· March, 2009

Stories about Syria from March, 2009

In Love With Syria

Global Voices Online Morocco author Jillian York describes [en] her short visit to Syria in this post, where she explains why she had the time of her life.

29 March 2009

Lebanon: First Embassy in Syria

Blacksmiths of Lebanon report on the opening of Lebanon's first-ever embassy in Syria which seals the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries.

16 March 2009

Saudi Arabia: Forty Lashes for a 75-year-old Woman for ‘Mingling’ with Men

A 75-year-old Syrian woman was sentenced to 40 lashes, four months imprisonment and deportation from Saudi Arabia, for having two unrelated men in her house. The two men were also charged with ‘mingling' with an unrelated woman and sentenced to prison and lashes, sparking criticism for the country's judiciary and the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Saudi Arabia's bloggers speak up.

16 March 2009

Syria: Anti-LGBT Campaign Sparks Heated Debate

This weekend the Syrian blogosphere warmed up for a new confrontation. A group of bloggers launched a campaign against the spread of blogs advancing LGBT rights, and the response came quick. LGBT is controversial everywhere, but within a society that is conservative in its majority, the topic gets much more sensitive and hotly-debated, writes Yazan Badran.

8 March 2009

MENA: Clinton Does the Middle East

Hillary Clinton wrapped up her first visit to the Middle East as US Secretary of State, with stopovers in Sharm El Sheikh, Israel, the West Bank and Turkey. Bloggers from the region discuss Clinton's visit in this post.

8 March 2009

Israel: Cold Front Warmly Received

The snow and icy rains that chilled Israel this weekend received a warm welcome from its residents. As the rainy season draws to a close, many fear that this year's low rainfall will lead to dangerous summer drought.

4 March 2009

Palestine: Carrying Rocks to Syria

Samuel Nichols, who works with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in the West Bank, tells us about a request he received from a Palestinian refugee in Damascus: “Please go to my...

3 March 2009