ThysdrusRoman Coliseum of El-Jem

Panem et Circensis

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Location: Tunis, Tunisia, Tunisia

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

A Look At The Wearing Of Veils Across The Muslim World

Via The Associated Press:

EGYPT: An estimated 70-80 percent of Egyptian Muslim women wear a headscarf, and an increasing number also wear the face veil, or niqab, although the overall number wearing the niqab remains small. The secular government does not encourage the wearing of scarves or veils worried they are a sign of Islamic exremist political opposition. Disputes on the issue can be sharp.

SAUDI ARABIA: All women are required to wear a full black cloak, called an abaya, and a headscarf. Saudi women are also expected to wear a face veil. They can be harassed by religious police, supported by the government, if they do not. Despite that, more women have stopped wearing the face veil in parts of the country.

IRAN: Women in this overwhelmingly Shiite Muslim nation wear a headscarf in public and many also wear a cloak called a chador. Laws in place since the 1979 Islamic revolution require women to cover their hair and wear clothes that hide their shapes. Most women do not, however, cover their faces.

IRAQ: Many women wear a headscarf and others wear a full face veil although secular women are often unveiled. Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the rise of a Shiite-dominated government, armed men have sometimes forced women to cover their heads in parts of the country, or face punishment. In some areas of the heavily Shiite south, even Christian women have been forced to wear headscarves.

KUWAIT: The face veil, or niqab, traditionally was worn by Bedouin women here, but in the last decade, it has become identified with Islamic fundamentalists. Its use is markedly up, especially among college students studying law and Islamic law. The use of headscarves also is up, including among school girls around the age of 10. In the years after Kuwait's 1991 liberation from Iraq, the niqab was an issue between liberal lawmakers and religious extremists, but it has since faded away from public debate although disputes flare occasionally.

LEBANON: The wearing of headscarves has risen since the 1980s, even though Lebanon is generally more liberal than other Mideast countries and also has larger Christian and secular communities. Women who support Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group, wear headscarves generally and some wear the Iranian-style chador, which covers the hair and body but not the face or hands.

SYRIA: The wearing of headscarves is up, even though the government of this majority Sunni country remains secular. Only a small number, however, wear the face veil, or niqab. One leading cleric, Sheik Salah Keftaro, has said that the niqab is foreign to Syria but that those who wish to wear it will not be harassed.

JORDAN: Many women wear the headscarf, and conservative women are often required by their families to wear it, or encourage others to wear it. But the issue has not become a raging public debate. Jordan's Queen Rania, who does not wear a headscarf, told U.S. talk show host Oprah in a recent appearance that women in Jordan were free to choose.

TUNISIA: This tiny north African country has banned headscarves in many public places since the 1980s worried about about Islamic opposition to its secular government. In mid-October, authorities launched another public campaign against the scarf with top officials calling it sectarian. Despite the ban, the use of headscarves has risen in recent years. (I wonder what's the reason behind singling Tunisia out as "This tiny north african country"...)

MALAYSIA: Headscarves, called the tudung, began coming into vogue about 15 years ago as part of an Islamic revival, and there now is family and societal pressure on women, including university students and women in rural and conservative areas, to wear the scarf to show they are good Muslims. Almost all women government ministers also wear headscarves. But Malay women do not wear face veils. Malaysia is about 60 percent Muslim.

INDONESIA: Headscarf use also is up in Indonesia, as part of a larger trend toward Islamization overall. Very few women, however, wear full veils covering the face. Indonesia is a secular nation with the world's largest Muslim population some 190 million people. Former dictator Suharto, who was forced from power in 1998, saw Islamic political parties as a threat and for years banned civil servants and school children from wearing scarves. But since his ouster, more than 20 local governments have issued Islamic law-inspired bylaws encouraging their use, and one province, Aceh, has made it mandatory. Officers can pull over women if their heads are uncovered.

TURKEY: Headscarves are banned in all government offices and institutions, but there has been some unofficial relaxation of the ban under governments led by Islamic-oriented parties in recent years. There has been a noticeable increase, since then, in the number of women wearing headscarves in Turkey's main cities, Istanbul and Ankara.

Halloween Frenzy

You Tube, A Friend Or A Foe?

A piece in today's The Washington Post that looks at the growing discomfort among big media companies vis-à-vis You Tube, which they consider as a threat that could siphon off their TV audiences and ad dollars or a powerful promotion machine that could generate buzz for the shows.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Honeybee Genome May Shed Light on Social Evolution

An interesting piece in today's The Washington Post which states that Genetic exploration of certain insects ( the honeybee) may shed light on the biology of togetherness and cooperation found in humans.

Friday, October 27, 2006

عيد ميلاد سعيد يا جزيرة

بعد أن قرأت هذا الخبر عبر موقع إيلاف بحثت في موقع قناة الجزيرة بدون جدوى عن أي تنديد ضدّ الحكومة القطرية وسياسة التطبيع الرّخيصة والمقنّعة التي تنتهجها هذه الدويلة مع العدوّ الصهيوني وتذكرت الحملة الشّعواء التي شنتها تلك القناة ضدّ تونس عندما وجهت دعوة لأرييل شارون للمشاركة في قمّة مجتمع المعلومات بتونس في نوفمبر 2005 وهنا لا يسعني إلاّ أن أقول هنيئا لك يا قطر بهذا النصر المبين وهنيئاللشعب القطري الشّقيق بما تحقّق لهم من مكاسب على درب الدّيموقراطيّة وحرّية التعبير! ولنشرب كأسا على نخب عرى الصّداقة والمودّة القطرية الإسرائيلية! عيد ميلاد سعيد يا جزيرة ! وكل عام وقطر بألف خير!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Tarek & Al-Jazeera

It seems that Tarek's recent post on Al-Jazeera is not appealing to a minority of readers (and that's more than normal), but the fact of gratuitously ignoring the matrix of the story and letting the bridle loose to irresponsable and childish attacks on Tarek, is not acceptable.When will be the time we will learn how to conduct an objective and constructive debate??? Ya dhnoubi...

La Chasse Aux Musulmans A Roissy



Lutte contre le terrorisme? Y'a-t-il des limites?

Stories In Stone: Tunisian Roman Mosaics Exhibit In Los Angeles

Starting today October 26, 2006 through April 30, 2006, the Getty Villa Museum, Los Angeles, is hosting an interesting exhibition of tunisian roman mosaics. This exhibition features colorful and elaborate stories of nature, theater and spectale, and gods and myths told in stone. This exhibit is the fruit of a joint effort between Getty Villa Museum, Los Angeles and the Institut National du Patrimoine in Tunisia.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

عيدكم مبروك و كل عام وأنتم بخير



Wish you all a happy and blessed Eid Al-Fitr.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Les Blogs Tunisiens Pendant Le Ramadan

Aprés son premier article sur la blogosphère tunisienne, Z.H du journal Tunis Hebdo fait un petit tour sur les blogs tunisiens pendant le mois de Ramadan et se demande Comment les blogueurs et les blogueuses voient-ils le Ramadan ? Quels sentiments, quelles impressions, quels centres d’intérêt ont-ils en cette période de l’année ? Un regard de blogueur qui n’est pas blagueur…

Tunisie: Voyage Nocturne A Travers Les Urgences Dans Les Hôpitaux

Un excellent article paru, ce jour, dans le journal Le Temps et qui évoque avec beaucoup de transparence et d'audace la situation des urgences dans certains de nos hôpitaux en Tunisie.

NB: l'article sus-mentionné a été publié le 09/10/2006.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Washington DC Arabian Sights 2006

The Eleventh Annual Arabian Sights Film Festival in Washington DC will start October 26 through November 5, 2006. This year's program includes a variety of movies from different arab countries notably Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine. This year, Tunisia will be represented by Salma Baccar's movie "Khochkhach" (October 28 and 29, 2006) and Naceur Khemir's "The Prince that Contemplated His Soul"( October 27 and 28, 2006.

Drôle D'annonce

Un ami m'a notifié de cette annonce publiée, ce jour, dans la version électronique du journal La Presse.

Tunis : Construction, Bâtie En Un Temps Record


C’est du jamais vu à Tunis, moins de 50 jours ont été suffisants pour la réalisation d'une somptueuse construction de quelques milliers de m2.

Ce bâtiment imposant qui sera inauguré prochainement et dont le maître d'ouvrage est Dubai Holding Group a été construit par l’entreprise Chaabane & Co, en un temps record de un mois et 20 jours. Lire la suite...
Source Babnet

Magharebia: Tunisian Bloggers Discuss Religion And Unemployment

I was 100% sure Magharebia will raise this issue and of course exploit it to serve its own and known agenda...

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Boycotter Hannibal TV?


Il semble que l'affaire entre Hannibal TV et Sigma Conseil a pris des proportions inquiétantes, selon Babnet.C'est la première fois que j'entends parler d'un tel conseil et puis pourquoi boycotter une chaine qui plaise aux téléspectateurs?

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Edible & Ethical Fashion


Just forget about the previous post and check how some of the tastiest fruit and veg is no longer just for eating -- the ethical fashion industry has decided it has a place in your wardrobe too.

International Day For The Eradication of Poverty

Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It is a day set aside by the United Nations for all peoples of the world to stand up and fight against poverty.

This young girl is one of millions condemned to poverty.(Photo: UN/DPI)

Execution Of A Teenage Girl



Un documentaire émouvant!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Captive Bodies


I came across this neat website and this article caught my attention : it is about the latest play "Corps Otages" directed by Fadhel Jaïbi and featuring Jalila Baccar.

Reading this and this, I am totally confused...

Friday, October 13, 2006

Ice Cream For Dogs

Ben & Jerry's ice cream maker Good Humor and pet-food producer Pedigree will produce ice cream sandwiches for dogs (rabbi y7ebbis alina el 3a9el!). Many dogs are lactose intolerant and cannot eat ice cream ( ya ltif!), the companies said. Pedigree Ice Cream Sandwich Treats for Dogs will be dairy-based and have the same texture as ice cream, but contain only 1% lactose. The treats will also have added protein and no sugar (hedhi 9altelhoum ousktou!Ash koun ya3rif belik femme kleb 7achekoum mourdha bi soukker!). The companies plan to sell packages of 24 frozen treats for $3.99 ! ( we khelli jma3et Darfour ymoutou bi 9loubhem!)

Source : The Express بتصرّف

Jeune Afrique Finalement Online!

Le magazine Jeune Afrique propose désormais à ses internautes une édition digitale disponible sur son site web www.jeuneafrique.com.

Source:Babnet

Are You Paraskevidekatriaphobic?

People may fear snakes (ophidiophobia),giving a speecch (glossophobia),heights (acrophobia),rodents (musophobia) and flying (aviophobia) but there are those who just fear Friday 13, those are called Paraskevidekatriaphobic.Read more...

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Is It Politically Correct To Attack Islam?

Today's New York Times has an article in which the writer argues that Europe appears to be crossing an invisible line regarding its Muslim minorities: more people in the political mainstream are arguing that Islam cannot be reconciled with European values.

Moreover, those who have contributed in writing this article state that
Many experts note that there is a deep and troubled history between Islam and Europe, with the Crusaders and the Ottoman Empire jostling each other for centuries and bloodily defining the boundaries of Christianity and Islam. A sense of guilt over Europe’s colonial past and then World War II, when intolerance exploded into mass murder, allowed a large migration to occur without any uncomfortable debates over the real differences between migrant and host.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Tunisie: Abolir La Loi Sur L'Héritage?


Cet article par Magharebia, évoque la question d'héritage en Tunisie et met l'accent sur les recents appels de l'Association des Femmes Démocrates exigeant l'abolition de la loi sur l'héritage et ce au nom de l'égalité entre hommes et femmes.Je me demande qui est pour et qui est contre?

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Cremation Through Freezer Burn

Preston, England, is offering a new option for families of the deceased- freezing the body, the Sun Reported. Through the process-called promession-the body and coffin are dipped in liquid nitrogen kept at -320 degrees Fahrenheit. The brittle pieces are then put on a vibrating pad which disintegrates them into powder; metal separators picks up artificial items. The dust is then given to families in a biodegradable box. (AP)
Source: The Express

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Quote Of The Day

"Politicians are alot like diapers they should be changed frequently, for the same reason"

Robin Williams from his new movie “Man of The Year

Friday, October 06, 2006

3mor Larneb

Magharebia Blog Review

This is Magharebia's recent North African blogs review.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Luggage...


Bagages...
Uploaded by piRjtull

Dancing World Tour 2

This is the first video clip I post in this blog. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Angelina's Arabic Tattoo



Joke Of The Day

Have you ever heard the story of the drowning man who called to God to save him?

Alone and treading water in the middle of the sea, he was soon visited by a navy vessel. The crew offered help, but the man refused.

“God will save me!”, he asserted, “I wait upon Him!”

Then, a cargo ship arrived, but the man refused again.

When a helicopter hovered above and lowered a rope, the man refused.

Later, the man drowned to death and was face to face with God Himself.

“Why didn’t you save me, Lord?”, asked the man.

“What? I sent two boats and a helicopter”, replied God, “What more was I to do?”

Picture Of The Day

Somewhere in the US...

Somewhere in Tunisia...

Who said we didn't have our own 7-Eleven?!;)

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Apple Mecca Or Is It?


I came across this picture via Sam's World. I wonder what's your firsthand reaction. Before that take a look at Sam's post about this subject.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Everyone's Jewish Until Proven Otherwise

The following is an article by syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer on some world leaders who were outed as Jews.

Source The Chicago Tribune

Tardy Parents Get Sent To Detention



NEW YORK, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A school in New York has adopted a policy that sends parents to detention if they show up late to drop off their children.

The New York Post reported that the Manhattan School for Children, an elite public school that has been nationally recognized, adopted the new rule in order to motivate parents to deliver their children to school on time in the mornings.

Under the policy, tardy parents must pick up a late slip in the office and then go to the auditorium for a 20-minute time out.

The new policy was announced in a letter to parents last summer. Still, as many as five parents a day have reportedly been sent into detention, the Post said.

Some parents denounce the rule as silly and going too far, the report said. Others believe in it, saying it's a real source of morning motivation.

Who can do better??