Frontline Club bloggers
EU resolution “an attempt to damage democratic image of Azerbaijan”
Recently, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution initiated mainly by Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake and Lithuanian MEP Vytautas Landsbergis condemning the current state of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.
US Army blog reaches out to milbloggers
A post has been written on the official US Army blog in an attempt to appease disaffected US military bloggers who held a silent protest last Wednesday. Public Affairs Specialist, Lindy Kyzer, concurs with a number of concerns raised by military bloggers admitting that there are "still areas, and leaders, where blogging in the ranks […]
US military bloggers fall silent in protest
A couple of days ago a number of military bloggers in the US agreed to hold a silent day of protest and more bloggers appear to be joining the campaign. The trigger for the blogging strike was the treatment of blogger CJ Grisham whose chain of command became involved in his row with a local […]
‘Guano Diplomacy’ in the Caucasus
In the disputed Black Sea region of Abkhazia to report on presidential elections for Al Jazeera last weekend, we narrowly missed bumping into an unlikely diplomatic delegation from the world’s smallest island nation – the obscure Pacific state of Nauru. Impoverished Nauru, all 21 square kilometers of it, used to make its money from selling […]
Bibles in Arghandab
Umm…I know we’re meant to be ‘protecting the people’ and living with them etc, but last time I checked it wasn’t a very good idea to leave your bibles lying around in the office of the District Chief of Arghandab… [This photo taken by yours truly a week or two ago on a visit to […]
Reporting cultural diversity in the South Caucasus
Despite all the obstacles frustrating recent developments in the South Caucasus, and specifically a new push to resolve the frozen conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh as well as to normalize ties between Armenia and Turkey, this year has been one of the most liberating yet. For the […]
Twitter and the Iraq Inquiry
The other day, Dave Lee pointed out that Sky were doing something interesting with a Twitter feed during their coverage of the Iraq Inquiry. They were showing foreign correspondent Tim Marshall’s Twitter feed alongside the live coverage of the Inquiry. At this particular point in time, Sir John Scarlett was being asked about the intelligence […]
Moon Market, Lahore Burns
I live in Iqbal Town, the same unfortunate town, where last two bomb blasts rocked one of its most crowded central markets named Moon Market. At 8:49 PM, I got a panic filled phone call saying the market had been targeted by two blasts, more than 100 shops were burnt, leaving more than 40 dead […]
Mark Urban blogging for the BBC from Afghanistan
Bit snowed under (not literally – it’s cold-ish here at the moment, but snow is so rare in the UK it usually brings the country to a standstill) with PhD work so afraid blogging will be a bit more sporadic over the coming weeks, if not months. (Pop by again in October 2010!) Just thought […]
Israel Defense Forces Move into Social Media
This from Haaretz… The Israel Defense Forces Spokesman’s Office is to begin drafting computer experts with an eye toward establishing an Internet and new media department unit, Army Spokesman Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu said Monday. Speaking at the Eilat Journalists Conference, Benayahu said the new department would focus on the Internet’s social media networks mainly […]
One Step at a Time
I haven’t done a very good job, but in my posts about Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan I’ve tried to avoid using a know-it-all, old-Africa-hand tone. But the truth is that from the moment they were kidnapped it was obvious that they had only themselves to blame. There’s nothing wrong with throwing yourself […]
Mobile reporting from Armenia’s second largest city
Vartik Ghukasyan is 71 and alone. An orphan, she never married and now struggles to live on a pension of 25,000 AMD (about £30) a month in a rundown hostel in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city still reeling from the devastating 1988 earthquake and the economic collapse following the collapse of the former Soviet […]
‘In Facebook, it is not me,’ says Azeri politician
Recently, one Azeri politician and analyst Ilgar Mammadov called another politician and analyst Eldar Namazov: “I’ve sent you a friendship request through Facebook, accept it please.” Eldar Namazov raised his eyebrows in surprise: “But I have no profile in Facebook!”
Freed from Somalia
Freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan are finally free and in Kenya after being held hostage in Somalia for over one year. The duo were snatched on the outskirts of Mogadishu in August, 2008. It’s a story we have followed very closely since day one, "I’m so happy to be free; it feels like […]
Stephen Grey: Afghanistan is “quite depressing”
Journalist Stephen Grey has recently returned from Helmand province and described his trip to Afghanistan as "quite depressing". He noted that casualties have increased in 2009 and said it has already been a hard winter for troops on the ground. Grey was talking to the War Studies Department at King’s College London yesterday about his […]
Gazelles Halt Development Plans in Jerusalem
Yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu announced a partial settlement freeze in the West Bank. The Palestinian leadership says it does not go far enough particularly as Netanyahu has repeatedly gone out of his way to insist that there is no deal to be done in East Jerusalem – an area which is now the main hurdle to […]
Journalists Freed in Somalia
It’s wonderful news that the two journalists kidnapped last year in Mogadishu have been freed today after 15 months. The dribs and drabs of news coming out of Somalia have at times suggested Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan might not survive. Both had been desperately ill and rumours circulated constantly that, with little prospect of […]
So You Wanna be a Stringer?
I spent five years as a stringer for various British, American and Irish news organisations in Africa. I built my portfolio up from scratch until I was the first port of call for up to a dozen newspapers and radio stations. The money was good, the hours flexible enough for the occasional 18 holes in […]
TA soldier’s blog post hits the headlines
A blog post written by a Territorial Army soldier who was killed in Afghanistan has received widespread media coverage. In the post entilted ‘Hello from Afghan’, Rifleman Andrew Fentiman of 7 Rifles, describes how he was waiting to be transferred to his Forward Operating Base shortly after arriving in Afghanistan two weeks ago. Several news […]
Emergency workers and reporters
Last Friday I went to talk to the students who are going to be emergency service officials – and talked to them about interaction with reporters on an emergency site. It was pretty interesting I dare say. Prior to that I consulted with my former journalism students and working reporters on what we might want emergency workers […]
Obamarama in Jerusalem
Shashank has resurrected Obamarama over at his Somewhere in Africa blog so after a couple of weeks driving past Pizza Obama I decided to pay the place a visit. It had a fridge full of beer and racks of thin crust pizza – along with a Kosher certificate and what I have learned is a […]
Two video blogging youth activists imprisoned in Azerbaijan
After having literally just walked in the door after attending the first-ever World Blogging Forum in Bucharest, Romania, one of the main highlights to reflect on was the presence of Parvana Persiani, even if only for one day. A delightful person who warmed the hearts of many even before her presentation on the case of Adnan […]
IDF soldier blogs from the front line
A blogging American-Israeli combat soldier has been deployed to the West Bank. According to his blog, 25 year old Danny Brothers has finished his training with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and is serving in "al-Madina al-Muqaddasah" – a pseudonym for the city where he is stationed. In recent posts, Brothers describes his first foot […]
Two Azeri Bloggers receive prison terms
On 11th November, despite huge international and internal pressure, Sabail District Court of Baku presided by Justice Araz Huseynov convicted two Azerbaijani bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade on controversial hooliganism charges.
The beginning of Germany’s other season
While Britain, France, Belgium and Commonwealth countries commemorate Remembrance Day and the end of WWI on November 11, something quite different happens in Germany. At 11 minutes past 11 am on November 11, the traditional celebrations begin for Carnival (Karneval) or the "Fifth Season" as it’s known in Germany. You either love Carnival or you […]
Military blogging: “no longer worth the trouble”
The US military blog, A Soldier’s Perspective, has closed down after six years. In a message which has replaced the entire content of the blog, Iraq veteran and well-known military blogger, CJ Grisham, writes: "Blogging is no longer worth the trouble. Everything is fine as long as the stories are happy and positive. The military […]
A question for reporters: what would you like to get from an emergency worker while covering a tragedy?
Dear Friends, It has been a while since I wrote here the last time… I apologize for the long silence (not that I really hope that you’ve really noticed – but I have been sort of ashamed that I abandoned my blog here for ages…) well, anyway, I’m back. Back – and have a question […]
My Reading
There was little rhyme nor reason to my book buying before moving to the Middle East. My mind and reading were still rather engaged with Sudan, and so I tended to pick up whatever I spotted in second hand book shops – mostly the Oxfam in Crouch End. So my little bookshelf in my friend’s […]
Petition to release journalists held in Somalia
A group of six Canadian media organisations have banded together to petition the Canadian government and help raise awareness of the kidnap of freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan in Somalia over one year ago, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is launching a campaign, joined by the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), Canadian […]
Better get your mojo working
"News Quoyle, news. Better get your mojo working." – Annie Proulx, The Shipping News A draft of this post has been loitering in my documents folder for a while. But six months on from when I gave some mojo apps a workout in Nigeria and in Georgia I’ve got a […]
