Columns and opinion pieces, in English and Arabic.
Showing 1–20 of 114
JEDDAH (Al-Bilad English): “Muslims are part and parcel of India; reconfiguration of history is wrong,” emphasized Saudi political analyst and Jeddah-based businessman Khaled Almaeena in an interview with India’s Arfa Khanum on a recent…
The expatriate community is now running from pillar to post trying to correct their legal status and the predicament that they are in.For many, it is not their fault. Take the case of a…
President Donald Trump will land in Riyadh this morning on his first foreign trip since taking office. He leaves behind a Washington that is in an uproar. Trump, whatever one may say about him,…
In face-to-face interviews conducted with 3,500 Arab youth aged 18-24 and with a sample split 50:50 male/female, the results that followed were an indication of the mindset of young people in the Arab world…
Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Transformation Dr. Rashed Al-Kawan has denied the possibility of the privatization of government hospitals and said that they will be transformed into government companies. He also focused on…
The situation is becoming grimmer and grimmer for expatriates as we enter the second month of amnesty. The fee for the renewal of sponsorship has gone up. Heartless sponsors are demanding more and more…
A screaming headline in a local paper said: “Illegal expats: Go home or be blacklisted.” Another paper stated: “Saudi amnesty offers illegals chance to leave.” Now with all these headlines people might assume that…
“Sponsors will be fined and punished for failure to renew muqeem or resident cards of their employees on time,” according to a recent ruling of Jawazat (General Directorate of Passports). The punishment will include…
The traffic is always a subject in all household discussions. Even while sitting among friends the topic is about safety and well-being of drivers. Unfortunately, many who talk about safety themselves flout rules and…
I must confess that when I first read about the establishment of the General Entertainment Authority, like many others, I was skeptical about what kind of entertainment would be involved, especially as I considered…
The French emperor Napoleon defeated at the battle of Waterloo is said to have described Britain as “a nation of shopkeepers.” His remarks were deemed offensive by the English who after his defeat by…
A report in a local paper focused on the damages inflicted on people by false accusations made to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha). Nazaha Chairman Khalid Al-Muhaisen highlighted some of the points and said…
The passing away of Prince Mohammad Al Faisal a month ago truly will leave an un-fillable void in the hearts of all those who knew him, a space of echoes and memories that was…
The number of foreign journalists coming to our part of the world is on the rise. However, what is noticeable is the replacement of seasoned journalists by younger and less experienced reporters. Gone are…
Every day glaring headlines of traffic accidents are splashed across local papers. Over the weekend there were quite a few. Everyone speaks about the abnormal high ratio of deaths in the Kingdom compared to…
And finally, it happened! An outsider has occupied the White House. After a bitter election campaign that was a first in several things including verbal duels and mudslinging, Donald Trump finally triumphed over Hillary…
I have written several times both in English and Arabic about the lack of civility in our approach to daily life. The list of complaints can go on and on. What makes me return…
It seems inevitable that in every private or public gathering with family or friends, the main focus is on complaints. And mind you, as we moan and groan, and many are quite right in…
The year 2016 was a bloody year for the Arabs. Wars, civil strife, economic downturn and a feeling of hopelessness cast long and dark shadows over most part of the Arab world. The Arab…
Many events have unfolded in the country in the last year and a half, one of the most prominent being Saudi Vision 2030. There have also been new rules and regulations concerning aspects of…
