[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.]
Reports and Opinions
Saudi Arabia arrests 18 suspected spies A news report on the arrest of a Lebanese, an Iranian, and sixteen Saudis on allegations of spying for foreign countries, on Al Jazeera English.
Saudi Arabia Shia leaders criticise arrests A news report on a statement issued by Shi`a community leaders condemning the arrest of sixteen Shi`a Saudis on suspicion of espionage, on BBC.
Top Saudi cleric says Twitter is for clowns A news report on Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik’s description of Twitter as a “council for jokesters” and a place for untrue messages, on Al Jazeera English.
Saudi Arabia ‘threatens Skype ban’ A news report on Saudi Arabia contemplating a ban on encrypted messaging services, such as Skype, Viber, and WhatsApp, on BBC.
Oman ruler pardons jailed dissidents A news report on Sultan Qaboos’ decision to free all dissidents who are jailed for defaming the leader or for participating in protests, on Al Jazeera English.
Brand Qatar Vijay Prashad provides an account of Qatar’s economy and political alliances, on Frontline.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain urged to free jailed activists to end unrest Bill Law reports on a statement issued by Human Rights Watch, urging the Bahraini government to release its political prisoners, on BBC.
Two jailed Bahraini activists refusing fluids in hunger strike: rights group A news report on Zainab and Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who are refusing fluids in protest for not allowing their family to visit them, on Reuters.
U.N. Think Tank Opening Office in Bahrain, with Bahraini Government Funding Justin Elliot provides a critical account of the decision by the International Peace Institute to open an office in Bahrain where human rights abuses abound, on ProPublica.
Crisis in Yemen
Yemen’s protagonists to agree on roadmap Hashem Ahelbarra reports on the national dialogue in Yemen, on Al Jazeera English.
The restoration of human dignity in the women of Yemen Rachelle Fawcett argues that a culturally informed feminism is the best approach to understanding the lives of Yemeni women, on Al Jazeera English.
Yemen activists ‘sidelined’ in post-Saleh era A media report on the absence of youth activists who helped bring down Ali Abdullah Saleh at the national dialogue, on Al Jazeera English.
The Flawed Media Narrative on Yemen Atiaf Zaid al-Wazir analyzes the coverage of Yemen in mainstream media, on Your Middle East.
Yemen’s Friday of Indignity Letta Tayler examines the political situation in Yemen in light of the second anniversary of the Friday of Dignity, when gunmen opened fire on protesters while security forces stood by, on The Huffington Post.
Statelessness and Citizenship
Kuwait MPs pass law to naturalise 4,000 stateless Bidun A news report on a bill passed by the Kuwaiti parliament, which granted citizenship to four thousand “foreigners,” on BBC.
Markets and Investment
Qataris stake their claim to a place at the top table of global dealmaking Simon Goodley examines Qatar’s investment in Britain.
Arabic
المشاركون في الحوار الوطني اليمني
A list of the parties participating in the national dialogue in Yemen.
"الحوار الوطني" اليمني: البداية المبتورة
Fawwaz Traboulsi analyzes the truncated beginning of Yemen`s national dialogue.
انطلاقة متعثرة للحوار الوطني
Joumana Farhat examines the faltering start of the national dialogue in Yemen.
اليمن: الحوار الوطني ينقل صراع الشارع إلى طاولة المؤتمر: الجنوبيون يطالبون بالانفصال والحوثيون متشائمون من النتائج
Khalid al-Hamadi writes on Yemen`s national dialogue and the attitudes of the participating parties.
الثورة المضادة انطلقت بالتدخل السعودي في البحرين
Said al-Shihabi argues that the counter-revolution in Bahrain was triggered by the Saudi intervention in the country.
منظمة اطباء بلا حدود تلغي مؤتمرا في البحرين عن اخلاقيات المهنة
A news report on the decision by Doctors Without Borders to cancel a medical ethics conference in Bahrain over fears that the government will not allow an open discussion.
البحرين: إرجاء زيارات مقررة لنزلاء بسبب `رفضهم ارتداء الزي`
A news report on the postponement of prison visits to prisoners who refused to wear the prison uniform in Bahrain.
السلطات السعودية تفرج عن سعوديات معتقلات بعد تعهدهن بعدم العودة للتظاهر
A news report on the Saudi government`s release of some Saudi women who promised not to protest again.
اعتقال كوادر شيعية في السعودية
A news report on the arrest of Shi`a cadres in Saudi Arabia.
السلطات السعودية تعتقل 18 شخصا بينهم ايراني ولبناني بتهمة التجسس
A news report on the arrest of eighteen people, including an Iranian and a Lebanese, in Saudi Arabia on allegations of spying for foreign countries.
ايران تنفي علاقتها بشبكة تجسس اعتقلتها السعودية… والرياض اطلقت سراح احد المتهمين
A news report on the discovery of an alleged Iranian espionage network in Saudi Arabia.
السعودية: اعتقال 1470 متسللا على الحدود مع اليمن خلال 48 ساعة
A news report on the Saudi authorities` arrest of more than a thousand people within forty-eight hours of having illegally crossed into the kingdom from Yemen.
قطر البلد الصغير الذي اصبح قوة اقليمية مثيرة للجدل
A news report on Qatar as a controversial regional power.