Stories about Jordan from May, 2007
Jordan: Who to Trust?
“Who do you trust these days? The tug-of-war between the government and the IAF in Jordan is a traditional center piece of Jordanian politics. It’s a back and forth effort and it has just gotten to a point where one cannot trust either and it merely becomes a question of...
Jordan: Sheehan Quits
Jordanian blogger Hareega, who is based in the US, bids farewell to Cindy Sheehan. “Yesterday she announced that she was tired and she quit her anti-war activism. She said that her son died “for nothing”. About 54% of the CNN readers today agree with her,” he notes.
Jordan: Smoking Fines
Naseem Al Tarawnah from Jordan challenges statistics about smoking fines in his country. “First of all, I’m positive that between my friends and I (which definitely total less than the number of enviro-cops) we could issue over 3,000 tickets in a single week let alone eight months! “Second of all,...
Jordan: Woman Chief of Court Appointed
Jordanian blogger Tololy announces the appointment of a woman chief of court in her country. “Good news; now we have women police officers, nurses, doctors, engineers, journalists, garbage-truck drivers, professors, teachers, mini-Sheikhs, nuns (obviously), managers, ministers, parliament members, and chiefs of court,” she notes.
Jordan: The Other 3% in Syria
From Jordan, Naseem Al Tarawnah writes: ‘The BBC Reported: “The interior ministry said he (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) won the backing of more than 97% of Syria’s 12 million voters in Sunday’s referendum.” Question: If Bashar Al-Assad was running unopposed, who were the other 3% voting for?’
Arabeyes: Unlicensed Bahrainis; Silent Algerians; Kidneyless Egyptians and More
What is banned and allowed in Bahrain? How did the government and politicians react to the low turn out at the Algerian elections last week? Why did an Egyptian man sell his kidney? And finally - why do you need Wasta in Jordan? These are the main questions the following translation of Arabic blogs shed light on this week.
Arabeyes: Breast-Feeding Dilemma
Imagine having to breast feed your colleague at work - five times - to ensure that your relationship remains professional! This is the fatwa (religious edict) that had Arab and Muslim bloggers buzzing with excitement and anger this week. Read the rest of the article to see how some of the region's bloggers reacted to the ruling, which has since been withdrawn.
Jordan: Arab-Arab Relations
“Iraqi versus Iraqi. Palestinian versus Palestinian. Lebanese versus Palestinian militants. To say nothing of… “Arab unity seems to be a pipe dream more and more these days. On the political level it’s been dead and buried for quite some time but perhaps the social level is what I find more...
Jordan: Live Blogging from the World Economic Forum
Our very own GV Jordan author Naseem Tarawnah was busy blogging away at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East, held in Jordan. “The WEF I think is one of those events where there is just too much to talk about and too many sessions to attend, too many...
Jordan: Die-hard Al Faisali Fan
Jordanian blogger Hareega is a die-hard Al Faisali fan. “I will not regret cancelling my clinic this morning and packing up my schedule and working 15 days nonstop in a row and registring for the ridicuolously expensive ART -America channel in order to run from the hospital this morning to...
Jordan: Tight Security
Armed with a camera, Jordanian blogger Lina Ejeilat brings us up to date with some of the security measures being taken in Jordan ahead of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East being hosted in the Dead Sea.
Jordan: Arab Media Watchdog
Jordanian blogger Lina links to a news article which says that journalists from five Arab countries are to launch a media watchdog group in reaction to what they call increased restrictions on press workers in the region. According to the article, 20 reporters from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and...
Jordan: The Way We Fight
Discussion is heating up at Naseem Tarawnah‘s post entitled The Way We Fight. On occupation, resistance and war, he writes: “Instead we say ‘they started it’ or ‘they’ve done worse’. And so our models for resistance become the laws of physics; our reactions became proportionate and equal to their actions....
Jordanian Jihadists
Jordanian blogger Hareega objects to the use of the word Jihadist in news reports. “My first objection was to the word ‘Jihadist’, I rarely ever heard it in Arabic. I know there's Jihad, but a ‘Jihadist’ is now synonymous with terrorist, again misuse of words that will make Muslims angry,”...
Jordan: Washington Newseum Welcome News
Jordanian blogger Natasha Tynes cannot hide her excitement that a Newseum is opening in Washington DC, US. “I'm really excited about the opening of the new news museum dubbed the “Newseum” in Washington, DC in October of this year. It looks to be a top-notch museum and will focus on...
Jordan: New License Plates
Jordanian blogger Roba Al Assi conducts an online poll asking readers for their opinion of the new car license plates introduced in her country. “So what does everyone think of the new license plate design? Personally, although I do think it looks a lot better than the previous ones, I...
Arabeyes: Jordan's Open Air Toilets
Jordanian blogger Sha3teely is fed up with a new phenomena cropping up in Amman. He catches the violators red-handed here, explains the menace and comes up solutions for it. He also calls upon authorities to make public toilets available.
Arabeyes: Muslim Evangelists; Somali Poets; Death on Amman's Roads and More
Today's round up of Arabic language blogs takes us to the United Arab Emirates, where a Muslim blogger gets an email from Africa urging him to embrace Islam and then to Somalia, where we get to learn a bit about Somalian poets. We also make stops in Jordan, where the...
Jordan: Burnt Chocolate
Jordanian blogger Naseem Al Tarawneh links to a news article which says that five trucks loaded with chocolate caught fire in the main Courtyard of Amman Customs Department.
Jordan: On Spiderman 3
Jordanian blogger Naseem Al Tarawanah treated himself to a screening of Spiderman 3 and reviews it here for us. “What a way to start off the summer blockbuster season. The film plays on the special effects that made it famous years ago, and just when you thought they couldn’t do...
Arabeyes: The Middle East in Pictures
From dealing with the death of dear friend - a horse - to news of how the seaside town of Mukalla is Yemen is turning into a soulless new construction site, Amira Al Hussaini takes you on a new pictorial tour of the Middle East in today's blog round up.
