Saudi Arabia to Compete for First Time at Oscars

RIYADH, September 15, 2013 (AFP) – Saudi Arabia, where cinemas are banned, is to compete for an Oscar for the first time next year with feminist film “Wadjda” directed by Haifaa al-Mansour, a Saudi official announced Sunday. The movie tells of a young girl’s quest to own a bicycle in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom where … Read more

Egyptian female cyclists pedal for acceptance

Egyptian Yasmine Mahmoud, a 31-year-old executive secretary, rides her bicycle in Cairo on December 25, 2014. Women enjoy more freedom in Egypt than in deeply conservative Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, but the most populous Sunni Arab country still considers it inappropriate for them to ride bicycles. Unlike in many countries, the two-wheeler is … Read more