[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
UAE Islamists ‘pledge loyalty to Brotherhood’s leader in Egypt’ Ola Salem reports that members of the Emirati branch of the Muslim Brother still pledge allegiance to the its leader in Egypt even though they promised to discontinue this practice thirteen years ago, on The National.
John Kerry and Saudi minister discuss Arab unrest – video A video report on the US secretary of state John Kerry’s visit to Saudi Arabia, on The Guardian.
Reports and Opinions
Saudi Arabia arrests 176 demonstrators A news report on the arrest of protesters in the Qassim province for demanding fair treatment for prisoners, on Al-Akhbar English.
UAE trial of 94 accused of coup plot begins amid tight security A news report on the trial of ninety-four activists accused of attempting to overthrow the regime, in The Guardian.
Torture in Kuwait: Who Deservers It! Mona Kareem argues while the torture of Kuwaiti citizens angers Kuwaitis, torture of Bedoon activists and migrant workers goes unnoticed, on Al-Akhbar English.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain police acquitted in protester death Bill Law reports on the acquittal of two policemen who were charged in the death of a protester in February 2011, on BBC.
Bahrain activist Zainab al-Khawaja sentenced to jail A news report on a three-month sentence handed to the Bahraini activist for “insulting and humiliating a public employee,” on BBC.
Human Rights Watch
Bahrain: No Progress on Reform A statement by the organization condemning the regime’s failure on key reform promises.
Yemen: Juvenile Offenders Face Execution A statement by the organization condemning child execution in the country, and calling upon President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi to reverse execution orders for three juvenile offenders.
“Look at Us with a Merciful Eye” A thirty-page report on twenty-two individuals sentenced to death in Yemen even though they were under eighteen years old at the time of their alleged crimes.
UAE: Ensure Fair Trial of 94 Political Activists A statement by the organization urging a fair trial for activists who had limited access to lawyers.
Markets
Gulf tourists splash cash in ailing UK high streets Claire Valdini argues that tourists from the Gulf countries “spent the most amount of money per head in the UK in 2011,” on Arabian Business.
Qatar’s new London venture hit by bitter planning row Jamie Doward argues that Qatar’s plan to build luxury housing on the former headquarters of the London Fire Brigade is opposed by developers and residents in Lambeth for assigning only seven percent of the site for social housing, instead of the forty percent assigned by Lambeth, in The Observer.
Emirates’ concourse for A380s is another staging post on new Silk road Gwyn Topham writes on the new concourse at Dubai International Airport, which is designed to accommodate Airbus A380s, in The Observer.
Education and Freedom of Speech
Bahrain thanks UAE for banning speaker Brian Whitaker writes on the Emirati authorities’ decision to deny entry to Kristian Ulrichsen of the London School of Economics who was scheduled to give a talk on Bahrain at a conference held by the American University of Sharjah and the London School of Economics, on Al-bab.
Second Conference Called Off Scott Jaschik offers an account of the decision by Al Fanar Publication to cancel the conference “Education for What? The Future of Arab Universities,” which was supposed to be held in Dubai, following concerns over academic freedom, on Inside Higher Ed.
Gulf states accused of co-ordinated crackdown on dissent Ian Black argues that “UAE’s refusal to grant entry to an LSE academic and two Bahraini journalists may stem from security deal agreed last year,” in The Guardian.
Heritage
Mecca’s removal of Muslim history A visual report on the destruction of historical sites in Mecca to expand al-Haram mosque, on Al Jazeera English.
Arabic