America’s Kingdom
I finally got around to this book which I had wanted to read ever since the spirited discussion of it on the short-lived Qahwa Sada. It’s a history of ARAMCO and US-Saudi relations between the 1930s and mid-60s that aims
Don’t mind us: US interests section in Tehran
McClatchy is reporting that, following the presidential elections, the Bush administration will announce it intends to open an interests section in Tehran: The proposal for an “interests section,” which falls short of a full U.S. Embassy , has been conveyed
You say minging, I say …
Continuing our detour from the Middle East: this website is awesome, especially for foreigners living in the UK, where I was living before coming to Egypt. Click on any of the little colored people and you’ll get an audio sample
Eissa pardon is no victory for press freedom
One of my first memories from moving to Cairo in August of last year was hearing the rumors swirling that Hosni Mubarak had died or was seriously ill, which were subsequently discussed in the local independent press. Ash-Shakkak has
Smoking in the pool
In Egypt you can get pretty much anything delivered. I’ve had a 10 LE bottle of vegetable oil delivered to my apartment, and know people who will routinely call out for a single pack of cigarettes or a coke.
I want my diamond-studded TV
Tom Gara catches this press release published by Gulf News: Word’s most expensive and ultra luxurious LCD TV launched Dubai: German company Schaub Lorenz has unveiled the world’s most expensive and ultra luxurious LCD TV in the Middle East market