliament to women candidates. This is part of Saleh's pledge to have 15% of parliament be female. What I find ironic is that currently, in the US, about 17% of Congress is female.
Yemen Online has a story about a woman who is in jail, because she wanted to marry someone her father doesn't approve of. I believe I may have mentioned this in another post a while back. The reason her father doesn't approve is because the man's occupation is considered dirty. Which means he's possibly a butcher or a barber, or something like that.
Friday, January 7, 2011
YemenWatch: Friday January 7, 2011
Twelve Yemeni soldiers were killed in Abyan province. AQAP is suspected to be responsible.
An AQAP leader in Pakistan, Naser al-Wahishi, was reported to have been killed by a predator drone.
More Houthis released from prison in Sa'ada province. And in Al-Jawf province there seems to have been some kind of intra-Houthi incident that killed a tribesman.
The Yemeni coast guard has started finding bodies from that ship carrying 80 Somalis and Ethiopians that capsized.
The Yemeni government is warning people not to participate in any unauthorized rallies or protests. This is in regards to the election mess.
According to Al-Sahwa, January 5th was the 1-year anniversary of the Yemeni government's attack against the Al-Ayyam newspaper. Apparently the paper was staging a sit-in then, because it had been suspended in May 2009 after another government attack. So much for press freedom in Yemen.
An AQAP leader in Pakistan, Naser al-Wahishi, was reported to have been killed by a predator drone.
More Houthis released from prison in Sa'ada province. And in Al-Jawf province there seems to have been some kind of intra-Houthi incident that killed a tribesman.
The Yemeni coast guard has started finding bodies from that ship carrying 80 Somalis and Ethiopians that capsized.
The Yemeni government is warning people not to participate in any unauthorized rallies or protests. This is in regards to the election mess.
According to Al-Sahwa, January 5th was the 1-year anniversary of the Yemeni government's attack against the Al-Ayyam newspaper. Apparently the paper was staging a sit-in then, because it had been suspended in May 2009 after another government attack. So much for press freedom in Yemen.
Qatar gets 2022 World Cup: Update IV
Now the president of FIFA is weighing in, saying that the World Cup will probably be in January, instead of over the summer. He's in Qatar right now for the Asian Cup.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
More Problems with Kuwaiti Prime Minister: Update I
The prime minister has survived a no-cooperation vote 25 to 22. One of the MPs resigned after the vote, but the opposition seems determined to change the government. There appear to be some Sunni-Shi'ite tensions involved but I'm not completely sure about that situation yet.
Corruption in Gaza Lines
Al-Jazeera has an interesting story about Gaza. Apparently some American companies had to pay bribes to the Israelis to get their products past the border crossing. All this was before Hamas took over and Israel started the blockade. This information came to light from the latest WikiLeaks cable release.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
YemenWatch: Tuesday January 4, 2011
I'm experimenting with taking YemenWatch down to twice a week, depending upon how active it is.
The ceasefire with the Houthis seems to be going well so far. Qatar is responsible for the mediation. The Houthis have given back all of the military vehicles they captured in Saada province.
A military camp in Al-Jawf province is under siege by armed tribesmen. This is in northern Yemen, next to Sadah province, but the article doesn't say if it's Houthi related.
Three soldiers were hurt in Shabwa in what is thought to be an AQAP attack.
The southern separatist movement Al-Harak is using civil disobedience to shut down business on the first Monday of every month.
One of the leaders of the Southern Movement in Hadramout was detained.
80 Africans died trying to cross the sea into Yemen.
The World Food Program is giving $53 million for Somali refugees in Yemen.
A Somali man was sentenced to death and 3 Yemenis got 25 years each, on drug distribution charges.
More election mess. The US weighed in on those constitutional amendments, and is accused of interfering. An opposition party that's not part of the JMP opposition group said that their leader was attacked by a gunman. The JMP is still boycotting parliament. But they did discuss a letter sent to them from a GPC panel.
The ceasefire with the Houthis seems to be going well so far. Qatar is responsible for the mediation. The Houthis have given back all of the military vehicles they captured in Saada province.
A military camp in Al-Jawf province is under siege by armed tribesmen. This is in northern Yemen, next to Sadah province, but the article doesn't say if it's Houthi related.
Three soldiers were hurt in Shabwa in what is thought to be an AQAP attack.
The southern separatist movement Al-Harak is using civil disobedience to shut down business on the first Monday of every month.
One of the leaders of the Southern Movement in Hadramout was detained.
80 Africans died trying to cross the sea into Yemen.
The World Food Program is giving $53 million for Somali refugees in Yemen.
A Somali man was sentenced to death and 3 Yemenis got 25 years each, on drug distribution charges.
++++++++++++
More election mess. The US weighed in on those constitutional amendments, and is accused of interfering. An opposition party that's not part of the JMP opposition group said that their leader was attacked by a gunman. The JMP is still boycotting parliament. But they did discuss a letter sent to them from a GPC panel.
Monday, January 3, 2011
More Problems with Kuwaiti Prime Minister
MPs are a bit upset in Kuwait. Some of them were injured by security forces when they held an unauthorized public rally. In retaliation, the MPs have filed a no cooperation motion against the prime minister. If it passes, then the emir of Kuwait will have to fire the PM or dissolve parliament or hold new elections.
The prime minister is the nephew of the emir, and has been in office since February 2006. Apparently, since he became prime minister, parliament has been dissolved 3 times and the cabinet has resigned 5 times.
The Kuwait Times has an update on the situation, which it looks like the prime minister is winning. The vote is set for January 5th. What will happen after that is unclear.
The prime minister is the nephew of the emir, and has been in office since February 2006. Apparently, since he became prime minister, parliament has been dissolved 3 times and the cabinet has resigned 5 times.
The Kuwait Times has an update on the situation, which it looks like the prime minister is winning. The vote is set for January 5th. What will happen after that is unclear.
Land Convoy Reaches Gaza
A convoy called Asia 1 has reached Gaza. The convoy started in India, and reached Gaza through Egypt. There's another part of the convoy that should be arriving by ship. We'll have to wait and see if the ship gets through the blockade. The convoy was supposed to reach Gaza on the anniversary of Cast Lead, the Israeli offensive against Gaza, but was a few days late.
Top Stories January 3, 2010
Arab News (Saudi Arabia): Palestinian killed in cold blood - An unarmed Palestinian man was killed at a checkpoint.
Lebanon Daily Star: Rival Lebanese leaders united in condemnation of attack on Copts - This is in regards to the attack in Egypt.
Haaretz (Israel): Despite public denial, U.S. officials tell Haaretz: We're angry at Barak - Yes, the US is angry at the Israeli Defense Minister.
Turkish Daily News: Greece to put up anti-migrant wall on Turkish border - Another wall between countries.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): Record rise in exchanges at TSE early 2011 - The Tehran Stock Exchange is having a record new year.
Lebanon Daily Star: Rival Lebanese leaders united in condemnation of attack on Copts - This is in regards to the attack in Egypt.
Haaretz (Israel): Despite public denial, U.S. officials tell Haaretz: We're angry at Barak - Yes, the US is angry at the Israeli Defense Minister.
Turkish Daily News: Greece to put up anti-migrant wall on Turkish border - Another wall between countries.
Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran): Record rise in exchanges at TSE early 2011 - The Tehran Stock Exchange is having a record new year.
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