Saudi Artists Struggle for Recognition at Home

By Rob L. Wagner Gulf News 4 November 2016 Jeddah: When artist and calligrapher Nasser Al Salem decided that traditional Arabic calligraphy was too confining and sought break the bonds of the centuries-old art form, he was met with criticism and derision. “I wanted to break out with a new art form,” the 32-year-old Makkah

Muslims in Saudi Arabia Stand Shoulder to Shoulder this Eid – but Daesh is a Dangerous New Foe

By Rob L. Wagner International Business Times 6 July 2016 Following the bombing at the security headquarters next to the Prophet’s Mosque in the holy city Medina on Monday (4 June), a much larger crowd of worshippers than usual flocked to the mosque the next evening to offer prayers. Standing shoulder to shoulder, and jammed

Will Saudi Arabia Send the Troops?

With Iran threatening its oil exports, some experts say the kingdom will help defend shipments By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line 25 January 2012 JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Iran’s relationship with Saudi Arabia – once seen as improving following President Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s 2007 visit to Riyadh – has deteriorated to the point that the

News Analysis: Saudi Arabia — ‘Female Body is Battleground in The War to Stem Reform’

By Rob L. Wagner MidEastPosts 3 January 2012 As Saudi women celebrate their progress in gaining voting rights and expanded employment opportunities, conservatives have intensified their campaign to marginalize those achievements in a new round of attacks targeting liberal Saudi writers and thinkers sympathetic to the women’s movement. Saudi newspaper columnist Saleh Al-Shehi made a

Deadly Blaze Throws Spotlight on Saudi Girls Schools

By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line 29 November 2011 JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – The scene was chilling to watch: Three young girls, clad in their black abayas, dropping one by one from the third-floor window shrouded in billowing black smoke as their school went up in flames. The fierce fire that burned Baraim Al-Watan

For Saudi Terror Suspects, a Legal Fog

By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line 19 October 2011 Judges define terrorism on the fly, lawyers hesitate to defend them The trials of suspected terrorists this month in Saudi Arabia bring good news and bad news. The good news is that accused extremists are getting their day in court after as long as five

Women’s Football Making Headway in Saudi Arabia

By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line/Yemen Times 11 August 2011 Dream of competing in Olympics despite sexist barriers at home JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Shaima Sabri, 12, dreams of the day when she plays football on a stadium field of green grass with her father and brothers in a crowd of thousands cheering her

Away From the Cities, Saudi Women Take to the Roads

Rural families can’t manage without wives and daughters driving, so ban is ignored. By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line Published Thursday, February 10, 2011 JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Whenever Hawazen Ebrahim’s family spends an evening picnicking in the desert outside of Medina, it’s her job to jump into the car and drive to the

Saudi Bloggers Back Egyptian Uprising, But Don’t Want One of Their Own

King Abdullah remains popular even after he throws his support to Mubarak By Rob L. Wagner The Media Line Published Thursday, February 03, 2011 Young Saudis are enthusiastically endorsing the anti-government uprising in Egypt filling Facebook and Twitter with postings supporting the demonstrators at Cairo’s Tahrir Square. But their enthusiasm for rebellion doesn’t extend to