Offended Saudis: U.S Comedienne ‘Crosses the Line’
AHMED AL OMRAN: The American comedienne Chelsea Handler has stirred up a hornet’s nest of indignation in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh’s DQ: The Oasis that Became A Ghetto
AHMED AL OMRAN: It was supposed to be a model to inspire the development of modern Riyadh. So what’s gone wrong with Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter?
Was ‘Girls of Riyadh’ Raja’s ‘Rooster’s Egg’?
AHMED AL OMRAN: Her book caused an inevitable furore when it first appeared. So why haven’t we heard more from Raja Al Sanea?
Saudi Conservatives ‘Froth’ At Female College Visit
AHMED AL OMRAN: It seems to have become a regular stop for foreign dignitaries visiting the Kingdom. But that hasn’t stopped conservatives offence-ometer going off the scale
A Portrait of the Minister As A Young Man
AHMED AL OMRAN: The recently appointed Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Ahmed, published a letter many years ago which is still instructive
Norah Al-Faiz: A Living Anomaly in the Kingdom
AHMED AL OMRAN: The controversy surrounding Norah Al Faiz’s wearing of the niqab seems endless. What’s the significance?
Virtue in the Kingdom: Profile of New President
AHMED AL OMRAN: The new President of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has his work cut out.
Squeezed: Saudi Journalists Coming Under Pressure
AHMED AL OMRAN: New regulations that are coming into force in Saudi Arabia mean increased oversight of their work
‘High on Victory’: Saudi Conservatives on the March
AHMED AL OMRAN: A new force is making itself felt at social events in the Kingdom The mohtasbeen are an unofficial muttawaeen who have a clear agenda.
Women Drivers in Saudi: A Shift in Strategy
AHMED AL OMRAN: It’s all been a bit quiet recently on the women-drivers front. There has, though, been an interesting development this week.
Strands of Hair: Halal in Paris, Haram in Riyadh?
AHMED AL OMRAN: The fallout from the ‘Marriott Foyer Incident’ continues. Is such debate an unnecessary diversion from the real issues facing the Kingdom?
Some of the ‘Less Boring’ Saudi Wikileaks Cables
SAUDI JEANS: A weekend spent in the company of Hurricane Irene allowed me plenty of time to sift through the latest release of Wikileaks cables on Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Draft ‘Anti-Terror Law’ Evokes Strong Response
AHMED AL-OMRAN: A leaked draft of a proposed, new anti-terror law has been leaked to Amnesty International. A predictable storm has erupted.
Daunting: The Many Challenges Facing Arab Youth
AHMED AL OMRAN: Identity, lack of economic opportunity, freedom of expression – these are just some of the issues facing young people throughout the Arab World.
The Wait is Over: New Saudi Online Law Unveiled
AHMED AL OMRAN: The wording may be clunky but the intent is clear. The Ministry of Culture and Information is looking to extend its control.
The Professor Detention Debate & Twitter’s Embrace
AHMED AL-OMRAN: The arrest of Mohammed al-Abdulkarim, a Saudi law professor, has unleashed a fierce debate among the Kingdom’s social media community, and revealed why Twitter is such a phenomena in the Kingdom.
Top 10 Twitter Users in Saudi Arabia
AHMED AL-OMRAN: Twitter’s swept the world but has it made serious inroads into Saudi Arabia? Yes! And here’s my personal ‘Top Ten’ countdown of the Kingdom’s leading Twitter users.
Radio Daze – Why Saudi Radio gets no Reception
When MOCI, after 3 years of stagnation, finally decided to grant licenses for new radio stations, the average price was around SR50 million…
