Stories about Middle East & North Africa from November, 2005
Travels in the Kurdish Blogosphere
This week was fairly quiet in the Kurdish Blogosphere compared to week's past. Many Kurds have been focused on the upcoming/ongoing trial of Saddam Hussein. One such blogger, Kurdo from Kurdo's World remarked that after watching the first day of the trial that it was unfair…to Saddam's victims. He gave...
Jordan: Takfiri Culture
Nas say, “…there was calculation, there was a lack of hesitation, and this requires a degree of indoctrination that can only be traced back to the Takfiri culture of “if they are Muslims who do not agree with us then they are Kuffar” (infidels).“
Bahrain: Street Boiling
Zainab Alkhawaja reported that a Bahraini activist was raped two nights ago. Due to lack of proper action from local authorities, Mahmood say that Bahrain is going through a situation that threatens to turn the country once again upside down internally, and losing it whatever is left of its tattered...
Morocco: Free Press
Foulla is posting a petition to “Stop Morocco’s Attempt to Muzzle the Free Press. Protest the Moroccan Judges’ Financial Asphyxiation of Tel Quel Magazine.“
Iraq: Hostages
Three of the four Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) hostages in Iraq of whom a video was released today have been in Palestine working as Palestinian Solidarity activists, International Solidarity Movement reports.
United Arab Emirates: Mute Maids
Secret Dubai say, it's a common sight across the UAE: a downtrodden-looking young maid, often Indonesian or Malaysian in appearance, pushing a child in a pram or pushchair. A hijab fully covers her hair, her eyes are lowered, and she does not look at or speak to anyone: not even...
Saudi Arabia: Double Win
Sabbah writes that two Saudi businesswomen swept to an unprecedented victory in elections to the board of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday in the first polls in which women stood as candidates in the conservative Muslim kingdom.
Iran: Against Aids
Fanous, a collective blogger, on Thursday different Iranian associations will gather in front of Shahr Theatre to encourage people to fight against Aids and to protect HIV's people rights. (Link in Persian)
Palestine: A Palestinian Podcast
Yazan Malakha tells us that Iron Sheik seems to have started Kabobfest, a blog and a podcast from a Palestinain perspective. Worth listening to!
Palestine: Mourning the Olive
Nas says, when we mourn the loss of olive trees unjustly destroyed, we also remember the cactus for its spirit of resilience but above all, its patience.
Jordan: 60 events in memory of victims
Wael Attili is calling for action. 60 events in memory of our victims! he says, one man can bring an idea, two can embrace the idea, and three can make it happen. There is nothing impossible is just believe we can do it.
Palestine: Gaza For Jerusalem?
In her return to blogging, Lawrence of Cyberia is optimistic. She says, she is enjoying as much as anybody the sight of the political realignment in Israel and the drawing in of Hamas to the Palestinian Parliamentary process, and speculating where it might all end. But optimism stops being a...
Israeli: Writing about the human condition
If you are wondering (like me) where to find articles by Lisa, published in Israeli newspapers, here is one of her favorites.
Iranian Blogs: Unrest in University, Ahmadinejad in UN
Government chose a cleric and university Professor, Ayatollah Amid Zanjani, as chancellor of Tehran University. There are many questions and concerns about his education and conservative political background. Fanous ( Link in Persian), a collective blog, writes that Mr.Amid Zanjani has no university degree and government imposed his choice on...
Iraq: Killing for fun
Khaled lives close to one of the site that appeared on the video, which show security guards in Baghdad randomly shooting Iraqi civilians. The video has sparked investigations after it was posted on the Internet.
Bahrain: Propagating Hate?
Mahmood says that the Bahraini government does have a responsibility in facing people who spread hate, sedition and sectarian discord. Specially when it comes from religious figures!
Egypt: Source of Dictatorship
Egyptian Person says, it's certainly a negative thing to have a totalitarian regime that oppresses its people. It's even worse to have a society in which the people themselves oppress their fellow citizens if they choose to have opinions that contradicts to what the majority believes in. But it is...
United Arab Emirates: Flickr in UAE
Blocking Flickr in UAE is getting a lot of support and attention from all around the world. A group of bloggers created a Flickr group to collect protestant's signature.
This Week in Palestinian Blogs: Ending Occupation is What Really Matters to US
Rafah border was opened on the 25th of Nov, congratulations to all Palestinians! On Rafah crossing, Rafah Pundits say the agreement reached between Palestinian and Israeli authorities state that Israel has no physical presence in the Rafah crossing except for reserving some sort of remote control, and the right to...
Welcome To The Lebanese Blogosphere
Yesterday, Anton Efendi from Across the Bay, posted this picture: It shows the Prime Minister planting a fatherly kiss on May Chidiac's forehead. May Chidiac is the Journalist who lost a foot and an arm in a terrorist car bomb. To Anton, this kiss symbolizes the story of Lebanon: a...
Iran: BBC & a Mistake ?
Hanif Mazroi, a former jailed journalist & active blogger, says BBC made a mistake to say that new director , a cleric, of University of Tehran has no university degree. According to Mazroi he got his PhD in same university. (Link in Persian)