· March, 2012

Stories about West Asia & North Africa from March, 2012

Egypt: Baheyya Weighs in on Khaled Ali

Renowned Egyptian blogger Baheyya writes about Egypt's youngest presidential candidate – Khaled Ali, who turned 40 last month. “In this maiden presidential race, electability is hard to gauge. But if...

20 March 2012

Israel: “We Love Iranians”

Paul Mutter blogs about the newest permutations of a social media campaign started over the weekend by two Israeli graphics designers that is called “We Love Iranians,” aimed at raising...

20 March 2012

Egypt: A Stranger in my Own Country

Dr. Nadia El Awady, Egyptian blogger and Science journalist, discussed the different dreams people had when they participated in the 25 January, 2011, Egyptian revolution, and how she is shocked that these dreams turned out to be different than hers.

19 March 2012

Turkey: Police Attack Kurds Celebrating Newroz

Thousands of Kurds took to the streets in celebration of Newroz across Turkey today but were dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. The celebration marks the first day of Spring. Kurds in the past were not allowed to exert their Kurdish identity in public, but since the 1980s, Newroz has become a symbolic event in highlighting Kurdish culture, and identity.

18 March 2012

Syria: When Assad Falls

Like all Arabs protesting against their dictators, Syrians have many hopes and aspirations for life after the toppling of their dictator Bashar Al Assad. On Twitter, Syrians are sharing their dreams under the hash tag #WhenAssadFalls

18 March 2012

Yemen: Remembering the Friday of Dignity

A year ago, around 52 protesters were killed and close to 100 were reportedly injured in Sanaa. Netizens remember the day, March 18 - a turning point in Yemen's revolution, which made many people, statesmen, diplomats, and soldiers defect and join the ranks of the protesters.

18 March 2012

Egypt: RIP Pope Shenouda III

Yesterday, the sun set on Egypt with a somber note - Pope Shenouda III, the Head of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, had died after a long severe battle of illness at the age of 89. Netizens react to the news.

18 March 2012

A Love Letter From Israel to Iran

A message of love from Israelis to Iranians sounds stranger than fiction in these tense years where Iranian and Israeli governments threaten each other constantly. But we see examples of just this in a new Facebook campaign.

18 March 2012

Iran: I repent that I voted for Ahmadinejad

Omid Hosseini, An Iranian blogger who has been actively supporting Mahmoud Ahmadienajd in 2009 presidential election and rejecting the post-election protests, writes [fa] in his blog: ‘I'm sorry that I...

17 March 2012

Iran: ‘The button’ in Ahmadinejad remarks

Iran's parliament questioned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over a list of accusations, including that he mismanaged the nation's economy and disobeyed the parliament's legislation. Ahmadienejad humiliated those members of the parliament...

17 March 2012

Ethiopia/Lebanon: Online Outrage Over Death of Domestic Worker Turns into Activism

Alem Dechasa, the woman seen in a mobile phone video footage circulating online being beaten and dragged by force into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, has committed suicide. The video sparked anger amongst Ethiopians netizens. Following her death, netizens are organizing online to call for justice and draw attention to abuse of Ethiopian domestic workers in the Middle East.

17 March 2012

Morocco: A Protest to End Forced Marriage After Rape

Moroccans are taking a stand tomorrow (March 17) in protest against the plight of 16-year-old Amina Filali, who committed suicide after being forced to marry the man who raped her. Amina's marriage to her rapist was approved by a judge. Her suicide has raised a storm of reactions both on social networks and on the ground.

16 March 2012

Egypt: The Plight of Rural Women

Egyptian blogger Ahmed Awadalla writes about rural women in Egypt in this eye-opening post. Such women, he says, suffer the “highest rates of illiteracy; bear the heavy burden of utmost...

16 March 2012

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.