Stories about Middle East & North Africa from August, 2007
Tunisia: explanations about lodging regulations
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
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
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,...
Iran:New experience, new photos
Kosoof, a leading photoblogger,shares his new experiences in his blog.
Israel: Brangelina Visit?
“Brangelina” may touch down on Israeli soil this October, reports Stephanie from Israel.
Israel: UN Not Welcome
“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
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.
Israel: Living Longer
Want to know how to live longer? Read Stephanie's post from Israel.
Sudanese Refugees in Israel
The Cutter, who is based in Italy, discusses the situation of Sudanese refugees in Israel – from another perspective – in this post.
Iraq: The Aging GreenZone
Neurotic Iraq Wife keeps us abreast with developments in the Green Zone, Baghdad.
Iraq: Mobile Blogging
Morbid Smile from Iraq has caught up with the mobile blogging bug.
Egypt: Cultureligious Curse
The Big Pharaoh from Egypt describes the outlawed practice of female circumcision as a ‘cultureligious curse.’
Bahrain: Facebook Trouble
Bahraini Rants points to Facebook problems in this post.
Algeria: Chicken Differences
Algerian Chef Zadi tears apart a chicken recipe and provides an alternative here.
Syria: Journalists Arrested in Occupied Golan
“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
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
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...
Africa: the “soon-to-be” presidents’ sons.
Fodé-Moussa Keita links to an article that presents sons of African presidents who are groomed to take over the presidency (fr).
Egypt: Blogging for Civil and Religious Freedoms
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
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
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...