· July, 2008

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from July, 2008

Morocco: Rural Life

  28 July 2008

PRÈS DU PUITS, a French transplant to rural Morocco, blogs about ten things that would make her family's life in Ouled Mgatel, a village outside of Fez, easier. The list includes a DSL connection and rainwater tanks.

Egypt: Facebook Activists Arrested

  28 July 2008

A number of Facebook activists have been arrested in Alexandria, Egypt, reports Elijah Zarwan, saying: “Amnesty International has released an urgent action on the arrest of Facebook activists gathered for a mild protest in Alexandria.”

Ukraine: Iraqi Scientists Trained in Pripyat

Chernobyl and Eastern Europe writes that “three Texas Tech professors and their graduate students trained 27 Iraqi scientists about processes needed to clean up radioactive debris” this past June in Pripyat: “Well, that’s an interesting use of Pripyat – train Iraqis on radiation clean up techniques in a city that...

Lebanon: Clashes in the North

  27 July 2008

Blacksmiths of Lebanon posted a video (about 2 minutes) showing live clips of the clashes currently taking place in North Lebanon as shown on a local TV station.

AFRICOM is a “back door”

  27 July 2008

Parole de Democrate [Fr] thinks AFRICOM is a backdoor for expanding US influence in Africa  and says that American troops are already conducting anti-terrorist activities on Algerian soil, according to an unnamed source.

Bahrain: Missing India

  27 July 2008

Many Bahrainis study at universities and colleges in India, and one of them is blogger MuJtAbA AlMoAmEn. He recently wrote about his feelings of missing Bahrain when in India - and his desire to go back to India after a long break in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia: What is the point of MBC Persia?

  27 July 2008

MBC is a Saudi-run satellite television company, known across the Arab world for its entertainment channels as well as Al Arabiya news channel. It has just launched a new channel called MBC Persia, on which films are subtitled in Farsi. Saudi blogger Mohammed Abdullah Al Shahri wonders whether this initiative is really what is needed.

Lebanon: Reviving Lebanon’s Jewish Community

  27 July 2008

“Lebanese Expatriates are helping to fund and renovate the ancient Magen Abraham synagogue in the heart of the Lebanese capital, one of the largest in the Arab world. Renovation is expected by the end of this year or by 2009,” reports The Lebanese Inner Circle.

Lebanon: Defying Political Unstability

  27 July 2008

“The will to live is stronger than death, happiness is stronger than sadness, and peace is stronger than war,” writes The Lebanese Inner Circle, who is reporting on the musical festivals taking place in Lebanon this summer.

Lebanon: “Lebanon Cluster Bomb”, the Film

  27 July 2008

“The film is a primer on the cluster munition problem in Lebanon, but much more so an intimate portrait of those struggling to rebuild their lives after the devastating 2006 war. The under-represented of South Lebanon are given voice here, as they work shoulder to shoulder to return the land...

Bahrain: Omar Al Bashir and the Cross-Eyed Justice

  27 July 2008

Reacting to the news of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, Bahraini blogger Hayat [Ar] describes the decision as ‘cross-eyed justice.' Will the ruling save Darfur and its people or is it another ploy to allow the United States direct control over the region and its rich resources?

Sudan: Who's Next After Al Bashir on the US Hit List?

  26 July 2008

The International Criminal Court Prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir for his ”criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.” A Sudanese blogger writing in Arabic wonders who will be next on the United States' hit list which targets Arab leaders.

Iran:Two Leaders in fight against HIV/AIDS arrested

  26 July 2008

Saffron Sky writes that two physician brothers (Drs. Kamiar and Arash Alaei), who have been recognized internationally for their work in the development of HIV/AIDS programs and services in Iran, are being held in prison by the Iranian government for about one month.

Iran:”Assassination of a Pharaoh”

  26 July 2008

Several Iranian bloggers such as Einiproxy[Fa] reported that football (soccer) game between Iran-Egypt did not happen because of an Iranian documentary portraying in a positive light the assassin who killed former President, Anwar Sadat in 1979::”Assassination of a Pharaoh”.

Iran: A leftist student and blogger was jailed

  26 July 2008

According to an Iranian blog, Sostavancheh, Abed Tavancheh, a leftist student and blogger was jailed a few days ago in Arak. He was sentenced to 8 months prison for his political activities.

Jordan: The Business of Marriage

  26 July 2008

“Marriage, is just like anything else in this life. It's a partnership that has assets, partners, resources, expenses, rights, obligations, expectations, challenges, competition, ethics, rules, standards, planning, customers and profit. Just like any business out there,” writes Jordanian blogger Qwaider.

Lebanon: “Wild Recycling”

  26 July 2008

“This little truck passes through my street every morning… It stops at every bin, and 2 young men (almost kids) open all the garbage bags and empty them of their content. They then sort the plastic bottles and the aluminum cans … ” writes Rami Zurayk on how some solid...

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Mariam A.
Mariam A. is the editor for the Middle East & North Africa. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.