Global Voices Online

Egyptian blogger Whisper of Madness explains an absence from blogging, and reflects on the Middle East blogosphere: ‘Believe me, the faults and flaws of the Middle East are staunchly reflected in our blogging community, often times by the same people who speak out against them. The politics, the backstabbing, gossiping, bigotry, jealousy, extremism, cynicism, and even the tribal mentality are all well represented.'

Rantings of an Arab Chick writes: “I read these sadly familiar accounts of sexual harassment from women living in Cairo. I would hazard a guess that any woman living in most Middle Eastern countries is just as familiar with this sort of treatment, not just from fellow citizens of their particular country but from a majority of expat males too.”

A leading Egyptian businessman has been arrested in relation to the murder of a Lebanese singer in Dubai, UAE, writes Zeinobia, from Egypt.

Barbrinha [pt], a Brazilian blogger living in Egypt, is writing a Ramadan diary. On fasting for non-muslin people, she says: “I fasted several times before I was converted, and it has always been my purpose to God, it was me and him and nobody else, I won't write here what religion says, cos I think pleasing God doesn't need to be written in any book, it has to be in your heart, your good attitudes towards the world, this is to please God.

Egyptian Blogger Zeinobia, wrote her reactions regarding the recent news stating that a group of high class Egyptian ladies led a protest all over Marina against the Imam of Marina’s mosque after his attack on the Turkish TV series “Nour”.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has ordered an enquiry into why Egypt performed poorly in the Olympics, reports Tom Gara.

The Egyptian Health Ministry has introduced orange ambulances to replace their white ones. Zeinobia is not pleased.

“According to Egyptian website Al-Mesryoon, last two months there was a campaign in America to recruit Egyptians as interpreters in the American forces and to be sent to Iraq. The Americans offer Green Card to Egyptians who sign a contract to work for at least six months, and the recruiters can extend the period,” reports Ladybird from Iraq.