Archive: saudi arabia
6th August 2011
A man carrying a gun was shot dead around 1am on Saturday in Jeddah, at a checkpoint near the palace of Prince Nayef, the Saudi interior minister, according to the official Saudi news agency.
Details are still scarce, but – rightly or wrongly – some are suggesting it was an attempt to assassinate… Read more
29th July 2011
This is the time of year when many families in Saudi Arabia are looking for extra help with domestic chores during the month of Ramadan – and many of them will be hiring housemaids from the Philippines or South-East Asia. It's a process that can lead to misery and even tragedy – some of which I… Read more
20th July 2011
There's a new campaign in Saudi Arabia to tackle yet another form of discrimination against women – this time relating to nationality.
Saudi women who are married to foreigners do not automatically pass on Saudi nationality to their children. Their sons can acquire Saudi citizenship at the age of… Read more
4th July 2011
As the debate about women's right to drive rumbles on in Saudi Arabia, the Jeddah-based Arab News has raised another contentious issue: the forced closure of businesses at prayer times.
Though many in the kingdom are clearly disgruntled by the practice, it is rarely challenged in the Saudi media… Read more
17th June 2011
Today is the official start of the Women2Drive campaign in Saudi Arabia. It's still early but there are already a few reports of women taking to the roads.
In what seems to have been a night-time excursion before the official start, FouzAbd tweeted:
"Only mom is driving and I don't see any other… Read more
16th June 2011
A couple of years ago – before the Arab Spring was even a twinkle in anyone's eye – I spent an evening chatting with Nesrine Malik, one of the Guardian's Middle East contributors. Somehow, our conversation got round to the question of why modern Arabic literature, not to mention TV drama, is so… Read more
2nd June 2011
This is a guest post by Dr Mona F Hashish, Assistant Professor in the Girls’ College of Arts, Dammam University, Saudi Arabia.
Theatre activities in Saudi Arabia have long been restricted for religious and political reasons. The Saudi Arabian authorities do not allow women to act on stage and… Read more
30th May 2011
The arrest and continuing imprisonment of Manal al-Sharif, the Saudi woman who was filmed at the wheel of a car, has been attracting a lot of media attention outside the kingdom – and rightly so. From an international perspective it is ludicrous that women's driving should still be a contentious… Read more
22nd May 2011
Manal al-Sharif, a 32-year-old Saudi activist campaigning for women's right to drive, was detained by traffic police and the religious police on Saturday after being spotted driving in Khobar. She was released after six hours but there were reports early on Sunday that she had been arrested… Read more
22nd May 2011
Manal al-Sharif, a 32-year-old Saudi activist campaigning for women's right to drive, was detained by traffic police and the religious police on Saturday after being spotted driving in Khobar. She was released after six hours but there were reports early on Sunday that she had been arrested… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
