Global Voices Online

Damascene Jasmin [AR] writes about Syria's first international marathon. Damascus marathon is planned for April 16, to commemorate Syria's independence day (April 17).

Anas Qtiesh, shares some thoughts about his new life abroad and what homesickness is, among others.

Medad blog published a sarcastic short story [ar] depicting a Muslim cleric and a Christian cleric passionately discussing virtue and interfaith understanding as each of them tries to claim a spot that allows them to peep through a crack in the wall of a women's bathhouse.

Syrian blogger Maysaloon argues whether one should still accept the saying that a man is worth two women in Islam or should it be interpreted differently now a days? He then lists reasons to validate his argument.

Syrian blogger Anas Qtiesh invites us [Ar] to vote for Arabic support in new Google Android open source software in Google Nexus One.

An Italian born gentile living in Jerusalem, Shiksa's Laura Chiesa dreams of a utopic Middle East. “Call me naive, but I caught myself more than once daydreaming about the time were people (including me) will travel freely in the Middle East - how about an afternoon hibiscus tea in Damascus, before or after an hammam bath in Lebanon? Shall we drop by the Pyramids on the way?”

Italian Donatella Della Ratta, who lives in Syria, attended the Second Arab Bloggers meeting, which just ended in Beirut, and here are her observations.

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia comments on the death of Majd Al Assad, the younger brother of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

Syrian blogger Rami wrote [ar] a post comparing internet speeds and costs in Syria with those in Romania. He was frustrated with having to struggle to obtain a 256Kbps connection in Syria in contrast with 100Mbps in Romania for roughly the same cost.