“This BlackBerry Messenger rumor mill in the UAE is getting out of hand.” I had posted this tweet several days before the UAE announced a ban last week on BlackBerry services by next October if Research In Motion (RIM), the smart phone’s manufacturer, didn’t meet the country’s regulatory conditions. Read more »
UAE
Moderate Saudi Voices Have Found a Home in the UAE
Over the last few years, an array of prominent Saudi intellectuals have come to call the UAE their home. As the midway point between the West and the East, the magnetic draw of the Emirates is understandable; it has become a cultural oasis for those who are intellectually hungry. Read more »
The lobbyists are here and it’s time we knew why
The act of lobbying, either officially or behind the scenes, is prevalent across the world. It is most often associated with politics in the United States and negatively so. In fact, lobbying dates back to just after the American War of Independence when William Hull, a war veteran, was hired by those who fought alongside him to lobby those in Philadelphia, then the US capital, to compensate them for their service. The rest, of course, is history. Read more »
A Balanced UAE Federal Budget Benefits Us All
The news this month that the various Emirates do not contribute evenly to the federal budget should not have come as a surprise to many Emiratis. Read more »
Emiratis listened to Bill Gates – can they emulate him?
We needn’t burden young entrepreneurs with licensing fees and fancy offices, which can restrict their creativity and finances rather than develop their insights. Would the successful entrepreneurs that we celebrate have been able to set up their businesses in the UAE? Read more »
An education vision with an eye on all Emiratis
A recent study on adult education centres in Abu Dhabi has uncovered that a much larger percentage of secondary students are dropping out of high school in Abu Dhabi than originally estimated. Unless this issue is addressed, Abu Dhabi may turn into a global centre of higher learning and education targeted only at visiting students rather than its national population. Read more »