Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2010
Morocco: The Death of a Newspaper
Jamal Elabiad writes of the possible demise of Morocco's only English-language newspaper, The Casablanca Analyst.
Iran: Webcomic about a young protester
Zahra's paradise ,a graphic novel, is the fictional story of the search for Mehdi, a young protestor who has disappeared in the Islamic Republic’s gulags.”
Palestine: Sleepless in Gaza
The premier episode of a 90 part series, Sleepless in Gaza…and Jerusalem will be launched on YouTube on March 1st. The series will be a video diary about four young Palestinian women, Muslim and Christian, two living in Gaza and two in Arab Jerusalem/West Bank. The series will show how...
Qatar: Artist MF Husain trades Indian passport for Qatari one
Reactions on the Internet ranged from shock, dismay and delight as MF Husain, one of India's most celebrated and reviled artists, is offered Qatari citizenship - and accepts.
Morocco: Maghreb Bloggers Search for Common Ground
A three-day workshop for bloggers from Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco was held from 15 to 17 February 2010 in the Moroccan capital Rabat. Participating bloggers reported and live-tweeted the event. They shared their blogging experiences, engaged in lively debates openly confronting their views on contentious issues and were encouraged to reflect on ways to find grounds for mutual understanding.
Egypt: Cats can wink too
Egyptian blogger Tarek Amr (ar) winked at a cat and it winked back at him.
Egypt: DC Rally for Kareem Amer
Supporters in Washington DC held a rally in support of jailed Egyptian blogger Kareem Amer. Kareem has been in prison for three years as part of a four year sentence for insulting Islam and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
Bahrain: Lymphoma and Leukaemia Support Group
Bahraini Dr Nabeel Tammam has formed a Facebook group entitled Bahraini Lymphoma and Leukaemia Support Group.
Jordan: Taxed to Death?
Are Jordanians being ‘taxed to death'? Read Naseem Tarawnah's take here.
Egypt: Fan Page for ElBaradei
Egyptian fans formed a Facebook group in support of Mohamed El Baradei – whom they hope would run for President. The group has so far attracted more than 6,300 fans.
Bahrain: Blog Hacked?
Bahraini blogger Mohammed Al Maskati suspects that his blog has been hacked and here‘s what he did.
Lebanon: Stolichnaya and the Girl in the Bathtub
Lebanese blogger Rami at “Plus961” posts some photographs of Stolichnaya‘s latest advertisement which included a girl in a bathtub in the streets of Beirut.
Lebanon: The Return of the Kamikaze
Lebanese Blogger and Illustrator Maya Zankoul shares her story of watching a mother crossing a very crowded and dangerous highway with her two children on foot.
Palestine/West Bank: Peace Protesters use Avatar Movie Visuals
Recent protest against land appropriation of the West Bank village of Bil'in included Palestinian and Israeli activists masked as Na'vi characters from the controversial Avatar movie, which they consider anti-imperialist. Video clips posted by NGO “Friends of Freedom and Justice – Bilin” show Israeli Defense Forces using tear gas and...
Iran: Cyber Islamic Militarism on the March
The internet is usually touted as a space for dialogue and peaceful exchange, but in the case of Iran, the political conflict has also morphed into new forms of online "warfare" where the most powerful weapons are those that silence free speech.
Macedonia: Official Website of Skopje Old Bazaar
Archaeological Diary informs [MKD] about the opening of the official website [MKD] for governmental Program for Revitalization of the Old Bazaar in Skopje, one of the most significant cultural treasures from the Ottoman period. Archeologist Vasilka Dimitrovska notes that for true revitalization, one has to work on providing content and...
Morocco: To Valentine or Not to Valentine?
In Morocco, as in many countries, celebrating Valentine's Day has caught on as a modern expression of love. In major cities, storefronts stock candy hearts and teddy bears, but, as blogger Robin du Blog points out, the Moroccan media doesn't always encourage the celebration.
Citizen Video wins George Polk Journalism Award
The citizen video recording the death of Neda, an Iranian woman during the presidential election protests in Iran has won the George Polk Award in Journalism. This amateur and anonymous video spread throughout the world and became a symbol of the Iranian Resistance and citizen journalism.
Iran: Bus Drivers Union Calls for Green-Labor Unity
In Ahwaznews, an Iranian blog we read [fa]:”Starting March 6, We the Workers of Vahed Company [bus drivers] Will Wage Acts of Civil Disobedience (or white strike) to Protest the Condition of Mansoor Osanloo in Prison. We Appeal to the Iranian People and to the Democratic Green Movement–of which we...
Egypt: Recall your Corolla
Zeinobia mentions that the Egyptian Consumer Protection Agency has obliged Toyota Egypt to recall some of its models from the market, in order to fix defects Toyota announced earlier on the company’s expense.
Egypt: One year on from Gaza
Philip Rizk writes his thoughts and memories, a year after his abduction by Egyptian authorities – during his participation in the “To Gaza” march. He then covers a protest organized in Cairo in coordination with activists in Beirut, calling for an end to the construction of the Wall of Shame...