Saudi sportswashing

Saudi sportswashing

Big-name players transfer to the Saudi Pro League, writes Matt Broomfield.

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NI 546 - Spying on dissent - November, 2023
Photo: Jan-Peter Westad

The Interview: Iyad el-Baghdadi

Palestinian activist Iyad el-Baghdadi, a leading intellectual of the Arab Spring, talks fighting disinformation with Jan-Peter Westad.

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NI 528 - A caring economy - November, 2020
Photo: @MsSaffaa

The Interview: Ms Saffaa

Self-exiled Saudi street artist Ms Saffaa uses murals to portray her home country’s brave women activists. She speaks to Alessio Perrone about creating a different narrative for Saudi women and the important role art plays in her life and in helping to overcome fear.

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NI 520 - The right to the city - July, 2019
Clockwise from top left: The historic market in the northern town of Tripoli; all smiles at a political rally in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square; rubbish dumped on the road in north Beirut – the country’s garbage-collection system has collapsed; and a family of Syrian refugees in a UN camp near Zahle, in the Bekaa Valley.   All photos from Alamy and (in the order above) by Mark Pearson, Geoff Dunlop, Char Abumansoor and François Razon.

Country Profile: Lebanon

Civil war, ISIS invasions, mountains of rubbish. Never a dull day in Lebanon. The country’s constant turmoil is exhausting, says Reem Haddad, reporting from Beirut.

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NI 512 - Public ownership rises again - May, 2018

Worldbeater: Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia’s King-in-waiting – and his aggressive foreign policy – is put under the spotlight.

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NI 511 - Humanitarianism under attack - April, 2018
Divided over driving

Divided over driving

Saudi Arabia has lifted its ban on women drivers, but there not everyone agrees it’s a good thing. By Lydia Noon.

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NI 508 - Clampdown! Criminalizing dissent - December, 2017
Photo: Bayan Alheji

A word with Naseema Assada

Lydia Noon talks to the Saudi women's rights activist about guardianship, Twitter hashtags, and suing the government.

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NI 499 - African village - January, 2017
Illustration: Arend van Dam/politicalcartoons.com

Gambling with ISIS and Co

Saudi Arabia – birthplace of violent Islamic puritanism – is playing a dangerous game, writes Alastair Crooke.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
Getting high on their own supply – Saudi youths engage in a popular stunt of ‘sidewall skiing’. Oil exports are down while domestic consumption keeps rising.Photo: Mohamed Alhwaity/Reuters

Oil on the skids

The quiet power of oil and money has for decades enabled Saudi Arabia to buy silence and influence. But not for much longer, predicts Nafeez Ahmed.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
An estimated 35% of the Saudi population are poor.Photo: Fayez Nureldine/Getty

Poverty in the land of black gold

‘Rich Saudi’ are words that seem to belong together. But Paul Aarts and Carolien Roelants highlight another, mainly hidden, reality.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016

Saudi Arabia – The Facts

The key facts you need to know about the country's people, environment, oil economy, human rights and more.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
Waleed Abu al-Khair, a lawyer whose crime is to defend constitutional reformists and blogger Raif Badawi.Photo: Dinendra Haria/PA Images

Saudi activists – who are they and what do they want?

Madawi Al-Rasheed examines the prospects and limits of activism in the absolute monarchy.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
Saudi fighter pilot prepares for action over Yemen. The targeting of schools, hospitals and even wedding parties, has brought international condemnation. Munitions supplied by Britain and others have been used.Photo: Fayez Nureldine/Getty

Arming up…

Its not just for show, as the bombing of Yemen illustrates, writes Vanessa Baird.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad  bin Salman (left) is responsible for bombing Yemen; his cousin Crown Prince Mohammad bin Nayef (right) is in charge of executions.Photo: Faye Nureldine/Getty

'Our friends'

Why is the West still cosying up to an ever-more repressive Saudi Arabia? asks Vanessa Baird.

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NI 490 - Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West - March, 2016
Photo: Brendan Montague, from Paris

Is Saudi Arabia the big bad wolf of the Paris climate talks?

The oil producing giant blocked efforts in Paris to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, Kyla Mandel and Brendan Montague report.

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NI 21 - Paris Climate Talks - COP21 - December, 2015
Rights defenders, really?

Rights defenders, really?

Felicity Arbuthnot is not impressed by the appointment of a Saudi Arabian to the Human Rights Council.

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NI 488 - 10 economic myths - December, 2015

Cosying up to the Saudis

Our government has a charmingly cosy relationship with Saudi Arabia, writes Chris Coltrane.

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NI 481 - Total control - is Monsanto unstoppable? - April, 2015

Articles in this category displayed as a table:

Article title From magazine Publication date
Spying on dissent November, 2023
A caring economy November, 2020
The right to the city July, 2019
Public ownership rises again May, 2018
Humanitarianism under attack April, 2018
Clampdown! Criminalizing dissent December, 2017
African village January, 2017
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Blood brothers - Saudi Arabia and the West March, 2016
Paris Climate Talks - COP21 December, 2015
10 economic myths December, 2015
The transgender revolution October, 2015
Global banking now May, 2015
Total control - is Monsanto unstoppable? April, 2015
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