AlsahafaNewspaperMay2014

www.al-sahafa.us
MAY 2014
America’s Monthly Middle Eastern Newspaper
The Complex ‘ARABIC’
Language
Fairy Tale Dresses
Do Come True with...
Tony Ward!
See Pages 12-13
See Cover Story Pages: 4-5

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May 2014 • Page 2
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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
Happy Mother's Day
SUNDAY MAY 11, 2014
By the time the Lord made woman, he was
into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel
appeared and said, “Why are you spending so
much time on this one?” And the Lord answered,
“Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has
to be completely washable, but not plastic, have
over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able
to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that
can hold four children at one time, have a kiss
that can cure anything from a scraped knee to
a broken heart-and she will do everything with
only two hands.” The angel was astounded at
the requirements. “Only two hands!? No way!
And that’s just on the standard model? That’s
too much work for one day, Wait until tomorrow
to finish.”
But I won’t,” the Lord protested. “I am so
close to finishing this creation that is so close to
my own heart. She already heals herself when
she is sick AND can work 18 hour days.” The
angel moved closer and touched the woman.
“But you have made her so soft, Lord.” “She is
soft,” the Lord agreed, “but I have also made her
tough. You have no idea what she can endure or
accomplish.” “Will she be able to think?”, asked
the angel. The Lord replied, “Not only will she
be able to think, she will be able to reason and
negotiate.”
The angel then noticed something, and reaching
out, touched the woman’s cheek. “Oops, it
looks like you have a leak in this model. I told
you that you were trying to put too much into
this one.” “That’s not a leak,” the Lord corrected,
“that’s a tear!” What’s the tear for?” the
angel asked.
The Lord said, “The tear is her way of expressing
her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment,
her love, her loneliness, her grief
and her pride.” The angel was impressed. “You
are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything!
Woman is truly amazing.”
And she is! Women have strengths that amaze
men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream. They
sing when they want to cry. They cry when they
are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in. They stand
up to injustice. They don’t take “no” for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally. They cry when their
children excel and cheer when their friends get
awards. They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when
a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family
member, yet they are strong when they think
there is no strength left. They know that a hug
and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They’ll drive, fly, walk, or run to you to show
how much they care about you. The heart of
a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love. They have
compassion and ideals. They give moral support
to their family and friends. Women have vital
things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN
WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR
WORTH.
~ Fatina Salaheddine
Lebanese-American
Al-Sahafa
Corporate Office
Vol. 14 Issue #5
©2014-2015
Office Manager
Tiffany Kehoe
Graphic Designer
Tammy Calhoun
TC Creative Services
Food for Thought
Columnist
Nijma Awadallah
Fashion & Lifestyle
Columnist
Rosanna Akhavan Merhebi
Merging Arab Culture
& Education
Dr. Mais Khourdaji
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May 2014 • Page 3

Cover Story
The Complex ‘ARABIC’ Language
Re-published from;
The Economist
JOHNSON (the dictionary-maker Samuel
Johnson) has touched on Arabic and its variety
quite a few times over the years, but we
have never really addressed a critical question
directly: what is "Arabic" today, and is it
really even a single thing?
A short and simplified version of the story
follows: the prophet Muhammad wrote
(or received from Allah directly) the Koran
in the seventh century. He then conquered
nearly all of Arabia as a political and military
leader. His successors—four "rightly guided"
caliphs and then the Umayyad caliphs—
spread Islam further still. Arabic-speaking
soldiers and administrators settled in all of
these places, and their language gradually
took root among local populations, who up
until that point spoke languages from rustic
Latin to Berber to Coptic to Persian.
That was almost 1400 years ago. The
Arabic of the Koran remained a prestigious
and nearly unchanging standard throughout
the Islamic world. This is what most Arabs
consider "Arabic". But all spoken languages
change, all the time, and the Arabic people
actually used on the streets and in their
homes, predictably enough, changed quite a
lot in those 1400 years.
Today, the Arab world is sometimes compared
to medieval Europe, when classical
Latin was still the only "real" language most
people wrote and studied in—but "Latin" in
the mouths of its speakers had become early
French, Spanish, Portuguese and so on. Today,
we recognize that French and Portuguese
are different languages—but Arabs are
not often sure (and are sometimes at odds)
about how to describe "Arabic" today. The
plain fact is that a rural Moroccan and a rural
Iraqi cannot have a conversation and reliably
understand each other. An urban Algerian
and an urban Jordanian would struggle to
speak to each other, but would usually find
ways to cope, with a heavy dose of formal
standard Arabic used to smooth out misunderstandings.
They will sometimes use wellknown
dialects, especially Egyptian (spread
through television and radio), to fill in gaps.
In Europe, we call "French" and "Spanish"
= "languages", but in Arabic, we call these
varieties "dialects", despite the lack of mutual
intelligibility. Some linguists make the
point bald: these are different languages, they
say. But Arabs themselves consider Arabic a
single thing, with local variety. All educated
Arabs learn the Koranic-based language that
linguists call "modern standard Arabic". It is
used in political speeches, news broadcasts
and nearly all writing—but nobody speaks it
spontaneously in the marketplace or over the
dinner table. Most people struggle to write it
correctly.
Some pan-Arabist thinkers have called for
codifying a "middle Arabic", based on the
written standard, but stripped of much unnecessary
complexity and including the most
common dialectal features. But there is no
single authority to hammer out such a middle
Arabic that would be acceptable to all. And of
course the allure of pan-Arabism has waned,
in competition with local nationalisms, pan-
Islamism, the Shia-Sunni sectarianism and
other trends.
It's a riot of a situation that is hard to describe
accurately without annoying somebody.
But fortunately, we have the internet,
which allows the riot of voices to speak
without the need for anyone to prevail. And
in that spirit, some Arab users of Reddit, a
social sharing and discussion website, have
simply decided to give voice to their dialects
by recording a short humorous story, intentionally
stressing the dialectal features, perhaps
imagining an old uncle telling it. Here is
the story as written in standard Arabic.
مهتعتمأ نومزحي هنباو احج ناك مايألا نم موي يف
ىلع ابكرف ‏،ةرواجملا ةنيدملا ىلإ رفسلل ‏ًادادعتسإ
ىلع اورم قيرطلا يفو ‏.مهتلحر اوأدبي يكل رامحلا رهظ
ةبيرغ ‏ٍتارظنب مهيلإ نورظني سانلا ذخأف ةريغص ‏ٍةيرق
ىلع امهلك نوبكري هاسقلا ءالؤه ىلإ اورظنأ"‏ نولوقيو
لوصولا ىلع اوكشوأ امدنعو ، ‏"هب نوفأري الو رامحلا رهظ
ىلع راسو رامحلا قوف نم نبألا لزن ةيناثلا ةيرقلا ىلإ
مهل ليق امك ةيرقلا هذه لهأ مهنع لوقي ال يكل هيمدق
سانلا مهآر ةيرقلا اولخد املف ‏،اهلبق يتلا ةيرقلا يف
ىلع ريسي هنبإ عدي ملاظلا بألا اذه ىلإ اورظنأ"‏ اولاقف
لوصولا ىلع اوكشوأ امدنعو ‏،"هرامح قوف حاتري وهو هيمدق
هنبإل لاقو رامحلا نم احج لزن اهدعب يتلا ةيرقلا ىلإ
سانلا مهآر ةيرقلا ىلإ اولخد امدنعو ‏،رامحلا قوف تنأ بكرإ
يشمي هابأ كرتي قاعلا نبإلا اذه ىلإ اورظنأ"‏ اولاقف
هذه نم احج بضغف ، ‏"رامحلا قوف حاتري وهو ضرألا ىلع
ال ىتح رامحلا قوف نم هنباو وه لزني نأ ررقو ةلأسملا
ةنيدملا ىلإ اولخد امدنعو ‏،امهيلع ‏ًةَطْلُس سانلل نوكي
نوريسي ىقمحلا ءالؤه ىلإ اورظنأ"‏ اولاق ةنيدملا لهأ مهآرو
مهفلخ رامحلا نوكرتيو مهسفنأ نوبعتيو مهمادقأ ىلع
رامحلا وعاب اولصو املف ... ‏"هدحول ريسي
It involves Joha (or Goha or Jiha, depending
on the region). He is a simpleton, though
sometimes a kind of "wise fool" who delivers
comeuppance to the pompous. In this case,
the joke is on him. Here's my translation:
One day Joha and his son were packing
their things in preparation for travel to the
nearby city, and they climbed onto the back
of their donkey in order to start their trip.
On the way they passed a little village, and
the people came to look at them with strange
looks and said "Look at those cruel people,
both of them riding on the back of the donkey
and having no mercy on him." And so when
they were close to arriving to the next village,
the son got down from the back of the donkey
and walked on foot, so the people of the village
would not say what the people in the last
village had said. And when they entered the
next village, the people saw them and said
"look at that unjust father, letting his son walk
on foot while he rests on his donkey." And so
when they were nearly at the next village after
that one, Joha got down from the donkey
and told his son, "You ride the donkey." And
when they got to the village the people saw
them and said "look at this ingrate of a son,
letting his father walk on the ground while he
rests on the donkey." Joha got angry about
this, and decided that he and his son would
both get down from the donkey so that the
people wouldn't have any power over them.
And when they reached the city, the people of
the city saw them and said "look at these two
fools, walking and wearying themselves, and
letting their donkey behind them walk alone."
So they sold the donkey.
Listening to the different dialect-speakers
May 2014 • Page 4
www.al-sahafa.us

Cover Story
tell the story, or even looking at the Roman-alphabet transliterations, we quickly get a sense
that—if "dialect" makes you think Liverpool versus Newcastle—we are taking about much
more than dialect here. Here's the first bit transliterated from modern standard written
Arabic, ie, the text above:
Fii yowm min al-ayaam kaana Joha wa ibnuhu yahzimuun amta'atahum isti'daadan lil-safar
ila al-madiina al mujaawira fa rakibaa 'ala dhahri likay yabda'u rihlatahum. Wa fi i al-tariiq
marruu 'ala quriya saghiira fa akhadha al-nas yandhiruun ilayhim binadharaat ghariiba wa
yaquuluun: "andharuu ila ha'ulaa' al-qusaah yarkabuun kulluhumaa 'ala dhahri al-hamaari
wa la yaraa'afuun bihi.
Here's an Algerian version from Algiers:
Qallek wa7ed ennhar kan Djou7a w wlido y7addro besh yro7o lwa7ed mdina, wkan 3andhom
7mar. Alors, tal3o fi zoudj foq el 7mar w qall3o meddar. Fettriq djazo 3la un petit village,
w ghir dekhlo bdew ennas ta3 had el village ykhozro fi hom "yokha 3la hado, rakbin zodj 3la
7mar wa7ed meskin. Wallahi la 7ram"
Here is an Egyptian from Alexandria:
fi youm min el ayem, kan go7a we'bno bey7addaro 7aget-hom 3ashan yeroo7o el balad elli
gambohom. farekbo el etnein 7omarhom 3ashan yabtedo yesafro. we 3a'sekka marro 3ala
balad soghayyara keddaho. ba7ala2o el nas feehom we 2alo: ayoh! bo99o el nas el 2asya elli
mabter7amshi rakbeen kollohom 3ala el 7omar.
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(Both dialect transcriptions use common Arabic borrowings of numbers to represent Arabic
sounds. 7 is an "h" pronounced at the back of the throat. 3 is a tricky, throaty consonant called
the "voiced pharyngeal fricative". And 2 is the glottal stop, like the catch in the middle of
"uh-oh".)
It takes a sharp eye to see the few words in common between the dialects, among them kan
("was"), (be)y7addaro ("preparing", "packing"), 7mar/7omar ("donkey"), and nas ("people").
Even allowing that speakers were told to retell the story in their own words (and not to "translate"
strictly), the differences are stark.
For those who revel in linguistic diversity, this is all good fun. For those who want languages
in general to "behave", and for those in particular who want Arabic to be a single, graspable
thing, this is a mess. For the language learner, it's a daunting task. To be competent in "Arabic"
means to learn one language to read and write, and a related but rather different language (like
Latin and then Italian) to be able to speak. On top of that, the poor foreigner will be limited
to understanding only a fraction of the Arab world. Speaking of the decline of pan-Arabism,
it's likely that the inability of Arabs to move around the region, speak naturally and be easily
understood is a big reason they do not always feel themselves to be one.
There's a saying among linguists that "a language is a dialect with an army and a navy." This
usually means that languages without a state of their own are belittled as mere patois, argot or
dialect. But here we see a rare case of the opposite problem: the Arabic language, spread over
more than 20 countries, has too many armies and navies.
Addendum: Even more than usual, I encourage readers to scan the comments below. A number
of native speakers think that the account above exaggerates the dialect differences. Given a
thousand more words (in an already long post) I could have added a lot more detail and shading
to this account. Perhaps most importantly, I didn't fully spell out that the western dialects
(particularly Moroccan) are separated particularly starkly from eastern ones (Egyptian, Levantine
and so forth). Within the eastern dialects—which exist on a continuum, with no stark
lines separating them—cross-dialect communication is easier. And some dialects are spoken
across multiple countries, like
the Levantine continuum spoken
in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon
and Palestine. Readers should
not get the impression that
most Arabs cannot talk to each
other across borders. They can,
particularly those who have
the metalinguistic knowledge
to minimize the unusual features
of their own dialects and
consciously use widely-used
phrasings.
Here is a typical vignette regarding
teenagers who have not yet mastered these strategies. It is relayed by a Tunisian
linguist, Mohamed Maamouri, about a sixteen-year-old from Tunis named Khaled, visiting
his cousin in Saudi Arabia:
Khaled and Sourour don't speak the same Arabic dialects. Khaled understands most of what
Sourour says when she speaks in Arabic, but she does not understand (Tunisian) Arbi. He has
to use Fusha or French in order to speak to her. They fi nally settle on a mixture of the two,
because her French is not as good as his. When he returns to Tunis, he wants to write her letters,
so he writes them in Fusha but throws in words in French and English.
Arabic Voiceovers..
The ‘Dubstars’
Every Arabic-speaking country
has its own lively dialect, each
one a world away from the classical
Arabic of the Koran and the
modern, sterile-sounding version
used by pan-Arab channels
such as Al-Jazeera. Some have
much in common; the Levantine
tongues of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan
and Palestine, for example.
Those of Morocco and the rest
of the Maghreb are gobbledygook
to many Arabs. Fast-paced
Egyptian, with its abundance of
jokes and puns, is the cockney of the Arab world.
Egypt has long dominated the Arab film industry and with it, the world of dubbing. But
thanks to the increasing popularity of Syrian musalsalaat, or soap operas, filmed on location
rather than in studios, the Syrian vernacular with its soft lilting tones is on the up. It is used
in everything from "Bab al-Hara", a saga about a Damascene neighborhood under the French
mandate to programs dealing with adultery. Even Turkish soap operas such as Gümüs—Nour
in Arabic—have been dubbed into Syrian. The Syrians have been faster on their feet commercially
when it comes to dubbing, and have offered cheaper rates than the Egyptians, where
much television output is still in the hands of lumbering state broadcasters. Many also think
that Syrian Arabic is closer in sound to classical Arabic, so more appropriate to a pan-Arab
audience.
By contrast, the voiceovers in dramas from India and its neighbors tend to use gruff Gulf
Arabic, most often heard on the music channels playing monotonously in up-market cafés
all over the region. "The choice of dialect in dubbing is based on various factors, including
the closeness of traditions—Syrians have much in common with the Turks and Kuwaitis rub
shoulders with the Indians—and how widely understood the language is," says Ramez Maluf,
a media professor at the Lebanese American University in Beirut.
Politics plays its part, too. Iran operates an Arabic satellite channel and makes use of its
allies, Syria and Hizbullah, to do much of the translation. This is another way for Iran to subsidize
them. Arabic students are usually interested in the region's politics and Syria's regional
clout has led to a rise in demand for lessons in Levantine Arabic, says a language tutor in Damascus's
Old City. More likely, however, language students like Damascus because it is cheap
and easier to manage than Cairo (the Old City of Damascus has turned into a virtual campus
for language students, full of bars and cheap eats). But most important, in Damascus, unlike
in Beirut, Cairo or Tunis, you really do need to speak Arabic to get by.
As the Arab spring rumbles on, with dictators toppled, and more under threat, the popularity
of the different dialects may shift again. Post-revolutionary Cairo may flourish as the cultural
and intellectual hub it once was and with it colloquial Egyptian. Particularly since Damascus,
Sana'a and Tripoli look less appealing to students at the moment.
May 2014 • Page 5

C
hef's
Food Community
For Thought
Story Presents
Diana’s Sfeeha
(Middle Eastern Meat Pies)
For this month’s feature we would like to clarify to
all our Lebanese and Syrian and English readers that
this dish is truly unique to the chef’s family. Diana’s
Sfeeha-is known by many names throughout the Middle
East such as Lahme bi Ajeen, Fatayar bi Lahmeh
or Middle Eastern Meat Pies. The dish comes in many
forms and styles but typically contains ground beef or
lamb, Arabic spices and topped with roasted pine nuts.
It varies from village to families, and sculpted to the
person’s own taste buds. But this specific dish is unique
to this Palestinian chef’s family.
By Nijma Awadallah
The Arab-American food culture is a beautiful interpretation
of how traditional Middle Eastern cooking
and western cooking can come together to produce an
organic genre in the culinary world.
It’s important to carry on old practices; however it’s
not always sensible or easy to do so. Younger Arab generations,
such as Diana, from El-Berieh, Palestine, are
improvising, making sure to continue on family recipes
without compromising the unique taste that the Middle
Eastern food is famously known for.
“My mom, got sick last year and was not able to use
her hands while cooking as much as she used to,” explains
Diana on how her family has turned to pre-made
frozen or biscuit dough to make a Palestinian favorite;
Sfeeha (meat pies). “She found the dough to be a quicker
way to make the Sfeeha with less work.”
Readers, these savory Middle Eastern spiced meat
pies are hand-held “pizzas” topped with ground beef
(or lamb), chopped onions, tomatoes and seasoned generously
with salt and pepper (often with sweet allspice)
and garnished with roasted pine nuts. The addition
of tahini (sesame seed paste) and lemon juice adds a
unique spin and smooth texture, making Sfeeha a hit at
any dinner table or festive party.
Sfeeha may also be made with tart pomegranate molasses,
zesty sumac or extra juicy tomatoes. Some are
divergent in the way they’re presented—from pinched
edges, exposed meat surfaces or enclosed in a warm
dough casing —all different but equally amazing in its
final outcome.
Diana began with browning the meat, and then threw
in a small amount of chopped onions, tomatoes and
tahini into the pan right before seasoning the mixture.
It wasn’t long till the invigorating aroma filled her
kitchen and my mouth began to salivate. To serve as
a distraction, I asked her how she learned to cook, “I
was spoiled,” laughs Diana. “When I was younger my
mother did all the cooking and I just assisted. I really
did not learn how to cook on my own until after marriage.
I would call her when I was ready to make a meal
and she would stay on the phone with me and teach me
step by step, as I went on sort of creating my own recipe
book with her ways of cooking.”
Diana then explains how she learned to make Sfeeha,
confirming a little known fact about older Arab women
when it comes to cooking; measuring cups and recipes
are just optional, “Every time I call my mother, she tells
me to use a little of this and a little of that,” says Diana,
grinning from ear to ear. “So I watched her make it this
one time and I wrote down the steps as she went.”
According to Diana, an important key to making great
Sfeeha is to sauté the meat with the other ingredients together
first and place to the side before working on the
dough, it helps the flavors develop and mature before
baking it with the bread.
If making Sfeeha the traditional way, any basic dough
recipe will do, however if you are short on time and
are looking for a quick fix, the pre-made dough works
just fine, “The biscuit dough doesn’t take away from
the taste, but the fact it comes already cut down and
pre-made makes the time go so much faster,” explains
Diana.
Chef's Story, cont’d on page 7
May 2014 • Page 6
www.al-sahafa.us

Food Community
For Thought
Che'f Story, cont’d from page 6
“Many Arab women these days don’t
have the time to devote to cooking and
our [Arab] meals can be time consuming,
so this is a way to still be able to cook
traditionally while finding short cuts and
quicker ways to make meals,” Diana
says as I watched her gently stretch the
little balls of dough with two fingers and
a bit of olive oil. When the dough was
the right size she carefully filled them
with the seasoned meat. “You want to
be careful not to use too much oil and do
not have the (pre-made/bought) dough
sit out too long before making them.
The dough could become soft, making it
harder to mold and work with,” stresses
Diana. Soon the pies were finished and
ready to bake.
Flat ‘pita’ bread, Khubz in Arabic, was
and still is a vital addition to any Arab
table. Breakfast, lunch and dinner often
contain the hearty ingredient. In older
times, many Middle Eastern women
would spend the day kneading dough,
piling them up on dozens of trays, and
then carry them to village ovens where
they would bake. The bread would be
used for a variety of reasons; filled with
spinach (Ikras bi Sabanekh), topped with
olive oil and za’atar (manakish) or making
these delicious little meat pies.
“I think it is very important to continue
to teach on these food recipes,” says
Diana as she waits for the meat pies to
bake in the oven, carefully watching to
avoid any burning. “I believe living here
[in America] we are starting to lose our
cultural values and ways. If we do not
continue to learn and be taught then we
will not be able to pass it on to our children
and grandkids and so forth...”
Minutes pass, and the Sfeeha are ready
to be enjoyed hot from the oven. The
warm golden dough adds a beautiful
glow to these wholesome appetizers. The
first bite is equally delicious and makes it
hard to stop eating at just one!
When serving these savory bites, you
can dip the pies into yogurt or hummus.
Garnish with toasted pine nuts to complete
the overall effect. And for our more
courageous foodies – adding crushed
pepper flakes can bring a bit of spice to
your bite! Sa7htain and happy eating!
Sfeeha
Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef/lamb
2 small onions chopped finely
2 medium tomatoes chopped finely
1-2 tbsp of tahini
Salt, pepper to taste
2 Tbsp of Roasted pine nuts
Olive oil greasing the pan and spreading
the dough
1 to 1 ½ lbs of dough (basic dough or
as this recipe calls pre-made dinner rolls,
frozen or can be found in the refrigerated
aisle)
Recipe:
Pre-heat the oven on 400 degrees F.
Begin by browning the meat, breaking
into very small pieces as it sautés
over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes,
onions and seasonings. Cook for a few
minutes until all is fully incorporated
and blended evenly. Add a bit of lemon
juice for taste if desired. Place to the side
to have the flavors develop further.
Take the pre-cut dough and begin to
work on a lightly greased baking sheet
and spread with your fingers. Fill the
dough with one tablespoon of meat
mixture (try to drain as much liquid as
possible before placing on the dough)
at a time, pressing firmly into the dough
helping to spread it.
Place in the oven until it gets brown;
continue to check in order to prevent
burning.
Meanwhile, in small pan, begin to
brown pine nuts in 1 tbsp of oil. Remove
with a slotted spoon onto a small plate
lined with a paper towel (this helps the
oil drain). When the pies are finished
sprinkle with the browned pine nuts and
serve.
*CALLING ALL CHEFS!
Do you know someone who has a great
recipe or story that would be a perfect
fit for the Food For Thought section? If
so, they could be featured in an upcoming
‘Chef Story’ article! By sending
their name and information to Al-Sahafa
(office@al-sahafa.us) they will have a
chance to become part of Al -Sahafa’s
nationally read ‘Chef’s Story’ section.
This unique section brings your kitchen,
your special story, and your favorite
family dish- to the homes and hearts of
readers all across America. Sa7htain!
www.al-sahafa.us
May 2014 • Page 7

THE WORLD IS OUR HOME
YOU ARE OUR GUEST
Etihad Airways offers seamless one-stop connections to over 75 worldwide destinations, with a vast
network across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia. On board, look forward to the sort of
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with direct aisle access in Pearl Business Class on all long-haul flights. When you fly Diamond First
Class, retire behind the doors of a private suite, in a luxurious leather 6’8” bed with a turndown service.
Why do we go to such lengths? Because you are our guest.
Daily to Abu Dhabi from New York, Chicago and Washington, DC.
May 2014 • Page 8
www.al-sahafa.us

In The News
Fair Housing is Your Right
&
Housing Discrimination is Illegal
CLEVELAND CINAMATHEQUE
proudly presents:
WADJDA
Thursday, May 15, at 6:45 pm &
Friday, May 16, at 7:00 pm
Saudi Arabia/Germany, 2012,
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This historic and acclaimed crowd-pleaser was the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi
Arabia and also the first feature film by a female Saudi director. It tells of an 11-year-old Riyadh
girl, Wadjda, who longs for a bicycle so that she can race one of her friends, a neighborhood
boy. But bike-riding by girls is frowned upon in her country, so when Wadjda’s mother
refuses to buy the bicycle, the determined moppet sets out to see what she can do by herself.
Has a 99% “fresh” rating on RottenTomatoes.com. Subtitles. 35mm. 98 min. Presented as
part of Cleveland Bike Month. Show your bicycle helmet at the box office and pay only $7.
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$9/$6 anyone 25 years of age or older • Free Parking!
www.cia.edu • 216.421.7450
Discrimination against people
in housing based on their
national origin or ancestry is illegal.
Call the Housing Research & Advocacy Center
if you feel you have been discriminated
against while obtaining or maintaining
housing because of your
country of origin or ancestry.
Complaint hotline: (216) 361-9681
Our mission is to promote fair housing
and diverse communities, and to work
to eliminate housing discrimination in
Northeast Ohio by providing effective
research, education, and advocacy.
www.thehousingcenter.org
emirates.com/usa
Boredom
is grounded
indefinitely
Hello Tomorrow
Over 500 international awards and over 125 destinations worldwide.
www.al-sahafa.us
May 2014 • Page 9

Entertainment News
Haifa is EGYPTIAN, not
Lebanese? …Says Celeb
Lawyer Nabih Al Wahsh
Controversial Egyptian lawyer Nabih Al
Wahsh, who’s famous for filing lawsuits
against celebs, denied that he’s been taken
into custody for blasphemy and using inappropriate
language against Lebanese superstar
Haifa Wehbe’s mother.
According to Sayidaty.net, Al Wahsh said
that he wishes the rumors were true so he
could reveal all the secrets he’s hidden
about Haifa and her family to the public.
The feisty lawyer described Haifa’s family
as “messed up” and said that he knows of their darkest hidden secrets, which were handwritten
by Haifa’s maternal aunt.
Haifa’s mother, who is of Egyptian origin, had filed a complaint against Al Wahsh after he
made a number of public statements on the TV show “Sabaya” saying: “Haifa is not Lebanese,
but is in fact born to an Egyptian father and mother. Her parents are from the ghetto and
her father worked as a taxi driver. He is named Mohammad Wehbe.”
Nabih said that Haifa’s mum had married her first husband in Egypt while working as a
cleaning lady in a furnished apartment building, after which she travelled to Lebanon where
she met Haifa’s Daddy, who was working as a cab driver at the time.
Does Angelina Jolie consider
Kim Kardashian a “witless
bimbo” for her #SaveKessab?
Keeping up with the Kardashian clan never leaves us
void of gossip and controversy, but could the latest dose of
drama coming from the K fam have a celebrity backlash in
the form of Angelina Jolie?
Well, if you’re a believer in all things National Enquirer,
then you’ll be indulged to hear that Brad Pitt’s fiance is
not too pumped about Kim’s recent Twitter campaign to
#SaveKessab. The celebrity gossip source reported that the
Hollywood actress and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador attacked
the soon-to-be Mrs. Kanye West, calling her “a ‘witless bimbo’ for using Twitter in a
misguided attempt to protect Armenians in Syria.”
Kim had posted to her Twitter account back on March 31, “If you don’t know what’s going
on in Kessab please google it, it’s heart breaking! As an Armenian,
I grew up hearing so many painful stories!”
While other gossip columnists dispute the claim that Syria’s
superstar advocate called Kim K out like that, there has indeed
been bubbling sentiment around the globe that all Kim was able
to accomplish through her Tweet was to bolster pro-Assad propaganda.
Palestinian beauty Gigi
Hadid gets intimate with
BF Cody Simpson in music
video!
Sizzling Sports Illustrated model Gigi Hadid -
better known as the daughter of ‘Housewives of
Beverly Hills’ Star & International Model; Yolanda
Foster, and Palestinian real-estate mogul dad; Mohamed
Hadid, - is making waves with her hot Australian
singer BF Cody Simpson. The young hot
couple took a break from their other work projects
to shoot the music video for Cody’s new hit “Surfboard”
last month in April.
The cool song is about Cody’s dream gal, so it
made total sense for him to pick the Palestinian beauty to star in his video. 19-yearold
Gigi, and Cody 17, have now been dating for almost a year, which explains why
they looked extremely natural and comfortable with one another while on shoot.
The couple kept their fans up-to-date by posting behind-the-scenes snapshots of
the shoot. The pair looked very intimate and in love as they cuddled up, with their
Gigi Hadid, cont’d on page 23
A new set of wheels: Man
rides camel through Qatar
Burger King!
A video created by a Qatari comedian
of him ordering a meal at a Burger King
while riding a camel has gone viral and
received over 40,000 views on Youtube.
The clip was produced by local production
company Red Monkey and was uploaded
last week to the Youtube website
by local comedian Hamad Al Amari, who
stars in the video.
“I just finally got the chance to do it,”
he told Doha News. “I knew that this was something the world would laugh at, not
just Qataris or people living in Qatar.”
“The lady manning the drive thru was most surprised to be confronted by a man on
a camel requesting a ‘cheeseburger.’ She called for her manager who provided the
cheese burger whilst giggling. The manager also took a few pictures for his friends
on Facebook and wished the camel and his man a good day,” he added.
It’s the moment we all dread – when you’re out for a ride on your camel and hun-
May 2014 • Page 10
www.al-sahafa.us
Drive Thru, cont’d on page 23

International Lawyer And Scholar
Amal Alamuddin Engaged To George
Clooney!
The news
is surprising
to anyone
familiar
with
Clooney’s
playboy
status, but the two were clearly in love
in photos that emerged from the couple’s
romantic getaway to Tanzania in March.
People Magazine broke the story noting
that Alamuddin and Clooney were
spotted at Nobu in Malibu, where they
were dining with Cindy Crawford and
her husband Rande Gerber (both friends
of Clooney’s). Alamuddin was seen at
the dinner wearing what looked like an
engagement ring on her left ring finger.
One of People Magazine’s exclusive
sources said, ”Clooney popped the question”
and “George and Amal are trying
to keep things very low-key but they
also aren’t really trying to hide this, it
doesn’t seem. I think it’s like they want
the people they love to know that this
is real, that they plan on being together
forever.”
Entertainment News
It’s Official! George Clooney Engaged to
a Lebanese Lady!
Alamuddin, is an accomplished international
lawyer. She holds a B.A. and
L.L.B. from St. Hugh’s College, Oxford
University (where she won the Shrigley
Award) and also holds a Masters of Law
(L.L.M.) degree from New York University
School of Law (where she earned
the Jack J. Katz Memorial Award for
excellence in entertainment law). She
practiced for several years at Sullivan
& Cromwell LLP’s New York office,
where she was a member of the Criminal
Defense and Investigations Group.
There her clients included Enron and
Arthur Andersen.
In her current position as a barrister in
London (Bar of England & Wales, Inner
Temple) Alamuddin has represented
clients in cases before the International
Criminal Court, the International Court
of Justice and the European Court of
Human Rights, as well as in domestic
courts in the U.K. and the U.S.
Alamuddin has also represented controversial
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
in extradition proceedings in the
U.K. and former Ukrainian Prime Minister
Yuila Tymonshenko before the European
Court of Human Rights. Amal
previously served as legal adviser to the
Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon and as legal adviser to the head
of UNIIIC in Beirut.
In addition to individual clients Alamuddin
has provided advice to governments
on matters related to international
law and is an appointed member of a variety
of United Nations commissions, including
serving as Counsel to the inquiry
into the use of drones in counterterrorism
operations, led by U.N. Special Rapporteur
on counter-terrorism and human
rights, Ben Emmerson QC. She is an appointed
adviser to Kofi Annan, the Joint
Special Envoy of the United Nations
and the Arab League on Syria, and she is
the legal adviser to the head of the U.N.
commission investigating the assassination
of former Lebanese Prime Minister
Hariri and other terrorist attacks in Lebanon.
Alamuddin is also a scholar, she coedited
the book The Special Tribunal for
Lebanon: Law and Practice. The book
examines the law and procedure of the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the first
international court created in response
to a terrorist act, the tribunal was established
to try those responsible for the
2005 assassination of Rafic Hariri. She
also co-authored an article in the prestigious
Journal of International Criminal
Justice in which she and her co-author
examined the expansion of the International
Criminal Court’s jurisdiction
over the use of prohibited weapons in
international armed conflicts (expanding
jurisdiction to their use in internal
armed conflicts). In their words, “The
amendment sends a signal that individuals
should be held accountable for using
certain prohibited weapons regardless
of the scope of the armed conflict.” In a
chapter she wrote for the book Contemporary
Challenges for the International
Criminal Court she examined the role of
the U.N. Security Council in starting and
stopping cases at the International Criminal
Court, that book featured a bevy of
prominent international criminal law
scholars including M. Cherif Bassiouni,
Mark Ellis, and William Schabas.
It is notable to point out, that the Alamuddin
family is a very wealthy, prominent
Lebanese family that helped found
Middle East Airlines and owned a good
deal of Lebanon’s utilities. The family is
also very prominent in the leadership of
the Druze sect. The Alamuddin family
patriarch, Sheikh Najib Alamuddin, became
Chairman and CEO of Middle East
www.al-sahafa.us
Airlines in 1951. Amal’s mother, Baria, is
an award-winning journalist and broadcaster
in the Middle East and the U.K.
and has interviewed the likes of former
President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher, and President Fidel
Castro, to name a few. Her grandfather
was a government minister. And although
Alamuddin was a big hit on the
social media site — Ashton Kutcher and
Julia Gillard, the former prime minister
of Australia, were a few of her famous
followers — she shut down her account.
Clooney spoke out in November about
how he finds Twitter stupid, so we gotta
wonder… coincidence?
In addition to her writing, Alamuddin
has served as a guest lecturer on international
criminal law at SOAS (University
of London), The New School in New
York, The Hague Academy of International
Law, and the University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill.
May 2014 • Page 11

Fashion & Style
Fairy Tale Dresses Do Come
True with...
Tony Ward!
By Rosanna Akhavan-Merhebi
Lebanon is known for many exquisite Fashion Designers.
Many have contributed to the success of Lebanon
being recognized for their amazing sense of Style
and Fashion. Tony Ward is one of these Fashion Designers
that have truly put Lebanon on the global Fashion
Map. ‘Ward’ is the Word worldwide in the Fashion
arena! Readers, if you haven’t heard of Tony Ward -
well it is definitely time that you recognize this name
and his amazing work!
Tony Ward is an International Fashion Designer based
in Lebanon. He is known affectionately as a “man of
many talents”. He literally creates fairy tale dresses.
Readers, I’m talking every girls dream dress!
Using the finest materials and details, Tony Ward
creates glamorous, sophisticated, and EXTRAORDI-
NARY dresses! I cannot emphasize enough how gorgeous
his collections are, they will leave you breathless.
Taking on inspirations that he finds all around him
to channel them into his exquisite evening gowns, wedding
dresses and Ready-to-wear designs.
Tony Ward began his journey into the Fashion world
in 1993, when he studied at ‘L’Ecole de la Chambre
Syndicale de La Couture Française. I asked him when
he knew he wanted to go into Fashion, “I grew up in the
effervescent world of fashion, surrounded by the most
beautiful silks and the perfectly cut suites which made
my father famous. You can say the apple didn’t fall far
from the tree!” Indeed Tony’s response explains that he
was surrounded by well dressed family and it made him
interested in Fashion. After he finished school, Tony
Ward did not waste any time getting his feet wet, so to
speak, in the Fashion pond.
For seven years, he worked in Paris with some of the
crème de la crème in the Fashion Industry: Gianfranco
Ferré at Christian Dior Couture, then with Karl Lagerfeld
at Chloé and with Claude Montana at Lanvin,
May 2014 • Page 12
www.al-sahafa.us
learning the secrets of the Couture techniques. Tony
Ward came back to his home country and launched his
own brand, Tony Ward Couture. The talent of the designer,
combined with the master craftsmanship of the
Ward Atelier, established since 1952 by his father, led
him to transform his family’s couture house creating
new collections using a combination of modern cuts
and lines. His dresses have been described in so many
flattering terms, but one word that best describes them
in my mind is; flawless. They are truly stunning and
very intricate. He uses beautiful detailing in his evening
gowns and especially wedding gowns. I would
highly recommend any bride out there, to make sure to
take a peek at Tony Ward’s wedding gowns. There are
a lot of raves and reviews from happy clients that have
worn Tony’s designs. As a designer, he strives to stay

Fashion & Style
innovative in creating fashion forward designs while
maintaining the timeless and classic appeal. He truly
values the beauty of women and enhancing them with
his amazing dresses. He takes a lot of pride in beauty
in Lebanon and all over the Middle East and recognizes
how that plays a role in his creations.
Tony Ward achieved great success at the Italian Couture
Fashion Week where he has been presenting his
creations since almost 10 years. His Couture Collections
attract international members of Royal families,
A-list celebrities and elegant women who look for
uniqueness and simplicity; while his Ready-to-wear and
Bridal lines are currently distributed in the most exclusive
Boutiques and Department Stores throughout the
world! It’s no wonder so many celebrities flock to wear
Tony Ward dresses. The late Whitney Houston, actress;
Annette Bening, singers; Ashanti, & Mariah Cary and
even the Syrian multi-talented entertainer; Paula Abdul
(just to name a few) are of the many famous names donning
Tony Ward designs!
The work speaks for itself, Tony Ward’s dresses are of
high quality, high fashion and in high demand! I wanted
to get to know Tony Ward more and asked him what
was one of his most memorable moments in his career
so far. He did not hesitate to provide his response, “My
first fashion show, and the moment I went out to greet
and thank the audience.” He is truly down to earth;
despite his success and notoriety, Tony Ward is very
humble and grateful for his success.
I wanted to see what the future holds for Tony Ward
and asked him where he sees himself 5 years from now.
I enjoy asking this question because I think it’s interesting
to hear a designer’s perspective on what the future
holds. I love Tony Ward’s response to this question;
“I’m still the same guy with the same dreams, except
they just got a little bigger! I challenge myself everyday
to create and imagine new things and I always thrive
to reach my full potential. You have to work step by
step; solve one problem after the other without getting
discouraged by small failures along the way. If you believe
in yourself and in your work you will achieve your
goals. I don’t know where I will be in five years, God
will tell.” Readers, I think this is advice all of us can apply
to various areas of our lives! With that being said,
I wondered what advise Tony Ward could give other
up-and-coming designers or those interested in pursuing
a career in fashion. “Listening is very important in
the fashion industry. You have to truly understand what
your client wants, know her needs, what suits her more
and fits her best, and, most importantly, highlights her
qualities. A good designer is like a trusted advisor. He
should be able to emphasize the most beautiful traits of
the person he is dressing.”
Tony Ward is always trying to reinvent himself and
keep his collections fresh. He definitely possesses
many wonderful qualities as a Fashion Designer and as
a person. He truly loves what he does and it shows.
The other interesting fact about him, is that he is a family
man and takes great pride in his work and his family!
He is definitely a designer to be on the lookout for.
Tony Ward has showrooms in Beirut and Moscow and
they have their collections that can be found worldwide.
He is definitely making is mark internationally. Ladies,
if you are interested in learning more or finding the right
dress for you, make sure to check out Tony Ward’s website
or visit his showroom. www.tonyward.net .
www.al-sahafa.us
May 2014 • Page 13

Community
Merging Arab Culture and
Education with Dr. Mais
Having the ‘Sex Talk’…
Buckle Your Child’s Seatbelt Against Sexual Abuse
By Mais Khourdaji, PhD
(Syrian-American)
It is always a shock, on both a cultural
yet also personal level, the brazen, unapologetic
way men “admire” women
in the Middle East. Damascus Syria is
a big, bustling city, with narrow streets,
taxis and cars practically overlapping
each other. People squirm through on foot
somehow, often walking in single file
down the street, having to turn sideways
as someone else comes from the opposite
direction down the same sliver of pavement.
Street vendors claim their space,
the smells of delicious food wafting over
you in almost a fog. But despite the busyness,
despite the swarm of people walking
through, the many men look, they admire
May 2014 • Page 14
and catcall, they even boldly grab and
touch. Countless times, with a fleeting
rush of indignation and shock, my cousins
and I would laugh to cover our semi-embarrassment
at being groped by a driveby
(as we could call it) during our single
file trek to our destination that evening;
sometimes, more than one of us would
be hit-on by the same guy! It never failed
to eventually make us laugh when we’d
share what ridiculous muttering (“You’re
just like candy!”,”Marry me, your beauty
kills me!”) one creep whispered in our
ear when he passed, groping our behind
on the way! But there was an inexplicable
harmlessnessness that, if taken out if
context, would be a serious offense. This
situation, for many of our parents raised
in big cities like Damascus, Syria is com-
www.al-sahafa.us
mon and accepted, and even, expected.
I set up that situation to allow you readers,
to then try to imagine this happening
here in the States; walking in the mall, or
in the grocery store or farmers market.
Being stared down so lustfully when you
walk into a restaurant, that the host forgets
his job for a minute...What would
happen? A complaint to the manager, a
free meal and maybe a lost job? Or maybe
a mall fight, when you stop suddenly
and scream “How dare you?” and either
your man, mall security, or another ‘Good
Samaritan’ stops to see what the commotion
is. Sexual impositions, in any way,
shape or form, are universally a violation
in America. Is it different in the Arab
culture? Does religion or culture buffer
or neutralize personal affronts such as
catcalling or groping? Even women who
wear the hijab (a veil to modestly cover
the hair) can get oogled in the streets in
metropolitan cities like Damascus, Syria
or Amman, Jordan. But what does this
mean about how the Arab culture paradoxically
approaches sexuality, and all
the issues that arise from it. From basic,
practical knowledge of sex, to others such
as sexual abuse, rape, or molestation?
Perhaps one could argue that in Middle
Eastern countries, the largest religion is
Islam, and therefore while catcalling happens,
there’s an innate “safety” against
sexual crimes. On some level, that may
be true. It is hard to take such issues out of
context. For example, when I used to visit
my home country; Damascus, Syria – I
observed an interesting non-verbal communication.
When two young people see
each other at a local hangout and there’s
an attraction of interest, most men don’t
walk up and talk to the girl, like they do
here in America. No, instead, they may
spend the evening just making suggestive
eye contact, holding their gaze and a shy
smile, watching each other from across
the room. Maybe when the girl gets up to
leave with her friends, the boy will follow
her with his friends, if only to know what
building she lives in, so they can figure
out who her family is and if she’s available/single.
If that happened here in the
States, we would be talking ‘stalker territory’,
no?
Again, there are contradictions in every
culture. But as far as sexual abuse goes
in Arab American families, as in any culture,
it does of course fall into the taboo
category. The examples I provided of the
differences in things such as courting
and catcalling between Arab and American
culture make the Arab-American approach
to sex and all its accruements all
the more complicated. Is it safe for the

Merging Arab Culture and
Education with Dr. Mais
falafel vendor to stare you down as he takes your order
and suggestively tells you he’ll make you the juiciest
sandwich ever? But what about that creepy second
cousin who gives you lingering hugs, who has seen you
in your pajamas when you were a kid, but then as a teenager
you feel a creepiness that you just can’t place? What
about your Uncle (by marriage) who compliments you
when he greets you with a slimy kiss on both cheeks
and says, “Wow, you’ve grown up so much?” And your
stomach flips uncomfortably? Does religion and culture
neutralize that?
It would be very ignorant to assume that any culture is
devoid of sexual abuse. As a school psychologist, I’ve
heard stories from my students that would make anyone
shudder, and during my first year working after graduate
school, I did hear one such story from an 8th grade
Lebanese student named Jolene. What every culture does
share is an ashamed reluctance to come forth with sexual
abuse and harassment accusations. In Arab families,
(which value chastity until marriage and fidelity with
fervor), for any young girl to claim her father, uncle, or
family friend sexually abused or harassed her could potentially
be very, very traumatic, with pervasive effects
down the line. If the secret gets out, the risk of diminished
chances of landing an ideal husband could go out
the window. God forbid!
Jolene confessed to me about her cousin who used to
come over all the time. They were only 2 years apart,
and being close in age and living close to each other,
the families were much enmeshed. Pre-adolescent curiosities
sometimes allowed for a lingered gaze or a shy
smile, but when the kids got older, the parents put a stop
to the sleepovers and swim parties. But one time at a
dinner party, the cousin surprised her coming out of the
bathroom and pushed her back in. He groped her breasts,
rubbed her “down there” and kissed her neck. Jolene was
horrified and shocked, but just as quickly as it happened;
he rushed out and left her.
Looking at the poor girl sitting in my office with tears
rolling down her cheeks as she told me how when she
told her mother, the first thing her mother asked was
“Did anyone see you?” and after being reassured that no
one had, her mother said he was bad for doing something
so “haram” shameful like touching her, but she must not
tell anyone. So her secret was revealed only one other
time; to me.
Am I, as the school psychologist, required to talk to her
parents about what their daughter shared? Yes, because
if Jolene’s cousin were to ever further his attempts, rape
her or any such thing, my failure to communicate the risk
to her parents would hold me accountable. I had to file
an abuse report and meet with her parents. Her mother
cried, and her father said, “What? In my house?!” They
hugged her and told her they loved her. Yet, when I suggested
making the secret known to the cousin’s parents,
the answer was “Absolutely not.”
Of course this topic is huge and cavernous. It’s complicated
and messy, and in any culture, that seems too
often to be the case. In Arab American culture, there’s
that dichotomy I’ve described before that comes into
play again here. Sexuality has different definitions and
portrayals in America than it does in Arab countries.
Are catcalling and public sexual innuendos, buffered
by an Arab culture that embraces the hijab on women
less risky, insulting, or abusive then the sleazy cousin
who molested a young girl in a hormone-induced rush of
adolescent sexuality? Can cultural mores be overcome in
Arab American families enough to empower the victim,
regardless of the consequences down the line?
These are huge questions. My advice to parents and
students is to communicate. Arab parents raising their
children in an American culture where boys and girls
commingle and cohabitate freely and openly, where
sexuality is a freedom of expression- need to understand
that they cannot fully shield their children. In this article,
I want to confront ‘the uncomfortable’ to readers, and
provide useful information that hopefully you may never
have to use.
The National Association of School Psychologists
(NASP) states that physical acts of sexual abuse can
include (if done without informed consent): “tonguekissing
or kissing done with sexual intentions, fondling
of intimate parts, rubbing of intimate parts of either the
perpetrator or child, oral-genital or oral-breast contact,
intercourse or any type of penetration.” As seen by the
examples, the incident above with Jolene’s cousin does
in fact qualify as sexual abuse. And it does not have to
happen more than one time to be considered abuse.
There are a multitude of signs and consequences for
children who have been abused. In young children, signs
include sexualized play with toys or other children, frequent
touching of their genital body parts, or inappropriate
sexual expression with adults, such as with their
teacher or relative. In older children, aggressive sexual
behavior toward siblings, social withdrawal, substance
abuse, clingy behavior with their parents, sudden changes
in academics or in sport activities, sleep disturbances
and even uncharacteristic personality sensitivity that
results in crying or temper tantrums. Of course, these
are just a few of the many potential signs. How to distinguish
between a serious problem, over just a phase
typical of children and growing adolescents? One of the
biggest consequences of sexual abuse is a loss of trust.
Children grow up innately believing in the good in people
until something occurs that rocks their world. Their
withdrawal and sudden introvert behavior is their way of
protecting themselves and trying to make sense of what
suddenly changed their perspective on life. Instead of
www.al-sahafa.us
believing that people are good, instead they fear others
now as a potential threat, or that they are in some way deserving
of punishment and therefore feel bad or dirty. Of
the upmost importance for Arab American parents, when
talk about sex is usually avoided in fear it will inspire
sexual behavior, is to talk to your children about sex and
sexual violators. Let them know that if anything occurs
that is against their consent that they can come to you and
you will support and protect them. Children fear not being
believed. They fear disappointing their parents, and
of being punished or losing what they hold sacred. But
if you let them know, that if such a thing were to occur,
that they can come to you, it may save your child from
a multitude of devastating, pervasive consequences as a
result of the abuse. Even in preventative efforts, have a
talk with your children. Don’t worry, talking about sex
won’t make them go and seek sex left and right. In fact,
the opposite is true. It is often curiosity and rebellion that
force children into bad behavior.
Again, this topic is huge, too big for one column that I
can share with you here. But for Arab American parents,
who maybe were raised in a non-sexual bubble and believe
that sex talk is only appropriate with marriage, I
urge you to educate yourself. Be aware that 1 in 5 girls
and 1 in 20 boys will be a victim of sexual abuse, and according
to the Rain, Abuse, and Incest National Network
(RAINN), 44% of victims are under 18, and an incident
occurs every 2 minutes. Be prepared, even if it is a scenario
you hopefully will never encounter. Just like the
seatbelt one wears in the car: You never can predict a car
accident, or believe you will get into one, but you wear
the seatbelt in order to lessen the impact if one should occur.
Arm yourselves with that seatbelt, and buckle your
children in, too.
May 2014 • Page 15

Middle East News
King honors winners of King Abdullah II
Award for World Interfaith Harmony Week
Amman, Jordan (April 2014) — His Majesty
King Abdullah acted as patron at the
King Abdullah II World Interfaith Harmony
Week award ceremony. During the ceremony,
which took place at Husseiniya Palace,
His Majesty presented the awards to four
winners. Royal family members and senior
officials attended the event. The World Interfaith
Harmony Week was initiated by the
King, who put it forward to the 56th session
of the UN General Assembly, which unanimously
adopted it.
The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic
Thought established this award in recognition
of three activities or publications that
best contribute to the promotion of World
Interfaith Harmony Week, adopted by the
UN (PV/65/a.34) resolution. The week is
annually marked in the first week of February.
First prize was awarded to the UN Interfaith
Harmony Partners in the Philippines,
in recognition of the work they have done,
for the third year running, in celebrating harmony
week in the city of Zamboanga.
The recipients of second prize was the
Centre for Peace and Human Rights in India,
in recognition of the initiative they undertook
called “An Ordinary Step for Ensuring
Extraordinary Peace” in Uttar Pradesh,
India.
Third prize was shared between the Gamal
Farghaly Sultan Secondary School in Assiut,
Egypt, in recognition of their event “Peace,
without Prejudice” and Faiths Together, and
Uganda for an event at their Goma Health
Centre III, in Goma village.
The interfaith week, which began after the
UN unanimously adopted the initiative of
His Majesty in October 2010, is an annual
platform to raise awareness and understanding
between followers of the different faiths
and promote dialogue and goodwill, through
conducting activities and events that spread
this message.
The idea behind interfaith week comes
from the pioneering work of the Common
Word initiative that was launched in 2007
which called for Muslim and Christian
scholars to engage in constructive dialogue
based on shared values: the love of God and
May 2014 • Page 16
love of neighbor without religious prejudice,
to strengthen the shared ideological
religious ground, as these two messages are
at the heart of all three major religions.
Head of the award jury, HRH Princess
Areej Ghazi, said during her speech: “I am
honored, on behalf of myself and my fellow
esteemed award panel members, to congratulate
the efforts made by the participants in
this noble project, which we consider a call
for a new Fadoul Alliance [between tribes
before Islam].”
She added: “The Messenger of Allah,
PBUH, commended Al Fadoul Alliance in
the pre-Islamic era, saying that if he was
invited after Islam to join it, he would do
that.”
“Echoing a similar call, Your Majesty, you
have called the entire world and followers of
all religions and beliefs to celebrate a world
week based on the love of God and love of
righteousness, which is a divine quality, and
love of neighbor. The world has responded
to the call and adopted the idea unanimously.”
She stressed that “the week has been officiated
by the UN since 2011, and this year,
Your Majesty, you accepted that the award
by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic
Thought be named after you, so that
the rest of the world be encouraged to take
care of this week and the noble principles it
was built on”.
She also said: “This is not new to you,
Your Majesty, as your blessed reign is full of
initiatives that serve Jordan, serve Muslims,
serve people in general and serve peace,
and that is in spite of the sparse resources in
our country, which is nonetheless rich in its
spirit, people and history.”
She added: “The King’s initiatives in this
regard are numerous, with a notable example
being the historic global consensus on the
three points of the Amman Message, which
included the first global Islamic scholarly
consensus on the definition of a Muslim,
and outlined who can declare someone kafir
[apostate] and under what conditions, and
who can issue fatwas and under what conditions.”
She pointed out that the King’s initiatives
include the exegesis project, which is the
biggest electronic [Koranic] interpretation
site in the world, and whose website last
year had 15 million visitors. It provides over
a hundred Koranic interpretations for users
all around the world.
She also drew attention to the “Common
Word” initiative by His Majesty, which has
been described by many top Western intellectuals
as “the most successful initiative
between Muslims and Christians in history”.
She said: “This award, God willing, will
mark the celebration of World Interfaith
Harmony Week, and thus will contribute
to the easing of religious tensions around
the world, God willing, and through God’s
grace they can become like our beloved Jordan,
the model of religious harmony in the
world, through God’s grace and through our
beloved King’s wisdom and the blessing of
the wise and fair people of this nation.”
The general director of the Royal Aal al-
Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Dr Minwer
Al Mheid, said that four years after the
launch of World Interfaith Harmony Week,
it has become a reality where partners, from
different religious beliefs and intellectual,
cultural and political affiliations are attracted
by its message of peace, harmony and
goodwill.
www.al-sahafa.us
He added that those who work towards the
realization of this initiative are joined by
their common interest in realizing noble humanitarian
principles, consolidating harmony
between all people, making world peace
and promoting mutual respect among the
followers of the different religious beliefs.
He stressed that countries, organizations
and communities, as well as individuals,
took the initiative to establish events and activities
on World Interfaith Harmony Week
on a voluntary basis, and held seminars, lectures
and lessons in schools and educational
institutes, with articles being written and research
carried out to further this cause, this
humanitarian message has reached people
around the world, and “we hope that in the
coming few years to double the number of
participants and increase the events and
reach our desired outcome, God willing,
which is to spread harmony amongst all of
mankind by removing hostility, hatred and
resentment”.
The number of functions staged as part of
the International Interfaith Harmony Week
was 213 in 2011, 290 in 2012, 363 in 2013
and 406 this year.
His eminence, Sheikh Ali Gomaa, chief
adviser at Aal al-Bayt Institute said in his
remarks: “We start this meeting, which
pleases God and pleases people with, peace
and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
As-salam is the word that represents peace
is also one of God’s names and a name for
heavens, too. It stands for harmony, security
and faith. The interfaith week you have proposed,
Your Majesty, is a reflection and im-
Winners, cont’d on page 17

Middle East News
UAE Women: Survey says you are the
“most respected” in Middle East
The United Arab Emirates ranks number
one in the Middle East for treating
women with respect, according to a major
scientific study comparing development
and well-being among all 132 nations
of the world.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler
of Dubai, said the evidence on respect
for women reflected fundamental truths
about Emirati culture and traditions.
“We have the deepest respect for
women. We respect their sacrifices and
their dedication as partners in the building
of our nation. In many sectors they
have been able to contribute more than
men because UAE society gives women
a supportive environment to achieve
their full potential. Their contributions
have outweighed those of men in many
sectors, and this reflects the supportive
environment that the UAE has always
provided for women.”
The global Social Progress Index also
ranked the UAE as number one for the
lowest level of violent crime, the lowest
homicide rate, the lowest undernourishment
rate, and the highest rate of enrolment
in secondary education.
The report was produced by a team of
prominent international economists led
by Professor Michael Porter of Harvard
Business School, as part of an initiative
launched by the World Economic Forum’s
Global Agenda Council.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, and his wife Princess Haya bint Al Hussein
The index is designed as an objective
and transparent measure that is more
holistic than relying only on economic
indicators to judge a country’s overall
well-being. It includes 54 measures that
track the capacity of a society to meet
the basic human needs of its citizens, to
establish the building blocks that allow
citizens and communities to enhance and
sustain the quality of their lives, and to
create the conditions for all individuals
to reach their full potential. For the index
as a whole, the UAE ranked number
one in the Middle East and 37th worldwide.
Winners, cont’d from page 16
plementation of the meaning of this blessed
word.”
He added: “The peace we seek to translate
in the World Interfaith Harmony Week
is achieved through the concept of sharing,
when man shares with brotherly human beings
coexistence, work, principles and interests,
so that we can build the world. God has
ordered us to do so [in the Holy Koran] saying:
“It is He Who hath produced you from
the earth and settled you therein.”
He said that the harmony week gives humans
back their humanity, goodness and
willingness to build the world, through joint
efforts, where all bets are placed on youth
from all faiths, to take part in such efforts
and help break the barriers of differences between
people.
Addressing the King, he said: “Your Majesty,
you are the descendant of the noble
family of the Prophet. It is people’s religious
duty to love you. All causes blood relations
and connections will be void on the Judgement
Day, except the blood line of Prophet
Mohammad, to whom you belong.”
For his part, Patriarch Theophilos III of
Jerusalem said that each year, “commitment
to the goals and ideals of this week has increased
around the world and has contributed
to the transformation of the life of local
communities, especially communities under
pressure”.
He said the 2010 UN resolution “crowned
over a decade of commitment by the General
Assembly to focus the attention of the world
in the creation of a culture of peace-building,
non-violence and mutual understanding
among the faithful of different religious traditions,
and it also highlighted the commitment
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
to this crucial endeavor”.
The Orthodox patriarch said that such values
are the great gift of both the Resolution
of the General Assembly and of the Royal
Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought,
which established the award program, adding:
“This annual prize-giving ceremony not
only awards those who have done outstanding
work in this arena, it also highlights the
many ventures around the world — a growing
number each year — which seek to promote
those values and virtues that are vital
to the common human future that we must
build together.”
Theophilos III congratulated the winners,
saying: “We congratulate this year’s prize
winners, and we encourage all those others
who have shared with us the work that you
are doing around the world. We bring to all
of you the spiritual blessings of Jerusalem,
the city that is holy and dear to us all.”
Bishop Munib A.Younan of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy
Land and president of the Lutheran World
Federation, started his remarks with conveying
greetings from the people of Jerusalem
to His Majesty and their prayers for peace
and justice, expressing their appreciation
and gratitude for the Hashemite custodianship
of the holy shrines and for everything
the Monarch does for Jerusalem.
Younan said that thanks to the King’s efforts
and consecutive initiatives, Jordan has
become the centre of world interfaith harmony
and the launching pad for spreading
these values among peoples and countries.
www.al-sahafa.us
He said: “In a time of globalised extremism,
where the mass media are giving negative
portrayals of religion and especially
which is quite often informed by Islamophobia,
we are pleased to find that there is
a yeast fermenting in many societies, a yeast
that is quietly transforming religious extremism
into religious moderation.”
The bishop added that these dynamic
forces would strengthen and empower those
people who are promoting moderation, and
courageously standing for the Common
Word initiative, which came from Jordan,
stressing that “true religion is a religion that
not only loves God, but our neighbor as ourselves”.
Younan said the prize laureates “are the
champions who will change our world for
Winners, cont’d on page 23
May 2014 • Page 17

Arab American Spotlight
Arab American Spotlight
Arab American Business Leader makes
$2 Million Gift to Arab American
National Museum
Lebanese American from Southwest
Detroit, alumnus of Kettering University
and Wayne State University, retired
Guardian Industries executive, current
Dearborn Club owner Russell J. Ebeid
remembers museum in his will
Dearborn, Mich. (April 15, 2014) –
Southeast Michigan businessman and
internationally renowned philanthropist
Russell J. Ebeid has made a $2 million
legacy gift to the Arab American National
Museum (AANM). This gift – the first
and largest of its kind in the history of the
AANM’s parent organization, ACCESS
– was announced during the 43rd annual
ACCESS Dinner last Saturday evening,
April 12, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance
Center in downtown Detroit.
The $2 million gift, specified in Ebeid’s
will, endows the Museum’s Arab American
Community Archive. Central to the
mission of the Museum, this archive
showcases the hard work and contributions
of Arab Americans, while ensuring
that the Arab American immigrant experience
is an integral part of the larger history
of our nation.
“I have decided to make this endowment
because I believe in our community,”
Ebeid explained Saturday night.
“I believe in supporting our institutions
and creating a loud and proud historical
heritage for our children, grandchildren
and the public for generations to come.
I trust that this legacy contribution in
my will can promote and enhance the
Museum’s prestige, as well as honor our
admirable predecessors. Therefore I hope
to inspire and challenge my fellow Arab
Americans, such as those gathered here
tonight, to participate with me in this
noble cause.”
“This is a tipping point in the way we
engage our individual donors,” says AC-
CESS Deputy Executive Director and
CFO Maha Freij. “This contribution
is five times larger than any other individual
gift we’ve ever received. We are
so thankful to Mr. Ebeid for breaking the
glass ceiling, for his leadership and for
believing in us.”
When he retired in 2011, completing a
tenure of more than 40 years, Ebeid was
board chairman emeritus at Guardian
Industries Corp. in Auburn Hills, Mich.,
and president of its Glass Group. As such,
he was responsible for the company’s
worldwide sales, marketing, and manufacturing
activities that are performed
by over 19,000 people employed in 24
countries on five continents. Guardian
Industries is the third-largest flat glass
producer in the world through its 83 facilities
with annual sales approaching $6
billion dollars. Prior to joining Guardian
in 1970, Ebeid was employed at General
Motors.
A Lebanese American, Russell Ebeid
grew up in Southwest Detroit. He received
his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical
Engineering in 1962 from Kettering University
(known then as General Motors
Institute), a Master of Science degree in
Industrial Engineering in 1968 from Detroit’s
Wayne State University, and has
received two Honorary Doctor degrees
in Management and Public Service. He
was named the National Arab American
Business Man of the Year in 2003 and
entered the Halls of Fame at Wayne State
University and the National Commission
for Cooperative Education. In 2010, he
was recognized as the Trader of the Year
for his work in promoting international
trade. Recently, he was awarded the Ellis
Island Medal of Honor.
In recognition of his philanthropic
contributions to the Ebeid Hospice Residence,
Ebeid Student Center, Ebeid Educational
Hall, and Ebeid Athletic Center
at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio,
and the Ebeid Family Scholarship Fund
for disadvantaged Arab American students
to attend his alma mater, Kettering
University, in Flint, Mich., he was
awarded the “Making an Impact Award”
by ACCESS in 2008. To honor his parents,
he provides scholarships to Lebanese
students in their ancestral home.
He was the lead sponsor of an Emmywinning
documentary titled Our Arab
American Story and the co-producer of a
medical film titled Ageing of Men.
Ebeid is the current owner of the Fairlane
Club in Dearborn. He currently
serves as a trustee for ProMedica Health
Systems and Lourdes University. He
has served as a director of the William
Davidson Institute at the University
of Michigan – an educational curriculum
designed to teach and promote free
market principles to the former socialist
and emerging economies of third-world
countries of the world.
He is a longstanding supporter and
member of the National Advisory Board
of the Arab American National Museum
and the Center for Arab American Philanthropy
(CAAP), another national initiative
of ACCESS. Through his scholarship
program housed at CAAP, he supports
the educational endeavors of students
of color at Kettering University in
Flint, Mich. and exemplifies the Center’s
Russell Ebeid
mission of strategic giving in the Arab
American community.
The Arab American National Museum
(AANM) documents, preserves and presents
Arab American history, culture and
contributions.
The AANM is accredited by the American
Alliance of Museums; an Affiliate of
the Smithsonian Institution; and a founding
member of the Immigration and Civil
Rights Network of the International Coalition
of Sites of Conscience.
The Museum is located at 13624
Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI, 48126.
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday; noon-5
p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday;
Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New
Year’s Day. Admission is $8 for adults;
$4 for students, seniors and children
6-12; ages 5 and under and Museum
Members, free.
Visit www.arabamericanmuseum.org
or call 313.582.2266 for further information.
May 2014 • Page 18
www.al-sahafa.us

Arab Culture Spotlight
Arab Culture Spotlight
When the Abaya becomes a style statement
By; Dhanusha Gokulan
(Khaleej Times)
The ‘abaya’ or a cloak is a simple, loose over-garment, essentially
a robe-like dress worn by women in parts of the
Muslim world. At least that is how the Internet defines the
abaya. But for Lamya Abedein who specializes in creating
chic, wearable, and fashionable abayas, the dress means
much more.
“Perhaps I would have to write a book on what the abaya
means to me. I cannot explain it in a few words,” laughs the
Emirati and owner of designer label Queen of Spades.
Khaleej Times caught up with this extraordinary selftaught
designer and multi-tasker who juggles between being
a successful businesswoman, a supportive wife, and a doting
mother of three children. Lamya is someone who has
customized, or changed the way the Arab world perceives an
abaya. She has steered clear of the ‘all black, and sequins at
the hem’ kind of designs. Her designs have seen reflections
of a unique form of traditional wear like the Indian saree, the
Japanese kimono, and sometimes pantaloons, too.
She is one among the first Emirati woman and designer to
have been recognized by international designers and have her
abayas exhibited in international stores like Galeries Lafayette
and Harvey Nichols. Perhaps it is her bold take on her
designs that caught international attention. Who would’ve
dreamt of fur or a brightly colored belt on an abaya?
Take her Betty Boop collection launched in 2010 for example.
She adorned it with polka dots, heart-shaped leather
frills, detachable aprons, and long red sleeves.
“My designs suit the tastes of the cosmopolitan woman. It
is for everyone and it is so because, the abaya is a very cool
thing to wear,” said Lamya.
“It is not just for the women in the Arab world. You can add
shawls, belts, colorful pockets and accessories on an abaya.
I got a lot of flak for adding a belt on the abaya, because it
brings out the shape of a woman. But you push the limits,
every single day,” said Lamya.
Lamya’s love for fashion began at a very young age and she
took a lot of inspiration from her grandmother.
“I would sometimes change my school uniform to make it
look more fashionable. I used to wear below the knee length
skirts, sometimes turn them around my school pants to look
like three-quarters, and sometimes try on cowboy pants, as
well. I was a very shy child in school,” she said.
After graduating with a bachelors degree in Business Administration
from Higher Colleges of Technology, Lamya
travelled and lived in several countries across the globe with
her husband. “When in college, I worked as an HR consultant
for special needs children. I had worked with special needs
schools across the UAE and I had placed several children
across various companies in Dubai. Of all the things I’ve
done, this is something I will be most proud of,” said Lamya.
“But the real jolt to create a fashion line and make a business
out of clothing began when I was staying in Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia,” she said. Abaya fabrics from KSA hold something
of a fascination for most women across the GCC. “The
fabric has a very dark shade of black and it looks very distinguished,”
said Lamya. “I began designing abayas for myself
and people would love seeing it on me. Slowly I began custom-making
them for people I knew and eventually I decided
to turn it into a business,” she added.
Queen of Spades
“I decided to name the company Queen of Spades, because
I refer to women wearing by abayas as Queens. They are special,
and one of a kind,” said Lamya.
A lot of her designs have vintage-inspired elements, including
pop colours and antique embellishments. “I love recreating
dresses from the 50s and 60s. I love playing with fabrics,
as well. I’ve used fleece, jacards, brocades, dyed fabrics, cotton
mix, and, brocades,” she added. For the 40th National
day celebrations of the UAE, Lamya created a 40-metre-long
abaya which was showcased atop the helipad of Burj Al Arab.
Lamya said: “My experiences in travelling has helped me a
lot in what I am doing right now. Dubai has a very cosmopolitan
environment and I am really happy that I can serve
my country.” Operational since 2009, Queen of Spades is
something like Lamya’s fourth baby.
“I spend a lot of time with my children. I have two sons
and a daughter, and I can proudly say that I don’t send them
to tutors. I teach and sit down for homework with them myself,”
said Lamya. When asked if she was ever worried about
running out of ideas, Lamya asked: “How can anyone, who
is constantly learning, and educating themselves run out of
ideas?”
www.al-sahafa.us
May 2014 • Page 19

May 2014 • Page 20
Middle East News
Assad seeks re-election
in poll in Syria
By Dominic Evans (Reuters)
Syrian President Bashar Assad
declared in April, he will seek reelection
in June, defying calls from
his opponents to step aside and allow
a political solution to end three
years of devastating civil war stemming
from protests against his rule.
Assad formally submitted his
nomination to Syria’s constitutional
court to stand in an election which
his Western and Arab foes have already
dismissed as a parody of democracy
amid the turmoil of Syria’s
conflict.
He is the seventh person to nominate himself in what is theoretically Syria’s first multicandidate
presidential vote, but none of his rivals are expected to mount a serious challenge
and end four decades of Assad family rule.
The announcement was made in parliament by speaker Mohammad al-Laham, who read
out Assad’s formal submission to the country’s constitutional court.
“I...Dr Bashar Hafez al Assad...wish to nominate myself for the post of president of the
republic, hoping that parliament will endorse it,” the letter said.
In a statement released just minutes after his candidacy was announced, Assad appealed
for calm, saying that any “demonstration of joy expressed by supporters of any candidate
for the presidency should be responsible”.
State media quoted him urging Syrians not to fire in the air because “we are living in an
atmosphere of elections which Syria is holding for the first time in its modern history”.
Syria’s opposition leaders in exile, who are barred from standing by a constitutional
clause requiring candidates to have lived in Syria continuously for 10 years, have dismissed
the vote as a charade.
The constitution also says candidates must have the backing of 35 members of the pro-
Assad parliament, effectively ruling out any dissenting voices from the campaign. More
than 150,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict, which started when protests
against his rule erupted in March 2011, inspired by uprisings across the Arab world.
Demonstrations were put down by force and the uprising became an armed insurgency
which now pits mainly Sunni Muslim rebels and foreign jihadis against forces loyal to
Assad, who is from Syria’s Alawite minority - an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.
The president has been backed by Iran and Russia and his soldiers have been reinforced
by Shi’ite fighters from Iraq and Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah, while regional Sunni
Muslim powers have backed the rebels.
Peace talks in Geneva brokered by international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi, who is widely
expected to announce his resignation soon, broke down in February.
Brahimi has warned that holding the presidential election on June 3 would present an
even greater challenge to reviving negotiations which were supposed to include discussion
of a transitional governing body in Syria including both opposition and government
representatives.
Palestinians say will
seek membership of
international bodies
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories:
The PLO’s central council
on Sunday adopted a plan to
pursue attempts to join 60 United
Nations bodies and international
agreements, according to a statement
from the governing body of
the Palestine Liberation Organization.
The council, under the auspices
of president Mahmud Abbas, “affirms
the need for the Palestinian
leadership to continue membership
of UN agencies and international
conventions, under the Palestinian plan that was adopted”, the Palestine
People’s Party secretary general Bassam al-Salhi said in a statement.
www.al-sahafa.us
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas gestures as he
gives a speech during a meeting with the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO)’s Central Council in the West Bank city of
Ramallah on April 26, 2014.
UNSC Commends Iraqi
People on Election
The United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) has commended
the broad participation of the Iraqi
population in the country’s parliamentary
elections held on Wednesday,
April 30th . In a statement,
the UNSC welcomed the Iraqi parliamentary
elections and urged all
political establishments in the Arab
country to facilitate the formation of
a new government.
“The members of the Security Council welcome the holding of timely parliamentary
elections in Iraq on 30 April, and commend the people of Iraq for demonstrating
their commitment to a peaceful, inclusive and democratic political process,” said the
statement, which was read out at the UN’s New York headquarters by the UNSC’s
rotating president in April, Nigerian UN Ambassador U. Joy Ogwu.
The statement added that the vote indicated that no act of violence or terrorism
can reverse a path toward peace, democracy and reconstruction in Iraq. Meanwhile,
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has described the Iraqi
parliamentary elections as a step forward in the development, stability and security
of independent Iraq. He said the “massive turnout in the elections proves there is no
room for terrorism in the future of the country.” Twenty million Iraqis were eligible
to vote in the polls. According to the country’s election commission, the turnout was
60 percent. Preliminary results are not expected for at least two weeks.

April 24, 2014:
Two journalists and two media organizations
have been charged with contempt before
the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Karma
Mohamed Tahsin al Khayat from Al-Jadeed
TV, as well as the station’s parent company
New TV S.A.L., have been summoned to appear
before the STL on two counts of Contempt
and Obstruction of Justice.
Ibrahim Mohamed Al Amin from Al Akhbar,
as well as the newspaper’s parent company
Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. have been summoned
on one count of Contempt and Obstruction
of Justice. The accused are being
charged under Rule 60 bis (A) of the Rules of
Procedure and Evidence and all the charges
relate to the Ayyash et al. case.
The charges follow an investigation into
three events by an amicus curiae, Stéphane
Bourgon, who was appointed by the Registrar
on the request of the Contempt Judge,
David Baragwanath. Following reports by
the amicus, Judge Baragwanath concluded
Middle East News
Special Tribunal for Lebanon issues
summons to appear in contempt cases
that there was prima facie evidence in two
of these events that justify proceedings for
contempt. The investigation continues in the
third.
New TV S.A.L. and Karma Mohamed Tahsin
al Khayat are charged with:
· knowingly and wilfully interfering
with the administration of justice by broadcasting
and/or publishing information on purported
confidential witnesses.
· knowingly and wilfully interfering
with the administration of justice by failing
to remove from Al Jadeed TV’s website and
Al Jadeed TV’s YouTube channel information
on purported confidential witnesses.
Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and Ibrahim Mohamed
Al Amin are charged with:
· knowingly and wilfully interfering
with the administration of justice by publishing
information on purported confidential
witnesses in the Ayyash et al. case.
In his decision the Contempt Judge clarified
that publishing purported names of witnesses
may amount to interference with the
administration of justice, because it reduces
the confidence of both actual witnesses and
the public, in the ability and the will of the
Tribunal to protect its witnesses. Judge
Baragwanath has now recused himself from
the case and Judge Nicola Lettieri will hear
the case. A new amicus curiae will prosecute
the Accused (please see press release ‘STL
Appoints New Amicus Curiae’).
In his decision Judge Baragwanath wrote
about the vital principles of freedom of expression,
including freedom of the press, and
the proper administration of justice. Judge
Baragwanath stressed that the importance of
the press “as the eyes, ears and voice of the
community is at its highest when confronted
with the power of public decision-makers,
such as judges”. However the decision went
on to stress that like judges, and the rest of
the community, the media must comply with
the law. “Nothing is more fundamental to the
rule of law than that there must be no deliberate
interference with the administration of
justice”. This “leaves intact the ability of the
press otherwise to comment on the Tribunal’s
work, including criticizing it”. The accused
may choose whether to appear at the court in
person or by video-link. The initial appearances
of the accused are scheduled for May
13 2014.
***Notes to Readers:
1. An amicus curiae is an independent
party who appears in court or otherwise provides
their legal opinion on matters or legal
issues in order to assist the court in its deliberations.
2. Prima facie means “on the face of it”.
In this context it is (a relatively low) evidentiary
standard that a Prosecutor (here the amicus
curiae) must meet to satisfy a court that
an accused has a case to answer in a criminal
proceeding.
3. Recuse means to withdraw from an
act of judging due to a potential conflict of
interest.
Almost 60 Royal Mummies Discovered
in Egypt's Valley of the Kings
A cachet of royal mummies has been
unearthed inside a rock-hewn tomb in the
Valley of the Kings on Luxor's West Bank,
Egypt's antiquities ministry announced.
The tomb contains almost 60 ancient
Egyptian royal mummies from the 18th
dynasty along with the remains of wooden
sarcophagi and cartonnage mummy
masks depicting the facial features of the
deceased, Antiquities Minister Mohamed
Ibrahim told Ahram Online. Ibrahim explained
that the excavation work was carried
out in collaboration with Basel University
in Switzerland.
Early studies reveal that the Heratic texts
engraved on some of the clay pots found
inside the tomb identify the names and titles
of 30 deceased, among them the names
of princesses mentioned for the first time
– Ta-Im-Wag-Is and Neferonebo.
Anthropological studies and scientific
examination of the found clay fragments
will be carried out to identify all the mummies
and determine the tomb's owner and
his respective mummy, said Ali El-Asfar,
head of the ministry's ancient Egyptian antiquities
section.
The head of the Swiss archaeological
mission – Swiss Egyptologist Helena Ballin
– said that among the finds were wellpreserved
mummies of infant children as
well as a large collection of funerary objects.
She said that remains of wooden sarcophagi
were also unearthed, proving that the
tomb was reused by priests as a cemetery.
Early examinations of the tomb reveal that
it has been subjected to theft several times
since antiquity, said Ballin.
www.al-sahafa.us
May 2014 • Page 21

Middle East News
What’s Saudi got to do with it? Why KSA is becoming
a game-changer in Dubai’s tourism industry
Saudi tourists played a vital role in boosting the
Dubai tourism sector last year. The Kingdom, which
has consistently been Dubai’s primary source market,
experienced a big boost with guest numbers up by 19.9
percent to 1.35 million. In 2012, Dubai received 1.13
million visitors from Saudi Arabia.
In total, Dubai’s hotels welcomed more than 11 million
guests in 2013, an increase of just over one million
on the 2012 numbers. According to statistics released
by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce
Marketing (DTCM), Saudi Arabia (1,353,819),
India (888,835), the UK (758,657), the United States
(510,423), Russia (403,990), Kuwait (336,032), Germany
(324,352), Oman (290,826), Iran (277,847) and
China (275,675) made up the top 10 for the January-
December 2013 period.
Australia (269,147), Pakistan (259,457), Egypt
(207,327), France (186,438), Qatar (171,742), Philippines
(135,638), Italy (132,992), Jordan (119,602),
Lebanon (111,682) and the Netherlands (100,934) are
the other toppers.
Guest numbers across all hotel establishments (hotels
and hotel apartments) in 2013 reached 11,012,487, a
10.6 percent increase on the 9,957,161of 2012.
guests in 2013 is a positive first step on our journey to
2020. Having announced the Tourism Vision for 2020
in May 2013, a 10.6 percent growth in hotel establishment
guests demonstrates that we are on the track to
double the 10 million tourists received in 2012 to 20
million per year by 2020 and is an affirmation of the
destination’s ever increasing appeal,” says Helal Saeed
Almarri, director general of DTCM.
The Australian market experienced the most growth,
with numbers up by 39 percent from more than 193,000
in 2012 to more than 269,000 in 2013. China ranked
10th also continued to show a significant increase, with
visitors up by 11 percent. Revenues for hoteliers and
hotel apartment operators saw significant growth with
total revenues up by 16.1 percent reaching AED21.84
billion for 2013.
Occupancy rates for hotels’ rooms and apartments increased
from 78 percent to 80 percent, while the occupancy
rate for hotel apartments was 82 percent, up 6.5
percent when compared to 2012.
The number of hotel rooms and apartments at the end
of 2013 amounted to a total of 84,534 (611 establishments)
compared to 80,414 (599 establishments) in
2012, representing an increase of over 5 percent.
there will be an additional 141 hotel establishments
added to the market, including 99 hotels and 48 hotel
apartments, bringing the total to 751 hotel establishments
and just under 114,000 rooms.
“A 16.1 percent increase in revenues for our hoteliers
is an indicator of the healthy state of the hospitality industry
while an occupancy rate of 82 percent demonstrates
to the hotel investment industry that Dubai is
one of the world’s most attractive investment opportunities.
In order to provide accommodation for our targeted
visitor numbers for 2020, we estimate the need
for a total of around 140,000 to 160,000 rooms and will
work closely with the investment industry to make this
happen,” Almarri added.
“The strong growth shown in hotel establishment
May 2014 • Page 22
In the current development pipeline for 2014-2016,
Enterprising Saudi kids are “rolling” in it with
lucrative skating street jobs
Many Saudi roller skaters are using their favorite
pastime to make money. Advertising companies are
employing these youths to distribute brochures among
motorists on the Kingdom’s streets as an effective
way of reaching consumers. Nayef Bahshaiman, a
secondary school student, said distributing brochures
on roller skates was met with approval from the public.
The practice gives young Saudis an opportunity
to usefully utilize their spare time and many of them
make up to SR100 (USD 28) a day.
Bahshaiman said he was hired more than a year ago
and he spent around three hours a day distributing
brochures while roller skating. Abdulghani Khojah
said this was his first year in the job and it provided
him with a good income that exceeded SR3,000 (USD
800) a month. Khojah does not work for any particular
company. Instead, he distributes brochures of different
agencies on a freelance basis. “It is not a job by
itself, but it provides an additional source of income
and allows young Saudis to utilize their free time to
their benefit,” he said. He hopes that concerned government
bodies would regularize their work. Khojah
said he worked from late afternoon to early evening at
crowded locations defined by companies. He said he
and his friends try to entertain the public with rollerskating
moves while distributing brochures. Shafei
Al-Naqr said he had been doing this job for four years.
He said he worked during school vacations and made
up to SR4,000 (USD 1066) a month in some seasons.
“An increasing number of advertising companies
www.al-sahafa.us
are relying on youngsters to reach consumers. They
have realized that these youths have a lot of energy
that they can harness to their advantage,” he said.

Middle East News
Coca Cola pledges $500
million investment in Egypt
Coca-Cola pledges to invest $500
million in Egypt over the next three
years in the form of capital expenditures
and other commercial and community
programs.
The company’s CEO Ahmet Bozer
announced investment plans in a meeting
with the newly appointed Prime
Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and Minister
of Investment Mounir Fakhry Abdel
Nour.
As part of its investment, Coca-Cola
plans to refurbish 100 rural villages by
2020 under the Egypt livelihood community program.
Coca-Cola Egypt, which exports to over 40 countries, has been working in the
country for 70 years and currently employs 12,000 Egyptians.
The company recorded more than $8.6 billion in consolidated net profits in 2013,
a five percent drop from the previous year.
Last month, the closure of four Coca Cola bottling plants in Spain spurred strikes
by hundreds of workers fearing job loss.
Drive Thru, cont’d from page 10
ger kicks in. But one camel jockey in Qatar
found the solution in the shape of the
Burger King drive-through. In a hilarious
video uploaded to YouTube, a man rides
his camel up to the takeaway window and
orders a cheeseburger, all the time in conversation
with his trusty steed.
As money exchanges hands, the camel
stands by nonchalantly as the burger is
handed to the rider. The whole zany scene was caught on camera by a driver in
the car behind the camel in the queue. And when the deal is done and the burger is
purchased, the camel, the jockey and the guide head off down the street, perhaps to
do some more shopping.
Gigi, cont’d from page 10
foreheads touching and Cody holding onto his model girlfriend’s waist.
Both teenagers rocked cool beach-style attire suited for the “Surfboard” track.
Another intimate shot showed the love birds on the verge of locking lips, while
Gigi channeled a gorgeous and dreamy mermaid Goddess in a plunging white dress.
In-between takes, Gigi posted an adorable selfie of her arms around Cody’s neck,
and another of her planting a kiss on his cheek. Aww!
Although Gigi is no stranger to cameras, this is the swimwear model’s first experience
shooting a music video! When asked by a Twitter fan what she loved most
about appearing in Cody’s video, she replied, ‘getting to hang with my best friend
all day.’
Winners, cont’d from page 17
the better. These champions are essential to our social progress when we find ourselves in
times of separation and prejudice against the other”.
He added the role of religious leaders to strengthen and empower every initiative that
hopes to transform extremism to moderation and denial to acceptance of the other.
“Today, it is our role to pull down walls of separation, hatred, prejudice and fear. Now is
the acceptable time for humanity to seek mutual acceptance. We as Christians in Jordan are
committed for this peace work and education, because with your guidance, King Abdullah
II, we have a role model par excellence…. We promise, Your Majesty, that Arab Christians
will continue to be the voice of Arab Muslims that we know and are our good neighbors
wherever we are. It is the call of God to everyone of us to be the voice of harmony.”
Jordan last year hosted a conference on the challenges facing Christian Arabs and ways to
address them, with a view to preserve the role played by Arab Christians and protect their
existence, especially in Jerusalem, and their contribution to Arab Islamic culture.
Speaking on behalf of the winners, Father Sebastiano D’Ambra said: “We are honored to
be here for this event not only to receive, but also to express our gratitude to Your Majesty
and those who are helping you in the promotion of the World Interfaith Harmony Week.”
He added that the Silsilah Dialogue Movement he represented started with Muslims and
Christians in the Philippines, following the outbreak of a conflict that had resulted in a lot
of victims. The Silsilah Dialogue Movement, D’Ambra noted, was formed with the hope to
build peace starting from a spiritual aspect of dialogue based on love.
He stressed that his movement welcomed the new initiative with great joy “because we
believe in this approach and since the beginning we have emphasized a dialogue and peace
approach based on love of God, love of neighbor”.
In 2012, the group engaged many people in the city of Zamboanga to celebrate this special
week together. “We encouraged the National Ulama Council of the Philippines to take the
lead” and entrench the values of the interfaith week.
The interfaith activist added that the winners of the award are striving equally hard to
promote peace in their respective countries, and it is a great encouragement to meet them,
exchange ideas and experiences, and to participate in this global solidarity of love of God
and love of the neighbor.
Member of the award jury Father Nabil Haddad told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that
in its second edition, the award is characterized by holding the name of King Abdullah, who
took the initiative and presented it to the world. He noted that the idea of the award is to
pick the most suitable activities that stand for the concept behind World Interfaith Harmony
Week and help spread a culture of harmony among the followers of different faiths, based
on the values of love of God and love of neighbor, and for non-monotheistic religions, love
of good and love of neighbor.
He said the jury panel had received several nominations from the world, adding that focus
is not only on interfaith, but also on humanization of this dialogue and making sure it
reaches youth and society.
World interfaith harmony, Father Haddad added, is an idea that sprang from Amman and
was presented to the entire world. “Every day, we present from Amman a model for the
entire world, reflecting the achievements our society witnesses based on the vision of the
Hashemite leadership, based on love of God and love of neighbor. This is what we find in
every Jordanian household and we are proud of it. We give that to the world and ask people
to come and see what we have.”
The ceremony was attended by HRH Prince Ghazi, King’s chief adviser for religious
and cultural affairs and personal envoy, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, King’s Office
Director Imad Fakhoury, Kingdom’s Grand Mufti Abdul Karim Khasawneh, senior officials
and guests.
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May 2014 • Page 23

May 2014 • Page 24
www.al-sahafa.us