Stories about Middle East & North Africa from July, 2007
Bahrain: Henderson is Back!
Bahraini blogger emoodz is enraged that Ian Henderson, also known as the Butcher of Bahrain, is back in the country.
Bahrain: Welcoming Henderson
Ian Henderson, known as the Butcher of Bahrain, is back in the country, writes Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif.
Iran:Death Penalty Petition
Iranian Truth writes about a petition calling for abolishment of the death penalty in Iran.
Palestine: Condolences to Dr. Mona El Farra and Many Others
The best blog posts from the Palestinian blogosphere are not always the happiest. While many around the world are celebrating the victory of the AKP in Turkey and the release of the final Harry Potter book, others are suffering, writes Jillian York.
Algeria: On Iraq's Neighbours
Algerian Nouri comments on an op-ed written by former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad in the Washington Post.
Bahrain: Arabic Translations
Bint Battuta translates the second in a series of translations of blogs written in Arabic in Bahrain.
Bahrain: Homeless Woman
Bahraini emoodz is enraged at the plight of a homeless woman.
Egypt: The July 23 Revolution
Zeinobia from Egypt talks about the July 23 Revolution, from her perspective here.
Iraq: Special Treatment for Dubai
Ladybird from Iraq questions the preferential treatment Dubai is getting from the US when it comes to trafficking children.
Iraq: Visiting Jordan
Iraqi Omar talks about the ‘special’ treatment being met to Iraqis travelling to Jordan.
Jordan: Blogs a Destruction Force
Blogs, Wikipedia and uncontrolled media will destroy human cultural integrity. Where are the editors who check the facts? Where are the scientists who make sure our media is for for consumption? Where is the good-taste police?” writes Ahmed Humeid from Jordan.
Arabeyes: Online Democracy, Water Conservation and Crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood Activists
This week's Arabic translation has good and bad news. On the good side is a pioneering scheme by Jordan to publish draft laws online and give people the chance to comment on them before being passed as legislation while on the bad are stories about more censorship and arrests of student activists in Egypt.
Kuwait: Here & there
Kuwaiti bloggers are talking about their present and past this week. While two bloggers are looking into their surroundings for inspiration and futuristic projects, another is diving into history to reinstate the rights of Kuwaitis to decide on their own fate, reports Abdullatif AlOmar.
“Welcome to Japan”? Kurdish refugee family leaves for Canada
Few people, including Japanese themselves, are aware of the dismal record of Japan's treatment of refugees, particularly its treatment of Kurdish refugees. After struggling for many years to make a home in Japan, Erdal Dogan and his family, who fled Turkey amid religious and ethnic persecution, have finally been forced to leave, luckily having been accepted as refugees in Canada. Japanese bloggers reflect on the departure with sadness and frustration.
Israel: Harry Potter does not observe the Sabbath?
The synchronized worldwide launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fell at 2:01 a.m. local time in Israel, during the Jewish Sabbath, when Israeli law requires most businesses to close. Read Gilad Lotan's translation of Hebrew blogs to see whether the Sabbath was observed.
Bahrain: Does A PlayStation 2 Gun Count As A Weapon?
Bahrain's bloggers have moved on this week to comment on a protest held outside the Iranian Embassy in protest against an editorial by Iranian editor Hossein Shariatmadari, which started that Bahrain should become a part of Iran. Others talk about Embassy interviews for Visas, the release of a Guantanamo detainee, why Bahrain is vying to build the highest skyscraper and preparing for the new release of Harry Potter.
Palestine: Today's Ultimate Sin – Complacency?
"'It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.' The virtuous amongst us try to identify evil, and not do it. However, how often do we consider the act of NOT DOING as evil?" asks blogger Oranges and Olives. A good question among many from this week's post of prolific Palestinian blogs.
Morocco: A Kingly History
While the His Majesty King Mohammed VI is changing the face of the country, former king Mohammed V has been nominated for the title of Righteous Among Nations. More discussion of the royal family, the city of Meknès, and more in this week's Morocco roundup.
Lebanon: Musings on Home
MMMMMMM from Lebanon posts pictures of his home in Lebanon and muses: “I wonder if one day my children are gonna grow up where I grew.”
Lebanon: Is France Turning the Tables on Syria?
Charles Malek, from Lebanon, is wondering: Is France turning the tables on Syria?
Jordan: Challenging Women
Wael Attili from Jordan posts a challenging question to women here.