Following the passing of Nelson Mandela last week , there has been an outpouring of grief from around the world. U.S. President Barack Obama said Mandela “achieved more than can be expected of any man”; French President Francois Hollande said “Mandela’s message will continue to inspire fighters for freedom”; while former Irish President Mary Robinson said that Mr. Mandela “represented the best of our values.” From the messages posted on social media to the statements made by world leaders, it seems Mandela’s life resonated with people the world over ...

To marry or to divorce? This was the big question for many of the Middle East's roving bachelor and smug married celeb-set this year, and these 'snap decisions' were taken quicker than you can say “I do.” The cupids won out though, there were more wedding bells than violin strings logged on Al Bawaba's love file of 2013. Superstar marriages are often taken with a pinch of salt by the general public or given 'less than a year' ; they’re seen as precarious at best or a simple publicity stunt ...

In a significant development for Egypt’s interim government, a 50-member “secular” panel has approved a new draft constitution for Egypt. It’s been deliberated for months, and now that it has been finalized, it will be placed before Egyptian voters for a referendum and ratification in the coming months. The creation of the new constitution (many of the articles of the country’s previous constitution were seen as being discriminatory) is a major milestone in bringing back democratic rule to the Middle East’s most populous nation. The previous constitution , which was ...

Are you heading to the Arab world and planning on renting some wheels? Your friends at Al Bawaba have decided not to let you go out there naked. Through years of near misses and full-on fender benders, our crack staff has compiled a dozen of the most important rules for driving on the Arab roads. Print these out, tape them to your passport and study them every waking moment if you know what's good for you. Searing these twelve rules into the subconscious of your brain can only cure the ...

Do you ride a camel to work and 11 other questions that might just exasperate any expatriate in the Middle East. These are those tired assumptions you are tired of rectifying when you are a foreigner living in the Arab world. From the stereotypical to the plain old fallacy -- those questions you might get bored of answering when you tell your friends and family that you are moving out to the Middle East. The questions and the record set straight, here's our galling gallery of life (or not) in ...

We recognize all the great strides and unmatched accomplishments that Dubai has made, but being the party-poopers that we are at Al-Bawaba, we think there is another city out there that deserves to walk away with the bid. The high-profile supporters of Dubai’s bid have been endless -- from David Cameron to Bill Gates to...yes, no one other than Lindsay Lohan. But let's not succumb to mainstream media, and let us dare to go with the underdog. And as much as we are mad about Dubai, and would be delighted ...

Whether it’s that nostalgia for a bygone era or the unmatchable glamor of the 50s and 60s with the perfectly lacquered hair, luscious lips and that je ne ce quoi captured best by the quintessential cigarette holder, but nothing stands the test of time as classic movies and their classic actors. Maybe it’s because everything looks better in black and white, but between today’s botox and bare bums on the red carpet, the golden era of cinema seems even more glittering and elusive than ever! Black and white frames and ...

The specter of conflict has always hung over Syria since the country was formed in 1918 and the secular Baath party rose to prominence in 1947. However, the last twelve months will stand out as being among the bloodiest in the nation's history. 2013 has been a big year for Syria - from chemical weapons scares to the constant to-and-fro-ing of the Geneva peace talks , the pace of developments in the country this year has been astounding and has profoundly impacted and altered the domestic, regional and indeed the ...

So it's official. Algeria will represent Middle East in the World Cup . The Algerians went through by the narrowest of margins after a 49th minute scramble by skipper Madjid Bougherra helped them beat Burkina Faso 1-0. There were other teams that glittered in the qualifying rounds. Jordan put in a series of stirring performances and came back strongly before bowing out to Uruguay . Don't despair , oh Arab enthusiasts – there's no shame in losing to this South American powerhouse. You only get better by playing the best ...

For many World Cup fans, a football stadium is more than a mere stadium. It is a home away from home, and something of the main attraction, indeed embodying the full football experience. For the entire duration of the tournament, over 3,000,000 fans at the stadiums and one billion fans who watch the games from their TVs at home, fill these venues with their hopes, dreams and aspirations. They come to the stadiums to see and cheer on their favorite players. But even as they draw up to the parking ...

In a country whose economic viability came to depend on foreign workers, Saudi Arabia’s recent labor raids are expected to result in the deportation of more than a million workers. This will herald a new era in Saudi’s economy and “humanitarian” record on the treatment of migrant workers that hail from the heavily disadvantaged parts of the globe -- an interesting chiming in just this week with Saudi Arabia being given a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. This clean sweep in a bid to flush out the illegals ...