Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2013
Saudi Arabia: Hospital Gives HIV, Minister Gives iPad
Reham al-Hakami is a 13-year-old girl who got infected with HIV after being given a blood transfusion in a hospital in Jizan, in southern Saudi Arabia. The case sparked anger...
Egyptians Elected Morsi Because …
On Twitter, Egyptians who voted for Mohamed Morsi in the Egyptian presidential elections in June 24 are remorseful - and their regret is evident in a new hashtag which reads:...
A Second Revolution in Libya?
The road to democracy is a bumpy one for Libyans, who are marking the second anniversary of their revolution this week. Fozia Mohamed charts the reactions of bloggers on the...
Saudi Charged for “Down with the House of Saud” Tweet
Bader Thawab is a Saudi Twitter user who was arrested back in September 2012 after writing tweets calling for the fall of the Saudi monarchy. Journalist Iman al-Qahtani managed to...
Japan's Conservation Groups Fight to Preserve Wetlands
Damp and marshy, they seem boring and barren. But contrary to their appearance, tidal flats or coastal wetlands are rich in biodiversity and help maintain balance in the water cycle....
Secret Life and Death of Mossad Spy ‘Prisoner X’
Revelations by Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) progamme Foreign Correspondent on 12 February, 2013 have fired up onliners. The mysterious Prisoner X who allegedly committed suicide in an Israeli gaol in...
Boy, 16, Killed on Second Anniversary of Bahrain Protests
A 16-year-old boy was killed in Bahrain today (February 14, 2013), on the second anniversary of the start of widespread Arab Spring-style protests across the country. His death, reportedly from...
Saudi Women Protesters Arrested for “Impairing Development”
Last Saturday, February 9th, a small protest was organized in front of the building of Human Rights Commission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by a group of women and children including...
Protester Sets Himself on Fire, Yemen Remembers the Revolution
Revolutionaries throughout Yemen are celebrating the 2nd anniversary of February 11, 2011 - the day Yemen's revolution began. Netizens share their thoughts on the occasion.
Dignity, Courage and Hypocrisy: Egyptian Man Stripped Naked by Police
A video showing an Egyptian man Hamada Saber being beaten and stripped by the police has gone viral, creating a wave of shock and disbelief in the country.
Secular Politician Shot Dead, Protests Erupt Across Tunisia
Protests have erupted in Tunisia following the murder of opposition leader Chokri Belaid. Belaid was shot dead outside his house in the early hours of February 6, 2013.
Iran: Will Thieving Officials Also Have Their Hands Chopped Off?
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once again proved his talent for making surprising headlines when he played a video for the parliament implicating some of the country's leading officials in a...
Saudi Activist Trial Postponed Without Prior Notice
A new trial was supposed to start today [Feb 4, 2013] for Saudi Political and Civil Rights Association (ACPRA) co-founder Dr Abdulkareem al-Khudr. Two of the association's co-founders, Dr Abdullah...
Iran Sent One Monkey Into Space and Another Came Back
Bloggers have challenged claims by the Iranian government that they successfully launched a monkey into space and retrieved the animal alive on January 28, 2013. Before and after photos of...