When I was a student in Paris in the mid 1990s and people asked where I was from, I would reply that I was from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah or any other emirate that the person asking me would recognize. It was never an issue, because I felt secure that ultimately it was the same country. Read more »
The National
Rumours of Expulsion of Lebanese Shia From the UAE
Over the past few weeks two unfounded rumors about the United Arab Emirates have snowballed on the pages of some newspapers in the Arab world and have even been picked up by newswires. Some media organizations seem so inclined to print negative news about this country that once they have exhausted the typical stories about the effects of the global financial crisis on the UAE, they no longer have an issue with presenting negative rumors as facts. Read more »
Qasimi: A new Emirati fashion label is born
In this article, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi discusses the cultural significance of the Emirati show in London Fashion Week by the talented Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, the Emirati fashion designer behind the Qasimi label who put the performance together. Read more »
More than idle chatter: how Yamli saved Arabic online
A recent study conducted by the American University in Cairo found that 78 per cent of Arab internet users have never typed in Arabic. There is no doubt that internet giants like Microsoft, Google, Wikipedia and Yahoo have played a large part in the spread of Arabic online but a large number of Arabs would not be able to share their thoughts in the Arabic language if it weren’t for Yamli. Read more »
The Complement Between Islam and Science
Dr Elias Zerhouni’s story was not so different from many Arab youths, growing up as he did in 1960s Algeria at a time in which his country was struggling for independence from French colonialists. In 1975, at the age of 24, he made his way to the United States where he joined Johns Hopkins University as a resident trainee and worked his way up to the executive vice presidency of the university. Read more »
Mobility for all is not a luxury, it’s a basic right
In the UAE many of our public and private institutions have yet to accommodate people with special needs. Others have made an effort, but could still do with a bit of adjustment. Read more »