Stories from 19 March 2007
Egypt: Meet Abu Omar
Frederik Richter, writing for The Arabist, links to an article which visits the Alexandria home of Islamic clergyman Abu Omar, who was kidnapped by the CIA in Milan and tortured in Egypt.
Egypt: The Burqini Question
Issandr Al Amrani still has a few unanswered questions about the Islamic bikini – burqini. “I’m not trying to make fun of this — people can wear what they want — but why call it burqini? A burqa is a rather extreme form of fundamentalist gear that is not found...
Lebanon: Saudis Spending Millions to Improve Image
Saudi “businessmen” spend $15 million to fund a US “documentary” film to “improve its image around the world,” writes Lebanese blogger As'ad Abu Khalil here.
Lebanon: Pessimistic Iraqis
“Iraqis are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the future of their country and unhappy about their lives, a survey suggests.” And this: “Only 18% said they had confidence in US and coalition troops, and 51% said they thought attacks on coalition forces were justified,” writes Lebanese blogger Asad Abu Khalil here.
Lebanon: In Praise of Condi Rice
Lebanese blogger As'ad Abu Khalil is full of praise for Condoleeza Rice – who just met with a handful of Arab ministers “brief them and grill them with instructions prior to the Arab summit. I thought that this was a very nice gesture that deserves praise. I mean, she did...
Arabisc: A Pictorial Tour of the Middle East
When I first saw these pictures. I thought to myself sheep = New Zealand. How wrong was I! A closer look will show you that the donkey was familiar, the grass not that green and palm trees in the background. It was closer to home than I thought. We kick...
Panama: Addresses
Carlos Donderis, a Spanish blogger living in Panama, gets a kick out of Panamanian addresses [ES], which have more to do with description than a specific address.
Panama: Deftones Tribute and Beers and Blogs Meetup
Rob Rivera's blog is becoming much more than just a great source of laughs and insight into Panamanian culture – it's also becoming an inclusive social hotspot. The next two upcoming events: a tribute to the Deftones and the next “Beers & Blogs Panama”.
Peru: Maid's Rights in Lima
After a widely publicized protest against the harsh treatment of maids in Peru's beach resort communities, Hypathia's Daughter says the movement for maid's rights made a visit to the upper-class neighborhood of Miraflores in the capital city, Lima.
Uruguay: “Uncle Sam has left”
Gabo of From Uruguay chronicles Bush's recent visit to Montevideo.
Venezuela: Food Consumption, Chavez, and Barbara Walters
Oil Wars, responding to news of food shortages in Venezuela, points out that food consumption was up 16% in 2006: “Truth be told, after noting how chubby Chavez himself appeared in the Barbra Walters interview I suspected as much.” Daniel Duquenal, meanwhile, asks, “Does Barbara Walters work for Chavez?” Find...
Senegal Army: Face of Luxury, Back of Misery
In its usual deadpan humor, Blog Politique du Senegal highlights an architectural anecdote about the military headquarters of Senegal to make a wider point about the army's budget and priorities: Military headquarters entrance. Courtesy Blog Politique du Senegal. Je ne sais pas si vous connaissez l'intendance militaire, en bas de...
Lebanon: Meanings and Consequences
This week's summary is a selection of posts that focus on meanings and on repercussions. For example, what does it mean to be a modern man or a leftist in Lebanon and what is the aftermath of not caring for rural communities and of not developing agriculture as a means...
Ukraine, Belarus: A Fence for Bat'ka
Abdymok posts a picture of the preparations to Aleksandr Lukashenko's visit to Ukraine's capital: “Workers on March 19 build a new fence around Belarusian Embassy in Kyiv. The last dictator in Europe is expected any day.”
Romania: Snail Mail, Airport, and the Roma
Blog Bucharest complains about the Romanian postal service, Bucharest's Baneasa Airport, and discrimination against the country's non-Roma population.
Russia: Politics
Darkness at Noon guest-blogs at Sean's Russia Blog on the recent elections and the Russian political culture.
Russia: Freedom of Speech
Vilhelm Konnander fears the Russian state may be preparing another attack on freedom of speech – and on bloggers – in Russia.
Russia: Skiing and Snowboarding
Russia Blog posts pictures of winter sports at Vorobyovy Gory in Moscow. Sochi Travel posts pictures from the skiing and snowboarding competition that took place in Krasnaya Polyana on March 1-3.
Somalia: the Land of the Gods
A brief study of the Land of the Gods by Abubakar Ali: Unlike ancient Egypt where scholars were able to uncover and translate numerous writings and records, our knowledge of Sumaria remained relatively scant and inadequate. The author, however, thought it of interest that Sumarian huts which were made of...
Ethiopia: naming system 101
Enset discusses Ethiopian naming system, “As a person who had a hard time understanding the idea of a family name and did not like being called by my grandfather's name when I first came to the United States, I did not know what to make of the gentleman's assertion that...
