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
‘Democracy Is Doing’: Egyptians ‘Do It’
VANESSA BASSIL, CGNEWS: Young Egyptian aren’t waiting for ‘top down’ change. They’re taking matters to improve their lives into their own hands
Bahrain: My Blueprint for Its Economic Success
STEVE ROYSTON: Bahrain has a growing young population and the challenges the island state faces in ensuring they’re fully employed are considerable
Death In an Israeli Prison: It’s All Too Routine
MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: The deaths of two individuals detained in Israeli prisons – one Palestinian, one Israeli – have made headlines. But it’s a very common occurrence
The Problem With ‘Argo’: An Orientalist Viewpoint
JUAN COLE: The Iranian ‘baddies’ come from a very old school of stock Middle Eastern characters. Wouldn’t it have been a good idea to show why they were angry?
Zeinab and Iyad: Love Across the Syrian Divide
MICH CAFE: They met, fell in love and got married. A simple story but not so simple when you’re on two sides of a sectarian divide in the midst of a civil war
A Lesson for Iraq: The Perseverance of Sinbad
RAMZY BAROUD: Ten years on from the onset of the Iraq invasion with all the horror and despair that has accumulated there is hope in the shape of a character from a children’s story
Morocco ‘An Example of Jewish, Arab Co-Existence’
ADINA FRIEDMAN: The richness of Morocco’s Jewish history comes as a surprise to many but it could provide a template for the region.
Qatari Silence Feeds ‘Wilder’ Foreign Policy Theories
DAVID ROBERTS: Qatar’s involvement in Mali is subject to some colourful speculation. It’s a familiar feeling for the peninsula state.
‘Time to Celebrate’ Oman’s Educational Transformation
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: The advances in Omani education over the past forty years are nothing short of miraculous.
Of Life and Creation: The Artists of Palestine Speak
LAYLA QURAN, INFORMED COMMENT: Last Summer I travelled with my father to Palestine to interview leading artists, poets and musicians.
In Israel and Egypt The Stench of Racism Grows Stronger
JAMES DORSEY: Whether it’s Israeli football teams or Egyptian presidents accusations of racism are running rife throughout the region.
Strike: Pressure on Saudi Expat Workers Telling
CROSSROADS ARABIA: A substantial number of expat workers went on strike in Riyadh this week. It’s indicative of larger issues beneath the surface
