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Stories about West Asia & North Africa from May, 2012
Iran: Hadi Net,a new religious Social Networking
Islamic Republic has launched a new social networking called “Hadi Net“. Iranian media reported[fa] this social networking is an answer to Shahin Najafi‘s “insults regarding one Shi'ite Imam.”
Yemen: Suicide Blast on Eve of Unification Anniversary
Nearly 100 people were killed and at least 200 injured when a suicide blast targeted a military parade rehearsal in Yemen's capital Sana'a on May 21. The bomber detonated his explosives in the middle of soldiers rehearsing for the celebrations of the anniversary of the country's unification.
Mauritania: Al Qaeda Execution Stirs Debate
A YouTube video posted on the Al Akhbar website on May 12 has angered Mauritanians. The video shows a 40-year-old Mauritanian man being interrogated by members of Al Qaeda, who accuse him of espionage. He was later executed after confessing to working with Mauritanian intelligence.
Yemen: Millions Go Hungry in Ongoing Food Crisis
In Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, millions of people are facing a severe humanitarian crisis, widespread hunger and chronic malnutrition. New figures from the World Food Programme indicate that 45 percent of the population do not have enough to eat.
Turkey: Poetic Commemoration of Uludere Airstrike Victims
In December 2011 in southeastern Turkey several Turkish Airforce F-16s bombed a convoy of Turkish Kurds on mules who were engaged in border trade, apparently mistaking them for Kurdish rebels. Thirty-four were killed. Poet Bejan Matur has paid tribute to the victims in words and photos.
Israel: Increase in Racism Against African Asylum Seekers
In the past few weeks two cases of rape of Jewish women by Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers have been reported in the Israeli media, prompting a new wave of racism against asylum seekers in Israel.
Palestine: Agreement Made to End Prisoners’ Hunger Strike
On May 14 over 2000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails ended their hunger strike after periods varying from 28 to 77 days, when the Israel Prison Service agreed to implement measures ensuring the basic rights of prisoners would be met.
Iran: Protesting against Google
Iranians have been complaining that Google Maps now has no name on the body of water called the Persian Gulf.IranFarda says [fa] Mr.Google do you like we call you, Yahoo?
Iran: Buying book can become dangerous
Several bloggers published a photo where a woman pushed to the ground by the security forces in a book fair. Gargagarga writes it happens in book fair and everybody is...
Jordan: Jordanians Say “Thank You!” to Monarchy
Jordanian Twitter users have been using the hashtag #شكرا, or “thank you”, to tweet sarcastically about what the Jordanian monarchy has done for the country. The tweets are a reaction to the slowness of the ongoing reform process in Jordan.
Lebanon: UK Ambassador to Chat on Twitter with Haifa Wehbe
The British Embassy in Lebanon has announced an online discussion between the UK ambassador (@HMATomFletcher) and Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe (@HaifaWehbe), to take place on May 18 at 6pm (Lebanese...
Palestine: PalFest Literature Festival in Gaza for First Time
This year for the first time the Palestinian Festival of Literature was held in Gaza. A group of about forty Egyptian, Tunisian, Sudanese and Palestinian authors, artists and activists were granted permission to visit Gaza and participate in PalFest 2012 from May 5 to 10.
Proposals for Union of Arab Gulf States Prompt Concern
The governments of the Gulf are discussing transforming the current Gulf Cooperation Council into an EU-style union. The move comes in an atmosphere of tension caused by the Arab uprisings and Iran's growing influence. As a first step, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain might seek closer union.
Egypt: The Questions Missing from the Presidential Debates
Following Egypt's first ever presidential debate, and with interviews being held every day with presidential candidates, political analyst Mohamed Seif Eldawla has written on his blog Zakerat Aloma about the questions...
Iran: A blogger was arrested
Iranian cyber police (Fata) announced [fa] a blogger in the northern city of Rasht was arrested. The blogger was accused of writing in his blog against Rasht's authorities and trying...
Iran: Successful campaign against lashes for cartoonist
An online campaign against lashes for Iranian cartoonist turned to be successful. Mahmoud Shokrayeh was sentenced to 25 lashes for a caricature of a local MP, Ahmad Lotfi. Iranian cartoonists...
Yemen: The #NoDrones Campaign
Yemenis have launched a campaign on Twitter to express their condemnation of the United States' drone war in Yemen. They are tweeting under the hashtag #NoDrones, and have asked non-Yemenis to speak out and join them in their campaign.
Iran: Cartoonist Eludes Sentence of 25 Lashes for Drawing Politician
An Iranian cartoonist, Mahmoud Shokraye, was sentenced to 25 lashes for drawing a cartoon of former conservative member of parliament, Ahmad Lotfi Ashtyani in the Arak region. A campaign to support the cartoonist was launched online.
Saudi Arabia: May 7 Marked as Saudi Liberalism Day
On May 7 Saudi liberal activists gathered online to celebrate Saudi Liberalism Day, an initiative to acquire recognition and acceptance for liberal ideas.
Jordan: Campaign Launched Against “Rape-Marriage” Law
In March of this year 16-year-old Moroccan Amina Filali committed suicide after she was forced to marry her rapist. Now Jordanians are speaking up about a 15-year-old rape victim who has been married off to the man convicted of raping her, whose death sentence has been dropped as a consequence.
Egypt: How do the Presidential Candidates’ Posters Compare?
About ten days remain before the presidential elections in Egypt. A few days ago we witnessed the first presidential debate in the country's history, but the candidates' posters will also play a big role in the final decision of the voters.
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