Report: Saudis to Enforce Debts via Prison
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The Saudi government is going to get tough on debtors. Some 63,000 Saudis could find themselves in jail…
Saudis Tweak Marriage Rules for GCC Brides
CROSSROADS ARABIA: After heated debate the Shoura Council has agreed the common characteristics between GCC nationals permit intermarriage.
Geert Wilders And His Right to be Wrong
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Stupid, hateful? Yes but the court’s decision to allow the world to hear his views in all their horror was the right one.
Old Jeddah: UNESCO Can’t Save it, so who will?
CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s been rejected by UNESCO as a ‘World Heritage Site’ due to neglect. Will the authorities rescue ‘Old Jeddah’?
Saudi Media Law: Let’s Just Get Rid of It
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Saudi authorities have paid attention to the furore that greeted the new legislation dealing with the media.
‘Time for Arabs to Stop Blaming America’: Commentator
CROSSROADS ARABIA: We know America is far from perfect but it seems to be the source of all evil for many Arabs. One Arab man has had enough and has spoken out.
Why Saudi Young Women, Sorry, Girls Run Away
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Why do you think 24 year old women might want to leave home? A new report does not provide much enlightenment…
Censorship Begins at Home – Politics & Table Manners
CROSSROADS ARABIA: To argue is to disrespect. To disrespect is to threaten the social order. It’s a pity, though, Saudis feel the need to watch what they say.
Rise in Grain Cost Will Lead to Regional Disaster
CROSSROADS ARABIA: An even more potent force than the quest for freedom is rising to the top of the region’s agenda – the cost of food.
Facebook: The Medium of Choice for Saudi Gripes
CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s fingers on the keyboard rather than ‘feet on the street’ that are exercised by Saudis fed up with their lot.
The Urgent Need For Physical Education in Saudi
CROSSROADS ARABIA: With obesity at epidemic proportions it’s essential that the Ministry of Education launches comprehensive physical education programmes.
High Oil Price Comes Back to Haunt Saudi
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The Saudi government is under pressure to help herders who have seen the price of imported fodder rocket.
New Saudi Media Law Bans… Almost Anything
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The newly unveiled Saudi media law represents a huge step backward for free speech. Maybe we’ll just talk about the weather. Hold on, though, that could be controversial too.
The Battle to Reform Saudi Education System
CROSSROADS ARABIA: With high youth unemployment and growing population Saudi Arabia urgently needs reform.
The Saudi Work Ethic: Biometric Clock Watching
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Managers in both private and government offices are starting to implement biometric ‘time cards’. Employees have to log in and out via their fingerprints.
Saudi: Imam Reprimanded for Media Attack
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Here’s a rarity: a Saudi imam is being disciplined for attacking journalists. The opposite is generally the rule in the Kingdom.
Protecting Arabic In Digital Communications
CROSSROADS ARABIA: No language—not even ‘dead’ languages like Latin—are immune to change. Latin is constantly developing to deal with new technology and social developments.
Women Don’t Need to Worry About Politics: Poll
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Contrary to popular belief women (or rather Saudi women) apparently can’t multi-task. That’s the surprising conclusion to be drawn from a rather surprising poll.
Strange Timing: Saudi Announces Nuclear Deal
CROSSROADS ARABIA: With demand for energy soaring in the Kingdom it’s no surprise that the authorities are looking at nuclear energy. In the wake of the Fukushima catastrophe they will, though, face questions from an uneasy public.
Saudi Oil: It’s a World, not just an American, Concern
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Whenever the words ‘United States’ and ‘Saudi Arabia’ occur in the same sentence it seems inevitable that the phrase ‘dependence on oil’ will appear too.
