Dubai police have launched a campaign against "sexual perverts" and against men dressing as women (and vice versa) in public places.
Dubai police chief Dahi Khalfan said that the campaign was expected to last a few weeks, and that the police were acting in the capacity of UAE punitive law to protect society's values and customs.
Source: Alarabiya.net, May 30, 2008
Walid Al-Tabtabai and Muhammad Haif Al-Mutayri, Kuwaiti MPs from the Salafist stream, have demanded that Kuwait Communications Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled prevent directors from the "Star Academy" TV show from coming to Kuwait to hold auditions.
The MPs said that "Star Academy" represents debased Western values that are against the values of Kuwaiti society.
Source: Al-Jarida, Kuwait, May 30, 2008
Cartoonist: Akram Raslan
Source: Teshreen, Syria, May 29, 2008
Egyptian Journalists Association chairman Makram Muhammad Ahmad has said that even though the Egyptian constitution is meant to assure freedom of expression, and although Egypt is a signatory to international agreements on the matter, there are many laws in the country constituting an obstacle to press freedom and freedom of expression.
Source: Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, May 30, 2008
A Syrian source close to the Israel-Syria peace negotiations has told the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that an agreement in principle has been reached between the sides on the issues of security, water, borders, and normalization.
Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, May 30, 2008
A Syrian journalist source has denied an item published in the Lebanese paper Al-Akhbar that stated that Syria had claimed that Saudi Arabia was trying to conspire against it and to topple the Syrian regime (see "Assad: Saudi Arabia Conspiring To Topple Syrian Regime").
Source: Al-Thawra, Syria, May 30, 2008
On sign: "Paradise Youths."
(see also "Al-Qaeda Suicide Kids Expand Activity In Baghdad")
Cartoonist: Jihad 'Awartani
Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, May 29, 2008
Official to workers: "CNN is here to film, go replace the ‘Bakery’ sign with a sign reading "Museum of Modern Art"
Cartoonist: Khilmi Al-Twayni
Source: Al-Ahram, Egypt, May 29, 2008
Sudanese security services arrested, on May 26, a Sudanese journalist working for the Al-Sudani daily, and tortured him for several hours.
The arrest followed an argument between the journalist and censors who came to the newspaper offices to carry out their daily work.
Sudan's Association of Journalists for Human Rights condemned the deed and called on all journalists in Sudan to protest against it.
The association also called for the rescinding of newspaper censorship in the country.
Source: Sudanesonline.com, May 29, 2008
Al-Arabiya.com reported that the highly anticipated “Sex and the City” film will have to pass through the censor’s office before it can be released in the UAE.
Also, Gulf Film assistant marketing manager Simon Khoury noted that the film’s title would have to be changed, because the word “sex” would likely be unacceptable splashed across billboards advertising the movie in the country.
Source: AlArabiya.net, May 29, 2008
