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Stories about West Asia & North Africa from March, 2015
In Caracas I Found Tehran
Against the backdrop of the rapprochement between their two countries, Iranians and Venezuelans find friendship and common ground—and love too.
New Iranian Bank Note Replaces Nuclear Symbols with University Gates
At the moment, the Iranian government is in negotiations over its nuclear program with the P5+1 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Israel’s Elections: ‘It’s Us or Them’, ‘Anyone but Bibi’ and Everything in Between
Israelis head to the polls today. While major candidates for prime minister are still making game-changing announcements, a significant portion of voters are still undecided.
Israeli Bloggers Ask: Why is Gaza Not an Issue in the Upcoming Israeli Elections?
Bloggers at Israeli-Palestinian online magazine +972 are wondering why Gaza is not on the agenda of any of the major political parties as Israel gears up for general elections on Tuesday.
Human Rights Watch Website Temporarily Blocked at Egypt the Future Conference
A block on Human Rights Watch website was lifted at an economic conference in Egypt after a journalist raised the alarm on Twitter.
For Nepali Migrant Workers, the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar Is a Game of Death
"FIFA: DROP QATAR!! Nepal's slaves are dying like flies!" Over a third of the migrants building the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are Nepalis. Their story is harrowing.
Bahrain Court Postpones Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab's Case to April 15
A Bahrain court today [March 15, 2015] postponed its verdict in an appeal made by leading Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab against a six-month prison sentence until April 15....
Bahrain's Leading Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab Faces Prison for ISIS Tweets
As life grows increasingly intolerable for the country's Shia majority, one of the few people prepared to defend their rights faces jail.
First #AskHamas Session Ends With ‘Some Interesting Results’
Hamas is holding a five-day Twitter session hashtagged #AskHamas. While most Western media outlets focused on the backlash the campaign generated, little attention has been paid on Hamas’ answers.
Bahraini Human Rights Defender Awaits Sentence
Nabeel Rajab is scheduled to be sentenced in a case brought against him by the Bahraini government on March 15, concerning comments about ISIS that he made on Twitter. Convicted of “denigrating...
Watch John Lubbock's ‘Istanbul: The Politics of Architecture’
John Lubbock shares with Global Voices his newly made documentary on contested heritage and cultural legacies in Turkey's largest city.
How One Lebanese NGO is Helping Syrian Refugees
The 'Lebanese for Refugees' NGO is attempting to alleviate the suffering of Syrians living in Lebanon's refugee camps. Joey Ayoub takes a closer look to find out how
A Dialogue About Communication — Not Political Change — in Iran
Iran Internet experts gather to talk about how Iranians can easily access information communication technologies that connect Iranians to each other, and to the rest of the world.
Iran's Foreign Minister Responds to Letter from Republican Senators
Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif penned a response to the letter 47 Republican U.S. Senators sent to Iranian leaders. The letter was in opposition to nuclear negotiations with Iran over...
The Houthi and Hadi Confrontation is Taking Yemen to a Dangerous Place
Hadi is building a rival power center in the south against the Houthis, a ten-thousand strong tribal militia that forcefully occupied Yemen's capital Sana’a on January 20.
When You Don't Want to Listen to Netanyahu, You Write a Computer Script to Do It for You
Tarek Amr analyzes the words that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used most often in his speech to America's Congress. Top word? "The". Second place? "Iran".
Outrage as ISIS Destroys Ancient Assyrian City
The looting and destruction of the ancient city of Nimrud by the radical group ISIS has been called a "war crime" by UNESCO.
Netanyahu's Speech to Congress Was Polarizing, to Say the Least
In the United States, and elsewhere, reactions to the speech by many public figures and ordinary Internet users were unusually negative.
Gazan Doctor Aims to Rebuild Strip's Only School for Disabled Children
A Gazan doctor teams up with human rights activist to rebuild Gaza's only school for disabled children.
John Legend Tells Bahrain's Peaceful Protesters: I Stand With You
"A just society is one built not on fear or repression or vengeance or exclusion, but one built on love." - John Legend.
Egyptians Gleefully Remix ISIS ‘National Anthem’
Egyptians are poking fun of the ISIS "national anthem" by uploading videos to YouTube featuring dancers swaying to the song's words
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