Iran: Foreign VPNs Blocked

Several blogs and news sites reported that Iranian authorities have blocked many foreign-based virtual private networks, or VPNs, severely restricting access to many websites.

Should Alcohol be Legalised in Libya?

Libyan netizens are debating whether alcohol should be allowed in the country – after more than 50 people have died from drinking methane-tainted home-made alcohol in Tripoli. Another 470-plus people have been taken to hospitals for treatment, prompting a heated discussion on why lifting the alcohol ban would introduce legislation, which will in turn prevent such wide-scale tragedies from happening again.

US Attorney General Praises Saudi Reforms

US Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. is in the Saudi capital Riyadh – where he praised judicial reforms in the kingdom. On Riyadh Bureau, Ahmed Al Omran writes: The day before Holder’s press conference a Saudi court in Riyadh sentenced two prominent human rights activists to long jail terms and...

British Security Firm Profits from Mali War

Ramzy Baroud writes [fr] about the conflict in Mali on Pambazuka: British security firm G4S will rake in enormous profits due to the crisis taking place in Mali, Libya and Algeria. Recognized as the biggest security firm in the world, the group was downgraded at the time of the Olympic Games in London last...

The State of Torture in the World in 2013

On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...

Saudi Court Sentences Reformists to 10 and 11 Years in Prison

Earlier today, March 9th, the Riyadh Criminal Court issued its verdict against the two prominent reformists and human rights activists Mohammad al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, after being prosecuted for “breaking allegiance to the ruler and his successor” and “trying to impede the country’s developments”. al-Qahtani was sentenced to 10 years in prison and al-Hamid was sentenced to 5 years in prison in addition to completing his previous sentence (7 years, released after a year with a royal pardon).

Blogger to Ahmadinejad: Watch ‘The Godfather’

Hossein Derakhshan, a jailed Iranian blogger, wrote a letter to President Ahmadinejad and advised him to watch The Godfather movie and learns lessons from it. The blogger said Ahmadinejad had a “thirst to serve people but now it seems he has thirst for power”.

Archetypes of Iranian Internet Use

The Iran Media Program at the Annenberg School for Communication, present a new study: “Fights, Adapts, Accepts: Archetypes of Iranian Internet Use” by Arash Abadpour and Collin Anderson.

Dima Al Khatib Remembers Hugo Chavez

Some liked him, others hated him, but the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez held a special place in the heart of Arab journalist Dima Al Khatib. As Al Jazeera's Latin America bureau chief, the Syrian-born Palestinian journalist developed a close relationship with Chavez during her 10-year stay in Caracas. Al Khatib, who is now teaching in Dubai, reveals more about this bond in a series of tweets following his death on Tuesday.

Palestine/Syria: A Tale of Two Women

Palestinian blogger Budoor Hassan shares the story of two women in this blog post – Nariman Tamimi in Nabi Saleh, a tiny village north west of Ramallah in the West Bank and Maha Ghrer in Bustan Al-Qasr, a neighbourhood in Aleppo, Syria.

Iran's President Says “Chavez Will Return with Christ”

“I have no doubt Chavez will return with Jesus Christ and all the other righteous ones,” said Ahmedinejad in his condolence message for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

The Conflict in Mali: Who is Fighting Whom, and Why?

Since the bloody conflict in Mali began one year ago, the crisis has evolved in fits and starts, all the while immersed in a historical framework that the mainstream media too often oversimplifies. Here we will try to unpack the complexities of the conflict by putting into context the violent fighting currently engulfing the northern African country.

Israel Introduces Separate Bus Lines for Jews and Arabs

Israel has introduced “Palestinian only” bus lines for Jews and Arabs, traveling from the West Bank to Israel, starting today [March 4, 2013]. Netizens react to the news, describing Israel as practicing segregation and apartheid.

Hafez Al Assad's Statue Destroyed in Syria

Saudi Prince: “A Rational Man Would Not Tolerate Women Going to The Streets”

A Saudi Prince said today that a rational man would not tolerate women going to the streets [in protest]. The comments, by the deputy governor of Qassim province Faisal bin Mishal, follow the crackdown on a sit-in by women, who called for the fall of the Saudi Interior Minster last Monday. The women, some with their children, as well as citizens who helped them during their protest, are now under arrest.

Tough Questions to Iran's President Censored on State TV

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB cut away suddenly from the broadcast of an interview with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad interrupting tough questions and answers about Iran's economy with another show.