Archive for February 4, 2007
“Ten men arrested in Saudi Arabia on suspicion of funding terrorism include known political activists detained in the past over calls for reform in the absolute monarchy, a lawyer said yesterday.The Interior Ministry said on Saturday it had arrested 10 people, including a foreign resident, for collecting donations and giving them to “suspicious elementsâ€. It [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
A certain Sam Harris wrote a book titled A Letter to A Christian Nation. In it, he said that Muslims are “”utterly deranged by their religious faith.” The book sold more than 500,000 as I learned from C-Span. Only in America?
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
“Amnesty on Afghan war crimes approved” (And each war criminal will receive a blender as a token of appreciation)
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
Lest you harbor any illusions about the tyrannical regime of Syria: “More than 700 Palestinian refugees who have been driven out of Iraq are stranded in squalid tented camps on the Syrian border. Damascus is refusing to let them in, despite the wintry conditions and limited supplies of food, water, fuel and medicines.”
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
Having been impressed with US progress in Iraq, “Britain hands over Afghanistan to US”
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
“A Saudi Arabian court has convicted and sentenced 20 foreigners to receive lashes and spend several months in prison for attending a party where alcoholic drinks were served and men and women danced, a Saudi newspaper reported yesterday.”
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
“I tended livestock on Kibbutz Lahav, which was established on the ruins of three Palestinian villages. The Palestinian inhabitants had been expelled and, because they are not Jewish, were unable to return. One day, we needed extra workers to help clean manure from the turkey cages. The head of the turkey branch said we should [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
The shoes may come to order. In the last meeting of Fath’s Revolutionary Council (I hate the word revolution accompanying the word Fath in any sentence), Tawfiq Tirawi threw his shoe at Jibril Rajjub.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
This is the picture that got Egyptian photographers in trouble. Egyptian prime minister eating watermelon seeds in the Egyptian parliament. It is not known where he spat the shells? Some say that they went in the direction of the Minister of Trade. In Egyptian accent, the process of eating seeds is called “yi’azzaz lib”.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
Israeli occupation forces destroyed their house in Jerusalem.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
An image of the new security plan for Baghdad.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
The case of Tariq Ramadan. OK, I have not spoken or written before on the case of Tariq Ramadan. I of course still believe that denying him entry into the US is politically-motivated and quite unjust, when Abraham Foxman and Pat Robertson can roam freely in 50 states. But that is not the issue here. [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
On the front page of Al-Akhbar newspaper is this dramatic revelation: Saudi ambassador in Lebanon reveals that he has not made any phone calls in the last 24 hours. Al-Akhbar always puts its important news, such as this, on its front page.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
I have posted before about the Lebanese genius who “invented a cure for cancer.” You and I may not have heard of this scientific breakthrough but it is all over Lebanese media, thanks to a front-page story in An-Nahar (the right-wing, sectarian Christian, anti-Palestinian (people), anti-Syrian (people) newspaper in Lebanon. Al-Arabiya TV did a story [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
Today, Paul Wolfowitz showed up for a meeting with greasy hair. He said that he has no money to buy shampoo, and he wants you to feel sorry for him. An-Nahar will offer words of sympathy on the front page tomorrow.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
“Without a public debate or formal policy decision, contractors have become a virtual fourth branch of government. On the rise for decades, spending on federal contracts has soared during the Bush administration, to about $400 billion last year from $207 billion in 2000, fueled by the war in Iraq, domestic security and Hurricane Katrina, but [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
February 14th is a day of celebrations in Lebanon: it is…Valentine’s Day. What did you think I meant?
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
How sad. He devoted his entire life to fighting…Danish cartoons. But he was a lot of fun in parties, I hear.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
Please keep the children out of this: just keep them out of your dirty wars and squabbles. There is nothing I hate–more even than parents who push their kids into show business (my parents did not push me when I played a recurring role on Charlie’s Angels; that was purely my decision) more than adults [...]
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad
I kid you not. All day long, Al-Arabiya newscast has been leading with the story (and clip) of Jibril Rajjub–Jibril Rajjub, for potato’s sake–offering praise for the Saudi King. Are you kidding me? Jibril Rajjub would offer you praise for a free meal, or pair of shoes–they don’t even need to be new pair.
Posted on February 4, 2007 by As'ad