Stories about Jordan from August, 2010
MENA: The Bigger Picture Behind Eden Abergil's Facebook Photos
When ex-Israeli soldier Eden Abergil's Facebook photo album "IDF-the best days of my life" was revealed to contain pictures of her posing mockingly alongside blindfolded Palestinian detainees, the blogosphere was outraged. In this post, Katharine Ganly takes a look at some of the different reactions from the MENA region.
Morocco: When Sarkozy “Proposes” a French Version of Ramadan
When Ahmed wrote his satirical blog post about a completely fictional announcement by president Nicolas Sarkozy intending to impose a French version of Islam on French Muslims, he never imagined his "story" would make the headlines of newspapers and mainstream media websites, not as the innocent prank he initially intended but as factual news.
Jordan: Reema, We Refuse to Let You Die in Vain
A 35-year old mother of three was shot by her husband during her sleep in Jordan. The reason for this murder? Her husband believes that his wife was a "victim of sorcery" and that she would kill him first. A heartfelt obituary has been written online by her nephew, a blogger, and appeals are being sent so that her death may not be in vain.
Jordan: Big Brother is Watching You!
Jordanian netizens had a rude awakening when news surfaced about the sentencing of Imad Al-Ash to two years in prison - for insulting the Jordanian monarch in an instant message (IM) he had sent to a friend. Bloggers and their readers have their say here.
Jordan: Royal Conversations
What would a confidential meeting between King Abdullah of Jordan and his extended family be like? Mab3oos gives us a fly-on-the-wall view in this humourous post, the first of a series of tongue-in-cheek glimpses into what goes on behind closed doors.
Jordan: Honking Horns Mark School Result Announcement
Celebrations mark the announcement of secondary school results, known as Tawjihi in many Arab countries. Naseem Al Tarawnah tweets the scene from Amman: “11:20pm. Amman. Honking horns & kids, riding on car windows, screaming. Either Tawjihi results are out or #JO just put a man on the moon.”
Jordan: Leap in Twitter Users
On Arab Crunch, Gaith Saqer writes about the leap in Twitter users around the world.”The Middle-East Africa jumped 142 per cent to 5 million visitors” in the period from June 2009 to June 2010.
Jordan: An Ode to the White Plastic Chair
“My dear white plastic chair: without you, the world wouldn’t be the same,” Roba at And Far Away writes an ode to the ubiquitous white plastic chair, complete with photos to illustrate its presence in the world.
China: Visa tales
With all the economic growth in China over the past few decades and a growing number of global travelers to match, have visa requirements for Chinese citizens been adapting in step? Well-heeled journalist Chen Zikun shares his experiences, see if or how any of them compare to yours.
