Stories about Middle East & North Africa from May, 2008
Jordan: Talent Show Star Returns
Jordanian Naseem Tarawnah describes what happened when an aspiring pop star returned home from a talent reality show – and has a video to document his findings.
Israel: Holy Land Rehab? Amy Winehouse Rumor Debunked
Rumors that Jewish English singer Amy Winehouse, famous for her song, “Rehab,” will be attending a second bout of drug rehabilitation in Israel have been denied by her handlers. Simply Jews, IsraelityBites, and Jewlicious have the story.
Israel: Diplomatic Relations Don't Extend to Soccer Field
“I guess the Egyptians would rather quit than fight,” remarks Israel Matzav's Carl in Jerusalem. “An Egyptian soccer team which included diplomats from the country who are stationed in Rome decided to boycott a soccer tournament after a lottery determined that they would play an Israeli soccer team consisting of...
Israel: How Well Do You Know Jerusalem?
How well do you know your Jerusalem trivia? Jacob Richman of Good News from Israel puts your knowledge to the test in preparation for Jerusalem Day, which will be celebrated this year on June 2nd.
Israel: Making Peace from the Ground Up
“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” says the Bible. Prof. Alon Tal of Ben-Gurion University and Dr. Muhammad Said Al-Hmaida of Bir Zeit University have taken matters into their...
Israel: Shekels Friendly to the Blind
“Israeli currency has been accessible to the blind since 1975,” reflects Josh of Blogs of Zion, responding to a US federal court cases arguing that American money discriminates against the blind. Unlike US dollars, Israeli paper money has raised vertical and horizontal lines that help blind people differentiate between bills.
Israel: Crop Graffiti Celebrates Israel's 60th Birthday
“I am a man of the land and deeply connected to this country. The field is my canvas, and my tools are the paintbrush,” says Israeli farmer Peter Viner, who grew his fields to read “Israel at 60″ in honor of the country's 60th anniversary. “Apparently, no-one’s ever done this...
Iran: Persian Gulf,Protest and Repression
Jamshidi writes [Fa]that several hundreds Iranians on Friday gathered in front of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Tehran again and protested against renaming of the Persain Gulf by several Arab states. The blogger has published several photos of this demonstration and got surprised when security forces repressed a peaceful...
Iran:Sun Palace in Photo
Mehdi Boolrian,Iranian photo blogger, has published a photo from Khorshid (means Sun) Palace , in Iran.
Libya: Double Standards
From Libya, Abaalhasan [Ar] objects to the police's inaction against a group of gays who were standing outside a bar and disturbing passers-by and asks: why does the government crackdown on any voice of opposition but not on those who go against the norms of society? It is not clear...
Israel: Going Green with Gore
Former Vice President Al Gore added his name to the list of political luminaries visiting Israel in recent months. Gore joined the Board of Governors celebrations at Tel Aviv University this week to accept the $1 million Dan David Prize for environmental activism.
Israel: Tel Aviv Transport Goes Hybrid
Green cabs are coming to Tel Aviv, says Isrealli, who writes that “the Tel Aviv Municipality and the Israeli Taxi Drivers Association have agreed on a plan to transition much of the city’s taxi fleet to hybrid cars.”
Israel: Religious Communities Object to “Sex” in Advertising
“[Blank] in the City?” An Israeli media company is protesting advertising promoting the release of the new “Sex and the City” movie, claiming the word “sex” is offensive and should be removed. “You really don’t know whether to get angry or just laugh at the ridiculousness of this whole thing,”...
Israel: We Have No iPhones Today
“Apple finally sells the iPhone in the Middle East but not in Israel. Who cares?” asks Ouriel Ohayon. “On average [every] 1/3 person I meet has an iPhone here… Well done Steve Jobs!”
Palestine: Mass Exodus from Gaza?
“50,000 Arabs have left Gaza since last June,” writes Carl in Jerusalem. “In April, I reported that some 80% of Gaza residents want to leave, but this is the first time that the ‘Palestinian Authority’ admits it.” Bethlehem Conference organizer Hassan Abu Libdeh commented: “There is a Palestinian brain drain...
Iran:Two Persian Women in 1900
Here is a photo from two Persian/Iranian women in 1900,showing two different styles.
Jordan: To All the Drama Fans
“(H)ere's a piece of advice for all drama fans: If you want to have drama in your life, do it in an environment friendly way and don't take it out on others; let it only involve you and yourself. It's nobody's fault you turned out this way. No, not even...
Stuff Egyptian People Like
There are sites like “Stuff White People Like“, “Stuff Educated Black People Like“, and even “Stuff Jewish Young Adults Like“. So a group of Egyptian bloggers decided to create the “Stuff Egyptian People Like” blog.
Algeria, Unspoken Stories
Salim Bachi reviews Algérie, histoires à ne pas dire (Algeria, Unspoken Stories), a controversial 2007 film by Jean Piere-Lledo about the Algerian War. Of public reaction to the film, which is banned in Algeria, Bachi writes: “Jean-Pierre Lledo has been accused of ever evil on earth..[by a] population that didn't...
Algerian writer Salim Bachi launches blog
Kangni Alem announces a new blog by Algerian writer Salim Bachi [Fr].
Tunisia, 47th most peaceful country
Tunisia is the 47th most peaceful country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, Zizou from Djerba writes [Fr].
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