[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
From football to military might, how Qatar wields global power Jane Kinninmont examines the expansion of Qatar’s international influence, in The Guardian.
Kuwait activist jailed for five years for insulting emir on Twitter A news report on the prison sentence against Mohammad Eid Al Ajami for insulting the emir, in The National.
Saudi King Moves His Son One Step Closer to Throne A news report analyzing the implication of King Abdulla`s appointment of Prince Muqrin bin Abdullaziz as a Second Deputy Prime Minister for the question of succession in the kingdom, on Al-Akhbar English.
Slush fund paid for palace in the desert A news report on an investigation held by Britain’s Serious Fraud Office into allegations that BAE Systems bribed Saudi royals to secure an arms deal, in The Sunday Times.
Outrage after Saudi cleric kills daughter A news report on the short prison sentence and the payment of “bloody money” imposed on a religious cleric accused of raping and killing his five-year-old daughter, on Al Jazeera.
Lawyer for Saudi man seeks to suppress evidence in Vegas rape case A news report on Mazen Alotaibi, who is accused of raping a thirteen-year-old boy at a Las Vegas hotel on New Year’s Eve, on Reuters.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain policeman jailed for fatal shooting of protester in 2011 A news report on the seven-year sentence of a Bahraini policeman who killed Ali Abdulhadi al-Mushaima, the first protester to die during the Bahraini uprising in 2011, in The Guardian.
Bahrain’s 2-year-old uprising at crossroads: Offers to talk and calls for great rebellion A news report reflecting on the second anniversary of the Bahraini uprising, in The Washington Post.
UK firm faces questions over how spyware ended up in Bahrain Jamie Doward writes on human rights campaigners’ fear that a specialist surveillance software produced by a British company may be used by Bahrain’s security forces to spy on people’s emails, in The Guardian.
Crisis in Yemen
A New Yemeni State Falters Amid Saleh’s Holdouts Nabil Subaye examines the former Yemeni president’s unwavering influence on the country’s political scene, on Al-Akhbar English.
Disappeared Under Yemen’s Saleh, Activist Found Alive Decades Later Nabil Subaye writes on the sudden emergence of the Yemeni leftist activist, Mathar al-Iriani who was imprisoned in a retirement home during the early days of Ali Abdulla Saleh`s rule, on Al-Akhbar English.
Intercepted ship ‘carried weapons from Iran’ A news report on Yemeni officials’ confirmation that the ship seized last month off the Yemeni coast carried explosives and surface-to-air missiles sent from Iran to insurgents in northern Yemen, on Al Jazeera English.
Human Rights Watch
UAE: Backsliding on Human Rights The organization’s assessment of the United Arab Emirates’ human rights record in its World Report 2013.
Bahrain: Widespread Suppression, Scant Reforms The organization’s assessment of Bahrain’s human rights record in its World Report 2013.
Saudi Arabia: Sweeping Injustices The organization’s assessment of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record in its World Report 2013.
Migrant Workers
Qatar 2022 World Cup will exploit migrant workers, says report David Conn writes on Human Rights Watch’s warning of the exploitation and abuse of migrant workers in Qatar, in The Guardian.
Dubai woman held on charges of beating maid to death Thamer Al Subaihi writes on the arrest of an Emirati woman on charges of beating her African maid to death, in The National.
Arabic
البحرين جاهزة لحوار لا لتسوية
Abbas Bousafwan argues that the the Bahraini minister of justice`s call for dialogue between the regime and the opposition is not premised on achieving a historical compromise.
البحرين: لن نعترض على أي اسم ترشحه الجمعيات السياسية لتمثيلها في الحوار
A news report on the Bahraini regime`s announcement that it would not object to any representatives nominated by Bahrain`s political groups to participate in the national dialogue.
البحرين: أميرة من آل خليفة تحاكم بتهمة التعذيب
A news report on the torture charges brought against Bahraini princess Noura Al Khalifa by two female doctors and the activist Ayat Qirmizi.
البحرين: المعارضة تطرح رؤيتها للحوار المقبل
A news report on the Bahraini opposition`s thoughts on the upcoming dialogue.
البحرين: المعارضة تكثف مسيراتها استعداداً لذكرى الانتفاضة
A news report on the Bahraini opposition`s commemoration of the second anniversary of the 2011 Uprising through its organization of more protests.
مقرن إلى المركز الثالث: هل يعبد عبدالله طريق العرش لولده؟
A news report that analyzes the implication of Saudi King Abdulla`s appointment of Prince Muqrin bin Abdullaziz as a Second Deputy Prime Minister for the question of succession in the kingdom.
في اول رد فعل على تعيين العاهل السعودي للامير مقرن نائبا ثانيا: الأمير طلال بن عبد العزيز يلمح لالغاء هيئة البيعة ويطالب بالعودة للعرف
Ahmed al-Masri writes on Prince Talal bin Abdullaziz`s opposition to King Abdulla`s appointment of Prince Muqrin as Second Deputy Prime Minister.
المعتقلون الأردنيون في السعودية: خالد الناطور وحسد الحاسدين
Mahmood Munir writes on the issue of Jordanian detainees in Saudi Arabia.
السعودية: "المطاوعة" تتخلى عن بعض صلاحياتها
A news report on the measure taken by Saudi Arabia`s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to give up some of its powers, in particular prosecution and investigation.
السعودية: الملك يظهر ويحذر من "حسد الحاسدين"
A news report on Saudi King Abdullah`s first television appearance since he left the hospital.
عاملات المنازل في السعودية وظاهرة المجرمات-الضحايا
Mariam Tarhini writes on domestic maids and the phenomenon of female criminal-victim in Saudi Arabia.
السعودية: أنا أفكر.. إذاً أنا معتقل
Wael al-Qasim writes on the arrest of Saudi citizens who express their opinions, such as Hamad al-Turki, Zaef Badawi and Hamza Kashgari.
اليمن: اتهامات متبادلة داخل لجنة الإعداد للحوار
A news report on serious disagreements among members of Yemen`s Dialogue Preparation Committee.
المرأة وربيعها اليمني: ساحات ممتلئة وثورة ناقصة
Huda Jafar writes on Yemeni women and the revolution.
اليمن: ضبط شحنة أسلحة في المياه الإقليمية
A news report on the discovery of arms shipment in Yemen`s regional waters by the Yemeni Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the US Navy.
اليمن: يا زمان الطائفية: استقطاب غير مسبوق يتصدره الحوثيون والإصلاح
Jamal Joubran reflects on the unprecedented level of sectarian polarization in Yemen.
مجلس الامن الدولي في اليمن
Mohammad Saleh al-Musfir analyzes the implications of the visit paid by the Security Council delegates to Yemen.
ظهور مطهر الإرياني: 31 عاماً بين سجون صالح ودار العجزة
Nabil Subaye writes on the sudden emergence of the Yemeni leftist activist, Mathar al-Iriani who was imprisoned in a retirement home during the early days of Ali Abdulla Saleh`s rule.
الكويت: تظاهرات أمام قصر العدل ضد محاكمة البراك
A news report on a demonstration staged by several Kuwaiti activists to protest the trial of Muslim al-Barak, an opposition figure and former member of the parliament charged with insulting the emir.
"العربية": الغارة الإسرائيلية من "أحداث الثورة"
Mahr Mansour criticizes Al Arabiya`s coverage of the Israeli raid on Syria.
"قطر غايت": لقد اشتروا المونديال: لقاء سري في الإليزيه رتب الصفقة
Sabah Ayoub writes on "Qatargate" and Qatar`s expenditure of thirty-four million dollars to win the bid to host the World Cup in 2022.