· August, 2007

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from August, 2007

Tunisia: explanations about lodging regulations

  24 August 2007

Mouwaten Tounsi explains that the accusation of racism in a dispute over lodging regulation is much ado about nothing. He explains that in Tunisia, it is against the law to rent a room to unwed Tunisian couples. This rule applies only if you are of Tunisian citizenship. Therefore the couple...

Afghan bloggers irritated by Iranian TV series

  24 August 2007

The Afghan embassy in Iran has complained about an Iranian television series on Channel 3, Char Khoone, that depicts Afghans characters as villains. Several Afghan and even Iranian bloggers have reacted to this news. Dialogue 3, an Afghan blogger, says: Since the beginning of the summer Iranian TV has aired...

Iran:Iran, USA and Cheetah Project

  24 August 2007

Sepideh Saremi writes despite continued political tensions between the United States and Iran, the Iran Cheetah Project, a joint effort of the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Iran’s Department of the Environment (DOE), is working to study and save the Asiatic cheetah (also referred to as the Iranian cheetah,...

Israel: UN Not Welcome

  24 August 2007

“The United Nations is doing its best to endanger Israel by sending a team to change the border with Lebanon,” writes Batya, from Israel.

Israel: Lebanon Postcript

  24 August 2007

Lisa Goldman publishes an email she received from a reader about her trip to Lebanon, on the anniversary of the Second Lebanon War with Israel, here.

Sudanese Refugees in Israel

  24 August 2007

The Cutter, who is based in Italy, discusses the situation of Sudanese refugees in Israel – from another perspective – in this post.

Egypt: Cultureligious Curse

  23 August 2007

The Big Pharaoh from Egypt describes the outlawed practice of female circumcision as a ‘cultureligious curse.’

Syria: Journalists Arrested in Occupied Golan

  23 August 2007

“Two Syrian journalists have been arrested by Israeli Occupation Forces. Ata Farahat and Yousef Shams – correspondents for Al Watan – have been detained on unknown charges. They are Syrians, working on Syrian territory,” Sasa reports.

Iraqi Student in India

  23 August 2007

An American drama teacher in India writes about her encounter with a new Iraqi student, who hopes to stage a play.

Lebanon: Upcoming Presidential Elections

  23 August 2007

The Lebanese constitution stipulates that the parliament should convene and elect a new president within a period of at least a month before the end of the tenure of the presiding president. The term of the current President Emille Lahoud will be over in November of this year. Therefore, it...

Egypt: Blogging for Civil and Religious Freedoms

  23 August 2007

The struggle for personal freedoms is ongoing in Egypt and the nation's bloggers continue to demand the liberty of citizens. Whether it be religious freedom or freedom from the wrath of a brutal police state, Egypt is speaking out against the inhumane treatment of her citizens this week. Plus a veteran blogger gives us a rare look into the inner workings of Egypt's most historic remaining cities.

Turkey: To each his own traitor

  23 August 2007

Guillaume Perrier, author of the blog Au fil du bosphore , muses about the toughening rhetoric in the Turkish political sphere (Fr) as the election for the Turkish presidential office comes to an end. Perrier asks whether the promises of uniting the country are already forgotten.

Iran:Iranian-American Scholar Freed

  23 August 2007

View from Iran writes that Haleh Esfandiari,Iranian-American scholar,is free now.The blogger says that Esfandiari's mother had to put up her house as bail. This is the case time and time again. It is one way that the regime retains control over its middle class population. The family's financial security is...

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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.