#RumorControlLibya: Authorities Try to Seize Initiative
MAROUANE BAKIT, CGNEWS: Rumor is the new currency in post-revolutionary Libya. Its effects are widespread and damaging.
“Thank You, Vladimir.” What Obama Should Say to Putin
JUAN COLE: By taking the words of John Kerry and quickly formulating a new policy on Syria Putin has saved Obama from a major political embarrassment
Is the Divide Between ‘High’ and ‘Low-Brow’ A Myth?
M. LYNX-QUALEY: I confess – I read from both sides of the so-called ‘great divide’ in Egyptian literature. Should we even talk in these terms anymore?
Young Saudis Taking Career Choice “Into Own Hands”
CROSSROADS ARABIA: A quiet revolution in how young Saudis approach their studies and future careers is underway in the Kingdom
The Weird World of Mahmoud Abbas: No-One’s Listening
RAMZY BAROUD: Israel has consistently tried to mould Palestinian leaders in its ideal image. In Mahmoud Abbas they have an unqualified success
‘Gaga, There’s More to The Burqa Than A Stage Prop’
KEZIA RIDGEWAY, CGNEWS: It’s not suprising that Lady Gaga has lit on the burqa as a garb-of-controversy but she could use the debate more constructively
Progress In Protection from Abuse? Good for 15th Century
EMAN AL NAFJAN: Progress is being made in helping to protect women and children in the Kingdom from domestic abuse. But it’s painfully slow progress.
Strike on Syria: The Lobby’s In Overdrive
MONDOWEISS: As the vote in Congress nears there is one group of ‘cheerleaders for war’ who are working particularly hard.
An Arab Nobel Prize Winner? Don’t Bet On It!
M. LYNX-QUALEY: It’s the same old names who are allegedly in contention for the Nobel Literature Prize according to the oddsmakers.
Silicon Valley in Jordan? No Chance Due to Regulation
NASEEM TARAWNAH: The Jordanian government see the ICT industry as a well of money which it can bleed dry. Time for a change of thinking
So What Exactly Does Barack Obama Stand For?
MONDOWEISS: Is he about extracting the U.S from costly and involved foreign conflict or in favour of same? Maybe he’s the Drone Strike President?
‘Isolated and Abandoned’: Morocco’s Islamists On the Ropes
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Two years after sweeping to power Morocco’s ruling party is living on borrowed time, it seems
‘Stop Dithering’. Saudi’s Message to Obama on Syria
CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s clear that impatience with Barack Obama’s position on Syria is growing within the Kingdom. So what next?
Omani Tabloid ‘In Hot Water’ Over Gay Article
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The furore over a piece describing the everyday life of a gay individual in Oman shows no signs of dying down.
“I Say Yemen, You Say…” A Word Association Test
ABUBAKR AL SHAMAHI, CGNEWS: One word seems to be inevitably linked in the common mind to the beautiful, complex land of Yemen – terrorism
‘Arab Spring’ or ‘Islamic Winter’? Simplification Not Useful
RAMZY BAROUD: in the words of Victor Hugo ‘to simplify is to be an idiot’ and when assessing the turmoil affecting the Middle East there is a lot of simplified commentary
Reel Iraq: Poets Make Waves at Edinburgh Festival
M. LYNX-QUALEY: Ryan Van Winkle, a Scottish poet, has been a key figure in an initiative called ‘Reel Iraq’ which has helped to give wider recognition to the country’s leading writers
A Bright Future: An Encounter With Dhofar’s Youth
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: I was initially very nervous about presenting to young Omani high school students but what an inspiration they are.
Ponder or Pander? The Point of Writing A Blog
DANIEL M. VARISCO: When you make the big decision to write a blog you are faced with a number of important choices
A Yemeni Adventure: Wet Aden Heat, Smell of the Sea
ABU MOHAMMED: I went with a friend on a quixotic search for money owed. It proved to be a more adventurous trip than I had anticipated
