· August, 2008

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from August, 2008

Egypt: Respecting Traffic Lights

  31 August 2008

What does people's attitudes towards crossing the road have to do with where their country stands in the world? Egyptian blogger Egyptian in the USA brings us the answer in this translation from Arabic.

Libya: The Ramadan Special

  31 August 2008

Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, begins in all parts of the Islamic world. Depending on where you are located, it could have either started, will start tomorrow or even Tuesday in some areas. Fozia Mohamad shares the Ramadan spirit from Libyan blogs in this post.

Turkey: Questions on Their Nuclear Program

  31 August 2008

Kurdish blogger Rasti questions the motives behind Turkey's nuclear program: “Although there has been no official proof that Turkey is actively building a nuclear weapons, some experts on Turkey's nuclear program have recounted their support, suspicious that the energy program is a cover for a weapons program.”

Egypt: A protest for Turkish TV series Nour

  31 August 2008

Egyptian Blogger Zeinobia, wrote her reactions regarding the recent news stating that a group of high class Egyptian ladies led a protest all over Marina against the Imam of Marina’s mosque after his attack on the Turkish TV series “Nour”.

Northern Cyprus: Similarities with Georgia?

  31 August 2008

While discussing the plight of unrecognized states, blog Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus states that “If Russia does decide to recognize Georgia’s two separatist regions, they’d be in a diplomatic situation similar to North Cyprus.”

Egypt: Olympics Investigation

  30 August 2008

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has ordered an enquiry into why Egypt performed poorly in the Olympics, reports Tom Gara.

Egypt: Orange Ambulances

  30 August 2008

The Egyptian Health Ministry has introduced orange ambulances to replace their white ones. Zeinobia is not pleased.

Iraq: Fascination for Language

  30 August 2008

“I am no linguist, but as far as I can remember I have always held a strange fascination for Language,” notes Iraqi blogger Layla Anwar.

Libya: Rain and Sewers

  30 August 2008

“We had rain today. It rained for about five minutes. Just long enough to churn up the sewer system. Now all of Tripoli smells like sewer gas,” writes Khadija Teri, from Libya.

Iran: Muslim Bloggers and election

  29 August 2008

The Muslim Bloggers Association, a very dynamic group of Islamist bloggers in Iran announced[Fa] that five members of its central committee were elected. You can watch several photos of their meeting and election here.

Saudi Arabia: Independent women

  29 August 2008

While there are no doubt restrictions for women living in Saudi Arabia, they do not necessarily match the oppressive image that many foreigners have of the country. In this post we have advice for women wanting to visit Jeddah alone, a review of a women-only hotel in Riyadh, and a plea to those foreigners who feel they want to speak on behalf of oppressed Saudi women.

Armenia: Opposition Truce

  29 August 2008

Unzipped commends the opposition in Armenia for deciding to postpone planned street protests and other political actions ahead of next week's historic football match with Turkey in Yerevan. The move is meant to contribute to the possibility for Armenian-Turkish reconcilliation.

Iraq: “Egyptians Recruited to Iraq”

  28 August 2008

“According to Egyptian website Al-Mesryoon, last two months there was a campaign in America to recruit Egyptians as interpreters in the American forces and to be sent to Iraq. The Americans offer Green Card to Egyptians who sign a contract to work for at least six months, and the recruiters...

Iraq: Selling Fuel in Baghdad

  28 August 2008

“The gas and the fuel for cars has always been a problem for Iraqis inside Iraq, the irony that Iraq has one of the worlds largest reservoirs of oil is not lost on Iraqis,” says Alive in Baghdad, which posts a video on the situation here.

Tunisia: Eleven Minutes

  28 August 2008

“Another Paulo Coelho book that I've read recently and that I've been meaning to write about is ‘Eleven Minutes’. The book is pretty different from the other books I've read by Paulo Coelho, even though it is equally as great and enjoyable as a book, and inspiring in its own...

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Mariam A.
Mariam A. is the editor for the Middle East & North Africa. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.