16 January 2008
Stories from 16 January 2008
A Muslim Britney Spears?
As if the media circus surrounding her wasn't enough, the latest news is that Britney Spears will be considering converting to Islam in order to marry her Pakistan-born paparazzo boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib. The Middle East and North African bloggers could hardly contain themselves, writes Jillian York.
Jordan: The Impact of Bloggers on Politics
Mohammad Azraq turns his attention this week to Jordan's bloggers who are discussing the impact of blogging on politics, a visit to a music conservatory in old Ramullah, Palestine, the significance of archeology and why Arabs should not give up on their mother tongue.
Free Fouad: Arab Bloggers Speak Up!
The dean of Saudi bloggers Fouad Al Farhan (Ar) is still being detained - a month after he was handcuffed from his office in Jeddah and taken to an undisclosed location. Bloggers from Saudi Arabia to Tunisia are rallying behind Al Farhan and calling for his immediate release.
An Introductory Guide to Global Citizen Media
Rising Voices proudly announces the first in a series of outreach guides meant to explain the fundamentals of citizen media to a non-technical readership. The first guide, An Introduction to Citizen Media, offers context and case studies which show how everyday citizens across the world are increasingly using blogs, podcasts, online video, and digital photography to engage in an unmediated conversation which transcends borders, cultures, and differing languages.
Burkina Faso: foreign, local and international incidents
Just a few weeks into the New Year and normally placid Ouagadougou observed its first sensational crime of 2008. A Lebanese man allegedly killed a local Burkinabé money changer during a business deal gone wrong.
Introduction to Somali Blogosphere
The first roundup of Somali blogs, a small but steadily growing segment of the African blogsphere. Most Somali bloggers, predictably perhaps, are young, based outside Somalia and write in English.
A Haitian Blogger on the Next American President
Pascale, a Haitian living in Abu Dhabi who blogs at Natifnatal, wrote a post about the American presidential election from a “Third World” perspective. Given America's impact, the outcome of this election matters not just for U.S. voters, but people around the world. Can politicians like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton help the US write a new chapter?
Belarus, Russia: Minsk-Murmansk Train
The post translated below features a photo of a note pasted on the Minsk-Murmansk train - a note that's supposed to assist passengers in locating cars they've got tickets for, but is instead a great illustration of how easily something mundane may turn into the frustratingly surreal in this part of the world.
Israel: Ms. Magazine Shuns Ad Promoting Leadership of Israeli Women
In a surprising move last week, Ms. Magazine refused to accept an advertisement that highlighted the leadership of Israeli women in public service. Maya Norton brings us the reactions of bloggers from Israel.




































Hello Kasnar, I regret to say that those type of programmes are very common all over Brazil, both on local and...
Wow!!. I'm an American and I do not speak Portuguese well if at all. I did find it strange...