Love Lost: When Politics and Marriage Collide
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Politics and marriage might seem worlds apart. But recent cases suggest there are more agendas than we might think.
Saudi Marriages: No Complication is too Bizarre…
CROSSROADS ARABIA: When it comes to marriages in the KSA, no complication is too bizarre. Now a cousin is able to nullify marriage on the basis of family origin.
Soccer: A Potential Flashpoint for Jordanian Society
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mounting tension in Jordan is unlikely to produce the same result as protests in Tunisia, but promises to make soccer an increasing flashpoint…
Saudi Arabia: Aids, and the Opening Up of the Kingdom
AMERICAN BEDU: Things are changing and opening up in the Kingdom: Aids, for example, had been one of the subjects that was not discussed…
Rising Wave of Saudi Spinsters, the Shame of Divorce
CROSSROADS ARABIA: An increasing number of Saudi women are choosing not to get married, while divorcees are facing growing discrimination.
Do I Have to Party just Because it’s New Year?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Beneath my grumpy response to the start-of-year festivities, I await this year’s events with a nervous delight.
Tunisia – Battle moves to Media for Hearts & Minds
TMND: These groups believe it has been exaggerated. Opposition elements and a shameless Al-Jazeera, they seem to say, have blown the whole thing out of proportion
Christmas Cartoon Urges Iraqis to do it for ThemSelves
BASSAM SEBTI: The message in the video is powerful, urging Iraqis to stand up and start rebuilding their country themselves, instead of waiting for others…
Familiar Enemies: Entwined Lives of Israelis & Palestinians
JOHARAH BAKER: We know what buttons to press to evoke an immediate reaction from each other. Proximity and hostility does strange things.
An Iraqi Christmas In Amman
NASEEM TARAWNAH: The photo is a reminder of the difficulties of this region. Of conflict. Of safe havens. Of wars. Of truce. Stripped of politics, it is free…
It’s Not “Lady-Like!” – Women’s Sport in Saudi
SUSIE OF ARABIA: You won’t believe some of the ludicrous reasons given for why girls shouldn’t be allowed to participate in sports or exercise in school.
Israel’s War on Jerusalem’s Young Palestinians
JONATHAN COOK: The children of East Jerusalem are bearing the brunt of an aggressive Israeli crackdown which has human rights activists up in arms.
Assange’s Personal Dating Profile ‘leaked’
DAVID ROBERTS: In a bitter if somewhat sweet bout of irony the online dating profile of Julian Assange, the man behind the explosion of Wikileaks, has been posted online.
Wanted: Honorable Men in Saudi Arabia
AMERICAN BEDU: Widows in Saudi Arabia rarely remarry. This is often down to a skewed view of what is acceptable within Saudi society…
The Totally Bonkers $11 Million Christmas Tree
DAVID WESTLEY: From the same hotel that has given us the gold bar vending machine comes what must be the world’s most expensive Christmas tree.
The Writing’s on the Wall: The Arabic Content Crisis
MOHAMED MARWEN MEDDAH: Only one pct of content online is Arabic. Shocking yes, but the problem is much much bigger…
Dubai Madness Threatens to Make a Comeback
STEPHEN CORLEY: Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone has encouraged the incorporation of over 4,000 during the worst two years in history. Why – and how?
Total Confusion: The UAE National Identity Card
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The ‘application application’ has been removed. Typing centres have been closed. And the clock is ticking towards the end of year deadline.
A Word Association Game – Yemen?
ALICE HACKMAN: Say ‘Yemen’ to most people in the West and the word ‘terrorism’ comes immediately to mind. But yet this beautiful country has a lot to offer.
Talk but Any Progress on Horizon for Saudi Women?
AMERICAN BEDU: A forum held recently in Jeddah addressed issues of real concern to Saudi women. But will anything concrete come from the ‘talk fest’?
