· January, 2007

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from January, 2007

Oman: Celebrating Football Victory!

  29 January 2007

Omani blogger Lym celebrated Oman's victory in this year's Khaleeji (Gulf) Football Championship in style. She joined street celebrations and had “so much fun watching happy people celebrate, dancing on the streets, and waving the Omani flag.” “The only thing I don't condone is when I see guys sitting on...

Lebanon: Photoshop War on Political Opponents

  29 January 2007

Lebanese blogger Mustafa says using Photoshop is the best way to discredit any political opponents. He welcomes con artists to “express your talents here in The Beirut Spring. Forgery is serious matter in the real-world.”

Lebanon: What Does Nasrullah Want?

  29 January 2007

Lebanese blogger Anton Efendi objects to Hassan Nasrullah‘s Ashura speech, saying that the Hizbulla leader “is intent on taking the country to war.” “What was his message to the Shiite community and the Lebanese? It was one of war, death, and suicide. This was best crystallized in a truly disturbing...

Israel: More Jews Migrating to Canada

  29 January 2007

Writing in Jewish Sans Frontieres, Mark Elf, reports that Canada is granting residency to growing numbers of Israeli asylum seekers, including ethnic Russians, ultra-orthodox Jews and political dissidents who say they are victims of political or religious persecution in Israel. He also wonders why why the presence of more Jews...

Israel: Suicide Bombing in Eilat

  29 January 2007

Israeli blogger Judy, at Adloyada, is is confused with today's responses by Palestinian groups to the latest suicide bombing in Eilat, which has so far claimed three dead. Getting mixed reactions, she wants to know who should be the real spokesman for the Palestinians.

Kuwait: What is a Muhajababe?

  29 January 2007

K the Kuwaiti has just come across an interesting book, which he has ordered online, provided, of course, it gets past the Kuwaiti customs! The book is entitled Muhajababes: Meet the Middle East's next generation. As an explanation, K tells is that: “muhajabah noun (Arabic) a woman who veils muhajababe...

Iran:Anti Iranian Government Ad on American TV

  29 January 2007

Haji Washington says that AFP,the American Foreign Policy Council,has sponsored and launched two ads against Iranian government on USA TV.One ad starts with Ahmadinejad's declaration against Holocaust and continues with the images of Iran-Iraq war.Then at the end, you see a key slogan:Iran ignores nuclear deadline. Ad invites you to...

Iran:Revolutionary Gurads say abducting Americans is easy

  29 January 2007

Kamangir reports that Sepah (Revolutionary Guards) internal journal, Sobh-e Sadegh [the real sunrise], published a short article in which the author, Reza Zaker, refers to the highly-spread pattern of American presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Pakistan, India, Africa, Latin America, and even Europe. The article threatens that “abducting Americans...

Libya: To Return or not to Return?

  29 January 2007

The last weeks saw a variety of activities on Libyan blogs. It was the ‘end of term’ exams in Libyan schools and Khadijateri has devoted several posts to that. On the other hand, a hot topic was introduced by Nura on Ly-Hub. Ly-Hub is a blog connecting Libyan bloggers or...

Iran:Journalists are out of jail

  28 January 2007

According to Kosoof,three female journalists, who had been arrested yesterday while they wanted to go to India to take part in a workshop,are out of jail now.

Iran:3 Female Journalists were arrested in airport

  27 January 2007

According to Zanestan 3 female journalists and activits for women's rights were arrested today in Iran while they wanted to take a trip to India to participate in a workshop [Fa].Talat Taghinia,Farnaz Seyfi and Mansoureh Shojai were arrested in airport and were sent to Evin prison.

A Week Goes by in Kuwait

  27 January 2007

A couple of Kuwaitis have just participated in Gulfrun, an event which Kthekuwaiti attended, and which he described as: ” GulfRun is a yearly ‘rally’ that starts off in Kuwait with the cars going to Bahrain and back for the weekend (think mini-Gumball). The F1 circuit has been reserved for...

Iran:”Khatami has no plan to go Israel”

  27 January 2007

Mohammad Ali Abtahi,Khatami‘s friend and reformist politician, says “tonight one of the news agencies sent a text mail stating that the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot Has claimed that they have interviewed Mr Khatami in Davos and Mr Khatami has sent regards to Moshe Katsav, the Israeli president, as a fellow...

Hareega: Special Bathrooms

  26 January 2007

Dr Hareega, an Arab doctor in the US, is finding it difficult to find a restroom (bathroom) in the clinic he works at. “In the clinic I was looking for a restroom, couldn't find anythen I found a room next to me , looked like a bathroom from inside, with...

Israel: Jamming Against Forced Prostitution

  26 January 2007

Tel Avivian blogger Yohay Elam today attended a jamming session to make noise against forced prostitution. “Hundreds of women are held against their will in central cities in Israel, and “employed” as prostitutes. The authorities know where they are, and don’t act to release them. The media usually ignores these...

Bahrain: Commemorating Muharram in Style

  26 January 2007

It's the month of Muharram in the Muslim calendar – a month commemorated with a variety of activities in Bahrain. Blogger Mahmood Al Yousif pays a visit to a friend's house, where they were preparing three pots – each with a capacity for 850kg of Shilla – a special dish...

Algeria: Advice to Arab-Americans

  26 January 2007

Algerian blogger Nouri urges Arab Americans to take a closer look at candidates running in next year's US Presidential race before they cast their votes. “Arab Americans face a political machinery, on both the Republican and Democratic sides of the street. Not only are Arabs and Muslims politically “dangerous” for...

Iran:We want Peace

  26 January 2007

Amin Sabeti is refering to Iranian nuclear crisis and says that Iranian people want peace and do not want to pay for another war.He says in these last two years nuclear crisis related problems has made country lost a lot of economic opportunities[Fa].

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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.