Stories about Middle East & North Africa from March, 2012
Iran: A Nowruz New Year Without Goldfish?
Goldfish have a special place in the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, celebrating the first day of Spring (March 20). But every year animal rights defenders and bloggers launch campaigns to encourage people not to buy them.
Arab World: Hands Off Clooney!
The United States has arrested actor George Clooney and his father Nick at a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington DC. Arab Twitter users register their protest on their arrest on Twitter.
Syria: “The Day We Knew What It Meant to Be Syrian”
Today marks the first anniversary of the uprising in Syria. On Twitter, Syrians and their allies utilized the #Syria and #March15 hashtags to commemorate the day, remember the country's martyrs, and reflect on the year behind them.
Bahrain: Save Bahraini Children From the Regime
The suffering of Bahraini children was the highlight of a Twitter campaign aimed at highlighting how youngsters have fared during the country's one-year uprising. Mona Kareem takes a closer look at netizen reactions.
Morocco: Girl Forced to Marry Her Rapist Commits Suicide
Amina, a 16-year-old girl from Larache in northern Morocco, who was forced to marry her rapist, chose to put an end to her life by swallowing rat poison. Amina's story deeply touched, and outraged Moroccan netizens, who have been using the Twitter has tag #RIPAmina to mourn the young girl.
Syria: Crackdown Against Journalists Continues
With thousands killed, tortured, arrested and disappeared, the Syrian struggle continues amid unprecedented brutality. In its attempt to silence activists, the regime has stepped up its crackdown against journalists, bloggers and video activists. Salma Yafi, a student of Journalism and member for the National Development Party, is one of the regime's latest victims.
Lebanon: Picture An Arab Man
Rania Massoud repost on her personal blog [fr] her article published by Lebanese daily L'orient-Le jour about a photography project undertaken by Tamara Abdul Hadi. “Picture an Arab man” wishes to update the image of today's Arab men by photographing men from every Arab country in the nude.
Tunisia: The New Phase of Social Media
The use of social media has grown popular during the days of the Tunisian revolution in early January 2011. Today, netizens and politicians maintain a presence online to reach target audiences to fulfill their goals. Ahmed Medien takes us behind the scenes.
Syria: Campaign to Stop One Year of Bloodshed
To mark the first anniversary of the violence accompanying the Syrian revolution, which started on March 15, 2011, a campaign is being launched to mount a global call on world leaders to unite and stop the bloodshed.
Iran: ‘May God bring bread to empty tables’
An Iranian blogger based in Tehran posted a Libyan cartoon on his official blog and briefly writes [fa]: ‘Coming new Iranian year, I wish God brings food to all the empty tables so no respectful father would be ashamed with his family’. The cartoon shows a father painting fruits on an...
Iran: The sanctions are resulting in inflation
A Persian blog focused on economics writes [fa]: Inflation is Iran is a result of sanctions against the country and high liquidity. The unknown writer of this blog believes: The market can not be reined without tuning down the international tensions and reducing the liquidity.
Iran: Wednesday Feast with crackers and fireworks
This evening Iranians are celebrating ChaharShanbeh-Suri (the Wednesday Feast) in Tehran and other cities, with fireworks and crackers which are called ‘pomegranates’ informally. The eve of last Tuesday of the Iranian year is marked by special customs and rituals, most notably jumping over fire. Some Iranian users are expressing their objection...
Iran: The 4th enemy of Internet
Reporters Without Borders considers Iran as the 4th ‘enemy of Internet’, after Burma, China and Cuba. The annual report of RSF on ‘World day against cyber-censorship’ says [en]: Iran has intensified online crackdowns and surveillance again this year. The regime has also continued to demonize the new media, accusing them...
Egypt: Flip Flop Economics to Debate the Presidential Elections
Egyptians go to the polls in May to election their new president, after 32 years of Hosni Mubarak's rule. Preparations for the big event are in full swing on the ground, generating debate which is spilling online. Tarek Amr takes a closer look at a debate between netizens discussing the merits and shortcomings of one presidential candidate.
Arab World: Arabisk Best Blog Competition Begins
Algerian blogger Maamar Ameur, an organiser of the annual Arabisk competition to select the best Arabic blogs, announced the launch of the competition. This is the third year the event is held. To submit your blog, click here. You can also follow the competition on Twitter and read a full announcement here...
Tunisia: Paying Tribute to Cyber Dissident Zouhair Yahyaoui
Today marks the 7th death anniversary of Zouhair Yahyaoui, an award winning Tunisian cyber activist who was detained during the regime of Zeine El Abidin Ben Ali. He passed away after facing serious health issues due to torture, and police abuse while he was in prison. In tribute to his sacrifice, March 13 is being celebrated as the National Day for Internet Freedom in Tunisia, starting this year.
Video: Share Your Challenges and Win an iPad2 in Contest
The Bertelsmann Foundation's FutureChallenges initiative wants to hear about the challenges faced by people all around the world. By making a video and uploading it to their Facebook page, you could win a new iPad2.
With Gaza Under Attack, #TerroristIsrael Trends on Twitter
With the Gaza Strip under attack since March 9, 2012, activists introduced a new hashtag to remind people of previous assaults by the Israeli army against the Palestinian people, called #TerroristIsrael.
Ethiopia: Outrage Over Abuse of Ethiopian Domestic Worker in Lebanon
A video footage that shows an Ethiopian domestic worker being beaten and dragged by force into a car under the gaze of bystanders outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, Lebanon has caused angry reactions amongst Ethiopian netizens.
Iran: Pro-regime websites protest against filtering
Some Iranian pro-regime cyber activists have objected recent blockage of their websites and weblogs like teribon.ir, due to ‘criticizing some political figures’. “The movement of demanding cyber activists’ rights” believes [fa] such restrictions for pro-regime web activists would ‘trouble the holy cyber war’.
Brazil: What Happens If There's Another Oil Crisis?
The rise in the price of oil caused by the impasse between the Western powers and Iran has been a cause for concern not just for the European and North American markets, but also for less vulnerable economies such as the Brazilian economy. On the other hand, opportunities are arising for a new chapter in Brazil's economic history.
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