U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Oman on Tuesday to help finalize a $2.1 billion defense pact. In a joint statement, the U.S. and the Government of Oman announced "a deal for the acquisition of a U.S. manufactured ...

The State Department's 2012 report on human rights practices in Qatar cited the "inability of citizens to change their government peacefully, restriction of fundamental civil liberties, and pervasive denial of expatriate workers’ rights" as the principal issues. It added, ...

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has begun his official visit to Washington, where he will hold talks with President Barack Obama and U.S. officials. On the occasion, Karen DeYoung writes that President Obama will "ensure ...

The State Department released the 2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. These reports provide detailed assessments of the status of human rights around the world. Uzra Zeya, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor,

On Monday, Yemen's President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi continued his surprise visit to southern Yemen by meeting with officials in Aden and advocating for using the upcoming national dialogue to solve the country's issues. Hadi arrived on Saturday amid Hirak (Southern Movement) ...

A bill that would grant Kuwaiti citizenship to 4,000 stateless people, known commonly as bidoons, passed the first round of voting on Thursday.  Another vote will be held later this month and, if passed, will require the signature of the ...

To mark the 2nd anniversary of the Arab Spring, the Woodrow Wilson Center released a report, titled "Has the Arab Spring Lived up to Expectations?" The report features opinions from 39 experts from the Middle East, North Africa, ...

Qatari poet Mohamed Bin Rashid al-Deeb has been sentenced to life in prison for composing a poem last year deemed insulting to the country's Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Al-Ajami faced charges of "inciting the overthrow of the ruling regime" and was not ...

The European Union awarded its Sakharov Prize for Human Rights and Freedom of Thought to two Iranian activists on October 26. Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and filmmaker Jafar Panahi, both currently imprisoned by the Iranian regime, were awarded the ...

Syrian opposition leaders will be meeting in Qatar next week to revamp the structure of the Syrian National Council (SNC). The meeting will focus on the election of new leaders and ensuring the body is more representative of minority opposition ...

International watchdog groups and governments criticized a string of new laws that restrict speech, media independence and free assembly in several Gulf states in recent days. In Qatar, a new media law would criminalize articles that "abuse the ...

The arrival of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was welcomed by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh who thanked the Emir for his visit saying, “Today you have officially broken the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by ...

Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is planning to visit the Gaza Strip on October 23 as part of a major investment project in the Palestinian territory. "The blockage of construction materials and equipment for reconstruction projects in Gaza has been completely lifted. ...

Toby Jones, in a featured article for the Middle East Research and Information Report, discussed how opposition movements in the Gulf countries are affecting the United States. Jones argues the key task for the U.S. "is to aid ...

The Financial Times released a special report entitled "Arab World: Banking and Finance," with key articles on Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. Simeon Kerr wrote on Bahrain, noting the country ...

The Project on Middle East Democracy hosted a panel discussion Wednesday, titled "Will the Monarchs Reform? Challenges to Democracy in the Gulf." The panel included Maryam al-Khawaja, Acting President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Deputy Director of ...