Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2006
African Music Roundup #3
It's been a fun few weeks with the festival of football that was the African Cup of Nations (congratulations to Egypt the host). Watching all the footballing talent on display made me proud to be an African. So we look forward to Ghana '08 and all the beautiful things the...
Bahrain: Blood, Sex and Incarceration
Good. You're paying attention now so let's start this week's roundup with the mundane and progress from there: Mahmood seems to have been branded a pervert for photographing wild parakeets having sex in one of his palm trees and have chosen to nest in his house's eaves. He's been warned;...
Iran: Starbucks or Star Box
Mr.Behi, Iran based blogger writes “I enjoy the taste and atmosphere of The Starbucks Coffee whenever I travel outside of Iran. Being an American company, Starbucks cannot open any branch in Iran due to the current US embargo regulations”. But he adds recently he discovered, in Tehran, a new coffee...
Bridging The Gap… Danish Cartoons Again
A very important update on the Syrian Blogsphere was the Bridge the Gap in Blogspace project, started mainly to get bloggers from all over the world a bit closer, bloggers who believe in peace and mutual understanding. Ayman from The Damascene Blog says… Moderate and open-minded people exist on both...
Iraq: Ashurah
Mohammed of Iraq The Model reports on how the Ashura festival passed in Baghdad: “For many Iraqis, the wheel of time had stopped 14 centuries ago and it seems that it is the past not the present that is more influential in the lives and mentality of many Iraqis.” and...
From the Jordanian Blogosphere
The Jordanian blogosphere has a lot to say on the Jordanian constitution this week. Naseem Tarawneh writes about the 200 temporary laws and the Jordanian Constitution created between 1999 and 2005. Lina Ejeilat meanwhile is angry at the situation regarding the arrest of Chief Editors of the two weekly tabloids,...
Iran: A Deadly Mistake
FMSokhan ( Persian), Iran based blogger and journalist, writes life of Mrs. Afroutan, Tamadon Hormozgan journalist, is in danger in prison. She and several other journalists were arrested when they published, by mistake, an article in scientific section of journal about” How Aids Came to Iran”. Article had been taken...
Bloglogue: Iran in the Media
Bloglogue project finally was launched on webgardian blog with the following questions: Do you think the news that we get about Iran or sensitive issues are biased? Why? And how can bloggers or non bloggers as individuals communicate non biased news? Dream or reality? Six contributors, four bloggers and two...
Iraq: Riverbend Raided
Riverbends neighborhood and home was raided by the police. She provides a detailed account of what happened: “One of them stood with the Klashnikov pointed at us, and the other one began opening cabinets and checking behind doors. We were silent. The only sounds came from my aunt, who was...
Iran: Revolution & Stupidity?
In Samimanetar, (Persian) blogger says he heard several times from Tajzadeh, Islamic activist before revolution, political reformist & blogger, that we were not stupid to make revolution in 1970's, stupid are people who wants to go back to 1979 (The year when revolution happened).
Iraq: Childrens Games
Baghdad Treasure is shocked how Iraqi children's games have turned into enactments of the violence seen on the streets of Baghdad: “I remember seeing Yousif imitating a security contractor guarding a convoy and pointing his gun at his friends … Dhuha, his 5-year-old friend imitated a woman scared and running...
Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome
When I agreed to do this column I was thinking – “well this can't be too bad” – “there is a level amount of new stuff posted every week” – “I can handle it”. But I did not account for a full-blown international conflict of cultures that set the Iraqi...
Iran: Only Solution!
Mehrangiz Kar (Persian), US based human rights activist & blogger, says not only extremist forces inside Iranian State don't want any direct negotiation with US but some other Iranians reject this idea because, for them, it will reinforce Islamic State. Blogger thinks under huge pressure of their public opinion, extremist...
Israel: People for the Safe Use of the Internet
As a result of a tragic event in my family, in which my son, being in depression, received encouragement and instructions how to commit suicide over the net, 8 years ago, which resulted shortly in his death, I decided to set up a non-profit organizatioon in Israel, called ESHNAV, translated...
Iran: Danish Cartoons again!
Mr.Behi, Iran based blogger, says even if we suppose that the newspaper wanted to show the “ugly face of intolerant hard-line Muslims of our time” It was easier to symbolise them in better ways without mixing them with the roots of the religion and without offending the entire race of...
The Danish cartoons dominate the Moroccan blogs
As predictable, the Moroccan blogosphere reacted last week to the drawings of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), and while some bloggers condemned the Danish cartoonist , others found the reactions in some Muslim countries over exagerated. Calm heads are needed Samir author of the very elegant The view from Fez regrets...
Cartoons of Prophet & Nuclear Crisis
12 cartoons of Islam Prophet published by the Danish newspaper, Jyllands Posten, is a hot topic among Iranian bloggers.View from Iran, an Iran based blogger says: “I have been disgusted – yes that is the right word – by the arguments on both sides: the cartoon supporters and the cartoon...
The Jordanian Blogosphere Reacts to the Danish Cartoons
Like a lot of the blogosphere, the topic that has been taking over Jordanian blogs in the past two weeks is the infamous Danish cartoons: Ameen Malhas of Banzeen says, “Freedom of speech must be protected. We moan and whine when Muslims are attacked in other countries because of actions...
Bahrain, more cartoons and animated conversations
The week in Bahrain continues to be dominated by cartoons, which even overshadowed an important speech by the king!
Iran: Jews & Iran
Ahoo, a US based blogger, writes in Peace 77 ( Persian) that Iranian Jews lived 2700 years in Iran but during 27 years were forced to leave country despite their love for Iran. Blogger says millions of Iranian were obliged to go to exile.
This Week in Palestinian Blogs: State of Denial
One year of resistance in Bil'in… Bil'in, which has been struggling non-violently for almost one year now, continues to be robbed by the Israeli occupational forces as the first anniversary of it's non-violent weekly protests (and another sad day) is fast approaching on the 20th of this month Februray, 2006....
About our Middle East & North Africa coverage
