Saudi Arabia

Halah Hamrani: The Saudi boxing instructor teaching women to ‘Fight Like a Girl’

Halah Al Hamrani is a Saudi martial arts instructor and owner of the FLAG (Fight Like…

13 essential blogs and websites to help you understand the Middle East

These 13 English-language Middle East blogs and websites are essential reading for anyone interested in Middle East politics and culture.

Middle East Monthly Roundup: October

Here’s your monthly summary of the biggest stories in the Middle East, explaining why they…

Why the Middle East’s next great security threat will come from the environment

It’s no surprise the Middle East and North Africa are among the hottest regions on…

‘Dancing on the heads of snakes’: Yemen after Ali Abdullah Saleh

Ali Abdullah Saleh craftily played Yemen’s tribes, Islamist groups and foreign governments off against one another throughout his 33-year rule and he continued to do so after he was ousted from power in 2011. But his most recent power-play, an alliance with the northern Houthi insurgent group, which he previously fought six wars against, turned out to be too much of a gamble.

Understanding MBS: Saudi Arabia’s Rising Leader

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (or MBS, as he has become known) has been…

Manal al-Sharif and the Fight for Women’s Rights

“Rain begins with a single drop.” If you’re looking for some inspiration this week, look…

Shift – 3 Female Saudi Artists Reflect On Their Changing Culture In A London Exhibition

Since the discovery of oil in the 1930s, life in Saudi Arabia has changed beyond…

The Qatar spat: The crack in the GCC’s armour deepens

Six Arab countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing the tiny natural gas-rich…