[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
GCC foreign ministers to meet over Qatar agreement The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council are meeting in Riyadh this week to discuss progress on the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.
Taliban five arrive in Qatar after swap deal The Qatari foreign minister said his country’s role in the swap deal was “purely humanitarian.”
Kuwait's ruler makes rare visit to Iran to build ties The Kuwaiti emir begins a visit to Iran, the first by a Kuwaiti ruler since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Kuwait and Iran: a fluctuating history Habib Toumi analyzes the Kuwait-Iranian relations from the independence of Kuwait in 1961 to the present.
UAE to continue aid to Egypt, sees more stability after Sisi win Maha El Dahan and Stanley Carvalho write on the United Arab Emirates’ decision to continue its financial aid to Cairo.
Plan to set up Arab Court for Rights welcomed Habib Toumi reports on human rights activists’ views towards the formation of the Arab Court for Human Rights in Bahrain.
US, Saudi Arabia try to mend relations damaged by Syria Liz Sly analyzes the efforts of Washington and Riyadh to restore the damaged trust between the two allies.
Iran welcomes Saudi invite to Islamic bloc meet Saudi Arabia invites Iran to attend the meeting of Islamic bloc foreign ministers, which will be held in Jeddah this month.
Dutch minister plans Saudi trip to avert trade sanctions The Dutch foreign minister will pay a visit to Riyadh to make it clear that the views of Geert Wilders, an opposition leader whose anti-Islamic stickers outraged the Saudi regime, do not represent the Dutch government.
Reports and Opinions
Shia activists sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia Two activists are sentenced to death on charges of sedition, rioting, and protesting in Qatif.
Reporting Saudi Arabia’s hidden uprising Safa Alahmad, a Saudi journalist, gains access to the Eastern Province and documents the anti-regime protests.
The son of a concubine's appointment as ‘deputy heir’ stirs up intrigue over Saudi succession Liz Sly examines the opposition, among the Saudi ruling family, to the appointment of Prince Muqrin as a deputy crown prince.
Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated authors’ books pulled in Saudi Arabia The Saudi authorities ban the books of two Gulf thinkers known to be sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Saudi Youth: Fast and furious A book review of Pascal Menoret’s Joyriding in Riyadh: Oil, Urbanism, and Road Revolt in Saudi Arabia.
Repression in Bahrain
Britain's Still Making Excuses for Bahrain David Mepham provides a stinging criticism of the British government for its failure to condemn human rights violations in Bahrain.
Bahrain parliamentary elections in November Local media in Bahrain carry announcements that parliamentary elections will be held in November.
Bahrain opposition to boycott election unless political deal reached Bahraini opposition parties assert that the government must ensure the elections will “produce an elected government reflecting the will of the people.”
Bahrain jails for life 4 over ‘terrorist act’ A Bahraini court sentences four men to life imprisonment for blowing up a car to disrupt a Formula One Grand Prix race in 2013.
Bahrain Ombudsman releases first annual report The Bahraini Ombudsman Office received more than two hundred complaints from people regarding treatment by security personnel and places of detention within the first ten months of its formation.
Crisis in Yemen
Yemen army fighting war on two fronts Hashem Ahelbarra reports on the Yemeni authorities’ attacks on al-Qaeda and Houthi fighters.
Half of Yemen on the verge of starvation: UN The World Food Program warns that half of Yemen’s population is going hungry.
Sana'a, Yemen: delivering medicine in a city under siege Abdulbaset Alzamar writes on the difficulties to provide antiretroviral treatment to HIV positive patients in Sanaa.
Qaeda says kills 'spies' for aiding U.S. drone strikes in Yemen Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula executed four men accused of helping US drones track insurgents.
Yemeni intelligence officer shot dead by suspected al-Qaeda gunmen Suspected al-Qaeda fighters shoot dead an intelligence officer in Lahj.
Yemen intelligence officer, son shot dead A gunman kills an intelligence officer and his son in the city of Mukalla.
Rebels and Tribesmen Clash in Yemen A news report on clashes between the Houthi fighters and tribesmen in Amran.
Ali Abdullah Saleh denies theft, challenges accusers The former president criticizes the government and emphasizes that he will not give up politics.
Yemen faces influx of illegal African migrants Saeed Al Batati reports on the influx of African immigrants into Yemen and the fear that some Somali members of al-Qaeda are entering the country as immigrants.
Qatar World Cup 2022
Plot to buy the World CupThe Sunday Times obtains a cache of documents—including emails, letters, and bank transfers—on secret payments that enabled Qatar to win the 2022 World Cup bid.
Qatar World Cup 2022: Fifa vice-president ‘would support’ re-vote Jim Boyce announced he would consider a re-vote to find a new host for the 2022 World Cup if corruption allegations are proven.
Fifa under pressure to rerun World Cup 2022 vote after bribery claims Matthew Weaver reports on the pressure Fifa is facing to overturn the 2022 World Cup bid.
Qatar denies World Cup bribery allegations The Qatari organizing committee issues a statement denying allegations of bribery and wrongdoing.
Rise and fall of Mohamed bin Hammam – timeline A timeline of major positions held by the Qatari former Fifa executive committee member, who is the center of allegation of bribery.
Migrant Workers
Filipino man found raped and beaten in Saudi Arabia desert Kashmira Gander reports on a Filipino man who is in a critical condition after he was left for dead in the desert.
Kuwait minister resigns after worker deaths The minister of education resigns following the death of two foreign workers in a landslide at the construction site of a university.
Media
Female al-Jazeera journalist is arrested in Egypt Rasha Gafaar was detained in Port Said where she allegedly was sending videos to an affiliate of Al Jazeera.
Al-Jazeera trial: prosecution witnesses contradict claims in written testimony Patrick Kingsley reports on the trial of the three Al Jazeera English journalists.
Human Rights
Bahrain: A System of Injustice Human Rights Watch provides a critical account of the Bahraini justice system in a new report entitled “Criminalizing Dissent, Entrenching Impunity: Persistent Failures of the Bahraini Justice System Since the BICI Report.”
Q&A: Investigating Bahrain’s Mockery of Justice Nicholas McGeehan and Amy Braunschweiger, from Human Rights Watch, analyze the newly released report.
Statement of Grievous Concern: United Arab Emirates Bans Human Rights Monitor for Life The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the UAE authorities’ banning of the British barrister, Victoria Meads, from entering the country.
Bahrain releases a leading human rights defender and upheld 15 years sentence against another The Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the Gulf Center for Human Rights deplore the ongoing detention and judicial harassment of Naji Fateel.
15 year sentence upheld against human rights defender Naji Fateel Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights expresses its concerns over the upholding of Naji Fateel’s prison sentence.
Bahrain: The Authorities Continue to Oppress the Shia Sect The Bahrain Center for Human Rights documents the policies adopted by the Bahraini authorities to oppress the Shi'a citizens.
Bahrain: The Families of Victims of Extra-Judicial Killings are the Target of Continuing Acts of Retaliation The Bahrain Center for Human Rights deplores the authorities’ retaliation against the families of victims of extra-judicial killings.
Business and Markets
Qatar unveils new international airport Qatar unveils a new airport to cope with the growing number of travelers.
Qatar's Emir says all listed firms to up foreign ownership limit to 49% The Qatari emir instructs companies to raise their limit for foreign ownership in an attempt to “attract more liquidity to the buoyant bourse.”
Oman sets sights on tourism industry Sarah MacDonald reports on Oman’s efforts to make tourism a central part of its economy.
Saudi Arabia tests Cadbury chocolate for pork Saudi authorities will test Cadbury chocolate bars for traces of pork DNA after some of its products in Malaysia were found to contain it.
Bahrain parliament moves to ban alcohol Michael Pizzi reports on the Bahraini parliament’s hope to outlaw the sale of alcohol in the country.
Etihad Nears Deal for a Stake in Alitalia Nicola Clark reports on the new deal between Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways and Alitalia following five months of negotiations.
Qatar nears talks to buy ‘unpopular’ Rafale fighter jets The Qatari emir is expected to announce that his country will buy Rafale fighter planes during his visit to France this month.
Kuwait looking to import Iranian natural gas The Kuwaiti minister of oil says that his country hopes to sign an agreement with Iran to secure the supply of natural gas.
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