Sugar Cubes

A group photo I took of the participants at the end of the conference.

I was looking forward to attending the conference. Unfortunately though, my job interfered with my interest and I couldn’t attend the first day (even though I actually went but by the time I arrived they were ready to go home). The second day I decided to ask that I be excused after 2 PM, so I could catch the last two sessions and the ending.

I was so excited about the whole thing, I went there as a Blogger (which reminds me now that I missed the part in which they talked about Blogs), while everyone attended was either a participants who has done some research on the topic, a reporter, a journalist or a student from the same atmosphere.

When I arrived participants were talking about Arabic experiences in online journalism.

“Internet Culture”, I heard the speaker say, consists of symbols, terms and concepts and everything related to the Internet and the World Wide Web. The man who was talking when I arrived said traditional journalism is highly specialized, which makes it narrow. In July, 2004 a new magazine about Internet published its first edition. The magazine aimed at spreading Internet culture between the audiences of traditional press in Iraq.

Now I’ve rested in my seat, curious to see the face of the man who was sitting behind me, just being my usual funnily curious self.

Ahmad Al-Sayyed Mahmoud talked about Al-Jazeera.Net experience. Mr. Ahmad explained the differences between Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and Al-Jazeera.Net and said that Al-Jazeera.Net has its own crew of publishers, editors…etc
Al-Jazeera.Net has an easy search techniques and its content and materials are always maintained, revised and updated by its crew.

The content is classified in terms of source of content and subjects, according to Mr.Ahmad. He added that the shortcomings of the Website were recently fixed. The most important features of the loads of data Al-Jazeera.Net has are that the data is stored, strictly controlled (revised, maintained and updated) and archived for better accessibility and navigability.

Followed him Mrs. Caroline Faraj, and spoke about the experience of CNN in Arabic.
Before she starts, Mrs. Caroline emphasized on that it is CNN in Arabic and not the Arabic CNN, meaning, the target audience are Arabic speakers, and hence the language, but nothing other than that is Arabic about it (or at least that’s how I understood her remark). She was kind enough to explain why Dubai was particularly chosen as the location of the fifth CNN regional office in the Middle East, saying that Dubai is well known for its support of freedom of press.

CNN online experience, was described briefly by having 35 special files of which one about the Middle East and another about Hajj. Mrs. Caroline said that Arabic CNN online journalism’s experience is still in the first steps. The Website’s look was updated in 2003, one year after it was launched. Furthermore, CNN office in Dubai started with only 5 editors (now they are 10), and they prepare their reports from scratch. Reports are not taken from other offices then merely translated nor do editors need to get the approval on their materials from the main office, although, they do send reports before publishing anything to the main office for revision. Materials are collected using one of three ways or more than one way combined together: field reporting, INEWS and other news agency.

Mr. Muheeb Al-Nawati talked about the International Union of Electronic Journalism in Egypt. It all started by a small Website created by Ahmad Abdul Hadi, currently the president of the union, which was established on the 5th of February 2005. Mr. Al-Nawati said that it was extremely difficult to communicate with other Arab countries and so some issues like membership and enrolling in the union were delayed while it continued to operate and develop.

Mr. Muheeb Al-Nawati made a very interesting note about the union being neglected by all kind of Arabic official authorities. On the other hand, the Israeli embassy in Egypt was the only country that recognized the union, congratulated them on the establishment and implied hopes to join in the near future. The representatives and members of the union not wanting to allow Israel in, in the light of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is considering changing the name of the organization from International to Arabian.
By the way, the union is also facing some financial problems.

On E-Journalism in Algeria, Dr. Jamal from University of Algeria narrated the story of Algeria and the Internet. The first newspaper to go online was Al-Watan, in 1998, a local newspaper in written in French. The first Arabic online newspaper was Al-Khabar.
The political and security hardship which Algeria lived in the past (1990-early 1995) contributed to the nourishment of journalism in general. In year 1991 journalism in Algeria reached its highest peaks, number of newspapers published increased from 49 to 74.

Following that period is what Algerians call the “ten black years”, during which terrorism appeared. The hardest years were 1995-1996, when the government announced the emergency status. Many workers in the press were assassinated or murdered, needless to say, the rate of readiness declined dramatically.

Recently, Algeria has started to care more about online Journalism. Almost all of the traditional newspapers now have their e-editions and one newspaper exists in e-form only.

From occupied Palestine, Miss Rajaa Awwad came to talk about the Internet effect on the level of electoral awareness amongst Palestinians. Miss Rajaa, defaming the Israeli claims, said that back in 2002, voting took place not only in Gaza and the West Bank but also in Jerusalem.

In a survey conducted at two Palestinian Universities: Al-Quds University and Abu-Deis some interesting results occurred:

83% said they trust information they read online, 15% said they do not know and none said they don’t trust!

The survey was conducted at the two previously mentioned universities on the basis of availability, accessibility and usage of the Internet (to my surprise, and most probably everybody’s, students rely on online learning more than physically attending classes, it is harder to go to school with all the barriers and checkpoints students face on their way).
According to the same survey, 78% of the students use the Internet 1-5 times weekly, 87% said they use it 3-10 times, 70% use the Internet at work. Regarding the nature of usage, 47% of the students use it for entertainment purposes while 30% use if for political interests and 76% use it to learn more about elections. 24% of the sample population uses the internet for other purposes.

64% of the surveyed students said the Internet does not have enough information about the coming Palestinian elections.

Dr. Abdul-Rauf Hassan from Fatra University in Malaysia talked about the importance of Arabic e-journalism for Malaysian students. He started by explaining how the Arabic language is very important for Malaysians, Arabic is the spiritual language of Malaysia since its Muslim citizens pray in Arabic, fast and worship Allah all in Arabic. Interestingly enough, primary schools in Malaysia teaches Arabic language as an obligatory subject. Islamic studies at universities require that students take Arabic language courses as well.

Some guy approaches the man seated behind me, it turned out he’s American, as well as the man who approached him:

Don’t you get bored listening to a Japanese guy talking?(almost whispering)
- What? No he’s not Japanese, he’s Malaysian
- Chinese, Japanese, Korean, it doesn’t matter…

Mr. Rauf said that since year 2003 some Arabic satellite channels started to broadcast in Malaysia too, examples are ART and Al-Jazeera. Every year between June and September Malaysia is bombarded by Arab tourists, especially from the Gulf countries.

About the importance of IT in learning Arabic for Malaysian students, he said that the Internet offers students access to Arabic dictionaries and up to date news. In addition to Arabic audio files as well. All of these improve both written and spoken Arabic of Malaysian students.

It was a pleasure listening to Dr. Rauf Hassan speaking Arabic, and talking about the different types of Arabic dictionaries with online examples.

On a different kind of Websites, Dr. Khalid M. Ghanim from Al-Azhar University talked about “elbeaelaan” –closest English letters were used to replace the originally Arabic letters- elbeaelaan or Al-Beaa Al-A’aan (as I personally think is more correct) translates to “Environment Now”. The Website is dedicated to environmental concerns and issues and includes writers from different Arab countries like Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon and more. It also holds a contest to honor a famous characteristic for its environmental achievements.

Dr. Abeer Al-Najjar from the American University in Sharjah talked about online journalism and women. Statistics says that media focuses on men more than women, even when taking pictures, any photo for a woman would show her distant with her face not so clear while when taking a photo of a man the camera is often close enough to show his face its features clearly.

Either a little before or after she mentioned that point, a young man approached the man sitting behind me (I’m honestly not sure whether he is the man who didn’t know the speaker is Malaysian or the second, “it doesn’t matter”). The young man is an Egyptian student at the American University; he came and asked for Dr. Steve Klein’s business card to contact him later on. Their voices annoyed me and I at first considered turning around and asking them to lower their voices so that I can hear what Dr. Abeer was saying. This much I heared:

-When they ask you to remove your shoes, it’s not you only.
- You mean we Arabs exaggerate?

(I couldn’t hear what he said after that)

-What was on the news today? (rhetorical question)
-You mean the news about Bush and Al-Jazeera

(Dr. Steve talked about how the news had spread so fast, showed his disapproval and dislike of the way Al-Jazeera handled the issue.)

- You know we have only 5 offices! (the student is referring to the number of Al-Jazeera offices. This is important to us.

-It’s the way they said it, I’m not saying they shouldn’t talk about it. The news source was a tabloid. Don’t believe everything you read, wait before you decide whether it really happened or not. It could be anything, maybe Bush was joking.

If you ask me, I was offended and outraged by what he said and the tone he used, for the sake of not being biased since I couldn’t hear everything clearly I limited it to the things I’m sure about the context in which they appeared and the wording, although I’m certain of the fact that he suggested the student does not check Al-Jazeera but rather news channels like BBC, that was when the Egyptian student said he does check both, not only Al-Jazeera. Just for the record, BBC also published the story of Bush who wanted to bomb Al-Jazeera.

At the conference I met Alaa Yousuf, a female student and a coordinator from Sharjah University who kept my company. She told me that the day before, Dr. Steve was talking about democracy in media and online journalism, when she had the chance, Alaa and after writing down her question carefully, asked him students ask him about World politics. Alaa was even blunter, she asked him about Sami Al-Hajj, and whether his students ask him about Sami. To her utmost surprise, neither Mr. Steve nor other foreign professors knew who Sami Al-Hajj was.

A discussion took place after the session has ended. Some worthy notes of things that were mentioned during the discussion:

Al-Jazeera was threatened by closing her office in Iran because of a caricature that was published on Al-Jazeera.Net

Palestine’s IT infrastructure can be counted as one of the best, Israeli occupation brought with it technology, but of course not accessibility nor availability.

BBC has no comments section; they don’t think they need it, according to them, the discussions and the different view points are more than enough.

To know about the topics that were discussed, download the conference program here

* Arabic language was the official language of the conference, only foreign participants spoke English. Everything written in this post is my personal translation.

The hands of Mohammed Khalif, 47, are still in handcuffs he lies in the morgue in Baghdad, last June. Family members say he was abducted by 30 men who arrived in trucks with police insignia.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi authorities have been torturing and abusing prisoners in jails across the country, current and former Iraqi officials charged.

Deputy Human Rights Minister Aida Ussayran and Gen. Muntadhar Muhi al-Samaraee, a former head of special forces at the Ministry of the Interior, made the allegations two weeks after 169 men who apparently had been tortured were discovered in a south-central Baghdad building run by the Interior Ministry. The men reportedly had been beaten with leather belts and steel rods, crammed into tiny rooms with tens of others and forced to sit in their own excrement.

[Read full article]

Control of Iraq’s future oil wealth is being handed to multinational oil companies through long-term contracts that will cost Iraq hundreds of billions of dollars, according to a new report published this week.

“Crude Designs: The Rip-Off of Iraq’s Oil Wealth” reveals that current Iraqi oil policy, dictated by outsiders, will allocate the development of at least 64% of Iraq’s reserves to foreign oil companies. Iraq has the world’s third largest oil reserves.

Figures published in the report for the first time show:

the estimated cost to Iraq over the life of the new oil contracts is $74 to $194 billion, compared with leaving oil development in public hands. These sums represent between two and seven times the current Iraqi state budget.

the contracts would guarantee massive profits to foreign companies, with rates of return of 42% to 162%.

The kinds of contracts that will provide these returns are known as production sharing agreement(PSAs). PSAs have been heavily promoted by the US government and oil majors and have the backing of senior figures in the Iraqi Oil Ministry. Britain has also encouraged Iraq to open its oilfields to foreign investment.

However PSAs last for 25-40 years, are usually secret and prevent governments from later altering the terms of the contract.

Crude Designs lead researcher, Greg Muttitt of PLATFORM, said: “The form of contracts being promoted is the most expensive and undemocratic option available. Iraq’s oil should be for the benefit of the Iraqi people, not foreign oil companies.”

The new Iraqi constitution opened the way for much greater foreign involvement in Iraq’s oilfields. Negotiations with oil companies are already underway, ahead of elections in December and prior to the passing of a new Petroleum Law. This report calls for full and open debate in Iraq about the way oil resources are to be developed, not 30-year deals negotiated behind closed doors.

Mr Muttitt adds: “Iraq’s institutions are new and weak. Experience in other countries shows that oil companies generally get the upper hand in PSA negotiations with governments. The companies will inevitably use Iraq’s current instability to push for highly advantageous terms and lock Iraq to those terms for decades.”

Andrew Simms, Policy Director at the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and co-publisher of the report says:“Over the last century Britain and the US left a global trail of conflict, social upheaval and environmental damage as they sought to capture and control a disproportionate share of the world’s oil reserves. Now it seems they are determined to increase their ecological debts at Iraq’s expense. Instead of a new beginning Iraq is caught in a very old colonial trap.”

Louise Richards, Chief Executive of War on Want, also a co-publisher says: “People have increasingly come to realise that the Iraq war was about oil, profits and plunder. Despite claims from the politicians involved that this is a conspiracy theory, our new report gives detailed evidence to show that Iraq’s oil profits, far from being used to alleviate some of the suffering the Iraqi people now face, are well within the sights of the oil multi-nationals.”

[Read full report]

[Source]

Sharjah’s Ruler to sign agreement for establishment of advanced earthquake monitoring installation

A mild tremor hit Khorfakkan city early morning today, which continued for six seconds and was felt by Khorfakkan inhabitants. The Eastern region police centre in Khorfakkan confirmed that it has received many calls from the citizens inquiring about the tremor. The source added that it has reassured the callers that the tremor was part of the aftershocks linked to the earthquake that hit the Iranian island of Qeshm on Sunday. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)

Today in the morning, Khorfakkan witnessed a tremor as part of the aftershock related to the earthquake that hit Iran on Sunday killing at least 13 persons.

Rafah border was opened on the 25th of Nov, congratulations to all Palestinians!

On Rafah crossing, Rafah Pundits say the agreement reached between Palestinian and Israeli authorities state that Israel has no physical presence in the Rafah crossing except for reserving some sort of remote control, and the right to stop, search, arrest, detain or deny entry of anyone deemed by Israel as a “Palestinian suspect”.

As the January parliamentary elections approaches, a public opinion poll conducted by Al-Najah University showed that 75.5% of Palestinians will take part in the voting and only 66.8% believe that the elections will be held on its scheduled date. Moreover, 39.5% of the voters will vote for Fateh while 19.9% said will vote for Hamas. 53 % of participants said that they believe the elections will be fair and free.

Following up on some one-week-old news, peacepalestine has made an excellent attempt at Deconstructing Condi, offering us a good read. Check out the interesting feedback on the document. Condoleeza Rice visited Israel on the 13th of Nov to revive a peace process that had never been alive. Hillary, who had the same thoughts as Condoleeza’s about the Wall, was sent a letter from Human Rights Watch, explaining to her what does the Wall really mean. By the way, neither did Hillary nor Condoleeza visit the occupied Palestinian territories.

On the same matter, umkahlil makes a wild guess at what Sinator Hillary Clinton will think of the criminal act of this lady.

Talking about Main Stream Media manipulation, Sabbah’s Blog writes that BBC sanctions a journalist for insensitively feeling puzzled and shedding some tears upon watching a helicopter carry Arafat from his headquarters to a hospital in France.

Back to peacepalestine, a very interesting lesson in Hebrew teaches us how shalom is not peace (even though Judaism might disagree). Shalom means the freedom of conflict while achieving the maximum level of security. Peace is so much more than that, but then again nobody can blame Sharon for the mistranslation.

Inexplicable hatred of Israelis combined with shameless hatred of some Arabs and topped with the brutal practices of the Israeli occupation will definitely ruin even the bestest of mornings. davereed reports that the Israeli government is planning to demolish more houses in Anata, Beit Hanina and Silwan. Imagine one cold and rainy late night, in which you have to wake up and start removing all your belongings, not knowing where you should spend the night (chances are you’ll spend it on the street). Either that or your house will be brought down by rockets while still inhibited, and oh, they might as well use one of your family as a shield.

From Sugar Cubes, a secret British document accuses Israel of taking measurements such as building illegal settlements and the Apartheid wall which jeopardize the peace process and prevent Jerusalem from becoming the capital of the Palestinian State, violating human rights all the way. I wonder what took them so long? and are they sick and fed up as we all are?

FromOccupiedPalestine, Bush has a vision for the future Palestinian State that resembles Dubai! what matters according to Bush, is not whether or not the occupation ends but rather the possibility of Gaza becoming a Dubai on the Mediterranean.

Students in Hebron protesting the electronic gates and x-ray screening systems

Israel violates human rights -again- by installing electronic gates and x-ray screeing systems in Hebron (Al-Khalil). Students, who were protesting non-violently last Thursday were attacked by gas canisters and percussion grenades used by the Israeli occupational forces. Needless to say, the inhumane practices of Israel occupational forces have their negative health effects on Palestinians. Teachers held classes outside at the checkpoints in protest to all the trouble their students have to go through everyday in order to reach school.See pictures on BBC.

From Baqa’a Refugee Camp, Israli occupational forces opened fire at anti-Wall rally in which Internationals, Israeli activists and Palestinians participated resulting with four persons wounded. At the rally, participants protested the Wall, the bullodizing of vast areas of olive trees, and turning villages into big jails.

Being familiar with oppression, dozens of Palestinian journalists demanded an International investigation regarding the recent news of Bush wanting to bomb Al-Jazeera office in Qatar. Al-Jazeera staffers started a blog to condemn the plan and ask for support.

Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli Nuclear Whistle Blower has a letter for you. He talks about his latest arrest and the harassments by the Israeli authorities. Vanunu has offered his email, please do show your support and do not let Israel get away with this!

The little things that matter…

As a Palestinian I’ve heared a lot about the Nabulsi soap from my parents. Sadly the art and industry of making soap are dying slowly under the occupation, as it continues to suffer due to the stranglehod of the Palestinian economy and the regulations on International free trade.

On the 26th of this month, Nov, a conference will be held in Ireland to launch a divestment campaign that aims at getting Irish pension funds to divest from CRH, an Irish company which owns 25% of the only Israeli cement-manufacturing company until/unless it provides an absolute guarantee that it is no longer involved in the supply of materials used in illegal Israeli construction projects in the West Bank.

Lulu of CafeLulu describes what was it like to attend one of Ibdaa’s performances, Ibdaa’ created something out of nothing.

Imaan had a wonderful day out with her son in Gaza city, check out the pictures. Imaan, like everyone who roamed the street of the city, came face to face with poverty.

Women in Saudi Arabia have taken part in an election, both as voters and as candidates, for the first time

Seventeen women and 54 men are competing for the 12 seats on the board of the Chamber of Commerce in the Saudi business capital, Jeddah.

Voting takes place over four days - for the female candidates voting was on Saturday and Sunday, while voting for the men is on Monday and Tuesday.

A BBC correspondent says the vote is seen by liberals as a sign of progress.

BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says the election is of great symbolic importance in a conservative country where women’s lives are restricted in many ways.

[Via BBC]

Congratulations!

…Al Kasim said Al Jazeera believes the US administration and the UK have something to hide.

“Otherwise why would they prohibit their media to publish the document or any information related to it?”

He also said the channel has evidence that some Arab leaders have been putting pressure on the Bush administration to hit Al Jazeera due to its controversial reports on Arab regimes, poverty and corruption in the region.

“We know that certain Arab leaders have asked the US Government to hit Al Jazeera ? or to take some action against the channel in a bid to muffle us,” he said without naming any country.

[Read full article]

It sounds strange, Arab leaders putting pressure on Bush administration not the other way around?? if they really did that then…No comment!

L to R, front row: Awad Hamed al-Bandar, Saddam Hussein; second row: Taha Yassin Ramadan, Abdullah Kazim Ruwayyid, Mizhar Abdullah Ruwayyid; back row: Mohammed Azawi Ali, Ali Dayim Ali, Barazan Ibrahim sit at their trial in Baghdad. Photograph: Ben Curtis/AP

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.

Related tags: gibran

Update:It has just happened again, I could feel it this time, and I was afraid it will continue

The Dubai area has experienced tremors eminating from an earthquake in southern Iran.

The quake measuring 6.1 on the richter scale, had it’s epicentre in the south of Iran.

The US Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center, reported that the quake struck at 1.52pm at a spot just 65km southwest of Bandar Abbas.

The epicentre is just 115km north of Ras Al Khaimah and 80km north north west of Al Khasab in Oman.

Residents of Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain and Dubai reported feeling the quake.

Some tall buildings and skyscrapers around Shaikh Zayed Road and Dubai Media City were evacuated.

[Via Gulf News]

I didn’t feel anything, but my two brothers and one of my colleagues did. I remember few years back the same thing happened, only I felt it but thought it was someone rocking my bed.

Related tags: Iran, earthquake, UAE