Caspian Makan, the fiance of the young Iranian woman shot last week, tells Al Jazeera of her last moments. "Neda", which is the Farsi word for voice, was shot dead by a Basij soldier in Tehran.
During a seminar , former Jordanian PM Abdul Ra'uf al-Rawabidah raised the issue of the division over the national identity between Jordanians and Palestinians.
Al-Rawabidah's speech was an explicit admission of the failure of the state's efforts to create a third identity that brings together the two main identities in the country.
Ashkan Sohrabi was a young 18-year-old who was killed on Saturday, June 20, after being shot by security and Basiji forces.
Elham Sohrabi, his sister, says: He was my younger brother, born in 1989, very smart and full of potential for education and sports. He was extremely kind and compassionate. Despite his young age, he made very wise decisions.
A split tongue and a lazy eye [...] for sorcerers in Morocco are a sign that someone possesses supernatural skills that allow them to contact the spirit world and find buried treasures.
Hence, sorcerers have resorted to kidnapping children with features such as a cross on their right hand, tongues split in the middle or a lazy right eye.
According to Moroccan human rights activists gangs of sorcerers are targeting children with the specific features because they believe such children are "zohri," or born as jinn, but were replaced with human beings upon their birth.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), July 1, 2009
A series of events aimed at introducing Turkey's cultural heritage to Turkey-skeptic France, as well as explaining its vision as a European Union candidate country, kicked off yesterday when Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay and his French counterpart Frederic Mitterrand officially launched the Cultural Season of Turkey in France at a joint press conference. The nine-month Turkish festival is made up of nearly 400 events, including concerts, exhibits and conferences, which will take place in large French cities such as Paris, Marseille, Lille, Lyon and Strasbourg.
Turkish Season in France activities, set to last for about nine months, will start today in France. Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay and his French counterpart Frederic Mitterrand are expected to hold a joint press conference to launch the events. Afterwards, the Fire of Anatolia dance troupe is scheduled to perform in front of the Eiffel Tower, followed by a concert. An exhibit of Ottoman Caftans at the Louvre and one on Istanbul at the Grand Palais are among the most important events during the season. President Abdullah Gul and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are expected to open the Grand Palais exhibit together.
It’s not so long since wearing jeans was an issue of contention among the country’s religious circles. Today, resorts are catering to the faithful with single-sex discos, complete with DJs and drinks - albeit with a non-alcoholic twist. People identified as religious appear to be leaving the periphery and merging with society as a whole, but not necessarily at the cost of their values.
The writer of the book "Daughters of Allah", Nedim Gursel, which was highly criticized by the Religious Affairs Directorate has recently been acquitted in a trial case opened by a reader Ali Emre Bukagili. The report against the writer had argued that the book was "insulting and sarcastic, humiliating Allah, its prophets, divine religions, worshipping, holy books and religious principles."
In a step considered the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, the King Saud University in Riyadh will launch a drama course next year.
It will be the first Saudi university to offer such a specialized course, which will teach male and female students about the dramatic arts. The course will be launched in the academic year of 2009/2010, an official university source told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The source underlined that the Drama course will work in favour of young Saudi cinematic production and said that ‘through the course, we will support cinema.’
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat (Saudi Arabia), June 24, 2009
There may be sectarian tension on the streets of Iraq but in the country's newly reopened nightclubs the tension dies as people gather to drink and dance the night away and mend ties with shout outs to different ethnic groups.
For one of Baghdad's elegant bars the fun kicks off at midnight when Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish youth flock to a night of fun, which until recently was banned by Saddam Hussein's government.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), June 23, 2009
Four of Iran's national football players have been forced to "retire" following their World Cup qualifier against South Korea in which some team members sported green armbands in solidarity with the Iranian opposition against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a known football buff.
The players have been slapped with a life ban, meaning they will not able to play for their country again, and have also had their passports taken away from them, threatening their jobs abroad with European teams.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), June 24, 2009
The Dubai-based television channel Al Arabiya said on Sunday that its Tehran bureau has been ordered to remain closed indefinitely for "unfair reporting" of last week's disputed presidential election.
"The authorities accuse Al Arabiya of diffusing news that is not necessarily fair from their point of view," said channel's executive news manager, Nabil al-Khatib, adding that the channel had not done anything that was in violation of Iranian law and had appealed to the government about what it saw as a campaign against the station in the official Iranian media.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), June 22, 2009
Bahrain shut down for a day its oldest daily newspaper for "violating the country's press code," the official news agency reported Monday, a day after the paper published a report that suggested Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was Jewish.
The paper, Akhbar Al-Khaleej, or "Gulf News," was shut down as it was about to to print late Sunday night and is to remain shut until further notice, a note on the paper's website explained.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), June 22, 2009
"The photo's obviously not mine, I edited it. To me, the freedom tower looked so much rooted into the ground... so I just though it needs wings to fly and be free! But then it's stuck, how can it fly? How can it sense the freedom?
"I had this idea from a while ago, but when I saw this photo I was like wow - that's the best photo I can use. Before seeing this I thought if I put wings on the tower the whole idea of it wanting to fly but not being able to, would be quite sad (!!!!) but now the tower looks happy, seeing all these people!!! It feels like it's moving its wings to praise them!!"
Sidewalk (26 June 2009) -- Thanks to the tremendous ineptitude of our president to even carry out his plan, we have another revolution on our hands. We didn't ask for it, but we've got it. Now, what should we do with it?
The vortex of affairs that is currently sweeping the country can only go in two directions: escalation of violence and the militarization of the country or acceptance of defeat by those who staged the election coup. Both are equally likely and impossible at the same time.
How can a government that so unabashedly stole people's votes while sneering at them now concede defeat? But then, yesterday, Tehran was witness to the largest demonstration in three decades. Millions marched the same streets that inaugurated the 1979 Revolution. The same spirit of non-violence and peaceful cooperation was dominant. At nights, people on rooftops show their resistance to the coup by shouting Allah-o Akbar; again a repetition of a 1979 revolutionary tactic. At nights, cars honk, pedestrians raise their hands victoriously, and groups of people destroy public property. The magnitude of the protest is such that it seems impossible to crush. At this stage public confidence is mounting, to the point that it won't be easy to discourage them.
Then again, there is no telling what the government can pull out of its hat. More than ever, patience is a virtue and peaceful resistance is still the best solution.
A voice inside my head bounces off of my eyelids and I wake up: "The world is going to a dangerous place. Militarism is on the rise. Perhaps a coup is imminent."
A voice inside my heart enwraps it tightly: "What's to guarantee that Mirhossein Mousavi is more liberal-minded. He has never claimed the Reform movement."
Voice in the head: "Why did Khatami back him? Is he no longer abiding by Reform?"
Voice in the hands: "Instead of debating with yourself so much, get up and do something, write something."
Voice in the head: "What newspaper will print your crap?"
Voice in the feet: "I have no hope… where am I going? Into what trap am I walking? I won't beat my chest for anyone. I won't betray myself. I won't join the internal fighting that is taking place between the centers of power."
Voice in the heart: "Don't believe Karoubi. He is full of air. How is he going to implement all that he has promised? Where's the guarantee? These people love power, not the people, not the country, not the earth. They are after votes only."
Voice in the butt: "Vote for Ahmadinejad. Let the country go to the devil. Let corruption rule over the world."
Voice in the head: "Don't be so cynical. It's not a joke. If things take a bad turn, the streets will teem with crooks. People may disappear in daylight. Civil war may ensue. Minorities could be persecuted."
Voice in the heart: "How dare they use nostalgic music for their promotional campaigns. These were composed for those who died fighting for justice."
Voice in the head: "Haven't you realized what politics is all about? There are difficulties along the way. Don't mix yourself into this."
Voice in the heart: "You are certainly not the type. Politics means that you move pawns only to win. After winning, though, people will have to brace themselves for defeat."
Voice in the belly: "Perhaps Mirhossein will do something for the hungry." Voice in the head: "Agreed, but I won't fool myself with hopes and dreams. Why should I take part in a collective hallucination? Why do women applaud a candidate who dissociates himself from those who dress as they please?" Voice in the heart: "When will I become We? When will we learn from our mistakes and use our heads? When will we realize that the savior is in the grave. [1] So, turn off your heat and proceed with your mind." Voice in the head: "Perhaps people will learn to use their minds in another thousand years." Voice in the heart: "By the way, what will happen to the political prisoners? Why aren't we concerned with Human Rights? The Environment? No one is thinking of the flowers. [2]" Voice in the head: "We must first find peace. We must proceed with caution. Young people should keep away from adventurism." Voice in the heart: "So, when can we move on? When can we insist on our demands?" Voice in the head: "Time is not an enemy to overcome but an ally to work with patiently." [3] Voice in the hands: "But I can't write the name of any of these candidates on the ballot." Voice in the heart: "Don't you remember what {Najaf Daryabandari} said in the last election: Fearing the serpent, I threw myself in the mouth of the dragon. [4] And he then went to the voting station to write {Hashemi Rafsanjani}'s name on the ballot. He said that we should be uneasy about American jingoism in the region." Voice in the head: "The world is again threatened by religious radicalism and the voice of freedom is dim. Truly, ill-fated is the people yearning for heroes. This regime has fist-fucked the workers, imprisoned their representatives, and now claims to represent workers throughout the world. This two-legged creature is truly a puzzle." Voice in the heart: "Freedom has no walls. But these ideologues deny it. You remember that the premise is freedom and truth and respect for other beings. You can then ascribe to whatever -ism you want."
I let the water run over my body. I tell my head to shut up, I tell my heart to shut up, I tell my hands, feet, above and below to shut up.
I want to go and buy a newspaper to see what will befall us.
Source: Tehran Avenue (Iran), Article by Marzieh Vafamehr, June
The decision taken by Saudi authorities to pull the shutters on those gyms for women that aren’t linked to a hospital or health body, has disappointed many women who assert that they want to stay fit and healthy with easy and affordable options.
“I was availing the opportunity to visit a fitness club that was reasonably priced near my home, but ever since it has closed, I have had no option but to abandon my fitness regime,” complained Ayesha Bawaja, a Saudi woman who claims that she wants to stay fit because her husband dislikes it when she gains weight. “I started working out at home but did not get the same result because the equipment and encouragement one finds in a gym cannot be found at home.”
Source: Saudi Gazette (Saudi Arabia), June 16, 2009
The third Global Gathering Istanbul, part of the world's biggest dance music festival, is scheduled to take place at Maslak's Refresh The Venue on July 4. Among the DJs who will perform during the event are Orbital; Carl Fox, in Turkey after a long absence; legendary house music figure Mark Knight; James Zabiela; and Sebastien Leger, who has many fans in Turkey. In related news, top alternative band Placebo, fresh from releasing their new album "Battle for the Sun," will perform in Istanbul on June 23, their fourth appearance in Turkey's largest city.
Synopsis: Armaghan is born out of an oath his mother makes to a Sufi Pir that her child will "walk the Sufi path when he grows up". Armaghan returns to Pakistan unaware of the secret about to change his life. His cousin Ali is on his own path of self - discovery to become a Lollywood star. Will they both find what they are looking for...
‘Kashf: The Lifting of the Veil’ is a Pakistani feature film that explores Sufism and its impact on the country’s cultural heritage. As headlines about Taliban atrocities abound, the film highlights a different, ‘positive’ narrative about Pakistan as it follows a young man’s spiritual journey towards mystical Islam.
‘Kashf’ is currently screening at art house theatres and prestigious universities in the United States, where audiences are struck by the protagonist’s transformative engagement with religion, the lush cinematography of Lahore, and the alternate window on Pakistan that the film offers.
Behnam Behjat Marandi (8 June 2009) -- In the past several weeks and since the advertisement campaign of candidates for the 10th Presidential Election started, the city and its citizens have gone through a major transformation, part of which is common for any election and another is peculiar to this election and this city.
Posters and banners of presidential candidates can be seen everywhere. Citizens, young and old, gather in squares and engage in heated debates over their preferred choice. These are endemic to every election. But there are other phenomena that are not so common. Open political discussions and group discussions in public space, peaceful promotional campaigns by supporters who are potentially hostile to each other, and spontaneous political organization are unprecedented in modern Iranian history.
Culturally, we are very much adept at impromptu organization -- for religious events and on the occasion of misfortunes -- but politically this has not been our forte. Also, despite sporadic scuffles between supporters of the two main candidates, the general spirit of this campaign is serene and based on tolerances. I have personally not seen anything more than verbal fights along my route.
More importantly, the outward manifestation of political expression and its occurrence in public space is possibly an irrevocable new development of our time. The Tehrani citizen is now in a position to externalize part of her/his inner concerns and wishes. S/he is ready to accept the consequences of a possible backlash.
Today, Tehrani citizens are getting to know each other across the divides that separate them economically, politically and culturally. This can activate other potentials of the Social and can be used in making future demands on the state.
An Egyptian singer turned preacher whose father knew American President Barack Obama’s father has been invited by the American embassy to attend the president's much anticipated speech at Cairo University Thursday and she plans to attend.
Yasmin al-Khayam, Egypt's singer turned preacher who stirred controversy in the 1980s for joining the singing industry despite being daughter of a famous Quranic reciter, said she received an invite to attend Obama's speech.
The daughter of Quranic reciter Mahmud Khalil al-Husary told Al Arabiya her late father knew Obama's father Hussein Obama, and had given him a tape recording of his recitation when they met on one of the reciter's trips to Africa.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), June 3, 2009
"Fast Food is the city's gift to its citizens, and fast food's best friend has always been ketchup, that red syrupy non-liquid liquid that has a dominant taste and can be used on anything.
"In the advertisement campaign of candidates of the 10th Presidential Elections, currently underway, a similar magic formula is being used. In official or unofficial promotional films of candidates that circulate in the Internet or on TV, music is used in a similar fashion.
"'Ey Iran,' a popular nationalist anthem composed before the 1979 revolution, has a particular appeal to Iranians. So much so that it outlasted the early revolutionary zeal to rid the country of all nationalistic tendencies. Today, it has been manipulated and used in campaign ads of {Mahmood Ahmandinejad}, the incumbent candidate, and seldom marked for his patriotism. 'Sar Umad Zemesoon' ('Winter's Over'), a leftist anthem which at some point after the revolution of 1979 was reason for its murmurer to end up in jail, is today being used by {Mirhossein Mousavi}, the main reformist contender, known for his religious fervor. 'Yar Dabestani' ('Fellow Classmate'), a call-for-unity song that the Reformists appropriated is now co-opted by {Mohsen Rezaee}, known for coming to the race to detract votes from his fellow conservative Ahmadinejad. These are some examples of the use of music as ketchup.
"In fast food joints, ketchup is made freely available, and you are invited to help yourself generously, simply because it makes the food edible. The same seems to be true with campaign anthems: They are generously offered by candidates to hide various messages in their campaign that may not taste so good."
Source: Tehran Avenue (Iran), By Ramin Sadighi, June 2009
