Tag: Middle East.

Bahrain Kuwait COVID-19 Apps Deemed Invasive

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On June 16, Amnesty International released a report by its Security Lab after testing eleven contact-tracing apps intended to assist governments in finding COVID-19 infections. Three countries stood out as having produced “alarming mass surveillance tools”: Bahrain, Kuwait, and Norway all used methods that the NGO considers “dangerous for human rights.”

“Bahrain, Kuwait and Norway have run roughshod over people’s privacy, with highly invasive surveillance tools which go far beyond what is justified in efforts to tackle COVID-19,” the head of Amnesty’s Security Lab stated. “Privacy must not be another casualty as governments rush to roll out apps.”

Norway stops app

Out of the three countries, one has already halted the use of its app. The Norwegian government made the decision hours after Amnesty International published the report. “The Norwegian app was highly invasive and the decision to go back to the drawing board is the right one,” Amnesty stated on their website.

The Norwegian app, Smittestopp, had not yet seen wide implementation but the invasive nature of the app’s design had prompted Norwegian data agency Datatilsynet to issue a warning. The agency said it would no longer allow Norway’s Institute of Public Health to access data generated by the app.

Camilla Stoltenberg, director of Norway’s public health institute, disputed the privacy claims and warned that the contact tracing app was needed in order to halt the local spread of coronavirus. “The pandemic is not over,” Stoltenberg stressed. The director’s concerns did not stop the government from halting the app and removing the data of its 600,000 users.

Privacy issues

The central issue with the Norwegian app is similar to those regarding Bahrain and Kuwait’s apps, as well as those of apps in development for the governments of France and the UK. The apps feature a constant stream of data reported on users and uploaded to a national database, allowing the government to know where its citizens are at all times.

A similar issue arose with Qatar’s contact-tracing app, which similarly captured and shared GPS data. Outside sources could have accessed this data as a security vulnerability had the potential to expose the information to over one million Qataris. Qatari officials say they have since fixed the issue.

The Bahraini and Kuwaiti apps both record GPS data into a centralized database instead of using a method based on Bluetooth, which would only activate when the user is in close proximity with an infected person. But Bluetooth is far from a flawless technology, prompting countries like France and the UK to opt for a similar method to that of Bahrain and Kuwait.

Surveillance

Amnesty International fears that governments could misuse the wealth of data recorded by the apps. Bahrain attempted to provide a positive incentive to stay home by using its app’s data to produce “Are You Home?” The national television show would offer families  prizes for staying home during Ramadan, verified using data from the BeAware Bahrain contact-tracing app.

While the show’s idea to provide positive incentives for COVID-19 adherence is commendable, the use of a public health database for such entertainment is not. Allowing anyone but the most qualified public health experts to access the recorded data highlights the potential for abuse.

Bahrain also published online data that revealed much about the demographics and personal details of people infected by COVID-19.

The Kuwaiti app used similarly centrally recorded data with vulnerabilities for potential abuse. The Kuwaiti app even used proximity reports between phones and Bluetooth bracelets to ensure people carried their phones with them.

After Norway’s quick response to Amnesty International’s analysis, the question remains as to what action Bahrain and Kuwait will take to prevent misuse of their contact-tracing apps.

Meet the 8 Best ‘Bad Girls’ Paving the Way for Female Arab Rappers

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In a largely male-dominated industry, the world of rap has opened up considerably in recent years under the impulse of many women who want to make their voices heard — even in the Arab world, where little space has been made for female rappers who are too often held to a different standard than their male counterparts.

After scouring both the mainstream and underground rap scene, here are eight of the best Arab female rappers you need to listen to. Strong, passionate, and politically engaged, these women are challenging social norms and stealing the spotlight.

Shadia Mansour

Shadia Mansour Everipedia

The British-Palestinian musician is one of the pioneering women of Arab rap. Dubbed “the First Lady of Arab Hip Hop,” Shadia Mansour has been performing from an early age, singing classical music before shifting to rap music.

Her songs are political statements that carry her passion for Palestinian liberation with a rapping style reminiscent of the 80s and 90s.

Malikah

Malikah Picture By Edoardo Small

Despite her sparse releases, Lebanon’s rapping queen Malikah has been in the game for over a decade.

Born Lynn Fatouh, she started her journey rapping both in English and French, and then, in 2006, she switched to Arabic after reinventing herself as Malikah, the Arabic word for queen, a title she has kept ever since.

She has collaborated with many central figures of the Arab rap scene and has made her way into the international festival circuit with cross-cultural projects such as Lyrical Rose, her trio with Kenyan artist Nazzi and Columbian rapper Diana Avella.

Meryem Saci

Meryem Saci On My Way (1)

Montreal-based singer and rapper Meryem Saci is considered one of Algeria’s first female rappers.

Her sound is eclectic, mixing together various influences such as jazz and reggae with  Middle-Eastern undertones and Gnaoua-style music.  

The Algerian rapper never fails to impress with new aspects of her art and defines her style as “Afro-Arab.”

Mona Haydar

Mona Haydar Feda Eid

Syrian-American rapper Mona Haydar ventured into the music industry in 2017 and found immediate success.

Her first song “Hijabi” totals a whopping 7.2 million views on YouTube.

Far from being a one-hit-wonder, she has since released many songs and has racked up impressive views, making her one the most prolific and female rappers in the Arab world. Her songs speak of feminism, denounce racism, and advocate self-love, tolerance, and world peace.

Asayel Slay

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The rapper shot to fame with her debut song, “Bint Mecca” (“Mecca Girl”), a song in which she celebrates women from Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.

Conservatives slammed her song along with the music video, accusing the rapper of undermining the customs and traditions of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This led to the singer’s arrest, but she was released shortly after.

The controversy only made Asayael Slay’s hit even more popular as people went online to show support and solidarity with the rapper through the hashtag #بنت_مكة_تمثلني. (“Mecca girl represents me”).

Soultana

Youssra Oukaf A Rapper Better Known As Soultana

Soultana is one of the first female rappers in Morocco and the MENA region and has paved the way for a generation of Arab and North African women in the rapping industry.

Well-known for her a passionate rapping style and energetic delivery, Soultana rose to international prominence as part of Moroccan girl group Tigress Flow, before branching out as a solo artist.

Her biggest hit to date, Sawt Nssa, or “Voice of Women,” is a feminist manifesto in which she condemns street harassment and gender-based violence.

Medusa

Medusa Lp Aug 14 Photo 1 2 900x600
Medusa Lp Aug 14 Photo 1 2 900×600

Boutheina El Alouadi, known as Medusa, is a rapper and dancer who has been immersed in Tunisia’s burgeoning hip-hop scene from the age of 10.

She is also the first woman rapper from Tunisia to break out onto the international scene. Her songs touch on topics ranging from abortion rights and revolution to world peace.

Mayam Mahmoud

140321134428 Mayam Mahmoud Graffiti Dress Horizontal Large Gallery

She made a name for herself on the popular “Arabs Got Talent” television show, but Mayam Mahmoud is much more than a hijab-wearing rapper: She is a women’s rights activist who made it her mission to combat sexual harassment in Egypt, a mission that got her the 2014 Index Art Award in London.

Just like her advocacy, her songs tackle harassment, sexism, and victim-blaming.

 

Read also: Exploring Portugal’s Muslim History

COVID-19 Closures Force MENA Smokers to Reconsider the Future of Shisha

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Governments across the MENA region, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, have shut down shisha cafes as they attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

In Europe, where shisha bars are also closed due to government-mandated shutdowns, a number continued to operate illegally. Government officials in both Germany and the United Kingdom caught out illegal shisha cafe operators when health authorities identified the cafes as the source of new coronavirus outbreaks. 

Earlier this month in the town of Gottingen in Lower Saxony, 36 people contracted coronavirus after visiting an illegally operated shisha cafe. A further 310 entered quarantine as a result of contact with those infected.

Perfect for spreading the virus 

The communal nature of shisha, with the pipe being passed among groups, makes it a natural conduit for coronavirus. Health experts have suggested that the threat is heightened by the fact that only the mouthpiece is changed between use by one group of customers and the next. 

The pipe and base remain the same between customers, furthering the risk of the virus spreading via particles from a contaminated user. The details of the spread of coronavirus during shisha use remain slightly unclear and further research is needed to understand in precise detail how the device contributes to the spread of the virus. Doctors remain sure, however, that the device is susceptible to spreading the virus. 

Health experts have also suggested that the large exhalations of smoke clouds may also contain virus particles with the risk being particularly high when smoking in an enclosed space. The bouts of coughing that often accompany shisha smoking present a further risk. 

Established health concerns 

The case against reopening shisha bars is being expanded by some to include a discussion of the health impacts of smoking shisha.

Prior to COVID-19 concern was growing over the health impacts of shisha with studies showing that smoking shisha for one hour can be as harmful as smoking 100 cigarettes. The practice has also been linked to increased rates of diabetes and obesity. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has previously stated that smokers are more likely to suffer from severe forms of coronavirus if they fall ill. As a result of the impact of smoking on the lungs, smokers are unable to fight the virus as effectively as non-smokers. 

Despite the health concerns, the number of daily shisha smokers remained high prior to COVID-19.  Arab News estimates there are 100 million daily smokers with 15% of 13-15 year olds in Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen smoking shisha. 

The use of charcoal for heating shisha is a further cause for concern as it releases carbon monoxide. In enclosed bars and spaces this can lead to poisoning of staff and patrons. Last year, a shisha cafe in Tooting, in South London, was forced to close after the residents in the flats above, including young children, suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when the colorless and odorless gas enters the bloodstream. As a result of mixing with haemoglobin, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen and this causes the body’s cells and tissues to die.

Fortunately, all those in Tooting recovered, but the incident further highlights the risks of shisha. As coronavirus restrictions begin to ease and cafes reopen, there is space for broader discussions about the future of shisha cafes.  

Daily Nile Dam Negotiations Aim to Resolve Tensions

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For almost a decade Ethiopia has been working on the construction of the largest dam in Africa, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Construction has progressed to the point where Ethiopian authorities are preparing to start filling the dam’s giant reservoir, sparking fears of possible water shortages in Sudan and Egypt.

On Monday, June 8, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that Ethiopia is ready to proceed with a partial filling of the reservoir. “The dam is a project that will pull Ethiopia out of poverty,” Ahmed told lawmakers. “Ethiopia wants to develop together with others, not hurt the interests of other countries.”

However, the opinion was not shared in Egypt, a country that relies heavily on water from the Nile river, downstream from the GERD. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi released a statement on Tuesday, June 9, accusing Ethiopia of “a new tactic of stalling and shirking responsibility” and accused the country of stalling negotiations in order to start filling the reservoir.

Washington deal

“It is a hugely important and sensitive issue,” said Mirette Mabrouk, director of the Middle East Institute’s Egypt Studies program. “It’s a matter of life and death for a lot of people, certainly for more than a million Egyptians.”

The escalation of the war of words between Egyptian and Ethiopian leadership comes after Sudan and Egypt held separate meetings on February 24 where the United States, an observer in the negotiations, presented what is now called “the Washington deal.”

The United States Treasury department released a statement saying the US “believes that the work completed over the last four months has resulted in an agreement that addresses all issues in a balanced and equitable manner, taking into account the interests of the three countries,” urging Ethiopia not to commence the filling of the reservoir “without an agreement.”

Tuesday’s meeting

On Tuesday June 9, Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok got Egypt and Ethiopia back to the negotiating table, joined by EU, US, and South African observers. The meeting resulted in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan agreeing to commit to daily meetings in order to ease tensions.

Ministers from the three countries spoke for five hours as Ethiopia claims sovereignty over the Nile water on its territory, while Egypt accuses Ethiopia of violating an agreement signed at the start of construction.

Ethiopia now claims the United States is overstepping its role as a mediating observer by presenting a deal to Ethiopia that was already signed by Egypt, a strategic ally of the US in the region. Sudan appears to accept much of the US proposal, which Ethiopia, in turn, objects to.

Differing opinions

Sudan and Egypt both want a “comprehensive agreement” before Ethiopian authorities start filling the reservoir, as they fear doing so would cause droughts in an already hot and dry year.

Sudan prefers the “Washington deal”, but Ethiopia rejects it because it did not take part in the February negotiations. Ethiopia also disputes the deal’s characterization that negotiations on guidelines and rules for filling the reservoir have been resolved.

For the foreseeable future, Sudanese, Egyptian and Ethiopian negotiators will now hold daily talks, with the exception of Fridays and Sundays, in order to defuse tensions where Ethiopia feels increasingly backed into a corner by powerful foreign actors aligned with Egypt. Sudan and Egypt, meanwhile, fear that the filling of the giant dam’s reservoir could worsen an already poor year for local agriculture and worsen the chance of famine and droughts in the region.

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