Stories about Arabic from December, 2008
Libya: “Gaza Burning!” Blogger solidarity with Palestine
Fozia Mohamed begins her exploration of the Libyan blogosphere with her own personal reaction to news reports about the recent Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, in addition to sharing the shock and solidarity that many Libyan bloggers are feeling towards the Palestinian people.
Egypt: Solidarity with Palestine
Since they’ve heard, Egyptian Bloggers expressed their immediate solidarity with their Palestine brothers against the brutal attack. Everybody condemned the Siege, as well as the blind Israeli bombings that does not differentiate between killing militants or civilians, women, children and men. Mostafa launched a Jaiku channel to pass news about...
Lebanon: Solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza
“In Gaza There is a Boy Standing and Waiting to go to Sleep” these are the words that Mazen Kerbaj chose to summarize the situation in Gaza in one of his cartoons. Taking a second look, the cartoon seems to say: “In Gaza There is a Boy Standing and Waiting...
Palestine: Bloggers in Gaza describe the fear
Against all odds, there are still blog posts coming out of Gaza, and bloggers are vividly describing the fear they are filled with in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks.
Syria: Bloggers Infuriated by Israeli Massacre in Palestine
"Many Syrian bloggers feel depressed and paralyzed over what's happening in Gaza now" writes Razan Ghazzawi as she brings us more reactions from the Arabic-language Syrian blogosphere in our continuing coverage about the current Israeli airstrike campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Arab World Reacts to “Gaza Massacre”
People from across the Arab world are lamenting the fate of Gazans, after a wave of Israeli aerial attacks, which have killed more than 200 Palestinians and wounded more than 700. The silence of Arab governments in particular is hitting a raw nerve.
Saudi Arabia accuses Egyptian of Espionage
27 year old IT programmer Youssef Al Ashmawy is currently detained in a prison Riyadh and is accused of spying on the Kingdom. Zeinobia wrote: Saudi Arabia is detaining Egyptian Internet activist Youssef Al Ashamawy. Youssef is being accused of spying on the kingdom for the Egyptian intelligence!! Youssef is...
Egyptian and Tunisian Bloggers against Censorship
In December 2006 frustrated Tunisian bloggers launched the "Action Blank Post" initiative in defense of freedom of speech. Supporting bloggers from all over the world posted a blank on their blogs on the 25th of December, and now bloggers have united again in this anti-censorship tradition, as Marwa Rakha shows.
Bahrain: Comparing the Bahraini and Japanese work ethic
Bahraini blogger Yagoob is currently studying in Japan - and has seen firsthand the legendary Japanese work ethic. In this post he compares the attitude of many Bahrainis towards work with that of the Japanese.
Gaza/Sderot: Israel and Palestine together on video
The Gaza/Sderot: Life in Spite of Everything Project is one of the prime examples of the variety of ways a bridge between different cultures and world-views can be created through online media. In this project created by ARTE.tv, a French-German cultural television station, twelve people going on their day to day business on either side of a violent border were exposed on a website for ten week project which ended on December 23rd. The two minute videos documented snippets of the lives of 6 characters in Gaza, Palestine and 6 characters on the other side of the border in Sderot, Israel during two months.
Pakistan: Love Of Arabian Language
The view from behind my specs… comments: “everyone in Pakistan seems to have some strange affiliation with the Arabic language.” Read the post to learn why.
Saudi Arabia: The return of public cinemas?
Public cinemas have been banned in Saudi Arabia for the last 30 years, and if residents of the kingdom want to watch films on the big screen, they travel to nearby Bahrain or the UAE. However, last week in Jeddah a film was screened publicly for a mixed-sex audience. In this post we hear what Saudi blogs have to say on the subject.
Afghanistan: Taliban Has Two Groupings, a Leaked Document Says
Azar Balkhi posts a document, allegedly leaked out from the Afghanistani secret services; it reads that Mullah Mohammad Omar leads one gruop of the Taliban that is secretly allied with president Karzai.
Egyptian Spinsters
The outcasts of the Egyptian society – the spinsters – are raising their voices in an attempt to change how society views them. Khokha – the anonymous author of The daily diaries of a sinister spinister - says: انا عشت حبة كل ما اقول رأى ولا كلمة … يردوا فى...
Jordanian Bloggers React To Bush's Shoegate
While a week has yet to pass since US President Bush faced a shoe flying in his direction from an Iraqi journalist during a press conference, the Jordanian blogosphere is already aflutter with varying reactions. Here’s a look at how Jordanian bloggers have been reacting thus far.
MENA: Shoe Throwing Games
Jazarah.net posts links to recent cartoons and online games in reference to the President Bush shoe throwing incident.
Palestine: Dealing with Deprivation in Gaza
In a statement earlier this week the World Bank said: “The ongoing closure of Gaza and severe restrictions on the flow of goods and people continues to be a cause of grave concern.” In this post we hear from bloggers in Gaza describing what life is like under the Israeli blockade – and one who says it’s not as bad as the media portrays it.
Bahrain: What Economic Crisis?
Bahrain is distancing itself from the impact of the economic crisis rocking the world economies, writes blogger Khalid in this post [Ar].
Iraq: Not in the Mood for Eid and Special Occasions
Muslims around the world are marking Eid Al Adha, a religious festival which marks the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son to Allah and the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Iraqi bloggers seem to be united and are in no mood for celebration.
Fact or Fiction: Egyptian President Pardons Sexual Harasser
Egyptian bloggers are divided on whether a sexual harasser sentenced to three years in prison recently has been pardoned. Marwa Rakha brings us the story.
Egypt: Call for Commemorating Saddam Hussein
On the second anniversary of the execution of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and in coordination with the Iraqi community in Cairo, five Egyptian political parties called for commemorating the late president. Here's a snapshot of reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere.
