Global Voices Online

Phil at Libanismes (Fr) notes three historic dates that greatly affected the Lebanese blogosphere during the past two years. The first was February 2005, the date of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. The second was July 2006, during the Israeli war against Lebanon. The third is the year 2007, which witnessed an increase in the popularity of ‘Facebook’.

The first date resulted in the creation of many blogs in addition to the few that were already there. The second date created an explosion in blogging, but the third, according to Phil, is causing a decline in the Lebanese blogosphere.

Recent Links also in Middle East & North Africa

Iranian students in Paris criticized Iranian government and its repression policy against Iranian students and opposition in a meeting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian president's advisor in Paris. Here are the films [fa].

Regine, at we make money not art, introduces us to photographs by Bas Princen of Cairo's Mokattam Ridge or Garbage City (Zabbaleen) - where a community of mainly Coptic Christians live and make a living out of collecting, sorting and disposing of Cairo's waste.

Iranian authorities released Mohammad Ali Abtahi,former vice president and blogger on a $700,000 bail one week ago after his lawyer said he had been sentenced to six years in prison. Human rights activists reported [fa] that a few days ago Sasan Aghayi, a blogger and journalist got arrested in Tehran.