Arab World news

(6 September 2010) Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today called for "outside the box" thinking to reach a resolution to the vexed Middle East issue and promised a "historic compromise" with neighbours, provided his country's security interests are not harmed.  "In order to succeed this time, we must draw lessons from 17 years of negotiations, and think in a creative way and outside the box in order to reach practical solutions.  "I believe this is possible, and I'm willing to reach a historic compromise with our neighbours, as long as our interests, led by security, are maintained," Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday, debriefing his ministers. MORE HERE

(1 September 2010) Moroccan officials are reacting strongly to a recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). High Commissioner for Planning Ahmed Lahlimi held a press briefing in Casablanca on August 25th to criticise the "weaknesses" of the indices used by UNDP's  report.  The press conference followed an August 20th statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which challenged the accuracy of the findings and the indicators used in the reports.  The new study puts the poverty rate in Morocco at 28%, whereas the High Commission for Planning (HCP) reports just 9% in its 2007 report on family living standards. MORE HERE

(31 August 2010) A Saudi employer and his wife, who are accused of torturing a Sri Lankan housemaid by hammering nails into her body, have been arrested in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, officials at the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry said Monday. MORE HERE

(28 August 2010)  I don’t think this month is holy any more, nor does it still bear some genuine religious significance to the people. It is, I must point out, a subjective point of view. Indeed, Moroccans (at least those I saw in Casablanca or Rabat or today in Marrakesh) are ostensibly reading the Koran in public places. I noticed the mosques were never so full of faithful as they are this time of year. But on the whole, it does not feel like Moroccans get in touch with their spirituality. It does however look like more of a parade of spirituality, and it is going out of proportions. MORE HERE

(26 August 2010) Southern Sudan's government has drawn up plans to bring back 1.5 million displaced southerners from Sudan's north in time to vote in a January independence referendum. The government's proposals, seen this week by reporters, are titled "Coming Home to Choose."  They outline arrangements to bring the returnees home on trains, buses and boats traveling up the Nile River. Reports vary on the budget for the program, but range upwards of $25 million. Southern Sudan's government says it is worried there could be problems for southerners living in the north, both during and after the referendum, scheduled for January 9. MORE HERE

(25 August 2010) Power and water cuts, soaring costs, scorching heat and anxiety over the country's supply of wheat are causing frustration in Egypt during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Angry villagers cut off a highway in the Fayoum governorate in protest at power cuts last week. The police were sent in to quell the demonstration, but the problem of power outages has not been resolved. MORE HERE

(21 August 2010) As part of Algeria's celebrations of Ramadan, the Ministry of Religious Affairs unveiled a new web portal, the Bank of Fatwas. "This initiative is intended to prevent poor interpretations of sharia laws and the fundamental principles of Islam in general," said Yahia Daouri, the Director of Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Every day during the Holy Month, imams selected by the ministry will reply to questions e-mailed by citizens seeking religious opinions on subjects including zakat, prayer, inheritance and faith. People will receive replies either on the site itself or by personal email. MORE HERE

(19 August 2010) A Coptic Christian blogger arrested in Egypt on false charges of insulting Islam, then held for almost two years without charge under the country’s Emergency Law, has been released from prison. Hani Nazeer (photo), 31, a high school social worker and blogger was arrested Oct. 3, 2008 in response to a link to a Coptic Web site he placed on his Web log, “The Preacher of Love.” The Coptic Web site had a link to an online copy of “Azazil’s Goat in Mecca,” a controversial book written in response to “Azazil,” a novel critical of Christianity. MORE HERE

(17 August 2010) In Morocco, breaking the fast in public during the month of Ramadan is punishable by imprisonment. Ms. Ibtissam Lachgar (35, photo), a Clinical Psychologist in the Moroccan Capital city of Rabat, is the co-founder of "the Alternative Movement for individual freedoms" (Mali). In September 2009,  "MALI" has organized a public "picnic" to protest against the criminalization of Public eating on daylight hours, during Ramadan. MORE HERE

(16 August 2010) Maya Sabti's children were born and raised in Lebanon but they speak only broken Arabic and cringe when presented with an Arabic book to read. "I try to get them interested, but I don't blame them that they're not," said Sabti, whose children are 8 and 10. "Mobile phones, Facebook, movies — all that's important to them is in English." MORE HERE