Wandering the Streets of Ashrafieh
September 2, 2008 2 min. read

Today I went to Sassine in Ashrafieh and after the meeting, I thought of wandering the streets close to the ABC Mall. The weather is not as hot as before, though humid [and yes  I still hate it] and anyway I needed some time off from work…. I absolutely loved the experience and Ashrafieh is […]

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Putin Shoots Tiger, Misses Journalists
September 2, 2008 4 min. read

  In a refreshing turn of events, Vladimir Putin has reportedly saved the lives of several journalists during a trip to a Siberian conservation area for the endangered Amur tiger (in accordance with the Lomonosov–Lavoisier Law of Conservation of Media, an opposition website owner in secessionist Ingushetia was ordered killed shortly afterwards). When a tiger […]

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Tribal lashkar attacks Taliban
September 2, 2008 2 min. read

KHAR, Pakistan: A lashkar of the Salarzai tribe launched a campaign against militants on Sunday, attacked their strongholds in the area and destroyed 10 houses and a number of the so-called "command' centres in the Bajaur tribal region. Militants, in the meantime, freed six soldiers they had earlier kidnapped. Before deciding to launch the operation, […]

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Journalists as human rights activists?
September 1, 2008 2 min. read

The Yemen Times has two articles on the role of journalists in Yemeni society, both of which outline the obstacles journalists face (namely low pay and legal restrictions). These challenges are interesting, and common to many of the Arab countries where ‘official media sources’ dominate the news scene. The more curious assertion, though, is that […]

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So much for no leaks
September 1, 2008 1 min. read

Despite the pledge made by Rice, Abbas and Olmert not to release any commentary until an agreement was reached, it appears that the terms Israel offered have been leaked. Moreover, Abbas has rejected them. AP coverage here.

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Happy Labor Day, Ramadan Kareem
September 1, 2008 1 min. read

Today is the first day of Ramadan; the Jordan Times has an article detailing the different start dates of the holy month in different Islamic countries. It also alludes the ways in which high food prices impact purchasing patterns this month; people simply are not able to buy as much. Students of Arabic can refer […]

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Food security in the Persian Gulf
September 1, 2008 1 min. read

The GCC countries, wealthy but water-poor, need to start looking at the different avenues available for feeding their populations, says a report by the Gulf Research Center. (The National summarized the report's findings here). To that end they are looking into the production capabilities of countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia, including Sudan, South […]

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Egypt-Israel Relations
September 1, 2008 2 min. read

Though Egypt and Israel signed a lasting peace treaty thirty years ago the two countries have yet to normalize their relations by exhibiting trust and friendship between governments. Israeli officials interested in enhancing their legitimacy in the Middle East are typically more concerned over this than their Egyptian counterparts. At Israel's urging American officials often […]

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Massive protests against organized violence
September 1, 2008 2 min. read

With the Mexican state failing to provide for the basic security of its citizens, violence is at an all-time high.  Since the beginning of 2008, the BBC reports that more than 2,700 people have been killed in drug-related violence.  The kidnapping rate in Mexico has now surpassed that of both Iraq and Colombia, with more […]

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Nabatyeh Event for Musa Sadr
September 1, 2008 5 min. read

Yesterday, AMAL celebrated Musa Sadr in Nabatyeh. I attended the event, and as soon as I have some free time, I will tell you more about it. It was an interesting first hand experience. For the rest of the world, the disappearance of the imam Moussa al-Sadr is probably at most a footnote in the […]

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Pakistan: 'Burying women alive for honour is tribal tradition'
August 31, 2008 2 min. read

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The killing of women for honour is a demand of the tribal traditions, Balochistan Senator Israrullah Zehri informed the Senate on Friday. Zehri was responding to Senator Yasmeen Shah's statement in which she had drawn the House's attention towards reports that five women had been buried alive in Balochistan in the name of […]

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Weekend Roundup: China-Iraq Oil Deal, Sadr Ceasefire, Lawsuit Against US Company, and More
August 31, 2008 3 min. read

The International Herald Tribune reported last week that the US is turning security control over the Anbar Province to Iraqi security forces.  As you may remember, Anbar has been a violent area in the past, once serving as a stronghold for Sunni insurgents.  This is a big development for the both countries, as Anbar is […]

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