Stories from 27 November 2008
India: Updates On Hostage Situation
Ultra Brown posts an update on the Mumbai hostage situation: “At 1.08am (IST), Nov 28: the drama is far from over. Despite reports that the situation at the Taj had been defused, there has been firing which means things are clearly going to go well into the morning. At the...
India: Where Is The Leadership?
Supriyo Chaudhuri at Sunday Posts analyzes why Mumbai has become easy target for terrorism, discusses the terrorists’ motives and finally blames the leadership: “The politicians were amazingly ineffective. They had no idea what was happening. They did not share information. They did not show leadership.”
Egypt: 550 Boys Arrested on Suspicion of Harassing Girls
“Egyptian police announced last Wednesday that they had arrested 550 boys in Cairo on suspicion of sexually harassing schoolgirls. The police reportedly focused their raids on Internet cafes near schools,” writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.
Mauritania and Tunisia Hack Dissident Sites
Hack in the Box reports that Mauritania and Tunisia have mastered a new way of muzzling the online media – hacking dissident news sites.
Egypt: Activists Protest Arrests
From Egypt, Elijah Zarwan writes: “Egyptian activists yesterday staged protests to call for the release of 16 people detained in the southern city of Samalout in mid-October. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse an angry crowd that gathered when police killed a pregnant woman on October 8 as...
Iraq: Rape Victims Ignored
Iraqi blogger Wameeth links to an article on Mideast Youth on how rape victims in the Iraq war continue to remain without treatment and counseling.
Impressions of an Egyptian Blogger in Cape Town
Egyptian blogger Mostafa Hussein visits Cape Town, South Africa, and pens this eye-opening article on Muslims and race.
Kurdish Writer Sentenced for Writing about Sex
“The Kurdish province convicts and sentences a Kurdish writer for writing about sex. Don't you like it when pro-war US liberals pretend that the Talbani-Barzani tribal confederation is an enlightened republic?” reports The Angry Arab News Service.
Bahrain: World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness Day
The world will mark the World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness Day on January 5. Bahraini Hassan Fadhul writes on Mideast Youth his role in making that day a reality.
India: Sensationalism of TV Media
A Time To Reflect questions the recent coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks by Indian TV channels as most of them resorted to sensational journalism.
Egypt: Riots as Police Kill Bird Seller
The Skeptic from Egypt reports: “Two thousand people rioted in Aswan after police mistakenly killed a bird-seller in the southern Egyptian city.”
Angry Arab's Blog Blocked in Syria
Lebanese Dr As'ad Abu Khalil, who lives in the US, writes: “A reader in Damascus tells me that my website is still blocked there. Maybe this will lift the ban: Down with the Syrian regime.”
Armenia: Bloggers Throw Funeral at Georgian Embassy
Carrying a black casket labeled “The Newborn Georgian Democracy,” a group of bloggers in Yerevan have marched toward the Georgian Embassy protesting what they call the destruction and desecration of Armenian cultural monuments in neighboring Georgia. Bloggers tell the story.
Egypt: Police officers banned off university campus
In a historic court ruling, police are now banned from patrolling Cairo University's campus. Instead, the university will have to deploy civilian personal as security guards. Bloggers, who linked police recklessness and use of excessive force to the order, welcomed the ruling with guarded optimism.
Georgia: Armenian Church Scandal
With the ever strengthening power of the Orthodox Church in Georgia causing concern for democracy and human rights activists, bloggers were first to report on attempts to seize a derelict Armenian church in the capital, Tbilisi.
Morocco: Thanksgiving Away from Home
Elizabeth, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, writes about celebrating Thanksgiving so far from home.
Morocco: Caring for the Blind
The View From Fez writes about caring for the blind in Morocco.
Is Secularism the answer to Egypt's Sectarianism?
Egypt has always been known as an Islamic country where Muslims, Christians, and Jews peacefully co-existed. Today this is no longer the case. Is secularism the solution? Following is an outline of the discussion taking place on Egyptian blogs today.
Mumbai: The Taj Hotel Burns
Photographs are appearing on flickr and elsewhere, allowing us a glimpse beyond the visuals provided by mainstream media. Arun Shanbhag has a post full of photographs – from blood pools, to chalk marks and a burning Taj Hotel. More of his photographs on flickr here. A photograph of the Taj...
Saudi Arabia: Inspirational encounters
Sabria Jawhar tells us about her experience meeting the Saudi Ambassador's wife, and a group of Saudi women studying in the UK on scholarships: ‘I have come to learn that Saudi women are real fighters and they deserve society’s care, respect and trust.’
Saudi Arabia: Lessons in morality
According to Saudiwoman's Weblog: ‘This month the Education Ministry instructed all religion teachers to spend five minutes of every class they teach to lecture students on how to dress properly and avoid western clothes.’
