10348 - Majority of Damascus students are in favour [of the mixing of sexes, but many are not].

Al-Hayat - 3/10/2008, Category: Education Level: 1
غالبية طلاب دمشق تؤيده

بِمُجَرَّد اِقْتِرَابِي مِنهُم يَنْسَحِبُ شَابَّان مِن ٱلْمَجْمُوعَةِ فَوْرًا، لِيَتَوَارَيَا خَلْف ٱلْأَشْجَار يُرَاقِبَان مَا يَحْدُث مِن بُعْد. أَرْبَعَةُ شُبَّان يَتَشَارَكُون مَقْعَدًا فِي حَدِيقَةِ كُلِّيَةِ ٱلْحُقُوق فِي جَامِعَةِ دِمَشْق. أَسْتَأْذِنُهُم فِي مُقَاطَعَةِ جَلْسَتِهِم، وَأُخْبِرُهُم بِأَنَّنِي فِي حَاجَةٍ إِلَى بِضْع دَقَائِق أَسْتَطْلِعُ رَأْيَهُم فِي مَوْضُوع ٱلْاِخْتِلاط فِي ٱلْجَامِعَات بَيْنَ ٱلشُّبَّان وَٱلْفَتَيَات. وَقَبْلَ أَنْ أُكْمِل اَلْكَلِمَة ٱلْأُولَى وَاجَهتَنِي أَبْلَغ إِجَابَة إِذْ اِنْسَحَبَ شَابَّان مِن ٱلْجَلْسَة لِكَوْنِي فِي «مِنْطَقَةٍ مَحْظُورَة». يُشَكِّلُ هٰذَان ٱلشَّابَّان مَعَ أَمْثَالِهِم نِسْبَةً لا تَقِلُّ عَن ثُلْث طُلَّاب جَامِعَةِ دِمَشْق. يَرْفُضُون مَبْدَأ ٱلْاِخْتِلاط بَيْنَ ٱلشَّبَاب وَٱلْفَتَيَات فِي ٱلْجَامِعَات وَٱلْمَدَارِس. وَعَلَى رَغْم أَنَّ ٱلنِّسْبَة ٱلْأَكْبَر تُؤَيِّدُ ٱلْاِخْتِلاط فِي ٱلْجَامِعَات حَيْثُ بَلَغَت اِثْنَيْن وَسَبْعِين فِي ٱلْمِئَة، فِي ٱلْمُقَابِل تَبْقَى ٱلْأَصْوَات ٱلْأُخْرَى تُعَبِّرُ بِوُضُوح عَن مَوْقِفِهَا ٱلرَّافِض لِلْاِخْتِلاط لِأَنَّهُ «يُسَبِّب اَلْكَثِير مِن ٱلْمَشَاكِل».


As soon as I approach them two young men from the group withdraw immediately and hide themselves behind the trees observing what is happening from a distance. Four young men sharing a seat together in the garden of the Faculty of Law in Damascus University. I ask their permission to interrupt their gathering and tell them that I am in need of a few minutes to try to discover their opinion on the subject of the mixing in universities between young men and young women. But before I complete the first word the most eloquent answer faced me as two young men withdrew from the gathering because of my being in a prohibited area. These two young men along with their likes form a proportion which is not less than one third of the students of Damascus University. They reject the principle of the mixing between young men and young women in universities and schools. And despite the fact that the greater proportion support the mixing in universities (as it came to seventy two percent) in contrast the other voices continue to clearly express their position rejecting mixing because it causes many problems.

10349 - Saudi: Taif Directorate of Education warns about some forms of punishment of school children.

Asharq Alawsat - 3/13/2008, Category: Education Level: 1
تربية وتعليم الطائف تحذر من أشكال العقوبات على طلاب المدارس

حَذَّرَت إِدَارَةُ ٱلتَّرْبِيَةِ وَٱلتَّعْلِيم بِمُحَافَظَةِ ٱلطَّائِف، اَلْمَدَارِس ٱلْحُكُومِيَّةَ وَٱلْأَهْلِيَّة مِن مُمَارَسَةِ بَعْض أَشْكَال ٱلْعُقُوبَات عَلَى ٱلطُّلَّاب اَلَّتِي قَد تَعُودُ بِمَرْدُودٍ عَكْسِيّ عَلَى مُسْتَقْبَل ٱلطَّالِب. وَحَذَّرَ مُحَمَّد أَبُو رَاس، مُدِير ٱلْإِدَارَةِ ٱلْعَامَّة لِلتَّرْبِيَةِ وَٱلتَّعْلِيم بِٱلْمُحَافَظَة عَبْرَ بَيَانٍ وَزَّعَهُ عَلَى ٱلْمَدَارِس مِن خُطُورَةِ نَهْج بَعْض ٱلْمَدَارِس لِبَعْض ٱلْآلِيَات ٱلْمُخَالِفَة، اَلَّتِي تُطَبَّق عَلَى ٱلطُّلَّاب ٱلْمُتَأَخِّرِين كَٱلضَّرْب وَٱلْقَفْز فِي ٱلْمَكَان مَرَّاتٍ عَدِيدَة وَاضِعِي اَلْأَيْدِي عَلَى ٱلرَّأْس، وَٱلْعِقَاب اَلَّذِي يُطْلَقُ عَلَيْه فِي ٱلْأَوْسَاط ٱلْمَدْرَسِيَّة فِي ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة «قَفْزَةُ ٱلْبَطَّة» اَلَّتِي يَحْمِلُ خِلالَهَا ٱلطَّالِب حَقِيبَتَهُ وَيَعْدُو بِهَا حَوْلَ ٱلْمَلْعَب لِفَتْرَةٍ طَوِيلَة، إِلَى جَانِب ٱلْوُقُوف خَارِج ٱلْفَصْل حَتَّى نِهَايَةِ ٱلْيَوْم ٱلدِّرَاسِيّ، وَإِخْرَاج ٱلطَّالِب مِن مَدْرَسَتِهِ لِإِحْضَار وَالِدِه وَغَيْرَهَا مِن ٱلْأَسَالِيب خَوْفًا مِن أَنْ تُؤَدِّي إِلَى هُرُوب ٱلطَّالِب مِن ٱلْمَدْرَسَة وَتَكْوِين مَفَاهِيم عَدَائِيَّة أَوْ مَوَاقِف ضِدّ ٱلْمَدْرَسَةِ وَٱلْعَامِلِين فِيهَا.


The Directorate of (Upbringing and) Education in the province of Ta;if warned government and private schools about practising some forms of punishment on students which might yield adverse results on the future of the student. Muhammad Abu Ras Director of the General Directorate for (Upbringing and) Education in the province warned via a communiqué he distributed to schools of the dangerousness of the following by some schools of some inappropriate [lit. transgressing] mechanisms which are applied to the students [who are] lagging behind such as hitting and jumping on the spot a great number of times [while] placing the hands on the head and the punishment which is called in school circles in Saudi the duck jump during which the student carries his bag and runs with it around the playground for a long time besides standing outside the classroom until the end of the school day and the sending out of the student from his school to fetch his father and other methods out of fear of it leading to the running away of the student from the school and the formation of hostile notions or attitudes against the school and the workers in it.

10350 - The easiest, most economical and fastest means of transport: Motorcycles in Beirut.

Al-Hayat - 3/19/2008, Category: Transport Level: 2
الوسيلة الأسهل والأوفر والأسرع ... الدراجات النارية في بيروت

يَخْرُجُ سَلِيم مِن مَنْزِلِهِ فِي كَامِل أَنَاقَتِه، بِزَّة رَمَادِيَّة، رَبْطَةُ عُنُقٍ حَمْرَاء، تَسْرِيحَةُ شَعْرٍ عَصْرِيَّة، وَعِطْر يَسْبِقُهُ إِلَى ٱلشَّارِع. مَنْ يَرَاه يَعْتَقِدُ بِأَنَّ ثَمَّةَ سَيَّارَة خَاصَّة تَنْتَظِرُهُ مَعَ سَائِق، لٰكِنَّهُ يَتَوَجَّه إِلَى كَارَاجٍ لِيَفْتَحَ بَابَه وَيَمْتَطِي دَرَّاجَةً نَارِيَّةً قَدِيمَة. حِينَ يَصِلُ ٱلشَّابّ ٱلْعِشْرِينِيّ إِلَى مَرْكَز عَمَلِهِ يَكُونُ قَد فَقَدَ ٱلْكَثِير مِن أَنَاقَتِه، وَتَبَخَّرَ عِطْرُه. سَلِيم (مُوَظَّف بَنْك) وَاحِدٌ مِن كَثِيرِين يَسْتَعْمِلُون ٱلدَّرَّاجَة ٱلنَّارِيَّة فِي تَنَقُّلَاتِهِم، لِأَنَّهَا أَضْحَت ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ ٱلْأَسْهَل وَٱلْأَوْفَر وَٱلْأَسْرَع فِي بَيْرُوت. تَغْزُو ٱلدَّرَّاجَات ٱلنَّارِيَّة اَلْعَاصِمَة ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة، وَتُنَافِس ٱلسَّيَّارَات بَعْدَ ٱرْتِفَاع سِعْر صَفِيحَةِ ٱلْبَنْزِين إِلَى حَوَالَي ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَر دُولارًا، وَٱزْدِحَام ٱلطُّرُقَات وَتَوَقُّف ٱلسَّيْر وَأَعْمَال ٱلْحَفْرِيَات فِي أَمَاكِن عِدَّة، وَعَدَم تَوَافُر ٱلشُّرُوط ٱلْآمِنَة وَٱلْمُرِيحَة لِٱسْتِعْمَال وَسَائِل ٱلنَّقْل ٱلْعَامَّة.


Salim comes out from his house in all his elegance; a grey suit red neck-tie trendy haircut and perfume [=aftershave] which precedes him to the street. Whoever sees him would believe that there is a private car waiting for him with a driver but he heads to a garage to open its door and he mounts an old motorcycle. When the twenty-something young man arrives at his workplace he has lost much of his elegance and his perfume has evaporated. Salim a bank employee is one of many people who use a motorcycle in their movings about. because it has come to be the easiest and the most economical and the faster means [of transport] in Beirut. Motorcycles have invaded the Lebanese capital and they compete with cars after the rise of the price of a can of petrol to around eighteen dollars and the overcrowdedness of the streets and the stopping of traffic and road [lit. excavations] works in numerous places and the lack of safe and comfortable conditions for using the means of public transport.

10351 - Emir of Kuwait: Today there is parliament - government discord.

Al-Hayat - 3/19/2008, Category: Politics Level: 1
أمير الكويت: يبت اليوم الخلاف الحكومي - البرلماني

تَوَقَّعَت مَصَادِر نِيَابِيَّة كُوَيْتِيَّة أَنْ يُصْدِر ٱلْأَمِير اَلشَّيْخ صَبَاح اَلْأَحْمَد اَلْيَوْم مَرْسُومًا بِحَلّ مَجْلِس ٱلْأُمَّة (اَلْبَرْلَمَان) وَمَرْسُومًا آخَر بِٱلدَّعْوَةِ إِلَى اِنْتِخَابَاتٍ جَدِيدَة خِلالَ سِتِّين يَوْمًا، مَعَ أَمَلٍ ضَئِيل فِي أَنْ يَنْجَحَ أَقْطَابٌ بَرَلَمَانِيُّون فِي إِقْنَاعِهِ بِإِعْطَاء ٱلنُّوَّاب مُهْلَةً أَخِيرَة لِلْتَوَقُّف عَمَّا تَعْتَبِرُهُ ٱلْحُكُومَة مُمَارَسَاتٍ غَيْرَ مَقْبُولَة تُعَوِّقُ قُدْرَتَهَا عَلَى ٱلْعَمَل وَعَلَى ٱلتَّعَاوُن مَعَ ٱلْبَرْلَمَان. وَوَصَلَ ٱلشَّيْخ صَبَاح اَللَّيْلَة ٱلْفَائِتَة إِلَى ٱلْكُوَيت قَاطِعًا إِجَازَةً كَانَ يُمْضِيهَا فِي ٱلْمَغْرِب، بَعْدَمَا قَدَّمَ ٱلْوُزَرَاء اِسْتِقَالَة جَمَاعِيَّة إِلَى رَئِيس ٱلْحُكُومَة اَلشَّيْخ نَاصِر اَلْمُحَمَّد أَوَّل مِن أَمْس، مُوَجِّهِين اِنْتِقَادَاتٍ قَاسِيَّة لِلنُّوَّاب اَلَّذِينَ رَفَضَ مُعْظَمُهُم مَبَرِّرَات ٱلْاِسْتِقَالَة قَائِلِين أَنَّ ٱلْحُكُومَةَ «تُلْقِي بِعَجْزِهَا وَفَشَلِهَا عَلَى ٱلْبَرْلَمَان».


Kuwaiti parliamentary [lit. representative] sources expected that Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad would issue a decree today for the dissolution of the National Assembly (the parliament) and another decree calling for new elections within sixty days with little/scant hope that leading parliamentarians would succeed in convincing him to grant the [parliamentary] representatives a last reprieve to desist from what the government considers are unacceptable practices which hinder [the governments] ability to work and to cooperate with the parliament. Sheikh Sabah arrived in Kuwait last night cutting short a holiday he had been spending in Morocco after [government] ministers submitted a mass resignation to the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Muhammad the day before yesterday directing harsh criticisms at the [parliamentary] representatives most of whom refused [to give] justifications for the resignation saying that the government blames [lit. lays] its [own] inability and its [own] failure on the parliament.

10352 - Woman behind an old peep-window.

Asharq Alawsat - 3/25/2008, Category: Daily Life Level: 4
امرأة خلف «روشن» عتيق

أَوَّل ضِرْسٍ خَلَعتُه كُنتُ فِي ٱلْعَاشِرَةِ مِن عُمْرِي، لَمْ يَكُن بِهٰذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَة سِوَى مُرَكِّب أَسْنَانٍ وَحِيد لَقَبُهُ «أَبُو ٱلسّْنُون»، كَانَ عَلَيّ بَعْدَ خَلْع ضِرْسِي أَنْ أَقُودَ دَرَّاجَتِي مِن عِيَادَتِهِ بِحَيّ «اَلْمَظْلُوم» إِلَى دَارِنَا بِحَارَةِ اَلْبَحْر وَأَنَا أَبْكِي، بَعْض ٱلنَّاس يُغْمِضُون عُيُونَهُم حِينَ يَبْكُون، وَأَنَا مِن هٰؤُلاء.. اِصْطَدَمتُ بِعَرَبَةِ «كَارُّو» يَجُرُّهَا حِمَار، سَقَطت، وَتَبَعْثَرَت أَغْرَاضِي فِي ٱلشَّارِع، كُلّ مَا ٱسْتَطَعتُ جَمْعَهُ حِينَمَا نَهَضتُ مِن ٱلْأَرْض أَرْبَعَةُ قُرُوش، وَقَلَم رَصَاص، وَصُورَةٌ لِمُمَثِّلَةٍ مِصْرِيَّة قَصَصتُهَا مِن مَجَلَّة، وَثَلاث أَسْنَان، وَسَائِق ٱلْعَرَبَة مَضَى فِي طَرِيقِه، وَقَد تَعَالَى فِي ٱلدُّرُوب نَهِيق حِمَار، وَرَنِين قَلاقِل مَعْدِنِيَّة، وَصَوْت اِمْرَأَةٍ خَلْفَ «رَوْشَن» عَتِيق يَوَاسِينِي: قُم يَا وَلَدِي تَعِيش وَتُأْكُل غَيْرَهَا!


The first tooth [lit. molar] I [had] extracted [was when] I was in the tenth [year] of my life. There were not in this city [of Jeddah] [any dentists] other than a single tooth setter whose title was Abu Snuun [lit. teeth father in dialect]. I had to after the extraction of my tooth ride [lit. drive] my bicycle from his clinic in the district of al-Maẓlūm to our house in the al-Baḥr quarter I was crying... some people close their eyes when they cry and I am among these [people]... I collided with a cart a donkey was pulling. I fell and my things were strewn around in the street. All that I was able to collect when I got up from the ground [were] four piastres a pencil a picture of an Egyptian actress I had cut from a magazine and three teeth. The driver of the cart continued on his way. There rang out in the lanes the braying of a donkey the sound of a metallic commotion and the voice of a woman behind an old peep-window consoling me [with the words]: Get up my boy youll live and see worse! [lit. eat other than it].

10353 - Lebanon: This small country that everyone is worrying about.

Al-Hayat - 3/27/2008, Category: Politics Level: 1
لبنان، هذا البلد الصغير هو شاغل الناس.

لُبْنَان، هٰذَا ٱلْبَلَد ٱلصَّغِير هُوَ شَاغِل ٱلنَّاس، فِي سِلْمِهِ وَحَرْبِه، فِي لَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِه، فِي حُزْنِهِ وَفَرَحِه، فِي قِيَافَتِهِ وَفِي خَلاعَتِه! اَلَّذِي يَظُنُّ وَاهِمًا أَنَّ مُشْكِلَةَ لُبْنَان هِيَ عَدَم ٱخْتِيَار ٱلرَّئِيس فَحَسْب، لَمْ يُجَرِّب يَوْمًا أَنْ يَفْقَأَ دُمَّلًا فِي جَسَدِه لِيَرَى مَا تَحْتَه. لُبْنَان فُسَيْفِسَاء مُعَقَّدَة فِي تَكْوِينِهَا ٱلدَّاخِلِيّ، حَتَّى مِن دُون أَنْ تَتَدَخَّل سُورِيَّة لِتَزِيدَ تَعْقِيدَهَا. فِي لُبْنَان، تَسْتَطِيع أَنْ تَرَى ٱلسَّلام فِي كُلّ مَكَان.. وَأَنْ تَتَوَقَّع ٱلْحَرْب فِي أَيّ زَمَان. فَٱللُّبْنَانِيُّون أَكْثَر ٱلنَّاس تَكَاتُفًا أَمَامَ ٱلْآخَرِين، وَأَكْثَرُهُم تَنَاحُرًا فِي مَا بَيْنَهُم. اَللُّبْنَانِيُّون أَقَلّ ٱلنَّاس تَدَيُّنًا، وَأَكْثَرَهُم تَقَاتُلًا عَلَى ٱلدِّين، أَوْ بِٱسْم ٱلدِّين. اَلْإِنْسَان ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ مِن أَكْثَر ٱلْأَفْرَاد نَجَاحًا كَقَائِد، لٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّعْب ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ فَاشِل فِي ٱخْتِيَار قَائِد وَطَنِه!


Lebanon this small country is the preoccupation of people in its peace and its war in its night and its day in its sadness and its happiness in its smartness [lit. costume] and in its wantonness! [He] who thinks fancifully that the problem of Lebanon is only the lack of choosing a president has not once tried to lance a boil in his body to see what is beneath. Lebanon is a mosaic [which is] complicated in its internal composition even without Syria intervening to increase its complication. In Lebanon you can see peace in every place and [you can] expect war at any time. Because the Lebanese are the greatest of people in terms of standing shoulder to shoulder in the face of others and the greatest of [people] in terms of fighting amongst themselves. The Lebanese are the least religious of people but the greatest of [people] in terms of fighting each other over religion or in the name of religion. The Lebanese person is one of the greatest of individuals in terms of success as a leader but the Lebanese people have failed to choose a leader of their country!

10354 - Gaddafi at Damascus summit: Calls for an "African - Arabic space" and repeats his theory about "Isratine".

Al-Hayat - 3/30/2008, Category: Politics Level: 2
دعا إلى قيام «فضاء أفريقي - عربي» وكرّر نظريته حول «إسراطين»

لَمْ يُخْلِف ٱلزَّعِيم ٱللِّيبِيّ مُعَمَّر ٱلْقَذَّافِيّ عَادَتَهُ وَحَوَّلَ كَلِمَتَهُ فِي ٱلْجَلْسَةِ ٱلْاِفْتِتَاحِيَّة لِلْقِمَّة مَجَالًا لِسِجَالٍ بَيْنَ ٱلْحُضُور بَعْدَمَا عَرَضَ مُجَدَّدًا مَشْرُوعَهُ لِحَلّ ٱلْقَضِيَةِ ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيَّة اَلْمَعْرُوف بِٱسْم «إِسْرَاطِين»، وَعَرَّجَ عَلَى ٱلْمُعْضِلات ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة وَٱنْتَهَى إِلَى أَنَّ ٱلْعَرَب لا مُسْتَقْبَل لَهُم إِذَا لَمْ يَنْضَمُّوا إِلَى «فَضَاءٍ إِفْرِيقِيّ»، رَأَى أَنَّهُ قَائِمٌ بِٱلْفِعْل وَلَمْ يَخُصّ ٱلْقَذَّافِيّ حِينَ ٱنْتَقَدَ أَوْضَاع ٱلْعَرَب دَوْلَةً بِعَيْنِهَا وَإِنَّمَا وَجَّهَ حَدِيثَهُ ٱلْحَادّ إِلَى ٱلْعَرَب جَمِيعًا. وَلَمْ يَخْلُ حَدِيث ٱلزَّعِيم ٱللِّيبِيّ مِن عِبَارَاتٍ سَاخِرَة أَضْحَكَت ٱلْحُضُور مِرَارًا غَيْرَ أَنَّ آخَرِين بَدَا عَلَيْهِم ٱلْغَضَب، خُصُوصًا اَلرَّئِيس ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيّ مَحْمُود عَبَّاس حِينَ وَصَفَهُ بِأَنَّهُ مُهَنْدِس أُوسْلُو، وَكَذٰلِكَ رَئِيس ٱلْوَفْد ٱلْمِصْرِيّ اَلدُّكْتُور مُفِيد شِهَاب حِينَ وَصَفَ ٱلرَّئِيس ٱلرَّاحِل أَنْوَر اَلسَّادَات بِأَنَّهُ «مُهَنْدِس إِسْطَبْل دَاوُود»، وَكَذٰلِكَ وُفُودٌ خَلِيجِيَّة حِينَ قَال إِنَّ ثَمَانِين فِي ٱلْمِئَة مِن ٱلْأُسَر ٱلْخَلِيجِيَّة مِن أَصْلٍ إِيْرَانِي.


The Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi did not break his habit as he turned his speech at the opening session of the [Arab] summit [in Damascus] into a field for debate among the people present after he presented once again his scheme for solving the Palestinian issue known by the name of Isratine [combining Israel and Palestine] [then] he digressed onto the Arabic problems/dilemmas and he concluded [saying] that the Arabs have no future if they do not join an African space which he saw as existing in actual fact. Gaddafi when he criticized the conditions of the Arabs did not single out one state in particular; Rather he directed his sharp words towards all the Arabs. The speech of the Libyan leader was not devoid of mocking phrases which made those present laugh a number of times. However others appeared angry. Especially the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas when [Gaddafi] described him as the architect of Oslo [referring to the oft derided Oslo peace accord of 1993] and likewise the head of the Egyptian delegation Doctor Mufid Shihab when [Gaddafi] described the late President Anwar Sadat as the architect of the Stable of David [referring derisively to the Camp David peace accord of 1978] and similarly the Gulf delegations when he said that eighty percent of Gulf families are of Iranian origin.

10355 - Saudi woman informs on unfaithful neighbour.

Al-Hayat - 4/1/2008, Category: Daily Life Level: 1
سعودية تبلّغ عن «خائن»

أَبْلَغَت سَيِّدَة سُعُودِيَّة هَيْئَةَ ٱلْأَمْر بِٱلْمَعْرُوف وَٱلنَّهْي عَن ٱلْمُنْكَر عَن جَارِهَا اَلَّذِي ٱسْتَغَلَّ زِيَارَةَ زَوْجَتِه إِلَى مَنْزِل وَالِدِهَا وَأَحْضَرَ اِمْرَأَة إِلَى بَيْتِه. وَلَمْ تَكْتَف ٱلْجَارَة بِذٰلِك، بَل اِتَّصَلَت بِزَوْجَتِه اَلَّتِي أَسْرَعَت إِلَى ٱلْمَنْزِل لِتَرَى مُوَظَّفِين مِن «ٱلْهَيْئَة» يَقْتَادُون زَوْجَهَا وَعَشِيقَتَه. وَذَكَرَ مَالِك ٱلْبِنَايَة لـِ«اَلْحَيَاة» أَنَّه فُوجِئَ بِٱتِّصَالٍ مِن ٱلْجِهَات ٱلْمَعْنِيَّة تَطْلُبُ حُضُورَه لِلتَّأَكُّد مِن سَلامَةِ ٱلْإِجْرَاءَات ٱلْمُتَّبَعَة فِي تَأجِير ٱلْبِنَايَة. وَقَال: «عِنْدَمَا وَصَلت أَخْبَرُونِي بِأَنَّ سَيِّدَة سُعُودِيَّة تَسْكُن فِي ٱلْبِنَايَة هِيَ اَلَّتِي أَبْلَغَت عَن جَارِهَا وَأَخْبَرَت جَارَتَهَا ٱلْغَائِبَة بِمَا فَعَلَهُ زَوْجُهَا». وَلَفَتَ أَحَد سَاكِنِي اَلْبِنَايَة إِلَى أَنَّ ٱلزَّوْجَيْن لَمْ تَمُرّ عَلَى وُجُودِهِمَا فِي ٱلْبِنَايَة فَتْرَةٌ طَوِيلَة. وَأَضَافَ مَازِحًا: «أَعْتَقِدُ بِأَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّيِّدَة جَعَلَت مِن جَارِهَا عِبْرَة لِمَنْ يَعْتَبِر».


A Saudi lady informed the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue [lit. the commanding of that which is good/recognised] and the Prevention of Vice [lit. the forbidding of that which is objectionable/denied] about her neighbour who had taken advantage of the visit of his wife to her fathers house and had brought a woman to his house. The [female] neighbour was not content with that but indeed she contacted his wife who rushed to the house to see employees from the Committee leading away her husband and his mistress. The owner of the building mentioned to Al-Hayat that he had been taken by surprise by a contact from concerned parties [lit. sides] requesting his presence to check [lit. make sure of] the soundness of the procedures followed in letting out the building. And he said: When I arrived they told me that a Saudi lady living in the building was the one who informed on her neighbour and told her absent [female] neigbour of what her husband had done. One of the residents of the building drew attention to the fact that [as regards] the married couple a long time had not passed on their presence in the building. And he added jokingly I believe that this lady has made of her neighbour a warning for whoever would be warned [=an expression].

10356 - Egyptian childrens song: Mamas coming soon.

Natural Arabic - 4/11/2008, Category: Daily Life Level: 5
ماما زمانها جاية

مَامَا زَمَانهَا جَايَة، جَايَة بَعْدَ شْوَيَّة جَايْبَة لِعَب وَحَاجَات جَايْبَة مَعَاهَا شَنْطَة، فِيهَا وِزَّة وَبَطَّة بِتِقُول وَاك وَاك وَاك عَارِف ٱلْوَاد ٱللِّي ٱسْمُه عَادِل جَاه ٱلدُّكْتُور وَعَمَل لَهُ إِيه؟ لَقَى رِجْلَيه كَانُوا زَيّ ٱلْفَتْلَة بَصَّ شْوَيَّة جُوَّه عَنَيه رَاح مِدِيلَهُ حُقْنَة كَبِيرَة عَارِف إِدَالَهُ ٱلْحُقْنَة لِيه؟ مَا بيِشْرَبش ٱللَّبَن ٱلصُّبْح وَكُلّ صْحَابُهُ ضِحِكُوا عَلَيْه وَاهُوَ مِن يَوْمهَا شِرِب وَبيِكْبَر وَتَرَبَّى لَهُ عَضَل فِي إِدَيه...


Mama is coming soon coming in a bit. Bringing toys and things. Bringing with her a handbag - in it theres a goose and a duck that goes quack quack quack. Do you know the boy whose name is Adel? The doctor came and what did he do to him? He found his legs were [weak] like thread and he looked a little in his eyes. He goes and gives him a great big injection! Do you know why he gave him the injection? He wasnt drinking the milk in the morning and all his friends laughed at him. And he from that day drank and grew and he got [lit. there developed for him] muscles in his arms [lit. hands]...

10357 - Cairo: Itinerant workers.

Asharq Alawsat - 4/11/2008, Category: Daily Life Level: 1
القاهرة: عمال التراحيل

جَمَال جَاءَ إِلَى ٱلْقَاهِرَة مُحَمَّلًا بِهُمُوم ٱلْفَقْر وَٱلْحَاجَة، يَسْبِقُهُ لِلْعَاصِمَة حُلْم ٱلثَّرَاء، أَوْ عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ سَدّ جُوع تِلْكَ ٱلْأَفْوَاه ٱلْمَفْتُوحَة فِي مَنْزِلِهِ، اَلَّذِي لا يَعْرِفُ سِوَى ٱلْخُبْز ٱلْجَافّ وَٱلْجُبْن ٱلْمُمَلَّح طَعَامًا لِشُهُورٍ طَوِيلَة. يَحْمِلُ فِي إِحْدَى يَدَيه عُدَّةَ ٱلْعَمَل اَلَّتِي تَضُمُّ شَاكُوشًا وَإِزْمِيلًا، يَلُفُّهُم فِي كِيسٍ مِن ٱلْقُمَاش وَيَحْرِصُ عَلَيْهِم كَحَيَاتِه، وَفِي ٱلْيَد ٱلْأُخْرَى كِيس بلاستِيك يَضَعُ فِيهِ غِيَارًا آخَر لَه. هٰكَذَا جَاءَ جَمَال مِن إِحْدَى قُرَى ٱلشَّرْقِيَّة يُلَبِّي نِدَاء «ٱلنَّدَّاهَة»، اَلَّتِي طَالَمَا دَعَتْهُ هُوَ وَٱلْكَثِير مِن قَبْلِه لِلْحُضُور إِلَى ٱلْعَاصِمَة ٱلْقَاهِرِيَّة وَٱلْعَمَل بِهَا، حَتَّى لَوْ كَانَ ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعَمَل فِي سُوق ٱلرِّجَال. «لا أَحَد يَعْلَم مَعْنَى ٱلْجُوع إِلَّا مَنْ جَرَّبَه، لَدَيَّ عَائِلَة كَبِيرَة أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْعَمَل فِي ٱلْقَرْيَة بَاتَ شَحِيحًا أَمَامَ تَرَاجُع مِسَاحَةِ ٱلْأَرْض ٱلْمَزْرُوعَة وَكَثْرَةِ ٱلْعَدَد».


Gamal came to Cairo laden with the woes of poverty and need. Preceding him to the capital [was] the dream of riches or at least of allaying [lit. blocking] the hunger of those open mouths in his house which has known nothing other than dry bread and salted cheese for food for [many] long months. He carries in one of his hands a work kit which comprises a hammer and a chisel which he wraps in a bag made of material and he covets them like his life. In the other hand is a plastic bag in which he puts another change [of clothes] for himself. Thus did Gamal come from one of villages of [the governorate of] el-Sharqiyah obeying the call of el-Naddahah [lit. the Caller. A Siren-like Nile nymph] who so often called him - him and many before him - to come to the Cairene capital and work in it even if that work [was only] in the men market [where men wait daily to be hired]. No-one knows the meaning of hunger except those who have experienced it. I have a big family which I provide for and work in the village has become scarce in view [lit. face] of the diminishing of the area of cultivated land and the large number [of people].

10358 - Truffles: Meal of the rich and dream of the poor.

Asharq Alawsat - 4/13/2008, Category: Food and Drink Level: 3
الكمأة.. أكلة الأغنياء وحلم الفقراء

تُعْتَبَرُ ثِمَار ٱلْكَمْأَة اَلَّتِي تَنْمُو بِشَكْلٍ طَبِيعِيّ كَفُطْر فِي أَرَاضِي ٱلْبَادِيَةِ ٱلسُّورِيَّة مِن أَلَذّ وَأَثْمَن أَنْوَاع ٱلْفُطْرِيَّات اَلصَّحْرَاوِيَّة اَلَّتِي يُقْبِل عَلَيْهَا ٱلسُّورِيُّون وَيَتَنَاوَلُونَهَا فِي مَوْسِم ظُهُورِهَا وَحَصَادِهَا وَٱلَّذِي يَبْدَأ عَادَةً مَعَ بِدَايَةِ شَهْر يَنَايِر (كَانُون ٱلثَّانِي) وَيَسْتَمِرّ حَتَّى أَوَاخِر فَصْل ٱلرَّبِيع، وَعَلَى ٱلرَّغْم مِن اِرْتِفَاع أَسْعَارِهَا (حَيْثُ يُسَمِّيهَا ٱلْبَعْض فُطْر ٱلْأَغْنِيَاء وَطَعَام ٱلْمَيْسُورِين وَحُلْم ٱلْفُقَرَاء) إِلَّا أَنَّهَا تُعْتَبَرُ وَجْبَة لا غِنَى عَنهَا لِلدِّمَشْقِيِّين وَلَوْ لِمَرَّةٍ وَاحِدَة فِي ٱلْعَام يَتَنَاوَلُونَهَا مَسْلُوقَة أَوْ مَقْلِيَّة أَوْ مَطْبُوخَة مَعَ لَحْم ٱلْغَنَم ٱلْبَلَدِيّ. وَيَتِمّ تَنَاوُل ٱلْكَمْأَة إِمَّا شَيًّا مَعَ ٱلْبَصَل وَدُهْن ٱلْخَرُوف ٱلْبَلَدِيّ وَعَلَى ٱلْفَحْم ٱلْمُشْتَعِل، أَوْ مَسْلُوقَة بَعْدَ هَرْسِهَا مَعَ ٱلزُّبْدَة ٱلْبَقَرِيَّة أَوْ ٱلْغَنَمِيَّة أَوْ تُحَمَّص مَعَ قِطَع لَحْم ٱلْخَرُوف ٱلْبَلَدِيّ وَتُضَاف لَهَا ٱلْبَهَارَات لِلنَّكْهَةِ ٱللَّذِيذَة.


Truffles [lit. the fruits of truffles] which grow naturally as fungus in the ground of the Syrian desert are considered one of the most delicious and most valuable types of desert fungi which Syrians turn their attention to and eat in the season of its appearance and its harvest which usually starts with the beginning of the month of January (kānūn ~ṯ-ṯānī) and continues until towards the end of the season of spring. And despite the rising of its prices (whence some call it the fungus of the rich and the food of the well-off and the dream of the poor) it is nevertheless considered a meal which is indispensable for Damascenes [=residents of Damascus] if only for one time in a year. They have it boiled or fried or cooked with local sheep meat. The eating of truffles is accomplished either by [skewer] grilling with onion and local lamb fat on burning coal or boiled after mashing it together with cow or sheep butter or it is toasted with pieces of local lamb meat to which is added spices for a delicious flavour.

10359 - Disabled children in Saudi: Family responsibilities and the absence of a social culture and awareness campaigns.

Al-Hayat - 4/17/2008, Category: Health Level: 1
الطفل السعودي المعوّق بين مسؤولية الأهل وغياب الثقافة الاجتماعية وحملات التوعية

يَنْفَطِرُ قَلْب أُمّ عَبْد ٱلله لِغِيَاب وَلَدِهَا عَنهَا طِوَالَ خَمْسَةِ أَعْوَام، فِي أَحَد مَرَاكِز ٱلْإِيْوَاء، مُنْذُ أَنْ كَانَ فِي ٱلْخَامِسَة. وُلِدَ عَبْد ٱلله مُعَوَّقًا فِكْرِيًّا وَجَسَدِيًّا. وَكَانَت أُمُّهُ تَتَحَدَّث بِأَسًى وَمَرَارَة، قَائِلَة: «كُنتُ أَدْعُو ٱلله أَنْ يَشْفِيَه. وَعِنْدَمَا يَئِستُ وَوَالِدُه مِن شِفَائِه، اِتَّفَقنَا عَلَى أَلَّا يَرَاهُ أَحَد، وَأَنْ نَتْرُكَه مِن دُونِ طَعَامٍ وَشَرَابٍ حَتَّى يَأْخُذَ ٱلله أَمَانَتَه». بَقِيَ عَبْد ٱلله عَلَى هٰذِهِ ٱلْحَال، أُسْبُوعًا، لٰكِنَّ أُمَّه لَمْ تَسْتَطِع ٱلْاِحْتِمَال. بَعْدَمَا وَجَدَت ٱلشَّفَقَة طَرِيقًا إِلَى قَلْبِهَا، فَطَرَحَت عَلَى وَالِدِه فِكْرَةَ إِبْقَائِهِ فِي مَرْكَز إِيْوَاءٍ خَاصٍّ بِٱلْمُعَوَّقِين. تَكَرَّرَت زِيَارَات وَالِدَيه، ثُمَّ أَخَذَت تَتَنَاقَص حَتَّى اِنْقَطَعَت. وَتَذْكُرُ أُمّ عَبْد ٱلله: «كُنتُ أَزُورُهُ مَرَّةً كُلّ شَهْرَيْن أَوْ ثَلاثَةِ أَشْهُر، وَعِنْدَمَا بَلَغَ ٱلسَّابِعَة، وَوَجَدَ زَوْجِي أَنَّ ٱلْمَرْكَز يَهْتَمُّ بِه، قَرَّرنَا تَرْكَهُ هُنَاك، فَقُلُوبُهُم أَرْحَم عَلَيْهِ مِن قُلُوبِنَا».


The heart of Umm Abdullah is breaking apart due to her son having been away from her for [lit. throughout] five years in one of the shelter centres ever since he was five [years of age]. Abdullah was born mentally and physically disabled. His mother was talking with grief and bitterness saying: I used to pray to God to cure him but when I gave up hope [lit. despaired] and his father [also gave up hope] of his being cured we agreed that no-one should see him and that we should leave him without food and drink until God reclaims [lit. takes] His deposit. [= the childs life held in trust by the child]. Abdullah remained in this situation for a week but his mother couldnt bear it after compassion found a way to her heart. She put forward to his father the idea of leaving him in a shelter centre (specially) for the disabled. The visits of his parents were repeated and then they started to gradually decrease until they came to an end. Umm Abdullah recalls: I would visit him once every two months or three months. When he reached seven [years of age] and my husband found that the centre was taking care of him we decided to leave him there as their hearts were more compassionate towards him than our hearts.

10360 - The Thousand and One Nights: The Tale of the Merchant and the Ifreet. Part 10.

Natural Arabic - 4/25/2008, Category: Literature Level: 1
ألف ليلة وليلة: التاجر والعفريت. الجزء العاشر

فَلَمَّا سَمِعتُ أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِنِّيّ كَلام هٰذَا ٱلرَّاعِي خَرَجتُ مَعَهُ وَأَنَا سَكْرَانٌ مِن غَيْرِ مُدَام مِن كَثْرَةِ ٱلْفَرَح وَٱلسُّرُور وَٱلَّذِي حَصَلَ لِي إِلَى أَنْ أَتَيت إِلَى دَارِه فَرَحَّبَت بِي اِبْنَةُ ٱلرَّاعِي وَقَبَّلَت يَدِي ثُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلْعِجْل جَاءَ إِلَيَّ وَتَمَرَّغَ عَلَيّ فَقُلتُ لِٱبْنَةِ ٱلرَّاعِي: أَحَقٌّ مَا تَقُولِينَه عَن ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعِجْل، فَقَالَت: نَعَم يَا سَيِّدِي إِنَّهُ اِبْنُك وَحُشَاشَةُ كَبِدِك، فَقُلتُ لَهَا: أَيُّهَا ٱلصَّبِيَة إِنْ أَنْتِ خَلَّصتِيه فَلَكِ عِنْدِي مَا تَحْتَ يَد أَبِيكِ مِن ٱلْمَوَاشِي وَٱلْأَمْوَال، فَتَبَسَّمَت وَقَالَت: يَا سَيِّدِي لَيْسَ لِي رَغْبَةٌ فِي ٱلْمَال إِلَّا بِشَرْطَيْن: اَلْأَوَّل أَنْ تُزَوِّجنِي بِه وَٱلثَّانِي: أَنْ آسِرَ مَنْ سَحَرَتْه وَأَحْبِسُهَا وَإِلَّا فَلَستُ آمِن مَكْرِهَا. فَلَمَّا سَمِعتُ أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِنِّيّ كَلام بِنْت ٱلرَّاعِي، قُلت: وَلَكِ فَوْقَ جَمِيع مَا تَحْتَ يَد أَبِيكِ مِن ٱلْأَمْوَال زِيَادَة وَأَمَّا بِنْت عَمِّي فَدَمُهَا لَكِ مُبَاح.


When I heard O Genie the words of this herdsman I went out with him and I was drunk without wine from the abundance of joy and gladness which came upon me until I came to his house [where] the herdmans daughter welcomed me and kissed my hand. Then the calf came to me and rolled itself against me. So I said to the herdsmans daughter: Is it true what you say about that calf? She said: Yes my master. It is your son and your hearts delight [lit. your livers last spark of life]. So I said to her: O young girl if you free him then to you from me is [all] which is under your fathers hand in terms of cattle and goods. So she smiled and said: O my master I have no desire for goods except on two conditions: The first that you marry me to him and the second that I may hold [under a spell] the one who bewitched him and imprison her. For if not I wont be safe from her cunning. When I heard O Genie the words of the herdsmans daughter I said: Then to you above all which is under your fathers hand in terms of goods is the extra [which you demanded] and as for my uncles daughter her blood [= life] is permitted to you [for you to do what you will].

10361 - Al-Hayat in the former Iraqi leaders prison cell - from the memoirs of Saddam.

Al-Hayat - 4/24/2008, Category: Daily Life Level: 2
«الحياة» في زنزانة الرئيس العراقي السابق ... من مذكّرات صدام

فِي ٱلزِّنْزَانَة اَلَّتِي تَبْلُغ مِسَاحَتُهَا نَحْوَ خَمْسَةِ عَشَر مِتْرًا مُرَبَّعًا تَعْلُو أَحَد جُدْرَانِهَا نَافِذَةٌ صَغِيرَةٌ مُسْتَدِيرَة، وُضِعَت مَغْسَلَةٌ وَكُرْسِيّ حَمَّام مُتَّصِلَان بِبَعْضِهِمَا بَعْضًا مِن نَوْع اَلْكرُوم. وَعَلَى جَانِبِهِمَا مِصْطَبَة أَسْمَنْتِيَة لِتَحْمِلَ فَرْشَة وَتُشَكِّل اَلسَّرِير. هُنَا كَانَ صَدَّام يُمْضِي مُعْظَم وَقْتِه مَعْزُولًا عَن ٱلْعَالَم ٱلْخَارِجِيّ لا يَصِلُهُ مِنه إِلَّا كَلِمَاتٍ قَلِيلَة يَتَبَادَلُهَا مَعَ ٱلْحَرَس أَوْ صَوْت ٱلرَّادِيُو اَلَّذِي كَانُوا يَسْتَمِعُون إِلَيه فِي ٱلْخَارِج. أُعْطِيَ صَدَّام كَأَيّ سَجِينٍ آخَر بِزَّة صَفْرَاء كَانَ يَرْتَدِيهَا بِشَكْلٍ دَائِم. وَحَرَصَ كَثِيرًا عَلَى نَظَافَتِهَا. لٰكِنَّهُ عَاد وَطَلَبَ بِزَّتَهُ ٱلسَّوْدَاء وَقَمِيصًا أَبْيَض فَتَمَّ تَلْبِيَةَ طَلَبِه. وَمِن ضِمْنِ ٱلْاِتِّفَاقَات اَلَّتِي عُقِدَت مَعَهُ أَيْضًا قَبْلَ دُخُولِهِ ٱلسِّجْن مَدَّهُ بِٱلسِّيجَار ٱلْكُوبِيّ اَلَّذِي بَقِيَ يُدَخِّنُهُ بِنَهَمٍ حَتَّى ٱللَّحْظَة ٱلْأَخِيرَة، وَٱلْمُحَافَظَة عَلَى نِظَامٍ غِذَائِيّ قَلِيل ٱلْمِلْح وَٱلدَّسَم.


In the cell whose area came to around fifteen metres square [with] a small circular window situated high up one of its walls was placed a washbasin and a [western style] sitting toilet (which were joined to each other) of the chrome kind. And to their side was a cement plinth to carry a mattress which formed the bed. Here Saddam used to spend most of his time isolated from the outside world. Nothing from it reached him other than a few words he would exchange with the guards or the sound of the radio which they would listen to outside. Saddam like any other prisoner was given a yellow outfit which he used to wear permanently and which he was very intent on keeping clean. But he went back and asked for his black suit and white shirt and his request was acceded to. Among the agreements which were also made with him before his entering the prison was his being supplied with Cuban cigars which he continued to smoke avidly until the final moment and the maintaining of a diet [lit. food regime] [which was] low in salt and fat.

10362 - The Thousand and One Nights: The Tale of the Merchant and the Ifreet. Part 11.

Natural Arabic - 5/2/2008, Category: Literature Level: 1
ألف ليلة وليلة: التاجر والعفريت. الجزء الحادي عشر

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَت كَلامِي، أَخَذَت طَاسَة وَمَلَأَتْهَا مَاء ثُمَّ أَنَّهَا عَزَّمَت عَلَيْهَا وَرَشَّت بِهَا ٱلْعِجْل وَقَالَت: إِنْ كَانَ ٱلله خَلَقَكَ عِجْلًا فَدُم عَلَى هٰذِهِ ٱلصِّفَة وَلا تَتَغَيَّر وَإِنْ كُنتَ مَسْحُورًا فَعُد إِلَى خِلْقَتِكَ ٱلْأُولَى بِإِذْن ٱلله تَعَالَى. وَإِذَا بِهِ اِنْتَفَض ثُمَّ صَارَ إِنْسَانًا فَوَقَعتُ عَلَيْهِ وَقُلتُ لَه: بِٱلله عَلَيْك اِحْكِ لِي جَمِيع مَا صَنَعَت بِكَ وَبِأُمِّكَ بِنْت عَمِّي. فَحَكَى لِي جَمِيع مَا جَرَى لَهُمَا فَقُلت: يَا وَلَدِي قَد قَيَّضَ ٱلله لَكَ مَنْ خَلَّصَك وَخَلَّصَ حَقَّك. ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِنِّيّ زَوَّجتُهُ اِبْنَةَ ٱلرَّاعِي. ثُمَّ أَنَّهَا سَحَرَت اِبْنَةَ عَمِّي هٰذِهِ ٱلْغَزَالَة وَجِئتُ إِلَى هُنَا فَرَأَيْتُ هٰؤُلاء ٱلْجَمَاعَة فَسَأَلتُهُم عَن حَالِهِم فَأَخْبَرُونِي بِمَا جَرَى لِهٰذَا ٱلتَّاجِر فَجَلَستُ لِأَنْظُر مَا يَكُون وَهٰذَا حَدِيثِي. فَقَالَ ٱلْجِنِّيّ: هٰذَا حَدِيثٌ عَجِيب وَقَد وَهَبتُ لَكَ ثُلْث دَمِه.


When she heard my words she took a bowl and filled it with water and then she incanted [a magic formula] over it and sprinkled the calf with it and said: If God made you a calf then stay in this form and dont change but if you are bewitched then return to your former nature by the leave of God Most High. All of a sudden [the calf] shook and then became a human. I fell upon him and said to him: In the name of God tell me everything that my uncles daughter did to you and your mother. So he told me everything that had happened to them both and then I said: My son God has sent to you someone to deliver [=save] you and settle the score for you [lit. restore your right]. Then I O Genie married [my son] to the herdsmans daughter. Then she bewitched my uncles daughter into this gazelle and I came here and saw this group and I asked them about their situation and they told me of what had happened to this merchant so I sat to see what would be. And this is my tale. The Genie then said: This is a wondrous tale so I grant to you a third of [the merchants] blood [=life].

10363 - Egypts "Sham el-Naseem" spring festival.

Al-Hayat - 4/28/2008, Category: Special Occasions Level: 3
«شم النسيم» المصري

حِينَ يَمُرّ «رَع» فِي سَمَاء مِصْر صَبَاح ٱلْيَوْم اَلْاِثْنَيْن بِسَفِينَتِهِ لِيَرْسُو عَلَى قِمَّةِ ٱلْهَرَم ٱلْأَكْبَر اَلْمُشْرِف عَلَى طَرِيق ٱلْقَاهِرَةـ اَلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّة ٱلصَّحْرَاوِيّ، مُعْلِنًا مَوْعِد «ٱلْاِنْقِلاب ٱلرَّبِيعِيّ» حَيْثُ يَتَسَاوَى ٱللَّيْل مَعَ ٱلنَّهَار، وَتَحِلُّ ٱلشَّمْس فِي بُرْج ٱلْحَمَل، يَكُونُ ٱلْآلاف مِن ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين مُتَوَجِّهِين إِلَى مُنْتَجَعَات ٱلسَّاحِل ٱلشَّمَالِيّ أَوْ إِلَى ٱلْمَلاهِي ٱلتَّرْفِيهِيَّة اَلْوَاقِعَة عَلَى مَرْمَى حَجَرٍ مِن أَهْرَامَات خُوفُو وَخِفْرَع وَمُنْقَرَع. هٰذِهِ ٱلرِّحَلات ٱلسَّنَوِيَّة اَلَّتِي يَتَكَبَّدُ فِيهَا مَلايِين ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين عَنَاء شِرَاء آلاف ٱلْكِيلُوغرَامَات مِن ٱلْأَسْمَاك ٱلْمُمَلَّحَة وَمَحَاصِيل عَشَرَات ٱلْفَدَادِين مِن ٱلْخُضْرَة وَٱلْبَصَل ٱلْأَخْضَر وَٱلْمَلايِين مِن بَيْض ٱلدَّجَاج، مَا زَالَت مَعَ مُرُور آلاف ٱلسَّنَوَات هِيَ ٱلْعِيد ٱلْوَحِيد اَلَّذِي يُوَحِّد صُفُوفَهُم فِي مَظَاهِر اِحْتِفَالِيَّة وَاحِدَة لا تَشُوبُهَا مُشْكِلَةُ ٱلْاِخْتِلاف ٱلدِّينِيّ أَوْ ٱلتَّنَاحُر ٱلطَّبَقِيّ أَوْ حَتَّى ٱلْاِنْتِمَاء ٱلْاِقْتِصَادِيّ.


When Ra [the ancient Egyptian sun god] passes across Egypts sky in the morning of today Monday [28 April] in his ship and casts anchor above the summit of the Great Pyramid overlooking the Cairo - Alexandria desert road announcing the date of the Spring Equinox [lit. inqilaab=turn-around] where night-time is equal to day-time and the sun takes up residence in the constellation of Aries thousands of Egyptians will be heading to the resorts of the north coast or to the amusement parks lying a stones throw from the pyramids of Khufu Khafre and Menkaure. These annual trips during which millions of Egyptians have to bear the hardship of buying thousands of kilograms of salted fish and the crop of dozens [lit. tens] of feddans [1 feddan = 4 200m²] of greenery [for this festival lettuce is traditional] and spring onions and millions of chicken eggs still despite the passing of thousands of years are the only festival/holiday which unites their ranks in one festive showing [which] the problem of religious difference or class warfare [lit. class infighting] or even economic affiliation does not mar.

10364 - Palace of Jewels in Alexandria.

Asharq Alawsat - 5/8/2008, Category: Art Level: 4
قصر المجوهرات بالإسكندرية.

عُلْبَة نُشُوق مِن ٱلذَّهَب ٱلْمُمَوَّه بِٱلْمِينَا وَٱلْمُرَصَّع بِٱلْمَاس عَلَيْهَا اِسْم مُحَمَّد عَلِيّ بَاشَا، وَسَيْف ٱلتَّشْرِيفَة ٱلْخَاصّ بِه وَٱلْمَصْنُوع مِن ٱلصُّلْب عَلَى شَكْل رَأْس ثُعْبَان بِهِ سِتُّمِائَةِ مَاسَة، عَصَا مَارِشَالِيَّة مِن ٱلْأَبَنُوس اَلْمُطَعَّم بِٱلذَّهَب، وَغَيْرُهَا ٱلْكَثِير هِيَ بَعْض مُقْتَنَيَات ٱلْعَائِلَة ٱلْعَلَوِيَّة اَلْمَنْسُوبَة لِمُحَمَّد عَلِيّ بَاشَا، وَإِنْ كَانَت تِلْكَ ٱلْقِطَع صَامِتَة لا تَتَكَلَّم، إِلَّا أَنَّهَا تَرْوِي حَالَة مِن ٱلْفَخَامَةِ وَٱلثَّرَاء وَعِشْق ٱلْفُنُون بِأَلْوَانِهَا، اَلَّتِي كَانَت عَلَيْهَا تِلْكَ ٱلْأُسْرَة ٱلْعَلَوِيَّة، يَكْفِي أَنْ تَمُرَّ أَمَامَ قِلادَة مُرَصَّعَة بِٱلْمَاس لِلْمَلِكَة فَرِيدَة فَتَقِف بِٱنْبِهَار أَمَامَهَا مُتَصَوِّرًا حَالَهَا وَهِيَ تُزَيِّن عُنُق تِلْكَ ٱلْمَلِكَة ٱلرَّقِيقَة، وَتُمُرّ أَمَامَ سَيْف مُحَمَّد عَلِيّ بَاشَا فَتَشْعُرُ بِقُوَّةِ ذٰلِكَ ٱلرَّجُل بَانِي مِصْر ٱلْحَدِيثَة، وَتَأْخُذُكَ قَدَمَاك لِقَاعَات مُقْتَنَيَات ٱلْمَلِك فَارُوق، فَتَجِد مَا لا نِهَايَةَ لَهُ مِن ٱلتُّحَف.


A snuff box of gold overlaid with enamel and studded with diamonds. On it is the name Muhammad Ali Pasha [ruler of Egypt 1805-1849]. His personal ceremonial sword made of steel in the shape of a snakes head with six hundred diamonds. A field marshals baton of ebony inlaid with gold and many others besides are some of the acquisitions of the Alawite family [which] pertained/traced its lineage to Muhammad Ali Pasha. And if these pieces are silent and do not speak they nevertheless give an account of the state of splendour and wealth and the passion for art of all kinds which that Alawite family had. You need only pass in front of the necklace studded with diamonds of Queen Faridas for you to come to a halt bedazzled before it imagining how it was when it was adorning the neck of that gentle queen. Then you pass in front of the sword of Muhammad Ali Pasha and you feel the strength of that man the builder of modern Egypt. Then your feet take you to the halls of the acquisitions of King Farouq [ruler of Egypt 1936-1952] [where] you find no end of rarities/objets dart.

10365 - Palestinians to release 21951 black balloons, representing Israels age in days.

Asharq Alawsat - 5/8/2008, Category: Politics Level: 1
بالونات سوداء بعدد أيام عمر إسرائيل يطلقها الفلسطينيون

يَسْعَى ٱللّاجِئُون ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيُّون، إِلَى تَحْوِيل زُرْقَةِ سَمَاء ٱلْقُدْس فِي أَحَد أَيَّام فَصْل ٱلرَّبِيع وَتَحْدِيدًا فِي مُنْتَصَف مَايُو (أَيَّار) اَلْجَارِي، إِلَى سَوَادٍ دَاكِن. وَيُخَطِّط ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيُّون فِي إِطَار إِحْيَاء ٱلذِّكْرَى ٱلسِّتِّين لِنَكْبَةِ فِلَسْطِين، لِإِطْلاق آلاف ٱلْبَالُونَات سَوْدَاء ٱللَّوْن، فِي سَمَاء ٱلْمَدِينَة، اِسْتِنْكَارًا لِزِيَارَةِ ٱلرَّئِيس ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيّ جُورْج بُوش، وَزُعَمَاء آخَرِين، لِلْمُشَارَكَةِ فِي ٱلْاِحْتِفَالَات ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيَّة، بِٱلذِّكْرَى ٱلسِّتِّين لِقِيَام إِسْرَائِيل. وَسَيُشَارِك فِي إِطْلاقِهَا آلاف ٱلشَّبَاب مِن ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيِّين، مِن دَاخِل ٱلْقُدْس، وَٱلْمُدُن ٱلْمُحِيطَةِ بِهَا، بَيْت لَحْم، وَرَام ٱلله. وَقَالَ أَحَد ٱلشَّبَاب مِن اَلَّذِينَ سَيُشَارِكُون فِي إِطْلاق هٰذِهِ ٱلْبَالُونَات مِن بَيْت لَحْم، «سَنُحَوِّل ٱلسَّمَاء إِلَى سَوْدَاء فَوْقَ رَأْس بُوش، إِنَّهُ يَحْتَفِلُ بِنَكْبَتِنَا وَضَيَاعِنَا». وَسَيَتِمُّ تَعْلِيق رَسَائِل خَاصَّة بِٱلْبَالُونَات، تُكْتَب بِخَطّ ٱلْيَد مِن قِبَلِ أَطْفَال ٱلْمُخَيَّمَات، يُعَبِّرُون فِيهَا عَن حُلْمِهِم بِٱلْعَوْدَة.


Palestinian refugees are working towards turning the blue colour of Jerusalems sky on one of the days of the season of spring specifically in the middle of this May (Ayyar) into dark black. The Palestinians plan within the compass [lit. framework] of the sixtieth [anniversary] commemoration of Palestines Catastrophe to release thousands of black balloons into the citys sky in condemnation of the visit of the American President George Bush and other leaders to participate in the Israeli celebrations for the sixtieth [anniversary] commemoration of Israels coming into being. Thousands of Palestinian youngsters from within Jerusalem and the cities surrounding it Bethlehem and Ramallah will take part in releasing [the balloons]. One of the youngsters from among those who will take part in the release of these balloons from Bethlehem said: We will turn the sky to black above Bushs head. He is celebrating our catastrophe and our loss. Special messages will be attached to the balloons written in handwriting by the children of the [refugee] camps in which they express their dream of returning.

10366 - Hamas and [Islamic] Jihad commemorate the anniversary of the Catastrophe: Israel is ending and the return [of Palestinian refugees] is closer.

Al-Hayat - 5/15/2008, Category: Politics Level: 2
«حماس» و «الجهاد» تحييان ذكرى النكبة:إسرائيل إلى زوال والعودة باتت أقرب

جَدَّدَت حَرَكَةُ «حَمَاس» رَفْضَهَا ٱلْاِعْتِرَاف بِإِسْرَائِيل، وَشَدَّدَت عَلَى تَمَسُّكِهَا بِحَقّ عَوْدَةِ ٱللّاجِئِين ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيِّين إِلَى دِيَارِهِم اَلَّتِي هُجِّرُوا مِنهَا قَسْرًا عَام أَلْفٍ وَتِسْعُمِئَة وَثَمَانٍ وَأَرْبَعِين، تَزَامُنًا مَعَ اِحْتِفَال ٱلدَّوْلَة ٱلْعِبْرِيَّة بِٱلذِّكْرَى ٱلسِّتِّين لِقِيَامِهَا عَلَى أَنْقَاض فِلَسْطِين. وَرَفَضَ ٱلْقِيَادِيّ فِي ٱلْحَرَكَة اَلدُّكْتُور مَحْمُود ٱلزَّهَّار اَلْاِعْتِرَاف بِإِسْرَائِيل مُتَوَقِّعًا «زَوَالَهَا، وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِين». وَقَالَ أَمَامَ «ٱلْمُؤْتَمَر ٱلْوَطَنِيّ لِلْحِفَاظ عَلَى ٱلثَّوَابِت» اَلَّذِي عُقِدَ فِي مَدِينَةِ غَزَّة أَمْس: «لا اِعْتِرَاف بِإِسْرَائِيل. وَهِيَ إِلَى زَوَال، وَٱلْعَوْدَة بَعْدَ سِتِّين عَامًا مِن ٱلنَّكْبَة بَاتَت قَرِيبَة بِفِعْل ٱلْمُقَاوَمَة، وَٱلْإِمْبَرَاطُورِيَات اَلَّتِي قَامَت عَلَى دِمَاء أَصْحَاب ٱلْأَرْض مَاتَت وَتَحَلَّلَت وَحَرَقَتْهَا شَمْس ٱلتَّحْرِير كَمَا سَتَحْرِق ٱلصَّهَايِنَة». وَخَاطَبَ ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيِّين قَائِلًا: «أَيُّهَا ٱلْمُحْتَلُّون، لَقَد ظَلَمْتُم أَنْفُسَكُم يَوْم دَخَلْتُم فِلَسْطِين غَازِين مُسْتَعْمِرِين، وَيَوْم طَرَدْتُم شَعْبَهَا. وَظَلَمْتُم أَنْفُسَكُم وَأَنْتُم تُحَالِفُون مَجَانِين ٱلْغَرْب».


The Hamas movement has repeated [lit. renewed] its refusal to recognise Israel and stressed its adherence to the right of return of the Palestinian refugees to their lands/homes which they were made to emigrate from forcibly in the year 1948 coinciding with the celebration by the Hebrew state of the sixtieth [anniversary] commemoration of its rising up on the rubble of Palestine. Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahhar a commander in the [Hamas] movement refused to recognise Israel anticipating its coming to an end even though [it may be] after a while. And he said in front of The National Congress for the Preservation of the Immutable Principals [e.g. the right of return] which was held in Gaza City yesterday: No recognition of Israel as it is coming to an end. The return [of refugees] sixty years on from the Catastrophe has come to be close [at hand] due to the resistance. The empires which were built on the blood of the owners of land died and decomposed and the sun of liberation burnt them up just as it will burn up the Zionists. And he addressed the Israelis saying: O Occupiers you wronged yourselves [a reference to Quran 2:54 concerning the Israelites worship of the calf] the day you entered Palestine as invaders and colonisers and the day you expelled its people. And you wronged yourselves when you allied with the madmen of the West.

10367 - Lebanon: Do you declare war to prevent civil strife?

Asharq Alawsat - 5/15/2008, Category: Politics Level: 5
هل نعلن الحرب درءاً للفتنة؟

كَمَا كُنَّا نَرْتَجِفُ خَوْفًا مِن ٱلْقَذَائِف وَٱلصَّوَارِيخ وَيُدَارِينَا أَهْلُنَا بِأَحْضَانِهِم مِن حُمَّى ٱلرَّصَاص ٱلطَّائِش، هَا نَحْنُ تَصْطَكُّ أَسْنَانُنَا رُعْبًا عَلَى أَوْلادِنَا وَنَلُفُّهُم بِأَذْرُعِنَا ٱلْوَاجِفَة عَلَّنَا نَقِيهِم مِن نِيرَانٍ تَائِهَة، قَد تَسْتَقِرُّ فِي أَبْدَانِهِم ٱلْغَضَّة. اَلْمَشَاهِد ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُونِيَّة هِيَ ذَاتُهَا أَيْضًا، اَلْمُقَاتِلُون ٱلْمُلَثَّمُون اَلْهَائِجُون يَجُوبُون ٱلشَّوَارِع بِأَسْلِحَتِهِم، وَأَهْلٌ عُزَّل يَسْتَصْرِخُونَهُم ٱلرَّأْفَة، وَلا مِن مُسْتَجِيب. اَلْهَلَع هٰذَا نَعْرِفُه.. اَلرَّكْض فِي ٱلشَّوَارِع عِنْدَ رَشْق ٱلرَّصَاص، زَمَامِير ٱلسَّيَّارَات اَلَّتِي تَحْمِلُ ٱلْجَرْحَى عَاجِلَة إِلَى مُسْتَشْفًى يَنْقُذُهُم أَوْ يَنْبِذُهُم، سَيَّارَات ٱلْإِطْفَاء ٱلْمَجْنُونَة تَسْتَعْجِلُ ٱلْوُصُول إِلَى مُحَاصَرِين بِجُنُون ٱلْقَصْف. هَاجِس ٱلْخُبْز وَٱلْمَاء وَتَأْمِين ٱلشُّمُوع اَلَّتِي وَحْدُهَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُنِيرَ لَيْلَنَا ٱلطَّوِيل. حَيَاة ظَنَنَّا أَنَّنَا طَوَينَاهَا تَعُود بِمُفْرَدَاتِهَا ذَاتِهَا، بِوُجُوهِهَا نَفْسِهَا.


Just as we used to shiver with fear from the shells/grenades [lit. projectiles] and missiles and our family would shelter us in their embraces from the fever of misdirected bullets here we are [now] with our teeth chattering with fear over our [own] children who we wrap in our trembling arms that perhaps we may protect them from stray gunfire which might come to rest in their tender [young] bodies. The television pictures are the same too. Fighters [with] covered faces [up to their eyes] [and who are] agitated roam the streets with their weapons. Unarmed people cry out to them for mercy but no-one hears. Panic - this we know.. Running in the streets when the bullets fly [lit. pelt]. The sirens of the ambulances [lit. cars] which carry the wounded hurriedly to a hospital which saves them or abandons them. The insane fire trucks rush to get to people encircled by the insanity of the bombardment. Anxiety over bread and water and ensuring supplies of candles which they alone can light our long night. A life we thought that we had done with [lit. folded up] returns with its same vocabulary and its same faces.