The Layalina Review: Volume VI No. 16 | Layalina Productions, Inc.

The Layalina Review

	The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media. Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors. Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats. The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.
Statistic of the Week The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study. PDF RSS Twitter Facebook Recent Issues Vol. VI No. 15: 7/16-7/29, 2010 Vol. VI No. 14: 7/2-7/15, 2010 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian Senior Editor Anne Hagood Managing Editor Amelia Bell Contributor Mirna Oud Contributor Lorraine Jablonsky Contributor Elodie Liobard Contributor The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. VI NO. 16, July 30-August 12, 2010 Blackberry Blacklisted The UAE and Saudi Arabia prompted a wave of protests following their decision to ban the use of the BlackBerry, with other countries in the region following in their footsteps. Experts have denounced the move as an attempt to further curtail freedom of expression. Voicing Concerns about Wikileaks BBG has allowed VOA to use the WikiLeaks classified documents from the US military as a source of information for their news coverage. Meanwhile, media coverage on the war in Afghanistan continues to generate controversy in the region. The Obama Effect on Public Diplomacy More than a year following President Obama's Cairo address to the Arab world, new public diplomacy efforts begin to emerge in Syria and the rest of the region. Meanwhile findings from The Brookings Institute's recent 2010 Arab Public Opinion Poll show a decline in President Obama's popularity in the Middle East. The Price of Pakistani Hearts and Minds Just a few weeks after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the administration’s large aid package to develop Pakistan’s infrastructure, both the plan and its intentions were received with skepticism. America’s dwindling popularity in the Af-Pak region persists as officials are considering new public diplomacy initiatives. Ground Zero Project Gets Green Light Although the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the building of the Cordoba House near Ground Zero, the opposition from conservatives in America continues, raising concerns about Islamophobia in America. Commentators advocate a better understanding of Islam in the United States to avoid future stereotyping and to promote interfaith dialogue. Upgrading Public Diplomacy at State State Department officials are addressing the use of technology and the regulation of the internet in public diplomacy and foreign policy as some Congressional members protest the efficacy of the Smith-Mundt Act and its impact on the DoS' and the DoD’s efforts. Al-Qaeda Attacks Al-Arabiya An Iraqi Al-Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the car bombing attack outside of Al-Arabiya’s Baghdad offices. The attack against the news channel prompts a debate on the relationship between the Arab world and local media outlets. Al-Jazeera Sues Egypt’s Newspaper Al-Jazeera is suing Al-Ahram for defamation following a story in which the Egyptian newspaper accused the Qatari channel of forcing its female anchors to wear the veil, known as the hijab.

The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media.

Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors.

Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats.

The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.

Statistic of the Week
The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study.

Recent Issues

Vol. VI No. 15: 7/16-7/29, 2010

Vol. VI No. 14: 7/2-7/15, 2010

Archives

Layalina Review Staff

Leon Shahabian
Senior Editor

Anne Hagood
Managing Editor

Amelia Bell
Contributor

Mirna Oud
Contributor

Lorraine Jablonsky
Contributor

Elodie Liobard
Contributor

The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.

VOL. VI NO. 16, July 30-August 12, 2010

Blackberry Blacklisted
The UAE and Saudi Arabia prompted a wave of protests following their decision to ban the use of the BlackBerry, with other countries in the region following in their footsteps. Experts have denounced the move as an attempt to further curtail freedom of expression.

Voicing Concerns about Wikileaks
BBG has allowed VOA to use the WikiLeaks classified documents from the US military as a source of information for their news coverage. Meanwhile, media coverage on the war in Afghanistan continues to generate controversy in the region.

The Obama Effect on Public Diplomacy
More than a year following President Obama's Cairo address to the Arab world, new public diplomacy efforts begin to emerge in Syria and the rest of the region. Meanwhile findings from The Brookings Institute's recent 2010 Arab Public Opinion Poll show a decline in President Obama's popularity in the Middle East.

The Price of Pakistani Hearts and Minds
Just a few weeks after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the administration’s large aid package to develop Pakistan’s infrastructure, both the plan and its intentions were received with skepticism. America’s dwindling popularity in the Af-Pak region persists as officials are considering new public diplomacy initiatives.

Ground Zero Project Gets Green Light
Although the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the building of the Cordoba House near Ground Zero, the opposition from conservatives in America continues, raising concerns about Islamophobia in America. Commentators advocate a better understanding of Islam in the United States to avoid future stereotyping and to promote interfaith dialogue.

Upgrading Public Diplomacy at State
State Department officials are addressing the use of technology and the regulation of the internet in public diplomacy and foreign policy as some Congressional members protest the efficacy of the Smith-Mundt Act and its impact on the DoS' and the DoD’s efforts.

Al-Qaeda Attacks Al-Arabiya
An Iraqi Al-Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the car bombing attack outside of Al-Arabiya’s Baghdad offices. The attack against the news channel prompts a debate on the relationship between the Arab world and local media outlets.

Al-Jazeera Sues Egypt’s Newspaper
Al-Jazeera is suing Al-Ahram for defamation following a story in which the Egyptian newspaper accused the Qatari channel of forcing its female anchors to wear the veil, known as the hijab.