In an unfortunate result of translation, Pakistani diplomat Akbar Zeb will not become the next Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Zeb’s credentials seem in order: He is the former ambassador to the United States, India and South Africa. He held the post of High Commissioner Designate of Pakistan to Canada and is the former director general of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
But despite Mr. Zeb’s impressive career, the 55-year-old diplomat’s name proved to be the immovable hurdle. When translated into Arabic, Akbar Zeb means “Biggest Dick.” In a region that stresses modesty, particularly in public, this could not stand.
TOMORROW (Feb. 14) means something special for a lot of people around the Western world. It is Valentine’s Day, a day on which the tradition of honoring your loved one has become a social custom in societies that celebrate such events. [...]
In the Kingdom, some things remain unchanged. Writing for the Associated Press, Abdullah Al-Shehri stated that “the Saudi religious police” (Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice) had “launched last Thursday a nationwide crackdown on stores selling items that are red or in any other way allude to the banned celebrations of Valentine’s Day.” [...]
With the youth across the Arab world increasingly embracing the concept of such an event to express their love and affection, it irks the more devout Muslims who oppose the celebration of this particular holiday as “a Western celebration of romantic love that corrupts Muslim youth.”
In contrast, in some Arab capitals the celebrations are going full steam ahead. [...]
So how do some people here view this particular day? [...]
Nadia, a Saudi college student disagrees. She is emphatic when she says her plans for Valentine’s Day include partying with her girlfriends. “This day doesn’t stop me from praying or reading the Qur’an. What makes it even more special is that it is falling during the school break and we can go out and stay up pretty late.” And yes, she is going out in red. She had a new abaya tailored for the occasion, with the color red being prominently patterned around her cloak.
Yes, tomorrow is different to some. And depending on which side of the fence you sit, the color red will definitely have some say.
Source: Arab News (Saudi Arabia), February 13, 2010
Marjan Kalhor has grown on the slopes of the Winter ski n Dizin, north of Tehran, but never thought she would achieve such a feat, that of being, at the age of 21, the first Iranian to participate in the Winter Olympics.
Two master performers of traditional Turkish music – Niyazi Sayin, who plays the Neyzen (reed flute), and Necded Yasar, who plays the tambur (a mandolin-type instrument) – were honored with the 2009 Culture and Art Grand Award of the Culture and Tourism Ministry in a ceremony over the weekend in Istanbul. The prestigious award, given in a different branch of art each year to artists who have contributed to its development, is handed out by a committee headed by Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay. The committee honored Sayin and Yasar for their efforts to carry traditional Turkish music culture into the next century through their sterling performances as well as for improving the practice of solo virtuosity in Turkish music, Gunay said. The ceremony was attended by scores of high-profile guests, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, State Minister Hayati Yazici, and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas. In a speech at the ceremony, Gunay said that Sayin and Yasar, who together have spent more than a century in music, deserve this honor more than any other living Turkish classical musicians. Sayin, 82, and Yasar, 79, received their awards from Erdogan during the ceremony, where "Bir Yasam Oykusu" (A Life Story), a film by Fahri Tanir about the two artists' lives and work, was also screened.
Organized for the first time in August 2009 and attracted great attention in local and international platforms, Istanbul Fashion Week, is going to be held between 03 - 06 February 2010 parallel to global fashion schedule, to showcase 2010-2011 Autumn / Winter collection.
Istanbul Fashion Week, the organization that gathers together Turkish designers and brands in an organized roof; aims to support the growth of Turkish fashion industry, increase the awareness and commercial potential for brands and designers in local and international markets.
In Yemen it is unusual to find a woman working as a salesperson in a large supermarket, grocery or clothing store. But recently, a small number of women have started taking on these jobs, and challenging this society’s traditions, in order to help themselves and their families.
Um Bashir from Taiz, is in her thirties and works in a large supermarket in the Hadda area of Sana’a. She is married with one child and started working as a salesperson six years ago.
“I began working as a salesperson six years ago and I’m very happy with my work,” said Um Bashir.
Although women are the most vulnerable to extremists in Yemen, their voices are the least likely to be heard and their role to face terrorism is restricted by social and legal status, say human rights activists.
On Thursday, Sisters Against Violent Extremism (SAVE Yemen) brought together a group of women representing human rights groups, academic institutions, the press, and universisty students, to discuss how Yemeni women can be involved to face extremism and terrorism.
“The whole world is focusing on Yemen and terrorism right now, but the true Yemenis have no voice. People are talking about Yemen, but no one knows what Yemenis think or how they feel,” said Fahima Al-Fotih, SAVE Yemen coordinator.
“A 'teaser' poster for the worldwide debut of an ambitious new initiative by a group of Canadian-based Yemenis,” reads the comment under this image on Facebook. The initiative can be viewed at www.resonateyemen.org.
Egypt’s Grand Mufti issued a fatwa that prohibits the use of Quranic verses or the call for prayers as ringtones on the basis that they show lack of respect, according to a copy of the fatwa text obtained by Al Arabiya on Thursday.
Dr. Ali Gomaa, considered Egypt’s highest religious authority, argued that using verses from the Quran for ringtones violates the sanctity of the divine words.
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, saudi-owned), January 21, 2010
A black goat is slaughtered almost every day by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to ward off the "evil eye" and protect him from the curse of "black magic".
"It has been an old practice of Mr. Zardari to offer 'Sadqa' (animal sacrifice). He has been doing this for a long time," President's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
Hundreds of black goats have been sacrificed since Zardari moved into the President's House in September 2008. His trusted servant Bai Khan buys goats from Saidpur village and the animal is touched by Zardari before it is sent to his private house to be sacrificed.
A new historical TV series will be airing this year – probably during Ramadan 2010 – staring popular Syrian, Lebanese and Jordanian actors like Ayman Zaidan, Ghassan Massoud, Yasser Al Masri and Akef Najem.
The series entitled ‘Rayat Al Haq’ is about the incidents that took place after the death of Prophet Mohammad and the beginning of the Islamic conquests.
There are between 700 and 1000 requests from internet users to block websites in Saudi Arabia per day, a source at the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) told Asharq Al-Awsat. An average of 850 requests per day means that there are 300,000 requests annually. The same source confirmed that over 93 percent of blocked websites are pornographic.
Sultan al Malik, Public Relations and International Affairs Manager at the CITC stated that there are approximately 200 requests per day to unblock websites, meaning that for every four requests to block a certain website there is only one request to unblock websites.
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat (Saudi Arabia), January 15, 2010
A recent study carried out in Saudi Arabia shows that 68 percent of Saudi girls prefer to withhold their family name due to the sensitivity of this information, in comparison to just 32 percent of girls who appear on Facebook under their own full names. The study revealed that 16 percent of girls polled were members of Facebook under aliases or false identities. As for the Saudi Arabian boys who use Facebook, the study showed that 60 percent of those questioned were members of Facebook under their own full name, with just 4 percent appearing under an alias or a false name.
This information was disclosed as part of a study entitled "The Methodology of Saudi Youth When Utilizing Social Networking Sites" which was carried out by a group of students at the School of Computer Science at the King Saud University in Riyadh. The group of students surveyed a number of Saudi students, half of whom were studying at the King Saud University, while the other half were studying at secondary schools in Riyadh.
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat (London-based, Saudi-owned), January 19, 2010
Preparations for Istanbul's year as a European Capital of Culture (ECOC) have finally concluded, and the Istanbul 2010 ECOC Agency is counting down to the inaugural performances set for this weekend. The inaugural events were introduced at a press conference yesterday at the Ciragan Palace with the participation of agency Chairman Sekib Avdagic, agency Secretary General Yilmaz Kurt, the Spell of Istanbul (Istanbul Buyusu) Artistic Director Yekta Kara, Groupe F Choreographer Christoph Berthonneau, and some of the artists who will perform during the inauguration, including Kıraç, Mercan Dede and Zara. Avdagic said all the ads for the ECOC present Istanbul as a dignified, self-confident city.
"The most inspiring city in the world, Istanbul , is ready to share the energy it has with Turkey and with the world through more than 400 special projects that will take place throughout the year," he added. Avdagic said this Saturday, many museums such as the Sakip Sabanci Museum , Istanbul Modern, Asiyan Museum , Sadberk Hanim Museum and Hagia Sophia will be open until midnight. The inauguration will start at seven different places, inspired by the idea of the seven hills of Istanbul .
The Halic Congress Center will welcome more than 5,000 guests, including President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as more than 20 foreign ministers. The performances at the inauguration will be seen by public for the first time. One of the inaugural projects, The Spell of Istanbul, includes various branches of the arts, 303 artists and a staff of more than 450. One of the most significant parts of the inauguration will be the special light and fireworks show on the Halic shore, which will be relayed live to six other squares – Taksim, Kadıkoy, Pendik, Bagcilar, Beylikduzu and Sultanahmet – as well as across Turkey and other parts of the world.
An official inauguration ceremony will be held at the Halic Congress Center this weekend to kick off Istanbul's year-long reign as the 2010 European Capital of Culture. Among those set to be present at the ceremony are President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, politicians, Turkish business leaders, high-level officials from European and other neighboring countries, artists, and Turkish and foreign journalists. The ceremony will include a fireworks display, a dance performance, and several concerts. The European Capital of Culture (ECOC) is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one year during which it is given a chance to showcase its cultural assets. Istanbul shares its European Capital of Culture 2010 title with Pecs, Hungary and Essen, Germany.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News (Turkey), January 12, 2010
Nobel Laureate novelist Orhan Pamuk will deliver a speech on Thursday at Berlin 's Humboldt University on the experience of reading novels. His speech is part of a series of lectures organized by Humboldt's German Literature Institute.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News (Turkey), January 11, 2010
In a new, unique, and stunning idea, Egyptian star, Amr Diab officially announced the launching of his own online radio station, DIAB FM. The channel will be avaliable only through the internet, and will provide fans with Amr Diab's music from the mid-80's to 2009 with his smash hit "Wayah." The radio station will also give all Diab's fan the latest and exclusive news and music, and will include interviews with Amr Diab's longtime friends, and co-operators, from producers, to writers, directors, composers, and arrangers.
As Istanbul will begin to enjoy its one-year title as European Capital of Culture starting tomorrow, the international media and travel magazines have started to give extensive coverage to the city's historic, cultural and natural assets, calling on travel lovers to visit Istanbul. Touting Istanbul's long history as a leading city and capital of legendary civilizations throughout history, Business Traveler magazine said that Istanbul offers travelers countless unique opportunities to relish, adding that Istanbul is expected to draw 10 million visitors in 2010.
The magazine said Istanbul became European Capital of Culture ahead of Turkey's European Union accession as a result of the city's rising allure in recent years thanks to its breakthroughs in the areas of fashion and tourism. In related news, Istanbul attracted nearly 7.5 million tourists in 2009, provincial culture and tourism head Ahmet Emre Bilgili said yesterday. The number of tourists visiting the city rose 6 percent in 2009 over last year, he said. "Our goal for 2010 is to attract 9-10 million tourists," he added. Programs carried out by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency will make the city "a center of attraction," he said. Istanbul is set to host several major events in 2010, like the September concert by rock giant U2.
Turkey attracted nearly 26 million tourists in the first 11 months of 2009. From January to November, largely German, Russian and British tourists flocked to Turkey, especially its Mediterranean region.
International award-winning film director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, calligraphy and gilding artist Ugur Derman, and Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci, representing the Sakip Sabanci Museum (SSM), were honored yesterday at the 2009 President's Culture and Art Grand Awards ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. President Abdullah Gul bestowed the cinema award upon Cannes festival prize-winner Ceylan, while the award for traditional arts was given to Derman, a professor who has lectured at Marmara and Mimar Sinan universities. The institution award was given to Istanbul's SSM. Speaking at the ceremony, Gul said that the rapidly changing world has seen many developments, particularly in technology and the economy.
"But if the only developments mentioned are technological and economic growth, this is a bit dull," he said. "If the artistic, cultural and intellectual aspects of a country are also improving while that country develops, this is a sign that the country in question is truly developing." The award is given to both Turkish and foreign nationals as well as institutions which make important contributions to Turkish art and culture, aiming to honor them in the name of the state and to encourage such contributions. Gul hands out the awards in various branches of culture and art each year, and a committee including such notable figures as columnist Dogan Hizlan and literary historian Iskender Pala suggests the branches and candidates to be recognized.
Citing Ceylan's acceptance speech at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for the Best Director award for "Uc Maymun" (Three Monkeys), in which the director said he dedicated the prize to his "lonely and beautiful country" which he loves passionately, Gül said, "These words moved the entire Turkish nation. … But as a statesman today I can say that our country is no longer lonely. Turkey has many supporters abroad." Gul also praised the Sakip Sabanci Museum for its achievements in private museum management, saying that it has enormously served Turkey's cultural life by bringing world-class exhibits to Istanbul.
Christians throughout Turkey marked Christmas on Thursday and Friday with masses at Catholic and Orthodox churches while other celebrations were also held by other Christian citizens and expatriates.
In Istanbul, the Christian community celebrated Christmas at various churches. Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan attended the service at Saint Antoine Church in Taksim and offered his holiday greetings to the Christian community.
As consumption shifted from the Western world to the East with the recent global financial crisis, Istanbul became the meeting point of the two, especially in the textile and ready-to-wear sectors, CNR Holding sales coordinator Selcuk Icinsel has said. D
elivering a speech at a press conference organized to promote the 15th İstanbul Fashion Fair, which is scheduled to be held at the CNR Expo Center on Jan. 24-26, Icinsel said 125 companies from around the world are expected to participate in the fair. "Since the last fair (held on Aug. 28-30) coincided with the closing of the summer season, the number of companies that attended was very low; however, this time we are expecting a very high figure," he said, adding that he is very optimistic about the fair and that he expects it to attract some 30,000 visitors. The fair will be visited by delegations of 125 purchase specialists from Greece and Bulgaria, respectively, along with 10 purchase specialists each from Jordanian and Romanian textile and ready-to-wear associations.
Moreover, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce expected to attend the fair with a group of eight buyers as will Russia’s Krasnodar Chamber of Commerce. Other countries that will be represented by companies at the fair are China, Egypt, France, Germany, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the UAE, the UK and the US. Icinsel also drew attention to the attendance of Saudi House, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading department stores, at the fair, stressing that this will be the first time a Saudi company attends.
Despite plates of freshly baked klecha cookies, traditional hymns and festive decorations, this Christmas is far from home for thousands of Chaldean Christians.
The day is a sombre holiday for Chaldean Iraqis who have fled violence and deteriorating security in their homeland, where they have claimed to have lived for over a millennia.
With some residing in Jordan for up to six years, the holiday provides a lone bright spot in a year filled with uncertainty, frustration and fear.
On Monday the Coptic Orthodox Bishopric in Giza issued a statement: "On 11 Friday, at 1am, a full apparition of the Virgin Mary on the right dome of the church was reported by at least 3,000 people. She appeared in her usual heavenly blue costume. She was crowned and the concrete cross on the dome was placed on top of her crown. Those present captured photos and videos of the Holy scene," read the statement. The scene, as described, was broadcast on Amr Adib's talk show "Cairo Today" on 13 December.
According to Bishop Theodosios of Giza, it was important to investigate the event in detail.
If hip hop is a genre of music associated with the struggle of a people, then there is no better place than the impoverished, blockaded and recently bombarded Gaza Strip to host a rap competition.
Thousands of fans crowded the Red Crescent hall, where the event was held, to watch seven hip hop groups battle it out against each other in a competition called "Our Message."
The competition was organized by a group of ladies in Gaza in cooperation with the municipality of the Norwegian city of Termso and was part of a project called "City to City."
Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), December 22, 2009
Comedy is beginning to be taken seriously in the Kingdom as its people’s receptiveness to stand-up is seeing an unprecedented upturn.
This genre of live entertainment that until very recently was “new” in the Middle East is thriving, and with what joie de vivre!
Lebanese stand-up comedian Rami Salamé, 30, who has performed in several cities of Saudi Arabia, in Lebanon and Bahrain, likes to call the year 2009 as the “Year of Stand-up Comedy” for the Kingdom. “The year-old local comedy industry has had world-class comedians coming here, which shows the potential of this place as an ideal market for stand-up comedians. In this regard, we are the most active country in the Gulf,” he said.
Source: Saudi Gazette (Saudi Gazette), December 24, 2009
The Dubai International Film Festival plans to stage its sixth edition this year despite the emirate being in financial meltdown and stock markets across the globe plummeting amid exposure to its debt crisis.
Among the competish contenders are Egyptian helmer Kamla Zekry’s “One-Zero,” Arab-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis’ “Amreeka” and French-Arab director Nassim Amaouche’s “Adieu Gary.”
Palestinian helmer Michel Khleifi’s “Zindeeq” receives its world preem at the fest as does Emirati filmmaker Ali Mostafa’s “City of Life.”
Organizers are rolling out the red carpet for Mostafa, who has previously won the Emirati Filmmaker prize at the fest and has long been seen as the Emirati helmer most likely to break out internationally. Mostafa’s film, which finished principal photography in mid-March, takes its name from the English translation of Dubai’s oldest nickname. The multi-lingual, multi-stranded character-driven drama follows the intersecting lives of a privileged young Emirati, an Indian taxi driver and Romanian flight attendant all living in the bustling emirate.
The Turkish Film Director, Fatih Akin, who grew up in Germany and received several important prizes for his film in Europe, said that he will not attend the gala night of his film ‘Soul Kitchen’ which will be on December 16 to protest the prohibition of minaret construction in Switzerland. Fatih Akin wrote a letter to the Swiss press and said that such a referendum did not fit an understanding that encourages people with different races and religious to live together peacefully. He stated that he was concerned of the result of the referendum as the child of a Muslim father and mother who see the minarets not only as the symbol of Islam but an architectural element that complements a place of worship.
Dr. Sayed Al Khatab who is the president of the Egyptian censorship had made a decision to forbid the new clip for the song “Baba Feen” (where Is Daddy) for the famous Lebanese superstar Haifa Wahbe, claiming that she had made some inappropriate remarks about the Egyptian ethnic group the “Nuba”. He also points out that the song did not get the official permission to air.
Sayed stated that he refuses any type of insults on any group of people in the Egyptian culture especially after meeting one of the parliament members who is part of “Al Nuba” people.
France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, today commended the courage of Lubna Hussein a Sudanese journalist and women’s rights activist who was recently released from jail after charges of violating Sudan’s rigid dress code.
Last September, the judge ordered the female journalist to pay a fine of 500 pounds ($200) or else be jailed for 30 days after being convicted of indecent dressing. Lubna refused to pay the fine but she was released well before her one month jail sentence expired.
"We are all concerned by this (situation) because the subject of the violation of human rights, particularly the rights of women, affects us all," said Kouchner in a joint press conference with the Sudanese journalist who is visiting the French capital this week.
"It is a very great struggle," he further said adding "It is a very important struggle for Arab women and for African women." The minister also disclosed that Lubna would receive soon an award in Cairo from an Arab Women’s organization for her work.
Kouchner said Tuesday that 43,000 women were arrested in and around the Sudanese capital alone in such cases last year.
An estimated three millions pilgrims have begun to gather on the plains of Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a key rite of Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage.
Pilgrims began flocking to the plains before dawn on Thursday, in the aftermath of stormy weather and reports that, away from the pilgrimage, about 50 people were killed in flood waters in the country's west.
A downpour hit Mecca province and the port city of Jeddah, where television footage showed storm waters and stranded motorists.
The heavy rains also drenched the pilgrims as they arrived at Mina's campgrounds from Mecca and surrounding areas.
Many took shelter under bridges, tarpaulins or whatever they could find, and when the rains abated in the afternoon, Saudi authorities reportedly handed out dry ihram clothes - the two pieces of unstitched white cloth that male pilgrims wear.
One of the Arab world's best known pop stars has sparked fury among Egypt's Nubians by releasing a song that refers to them as "monkeys".
Haifa Wehbe, a Lebanese singer, has since apologised for the song, saying it was written by an Egyptian songwriter and that she was unaware of the racial connotations of the lyrics.
But Nubian lawyers have called for the song to be banned and filed a complaint against with Egypt's public prosecutor.
The Lebanese singer now faces a possible lawsuit over her song "Where's Daddy", in which a child sings to her: "Where is my teddy bear and the Nubian monkey?"
Egypt Thursday recalled its ambassador in Algeria for "consultations" after attacks against supporters of its football team in Sudan, where the Pharaohs lost before Algeria in qualifying to the World Cup-2010.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry stated that it had recalled its ambassador in Algeria for "consultations".
The foreign Ministry also stated that it expressed to the ambassador of Algeria in Egypt, Abdelkader Hajar, the extreme indignation of Egypt against the aggressions of Algerian nationals against Egyptian nationals after the Algeria-Egypt match Wednesday night in Khartoum, won 1-0 by the "Greens".
A consignment of relief goods contributed by Pakistan Army’s Lahore Corps for displaced persons of South Waziristan leaves Fortress Stadium for its onward destination to Dera Ismail Khan.–APP Photo
