Bahrain intends to save its portion of the Gulf before the ship sinks by staging and practicing its response to a major oil spill. In an alarming testament to the bizarre times in which we live, Bahrain is planning a new kind of drill. As small children we listened eagerly for the sound of the […]
No turkey here; but plenty of other good things that can make holiday meals festive yet veggie. Although I admit to sometimes being a meat eater, I do agree that eating meat can go overboard on national secular holidays like Thanksgiving in America, and especially when I look back on how it was celebrated back […]
Children whirl around on a swing constructed specially for Eid festivities. A stone’s throw south of the Somali border lies a little known island called Lamu, a UNESCO protected heritage site that maintains one of the best preserved Swahili cultures in East Africa. In 1652, Oman helped rid Lamu of the Portuguese, setting in motion […]
Use the heel-toe express to wander through Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. The Middle East is a pretty amazing place (just ask any of the locals), and there is a lot to see. A LOT to see. So it would be a shame to miss anything by sticking to conventional modern (and polluting) forms of […]
Artificial islands are sinking in the mire: Dubai has to face new environmental woes that come with “progress.” When one thinks of Dubai shopping, economic prowess and cleanliness come to mind. While all three have become staples and synonymous with the Gulf city, the environmental toll that has been unleashed as a result is beginning […]
From Aztecs and A-list celebrities, the ancient healing practice of cupping has such a diverse fanbase and illustrious history that it’s hard to credit one culture with its conception. The practice is believed to date back to thousands of years with evidence of the method amongst medicinal traditions of the Egyptians, Chinese and Greeks. The […]
Artists bridge the divide and draw attention to the plight of endangered species. Israel and Iran may be arch enemies politically, but a recent design competition demonstrates that their artists are more alike than different. Although we have featured many Israeli designs in the past, such as these outrageous shoes and this lovely ceramic e-cooler […]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCzZWlFgjFM[/youtube] Pamela Anderson tries to convince orthodox Jews to get with the times and give up the fur. During a visit to Israel a few weeks ago, former Baywatch star and current Honorary Director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Pamela Anderson tried to convince orthodox Jews to forgo their traditional fur […]
By 2020, Morocco plans to install a solid waste treatment plant in every one of the country’s urban centers. I knew a woman who had questionable hygiene and eventually became chronically depressed. At first her car and home had the odd coke bottle and junk food wrapper tossed on the floor, but in time, both […]
The Golden Sheep dairy produces a dazzling array of gourmet Italian cheeses from Tubas in the West Bank, including pecorino, scamorza, and ricotta. On the day that Daniella visited, Mr. Kemal Daher and Abu Sultan Zakzuk were "churning" out blobs of mozzarella cheese.
Historical documents and a break down of a telegraph machine suggest tsunamis occurred in the recent past. Will Iran be ready for the next one? A joint workshop in co-operation of the Iranian National Center for Oceanography (INCO) and UNESCO was held in south east of Iran. The purpose of the workshop has been to […]
Israel reclaims 75 percent of its wastewater. Besides being a world leader in reverse osmosis desalination plants, this little country of 7.5 million people is the world leader in reclaiming sewage water for use in agriculture, especially in the country’s dry Negev region. What goes down the john can also water our crops: Israel now manages […]
Brooklyn born Ibrahim Abdal-Matin was raised on Islamic environmentalism and that the "earth is a mosque". His passionate voice has been translated into his brilliant book, "Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Environment," in which he educates us on greening our lives and faith. Read more on how we can do that.
These are just a few of hundreds of sheep that were inhumanely slaughtered in Egypt for Eid. Similar to the anti-spirit of Christmas shoppers (but more sinister, perhaps) who start spending themselves into a frenzy as soon as the Halloween candy is put to rest, some Egyptians who celebrate Eid Al-Adha have turned the sharia […]
A surprising, savory green twist that takes meatballs out of the ordinary. Foodbridge, a blog featuring cross-cultural Middle Eastern recipes, was the source of this recipe. (See our review of Foodbridge here). It’s become a favorite dish in our house. Even the little ones will eat chard when it’s served with meatballs this way. Include […]