Yalla Imshi

Muslim Scholar Publishes Anti-Christian Book in Egypt

December 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Christian in Egypt are up in arms this week over a controversial book issued as a free supplement with this month’s Al-Azhar magazine, describing Christianity as a Religion of “idolatry” and claiming that the Holy Bible is a misquotation of the original one. The book was published by State-owned corporations that are financed by taxpayers, Christians as well as Muslims.

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There’s nothing “scholarly” about this publication as far as I can see, unless you count fodder for intolerance and hate a legitimate academic pursuit.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Frustrating · Scary

Never thought I’d see…

November 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

An image of George Washington next to an Arab, with words in Latin underneath.

It’s the emblem for the George Washington Academy in Casablanca.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Really?

Why Ugandans want to work in Iraq

November 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Watertight Security Services has been sending Ugandan security guards to Iraq since 2007.

So far, more than 10,000 Ugandans have gone to work in the country.

Read Full BBC Article

But what good is your money when you’re dead?

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Interesting

Tension affects news conference in Casablanca in support of Moroccan media

November 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Reporters Without Borders managed to give a news conference yesterday in Casablanca but, in a sign of the tension in its relations with the government, was unable to hold it as scheduled in a meeting room of the Royal Al-Mansour Hotel, although communication minister Khalid Naciri had previously given it his blessing.

An improvised news conference was instead held in the hotel’s lobby in the presence of many Moroccan and foreign journalists.

Oh, PS, I was there :)   (Yeah, this happened like last week though, just forgot to post it)

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Life in Morocco

Striking Difference

November 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Don’t get me wrong or anything, things here in Casablanca are much better than they ever were in Cairo. There is one thing, though, that I have noticed and that I do not approve of- domestic violence.  I have seen men beat women openly on my street twice so far (and I’ve only been living at my current apartment for three days… clearly chose the good neighborhood, huh?).  The most disgusting thing about it is that no one says anything when it happens, people just continue on their merry little way as if nothing was going on.

EXCUSE ME?! There’s a man beating the lights out of a woman in the middle of the day!! How is this acceptable?!  I can only imagine how much domestic violence goes on behind closed doors…

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Life in Morocco

J Street fills gap in Washington map

November 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Never too late to add another piece to a very complicated puzzle, but….

J Street’s goal was to give a voice to a “broad segment of the American Jewish community and other friends of Israel who believe that peace and an end to the conflict is essential for Israel’s security and survival”.

View Full BBC Article

Isn’t that what they ALL say?

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Interesting

Snapshot

November 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment

…Of Moroccan journalism and it’s upward battle of the past few months (including the confiscation of TelQuel, of course) in an open letter to Mrs. Clinton before her appearance at the Forum for the Future in Marrakesh next week from the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Yet we note with deep concern the deterioration of freedom of expression in Morocco itself. Morocco and the United States were co-hosts of the first Forum for the Future, which took place in Rabat in 2004. We hope that you will take advantage of that ongoing partnership to impress upon the Moroccan authorities that a free press is a crucial component of any free society.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Frustrating · Unjust

Lashes for Saudi woman journalist

October 26, 2009 · Leave a Comment

A female journalist in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 60 lashes over a TV show in which a Saudi man described his extra-marital sex life.

The programme, made by Lebanese satellite network LBC, caused a huge scandal in conservative Saudi Arabia when it was shown several months ago…

It examined taboos in the Arab world. Unmarried sex in Saudi Arabia amongst Saudis – rather than expatriates – is one of the biggest.

Read Full BBC Article

Would someone PLEASE explain to these people that sex happens?

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Unjust

Tunisia: beyond illusions of change

October 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The president of Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is guaranteed to be re-elected for a fifth term in the country’s presidential election on 25 October 2009. This certain outcome  both reveals the authoritarianism of this north African and Arab country and underlines how far the international community continues to accept such a reality without question.

Read Full OpenDemocracy Article

Interesting take on Tunisian elections by Amel Boubekeur.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Frustrating · Interesting

Somalis ‘made to view executions’

October 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Hundreds of people in Somalia have been forced to watch Islamist militants executing two people accused of spying…

Somali children’s rights groups say al-Shabaab is intent on brainwashing the young to believe in violent Islamism.

In this way, it can ensure it has a steady supply of recruits, ready to fight for its aim of establishing extreme Islamist rule, not only in Somalia but far beyond its borders.

View Full BBC Article

… lovely…

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Scary