A gold rush, similar to the one that struck the dream of getting rich quick into the hearts of many of America’s greatest pioneers back in the early 1800’s, is taking Sudan by storm. And it seems everyone from poor day laborers to farmers to archeological crewmembers are “digging” in on the act.

For the first time in the history of NASA, foreign interns are taking part in a research program to develop new technologies for the benefit of space and mankind. Hailing from the UAE, researchers Shamma al-Qassim, Rajab Hamad and Hazza Bani Malek are all active participants at the renowned Ames Research Center in Northern California.

Getting a tattoo, or “inked”, is often the international sign of rebellion from teenagers in heartland of America to “twenty somethings” splat right in the middle of London. However, using permanent ink painfully etched onto a patch of otherwise pristine skin is not only a way to add a bit of color to a chosen body part, it is also an excellent way to air your political views and or beliefs” air your political views and or beliefs.

The Holy Month of Ramadan is upon us! Doesn’t the spirit of the season make you just want to dig as deep as you can into your pockets for the sake of charity?  However, with the global credit crunch still digging in its’ heels, this Ramadan will prove difficult for many families struggling to fill their Iftar table.

According to a recent study conducted by the asset management firm Al Masah Capital, Saudi Arabian women have a whole lot of pennies in their piggy banks to the tune of about US$12 billion smackeroos. The cold hard cash is languishing in banks around the Gulf Kingdom, just waiting for several rainy days to strike. Can anyone say matching Prada purse and shoes..puh..leaze?

A film about religious tolerance and diversity has received rave reviews from the Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s (TBFF) Shorts Film Competition and earned a position as runner-up. The film, by up and coming Muslim filmmaker Tariq Chowdhury, is entitled “Let Me Show You How My Faith Inspires Me”. Using only basic filmmaking equipment, Chowdhury captures people from different faiths revealing symbols from their faith that inspires them. 

What’s wrong with chewing on glass or swallowing a couple a bursts of flaming fire? For Saudi Arabian entertainer Maher al-Luqman, it’s just another day at the ‘office’. He has made a career out of performing death-defying feats in front of a live audience. Al-Luqman along with twelve other performers make up “Luqman’s Altineen”. The group of entertainers travels throughout the kingdom looking for opportunities to perform on stage.

You’ve probably heard dozens of jokes about the driving techniques of American taxi drivers, some true and some mere fodder for a couple of laughs. But an ocean away in Sharjah there ain’t no one laughing at the poor state of taxi services, run by Sharjah Transport, in the rich Gulf emirate. In a recent crackdown by the transport authority, to test the driving skills of its taxi drivers, a whopping 18% failed miserably and are considered to be risks on the road.

There ain’t nothing like the freedom of the airwaves to not only report the news and play music, but also to unite people under a similar flag. That’s what a group of female entrepreneurs in Palestine are learning after recently launching their own female-geared Arabic radio station right in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Reality and talent shows are a dime a dozen in the Middle East. The vast majority are cheap knock-offs from the originals created in either Europe or America. We’ve got the Arab version of ‘The Biggest Loser,’ which pits overweight men and women against each other to lose weight with the aim to win a huge monetary prize. Then we’ve got the singing talent show “Star Academy,” a blatant “American Idol” wannabe. For the longest time, no one has come up with an original idea for a reality-based talent show that wasn’t ripped off from someone else.