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.
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