Thursday, December 20, 2012

'£1 Fish Man'



 "While 31-year-old Mohamed Shahid Nazir has built a reputation in an East London market for his ultra-cheap fish, it is his catchy sales jingle that has brought him a moment of global fame.

 "Fans cannot stop carping on about his "One-Pound Fish" tune, recorded on a mobile phone and uploaded to YouTube. With more than five million views, some might say you do not have to be a brain "sturgeon" to see he has a hit on his hands."

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Muslim scholars reject prophecies of doomsday on December 21, 2012

abna.ir, Muslim scholars reject prophecies of doomsday on December 21, 2012:

"All the religious scholars lamented over the role of media, the media of an Islamic country in particular. They said that the media should play a responsible role and should avoid spreading such false and baseless stories. There were people of all kind exposed to the media like women, children, heart patients and people with emotional disorder. Such rumours could create something horrible in their lives. Media has to play its role in the education of the people rather than spreading of falsehood and rumours, they said."

Dubai-based British diplomat bombarded on Twitter Q&A

Dubai-based British diplomat bombarded on Twitter Q&A - The National:

"The session, using Ms Davis's @RDavisFCO Twitter account and the hashtag #MiddleEastQA, generated more than 300,000 online impressions, reaching an audience of more than 77,000 followers, according to www.hashtracking.com, a Twitter analytics site."

Ayatollah Khamenei's Facebook page beats his own ban

Ayatollah Khamenei's Facebook page beats his own ban - The National: "Iran, the country that banned Facebook, calling it a weapon in the West's battle against the Islamic republic, now appears to have its septuagenarian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a member of the social networking site." update on this story

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Nick Kristof live-tweets his Bahrain visa crisis

Nick Kristof live-tweets his Bahrain visa crisis | SreeTips - CNET News:


Technology discussion

Tomorrow's World | Editorial | December 2012 | emel - the muslim lifestyle magazine "Technology has changed our world, but it has not changed the essence of the human condition. We still cry out when in need; we still hurt when we are unloved. With or without our computers, our telephones, our mobile devices, we still feel the emotions of being human."

Muslim Community Board UK

Muslim Community Board UK on Facebook report that "Following numerous requests for the English translation of The Quran from non muslims who have seen the Billboards at the Major London Railway Stations and 5 Shahadas at Victoria Station on Saturday, Network Rail and Chiltern Railways have ordered our billboards to be removed on the grounds of no religious advertising on their premises despite allowing other faith groups to carry out similar campaigns. Its a move which can only be seen as discriminatory.

"It appears that the English Translation of The Quran is a book too controversial for them to allow to be advertised on their premises.
However, we know that "...And God is the best of planners." [Quran 8:30]

"By removing the billboards this has actually created a massive movement on social media in support of the billboard campaign and bought more attention on The Quran itself, which can only be a good thing God willing!"

Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen Renounce 'Omar Hammami

MEMRI, Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen Renounce 'Omar Hammami "In a statement in English posted today (December 17, 2012) on its official Twitter account (@HSMPress), the Somali jihad group Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen renounces the American jihadi 'Omar Hammami, aka Abu Mansour Al-Amriki."

New 'Batchwiper' malware reported in Iran

New 'Batchwiper' malware reported in Iran | GlobalPost: "Iran has reported a new malware outbreak capable of completely erasing batches of files stored on hard disks and on one's desktop, earning it the nickname Batchwiper, according to Ars Technica. "

Internet ayatollah: Iran's supreme leader ‘likes’ Facebook 

Reuters/NY Daily News, Internet ayatollah: Iran's supreme leader ‘likes’ Facebook, 17 Dec 2012 "Launched a few days ago, the Facebook page "Khamenei.ir" displays photographs of the 73-year-old cleric alongside speeches and pronouncements by the man who wields ultimate power in the Islamic Republic."

Seven online activists 'arrested in UAE'

BBC News - Seven online activists 'arrested in UAE' "Seven online activists are reported to have been arrested in a continuing crackdown in the United Arab Emirates."

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Changing landscape of the social-media deluge

Times Higher, Changing landscape of the social-media deluge ""As Twitter researchers we have to be very flexible and not rest on our laurels. One of the ways I keep on top of this is by being active on Twitter myself," she [Dr Farida Vis] said."

Darul Uloom Deoband fatwas

indianexpress.com, Fatwas are not necessarily binding on Muslims: Islamic Scholars "Recent Darul Uloom's fatwas advising Muslim women against working as receptionists and its decrees on tattoos and perfumes may have caused a stir, but Islamic scholars are of the view that such decrees are not necessarily binding on Muslims." More on Darul Uloom Deoband fatwas (also posted earlier this week on this).

Islamist groups gaining prominence in Syria fight

USA Today/news10.net, Islamist groups gaining prominence in Syria fight, 13 Dec 2012 "[But] as fighting has gone on for months, the main rebel groups that once spurned the jihadists because many were foreigners are now welcoming them, says Thomas Pierret, a researcher from the University of Edinburgh who specializes in Islamic factions."

Selisha.de

qantara.de, A Kind of eBay for Muslims "From trendy headscarves to prayer rugs with integral compasses, Selisha.de has everything the devout Muslim could possibly wish for. It is the very first Islamic auction website in the world."

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Chicago man sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for overseas terrorism plot - chicagotribune.com

Chicago man sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for overseas terrorism plot - chicagotribune.com:
Internet thread to this story: "A federal judge sentenced a Chicago man Tuesday to nearly 10 years in prison for planning to wage jihad in Somalia for a terrorist group connected to al-Qaida, saying his willingness to die in a suicide mission was "disturbing to this court.""

'Jihad Jane' case coverage

Jihad Jane: From abused child to American jihadist - Reuters Investigates (10:01) "Colleen LaRose, an American woman who called herself Jihad Jane online, was arrested in 2009 for plotting to kill Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. Reuters investigative correspondent John Shiffman chronicles LaRose on her to journey to jihad, beginning with her abusive childhood. (Part 1) Produced and edited by Andrew Lampard (Dec. 9, 2012)" Other coverage also available via this site. Also see Guardian, 'Jihad Jane' explains her strange journey from victim to radical Muslim

Darul Uloom Deoband 'fatwas'

Rediff.com, Fatwa Factory: Black hair dye, Women receptionists,'un-Islamic': A collection of religious opinions or fatwas from Darul Uloom Deoband, complete with photographic illustrations (some more useful than others)

Book: Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy | Digital Islam

Book: Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy | Digital Islam:

Liberation TechnologyDescription:  "Liberation Technology brings together cutting-edge scholarship from scholars and practitioners at the forefront of this burgeoning field of study. An introductory section defines the debate with a foundational piece on liberation technology and is then followed by essays discussing the popular dichotomy of "liberation" versus "control" with regard to the Internet and the sociopolitical dimensions of such controls. Additional chapters delve into the cases of individual countries: China, Egypt, Iran, and Tunisia."

Have yet to see this one. 



Kazakhstan portal

For information: "Kazakhstan to launch the first Islamic educational website. Religion. Tengrinews.kz: "The e-ISLAM portal is being developed as instructed by Head of State following the 38th sitting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers August 15, 2011."

Unrestricted Access To The Online Jihad

Joseph Carter, Unrestricted Access To The Online Jihad / theriskyshift.com, 15 Nov 2012 "If our attempts at fighting the global jihad and combating violent radicalisation online are to be successful, students and academics must be allowed to conduct primary research free from the fear that trawling the jihadist websites and reading al-Qaeda magazines may one day put them in front of a judge." Just picked this up

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Empowerment online

Empowerment online - Daily News Egypt: "The internet, which was one of the catalysts of the January uprising, is playing a significant role in increasing social and political awareness. There are several online initiatives that have started producing informative and educational videos to explain the new concepts and situations Egyptians are faced with today."


Pakistan Cyber Army

400 Chinese Government websites defaced by Code Cracker of PCA – HackRead "A hacker who goes by the handle of Code Cracker from Pakistan Cyber Army has defaced 400+ Chinese government sub domains."

ubuntunet

New high-speed internet connects African research to world - University World News:
"An African-led high-speed internet network has been launched to connect academics and researchers throughout Southern and East Africa to peers across the two regions and in Europe. The network will promote African collaboration in research globally."

Monday, December 10, 2012

Cyberactivism

Haven't read this yet, but it looks interesting: Courtney Radsch, Muftah » Revolutionaries Unveiled – Cyberactivism & Women’s Role in the Arab Uprisings "Cyberactivism refers to the use of digital media technologies and social media platforms for sociopolitical contestation. Yet cyberactivism, with its emphasis on the virtual public sphere, is not exclusive of traditional activism. In fact, it is better understood as a mode of contentious politics that relies on new media technologies for information dissemination, networking, and the construction of collective identities and joint grievances, organization, and mobilization."


mehr.ir

Mike Isaac, AllThingsD, Iran Debuts Its Own Version of YouTube "The government of Iran on Sunday launched the Mehr.ir Web site, the country’s homegrown flavor of a user-generated video content site."

Friday, December 07, 2012

Divorce by text message sparks legal battle

CNN/local10.com. Divorce by text message sparks legal battle:

"Aceng claimed divorcing his wife through text messaging is allowed under Islamic Sharia law, his lawyer said."

There are numerous precedents for this (and opinions relating to the validity or otherwise of text divorce), which I have discussed in my books.

Appeals Court Sides With Bush Wiretapping

Appeals Court Sides With Bush Wiretapping | Threat Level | Wired.com: "The case concerned a lower court decision in which two American attorneys — who were working with the now-defunct al-Haramain Islamic Foundation — were awarded more than $20,000 each in damages and their lawyers $2.5 million in legal fees after a tortured legal battle where they proved they were spied on without warrants."


Syria Deeply and the ongoing unbundling of the news

GigaOm, Syria Deeply and the ongoing unbundling of the news "Instead of filing traditional news reports about Syria to traditional outlets like ABC News and Bloomberg, foreign correspondent Lara Setrakian decided to start her own dedicated news site about the conflict in the war-torn country — part of an ongoing trend towards the unbundling of the media."

See syriadeeply.org

Qur’an For Deaf American Muslims - Americas - News - OnIslam.net

Qur’an For Deaf American Muslims - Americas - News - OnIslam.net: "Seeking to help deaf Muslims to read the Noble Qur’an, an Islamic organization has launched a new campaign to translate the holy book into American sign language."

Similar efforts have been made in the UK: muslimdeaf.org

Google approved to keep showing 'Innocence of Muslims'

RT, Google approved to keep showing 'Innocence of Muslims' "A federal judge ruled in favor of allowing Google to continue showing the controversial film trailer, “Innocence of Muslims”, on YouTube. The anti-Muslim video sparked anger that led to worldwide protests resulting in at least 75 deaths."

YouTube Ban Is Shrugged Off in Afghanistan

YouTube Ban Is Shrugged Off in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com "It is a measure of some of Afghanistan’s complexities, however, that even as Afghan rights advocates have worried about censorship, a common reaction on the street to the YouTube ban has been praise, or at worst ambivalence, even among some of the younger, Internet-savvy set in Kabul."'

Facebook in the Arab World in 2012 [Infographic]

Facebook in the Arab World in 2012 [Infographic] - ArabCrunch:

this is a useful infographic

Support for the Moderate Forces

Support for the Moderate Forces - Qantara.de  "Anyone following the conflict in Syria over the Internet will find themselves torn between hopeful enthusiasm and utter dismay. Various developments in the country are tugging the country in one or the other direction. Whoever gains the upper hand will certainly determine the immediate future of Syria."

Taliban Face Sick Police

IPS – Taliban Face Sick Police | Inter Press Service, 7 Dec 2012: "Terrorists have also damaged or destroyed 300 Internet cafes and CD shops, 325 schools and 100 electricity grid stations."


Michele Bachmann wins: How the anti-Muslim fringe hacked the media - Salon.com

Michele Bachmann wins: How the anti-Muslim fringe hacked the media - Salon.com:  "A new report shows that it's not just Fox News. Anti-Shariah groups are pulling the conversation to the fringe"


Terrorism Online: The Web's Role in Radicalization

Chandler Karadsheh, OODA Loop - Terrorism Online: The Web's Role in Radicalization:

Analysis/case-studies/opinion

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

'Syria Jihadis slay captives in video'

The Daily Star, Syria Jihadis slay captives in video, 1 Dec 2012 "New footage posted on the Internet appears to have been filmed by a Syrian rebel who points the camera along the barrel of his gun as he executes 10 unarmed prisoners."


In Syria, a fine line between Jihadists and opposition

alarabiya.net, In Syria, a fine line between Jihadists and opposition: "“It is difficult to distinguish between moderate Islamists and Salafi-jihadists in the context of the Syrian civil war,” says Elizabeth O’Bagy, author of a recent Institute for War report entitled “Jihad in Syria.”

“The mainstream use of jihadi iconography by non-Salafist opposition groups distorts perceptions about their ideologies and end-goals,” she says."

The report is here (pdf): Elizabeth O’Bagy, , Institute for the Study of War, 'Jihad in Syria'. I have yet to read it.

Monday, December 03, 2012

Iranian "Porn" App Programmer "Repents", Narrowly Avoids Death Sentence

DailyTech - Iranian "Porn" App Programmer "Repents", Narrowly Avoids Death Sentence "Amidst the sweeping internet revolution that has occurred in recent years, the Revolutionary Court has made a special point of widely advertising cases like Mr. Malekpour's to "warn" citizens not to disobey the nation's strict Islamic law online."

Al-Qaeda fear growing in Syria

thenewstribe.com, Al-Qaeda fear growing in Syria: Rebel commander seeks Islamic state

Dubai: ITU World Conference on International Telecommunications

RFE/RL, Dubai Meeting On Internet Governance "Internet freedom advocates say they fear the debates will be closed to all but government representatives, and that the ITU will merely present its conclusions at the end of the conference without input from the private sector, technical experts, or civil society." Also see ITU, World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12)

US media helped anti-Muslim bodies gain influence, distort Islam

wired.co.uk, US media helped anti-Muslim bodies gain influence, distort Islam, 30 Nov 2012 "A study published by a sociologist has revealed that fear-mongering non-governmental anti-Muslim organisations have been heavily influencing US media since 9/11, their messages seeping into news articles and television reporting and drawing their ethos from the fringes, straight into the mainstream."

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Iran sacks cyber police chief

Frace24, Iran sacks cyber police chief over blogger's death "Tehran's cyber police chief has been sacked for negligence in events leading to the death in custody of an Iranian blogger, Iran's police said Saturday on its website."