What Happened to the Middle East's Old Classy Cinemas?

Once glittering centers of cinema, Amman's old cinema theaters, such as Cinema Al Hussein or Cinema Zahran, were something to talk about in their halcyon days. Now, rundown and corrupted, they have been turned into sleazy pinnacles of Amman's underworld. Catering to shadowy men, they now show x-rated hardcore pornography- only when the authorities are not looking.

"The only words that came to my mind as I ascended the unclean steps leading to Cinema Rivoli’s hall were Dante Alighieri’s 'abandon hope all ye who enter here.'"

Women's rights always seem to be on the back burner of Middle Eastern politics, labeled as "western ideas". According to Lebanese blogger Lama, gender rights are the most basic of rights and should not be overlooked in spite of the problems plaguing the region.

"I couldn't believe that in a country that boasts its liberal values to those around it, a woman can be raped by a man and be forced to make him breakfast in the morning. But it's true. And there is no way to describe it but shameful. It needs to end."

Bogus fatwas in the Middle East seem to be a dime-a-dozen. This time, a Saudi sheikh claims that all international students and locals students studying abroad to be tested for drugs and alcohol upon their return to the KSA.

"And note how the preacher does not call for such tests to be run on nationals returning to KSA from Bahrain across the causeway; clearly, there aren’t enough jail cells in the whole Kingdom to cope with the undoubted ensuing avalanche of arrests and detentions."

A breath of fresh air from the less than lofty cinematic scene in some Jordanian quarters.

It is easy to forget that Iran is a place of great beauty and culture amidst the drumming of political animosity. Mustapha from Lebanon highlights the positives by sharing some beautiful photography in Iran courtesy of "The Atlantic". Enjoy!