King Abdullah has overturned a court verdict that sentenced a Saudi woman to 10 lashes for challenging the conservative Muslim kingdom's ban on women driving.
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh is still hanging on to power despite a popular uprising, regional pressure, military defections and an assassination attempt.
Where's Gadhafi? The military believes former Libya leader Moammar Gadhafi could be hiding in the western town of Ghadamis near the Algerian border. Fighting continues in Sirte.
Bahrain has upheld life sentences for eight Shi'ite opposition activists convicted of plotting to overthrow the minority Sunni-led government during anti-government protests earlier this year.
Another day and more UNSC debate on Syria.
Israelis are observing Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the High Holy Days and a time of reflection and prayer in the midst of turbulent times.
Details after the break.
Sources within the Saudi government say King Abdullah has overturned a court verdict that sentenced a Saudi woman to 10 lashes for challenging the conservative Muslim kingdom's ban on women driving.
One of those who reported the king's decision was a Saudi princess who announced it Wednesday on her Twitter account. There was no official confirmation from the government.
On Tuesday, a court in the Red Sea city of Jeddah found Shaima Jastaina guilty of violating the driving ban. The verdict took Saudi women by surprise, coming just a day after King Abdullah announced that women will have the right to vote and run in local elections starting in 2015.
Amnesty International welcomed the new right to vote but said Tuesday that the king's “much-trumpeted” reforms amount to “very little” if women are still going to face physical punishment for “trying to exercise their right to freedom of movement.” The rights group said there are reports of two other women facing charges for driving in the kingdom.
There is no written law in Saudi Arabia barring women from driving, only fatwas, or religious edicts, stemming from a strict tradition of Islam called Wahhabism.
Normally, police just stop female drivers, question them and let them go after they sign a pledge not to drive again. But dozens of women have continued to take to the roads since June in a campaign to break the taboo. The defiance resulted in numerous arrests.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans women – both Saudi and foreign – from driving.
A representative of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce said allowing women to drive will likely take “just a few more years.” She preferred that the government place a priority on better public transportation to help people get to their jobs.
The kingdom holds its next local elections on Thursday, but women are not allowed to vote or run in those.
Yemen
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has managed to hang on to power despite a popular uprising, regional pressure, military defections and an assassination attempt. Some political observers accuse the United States and Saudi Arabia of propping up an unpopular leader, while others argue there are no attractive alternatives.
For long-time Yemen political observer Mustafa al Ani, there's no mystery to why President Saleh is still in power.
"He still enjoys some support for a very simple reason; the personalities which are leading the opposition are no less corrupt than the government," he said. "They really have a bad reputation and people know them very well."
Al Ani, the head of the security department at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai, singles out tribal leader Hamid al Ahmar and Islamist Abdel Mageed al Zanadani as two prominent anti-Saleh figures with what he believes are questionable pasts.
But they are only the beginning of a long list of people who oppose the president.
Al Ani believes the situation in Yemen is fundamentally different than the popular uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, with many of the divisions seen now having a long history in the fractious, impoverished Arab state. Those splits, he says, are proving an impediment to pushing through basic reforms.
"There is no actually clear vision how anyone can lead Yemen out of this deep problem. It's basically the disintegration of the political vision now," he said. "And no one agrees. Even the question of the constitutional amendments, you are talking about so many versions of the constitution and everyone is basically defending his own interests. "
Not everyone is so pessimistic. Yemeni columnist Hakim al Masmari puts a different spin on the multitude of voices.
"The revolution is led by everyone: by tribal adults, by youth, by liberals, by the opposition conservatives, by senior leaders," said Masmari. "The idea is not who will be behind the change. The idea is seeking democracy and freedom."
Libya
According to provisional authority officials in Libya, the military believes former leader Moammar Gadhafi could be hiding in the western town of Ghadamis near the Algerian border.
The officials said Wednesday they also believe Gadhafi is under the protection of ethnic Tuaregs. The former leader once supported a Tuareg rebellion in northern Niger, and hundreds of former Tuareg rebels have fought for him.
National Transitional Council officials had previously suggested that Gadhafi was hiding in the town of Bani Walid, southeast of the capital, Tripoli, while other reports said he may be hiding in the south. He has not been seen since anti-Gadhafi forces seized Tripoli last month.
Meanwhile, intense fighting in the besieged Libyan city of Sirte has kept provisional government fighters from advancing in one of the few remaining strongholds of Gadhafi's supporters.
NTC forces say they have captured the city's port, but Gadhafi loyalists still control most of Sirte.
NATO said Tuesday about 200,000 civilians, mainly in Sirte and Bani Walid, are still threatened by pro-Gadhafi forces.
Earlier Tuesday, NTC fighters and elders from Gadhafi's tribe were trying to negotiate a truce that would allow safe passage for families trying to leave Sirte.
Bahrain
A special court in Bahrain has upheld life sentences for eight Shi'ite opposition activists convicted of plotting to overthrow the minority Sunni-led government during anti-government protests earlier this year.
The state-run Bahrain News Agency said the court confirmed the sentences Wednesday, along with those of 13 other activists, who received prison sentences ranging from two years to 15 years on similar charges of sedition.
Amnesty International criticized the court's decision, saying it showed the "inherent unfairness" of Bahrain's trial process. The rights group said the decision shows that Bahrain has "no intention of meeting international fair trial standards" for those perceived as political opponents.
All of the defendants can appeal their sentence to a higher court.
Syria and the UN
The U.N. Security Council discussed a possible compromise resolution on Syria Wednesday - one that would not include sanctions, but would condemn the escalating violence in Syria, urge implementation of promised reforms and call on the government and the opposition to engage in an inclusive Syrian-led political process.
For several months, the Security Council has been unable to reach an agreement on a strong resolution regarding the situation in Syria, where the government has been cracking down on anti-government protesters. The United Nations says some 2,700 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in mid-March.
The issue of sanctions has been the main sticking point, with Russia, India, Brazil and other countries on the council against imposing them on Damascus.
Earlier attempts at a resolution ended in August in a presidential statement, which does not carry the same weight as a resolution.
This week, the four European members on the council - Britain, France, Germany and Portugal - circulated a revised draft resolution that threatens only sanctions later if reforms and other measures are not implemented. Diplomats say they hope to bring it to a vote as early as Friday.
French Ambassador Gérard Araud told reporters that the new European text is a major compromise.
“We really want compromise," said Araud. "The text we are presenting is without sanctions, which is from our point of view, it is a very significant step. So I do hope that we reach compromise with all the members of the council.”
Earlier Wednesday, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the European draft was “a continuation of the openly declared policy of regime change” of some council members and that in Moscow’s view, it encouraged “destructive elements” in the Syrian opposition to continue their violence. He said Russia had put forth to the council a revised draft of its earlier resolution.
By early evening, after all 15 Security Council members met to discuss the two proposed texts, Churkin sounded optimistic that a compromise would be reached, saying that the sides should be able to find common ground.
“The main thing is not to lose sight of those two objectives - stop violence immediately and put in train a political process which would lead to reforms and which would lead to a satisfactory situation of the people of Syria," said Churkin.
Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari was outside the Security Council during the closed meeting. He told reporters that the European draft, which has U.S. support, is intended to distract from the issue of the Palestinian application for U.N. membership, which was submitted last week.
Israel
The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, comes at a turbulent time for Israel.
Israelis are observing Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the High Holy Days and a time of reflection and prayer. There are 10 days of repentance leading up to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement.
The New Year comes at a time of political uncertainty in Israel, as the Palestinians seek recognition of an independent state at the United Nations.
Many Israelis, like these people on the streets of Jerusalem, are skeptical about the prospects for peace.
This unidentified man put it this way: "I don't expect a great deal of progress in the peace process. I don't actually expect that there will be a Palestinian state."
And this Israeli woman also expressed doubts. "I have my doubts," she said. "Because you can give many concessions to the Palestinians, and no matter how many you give they want more."
Further complicating peace efforts, Israel announced on Tuesday that it will build 1,100 new housing units in disputed East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim for a future state. The United States and European Union reacted angrily to the announcement, saying it harms efforts to revive peace talks.
The Palestinians have refused to return to the negotiating table until Israel stops all settlement expansion. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave "1,100 no's" to the peace process.
"Mr. Netanyahu today answered by saying no to peace and yes to settlements. And that's very, very unfortunate," said Erekat.
Despite the settlements dispute, U.S. President Barack Obama emphasized the positive in a Rosh Hashanah message to the Israeli people.
"While we cannot know all that the New Year will bring, we do know this: The United States will continue to stand with Israel because the bond between our two nations is unshakeable," said Obama.
The political turmoil has apparently not dampened the national mood: According to a holiday poll, 88 percent of Israelis say they are in good spirits and that Israel is a nice place to live. So in a Rosh Hashanah tradition, they dip apples in honey for a sweet New Year.
All content based on VOA News reports.
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