Stories about Saudi Arabia from September, 2008
Saudi Arabia: New Friends
From Saudi Arabia, Stilettos in the Sand has made new friends. Click on the link to see their pictures.
Saudi Arabia: No to Fashionable Abayas
Mosan Mosan, from Kuwait, writes about a crackdown by Saudi authorities on fashionable Abayas (black cloaks worn by women) ahead of Eid – a celebration which marks the end of the Holy Muslim month of Ramadhan.
Saudi Arabia: Compound life
Stranger in this Dunya explains what life on a compound in Saudi Arabia is like.
Saudi Arabia: Part of the tribe
Saudiwoman explains the significance of belonging to a tribe in Saudi Arabia: “To urban families, being called Bedouin has connotations of being unrefined and unruly. And in Bedouin families, being called an urban essentially means sissy.”
Saudi Arabia: Supercomputer to be developed
Crossroads Arabia reports that Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology plans to build an IBM supercomputer.
Saudi Arabia: Happy National Day
“The country is changing, but at a glacial pace that is leaving me and many others dejected and frustrated. It is just disheartening to move in slow baby steps when we can — and should — take leaps ahead to the future,” writes Saudi Jeans on his country's national day.
Saudi Arabia: Outcry Over Fatwa to Kill Satellite TV Owners
A prominent Saudi scholar issued a religious decree - fatwa - calling for the killing of the owners of satellite television channels which broadcast immoral material. Bloggers from Saudi Arabia react.
Saudi Arabia: Why Should Arabs Have Access to the Internet?
For days, cyberactivists have been busy discussing the case of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji, who was arrested, put on trial, sentenced - and then freed, and then put on trial again and finally acquitted. Who is Mohammed Erraji? Why did he cross 'red lines' knowing well that in many countries in the Middle East criticising members of the vast Ruling families is very likely to result in repercussions and punishment? Saudi blogger Fouad Al Farhan, who recently found himself behind bars for his writings in Saudi Arabia, visits Erraji's blog looking for answers.
Saudi Arabia: The need for Saudi nurses
Saudi writer Sabria Jawhar argues that more Saudi women should become nurses: “Even in 2008 a stigma that nursing is a less than noble profession remains in Saudi minds.”
Saudi Arabia: Fighting hypocrisy
Saudi blogger Sara is tired of the hypocrisy she sees around her: “an example is people in ramadan do pretty weird things .. pretending to go to a religious lecture and they are not even interested in hearing what the guy has to say .. it’s just because there’s guys...
Yemen: Sixteen People Killed in US Embassy Attack
Sixteen people were killed when the US Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, was attacked with a car bomb and rockets today. One blogger was minutes away from the explosions.
Arabeyes: Ramadan Thoughts
With the holy month of Ramadan quickly wrapping up, bloggers from around the Arab world share their thoughts on the month, their activities, driving standards and their yearning for a holiday. Following are some reactions from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Libya.
Saudi Arabia: The need for laws not just education
Hala outlines her position on male guardianship over women: “I’m just a simple person who believes that although education about rights and wrong is important yet it’s not worthy without laws that protect the rights, since we can lead a horse to the water but we can’t make it drink…...
Saudi Arabia: Sarah Palin for Saudi?
American Bedu wonders whether Sarah Palin would make an ideal citizen of Saudi Arabia: “she favors creationist teaching instead of evolution…She does not believe in abortion… She ‘should’ know much about oil coming from the key American producing state.”
Saudi Arabia: Traditional menswear revitalised – meet the iThobe
The traditional apparel for men in Saudi Arabia is a long white garment called a thobe. Recently a number of designers have been transforming the look of the thobe by adding colour – even designing an iPod-friendly iThobe. What is the verdict of bloggers on the new styles?
Saudi Arabia: Women and their drivers
“In Saudi Arabia you can tell a lot about a woman by her relationship with her driver. Yes I call it a relationship. Because, unlike anywhere in the world, drivers are a necessity and not a luxury that is used on a whim.” Read a description of the different relationships...
Arabeyes: Daily life during Ramadan
In this post we look at different experiences of everyday life across the Arab world during Ramadan. We hear how Palestinians are coping in Gaza, how an Italian deals with Ramadan in the West Bank, have a glimpse into a Saudi household about to break the fast – and get tips from Bahrain on how to curb profanities during the holy month.
Saudi Arabia: Anger at child marriages
Crossroads Arabia reports on the case of a girl who was married without even realising it: “Imagine going to get a new ID card and discovering that you’ve been married since you were ten years old.”
Saudi Arabia: Trip down memory lane
Susie of Arabia reminisces about how she met her Saudi husband in 1977; he had an afro and bell-bottom jeans, and was playing pool: “I learned my first Arabic words that day, “Darba helwa!” which means ‘Good shot!’ “
Saudi Arabia: Is wearing nail polish permitted in Islam?
American Bedu has learnt than many Muslim women do not wear nail polish for religious reasons. Find out why here.
Saudi Arabia: No addresses, just directions
Stranger in this Dunya complains that no one in Saudi Arabia seems to use addresses: “Directions will more like: ‘We are on Takhasussi street, just after the Riyadh Bank and behind xyz shop. It’s the building with vines growing up the sides.’ “
