Omar Offendum: No Manager, No Label, Just Rap
RACHEL MCARTHUR: Born in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents, Omar was raised in the United States and has been rapping for almost a decade.
Abu Dhabi vs Dubai: There’s a Clear Winner
ROB L. WAGNER: Don’t be fooled by the ‘smooth noises’ each emirate makes about the other when the word ‘competition’ is raised.
A Storm Brewing: Bahrain Sheikh Seeks Top AFC Job
JAMES M. DORSEY: Campaigning is under way for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation. The position is never far from controversy.
The Delicious, Sweet Treats of the Middle East
THE HEDONISTA: If you’re a lover of sugar then the Middle East is the place for you – it truly is ‘confection heaven’
‘What I’ll Miss About Islam’: A Dubai Expat’s View
THE HEDONISTA: When the day inevitably arrives and I wave goodbye to the Middle East I’ll miss many aspects of life here.
Nol Cards and the Future of Money
ALEXANDER MCNABB: You’ll have a clash between the RTA, telcos and banks: Who will ‘own’ mobile money? Suddenly the Nol card becomes really interesting.
Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Designs: Revived But Relevant to Whom?
ROB L. WAGNER: The Abu Dhabi authorities surprisingly announced the resurrection of their three-museum project. Who’s it for, though?
The Modern Way to Announce A Baby’s Arrival
MICH CAFE: Facebook and Twitter, it appears, have taken over from newspapers in a key area of life. The recent arrival of a Royal baby in Dubai underlines this fact.
Emirates ID Card: Some Good News…Perhaps
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The New Year has brought a welcome announcement from the UAE authorities – the ID Card procedure is to go online. Cautious optimism then.
Radio: UAE, Home of the World’s Worst Ads?
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It’s becoming a problem for my radio listening life: I turn the radio off as soon as the adverts come on, and then often forget to turn it back on again.
Full Moon Drumming in the Desert: Not to be Missed
THE HEDONISTA: Drums, desert, camels and Santa, a heady mix which produced an unforgettable night at Dubai’s Full Moon Drumming session.
Urgency for the Rule of Law Rises for Fledgling Post-Arab Spring Governments
NASSER AL SARAMI, CG NEWS: There is a relationship between the region’s new electoral experiments and the need to establish the rule of law.
A Silent Grandeur: Wafi, Dubai’s Forgotten Mall
THE HEDONISTA: Shop assistants mimic the foyer’s statues. A janitor sweeps the floor. It is already clean. He buffs it. But it is already polished.
No Oxymoron: Having Both Effective Defamation Laws and a Healthy Media
MATT J. DUFFY: Private parties should be allowed to settle differences via civil courts and truth should be set as the ultimate defence against defamation.
One Saudi Woman Drives Badly So That Means…
SUSIE OF ARABIA: If one Saudi Arabian woman runs a red light and accumulates a huge number of speeding fines then it follows that all Saudi women are bad drivers. What nonsense.
The Pros and Cons of Being an Expat in Dubai
THE HEDONISTA: Written from an Australian perspective – Vegemite and Tim Tams feature – I think there’s enough here to give everyone a flavour of what they’ll gain and lose as an expat in Dubai.
Collective Silence Greets Activist Trial Statement
MATT J. DUFFY: The people of the UAE deserve to know the context surrounding this trial. The press does them a disservice by ignoring crucial elements of the story.
News Analysis: Emirates and FIFA To Split?
Emirates Airline is one of the top sponsors of the football World Cup. But the less than sure-footed management of the beautiful game by FIFA means the two parties may be about to part company.
News Analysis: Aldar, AD PLC Restructuring
NEWS ANALYSIS: We can’t comment on the quality of the restructuring, but from our perspective, that they are restructuring suggests intelligence out there…
Bad Timing For Dubai’s First Soccer Hedge Fund
JAMES M. DORSEY: A Dubai bank has launched the region’s first alternative soccer fund modelled on European funds – amid rising fan opposition.
