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The Economist: Middle East and Africa
Yemen's multiple wars: A growing worry for the West
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:39:16 -0000
A tribal rebellion in the north and al-Qaeda elsewhere are jangling nervesSTRUGGLING to fend off many threats, Yemen’s government has looked increasingly beleaguered. Yet over the past few weeks it has taken the initiative, scoring what amounts to a hat trick. In concert with neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Yemen’s air force has hammered rebellious tribesmen in the north. Some reports claim that the leader of the uprising, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, was among those who have been killed. Security forces have also raided al-Qaeda targets in the south and centre of the country, killing several commanders and arresting others, in their most sustained offensive yet against the jihadists. That campaign parried a third dangerous challenge. Foreign donors have grumbled that their crucial support for the government has not been matched by action, even as evidence accumulates that Yemen’s rugged fringes have become a secure base for jihadist terrorism. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian student who tried to down an American airliner with explosive underpants on Christmas Day, had been in Yemen since August. Al-Qaeda’s local affiliate claimed responsibility for his failed attack. ...
East Africa's common market: It really may happen
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:39:16 -0000
The region’s leaders take another step towards building a common marketFREE-TRADE fingers crossed, some time this summer goods should start being sold without tariffs across borders within the five countries of the East African Community (EAC). The new common market will take in 130m-plus people in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The next step is monetary union, with political federation a far remoter prospect. The agreement signed last year at the EAC’s headquarters in the Tanzanian city of Arusha was a first step. Optimists say the EAC should join free-trade blocks in southern and western Africa before 2030. The EAC is working off a small base. Its combined GDP of $75 billion is a sixth of Belgium’s. But scrapping tariffs should boost regional trade and improve competitiveness. The EAC should be better placed to trade with Congo, Ethiopia and Sudan. And if it can build its own wider manufacturing base, its goods may start to compete with cheap stuff from China. ...
Ghana and its oil: Dangerously hopeful
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:39:16 -0000
Can one of Africa’s best-governed countries beat the curse of black gold?Correction to this articleAT AGBOGBLOSHIE market in Accra, Ghana’s capital, Rose Kamina struggles to sell T-shirts in the stifling heat. “Business is small-small,” says the 22-year-old wearily. “This year we could only afford fowl for Christmas.” Then, unexpectedly, her face brightens a little. “But maybe next year we will buy a goat.” ...
Iran's turmoil: Growing signs of desperation
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:39:16 -0000
The latest bout of increasingly fierce repression suggests that the Islamist regime has begun to fear for its futureWHAT more can Iran’s ruthless rulers do to squash their opponents? Since nationwide protests broke out last June over the disputed results of presidential elections, the official winner, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has pulled few punches. His security apparatus has beaten and arrested thousands, tried scores of dissidents in kangaroo courts, hounded others into exile, throttled the press and jammed the airwaves. But the massive and violent demonstrations that engulfed the capital, Tehran, and other cities on December 26th and 27th suggested that repression only deepens and broadens the opposition.Footage of the protests, shot by mobile phones and spread via the internet, revealed scenes of mayhem unprecedented since the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah. Mobs of youths, including many women, attacked and in some cases overcame squads of riot police. The rioters, mostly unmasked in contrast to previous protests, apparently chanted as many slogans against Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as against Mr Ahmadinejad. They set police vehicles on fire and torched at least one police station. Plainclothes government thugs fought back, bludgeoning isolated protesters and apparently shooting several at close range. ...
Iran's nuclear programme: A thousand and one excuses
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:02:56 -0000
But they are running outIS IRAN trying to build a bomb, or is its nuclear work aimed merely at keeping the lights on? Gathering evidence, and Iran’s refusal to heed a string of UN Security Council resolutions and stop its suspect activities, make the question seem quaint. Few believe the tales Iranian officials have spun since the first news, in 2002, of their covert efforts to enrich uranium—usable for civilian nuclear reactors, but abusable at high enrichment for making weapons. Yet even the recent discovery of another hitherto secret enrichment plant being built deep in a mountainside on a heavily guarded military compound near the city of Qom had a ready explanation: to keep “civilian” enrichment going if other nuclear sites were attacked. ...
A legal spat between Israel and Britain: Welcome to London
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:02:56 -0000
Except if you’re an Israeli officialISRAELI bigwigs may not be visiting Britain much in the months ahead following the near arrest on December 13th of Tzipi Livni, the leader of the opposition, for alleged war crimes. A London judge issued an arrest warrant for Ms Livni for her role as foreign minister in Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead”, the assault on the Gaza Strip earlier this year. The order was withdrawn when the judge learned that Ms Livni would not be in Britain as planned. It is the highest-profile case since Britain arrested General Augusto Pinochet more than a decade ago, and has understandably left the Israelis feeling as if they have been singled out. It drew apoplectic protests from Israel and much abject apologising from the British government. Both sides said it was inconceivable that Israeli officials might fear to set foot in England. But the Israelis set little store by assurances that the British “system” would be changed to prevent such cavalier deployment of universal jurisdiction. They said Britain had been promising to change it for years. They were now being told informally that no change was likely before the general election, given Israel’s unpopularity in British public opinion. Gordon Brown is said to be looking for some administrative stopgap, meanwhile. ...
L.A. Times - Middle East
Yemen poet has a line on the region
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Abdel Aziz Maqalih blames the afflictions of the Arab world on the U.S., but as an advisor now to his country's president, he is more circumspect in his criticisms closer to home than he once was. The poet's glasses slide down his nose, his hair is combed in front but not in back, white patches of missed stubble glimmer on his cheeks. He sighs:
U.S. Embassy in Yemen reopens
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Yemeni counter-terrorism officials 'addressed a specific area of concern' when they killed two alleged militants north of the capital a day earlier, the mission says on its website. Washington reopened its embassy in Yemen on Tuesday after Yemeni security forces killed two alleged militants a day earlier north of the capital, said a statement posted on the website of the U.S. mission.
Iraq frees Shiite militant in exchange for Briton, followers say
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
High-level Iraqi officials refuse to confirm the release of Qais Khazali, which had been billed as a key step before his group would hand over Peter Moore, an abducted Briton who was freed last week. The Iraqi government freed a leading Shiite Muslim militant on Tuesday, his followers said, part of an exchange that saw a longtime British hostage freed last week.
U.S. to halt Guantanamo detainee transfers to Yemen
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
A total of 21 detainees at the base in Cuba have been released to Yemen. But the decision to halt the transfer of more of the remaining 91 Yemenis could complicate Obama's efforts to close the prison. In a potential glitch in the administration's effort to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, President Obama on Tuesday ordered a halt to the transfer of detainees to Yemen, where the Christmas Day attack on a U.S. airliner is believed to have been planned.
CIA bomber was a Jordanian double agent, ex-spy official says
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
The suicide attacker killed eight people at a CIA compound in Afghanistan last week. He had been recruited to help U.S. spy agencies penetrate Al Qaeda, a former U.S. intelligence official says. The suicide bomber who killed eight people at a CIA compound in Afghanistan was a Jordanian recruited by that nation's spy service who lured operatives to a meeting with a promise of important new information about Al Qaeda's inner circle, according to a former senior U.S. intelligence official.
Clinton urges Yemen to act
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
The U.S. secretary of State says American aid to the beleaguered Arab government depends on it moving decisively to curb terrorists and stabilize the nation. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton declared Monday that Yemen is a threat to global security but warned that the Obama administration would continue accelerating U.S. aid only if the Yemeni government met U.S. demands to take steps toward stability.
NPR Topics: Middle East
Egyptian Border Guard Killed In Clash With Hamas
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:36:00 -0500
A gunbattle at the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip turned deadly Wednesday when an Egyptian border guard was killed. Fifteen Palestinians were also wounded in the incident, which was sparked by the delay of an international aid convoy.
In Saudis, U.S. Has Ally Against Al-Qaida In Yemen
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500
With al-Qaida gaining a foothold in Yemen, the country is seen as the next place the U.S. will have to do battle. There are clear similarities between Afghanistan and Yemen: Both are poor countries with weak governments. But unlike Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan, Yemen's neighbor is eager to play a cooperative role in U.S. efforts.
Eco-Tourism Holds Promise, Peril For Egyptian Oasis
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500
A quietly growing eco-tourism movement in Egypt is beginning to bring smaller groups to more out-of-the-way areas where package tour operators don't visit. In the remote Dakhla Oasis, new eco-lodges have sparked both hope and apprehension among local villagers.
Ex-Envoy To Yemen: U.S. Could Make Situation Worse
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:00 -0500
The man accused of attempting to blow up a Detroit-bound plane last month had backing from the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, putting the country in the spotlight. Barbara Bodine, U.S. ambassador to Yemen at the time of the attack on the USS Cole, says the situation could become worse if the U.S. decides to tackle militants in the country directly or if the Yemeni government seems like a U.S. puppet.
White House Halts Guantanamo Transfers To Yemen
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:16:00 -0500
The move reflects the growing worry about terrorists operating in that country since an alleged attempt last month to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner by a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on instructions from al-Qaida operatives in Yemen.
Can The U.S. Trust Yemen To Fight Al-Qaida?
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:55:00 -0500
The man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day was allegedly trained by al-Qaida operatives in Yemen. Analysts say that after tolerating al-Qaida's presence, Yemen's government has to confront a force that has become an increasing threat to its own survival. But, they say, the U.S. must take a light hand in helping out.
UN News Centre - Middle East
UN urges calm amid clashes along Egypt-Gaza border
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations urged calm by all sides amid recent violence along the border between Egypt and Gaza, including the killing of an Egyptian security officer today, as protests continue over a delayed aid convoy headed for the Gaza Strip.
Ban discusses Middle East peace process with senior Israeli, US officials
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held talks with senior Israeli and American officials on the Middle East peace process, highlighting the need to overcome hurdles to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Ban voices support for London conference on Yemen and terrorism
Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his concern about the presence of Al-Qaida in Yemen, while expressing support for the conference that is being organized by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London later this month to discuss the issue.
UN envoy in Iraq expresses hope for 2010 polls
Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500
Looking ahead to 2010, the top United Nations envoy to Iraq expressed hope today for a united Iraqi Government following the elections scheduled for early next year, reaffirming the world body's support for the country's governance strategies.
UN agency mobilizes Iraqis to extend helping hand to fellow refugees in Syria
Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations refugee agency has marshalled some 80 Iraqi women to volunteer assistance to their fellow refugees spread out over a number of large cities in Syria, in an innovative move aimed at overcoming the unique challenges faced by this vulnerable group.
Facing climate change, developing world benefits from UN online scientific scheme
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500
As part of a project to promote scientific knowledge in the developing world in the face of climate change, the United National environmental agency this month extended its online programme to Yemen, offering it a chance to gain greater access to leading scientific journals.
NYT > Middle East
Gunfire at Gaza Protest Near Egypt
By ETHAN BRONNER Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:15:53 -0000
Demonstrators rushed the border fence and threw stones at Egyptian troops, leading to an exchange of gunfire and the death of an Egyptian soldier.
Iran Shielding Its Nuclear Efforts in Maze of Tunnels
By WILLIAM J. BROAD Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:57:16 -0000
The underground network complicates the West’s military calculus and obscures the scale of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran Official Accused in Prison Deaths
By NAZILA FATHI Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:42:30 -0000
An Iranian diplomat quit his job at the Iranian Embassy in Norway to protest Iran’s violent response to protests in late December, according to news reports.
Chinese Envoy Objects to More Penalties for Iran
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:43:11 -0000
Zhang Yesui, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, objected Tuesday to tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
Gaza Journal: Putting Lens on Lives in Suspended Animation in Gaza
By ETHAN BRONNER Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:44:31 -0000
A human rights group distributed video cameras to young Gazans and asked them to tell about their lives.
Yemen Says It’s Arrested 3 Qaeda Militants
By STEVEN ERLANGER Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:13:43 -0000
Yemen announced Wednesday that it had arrested three militants suspected of involvement in planned attacks on the United States Embassy and other diplomatic missions.
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