Archive for August 14, 2008

From Mahmud Darwish’s funeral. (thanks Sherene who took the picture). Instead of writing about shoes and Arab culture, why don’t these foreign correspondents write about the place of poetry in Arab culture? At least classical Orientalists, like Philip Hitti (who I still like to read), used to write about that. I can’t imagine a funeral [...]

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

“A 31-year-old Jerusalem woman was cruelly beaten and threatened with death by members of the ‘modesty squad’ who took it upon themselves to interrogate her about her relationships with men, an indictment filed Thursday by the Jerusalem Prosecution reveals.” (thanks Olivia)

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

“Kurdistan Post reported that the Austrian police arrested Soroor Barzani, son of Massoud Barzani and his five bodyguards after shooting Austrian – Kurdish origin – opposition writer and Human rights activist Kamal Sayid Qadir.”

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

“The Iraqis were gripped with anger, jeering and shouting slogans in favor of the recently captured Saddam Hussein. They thrust their fists toward the Americans, they waved the soles of their shoes — a particularly low insult in the Arab world — and some of them spat toward the G.I.’s. Gunfire was everywhere.” (thanks Nir)

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

Darwish: again, and again. Darwish’s prose is as beautiful as his poetry, but in different ways. What I love about him is that this poet speaks Arabic in a very concise way when being interviewed. I watched an interview with him from 2002, and he was magnificent. He said that while Israel imposes a siege [...]

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

Conspiracy? What conspiracy? Harari rag, Al-Mustaqbal, declares that Gaza tunnels are “harmful to society.” (In Hariri and Saudi media society means Israel now). (thanks Hassan)

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

Conspiracy? What conspiracy? Harari rag, Al-Mustaqbal, declares that Gaza tunnels are “harmful to society.” (In Hariri and Saudi media society means Israel now). (thanks Hassan)

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

“Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili denied on Wednesday night that Israel has suspended its military aid to the country. “I haven’t heard anything about that, and I haven’t had time to think about that issue for some days,” he told Haaretz.” (thanks Mouin)

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

An Ethiopian maid, 28, “fell” from the apartment of the building where she works outside of Beirut, and died. Lebanese police (and presumably the employer) ruled that she tripped and fell.

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

The Kingdom of 1984. Saudi Interior Ministry issues a proclamation to the citizens. You are to report on anybody who does not show up at work, and on anybody in whom you detect a change of behavior or conduct.

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad

“The poem To My Mother by Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish (my translation):I long for the bread of my motherand the coffee of my motherand the touch of my mother..And childhood grows inside mea day over the chest of a dayAnd I love my life becauseif I die,I am embarrassed for the tearsof my mother!Take me, [...]

Posted on August 14, 2008 by As'ad