22 August 2008

Stories from 22 August 2008

Bahrain: Celebrating the Imam Al-Mahdi’s birth

In the middle of the Islamic month of Sha’aban, the month before Ramadan, festivities take place all over Bahrain celebrating the date of Imam Al Mahdi’s birth. The occasion is called Nasfa [Ar], and it is not just a Shiite religious feast, but an event celebrated by Bahrainis of all communities.

22 August 2008

South Ossetia: Tskhinvali Photos and Reports

On Aug. 21, Columbia Journalism Review published Julia Ioffe's overview of several Russian journalists' blogging from the war in South Ossetia. Featured in her piece are reports by LJ user krig42 (Komsomolskaya Pravda reporter Dmitry Steshin) and LJ user ep-news (Evgeny Poddubny, correspondent for TV Center). Below are a few more blog posts from Russian and North Ossetian journalists, with photos and accounts of what they've seen in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali over the past week.

22 August 2008

Lebanon: The Memorandum of Understanding…or Controversy?

Shia Hezbullah and Sunni Salafist groups in Lebanon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that prohibits Muslims from killing each other. Hours later, the agreement was revoked. Nash Suleiman digs into the Lebanese blogosphere to bring us the story.

22 August 2008

Iran: First Gold Medal in Olympic games

Iranian Olympic title-holder Hadi Saei won his second Olympic taekwondo gold medal.Ebtekar Sabz,Iranian blogger, writes [Fa] that Iranian champion has said “I play for the heart of people.”

22 August 2008

Argentina: Weblogs Day 2008 in Buenos Aires

The 2008 version of Weblogs Day recently took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This year, topics went beyond the discussion of blogs, and included information about web 2.0 entrepreneurs and other online events. Global Voices Online was also presented by Argentina author Jorge Gobbi.

22 August 2008

Pakistan: Who is the next president?

CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan is analyzing the reports and rumors that Asif Ali Zardari, the Co-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the widower of the assassinated ex...

22 August 2008

Pakistan: In tears again

All Things Pakistan is in pain after yet another suicide bomb blast in Pakistan that killed more than 70 people: “In what continues to be war on and in Pakistan,...

22 August 2008

India: Mumbai Pride

Sakshi Juneja posts some pictures of the recently concluded Queer Azadi LGBT pride march in Mumbai, India.

22 August 2008

Bangladesh: Anti-corruption drive halted

An Ordinary Citizen reports that the much discussed corruption cases against the politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats in Bangladesh have been halted at the corridor of the High Court.

22 August 2008

Sri Lanka: Ridi Vihare

Cerno visits a historic cave temple – the Ridi Vihare -”Silver Temple” in Sinhala and writes about it.

22 August 2008

Jordan: Al Aqsa Mosque Picture

Jordan's Jazarah posts a 39-year-old photograph of “Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Palestine after an Israeli attack that caused a big fire, leading to major damage in the Mosque.”

22 August 2008

MENA: Refused Gaza Fulbright students speak

A few weeks a group of students from the Gaza Strip who were due to go to the United States on Fulbright scholarships had their visas revoked at the last moment. Two of the students who were denied the chance to pursue their studies have since written heartfelt letters pleading their case.

22 August 2008

Saudi Arabia: Unhappy in Riyadh

After three years in the USA, Saudi blogger Aysha Alkusayer is having trouble readjusting to life in Riyadh, especially when she is not busy with work. She says: “To console...

22 August 2008

Morocco: Rural Life

Près du puits, in a post entitled “Two Kids, Twelve Cows, and a Swing,” shares the trials, tribulations – and entertainment – of Morocco's rural poor.

22 August 2008