On the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, tucked in the dusty foothills of an Egyptian mountain range, sit hundreds of seats in an abandoned outdoor movie theater. The arrangement is eerie, like a long-ago movie set awaiting Fellini to shout, “Azion!”
Dream green awards for oil companies
Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas producer and most valuable company estimated at $10 trillion USD, pockets three of the six environmental awards during the 2014 Offshore Arabia Conference & Exhibition, in Dubai. Did we hear right?
Gaza fisherman’s rated-X catch hidden by Hamas
An ancient bronze casting of Greek god Apollo, hooked from the sea by a young Gaza fisherman, was seized by police and vanished from public view. Tug-of-war over a valuable artifact – or – coyness over risqué rendering of his frontal assets? Authorities are as silent as a statue as to when it will reappear.
Watch 20 strangers kiss for the first time [video]
Egypt runs to Saudi for help over Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam
When all else fails, run to wealthy Saudi Arabia. That seems to be the prevailing thought among Egyptian officials at a loss to resolve the ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over Nile water rights.
Iraq’s first coral reef in cold, polluted water shocks scientists
Scientists exploring a cold, polluted, and murky river mouth in southeastern Iraq were shocked to discover what is thought to be the country’s first coral reef.
Solar-battery eco-boats clean up stinky Sharjah lagoons
The Middle East’s first solar-powered boats set sail in Sharjah last month, each able to extract up 500 pounds of floating debris from the city’s lagoons. This new fleet joins the existing “green machines” used by Bee’ah, a leading Middle East waste management company.
Collapsible woven refugee shelters powered by the sun
More than 40 million people worldwide have been displaced from their homes and left to find shelter in strange lands. Maybe they find a tarp, or a tent, but their quality of life almost always remains dismal. To close this gap in need, Jordanian-Canadian architect and designer Abeer Seikaly designed a new kind of shelter. One that allows refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity.
Artsy Dar Ben Gacem hotel awakens bygone Ottoman era in Tunis
To sleep at Dar Ben Gacem is to spend a night in a bygone era. Located deep in the warren of alleyways and vendors that make up Tunis’ labyrinthian medina, this newly renovated artsy boutique hotel offers a tasteful glimpse of Ottoman period architecture and art.
Holy Green Monday for Lent! A planet-friendly Cyprus tradition
Last Monday, Orthodox Christians across the Middle East kicked off the 40-day Lenten season with a wonderful food-based tradition called Green Monday, when folks tuck into a delicious (and usually outdoor) luncheon of greens, olives, potatoes and seafood.
Sharjah air pollution as bad as Beijing
In Beijing the air pollution is so bad that you sometimes can’t see your hand in front of your face. Above the charts bad, cities of the world are now coming to terms with their own local air pollution.
Saudi Arabia to grow world’s largest crescent-shaped Garden of Eden
Saudi Arabia is building the world’s largest botanical gardens on nearly 2.5 million square meters of desert land near Riyadh. A stellar environmental initiative to educate the public on climate change, or a tourism-boosting novelty? However you dice it, it’s amazing.
Saudi’s 1km high Kingdom Tower needs 500,000 cubic meters of concrete
Saudi Bin Ladin Group (SBG) recently commissioned a Lebanese consulting firm to test the materials necessary to build the world’s next tallest building in Jeddah. Among other things, Advanced Construction Technology Services (ACTS) has to figure out how to pump 500,000 cubic meters of concrete 1km into the sky.
Living crop wall to showcase Israel’s agricultural genius at the 2015 Milan Expo
Israelis are renowned not only for their clean tech innovation, but also smart, savvy and water-efficient agriculture. This genius will be on display at the 2015 Milan Expo with a living pavilion designed by Knafo Klimor Architects.


