· April, 2013

Stories about West Asia & North Africa from April, 2013

Yemeni General Apologizes for 1994 Civil War on Facebook

Waving flags of a country that once existed, thousands assembled in former cities that used to make up South Yemen on 27 April 2013, to commemorate the day the north declared war on their people and occupied their land, nineteen years ago. The same day, the President's chief military advisor issued an apology on Facebook for all "unjust wars" declared by former President Saleh's regime.

30 April 2013

Iran: Investors Swarm Ahmadinejad over Losses

According to Payvand site and several bloggers, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was swarmed by a group of Iranians protesting the loss of their money in the Tabriz Nasr Secured Loans...

29 April 2013

Saudi-American View on Boston Bombings

Nora Abdulkarim shares a Saudi-American perspective on the Boston Bombings. She explains: I won't try to simplify what is inherently complex. I will simply present and reflect, and nothing more....

25 April 2013

Arabic Hashtag Trending Worldwide on Twitter

Kuwaiti Hamad Al Sabah tweets: @hmalsabah: Twitter is finally allowing Arabic hashtags to trend worldwide #كلام_مصري_مترجم pic.twitter.com/tb84Nkrk94 Netizens are using the hashtag, which translates to Egyptian Talk Translated, to translate...

25 April 2013

“Drone Strikes are the Face of America in Yemen”

22-year-old Yemeni Farea Almuslimi, appeared before the U.S. Senate hearing on America's secret drone war and gave a powerful testimony. The activist and freelance journalist comes from Wesab village, which was hit by a US drone strike on April 18, 2013.

25 April 2013

Saudi Judge Bars Women from Trial of Human Rights Activist

Just ten days after the first Saudi woman was granted a lawyer's license, a judge prohibited women from attending the public trial of activist Dr. Abdualkareem al-Khudar, founding member of the Kingdom's defiant leading human rights organisation, the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA).

24 April 2013

Your Legal Guide to Digital Security for Arab Human Rights Activists

Advox

The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, in Egypt, issued a “legal guide to digital security” as part of its digital freedoms programme. The guide was produced for campaigners and human rights activists and lawyers interested in freedom of digital expression and the confidentiality of communications and information stored on mobile phones, computers or any other device used to store or distribute data or information..

22 April 2013

Saudis Debate 1,000-Mile Yemen Border Fence

Earlier this month, BBC reported that Saudi Arabia is building a 1,000-mile fence on its border with Yemen. The news was barely reported in Saudi national press, but it was widely and critically reported in Yemeni press. The development was debated tensely in the Saudi Twittersphere. Supporters cited its absolute necessity for the safety of the kingdom while opponents spoke about the tighter siege it will impose on the Yemeni people.

22 April 2013

Iran: 60% of Population Online

An organization affiliated with Iran’s government says 60 percent of Iranians are connected to the internet, 40 percent of them are young people in their 20s. Iran’s “Center For Managing...

20 April 2013

Iran: Act Like a Man, Dress Like a Woman!

Kurdish men have photographed themselves dressed as women as part of a Facebook campaign to say, “Being a woman is not an instrument to punish or humiliate anybody.”

19 April 2013

Saudi Arabia's First Female Lawyer?

Arwa al-Hujaili has become Saudi Arabia's first female legal trainee – or three years of apprenticeship ahead before she earns her full legal licensure to become a lawyer. Free Arabs...

18 April 2013

Muslims Mourn Boston Marathon Victims

Free Arabs’ co-founder Nasser Weddady – representing the American Islamic Congress – spoke today at an Interfaith Memorial Service in Boston alongside President Obama. To read the speech and watch...

18 April 2013

Give the Egyptian President a Bath!

Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi has left a stench – on Twitter. Blogger and activist Nawara Negm started the hash tag #حموا_الرئيس [ar], which translates to “Give the President a Bath, after reading in a Lebanese newspaper that some German officials complained about Morsi's body odour to the Egyptian foreign ministry.

18 April 2013

#Yemen: A US Drone Hits Dhamar

After a three month break in Yemen from U.S drone strikes, a drone last night, April 18th, 2013, killed five Qaeda suspects. Activist and journalist Farae Al-muslimi, from the village of Wessab, in the province of Dhamar, broke the news of the US drone strike, on Twitter.

18 April 2013

About our West Asia & North Africa coverage

Walid El Houri
Walid El Houri is the West Asia and North Africa Editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.