[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Oman in east Africa: Gingerly coming back An Economist article on the Omani-Zanzibari relations.
Don`t Stop at Iraq: Why the U.S. Should Withdraw From the Entire Persian Gulf Toby C. Jones argues that the US presence in the region has made it less safe and more costly to US interests.
Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki accuses Saudis of ‘interference’ The Iraqi prime minister, in an interview with the BBC, reiterates his accusation of Saudi Arabia interfering in Iraqi and Syrian internal affairs.
Court: U.S. must release memo on targeted killings A federal court has ordered the US Department of Justice to turn over important portions of a memorandum justifying the “targeted killing” of people, including Anwar al-Awlaqi, a US citizen who was killed in a drone strike in 2011 in Yemen.
US and Gulf states plan missile defence system to counter Iran The US deputy assistant secretary of state for space and defense policy says that Washington will help the Gulf states launch a coordinated missile defense system.
Saudi prince says Gulf states must balance threat from Iran Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former intelligence chief, states that the Gulf states should be prepared for any outcome from Iran’s nuclear talks with the international community.
Deciphering the Riyadh Document Amira Howeidy examines lingering questions following the declaration of the end of the crisis among the Gulf states.
Bahrain Premier stresses need for Gulf union Habib Toumi examines Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s statement on the necessity of a Gulf union.
Qatar’s disagreement with Gulf nations ‘over’ The Qatari foreign minister asserts that Qatar’s rift with its fellow Gulf states is “over.”
Tough lesson of Qatar rift: GCC members should compromise Samir Salama writes on analysts’ views of the need for compromise in order to solve disagreements among the Gulf states.
Reports and Opinions
UAE mothers divided over breastfeeding law Zoi Constantine reports on a proposed law requiring mothers to breastfeed their children until the age of two.
Anti-harassment law sought A Kuwaiti lawmaker has proposed a law that would make cyber and physical harassment an offence.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain says expels representative of Shi`ite Ayatollah Sistani The Bahraini regime expels a prominent Shi‘a religious figure, accusing him of acting as a representative of Iraq’s Ayatollah Sistani without permission.
Bahrain sentences 12 people for life for spying, Iran links A Bahraini court sentences twelve people to life for spying and receiving training from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Bahrain sentences eight to life in prison over alleged role in bomb blast Bahrain’s Supreme Criminal Court sentences eight people to life for their part in the killing of a policeman in a bomb explosion in November.
Crisis in Yemen
Al Qaeda in Yemen: can it be defeated? Al Jazeera English’s Inside Story discusses the Yemeni authorities’ efforts to fight Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Drones kill al-Qaeda suspects in Yemen A news report on the number of casualties in drone strikes last week in Abyan, Shabwa, and al-Bayda.
Yemen conflict highlighted after 55 killed in air raids and drone strikes Ian Black examines the US air strikes in Yemen last week, and the death of four Yemeni security officers in retaliation attacks.
Yemeni military police colonel shot dead in Sana`a A news report on the death of a fourth security force officer in two days in Yemen last week.
Al Qaida seize hospitals in Yemen to treat wounded Al-Qaeda militants seize hospitals in southern Yemen to treat wounded fighters following the air strikes last week.
UN Yemen envoy says rebel group agrees to talks Jamal Bin Omar reports that al-Houthi fighters agreed to a new initiative by the Yemeni president to promote dialogue.
Yemen examines DNA of slain Al Qaida militants The Yemeni president hails the military campaign that killed over sixty suspected al-Qaeda militants last week.
Guantanamo review board: Yemeni should be repatriated A review board recommends the release of Ali Ahmed Mohammad al-Rahizi, who has been detained at Guantanamo for twelve years.
50 per cent of Yemenis need urgent assistance — UN official Saeed Al Batati reports on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Migrant Workers
Qatar criticised for domestic workers` abuse Amnesty International criticizes Qatar’s failure to protect foreign domestic workers.
UN calls on Qatar to end exploitation and trafficking of domestic workers Rebecca Falconer reports on the United Nations special rapporteur’s call for Qatar to stop the exploitation and trafficking of domestic workers and to protect them from abuse.
Army corporal denies forcing maid to have sex A domestic maid from the Philippines accuses an Emirati corporal of forcing himself on her.
Kuwait looking to legalise status of 80,000 expats Kuwait is considering the legalizations of the illegal status of thousands of foreign living in the country.
NYU Is Exploiting Workers in the UAE – Here`s a Look Inside the Labor Camps Kristina Bogos reports on the conditions of migrant workers constructing NYU’s new campus during her five-moth study abroad experience.
Media
Al Jazeera journalists` trial adjourned again A Cairo court adjourns the trial of the three Al Jazeera English until 3 May.
Al Jazeera`s Elshamy marks 250 days in jail The journalist who works for Al Jazeera Arabic has been on a hunger strike for more than three moths to protest his imprisonment without a trial.
Al Jazeera demands Egypt pay $150 million in damages The network serves Egypt with a compensation claim, citing damages to its business brought about by Cairo’s military rulers.
Marginalized Saudi youth launch virtual protests Madawi al-Rasheed writes on the videos posted by young Saudis on Youtube in an attempt to draw attention to their economic and politic marginalization.
Saudi Body Studying Regulating YouTube Production The Saudi authorities are considering the possibility of requiring licenses for some users, locally producing YouTube content.
‘Media has most powerful effect on people’ Habib Toumi reports on a two-day Arab media forum, which is held in Kuwait.
Former Kuwaiti lawmaker summoned over talk show A Kuwait public prosecutor summons Musallam Al Barrak over comments on made on illegal transfer of funds and local development.
Human Rights
Dispatches: Bahrain Shooting the Messenger on Torture Nicholas McGeehan condemns the Bahraini authorities for threatening action against people who discuss torture.
GCC: Joint Security Agreement Imperils Rights Human Rights Watch expresses its concerns over vague provisions of a proposed security agreement between the Gulf states.
Yemen: End Child Marriage Human Rights Watch urges Yemen to pass a draft law, entitled Child Rights Laws, which sets the age of marriage at eighteen.
Foreign domestic workers in Qatar: Shocking cases of deception, forced labour, violence Amnesty International publishes a damning report on the conditions of foreign workers in Qatar.
PRESS RELEASE / KUWAIT: DIGNITY HAS NO PRICE IN KUWAIT The Gulf Center for Human Rights publishes a report on human rights violations in Kuwait.
Bahrain: Prisoners on Hunger Strike after being Mistreated by the Security Forces The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights deplores information of mistreatment of prisoners by security forces in Bahrain.
Bahrain: 176 Arrested Children as a Result of the Security Events The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights documents the arrest of children in Bahrain since February 2011.
Bahrain: Urgent Appeal: Al-Ghasra and 8 Others At Serious Risk For Torture The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concerns over health and well-being of nine Bahrainis who were arrested by the authorities last week.
Health
Jeddah residents jittery over spread of deadly Mers A news report on public concern over rumors of undiagnosed cases of Mers.
Saudi Mers Death Toll Passes 100 A news report on the death of more than one hundred patients infected with Mers since the outbreak began in 2012.
Arabic
دعم وليد أبو الخير
Letters of support written to Waleen Abu Al-Khair, the Saudi human rights lawyer who was arrested two weeks ago when he appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Riyadh.
مسلم البراك: هذي مو ديرة بن صباح .. هذي ديرة الكويتيين بما فيهم بن صباح
Musallam Al Barrak, a former Kuwaiti lawmaker, criticizes the corrupt Kuwaiti regime.
‘القضاء الأعلى’ الكويتي: سنتخذ الإجراءات القانونية حيال من يمس السلطة القضائية
The head of the Supreme Judicial Council in Kuwait threatens action against anyone who criticizes the legal authority.
مصالحة قطر وشقيقاتها الثلاث: جعجعة بلا طحن
Fouad Ibrahim analyzes the end of the rift between Qatar on the one hand, and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the other hand.
عودة إلى عصر المحميات في الخليج
Fouad Ibrahim reflects on the return of the protectorate system in the Gulf region.
ماذا يخطّط بلير ضد’دول الخليج العربي؟
An editorial article on the former British prime minister`s call for the establishment of a front to combat radical Islam, and the implication of this call for the Gulf states.
السعودية | مقرن يروّج للاتحاد الخليجي
The Saudi deputy crown prince calls for the establishment of a Gulf union among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
إيران والسعودية: نحو تهدئة ضرورية
Mustafa al-Labad examines the Iranian-Saudi relations.
قطر: الخلاف الخليجي انتهى من دون تقديم تنازلات
The Qatari foreign minister asserts that Qatar’s rift with its fellow Gulf states is “over.”
البحرين: «الحوار» شمّاعة النظام لإمرار الاستحقاقات
Ahmed Youssef argues that the Bahraini regime uses the calls for a national dialogue for political gains.
القاهرة: الدوحة لم تلتزم اتفاق الرياض
Iman Ibrahim writes on the rift between Cairo and Doha over the Muslim Brotherhood.
نحو 2000 سوري يطلبون اللجوء الإنساني في اليمن
Around two thousand Syrians apply for humanitarian asylum in Yemen.
مسلحون يغلقون عددا من آبار النفط شرقي اليمن
Tribesmen in Yemen close several oil wells.
اليمن: الطائرات بدون طيار تحصد عناصر ‘القاعدة’ من الجو والدراجات النارية للتنظيم تغتال القيادات الأمنية والعسكرية من الأرض
Khalid al-Hamadi reports on the air strikes that targeted suspected al-Qaeda fighters last week.