Cities

Saudi King Abdullah announced on Sunday that he was giving women the right to vote and run in municipal elections. What a coincidence. One week after it seemed that Canadian oil was going to beat the Saudis to the gigantic American market by making an inane comparison between the relative ethicality of the two fossil fuel purveyors, since Saudi women can't vote, King Abdullah has given Saudi women the right to vote. Suddenly now, dirty energy lobbying group EthicalOil doesn't have a marketing leg to stand on.

Three geothermal projects totaling 113 MW from Israel's geothermal giant Ormat got approvals just in time to get US government support under the Recovery Act Section 1705 loan guarantee this week. Nevada has some of the best geothermal potential among the US states, but has barely begun to develop it: the 113 MW will increase Nevada's geothermal power production by nearly 25%. Under the same program as Solyndra if Ormat Nevada Inc could line up an investor with up private financing by September 30th, under Section 1705, the US Department of Energy would provide a US government guarantee to back the loan in the unlikely event that Ormat was not able to repay its investors. However the loan guarantee has been anathema to the party that now controls the US congress (Utility-Scale Renewable Projects Become a Casualty of Republican Hostage-Taking) and will end this week.

Lobbying group EthicalOil.org is challenging Saudi Oil on the basis of women's rights. A Canadian lobbying group is claiming that Canada's oil is somehow more...

Could reckless driving in Lebanon come to an end with the new Cheyef 7alak crowd sourcing campaign? There's something uncanny about seeing yourself on...

Water conservation policies are being promoted in the naturally water poor nation of United Arab Emirates Considering that the United Arab Emirates is located in...

The Dome of Khan Younis: As Palestine puts a bid in for statehood later this month, local Palestinians volunteer to repairing mosque damage.

As a birthday gift to famous model Naomi Campbell, Luis de Garrido from Spain designed an off-grid home complete with photovoltaic panels, a sophisticated...

The Masdar buildings that have been realized are impressive, but they comprise a shadow of the original, grandiose plans Everybody loves to criticize the Abu...

Scientists have always been worried about the runaway effects of climate change. Did anyone think that we might have rising concentrations of cholera-causing bacteria...

Energy subsidies keeping petrol and electricity prices low in the Middle East are jeopardizing the chances of renewable energy projects The Middle East may be...

A massive solar flare, like small one shown in this photo, could cause the world's 440 commercial and 300 plus research nuclear reactors to...

For the first time scientists examined melatonin suppression in a various types of light bulbs, primarily those used for outdoor illumination, such as streetlights, road lighting, mall lighting and the like.

More questions than answers in new Saudi refutation of BBCs slam on its holy waters In May, we covered the BBC claim that imported Zamzam...

Over the last thirty years, carbon emissions in North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) have doubled with citizens in the Gulf states producing...

Farms like these must be cut off from fossil water under the desert, now "as precious as gold" With just 4 inches of rain a...