CULF 3331: "Middle Eastern Revolutions"

It's one key piece of evidence authorities are looking at as they search for suspects after two explosions at the Brussels airport and another at a busy metro station in the Belgian capital Tuesday killed at least 30 people and wounded 230 others. This explosion and attack was said to be caused by ISIS in their latest message to the western powers.

This footage provides evidence that could explain what happened in the airport at Belgium. At least one of the bombings was a suicide bombing.

ISIS is preparing to make a move on Europe with 400 fighters that they have trained for attacks. The caliphate has already shown its willingness to bomb Europe with its attack in Belgium.

REUTERS - Weddings in Iran have long been an over-the-top affair with families spending thousands of dollars to celebrate a union. But now some couples are splurging on an entirely different sort of nuptial celebration: a divorce party. Local media outlets and blogs have been abuzz for months about lavish parties, complete with sarcastic invitations and humorous cakes, for couples splitting up.

Many marriages in Saudi Arabia continue to be arranged marriages. However that is not to say that the bride or groom do not get a choice in the matter. They do. But if a bride and groom are brought together through family it is rare for either to reject the match.

Policies related to young adults, women, and families in Arab countries need to take into account the changing marriage patterns and their social and economic implications. This policy brief highlights current trends in marriage patterns of women in the Arab world, emerging policy issues, and links between marriage patterns and other social and demographic trends.

The night after their wedding, Eren stood over Nur in a dusky Mediterranean hotel, "You are old enough! Get ready to fuck or I will send you back to the camp!" A friend of Eren's married a Syrian woman last year who he said was pious and subservient.

Could social media help build another uprising soon? Supporters of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi often claim that Egyptian internet activists are powerless and disconnected from reality. They say that activists are living in their own virtual bubble; however, recent incidents suggest otherwise. When the 'Arab Spring' began in 2011, the role social media played was undeniable.

This article offers a differing perspective than most, stating that social media was more of a contributing factor in the middle eastern revolutions rather than "the driving force." Another interesting aspect of this article is the fact that it was written very recently. I think it's interesting how the difference of opinion over time on how social media has impacted and is continuing to impact revolutions in this area.

On 25 January 2011 hundreds of thousands of protesters started to gather in Tahrir Square and planted the seeds of unrest which, days later, finally unseated the incumbent president, Hosni Mubarak, after 30 years of power.

For the first time in history, a social movement could be observed in real-time as it spread, coalesced around ideas, and grew exponentially in size and scale across the Internet. That is what News Group International - a Dubai based news management company - discovered in its recent comprehensive analysis of social media surrounding the uprising in Egypt.

Iran's cyber aggression is more of a political ploy than military against the US. The cyber espionage targets institutions that may not have strategic value, but are well-known by the public for stronger media coverage to boost propaganda.

A cyber-espionage hacker group believed to be backed by Iran and located in Tehran have been identified. Tracking has led to identification of, Yaser Balaghi, the leader of a group known as "Rocket Kitten".

The head of the UN Mission in Libya, Martin Kobler, announced that the newly established unity government, that Kobler helped broker, would be installed in Tripoli in days. This comes after 5 years of a formal governmental void that has helped Libya become a haven for militant and terror groups. This has also led many Libyans to attempt to flee to Europe, increasing security fears among those who believe these refugees might be infiltrated by ISIS.

After the the new nuclear deal Iran's focus has been channeled into cyber activity. Iran state sponsored cyber espionage aimed at state department employees has been noted, usually through social media.

Egypt's Foreign minister is urging the Libyan parliament, the only body Egypt recognizes as a legitimate authority in Libya, to authenticate Libya's newly formed unity government. Egypt believes that Libyan authentication and control of it's own affairs, is the only way forward for Libya to achieve stability.

Cadelle and Chafer, the name of these groups, engage in cyber espionage using backdoors to target political activists and dissidents. These cyber groups have infiltrated over 100 systems of airlines, telecommunications and other organisations, mainly in the Middle East.

There's no doubt that the citizenry relied greatly on social media to network and organize during the Arab Spring, when areas in the Middle East and North Africa erupted in popular revolt during the early part of 2011. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter were used to call and coordinate protests, and also for sharing information on issues around the pro-democracy movement.

There's been some backlash in the last few days against the idea that either Tunisia or Egypt were brought on by Twitter or a "Facebook Revolution." And certainly, it takes a lot more than the 21st century version of a communication system to persuade people to take to the streets and risk harm, imprisonment, or death.

Oil is an important aspect of the Libyan economy. Wishing to bring their oil production back to pre-war levels, The Libyan government has opted out of attending an April meeting of OPEC.

Libya's neighbors along with members of the newly established unity government met in Tunis to discuss how Libya's neighbors can help Libya finally achieve piece and stability. It is apparent that in order for Libya to succeed in not only achieving stability and kicking out ISIS, they must rely on the help of regional partners.

According to the article, a Houthi official rebuffed Iran after one of its generals offered to send military advisers to help Houthi forces. The Iran have long been supporting the Houthis as they fight against Saudi-led forces.