Latest posts by Abdullatif AlOmar
Kuwait: Could a Hash Tag Send Twitter Users to Prison?
As in any country with netizens using Twitter, hash tags are created every day, every hour and somne times even every few minutes. In Kuwait, one user created a hash tag #بطارية (battery in Arabic) and all hell broke loose. Kuwaiti blogger Abdullatif AlOmar tells us why.
Kuwait: Hundreds Rally for PM Change
A few hundred people gathered in Kuwait today calling for "a new government, with a new Prime Minister, and a new approach." The protest turn out was smaller than anticipated and ended with no incident.
Kuwait: Praying for a Free Egypt
Like the rest of the world, Kuwaiti netizens are closely following the unfolding events in Egypt. Tweeps are lending their support to Egyptian protesters, in prayer and calls for an end of the Mubarak regime.
Kuwait: Blogger Sued for Restaurant Review
What started as a normal thing, a blogger writing a personal review of a newly opened restaurant, suddenly escalated into online drama when the restaurant manager threatened with a lawsuit. Mark Makhoul, a Lebanese expat-blogger in Kuwait, wrote a review of Benihana Kuwait, on his blog 248am.
Kuwait: Let the Tomatoes Rot!
Tomatoes are now eight times more expensive in Kuwait than they were a month ago - and netizens are not taking the change in prices in stride. They cannot find an explanation to why the cost of a box of tomatoes jumped from half a dinar ($1.70) to KD4 ($14) in just a few days.
Kuwait: Eat, Watch and Pray
A major cinema company in Kuwait has announced that it would introduce a 10 minute break in its daily schedule to give worshippers the chance to perform their maghreb prayers. The announcement, on Twitter, received mixed reactions.
MJ Death Reaction in Kuwait
After the passing of Michael Jackson there has been a mixture of reactions from the Kuwaiti blogosphere: for some it was memories from their childhood, for others its discussing their own feelings about the artist and their reactions to other people's opinions. Abdullatif AlOmar translates Kuwaiti sentiment in this post.
Kuwait and Ramadan
It has been a busy Ramadan in Kuwait, with the collapse of the Stock Exchange, social activities and artistic creativity. Abdullatif Al Omar digs into Kuwaiti blogs to bring us the latest.
Kuwait: Release Hussein Al Fudalah Now
On July 7, Kuwaiti Hussein Al Fudalah left his home to go fishing and was never seen again. A few days later his family got the news that he was detained in neighbouring Iran. And while Kuwait's newspapers are turning a blind eye to Hussein's plight, one Kuwaiti blogger thinks that enough is enough and is running an online campaign to draw more attention to the captured fisherman.
No to Kuwait's New Internet Law
Kuwaiti bloggers are angry at a proposed new Internet Law, which they claim would make their days as free bloggers numbered, after Attorney General Hamad Al Othman announced that a new law dealing with Internet crimes will be issued soon. Abdullatif Al Omar takes a closer look at the Kuwaiti blogosphere and their reactions to the impending law.
Kuwait: Blogs in the News
A local newspaper has started covering Kuwaiti blogs. In many countries, this might be perceived as a positive step but some Kuwaiti bloggers have their reservations. Abdullatif Alomar reports.
Summer Early in Kuwait
With the mercury increasing as the summer sets in in Kuwait, bloggers are busy looking for distractions this summer vacation. Among them is Zdistrict, who goes on a trip to...
Kuwait: Video Games, Newspapers and Female Bloggers
Who should regulate the video gaming scene in Kuwait? This and many other questions are on the minds of Kuwaiti bloggers in this round up. Forzaq8 speaks of laws dealing...
Kuwait: Shaikh Saad Remembered
Kuwaitis are still mourning the death of their former ruler Shaikh Saad Al Abdulla Al Sabah. Abdullatif AlOmar brings us the reactions of Kuwait's bloggers in this post.
Kuwait: Zero Hour for Elections
Kuwait is all set for its National Assembly elections on Saturday (May 17). A total of 246 male candidates and 27 female candidates are running for 50 seats in the hotly contested elections. Abdullatif AlOmar brings us a selection of posts on the elections and other matters from the Kuwaiti blogosphere.
Kuwait: Sad for Shaikh Saad
Former Kuwaiti ruler Shaikh Saad Al Abdulla Al Sabah died today after a long illness at the age of 78. Kuwait's online community was moved by the news, as hundreds of messages of sympathy and condolences poured onto blogs, in Arabic and English. The country has declared three days of official mourning - but the parliamentary elections, scheduled for Saturday, will go ahead as planned.
Kuwait: Elections Getting Closer
Kuwait is gearing up for another round of Parliamentary elections on Saturday (May 17), allowing women to cast votes and nominate themselves for the second time in the country's history. Abdullatif AlOmar brings us the latest reactions from Kuwaiti blogs in this post, including a call for women to use their votes wisely to safeguard the future of their children.
Kuwait: Activity Filled Week
It was an activity-filled week for Kuwaiti bloggers, who spent time in a shooting range, doing charity work and weighing their options for the parliamentary elections later this month.
Kuwait: Speeding Foreigners Unwelcome
A new traffic law which ejects foreign traffic violators from the country, is creating waves in Kuwait. While one blogger asks what the fuss is about when other countries have already implemented similar rules, another argues that the new clampdown is too strict.
Kuwait: Just Give Me My Espresso
With Kuwait still recovering from last week's storm, one blogger updates us with pictures of the damage left behind; another tells us about the trouble one has to go through to order a simple espresso while a third talks about bribes and elections in this week's round up by Abdullatif AlOmar.
Kuwait and April Fool's Day
April 1 ushers in a flurry of posts, which leave readers and bloggers alike thinking whether what they are reading is right or wrong. Abdullatif AlOmar shares some April Fool's Day posts from the Kuwaiti blogosphere.