Blog
First ever Arab News International Media Gala
This is it! We are finally out there. I’d like to thank everyone who attended the very first Arab News International Media Gala (IMG) last Tuesday. Held at the Astor ...First book ever: Arabi Englizi officially launched at the Arab Media Forum
It’s true what they say about publishing a book; it’s like giving birth to a child. I have never been scared and excited at the same time in my life ...Finally collected my UK Alumni Award
The life of an Editor in Chief is as exciting as that of an airline captain – always on the go. If you have been following my blog posts, you’ll ...Happy 42nd Birthday Arab News!
The Middle East’s leading English daily – this is the slogan of Arab News, a line I’ve adapted on all it’s platforms and portals. “Arab News was the first newspaper ...Winners of the British Council UK Alumni Awards, announced
It is with great honor and pride that I announce today that I have been selected a winner for the British Council’ UK Alumni Awards for Social Impact. Sadly, I ...My interview with CNN on the YouGov/Arab News poll on US elections
I am pleased to say that we have received good feedback on the YouGov/Arab News poll on the recent US elections. The poll, which was conducted online in 18 countries ...My appointment as new EIC of Arab News
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.” As you all know, I ...MBC celebrates 25th anniversary
MBC, the region’s leading satellite broadcasting television network, is celebrating its 25th anniversary and I am so delighted to be part of it. As you know, MBC is the mother ...A rendezvous with Kate Fox, author of “Watching the English”
Today I finally met Kate Fox, author of British best-selling book “Watching the English”. I came across this book – which I read over and over – when I first ...My interview with Japanese MP Taro Kono on Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s visit
I first met Japanese MP Taro Kono during the G1 Global Conference held in Tokyo last year where I was invited to speak about the Future of the Middle East ...Speaking at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin
I am delighted to have been invited to partcipate at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy event in Berlin, last week, where I was asked to give a keynote speech. On their website, ...Celebrating 4 years as editor of Al Arabiya English
Rather than celebrating during the annual Suhoor which has been the norm, I find myself this year celebrating the Al Arabiya English continues success in a different way. I am ...Congratulations Abdulrahman Al-Rashed!
Finally! (I cannot stress this enough – finally!) Congratulations to Abdulrahman Al-Rashed for bagging the “Media Personality of the year” award during the Arab Media Forum 2016 – a much ...Arab Media Forum 2016 | Covering the Mideast beyond ‘bombs & bullets’
I have once again been invited to moderate a session at the 15th edition of the Arab Media Forum held every year in May – to this I am very ...Al Arabiya English’s Blog section launch
Finally! Everyone had a good time celebrating last week (especially me) because we finally launched Al Arabiya English’s Blog section – and this with a bang! I am grateful for ...My upcoming book announced at Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature
Everyone! I am pleased to announce that I will be releasing a book – hopefully early next year. This was officially announced at the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature where I ...Interviewing Lord Bell on best PR practices in the Middle East
Al Arabiya English had the privelege of hosting former Thatcher adviser and PR Guru Lord Timothy Bell in a roundtable entitled “PR in ER” last week and we received good confirmations ...Al Arabiya English Global Discussions | Science and Sensibility
Early this month I had the privelage of moderating a session with our Mohammed Bin Rashed Space Center friends at the World Government Summit where we tackled issues related to ...Moderating at the World Government Summit 2016 | Can we still restore Arab pride in ...
I’ve had the privilege of working with researchers from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) during the World Government Summit, along with a former colleague, veteran reporter Ben Flanagan and longtime ...Al Arabiya English holds gala dinner to end Global Discussions 2015
A gala dinner was held to mark the end of a successful series of the Al Arabiya News Global Discussions this year, and it proved to be a fantastic night ...Day 2: The Al Arabiya English Global Discussions
Continuing from the previous post abot the #ANGD2015, day 2 is when things get a little bit intense. Here’s what went down on the second day of the roundtable discussions: ...Day 1: The Al Arabiya English Global Discussions
I am happy to announce that the launch of the Al Arabiya News Global Discussions last week was a complete success! We invited government leaders, think-tank heads, experts and media representatives ...May God bless your soul, Aylan!
Today, we at Al Arabiya English – along with the whole world – were left speechless due to the heart-breaking images of Aylan Kurdi, the 5 year old boy who ...Celerabting 3 years as Editor in Chief of Al Arabiya English
What was supposed to be an annual AA English Suhoor party turned out to be a party for me – surprise surprise! My team got me a cake, with an ...Arab Social Media Summit 2015
Did I ever mention that I am a social media addict? (Hyper-active on Twitter!) I believe I did, yes. Well, not only did I participate in the recently held #ArabSMIS, ...The Arab Social Media Influencers Summit 2015
The Arab Social Media Influencers Summit 2015 18 March 2015 Being a self-proclaimed social media addict, I believe I have ticked off one of the items in my bucket list ...Julia Gillard… a role model in women leadership and an inspiration to Al Arabiya English’s ...
Julia Gillard… a role model in women leadership and an inspiration to Al Arabiya English’s coverage of Women’s International Day 7 March 2015 Sadly, many Arab women continue to face deprivation of ...Robert Fisk… goes ‘Robert Fisk’ on me
Today, I felt like a celebrity… my phone just won’t stop buzzing! People were calling and texting to notify me that I have been labeled (as a mouthpiece) by no ...Al Arabiya English features in Communicate
Al Arabiya English features in Communicate 20 February 2015 Leading industry monthly. Communicate Middle East, dedicated a cover story to shedding the light on the success of Al Arabiya English ...New York Times quotes my column on women driving
I would like to thank Robert Mackey from The New York Times for being among the few in Western media outlets to reflect a different point of view. In ...Congrats to my friends, the new education and information ministers of Saudi Arabia!
Congrats to my friends, the new education and information ministers of Saudi Arabia! 29 January 2015 I’d like to express my congratulations to my two dear friends and former colleagues: ...Who was the biggest MidEast influencer of 2014?
Let me start off by saying thank you to my great colleague Becky Anderson, for inviting me to this year’s CNN #Influencer debate. It was a great privilege to have ...Al Arabiya News launches new app for BlackBerry 10 smartphones
Al Arabiya News launches new app for BlackBerry 10 smartphones 25 September 2014 I am proud to announce that Al Arabiya News has launched its new app for BlackBerry® 10 smartphones, ...Al Arabiya English supports UAE Water Aid
Al Arabiya English supports UAE Water Aid 8 July 2014 Al Arabiya English is in full support of the nationwide water aid campaign by the UAE government which aims to ...New York Times quotes Faisal J. Abbas on Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia
I’d like to thank New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick for quoting me in his article (front page!) on the upcoming visit of Barack Obama to Saudi Arabia on Friday. His article ‘Obama ...Collaboration with World Economic Forum announced
I am happy to announce that Al Arabiya News, the English-language online portal of Al Arabiya News Channel, and Forum:Blog, the official blog of the World Economic Forum (WEF), have ...An exclusive interview with Hazem el-Beblawi during WEF 2014
An exclusive interview with Hazem el-Beblawi during WEF 2014 25 January 2014 In my exclusive interview with interim Egpytian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi during the World Economic Forum in Davos, he ...Al Arabiya English to examine King Farouk’s forgotten memoirs
Al Arabiya English to examine King Farouk’s forgotten memoirs 24 January 2014 They say “history repeats itself”, I must say it “tends to”. In line with the third anniversary of Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow ...The Al Arabiya ‘It’s complicated’ campaign
How complicated is the Arab world? I can’t tell you, but I can definitely show you! I’d like to thank this opportunity to thank the illustrator Leah Kayali for doing a ...HRH Princess Rym inaugurates Al Arabiya English relaunch
I am proud to announce that Al Arabiya News today relaunched the Al Arabiya English platform with the video service being at the heart of it, to enable viewers to ...Thumbs up for Al Arabiya English!
Thumbs up for Al Arabiya English! 24 August 2013 It has been such an achievement for Al Arabiya News Channel’s English language portal (English.AlArabiya.Net) to be featured as one of the ...Al Arabiya News English and Saudi Gazette enter content sharing agreement
Al Arabiya News English and Saudi Gazette enter content sharing agreement 21 January 2013 I am proud to announce that Al Arabiya English and Saudi Gazette are now partners ...Introducing Al Arabiya English’s Assad Regime “Deck of Cards”
The Al Arabiya English portal has released a new interactive gallery, in the form of a deck of playing cards, which helps readers keep track of defections, deaths and arrests ...An honour and a responsibility
An honour and a responsibility 1 July 2012 It with great pleasure that I announce that I have been named the new Editor-in-Chief of the English language website of Al ...In the loving memory of “Dean” Ghassan Tueni
In the loving memory of “Dean” Ghassan Tueni 11 June 2012 What a sad year for Middle Eastern journalism it has been! Following the loss of Anthony Shadid a few ...Blogging from Turkey
By Faisal, on June 4th, 2012 Blogging from Turkey 4 June 2012 I arrived in Istanbul last night to cover the first-ever World Economic Forum on Middle East, North Africa ...Robert Lacey talks at SOAS
By Faisal, on May 31st, 2012 Robert Lacey talks at SOAS 30 May 2012 The Saudi Journalists Club in UK (SJCUK) hosted a special evening at School of Oriental and ...Visit to TwoFour54
By Faisal, on May 10th, 2012 Visit to TwoFour54 10 May 2012 Today, I had the pleasure of visiting the HQ of TwoFour54 – The Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority ...Al-Arabiya Reception at AMF’12
By Faisal, on May 8th, 2012 Al-Arabiya Reception at AMF’12 08 May 2012 Tonight, I attended a private reception function held by the leading pan-Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya, in honour of ...Elaph Reveals New Look at AMF’12
By Faisal, on May 7th, 2012 Elaph Reveals New Look at AMF’12 7 May 2012 I have just arrived to the United Arab Emirates to attend the annual Arab Media ...Associate Membership at Cambridge Union Society
By Faisal, on May 4th, 2012 Associate Membership at Cambridge Union Society 4 May 2012 It is with great honour that I announce that I have been made an Associate ...Exclusive Interview with Syrian Electronic Army’s Leader Published
Exclusive Interview with Syrian Electronic Army’s Leader Published 01 May 2012 My 2-part exclusive interview with THE PRO, one of the leaders of the Syrian Electronic Army which recently hacked ...Interview with Egypt’s Abdel Latif El-Menawy
Interview with Egypt’s Abdel Latif El-Menawy 12 April 2012 Both The Huffington Post and Elaph have published my interview with Abdel Latif El-Menawy, the former head of news at Egypt’s ...Shaukat Aziz Interview Generates Headlines
Shaukat Aziz Interview Generates Headlines 20 March 2012: The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) carried parts of my interview with former Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz where he puts significant weight ...
