David Roberts

‘Creeping Sharia’?: The New Twitter Craze

‘Creeping Sharia’?: The New Twitter Craze

DAVID ROBERTS: ‘Ignorance is bliss’ particularly when it generates such wonderful wit from the Twittersphere.

 Common Ground News Service

Is Laughter the Middle East’s ‘Best Medicine’?

Is Laughter the Middle East’s ‘Best Medicine’?

SADIA ASHRAF, CGNEWS: What impact have the group of Arab comedians who emerged post 9/11 really had?

 Christina Hebert

Citizenship in the Gulf: Is It A Gift or A Right?

Citizenship in the Gulf: Is It A Gift or A Right?

CHRISTINA HEBERT: It’s an issue that generates heated debate but what are the benefits of Gulf countries offering citizenship to foreigners?

 James M. Dorsey

Vodafone’s Egyptian Meltdown: Arab Spring Victim?

Vodafone’s Egyptian Meltdown: Arab Spring Victim?

JAMES M. DORSEY: It’s been a bad year for Vodafone in Egypt. Are the problems of their own making?

 Common Ground News Service

Cyber Campaigns ‘Limited to Elite’ in Arab World

Cyber Campaigns ‘Limited to Elite’ in Arab World

NADA AKL, CGNEWS: Despite being the fifth most spoken language in the world, just over 1% of content on the web is in Arabic

 Alexander McNabb

Masafi Water: How NOT To Handle A Crisis

Masafi Water: How NOT To Handle A Crisis

ALEXANDER MCNABB: If you’re looking for a case study of what not to do look no further than Masafi water.

 Common Ground News Service

Microloans for Entrepreneurs: The Future?

Microloans for Entrepreneurs: The Future?

RAMAKANT VEMPAT, JUSTIN SYKES, CGNEWS: A new initiative has the potential to revolutionise employment in the Arab world

 The View From Fez

Amina’s Death: ‘A Stain on Morocco’s Conscience’

Amina’s Death: ‘A Stain on Morocco’s Conscience’

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The rape and suicide of Amina El Filali has shaken Moroccan society to the core.

 Alexander McNabb

UAE: Social Crimes on the Up, or Just Their Reporting?

UAE: Social Crimes on the Up, or Just Their Reporting?

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Give people technology and they find all sorts of interesting and different ways to use it, no?

 The View From Fez

Making Mischief: The Great Moroccan Sex-Shop Mystery

Making Mischief: The Great Moroccan Sex-Shop Mystery

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The mixture of sex, politics and conspiracy is a heady one. It’s sent Casablanca a-buzz.

 Rachel McArthur

Ragheb Alama: Learning from Arab Idol

Ragheb Alama: Learning from Arab Idol

RACHEL MCARTHUR: Ragheb has been praised by critics for his fairness, but it has not been clear if he was going to return for the next season – until now.

 Alexander McNabb

Illegal Eagles: Today, We Are All Publishers

Illegal Eagles: Today, We Are All Publishers

ALEXANDER MCNABB: The platforms are public and subject to the law as any other public pronouncement would be. You publish, you take responsibility.

 Rob L. Wagner

Religious Comment Plus Political Activism Equals Trouble

Religious Comment Plus Political Activism Equals Trouble

ROB L. WAGNER: His religious comments were ill-chosen but they are not the only reason that he is in serious trouble.

 Crossroads Arabia

Kashghari and Diminishing Free Speech

Kashghari and Diminishing Free Speech

CROSSROADS ARABIA: The case of Hamza Kashghari, the Saudi journalist that expressed doubts about religion, is energizing free-speech advocates

 Juan Cole

The Voice No More: Arab World Mourns Whitney Houston

The Voice No More: Arab World Mourns Whitney Houston

JUAN COLE: Arab musicians and artists have been fulsome in their praise of Whitney Houston who died yesterday.

 Rania Al Malky

Inept or Culpable, the SCAF Must Go

Inept or Culpable, the SCAF Must Go

RANIA AL MALKY: One of my childhood friends buried her son yesterday. He was 22. His name was Omar. He had his whole life ahead of him.

 James M. Dorsey

Port Said Deaths Boost Egypt’s Soccer ‘Army’

Port Said Deaths Boost Egypt’s Soccer ‘Army’

JAMES M. DORSEY: Growing sentiment that the brawl in which 74 people were killed was provoked is putting wind in the sails of militant soccer fan groups.

 Alexander McNabb

A Worrying Journalistic Twend: Twitter Tales

A Worrying Journalistic Twend: Twitter Tales

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Journalists are taking to Twitter to stand up stories on selected, partial tweets. Balanced? Fair? Honest? Since when has that sold a story?

 Crossroads Arabia

Twitter Makes a Good Call: No Boycott Needed

Twitter Makes a Good Call: No Boycott Needed

CROSSROADS ARABIA: Twitter’s new censorship policy has turned up a hornet’s nest of ire throughout the social media world. But have they done the right thing?

 Alexander McNabb

Edit, Delete, Context: My Five Tips for Happy Tweeting

Edit, Delete, Context: My Five Tips for Happy Tweeting

ALEXANDER MCNABB: You may note a reference or two to my novel but, hey, there’s a price to pay for free consultancy!