Unsustainable: The Bell Tolls For Subsidies in Saudi Arabia
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The Herbert Stein Law runs: “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.” The tautology is starting to surface in Saudi Arabia.
Thomas Friedman in Yemen: ‘An Innocent Abroad’?
DANIEL M. VARISCO: I felt the ghost of Mark Twain speaking to me as I read about Tom Friedman’s latest adventures in Yemen.
Salalah Musings: Of Weekends, Sharks and Pantomimes
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: I’m really busy with academic commitments but there are some things in Dhofar that need to be written about
‘Sauce, Goose, Gander’: Political vs Family Ties in Public Debate
PHILIP WEISS, CGNEWS: Josh Landis’s marriage to a Syrian Alawite was judged fair game in a discussion on his views on the political situation. Why only him?
True Multi-Cultural Hero: The Surprise That Is St George
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: He’s been adopted by the English right-wing as a symbol of racial purity. He actually stood for nothing of the sort.
The History of Palestine: ‘We Must Seize Our Narrative’
RAMZY BAROUD: Palestine’s history has traditionally been told through the prism of an accepted Israeli or Western narrative. It’s time for Palestinians to tell their own story.
Banished: The Man Who’s ‘Too Handsome’ For Saudi Arabia
DANIEL M. VARISCO: He’s a danger to Saudi society. Women in the Kingdom must be protected from his dazzling good looks. All hail Handsome Omar!
‘Cousin Marriage’ in Dhofar: Dangers Are Ignored
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: Its practice is still extremely common in the south of Oman. The obsession with keeping the tribe pure comes at a price though.
Obama Telephones Putin: Regional Implications of Boston
JUAN COLE: It’s clear that reverberations from the Boston bombings will spread to Chechnya and beyond. How will it impact the U.S view of Syria?
Expensive Kingdom: Why Projects Cost So Much More in KSA
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Corruption, nepotism, the ridiculous cost of real estate in Saudi Arabia. These are just some of the reasons projects in the Kingdom cost so much
Syrian Refugee And Family Receive Kindness of Strangers
MICH CAFE: It’s a touching story that has captured hearts around the world – the story of one woman and her family’s flight from Syria to Turkey
Syria’s ‘Florence Nightingales’: U.S Medics Go To Front
KIRAN ANSARI, CGNEWS: Tired of watching the horror unveil on television a group of American medics have decided to take direct action
‘Come and See A Skeleton’: Response to Issawi’s Invite
IRA GLUNTS, MONDOWEISS: The Palestinian hunger striker Samer Issawi sent a letter to prominent Israelis inviting them to see him in prison. There have been radically different responses.
Salalah Dining: An Experience But For All the Wrong Reasons
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: Wa-hoo, McDonald’s has opened in Salalah. You’re in trouble if the the fast food eatery sets the standard in your home town.
Scams and Expense Hitting Mecca Pilgrims in Morocco
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: There has been a marked increase in the number of scams as well as increased cost, two factors hitting religious pilgrims in Morocco
Game On: Turkey Fights Gulf For Sports Hub Mantle
JAMES DORSEY: A battle between Turkey and the states of the Arabian Gulf to be the de-facto sports hub of the Middle East is underway
‘Tasty Baghdad’: Dubai’s Treasure Trove of Iraqi Eateries
SARAH WALTON: My recent experience of the dearth of interesting Middle Eastern restaurants in my home country makes me appreciate Dubai all the more
Conference: ‘A Golden Chance’ to Resolve Yemeni Differences
ABUBAKR AL SHAHAMI, CGNEWS: Grievances relating back to the civil war in the mid 90s need to be solved to avoid a split Yemen
The Good, Bad and Interesting of Life in Jeddah
ABU MOHAMMED: Life’s more expensive than the capital, Riyadh, but Jeddah provdes a haven of outdoor art and it’s close to the sacred sites.
Women’s Rights in Kingdom: Fragile Progress Made
EMAN AL NAFJAN: It’s indisputable that women are making strides in Saudi Arabia but this progress could be swept aside at a stroke
