Yemen Observer

When can woman win elections?

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:53:09 PST

Yemen’s first governors elections are due on May 17, 2008. A poll released last week uncovered that 78 percent of the voters see that the governors elections are of great significance for Yemen to enlarge public participation, enhance democracy, and is a great transaction to the decentralization system and local authority system.

Together to stop punishment against newspaper and journalists

Tue, 06 May 2008 01:08:46 PST

While the journalists across the world celebrated their world Press Freedom Day on May 3, Yemeni journalists celebrated the day by getting a new victory when the West Capital Court issued its verdict to cancel a resolution issued by the Minister of Information Hasan al-Lawzi to ban the al-Wasat...

Sally: A victim of civil society organizations and the authorities in charge

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:52:07 PST

In the previous issue of the Yemen Observer, we published a news story about a young girl who was married at the age of 11 to a 25 year old man.Sally is not the only victim of early marriage, however her story was published and became known to everybody, particularly the civil society organizations who act in these types of social issues.

Change is in the air and the endorsement game

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 02:27:45 PST

Again I asked more Yemeni friends about their reactions to the Democratic and GOP primary elections in South Carolina and Florida. We were all excited for the wins achieved by Obama and McCain in South Carolina and also Hillary Clinton’s and McCain’s win in Florida.

Somali refugees endure injustice until when?

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:46:49 PST

One of our news stories recently uncovered that more than 157 people have been reported dead or missing during the first 19 days of 2008 due to the risky trip across the Gulf of Aden.

Peace by the end of 2008!

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:30:08 PST

Wrapping up his tour to the Middle East, President George W. Bush has returned to Washington with less results than expected from his tour. At first glance there seemed to be some positive outcomes of his efforts for pushing peace in the Middle East, particularly with regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

We can do it

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:35:11 PST

Following the primary elections in Iowa and New Hampshire with some Yemeni friends, we became so excited that we stayed up through the night until 8 am the next morning following the updated results projected by CNN. All of us supported Senator Obama’s candidacy for different reasons.

Striving towards an arms-free Yemen

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:51:13 PST

If, a year ago, it had been suggested that Mareb would eventually be rid of arms, such a comment would have been quickly dismissed. Renowned for its militancy, an arms-free Mareb was once a far-fetched dream.

Freedom is the dream of homeland

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:49:29 PST

The faculty of media at Sana’a University recently launched a new postgraduate journalism program, which is exciting and worthy of praise, but will more trained journalists improve the media in Yemen, or will the school just be producing more people for the government to prosecute and censor?

Yemen’s riches should be better protected

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 07:58:55 PST

These days Yemen hosts conferences celebrating its rich tradition of folklore and cultural heritage.There is a great deal of cultural diversity in Yemen, with each city boasting unique traditions. But the authorities do not guard these riches closely enough and many cultural artifacts are under threat of disappearing.

Why to be happy in November

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 07:59:04 PST

Now that Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr are over some of us are want for something to celebrate—something to really go wild over. So, after numerous letters to the editor inquiring about holidays to celebrate in the month of November, we at the Yemen Observer did some research and came up with the following brief list of days that we believe should be celebrated...

The cheese that is Iraq

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:38:38 PST

A cheese grater, or “shredder” as they are known in the Eastern United States, is a device that turns large portions of cheese into small slivers or crumbs to flavor certain kinds of food. Graters can be found in many kitchens—especially the kitchens of people who regularly eat pasta.

Five nuclear plants? What’s the big deal?

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 03:41:13 PST

As it turns out, the American company that the Yemeni Ministry of Electricity and Energy is considering for a $15 billion project to build five nuclear plants in Yemen has no experience whatsoever in building nuclear facilities.

On Harun Yahya’s Ramadan 2007 page

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:17:47 PST

After receiving some complaints about the messages conveyed in Harun Yahya’s Ramadan 2007 page, the publishing and editorial staff of the Yemen Observer has decided to discontinue that page.

On Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 04:25:36 PST

The decision of Columbia University in New York to have Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speak was a noble one. At least it probably started off that way. The event, however, ended up being an absurd showcase of political rhetoric, rather than a forum for dialogue and debate.

A time for dialogue

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:29:57 PST

The decision by Islah from within the JMP to refuse to meet with the President of the country is unacceptable. Regardless of the nature of the meeting - whether it’s a friendly talk, an open one, or even just a chance to make acquaintances, it is ultimately still a meeting with the head of state.

Spare a thought for the consumer

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:34:58 PST

As any consumer can tell you, Yemen has been suffering from sharp price rises, which are all the more painful during the Holy month of Ramadan, when the need to celebrate and invite guests places an extra strain on family budgets.

On rising gas prices and greedy vendors

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:38:47 PST

There is nothing more pathetic than a country that cannot heat its food. Especially a country like Yemen where every dish requires heat to prepare because fresh fruits and vegetables are used as condiments rather than as a significant portion of a healthy and balanced diet. Imagine eating cold salta or uncooked bint al-sahn.

On the Ramadan work ethic

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:55:07 PST

We’re all hungry and tired. We all want to forget about working until we get some sustenance. But Ramadan is not about rest and relaxation—it is not a vacation.

On the ineffective traffic authority

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:19:26 PST

The traffic authority is fond of rules. They love rules because they love “enforcing” them. Driving around Sana’a, one is overcome by a sense of amazement at the great authority that these traffic officers wield—we stop, go, slow down, apologize profusely, and pay bribes, all at the officers’ behest.

National Unity

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 07:10:12 PST

The Yemeni Unity is key to Yemen’s security and the country’s biggest achievement of modern times. It is best option for the future of Yemen and her development.Unity is essential to the nation.

Time to face the facts about AIDS in Yemen

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:35:28 PST

The HIV virus is old news in the west. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS is still dramatically increasing in western countries, but the subject is far from new and it no longer holds most people’s interest.

Weapons ban makes historic progress; Unity is crucial to enforcement

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:29:06 PST

The ban on the carrying of all arms in governorate capitals, including Sana’a, announced last week by the Ministry of the Interior, is already showing dramatic results. The government has confiscated some 1,300 weapons in the past week alone—a remarkable achievement.

Yemen’s more manageable problems

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:59:27 PST

Yemen has plenty of knotty, intractable problems with which to contend. There is terrorism, which poses a threat to the lives and livelihoods; government corruption; widespread poverty and illiteracy; discrimination against women; and the struggle for democracy.

A farewell to arms

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 02:20:36 PST

The government announced this week a new ban on the carrying of arms in all governorate capitals, including Sana’a. Even currently licensed arms will be banned from the city. We applaud this move as an important first step to improving the safety of all Yemeni citizens, as well as improving Yemen’s image abroad.