In late May, The Guardian had an excellent report on a group of tourists visiting Yemen from the UK.
As with everything we are told, taught or preached to about, context is everything. Kevin Rushby’s article is one of the best i have read in that it sets western life – notably British life – in context with how many people miss-perceive countries such as Yemen. In particular i like the juxtaposition between knife crime in Britain, the Yemeni jambiya worn by most Yemenis in the north of Yemen, and the …

On Sunday 4 South Korean tourists were killed in a suicide bomb attack in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shibam Hadramout. 2 Yemenis working as tour guides were also killed. A number of others in the group were injured. I also understand that 4 Spanish students were close by and were not injured.
Here’s some links to the story:
BBC – Tourists Die In Explosion
Reuters – Qaeda Bomber Behind Yemen Attack Trained In Somalia
CNN – Al Qaeda Blamed

Why now is Somali piracy headlining around the world? it is hardly a new phenomenon. I decided to take a quick look around the online media to see what is being rumoured, theorised and conspired.

So as being reported here and here its worth considering some cultural sensitivities before getting down to some heavy petting in Petra, having a jump in Jumeirah, or orgasming in Oman. Such activity may be happily entertained or even encouraged in certain places in the Med but you dont need to have a phd in middle eastern studies to know that any open sexual activity may not go down too well in arab islamic countries. Especially if you are caught.

A look back in the Yemeni media over the last 2 months shows a ’war’ between 2 vitality important issues for Yemen:
1. Security
2. Investment
The war is not an asymmetric confrontation between these 2 issues, though i guess ultimately it is, but a war being simultaneously played out in the Yemeni media. So what has been happening?