10477 - Saudi Arabia: Intensification of earthquakes in al-Ais indicate an imminent volcanic eruption.

Al-Hayat - 5/21/2009, Category: Geology Level: 1
السعودية: إشتداد زلازل العيص مؤشر إلى انفجار بركاني وشيك

مَعَ ٱشْتِدَاد قُوَّةِ ٱلزَّلازِل اَلَّتِي تَضْرِب مَدِينَةَ ٱلْعَيْص (غَرْبَ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة) مُنْذُ نَحْوِ شَهْر، وَظُهُور مُؤَشِّرَاتٍ جَدِيدَة خِلالَ ٱلْيَوْمَيْن ٱلْمَاضِيَيْن إِلَى ٱرْتِفَاع ٱلْخَطَر ٱلْمُنْذِر بِثَوَرَانٍ بُرْكَانِيّ فِي مِنْطَقَةِ حَرَّة اَلشَّاقَّة، تَحَوَّلَت ٱلْعَيْص إِلَى مَدِينَةِ أَشْبَاحٍ بَعْدَمَا هَجَرَهَا سُكَّانُهَا إِلَى ٱلْمُدُن ٱلْقَرِيبَة وَمُخَيَّمَات اَلْإِيْوَاء اَلَّتِي جَهَّزَتْهَا ٱلْحُكُومَة، إِلَّا مِن غُرْفَةِ عَمَلِيَّاتٍ ضَخْمَة تُدِيرُهَا جِهَاتٌ حُكُومِيَّة وَأَمْنِيَّة، وَمُرَاسِلُو وَسَائِل إِعْلامٍ مُخْتَلِفَة جَعَلُوا مِن ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْمَغْمُورَة خَبَرًا رَئِيسِيًّا فِي نَشَرَاتِهِم. وَٱرْتَفَعَت نَبْرَةُ ٱلتَّحْذِيرَات اَلَّتِي تُطْلِقُهَا ٱلْأَجْهِزَة ٱلْحُكُومِيَّة ٱلْمُخْتَصَّة وَٱلْمُرَابِطَة فِي ٱلْمِنْطَقَة، مَعَ تَصَاعُد قُوَّةِ ٱلْهَزَّاتِ ٱلْأَرْضِيَّة بَدْءًا مِن نَحْوِ ثَلاث دَرَجَات عَلَى مِقْيَاس رِيختَر فِي بِدَايَةِ ٱلْمَوْقِف، وُصُولًا إِلَى نَحْوِ سِتّ دَرَجَات فِي وَقْتٍ وَجِيز، مَعَ ظُهُور اِنْبِعَاثَاتٍ غَازِيَّة وَٱرْتِفَاع فِي دَرَجَاتِ حَرَارَةِ ٱلْمِنْطَقَة، قَدَّرَ ٱخْتِصَاصِيُّون أَنَّهَا مُؤَشِّرَاتٌ إِلَى قُرْب اِنْفِجَارٍ بُرْكَانِيّ.


With the intensification of the strength of the earthquakes which have been hitting the town of al-Ais (in the west of Saudi) for around a month and the emergence of new indications during the last two days of the rising of the danger forewarning of a volcanic eruption in the area of Harrat [=volcanic land] al-Shaqqah al-Ais has changed into a ghost town after its residents emigrated from it to nearby towns and shelter camps which the government had prepared except from the huge operations room [which] government and security authorities are running and the correspondents of the various media who have made from the obscure town a main news item in their bulletins. There has been a rise in the tone of the warnings which the concerned government agencies stationed in the area have released with the increase in the strength of the earthquakes starting from around three (degrees) on the Richter scale at the start of the situation and reaching around six (degrees) in a short time with the emergence of gas emissions and the rise in temperature of the area which specialists have evaluated as being indications of the imminence of a volcanic eruption.

10478 - Sidons old markets: A nostalgic journey to days gone by.

Asharq Alawsat - 5/27/2009, Category: Places Level: 2
أسواق صيدا القديمة.. رحلة الحنين إلى أيام زمان

بَعْض ٱلْأَمَاكِن تُجِيد مُغَازَلَةَ زُوَّارِهَا بِخَفَرٍ وَمِن دُون عَوَامِل جَذْبٍ فَاقِعَة، كَمَا هِيَ ٱلْحَال مَعَ ٱلْأَسْوَاق ٱلْقَدِيمَة لِمَدِينَةِ صَيْدَا أَوْ بَوَّابَةُ ٱلْجَنُوب ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ، كَمَا يَطِيبُ لِأَهْلِهَا أَنْ يَصِفُوهَا. فَٱلْأَحْيَاء ٱلْعَتِيقَة اَلرَّابِضَةُ خَلْفَ سُورٍ عِنْدَ شَاطِئ ٱلْبَحْر غَنِيَّةٌ بِٱلْجَمَال مَعَ تَوَاضُعِهَا، وَسَعِيدَةٌ كَعَرُوسٍ بِحُلَّتِهَا ٱلْجَدِيدَة بَعْدَ مَشَارِيع تَرْمِيمٍ وَتَأْهِيلٍ حَظِيَت بِهَا وَٱسْتَفَادَت مِنهَا. لِذَا تَبْدُو هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَسْوَاق مَحْظُوظَة أَكْثَر مِمَّا هِيَ ٱلْحَال فِي مَنَاطِق لُبْنَانِيَّة أُخْرَى لَمْ يَنْفَع ٱلتَّمْوِيل لِيُعِيد إِلَيهَا عَرَاقَتَهَا. زَائِر ٱلْأَسْوَاق يَكْتَشِفُ ٱلتَّغْيِير إِذَا كَانَ مِن اَلَّذِينَ تَجَوَّلُوا فِيهَا قَبْلَ عَقْدٍ أَوْ أَكْثَر، كَأَنَّ يَد فَنَّانٍ كَشَطَت عَن ٱلْمَكَان قِشْرَةَ ٱلْإِهْمَال لِتُعِيدَ إِلَيهِ حُلَّتَهُ ٱلتَّارِيخِيَّة وَتُرَمِّم مَا تَدَاعَى مِن حِجَارَتِهِ. مَحْظُوظَةٌ هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَسْوَاق لِأَنَّهَا ٱسْتِعَادَت بَهَاءَهَا وَقُدْرَتَهَا عَلَى جَذْب ٱلسَّائِحِين وَٱلْبَاحِثِين عَن ٱلْحَضَارَات وَمَعَالِمِهَا.


Some places are skilled at courting their visitors with reserve/timidity and without eye-catching [lit. vivid/intense (colour)] elements of attraction as is the case with the old markets of the city of Sidon (or the gateway to the Lebanese South as its people like to describe it). As the ancient districts crouching [lit. lying down with chest to the ground] behind the wall by the seashore are rich in beauty with their modesty. And happy like a bride in her new clothing after the projects of restoration and readying which they have enjoyed the favour of and benefitted from. Thus these markets seem luckier than is the case in other Lebanese areas [where] funding has been of no avail to return to them their ancient unspoiled character. A visitor of the markets will discover the change if he was from among those who toured around in them a decade or more ago. As though the hand of an artist has taken/scraped off the crust of neglect from the place to return to it its historical clothing and to restore what had become dilapidated/threatened to fall of its stones. Fortunate are these markets because they have got back their radiance and their ability to attract tourists and researchers of civilizations and their landmarks.

10479 - Ceuta calls for opening of trade border with Morocco to remove risk of repetition of crossing-point incident.

Asharq Alawsat - 5/28/2009, Category: Daily Life Level: 2
سبتة تطالب بفتح حدود تجارية مع المغرب لتلافي تكرار حادث المعبر

اُسْتُؤنِفَت، أَمْس، اَلْحَرَكَةُ ٱلتِّجَارِيَّة بَيْنَ مَدِينَةِ سَبْتَة اَلْمُحْتَلَّة وَٱلْمَغْرِب، اَلَّتِي تَوَقَّفَت جَرَّاءَ ٱلْحَادِث ٱلْمَأْسَاوِيّ اَلَّذِي أَوْدَى، صَبَاح ٱلْاِثْنَيْن ٱلْمَاضِي، بِحَيَاة مَغْرِبِيَّتَين، نَتِيجَةَ ٱلتَّدَافُع بَيْنَ ٱلْمُهَرِّبِين اَلْمُحَمَّلِين بِكَمِّيَّاتٍ كَبِيرَة مِن ٱلْبَضَائِع ٱلْمَجْلُوبَة مِن سَبْتَة، وَذٰلِكَ عِنْدَ ٱلْمَعْبَر ٱلْحُدُودِيّ اَلْمُخَصَّص لِلرَّاجِلِين، اَلَّذِي لا يَسْتَوْعِب اَلْأَعْدَاد ٱلْكَبِيرَة مِن ٱلْمُهَرِّبِين وَٱلْحَمَّالِين اَلْمَغَارِبَة اَلْقَادِمِين مِن مَدِينَةِ سَبْتَة. وَطِبْقًا لِمَا نَقَلَتْهُ وَكَالَةُ «أُورُوبَّا بْرَس»، فَإِنَّ أَحَد ٱلْمُشْرِفِين عَلَى تَنْظِيم تَنَقُّل ٱلْمُهَرِّبِين وَٱلْمُهَرِّبَات ٱلْمَغَارِبَة هُوَ اَلَّذِي حَثَّهُم عَلَى ٱلْإِسْرَاع نَحْوَ ٱلْمَعْبَر وَٱلْاِحْتِشَاد بِه، مِمَّا أَدَّى إِلَى تَدَافُعٍ شَدِيد سَقَطَت بِسَبَبِهِ ٱلضَّحِيَّتَان تَحْتَ ٱلْأَقْدَام فَوْقَ دَرَجٍ مُنْحَدِر. وَكَانَت سُلُطَاتُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْمُحْتَلَّة عَارَضَت فِكْرَةَ إِغْلاق ٱلْمَمَرّ ٱلْحُدُودِيّ عَلَى ٱعْتِبَار أَنَّ ذٰلِكَ سَيُحْدِث ضَرَرًا كَبِيرًا لِآلاف ٱلْأُسَر مِن ٱلْمَغَارِبَة اَلَّذِينَ يَقْتَاتُون مِن تِلْكَ ٱلتِّجَارَةِ غَيْر ٱلْمَشْرُوعَة.


The movement of trade was resumed yesterday between the occupied town of Sabta [=Ceuta (Spanish)] and Morocco which had come to a stop because of the tragic incident which put an end last Monday morning to the lives of two Moroccan women as the result of a stampede among smugglers laden with large quantities of goods imported/brought back from Sabta. This was at the border crossing designated for people on foot which couldnt accommodate the large numbers of Moroccan smugglers and porters coming from the town of Sabta. According to what the agency Europa Press reported [lit. conveyed] one of the people supervising the regulating of movement of the male and female Moroccan smugglers was the one who urged them to hurry towards the crossing point and to crowd together at it which led to a violent stampede as a result of which the two victims fell under feet at the top of a flight of stairs leading down. Authorities of the occupied town were opposed to the idea of closing the border crossing/corridor considering that this would cause great harm to the thousands of families of Moroccans who are sustained [lit. fed] by this illicit trade.

10481 - Algeria is calling you.

Asharq Alawsat - 6/2/2009, Category: People Level: 2
الجزائر تناديكم

إِنَّهُ لَمِن عَلامَاتِ ٱلْبُؤْس ٱلْعَرَبِيّ ٱلشَّدِيد، أَنْ يَبْقَى ٱلْجَزَائِر بَلَدًا مَجْهُولًا عِنْدَ مَشَارِقَةِ ٱلْعَرَب، رَغْم مِسَاحَتِهِ ٱلْهَائِلَة وَتَعْدَادِهِ ٱلسُّكَّانِيّ ٱلْكَبِير وَثَرَوَاتِهِ ٱلطَّبِيعِيَّةِ ٱلْوَفِيرَة. وَشَعَرتُ بِغُصَّةٍ كَبِيرَة، بَيْنَمَا كَانَ أَحَد ٱلزُّمَلاء اَلْجَزَائِرِيِّين يُخْبِرُنِي أَنَّ عَشَر رِحَلاتٍ جَوِّيَّة تَرْبِطُ يَوْمِيًّا بَيْنَ بِلادِهِ وَفَرَنْسَا، فِيمَا لا تُوجَد غَيْر رِحْلَتَيْن أُسْبُوعِيَّتَين بِٱتِّجَاه ٱلْقَاهِرَة وَثَلاث فَقَط مَعَ بَيْرُوت. وَٱلْجَفَاء ٱلْمَشْرِقِيّ غَيْر مُبَرَّر حِينَ تَذْهَب إِلَى ٱلْجَزَائِر وَتَرَى ٱلتَّعَطُّش لِلتَّعَرُّف إِلَيك وَٱلْمَكَان اَلَّذِي تَأْتِي مِنه. فَٱلْأَسْئِلَةُ تَنْهَالُ عَلَيْكَ غَزِيرَة حَوْلَ تَفَاصِيل ٱلْاِنْتِخَابَات ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة، وَٱلْأَلْبُومَاتِ ٱلْغِنَائِيَّة، وَيُحَدِّثُكَ ٱلْمُثَقَّف ٱلْجَزَائِرِيّ عَن ٱلْأُدَبَاء ٱللُّبْنَانِيِّين أَوْ ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين وَكَأَنَّهُ يَعِيشُ بَيْنَهُم، فِيمَا لا نَعْرِفُ عَن ٱلْجَزَائِر إِلَّا ٱلنَّزْر ٱلْيَسِير اَلَّذِي يُخْجِل مُقَارَنَةً بِمَا يَعْرِفُونَهُ هُم عَنَّا.


It truly is one of the signs of the severe Arab misery that Algeria remains a country unknown among Eastern Arabs despite its vast area its large population count and its abundant natural resources. I felt great sadness/distress [ḡuṣṣa = a choking lump] while one of the Algerian colleagues was telling me that ten flights a day connect his country and France while there are only two weekly flights in the direction of Cairo and only three with Beirut. The Eastern coolness/aversion is unjustified when you go to Algeria and see the thirst to get to know you and the place which you come from. As the questions rain down on you heavily [lit. in abundance] about the details of the Lebanese elections and the song albums and the Algerian intellectual tells you about Lebanese or Egyptian authors as though he lives among them while we dont know about Algeria [anything] other than a triflingly small amount which is embarrassing in comparison with what they know about us.

10482 - Lebanon: Elections of the scared.

Asharq Alawsat - 6/4/2009, Category: Politics Level: 2
انتخابات المفزوعين

وَاحِد مِن أَوَّل ٱلشِّعَارَات ٱلْاِنْتِخَابِيَّة اَلَّتِي شَاهَدَهَا ٱللُّبْنَانِيُّون فِي ٱلشَّارِع، شِعَارٌ أَطْلَقَهُ ٱلشَّيْخ دَاعِي ٱلْإِسْلام اَلشَّهَّال، مُنْذُ أَشْهُرٍ يَقُولُ فِيه: «طَائِفَةٌ قَوِيَّة.. بَلَدٌ آمِن». وَيَعْنِي ٱلشَّيْخ بِطَبِيعَةِ ٱلْحَال اَلطَّائِفَة ٱلسُّنِّيَّة اَلَّتِي يَنْتَمِي إِلَيهَا، مُعْتَبِرًا أَنَّ مَنْعَتَهَا وَصَلابَتَهَا هِيَ اَلَّتِي تَمْنَحُ ٱلْوَطَن سَكِينَتَهُ، وَرُبَّمَا رَخَاءَهُ وَٱزْدِهَارَه. وَمُشْكِلَةُ ٱلشَّيْخ هِيَ مَعَ سَبْعَةَ عَشَر طَائِفَةً أُخْرَى كُلٌّ مِنهَا تَطْمَحُ لِأَنْ تَكُونَ فُولاذِيَّةَ ٱلْبِنْيَة دِينَاصُورِيَّةَ ٱلْحَجْم، مِن دُونِ أَنْ تَنْتَبِهَ إِلَى أَنَّ مِسَاحَةَ ٱلْوَطَن ٱلصَّغِير لا تَحْتَمِلُ هٰذَا ٱلْقَدْرَ مِن ٱلْاِنْتِفَاخ. وَإِذَا كَانَت ٱلطَّائِفَة ٱلشِّيعِيَّة قَد أَفْلَحَت نِسْبِيًّا، وَغَيْرُهَا لا يَزَالُ يَسْعَى، فَإِنَّ ٱلتَّصْوِيت فِي مُعْظَمِهِ يَوْم ٱلْأَحَد ٱلْمُقْبِل، فِي صَنَادِيق ٱلْاِقْتِرَاع سَيَكُونُ تَرْجَمَةً لِهٰذِهِ ٱلطُّمُوحَات ٱلطَّوَائِفِيَّة اَلْمَرَضِيَّة اَلَّتِي تَتَلَبَّسُ ٱلْمَجْمُوعَات ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة اَلْمُتَنَاحِرَة.


One of the first electoral slogans which the Lebanese saw in the street was a slogan uttered by Sheikh Dai al-Islam al-Chahhal [some] months ago in which he said: A strong sect.. a safe country. The Sheikh meant of course the Sunni sect which he belongs to and he considered that its sturdiness and its solidity are what give the country its peacefullness and perhaps its affluence and prosperity [lit. flourishing]. The Sheikhs problem is with the seventeen other sects each of which aspire to be steely of constitution and dinosaur-like of size without their noticing that the land surface of the small country cant sustain this amount of inflating/blowing up. And if the Shiite sect has had relative success and others are still trying the voting most of which is this coming Sunday in the ballot boxes shall [nevertheless] be a translation of these morbid sectarian ambitions which have taken possession of the inter-fighting Lebanese groups.

10483 - Lebanon: Southern farmer "votes" for Nature.

Al-Hayat - 6/7/2009, Category: Politics Level: 4
فلاح جنوبي «يقترع» للطبيعة

أَثْنَاءَ تَجَوُّل مَنْدُوب «اَلْحَيَاة» فِي رُبُوع لُبْنَان اَلْجَنُوبِيَّة، صَبِيحَةَ ٱلْاِنْتِخَابَات، اُضْطُرَّت ٱلسَّيَّارَةُ إِلَى ٱلتَّوَقُّف أَمَامَ قَطِيعٍ مُخَتَلِطٍ مِن ٱلْأَغْنَام وَٱلْأَبْقَار. وَٱنْتِظَار ٱلدَّوَابّ حَتَّى تَزِيح عَن ٱلطَّرِيق. اَلْمَشْهَد يَوْمِيٌّ وَمَأْلُوف، وَلٰكِنَّهُ غَرِيبٌ بَعْض ٱلشَّيْء فِي يَوْمٍ اِنْتِخَابِيٍّ حَافِلٍ وَمَشْحُون. اِبْتَسَمَ ٱلْفَلَّاح، مُعْتَذِرًا عَن ٱلْإِعَاقَةِ غَيْر ٱلْمَقْصُودَة. ثُمَّ رَاحَ «يَسْتَعْجِل» دَوَابَّه كَيْ تَحِيدَ عَن دَرْب ٱلصِّحَافَة وَٱلْمَاكِينَات وَٱلنَّاخِبِين وَٱلْمُرَشَّحِين... وَعِنْدَمَا سُئِلَ عَمَّا إِذَا كَانَ سَيَتَوَجَّهُ لِلْاِقْتِرَاع، عَبَس وَتَأَفَّف... وَقَالَ كَلامًا دَلّ عَلَى أَنَّ مُرَشَّحَهُ ٱلْمُفَضَّل هُوَ ٱلطَّبِيعَة. تُرَى، هَلْ لَحِقَت بِهِ إِحْدَى ٱلْمَاكِينَات ٱلْاِنْتِخَابِيَّة، بَعْدَ مُرُور ٱلْكَامِيرَا؟


During the roving of the representative of Al-Hayat in the regions of Southern Lebanon on the morning of the elections the car was forced to stop in front of a mixed herd of sheep and cows. and to wait for the animals/livestock until they had gone away from the road. The scene was everyday and familiar but somewhat strange on an eventful and charged election day. The [peasant] farmer smiled apologising for the unintended hindrance. Then he went and hurried up his animals so that they would turn from the path of the press [election] machines voters and candidates. And when he was asked about whether he was going to go to the ballot he frowned and muttered a complaint [lit. said ouff]. . . and said [some] words which indicated that his preferred candidate was Nature. I wonder did one of the election machines catch up with him after the passing of the camera?

10484 - Child workers in Iraq face lack of laws and exploitation by society.

Al-Hayat - 6/11/2009, Category: Daily Life Level: 1
العمال الأطفال في العراق بين انعدام القوانين واستغلال المجتمع

فِي ٱلسُّوق ٱلْقَرِيب مِن شَارِع ٱلْمَلابِس ٱلْمُسْتَعْمَلَة، تَسَابَقَ ٱلْأَطْفَال فِي تَصْرِيف بِضَاعَتِهِم مِن ٱلْأَكْيَاس ٱلْبلاسْتِيكِيَّة وَكَانُوا يَرْكُضُون فِي ٱتِّجَاه كُلّ مَنْ يَقِف لِشِرَاء بَعْض ٱلْخُضَر أَوْ ٱلْفَاكِهَة. إِذ تَوَجَّهَ أَحَد ٱلْأَطْفَال لِيَضْرِبَ زَمِيلًا لَهُ نَافَسَهُ عَلَى أَحَد ٱلزَّبَائِن، فَيَطْرَحُهُ أَرْضًا، وَيَلْكُمُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَهْرُب، فَيُطْلِقُ ٱلطِّفْل ٱلْمَضْرُوب اَلْعِنَان لِلِسَانِهِ بِٱلسِّبَاب، وَيَنْهَضُ مُسْتَنْجِدًا بِأَخِيه اَلَّذِي يَعْمَلُ فِي ٱلسُّوق ذَاتِه. وَبَعْدَ دَقَائِق، يَتَمَرَّغُ ٱلْجَمِيع عَلَى ٱلْأَرْصِفَة فِي مُشَاجَرَةٍ جَمَاعِيَّة اِنْتَهَت بِتَدَخُّل أَحَد ٱلْبَاعَة وَتَهْدِيدِهِ ٱلْأَطْفَال بِعَدَم ٱلسَّمَاح لَهُم فِي بَيْع أَكْيَاسِهِم، إِذَا مَا ٱسْتَمَرُّوا فِي مَعَارِكِهِم ٱلصِّبْيَانِيَّة، فَسَكَت ٱلْجَمِيع وَعَادُوا إِلَى ٱلْعَمَل. أَمَّا ٱلطِّفْل اَلَّذِي تَعَرَّضَ لِلضَّرْب فَيَقُول: «أَنَا دَائِمًا أَسْتَعِينُ بِشَقِيقِي ٱلْأَكْبَر لِيَحْمِينِي مِن اَلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُون إِيْذَائِي، فَهُوَ اَلَّذِي يُسَانِدُنِي هُنَا، وَلَنْ أَتْرُكُهُم يَسْتَفْرِدُون بِي، وَإِلَّا فَلَنْ أَسْتَطِيع ٱلْاِسْتِمْرَار فِي ٱلْعَمَل».


In the market near the second-hand clothes street the children were vying with one another to sell their merchandise of plastic bags. They were running in the direction of everyone who stopped to buy some vegetables or fruit. And then one of the children went/headed to hit a colleague of his who had competed with him for one of the customers. He threw him to the ground and punched him before running away. The beaten child gave free [lit. let loose] [the] rein to his tongue with abuse/insults then he got up calling for help to his brother who was working in the same market. After [a few] minutes everyone was rolling around on the pavements in a mass brawl which ended with the intervention of one of the vendors and his threatening the children with not allowing them to sell their bags as long as they persisted in their childish battles. So everyone fell silent and returned to work. As for the child who had been subjected to the beating he said: I always turn for help to my elder brother to protect me from those who want to harm me. Hes the one who backs/supports me here. Ill never let them single me out. Otherwise I wont be able to continue to work.

10485 - Tripoli-of-the-West: A historic city in tune with the modern age.

Asharq Alawsat - 6/17/2009, Category: Places Level: 1
طرابلس الغرب مدينة تاريخية تجاري حداثة العصر

لا يَحْتَاجُ زَائِر ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱللِّيبِيَّة طَرَابُلُس ٱلْغَرْب إِلَى دَلِيلٍ سِيَاحِيٍّ أَوْ مُرْشِدٍ مُتَخَصِّص، إِذْ يَكَادُ كُلّ أَبْنَاء هٰذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَة مِن شِيبِهَا إِلَى شَبَابِهَا يَحْفَظُون تَارِيخَهَا وَحَضَارَتَهَا اَلضَّارِبَة فِي ٱلْجُذُور عَن ظَهْر قَلْب، وَعِنْدَمَا يَتَحَدَّثُ أَحَدُهُم عَن مَدِينَتِهِ اَلَّتِي تُلَقَّبُ بـِ«عَرُوس ٱلْبَحْر» تَرَاهُ كَعَاشِقٍ يَتَفَنَّن فِي تَوْصِيف مَحَاسِن حَبِيبَتِه، فَهُوَ يَرَى فِيهَا اَلْأَصَالَةَ وَٱلْعَرَاقَة وَٱلْحَدَاثَةَ مَعًا، زَائِر طَرَابُلُس لا يَبْحَثُ فَقَط عَن فَنَادِقِهَا ٱلْفَخْمَة ذَات ٱلنُّجُوم ٱلْخَمْس، أَوْ مَطَاعِمِهَا ٱلْغَنِيَّة بِمَوَائِدِهَا وَمَأكُولاتِهَا ٱللِّيبِيَّةِ وَٱلْعَرَبِيَّة، إِنَّمَا يَكُونُ فِي سِبَاقٍ مَعَ ٱلْوَقْت لِلْاِسْتِمْتَاع بِتُرَاث ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْوَادِعَة وَٱلرَّاقِدَة عَلَى سَاحِل ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْمُتَوَسِّط اَلَّتِي تُلاطِفُ أَمْوَاجَهُ ٱلْهَادِئَة بَيْنَمَا يُحَاكِي هُوَ تَارِيخَهَا ٱلْمُمْتَدّ إِلَى آلاف ٱلسِّنِين مُنْذُ أَنْ عَبَرَهُ ٱلْفِينِيقِيُّون بِسُفُنِهِم وَحَطُّوا رِحَالَهُم فِيهَا تَارِكِين بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهَا حَضَارَةً يَرْوِيهَا ٱلْآبَاء وَٱلْأَجْدَاد وَيَتَوَارَثُهَا ٱلْأَبْنَاء وَٱلْأَحْفَاد.


The visitor to the Libyan capital Tripoli-of-the-West has no need for a tourist guidebook or a specialized guide as almost all the inhabitants [lit. sons] of this city from its old [lit. white-haired] to its young know/have memorized its history and its deep-rooted civilization by heart. And when one of them talks about his city which is dubbed/titled The Bride of the Sea you see him like a lover skillfully describing the good qualities of his beloved as he sees in her purity of descent ancient ancestry and modernity together. The visitor to Tripoli does not look only for its luxury/grand hotels with the five stars or its restaurants rich with their [laid out] tables and their Libyan and Arabic food. Rather he is in a race with time to enjoy the heritage of the peaceable city which reclines on the coast of The Mediterranean Sea whose calm waves [the city] treats with kindness while it [=the sea] harmonises with [the citys] history extending back thousands of years since when the Phoenicians crossed it in their ships and made a stop [lit. set down their saddlebags] in it leaving in its midst a civilization which fathers and grandfathers tell of and which children and grandchildren inherit [from generation to generation].

10486 - Food has its effect on the tongue... and the memory.

Al-Hayat - 6/18/2009, Category: Food and Drink Level: 3
للمأكولات آثارها على اللسان ... والذاكرة

يَبْدَأ أَبُو مُحَمَّد جَلْسَةَ ٱلْغَدَاء بِٱسْتِعْجَال زَوْجَتِهِ عَلَى «فَرْش» ٱلْمَائِدَة. وَيَطْرَحُ ٱلسُّؤَال نَفْسَه يَوْمِيًّا: لِمَاذَا تَأَخَّرتِ فِي مَدّ ٱلسُّفْرَة؟ أُمّ مُحَمَّد لَمْ تَعُد تُجِيب. تَضَعُ ٱلصُّحُون وَٱلْأَطْبَاق وَيَجْلِسَان... يُحَدِّجُ أَحَدُهُمَا ٱلْآخَر، بَيْنَمَا يُرَكِّبُ كُلٌّ مِنهُمَا «طَقْم أَسْنَانِه». وَيَشْرَعَان فِي ٱلْأَكْل. وَلا تَتَوَقَّف تَعْلِيقَات أَبُو مُحَمَّد هُنَا. فَمَعَ كُلّ لُقْمَةٍ يَضَعُهَا فِي فَمِه يَتَذَكَّرُ كَيْفَ كَانَت أُمُّهُ تَطْبُخُ هٰذِهِ ٱلطَّبَق بِٱلذَّات... «لَمْ تَكُن تُكْثِرُ ٱلْمِلْح»، «كَانَت تَسْتَعْمِلُ ٱلسَّمْن ٱلْحَمَوِيّ»، «كَانَت تَعْتَنِي بِتَقْشِير ٱلْبَاذِنْجَان»، «لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَطْبُخِي ٱلْمُجَدَّرَة بِٱلرُّزّ؟»، «كَانَت أُمِّي، رَحِمَهَا ٱلله، تُكْثِر زَيْت ٱلزَّيْتُون»... «يُقَال: كُل زَيْت..؟»، وَيُكْمِل حَفِيدُهُ ٱلصَّغِير عَبَّاس: «...وَٱنْطَاح ٱلْحِيط»... حَتَّى ٱلْبِيتْزَا اَلَّتِي لَمْ تَكُن مَوْجُودَة أَيَّامَ أُمِّه، رَحِمَهَا ٱلله، لَمْ تَكُن تَفْلِت مِن تَعْلِيقَاتِهِ، عِنْدَمَا تَصْنَعُهَا أُمّ مُحَمَّد


Abu Muhammad starts the lunch session by hurrying his wife to cover the table and he asks the same question every day: Why were you late setting the table? Umm Muhammad no longer answers. She lays down the plates and the dishes [of food] and they both sit down... They glare at one another while each of them puts in [lit. mounts] their dentures [lit. set of teeth]. And they start eating. The comments of Abu Muhammad do not stop here. For with every morsel he puts in his mouth he recalls how his mother used to cook this same dish... She didnt use to use much salt She used to use fat from Hama [a city in W. Syria] She used to take care to peel the aubergines Why didnt you cook the mujaddara [= a dish with rice or bulgur and lentils onions oil] with rice? My mother may God rest her soul used to use a lot of olive oil... It is said: Eat oil...? and his young grandson Abbas completes [the sentence]: ...and hit the wall... [because oil supposedly gives you strength]. Even pizza which didnt exist in the days of his mother may God rest her soul didnt escape his comments when Umm Muhammad made it.

10487 - Mohamed El-Baradei - Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Al-Hayat - 6/20/2009, Category: People Level: 1
محمد البرادعي - المدير العام للوكالة الدولية للطاقة الذرية

اَلْمُدِير ٱلْعَامّ لِلْوَكَالَةِ ٱلدُّوَلِيَّة لِلطَّاقَةِ ٱلذَّرِّيَّة اَلْمِصْرِيّ مُحَمَّد اَلْبَرَادَعِيّ، وَاجَهَ اِنْتِقَادَاتٍ لا تُحْصَى مِن ٱلْعَرَب، وَٱتُّهِمَ أَنَّهُ غَرْبِيّ ٱلْهَوَى وَمُنْحَاز، وَيُحَاوِل عَلَى ٱلدَّوَام اَللَّعِب مَعَ ٱلْكِبَار لِلْحِفَاظ عَلَى مَنْصِبِه. رَغْم أَنَّ اَلْبَرَادَعِيّ وَصَلَ إِلَى مَوْقِعِهِ بِتَفَوُّقِهِ ٱلْعِلْمِيّ وَقُدْرَتِهِ ٱلشَّخْصِيَّة. لٰكِنَّ بَعْض ٱلْعَرَب يُرِيدُ مِن اَلْبَرَادَعِيّ أَنْ يَقُومَ بِٱنْقِلابٍ دَاخِلَ ٱلْمُنَظَّمَة ٱلدُّوَلِيَّة وَيُعْلِنُ ٱلْبَيَان ٱلْأَوَّل. لا جِدَال فِي أَنَّ مُحَمَّد اَلْبَرَادَعِيّ أَهَمّ شَخْصِيَّة عَرَبِيَّة وَصَلَت إِلَى مَنْصِبٍ دُوَلِيّ. يَتَحَدَّثُ بِحِسَاب، وَيَتَصَرَّف عَلَى ٱلدَّوَام مِن مَوْقِع ٱلْمَسْؤُولِيَّة. وَرَغْم أَنَّهُ فِي حِوَارٍ مَعَ «اَلْحَيَاة» أَكَّدَ أَنَّهُ اِبْن بَلَد، وَعَرَبِيٌّ مِصْرِيٌّ أَصِيل، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لا يَخْلِطُ ٱلْعَامّ بِٱلْخَاصّ، وَيَحْتَرِمُ مِهْنَتِه عَلَى نَحْوٍ غَيْر مَسْبُوق، وَيُدَافِع عَن ٱلنِّظَام اَلَّذِي تَلْتَزِمُهُ ٱلْمُنَظَّمَة اَلَّتِي يُدِيرُهَا بِٱقْتِدَارٍ وَحِكْمَة. وَلِهٰذَا تَمَسَّكَت بِهِ ٱلْوَكَالَةُ ٱلدُّوَلِيَّة، رَغْم زُهْدِهِ فِي ٱلْاِسْتِمْرَار.


The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency the Egyptian Mohamed El-Baradei has faced innumerable criticisms from Arabs and has been accused of being Western of passion/love and biased/aligned and trying always to play with the powerful [lit. large (masc. pl.)] to keep his job despite the fact that El-Baradei arrived at his position through his scientific excellence and his personal ability. But some Arabs want El-Baradei to carry out a coup inside the international organisation and announce the first declaration [of war/revolution]. There is no dispute that Mohamed El-Baradei is the most important Arab figure/character to arrive at an international post. He talks measuredly and acts always from a position of responsibility. And although in a conversation with Al-Hayat he stressed that he is a countryman [lit. son of the country] and a pure Arab-Egyptian he nevertheless doesnt mix public with private [affairs]. He respects his occupation in a manner which is unprecedented and he defends the regime which the organisation adheres to [the organisation] which he runs capably and wisely For this reason the International Agency has held on to him despite his reluctance [lit. abstaining] to continue

10488 - Iran: What if the "wilayat al-faqih" [lit. sovereignty of the Islamic jurist] were to fall?

Asharq Alawsat - 6/25/2009, Category: Politics Level: 3
إيران: وماذا لو سقطت ولاية الفقيه؟

طَهْرَان لا تُرِيدُ ٱلْاِعْتِرَاف، وَأَمِيرِكَا يُنَاسِبُهَا ٱلتَّكَتُّم، عَلَى حَقِيقَة أَنَّ ٱلْعُقُوبَات اَلَّتِي فُرِضَت عَلَى إِيْرَان، آتَت أَخِيرًا أُكُلَهَا. اَلتَّقَارِير ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيَّة لَمْ تُخْفِ مُنْذُ سَنَوَاتٍ أَنَّ ثَمَّةَ سِبَاقًا بَيْنَ إِسْقَاط ٱلنِّظَام ٱلْإِيْرَانِيّ اِقْتِصَادِيًّا أَوْ ٱلْاِضْطِرَار إِلَى إِنْهَائِهِ عَسْكَرِيًّا. اَلْأَمِيرِكِيُّون اِسْتَبْشَرُوا خَيْرًا عِنْدَمَا اِنْدَلَعَت تَظَاهُرَاتٌ عَارِمَة مُنْذُ سَنَتَيْن، اِحْتِجَاجًا عَلَى إِعْلان ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱلْإِيْرَانِيَّة تَقْنِين مَادَّةِ ٱلْبَنْزِين. اِشْتَعَلَت مَحَطَّاتُ ٱلْوَقُود نَارًا، وَهَبَّ سُكَّان ٱلْمُدُن، رَدًّا عَلَى ٱلْقَرَار. أَدْرَكَ ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيُّون يَوْمَهَا، أَنَّهَا «ٱلْبْرُوفَة» اَلْأُولَى لِغَضَبٍ سَتَتَصَاعَد، مَعَ اِسْتِمْرَارِهِم فِي تَجْفِيف ٱلْاِسْتِثْمَارَات ٱلْأَجْنَبِيَّة، وَإِيْصَال ٱلْحُكُومَة إِلَى مَرْحَلَةِ ٱلْعَجْز عَن تَسْدِيد ثَمَنِ وَارِدَاتِهَا، لِيَخْتَنِقَ ٱلشَّعْب غَيْظًا وَيَنْفَجِر.


Tehran doesnt want to acknowledge it and it suits America to stay silent about the fact that the sanctions which were imposed on Iran have finally borne fruit. American reports have not kept hidden for years that there is a race between overthrowing the Iranian regime economically or being forced into ending it militarily. The Americans rejoiced [at the good news] when violent demonstrations flared up two years ago in protest against the Iranian governments announcing the rationing of petrol. Petrol [lit. fuel] stations blazed with fire and the inhabitants of the cities rose up in response to the decision. The Americans realised on that day that it was the first rehearsal for an anger which will grow with their continuing to dry up foreign investments and carrying/conveying the government to the point [lit. stage of a journey] of being unable to pay the price of its imports so that the people suffocate with rage and explode.

10489 - Iraq: Celebrations are more official than popular at the withdrawal of the Americans.

Asharq Alawsat - 7/1/2009, Category: Politics Level: 1
احتفالات رسمية أكثر منها شعبية بالانسحاب الأميركي

اِتَّسَمَت مَظَاهِر ٱلْاِحْتِفَال فِي بَغْدَاد بِطَابِعٍ رَسْمِيّ أَكْثَر مِن كَوْنِهِ شَعْبِيًّا فَقَد تَجَوَّلَت ٱلسَّيَّارَات ٱلْخَاصَّة بِٱلْجَيْش وَٱلشُّرْطَةِ ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة فِي شَوَارِع ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة وَهِيَ تَنْثُرُ ٱلْحَلْوَى وَٱلْوُرُود عَلَى ٱلْمَارَّة تُرَافِقُهَا أَصْوَات ٱلْمُكَبِّرَات اَلَّتِي بَثَّت ٱلْأَغَانِي ٱلْوَطَنِيَّة وَٱلرَّاقِصَة، فِيمَا وَزَّعَت هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّيَّارَات بِطَاقَاتِ ٱلتَّهْنِئَة مِن قِبَل رَئِيس ٱلْوُزَرَاء نُورِي اَلْمَالِكِيّ لِلْعِرَاقِيِّين وَلِلْقُوَّات ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّةِ ٱلْمُسَلَّحَة مِن ٱلشُّرْطَةِ وَٱلْجَيْش. وَقَالَ اَلْمَالِكِيّ فِي بِطَاقَتِهِ اَلَّتِي حَمَلَهَا ٱلْأَطْفَال وَبَعْض ٱلْمَارَّة بَعْدَ أَنْ تَنَاوَلَتْهَا أَيْدِيهِم وَهِيَ تَتَبَعْثَرُ فِي ٱلْأَجْوَاء، أَنَّ «اِنْسِحَاب ٱلْقُوَّات ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيَّة مِن ٱلْمُدُن ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة فِي ٱلثَّلاثِين مِن يُونِيُو (حُزَيْرَان) إِنْجَازٌ تَارِيخِيّ تَحَقَّقَ بِإِرَادَتِكُمْ وَبِفَضْل تَضْحِيَاتِكُمْ وَهُوَ خُطْوَةٌ مُهِمَّة لِتَعْزِيز ٱلسِّيَادَةِ ٱلْوَطَنِيَّة»، وَأَضَافَت ٱلْبِطَاقَة «أَتَقَدَّمُ بِأَسْمَى ٱلتَّهَانِي وَٱلتَّبْرِيكَات بِهٰذَا ٱلْيَوْم اَلْوَطَنِيّ سَائِلًا اَلله أَنْ يَحْفَظَ ٱلْعِرَاق وَشَعْبَه وَكُلّ عَام وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْر».


Scenes [lit. manifestations] of celebration in Baghdad were characterised with an official stamp/flavour more than it being popular/of the people. As the cars of the Iraqi army and police toured in the streets of the Iraqi capital and they scattered/strew sweets and flowers onto passers-by and [the cars] were accompanied by the sounds of loudspeakers/amplifiers which transmitted patriotic and dance songs while these cars distributed cards of greeting [lit. felicitation] from the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to the Iraqis and to the Iraqi armed forces of the police and the army. Al-Maliki said in his card which children and some passers-by were carrying after their hands had obtained them while they were strewn/scattered in the air that: The withdrawal of the American forces from Iraqi cities on the thirtieth of June (Huzairan) is a historic achievement which was realised with your desire and due to your sacrifices and it is an important step for reinforcing national sovereignty. The card added: I come forward with the highest felicitations and blessings on this patriotic day and I ask God to protect Iraq and its people. [And I hope that] every year you will be well/in good health.

10490 - Global warming and financial warming increase the summer heat for Egyptian families.

Al-Hayat - 7/2/2009, Category: Daily Life Level: 3
الاحتباس الحراري والمالي يزيد «سخونة» صيف العائلات المصرية

يُخْطِئُ مَنْ يَعْتَقِد بِأَنَّ ٱلْعُطْلَة ٱلصَّيْفِيَّة مُخَصَّصَةٌ فَقَط لِلْمَرَح وَٱلنُّزَهَات وَٱلْاِسْتِرْخَاء، إِذْ أَنَّهَا فِي عُرْف كَثِيرٍ مِن ٱلْأُسَر وَٱلْبُيُوت ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة خَلِيطٌ مِن ٱلْاِسْتِمْتَاع وَٱلْاِحْتِقَان اَلْمَشُوبَيْن بِٱلْاِسْتِفْزَاز بَيْنَ مُخْتَلِف أَقْطَاب ٱلْمَنْزِل. يُخَيَّلُ لِمُتَابِع حَالَةِ ٱلْعَدّ ٱلتَّنَازُلِيّ اَلَّتِي تَشْهَدُهَا ٱلْبُيُوت ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة، وَٱنْتِظَار حُلُول ٱلصَّيْف بِفَارِغ ٱلصَّبْر، أَنَّ بَدْء هٰذَا ٱلْفَصْل وَعُطْلَتِه هُوَ ٱلْحَلّ ٱلسِّحْرِيّ لِجَمِيع مُشْكِلات ٱلْعَام ٱلدِّرَاسِيّ، وَمَا يَنُوءُ بِهِ مِن هُمُوم ٱلتَّعْلِيم وَٱلدُّرُوس ٱلْخُصُوصِيَّة وَأَثْقَالُهَا ٱلْمَادِّيَّة وَعُقَدُهَا ٱلنَّفْسِيَّة وَحَالَةُ ٱلْغَلَيَان اَلَّتِي تَعْصِفُ بِٱلْبُيُوت. إِلَّا أَنَّ وَاقِع ٱلْحَال ٱلصَّيْفِيّ يُؤَكِّدُ نُشُوب عُقَدٍ وَبُؤَر نَكَدٍ مُتَعَدِّدَة تُؤَدِّي إِلَى مَا يُمْكِن تَسْمِيَتَهُ بـِ«اَلنَّكَد ٱلصَّيْفِيّ». وَعَلَى رَغْم إِنَّهَا لَيْسَت مِن ٱلظَّوَاهِر ٱلْفَلَكِيَّة اَلَّتِي تَرْتَبِطُ بِدُخُول كَوَاكِب فِي مَجَرَّاتٍ مُعَيَّنَة أَوْ خُرُوج أُخْرَى وَٱحْتِرَاقُهَا فِي ٱلْفَضَاء ٱلْخَارِجِيّ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ يُمْكِن تَشْبِيهَهَا بِه.


He is mistaken - the person who believes that the summer holiday is designated only for fun and excursions and relaxation because it is in the tradition of many Egyptian families and homes a mixture of enjoyment and tension which are mixed with provocation between the different personalities of the house. It seems to the person who watches the countdown which Egyptian homes see and the awaiting the arrival of summer with impatience that the start of this season and its holiday is the magical solution for all the problems of the school year and what weighs heavily on [the house] in terms of anxieties about education and private lessons with their materialistic burdens and their psychological problems and the state of boiling which ravages [lit. storms] the homes. However the reality of the summer situation confirms the outbreak/the start of multiple [psychological] problems and centres/sites of unhappiness/bad-temper which lead to what could be called bad-temper of summer. And although they [i.e. the problems etc.] are not part of the astrological phenomena which are connected with the entry of planets into specific galaxies or the exit of others and their combustion in outer space nevertheless it is possible to liken them to it.

10491 - The miracle of Bahiyyah - sole survivor of the Yemeni air crash.

Asharq Alawsat - 7/6/2009, Category: People Level: 3
معجزة بهية

هَلْ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ تَعْرِف بِحِكَايَةِ بَهِيَّة اِبْنَةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ عَشْرَة وَلا تُؤْمِن بِٱلْمُعْجِزَات؟ بَهِيَّة نَجَت وَحْدَهَا مِن بَيْنِ مِئَةٍ وَخَمْسَةٍ وَخَمْسِين رَاكِبًا مِن رُكَّاب ٱلطَّائِرَةِ ٱلْيَمَنِيَّة اَلَّتِي تَهَشَّمَت وَسَقَطَت فِي ٱلْمُحِيط ٱلْهِنْدِيّ. سَقَطَت ٱلصَّبِيَة فِي ٱلْيَمّ فِي ظَلام ٱللَّيْل ٱلدَّامِس وَسْطَ ٱلسُّكُون وَهِيَ لا تُجِيدُ ٱلْعَوْم. وَمَعَ ذٰلِك اِرْتَطَمَت يَدُهَا بِشَيْء فَأَمْسَكَت بِه وَظَلَّت طَافِيَة فَوْقَ ٱلْمَاء اِثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَاعَة إِلَى أَنْ عَثَرَ عَلَيْهَا رِجَال ٱلْإِنْقَاذ عَلَى بُعْد كِيلُومِتْرَات مِن شَاطِئ جَزِيرَةٍ مِن جُزُر ٱلْقُمُر. لَمْ تَقْوَ عَلَى ٱلْإِمْسَاك بِطَوْق ٱلنَّجَاة فَنَزَلُوا إِلَى ٱلْمَاء وَجَذَبُوهَا إِلَى ٱلزَّوْرَق. وَفِي ٱلطَّرِيق إِلَى ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَى غَطَّوْهَا بِبَطَّانِيَّة وَقَدَّمُوا لَهَا مَاء مُحَلًّى بِٱلسُّكَّر. نَجَت بَهِيَّة. تَلَقَّفَهَا ٱلْفَضَاء وَقَذَف بِهَا بَعِيدًا عَن أَلْسِنَةِ ٱللَّهَب ثُمَّ سَقَطَت فِي مِيَاه ٱلْمُحِيط لِتَعِيش وَتَبْقَى شَاهِدًا عَلَى إِرَادَةِ ٱلله اَلْمَانِح اَلْمَانِع.


Is it possible that you know the story of thirteen year old Bahiyyah and you dont believe in miracles? Bahiyyah alone survived from among a hundred and fifty five passengers of the passengers of the Yemeni aeroplane which broke up/fragmented and fell into the Indian Ocean. The girl fell into the [deep] sea in the pitch-black dark of night amid silence and she didnt know how to swim. In spite of this her hand struck against something and she grabbed hold of it and remained floating on the water for twelve hours until the rescuers found her at a distance of [a few] kilometres from the shore of an island of the Comoros Islands. She wasnt strong enough to hold onto the life belt [lit. rescue ring] so they went down to the water and pulled her into the [life] boat. And on the way to the hospital they covered her with a blanket and gave her water sweetened with sugar. Bahiyyah survived. Space/the void snatched her and threw her far from the tongues of flame and then she fell into the waters of the ocean to live and be left a witness to the will of God The Giver and The Preventer [of harm].

10492 - Gulf Orientalism

Al-Hayat - 7/9/2009, Category: Places Level: 1
الاستشراق الخليجي

عَدَم ٱلْاِكْتِرَاث، وَرُبَّمَا ٱلْاِسْتِهَانَة، بِقِيَم ٱلْعَرَب وَٱلْمُسْلِمِين أَصْبَحَت ظَاهِرَةً مُتَنَامِيَّة فِي ٱلْفَنَادِق ٱلْكُبْرَى فِي دُوَل ٱلْخَلِيج. خُذ مَثَلًا اِتِّجَاه ٱلْقِبْلَة، فَهُوَ غَيْر مَوْجُود، وَإِنْ وُجِد، يُوضَع فِي مَكَانٍ خَفِي. وَكَأَنَّ ٱلْفُنْدُق يَخْجَلُ مِن هٰذِهِ ٱلْإِشَارَة. وَفِي ٱلْمُقَابِل تَجِدُ أَنَّ ٱلْفَنَادِق فِي ٱلدُّوَل ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة تُزَوِّدُ ٱلْغُرَف بِنُسْخَةٍ مِن ٱلتَّوْرَاة وَٱلْإِنْجِيل. بَل إِنَّ بَعْض فَنَادِق أُورُوبَّا أَصْبَحَ يُجَامِلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِين، وَيُزَوِّدُ ٱلْغُرَف بِنُسْخَةٍ مِن ٱلْقُرْآن ٱلْكَرِيم، وَبِطَاقَةٍ تُشِير إِلَى أَنَّ فِي إِمْكَان ٱلْمُسْلِمِين اَلسُّؤَال عَن ٱتِّجَاه ٱلْقِبْلَة. صِرنَا نَشْعُرُ بِٱغْتِرَابٍ كَامِل مُنْذُ أَنْ تَطَأَ أَقْدَامُنَا ٱلْفَنَادِق ٱلْكُبْرَى فِي ٱلدُّوَل ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةِ فِي شَكْلٍ عَامّ. وَفِي فَنَادِق دُوَل ٱلْخَلِيج بَاتَ ٱلْوَضْع لا يُطَاق. فَأَنْتَ فِي مُدُنٍ، مِثْلَ بَيْرُوت وَٱلْقَاهِرَة وَعَمَّان وَدِمَشْق، تَسْتَطِيع أَنْ تَتَدَبَّرَ أُمُورَك مِن دُونِ حَاجَةٍ إِلَى ٱللُّغَةِ ٱلْإِنْجْلِيزِيَّة، لٰكِنَكَ فِي دُوَل ٱلْخَلِيج لا تَسْتَطِيعُ ذٰلِك.


Indifference [lit. lack of caring] and perhaps distain for the values of Arabs and Muslims has become a growing phenomenon in the larger hotels in the Gulf states. Take for example the direction of the qiblah [=Muslim direction of prayer towards Mecca] - it is not there. And if it is to be found it is put in a hidden place - as if the hotel is ashamed of this indication. On the other hand you find that hotels in Western countries provide rooms with a copy of the Torah and the Bible. Indeed some of the hotels of Europe have come to show courtesy to Muslims and provide the rooms with a copy of the Holy Quran and a card which indicates/advises that Muslims can ask about the direction of the qiblah. We have come to feel in a totally foreign place from the moment our feet set down in the larger hotels in Arab countries in general but in the hotels of the Gulf states the situation has become intolerable. For when you are in cities such as Beirut Cairo Amman and Damascus you can manage your affairs without need for the English language but in the Gulf states you cant do that.

10493 - Lebanon: Late pardon for innocent Palestinian imprisoned for 16 years.

Al-Hayat - 7/11/2009, Category: Politics Level: 1
لبنان: عفو متأخر عن فلسطيني بريء سجن 16 عاماً

أَدْخَلَ ٱلرَّئِيس ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ مِيشَال سُلَيْمَان، عَلَى حِينِ غِرَّة، اَلْبَهْجَةَ إِلَى أَزِقَّةِ مُخَيَّم بُرْج ٱلْبَرَاجِنَة فِي ضَاحِيَةِ بَيْرُوت ٱلْجَنُوبِيَّة، بِإِصْدَارِهِ عَفْوًا خَاصًّا، هُوَ ٱلْأَوَّل فِي عَهْدِه، عَن ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيّ يُوسُف شَعْبَان اَلْمُحْتَجَز فِي سِجْن رُومِيَة مُنْذُ سِتَّة عَشَرَ عَامًا تَنْفِيذًا لِحُكْمٍ بِٱلسَّجْن ٱلْمُؤَبَّد صَدَرَ بِحَقِّهِ عَن ٱلْمَجْلِس ٱلْعَدْلِيّ (أَعْلَى سُلْطَة قَضَائِيَّة) فِي جَرِيمَةِ اِغْتِيَال ٱلدِّيبْلُومَاسِيّ ٱلْأُرْدُنِّيّ عِمْرَان نَائِب اَلْمَعَايَطَة فِي بَيْرُوت اَلْعَام أَلْف وَتِسْعُمِئَة وَأَرْبَعَة وَتِسْعِين. وَلٰكِنّ فِي ٱلْعَام أَلْفَيْن وَٱثْنَيْن تَمَكَّنَت ٱلسُّلُطَاتُ ٱلْأُرْدُنِّيَّة مِن تَوْقِيف ٱلْفَاعِلَيْن وَمُحَاكَمَتِهِمَا وَإِعْدَامِهِمَا، بَيْنَمَا لَمْ يَأْتِ نَصّ ٱلْحُكْم ٱلْأُرْدُنِّيّ عَلَى سِيرَةِ شَعْبَان لا مِن قَرِيب وَلا مِن بَعِيد، وَلَمْ يَكُن مُمْكِنًا تَخْلِيَةُ شَعْبَان فِي لُبْنَان إِلَّا بِعَفْوٍ رِئَاسِيّ، لِأَنَّ أَحْكَام ٱلْمَجْلِس ٱلْعَدْلِيّ مُبْرَمَة.


The Lebanese president Michel Suleiman unexpectedly brought in joy to the alleys of the [Palestinian refugee] camp of Burj al-Barajneh in Beiruts southern suburb with his issuance of a special pardon (which is the first in his term [of office]) for the Palestinian Youssef Shaaban who has been detained in Roumieh Prison for sixteen years in the serving/carrying out of the sentence of life [lit. eternal] imprisonment which was issued with regards to him by the Judicial Council (the highest judicial authority) in the crime of the assassination of the Jordanian diplomat Imran Naeb al-Maaytah in Beirut in the year nineteen ninety four. But in the year two thousand and two Jordanian authorities were able to arrest the two perpetrators and try them and execute them while the text of the Jordanian judgement did not mention/touch [lit. come] on the story of Shaaban neither from near nor from afar [i.e. not in any way] and it wasnt possible to release Shaaban in Lebanon except with a presidential pardon because the judgements of the Judicial Council are irrevocable.

10494 - Hewbrewisation of names on road signs and notices in Israel [UNSCRIPTED].

Al-Jazeera - 7/13/2009, Category: Daily Life Level: 2
تهويد أسماء الإشارات واللافتات في اسرائيل

اَلْأَمْر اَلآن هُوَ أَخْطَر مِمَّا كَانَ فِي تِسْعَة وَتِسْعِين. اَلآن يُحَاوِلُون بِدَهَاء أَنْ يَقُولُوا «نَحْنُ نُدْرِج ٱللُّغَة ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة عَلَى ٱللّافِتَات وَلٰكِنْ بِطَرِيقَتِنَا نَحْنُ. لِذٰلِك لَنْ نُعْلِن عَن أَوْ لَنْ نُدْرِج ٱلْاِسْم ٱلْعَرَبِيّ لِعَكَّا وَإِنَّمَا مَا سَنَفْعَلُهُ سَنَكْتُب ٱللُّغَة ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة وَلٰكِنْ بِتَفْسِير عِبْرِيّ»... عَبْرَنَة... عَمَلِيًّا... عَكَّا سَتُعَبْرَن أَيْضًا بِٱللُّغَة ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة.


The matter now is more serious that what it was in ninety nine [when similar proposals were made but rejected in court]. Now they are trying cunningly to say: We are including the Arabic language on the [road] signs but in our own way. So we wont declare... or we wont include the Arabic name for Acre [=عكا] but what well do is well write the Arabic language but with a Hebrew interpretation... Hebrewisation... in practice... Acre will be Hebrewised as well in the Arabic language [becoming عكو].

10495 - Lebanese fly to Cyprus in the morning single, and return in the evening.... married.

Al-Hayat - 7/17/2009, Category: Relationships Level: 1
لبنانيون يطيرون صباحاً الى قبرص عازبين ويعودون مساءً... متزوجين

اَلزَّوَاج ٱلْمَدَنِيّ غَيْر مَعْمُولٍ بِهِ فِي لُبْنَان قَانُونًا إِلَّا أَنَّ ٱلزَّوَاج نَفْسَه اَلْمَعْقُود فِي ٱلْخَارِج مُعْتَرَفٌ بِهِ. وَلِسَدّ هٰذِهِ ٱلثُّغْرَة تَقْتَرِحُ وَكَالَةُ سَفَر رِحْلَة سَرِيعَة إِلَى قُبْرُص، جَزِيرَةُ أَفْرُودِيت، آلِهَةُ ٱلْحُبّ وَٱلْجَمَال، تَتَضَمَّن حَفْل زَوَاج وَأَحْيَانًا شَهْر عَسَلٍ قَصِيرًا. وَيَقُولُ مُدِير ٱلْوَكَالَة: إِنَّ «زَبَائِنَنَا يَذْهَبُون إِلَى قُبْرُص صَبَاحًا وَيَعُودُون مَسَاء مَعَ خَاتِم زَوَاجٍ فِي إِصْبَعِهِم». وَيُضِيف: «عَرْضُنَا يَتَضَمَّنُ ٱلْقِيَام بِكُلّ ٱلْمُعَامَلات مِن ٱلْأَلِف إِلَى ٱلْيَاء. لا يَهْتَمُّ ٱلزَّوْجَان بِأَيّ شَيْء، وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَقُولَا نَعَم» أَمَامَ مُوَظَّفِ ٱلْبَلَدِيَّة اَلَّذِي يَعْقِد زَوَاجَهُمَا. وَفِي لُبْنَان تُعَارِضُ ٱلْمَرْجَعِيَّات ٱلدِّينِيَّة، عَلَى اِخْتِلافِهَا، بِشِدَّة إِقْرَار قَانُونٍ مَدَنِيّ لِلْأَحْوَال ٱلشَّخْصِيَّة. وَلَمْ تُفْلِح ٱلْحَمَلات ٱلْكَثِيرَة اَلَّتِي يَقُومُ بِهَا نَاشِطُون فِي ٱلْمُجْتَمَع ٱلْمَدَنِيّ لِهٰذِهِ ٱلْغَايَة فِي تَحْقِيق أَيّ تَغْيِير.


Civil marriage is not valid in Lebanon in law. However the same [type of] marriage effected/contracted abroad is recognised. To fill this gap a travel agency is proposing a quick trip to Cyprus the island of Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty which includes the wedding reception/party and sometimes a short honeymoon. The manager of the agency says: Our customers go to Cyprus in the morning and return in the evening with a wedding ring on their finger. And he adds: Our offer includes doing all business dealings from A to Z. The couple wont have to worry about anything and they need do nothing except say yes/I do in front of the council clerk who is contracting their marriage. In Lebanon religious authorities of all varieties strongly oppose the establishment of a civil family [lit. personal affairs] law. And the many campaigns which activists in the civil community have run with this aim have not succeeded in achieving any change.

10496 - Handala - have you changed (from your promise)?

Al-Hayat - 7/21/2009, Category: People Level: 4
حنظلة...هل تغيّرت عن عهدك؟؟

إِلَى مَتَى سَتَبْقَى صَامِتًا... إِلَى مَتَى سَتَبْقَى مُدْبِرًا... إِلَى مَتَى سَتَبْقَى مَكْتُوفًا... حَنْظَلَة أَمَا زِلتَ فِي ٱلْعَاشِرَةِ مِن عُمْرِك؟ أَلَمْ تُشِبكَ ٱلسِّنُون وَٱلنَّوَائِب اَلَّتِي مَا زَالَت تَحِلُّ بِفِلَسْطِين حَتَّى يَوْمِنَا هٰذَا؟ أَخْبِرنِي يَا حَنْظَلَة أَمَا زِلتَ كَمَا تَرَكَكَ صَاحِبُكَ مُنْذُ اِثْنَيْن وَعِشْرِين عَامًا... هَلْ مَا زَالَ لِبَاسُكَ هُوَ نَفْسُه... وَمَاذَا عَن شَعْرِك هَلْ مَا زَالَ مُشَعَّثًا؟ حَنْظَلَة أَمَا زِلتَ حَافِي ٱلْقَدَمَيْن؟ أَمَا زِلتَ تَتَقَصَّى عَن ٱلْمُنَاضِلِين وَٱلْمُتَأَلِّمِين وَٱلْمُضْطَهَدِين وَٱلْجِيَاع وَٱلْفُقَرَاء فِي فِلَسْطِين؟ أَشُكُّ فِي أَنَّكَ تَغَيَّرت... فَأَنَا عَلَى يَقِين أَنَّكَ عَلَى ٱلْعَهْد بَاقٍ.. وَأَنَّ رِيشَةَ نَاجِي اَلْعَلِيّ أَفْرَغَت فِيكَ مَا يَكْفِي مِن حِبْرٍ مَجْبُولٍ بِٱلثَّوْرَةِ وَٱلنِّضَال وَٱلثَّبَات وَٱلْإِيْمَان بِٱلْقَضِيَة.. وَأَنْتَ مَا زِلتَ مُنْتَظِرًا قَرْع أَجْرَاس ٱلْعَوْدَة.. حَافِي ٱلْقَدَمَيْن.. مُمَزَّق ٱلثِّيَاب... لٰكِنَّكَ مُتَدَثِّرًا بِٱلْكَرَامَة... فَتَحِيَّةٌ إِلَيكَ فِي ذِكْرَى اِغْتِيَال صَاحِبِك.


For how long will you stay silent [in defiance]? For how long will you stay with your back turned [rejecting outside solutions]? For how long will you stay with your hands crossed [refusing to shake hands]? Handala [=symbol of Palestinian defiance] are you still ten years of age? [=age of Handala creator Naji al-Ali when he was forced to leave his homeland]. The years and the disasters which are still happening to Palestine to this day didnt turn your hair white? Tell me O Handala are you still as your author/friend left you twenty two years ago? Are your clothes still the same? And what about your hair... is it still dishevelled? Handala - are you still barefoot [like the refugee camp children]? Are you still inquiring into the fighters/strivers [for a cause] the people suffering the oppressed the hungry and the poor in Palestine? I doubt that you have changed... for I am sure that you are constant/true to your word and that the quill/pen of Naji al-Ali emptied into you enough ink born/made for revolution fighting/struggling [for a cause] firmness and faith in the Cause [of Palestine] and that you are still waiting for the sounding/ringing of the bells of return [ref. the Fairouz song سيفٌ فليشهر ]... with bare feet... and torn clothes... but you are wrapped in dignity. So salutations to you on the anniversary of the assassination of your author/friend.

10497 - Ruqayyah, daughter of Sadat wants to confiscate the apartment of Huda, daughter of Abel Nasser.

Asharq Alawsat - 7/23/2009, Category: Law Level: 1
رقية كريمة السادات تريد الحجز على شقة هدى بنت عبد الناصر

تَسْتَعِدُّ رُقَيَّة ٱلسَّادَات، كَرِيمَةُ ٱلرَّئِيس ٱلْمِصْرِيّ ٱلرَّاحِل أَنْوَر ٱلسَّادَات، لِتَنْفِيذ حُكْمٍ قَضَائِيّ بِٱلْحَجْز عَلَى شَقَّةِ ٱلدُّكْتُورَة هُدَى عَبْد ٱلنَّاصِر، اَلْأُسْتَاذَة بِكُلِّيَةِ ٱلْاِقْتِصَاد وَٱلْعُلُوم ٱلسِّيَاسِيَّة، كَرِيمَةُ ٱلزَّعِيم ٱلْمِصْرِيّ ٱلْأَسْبَق جَمَال عَبْد ٱلنَّاصِر، وَفَاء لِمَبْلَغ مِئَةٍ وَخَمْسِين أَلْف جُنَيْه، قَضَت ٱلْمَحْكَمَة بِتَوْقِيعِهِ كَغَرَامَة عَلَى هُدَى اَلَّتِي ٱتَّهَمَت أَنْوَر ٱلسَّادَات (وَالِد رُقَيَّة) بِأَنَّهُ قَتَلَ عَبْد ٱلنَّاصِر بِٱلسَّمّ. لٰكِنَّ هُدَى قَالَت إِنَّهَا لَنْ تَدْفَع ٱلْمَبْلَغ اَلَّذِي قَضَت بِهِ ٱلْمَحْكَمَة. وَقَالَت رُقَيَّة ٱلسَّادَات: «عَمِّي جَمَال عَبْد ٱلنَّاصِر هُوَ اَلَّذِي رَبَّانِي.. وَلَهُ حُبِّي وَتَقْدِيرِي.. وَأَنَا مُسْتَعِدَّة لِلصُّلْح، بِشَرْط اِعْتِذَار هُدَى لِي وَلِوَالِدِي.. لٰكِنَّهَا سَبَقَ أَنْ رَفَضَت وَتُوَاصِل عِنَادَهَا». وَأَضَافَت رُقَيَّة «لَجَأتُ لِلْقَضَاء مِن أَجْلِ ٱلتَّارِيخ، لا أُرِيدُ أَمْوَالًا، وَمِلْيَارَات ٱلْعَالَم لَنْ تُعَوِّض تَلْوِيث سُمْعَةِ أَبِي، لٰكِنِّي أُسَجِّلُ مَوْقِفًا».


Ruqayyah el-Sadat the daughter of the late Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat is preparing to implement a court ruling to confiscate/impound the apartment of Doctor Huda Abdel Nasser professor at the [Cairo University] Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences and daughter of the former Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser in settlement of the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand [Egyptian] pounds which the court ruled to inflict/hand down as a fine on Huda who accused Anwar el-Sadat (the father of Ruqayyah) of having killed Abdel Nasser with poison. But Huda said that she will not pay the sum which the court decreed/imposed. Ruqayyah el-Sadat said: My uncle [=term of endearment] Gamal Abdel Nasser was the one who raised me... he has my love and my esteem/appreciation... and I am ready for a reconciliation provided Huda apologises to me and to my father... But she has previously refused [to apologise] and she persists in her stubbornness. Ruqayyah added: I resorted to the law for the sake of history. I dont want money and the billions of the world would not compensate for the tarnishing of the reputation of my father but I am placing a record [lit. recording a position] [that my father was innocent].