Post by peterd on Jan 13, 2008 17:26:30 GMT -8
Education Director To Girls: Get Married If You Don’t Have The Means To Go To High School
Twenty-eight girls living in the dormitory of an elementary boarding school in a village of the eastern Turkish city of Elazig who walk 4 km each way every day to go to high school in the nearest town, wrote to the regional education director to request bus service. When the students received no response to their written application, they requested a meeting with the director. During the face-to-face meeting with the director, the girls explained how difficult it was for them to walk this distance every day and how they were going hungry too.
Education Director Yasef Kaya reportedly told the girls, "You are not obligated to attend high school. You can study if you have the means; otherwise go and get married."
Source: Milliyet, Turkey, January 9, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4489.htm
*Fath Al-Islam Commander Threatens Lebanese Military: "Oh Protectors of the Jews... This Battle Was [Only] the Beginning"
On January 8, 2008, the Islamist forum ek-ls.org (hosted by NOC4Hosts Inc., in Florida, USA) posted an audio recording claimed to be by Lebanese terrorist group Fath Al-Islam commander Shaker Al-'Absi.
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4478.htm
*Saudi Mothers Allowed To Attend Sons' School Honors Ceremony
In an unprecedented step, the Administration of Boys' Culture and Education in the Taaf region of Saudi Arabia allowed mothers of outstanding pupils to attend a January 7 ceremony honoring their sons.
Because of the ban on men and women mixing, the women were assigned to a separate hall, where they watched over closed circuit television.
In the Saudi street, many rejected the initiative, while supporters stated that it was an appropriate way to honor the mothers who work hard for their children's success.
Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, January 9, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4476.htm
*Egypt's Ministry of Religious Endowments To Oversee Mosques
Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowments Dr. Muhammad Hamdi Zaqazouq has announced that during 2008 all mosques in Egypt will be placed under the oversight of his ministry.
The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt criticized the move, saying that a dictatorial political trend aimed at politicizing religion was behind it.
Source: Al-Hayat, London, January 6, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4444.htm
*Committee of Jordanian Detainees Sues Syria In U.N.
The head of the Committee of Jordanian Detainees in Syrian Prisons Abd Al-Karim Al-Sarida said that the committee had decided to submit a lawsuit against Syria to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, and also to erect a protest tent in front of the Syrian Embassy in Amman with the demand to free Jordanian prisoners from Syrian jails.
Source: syria-news.com, January 6, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4431.htm
*Saudi Human Rights Association Acts To Protect Detained Blogger
The Association for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia has asked the Saudi Interior Ministry to permit the family of blogger Fuad Al-Farhan, who has been detained since December 10, to visit him (see Arrested Saudi Reformist Blogger Being Held Without Bond, At Unknown Location).
Director of the association's monitoring committee Saleh Al-Khathlan said that if Farhan's detention is connected to the content of his blog, it is against Saudi publication regulations, which are meant to ensure freedom of expression.
Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Al-Turki said that Farhan was arrested so that an investigation could be carried out against him regarding suspicions not connected to security matters.
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4425.htm
*Palestinian Opposition Conference Planned For Damascus Late This Month
Palestinian sources are reporting that the Palestinian opposition factions will hold a conference in Damascus January 23-25.
Hamas political bureau member Muhammad Nazal said that the conference will discuss issues such as the refugees, Jerusalem, borders, and the Palestinian state. He noted that Fatah had also been invited to attend the conference.
Nazal clarified that there was no conflict between this conference and one that had been planned to take place in Iran, which is still expected be held.
Source: Al-Hayat, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, January 5, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4423.htm
FROM THE MEMRI TURKEY BLOG www.thememriblog.org/turkey
*Islamist Columnist: Jesus Came To Turn His People To Islam
Yahya Coskun of the Islamist Turkish daily Milli Gazete wrote in his column that the Prophet Jesus wanted to turn the Jews away from their distorted book and invited them to the real book of Islam, and continued, "Naturally, the Kabbalist Zionists did not like this. Jesus came to world as a prophet of Islam to correct people, but he was first ignored, then mocked, then threatened and finally his book was also distorted. And those who did that were the same Kabbalist, Talmudist, racist imperialists that had given so much trouble to Prophet Moses and are still stirring trouble in the entire world.
"Kabbala is the book of black magic related to satanic forces that the Jews believed and followed long before Prophet Moses was given his holy mission. Masonism is also affected by the Kabbalist teaching."
Source: Milli Gazete, Turkey, January 1, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4492.htm
*Gul-Bush Meeting Shows Warming In Turkish-American Alliance
After a breakfast meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, followed by a meeting with Vice-President Dick Chaney, Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House. Following their meeting the two leaders told reporters that the U.S. Turkish alliance is an old and important one that will be further advanced through cooperation on regional and global issues to serve world peace and prosperity.
Both men reiterated their commitment to fight terrorism and the PKK, their common enemy. President Bush also said that throughout his presidency he has supported Turkey’s EU membership because Turkey is both a Muslim and democratic country that can set an example and act as a bridge.
The two leaders discussed Iraq, energy matters and the Middle East peace plan.
Source: Hurriyet, Turkey, January 8, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4465.htm
*Iran Builds Wall To Secure Against PKK
The mainstream Turkish daily Sabah reported that Iran has begun building a four-kilometer wall along its border with Iraq, against the PKK. The wall starts at the Hadji Umran border crossing and is similar to the wall built by Israel against the Palestinian areas. Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq are objecting to the wall being built by Iran.
Source: Sabah, Turkey, January 7, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4453.htm
*Turkish Hizbullah Would Begin Killing If Not For The Arrests
The number of people with links to Hizbullah arrested in series of operations has reached 83. Turkish security teams of counter-terrorism raided 40 homes and workplaces in Van yesterday, arrested 37 members of the organization, and seized many documents.
It was said that the organization that had lost power following the death of its leader Huseyin Velioglu in 2000 regrouped and became active recently. Its members were involved in cigarette smuggling, extortions of money from citizens with death threats. Security authorities said that had they delayed the operations, killings by the organization would begin.
Source: Vatan, Turkey, January 7, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4452.htm
Twenty-eight girls living in the dormitory of an elementary boarding school in a village of the eastern Turkish city of Elazig who walk 4 km each way every day to go to high school in the nearest town, wrote to the regional education director to request bus service. When the students received no response to their written application, they requested a meeting with the director. During the face-to-face meeting with the director, the girls explained how difficult it was for them to walk this distance every day and how they were going hungry too.
Education Director Yasef Kaya reportedly told the girls, "You are not obligated to attend high school. You can study if you have the means; otherwise go and get married."
Source: Milliyet, Turkey, January 9, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4489.htm
*Fath Al-Islam Commander Threatens Lebanese Military: "Oh Protectors of the Jews... This Battle Was [Only] the Beginning"
On January 8, 2008, the Islamist forum ek-ls.org (hosted by NOC4Hosts Inc., in Florida, USA) posted an audio recording claimed to be by Lebanese terrorist group Fath Al-Islam commander Shaker Al-'Absi.
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4478.htm
*Saudi Mothers Allowed To Attend Sons' School Honors Ceremony
In an unprecedented step, the Administration of Boys' Culture and Education in the Taaf region of Saudi Arabia allowed mothers of outstanding pupils to attend a January 7 ceremony honoring their sons.
Because of the ban on men and women mixing, the women were assigned to a separate hall, where they watched over closed circuit television.
In the Saudi street, many rejected the initiative, while supporters stated that it was an appropriate way to honor the mothers who work hard for their children's success.
Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, January 9, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4476.htm
*Egypt's Ministry of Religious Endowments To Oversee Mosques
Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowments Dr. Muhammad Hamdi Zaqazouq has announced that during 2008 all mosques in Egypt will be placed under the oversight of his ministry.
The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt criticized the move, saying that a dictatorial political trend aimed at politicizing religion was behind it.
Source: Al-Hayat, London, January 6, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4444.htm
*Committee of Jordanian Detainees Sues Syria In U.N.
The head of the Committee of Jordanian Detainees in Syrian Prisons Abd Al-Karim Al-Sarida said that the committee had decided to submit a lawsuit against Syria to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, and also to erect a protest tent in front of the Syrian Embassy in Amman with the demand to free Jordanian prisoners from Syrian jails.
Source: syria-news.com, January 6, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4431.htm
*Saudi Human Rights Association Acts To Protect Detained Blogger
The Association for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia has asked the Saudi Interior Ministry to permit the family of blogger Fuad Al-Farhan, who has been detained since December 10, to visit him (see Arrested Saudi Reformist Blogger Being Held Without Bond, At Unknown Location).
Director of the association's monitoring committee Saleh Al-Khathlan said that if Farhan's detention is connected to the content of his blog, it is against Saudi publication regulations, which are meant to ensure freedom of expression.
Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Al-Turki said that Farhan was arrested so that an investigation could be carried out against him regarding suspicions not connected to security matters.
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4425.htm
*Palestinian Opposition Conference Planned For Damascus Late This Month
Palestinian sources are reporting that the Palestinian opposition factions will hold a conference in Damascus January 23-25.
Hamas political bureau member Muhammad Nazal said that the conference will discuss issues such as the refugees, Jerusalem, borders, and the Palestinian state. He noted that Fatah had also been invited to attend the conference.
Nazal clarified that there was no conflict between this conference and one that had been planned to take place in Iran, which is still expected be held.
Source: Al-Hayat, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, January 5, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4423.htm
FROM THE MEMRI TURKEY BLOG www.thememriblog.org/turkey
*Islamist Columnist: Jesus Came To Turn His People To Islam
Yahya Coskun of the Islamist Turkish daily Milli Gazete wrote in his column that the Prophet Jesus wanted to turn the Jews away from their distorted book and invited them to the real book of Islam, and continued, "Naturally, the Kabbalist Zionists did not like this. Jesus came to world as a prophet of Islam to correct people, but he was first ignored, then mocked, then threatened and finally his book was also distorted. And those who did that were the same Kabbalist, Talmudist, racist imperialists that had given so much trouble to Prophet Moses and are still stirring trouble in the entire world.
"Kabbala is the book of black magic related to satanic forces that the Jews believed and followed long before Prophet Moses was given his holy mission. Masonism is also affected by the Kabbalist teaching."
Source: Milli Gazete, Turkey, January 1, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4492.htm
*Gul-Bush Meeting Shows Warming In Turkish-American Alliance
After a breakfast meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, followed by a meeting with Vice-President Dick Chaney, Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House. Following their meeting the two leaders told reporters that the U.S. Turkish alliance is an old and important one that will be further advanced through cooperation on regional and global issues to serve world peace and prosperity.
Both men reiterated their commitment to fight terrorism and the PKK, their common enemy. President Bush also said that throughout his presidency he has supported Turkey’s EU membership because Turkey is both a Muslim and democratic country that can set an example and act as a bridge.
The two leaders discussed Iraq, energy matters and the Middle East peace plan.
Source: Hurriyet, Turkey, January 8, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4465.htm
*Iran Builds Wall To Secure Against PKK
The mainstream Turkish daily Sabah reported that Iran has begun building a four-kilometer wall along its border with Iraq, against the PKK. The wall starts at the Hadji Umran border crossing and is similar to the wall built by Israel against the Palestinian areas. Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq are objecting to the wall being built by Iran.
Source: Sabah, Turkey, January 7, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4453.htm
*Turkish Hizbullah Would Begin Killing If Not For The Arrests
The number of people with links to Hizbullah arrested in series of operations has reached 83. Turkish security teams of counter-terrorism raided 40 homes and workplaces in Van yesterday, arrested 37 members of the organization, and seized many documents.
It was said that the organization that had lost power following the death of its leader Huseyin Velioglu in 2000 regrouped and became active recently. Its members were involved in cigarette smuggling, extortions of money from citizens with death threats. Security authorities said that had they delayed the operations, killings by the organization would begin.
Source: Vatan, Turkey, January 7, 2008
www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/4452.htm