Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2010
Syria: Happy fifth birthday
Sasa celebrates his 5th year blogging in “Syria News Wire” – a fresh, independent news from the streets of Damascus and beyond.
Egypt: Nadia the flying fish
Egyptian journalist and blogger, Nadia El Awady, blogs her experience with Scuba diving in Hurghada, a popular sea resort on the Western limb of the Red Sea. She also shares some of her pictures taken from under the sea.
Saudi Arabia: Beware of Flirtation Charges!
Blogger American Bedu wrote about a new trend for flirtation in Saudi Arabia by sharing the PIN of Blackberry devices between boys and girls. She further mentions that the Commission to Promote Virtue and Prevent Vice (Muttawa) are now learning about Blackberry and have been given the authority to apprehend...
Kuwait: One Year, 188 Questions
Yasmine Gamal, Egyptian blogger living in Kuwait, shares her 188 questions of the day (Q.O.D) she posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts over the past year. She initially started this idea as a way to avoid the dullness of the status update or negativity and to start a conversation...
Egypt: Independent Single Women
Egyptian blogger and feminist activist, Fatma Emam, celebrated this Valentine with some of her friends being “independent, mature, well educated, professional and single women.”
Palestine: Going to School
Mohamed Khaled, posted pictures for Palestinian students going to schools.
Lebanon: Parking Stories
Lebanese blogger Qifa Nabki shares two parking stories he has encountered recently in Lebanon.
Lebanon: GeekFest Beirut
Jessica at the “Social Media Exchange(SMEX)” covered in this post the “GeekFest Beirut” event, which was held on Febraury 6th in the capital Beirut, where Lebanon’s online community emerged offline.
Macedonia, Turkey: Connected, not Divided by History
Chris Deliso, a travel writer and founder and director of Balkanalysis.com writes in an oped in Today's Zaman about the mutual fondness between citizens of Macedonia and Turkey, which is there despite the fact that one century ago, “Macedonia suffered tremendously during anti-Ottoman rebellions.” He sees potential for using the...
Iran: Women in Metro
ZoHre has published several photos of Iranian women in Tehran's Metro.
Egypt: Valentine's Day Dilemma
Forget about anything you know about the Valentine's Day, as you are going to experience so many contradicting reactions and thoughts regarding this day, after paying the Egyptian blogosphere a visit.
Iran: No Triumphs for Green Protests on Anniversary of Revolution
In protests on February 11, Iran's Green Movement were not able to mobilize as strongly as they have in the past due to the swift work of security forces.
Egypt: Blogger loses job for uncovering fake virginity story
Egyptian blogger and journalist Amira Al Tahawi got fired for blowing the whistle over a fabricated story on the Chinese artificial hymen kit in a post she wrote on her blog, claim bloggers. Here are reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere on the incident.
Lebanon: The Better Daily Star Project
Annoyed by the current design of the news website "The Daily Star", Lebanese Blogger Beirut Spring redesigns the website to show that it can be done.
Lebanon: Bloggers push for Daily Star revamp
Lebanese bloggers are waging an online campaign to push the country's only English online newspaper to revamp its website. One blogger even takes the effort to redesign a mock - which his colleagues hope will prompt a change at The Daily Star, turning the "1920's Russian steam boat" into a 21st century cruise liner.
Iran: Clashes in Tehran
A video film showing clashes in Tehran between anti regime protesters and security forces today on the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
Iran: Demonstration in Isfahan
A film showing the Iranian opposition in the streets of Isfahan on the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Here are some photos of pro government demonstrations in country.
Iran: Protesters ask for referendum
While President Ahmadinejad spoke to a crowd of thousands at Azadi, or Freedom Square, in central Tehran on the anniversary of the revolution, anti regime protesters demonstrated and called for referendum in Tehran. Watch the video here.
Hungary: Report on Acceptance of Right-Wing Extremism
Hungarian Spectrum reports that, according to the recent findings of a Hungarian think-tank, “in Turkey, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Hungary the impulses toward the acceptance of right-wing extremism are the strongest.”
Open Video: Worldwide Wireside chat with Lawrence Lessig
What is fair use, how does copyright fit into the digital age and how can commentary, teaching, remixing and research with video be freely developed? Tune in on February 25th 6:00pm US Eastern time (GMT -5) to watch and listen to Lawrence Lessig as he discusses these topics at the Open Video Alliance website or check out for screenings in your city.
Iran: Green Movement Readying for February 11 Protests
Iran's Green Movement is ready to defy the Iranian regime with protests once again - this time during the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on 11 Februrary (22 Bahman).