Culture

AJ+ | (Video Report) – – “Every week, millions of people tune in to watch Iraqi comedian Ahmed Albasheer lampoon ISIL on his version of The Daily Show. Here’s how he’s fighting misery with satire. From video journalist Rosie Lyse Thompson in Jordan.” AJ+ “Daily Show Iraq: Ahmed Albasheer Fights ISIS With Comedy” Albasheer’s site […]

Entertainment

After NBC says “You’re fired!” for bigotry, crybaby Donald Trump brandishes Lawsuit

contributors

Associated Press | (Video Report) | – – “Donald Trump says he may sue NBC after the network announced it’s ending its business relationship with the mogul and presidential candidate over Trump’s remarks about Mexican immigrants.”

Culture

New TV Show About Cairo’s Jewish Community draws Fans, Critics

contributors

Aj+ | (Video Report) | – – ““The Jewish Quarter” – a new series about Cairo’s once-thriving Jewish community – is angering both Egyptians and the Israeli Embassy in Egypt.” AJ+: “New Show About Cairo’s Jewish Community Angers Many”

Culture

Flash Fiction: “The Office”

Juan Cole

N.B. Fiction with mature themes. By Juan Cole | The Office Adib was winning at cards again. Bashir was already out, sitting in a corner with his French novel. Soliman hated losing, even though they didn’t play for much in the way of stakes. They only had their share of the […]

art and photography

5,000 Hanging Skirts: How Women Remember War Rape in Kosova

Juan Cole

By Frances Trix | (Informed Comment) | – – On 12 June, 5,000 skirts and dresses were hung on 45 clotheslines in the football stadium in Prishtina, capital of Kosova. “The laundry is washed clean, like the women who are clean and pure—they carry no stain,” asserted artist Alketa Xhafa-Mripa, the Kosovar originator of the […]

Culture

How the Jurassic Park Franchise changed the real world of ancient DNA Research

contributors

By Elizabeth Jones | (The Conversation) | – – The park is almost open. Two decades on and Jurassic Park has morphed into Jurassic World, the one and only dinosaur theme park. Science has apparently evolved too: the genetically-engineered dinosaurs are to take a secondary role to a new star of the show, a genetically-engineered […]

Climate Change

Pharrell Williams to G7: Green Energy is a Jobs Issue for unemployed Youth

contributors

Pharrell Williams | (The Guardian Video) | – – “Pharrell WIlliams, the Grammy award-winning artist makes an impassioned plea for green jobs to be put at the top of the agenda at the Paris COP 21 summit, saying that there is a unique opportunity to create a green economy.” The Guardian: “Pharrell Williams: climate change […]

Culture

Jon Stewart on Iran, Israel and Directing Rosewater: “It Turns out the Middle East is Somewhat of a Hotbed”

contributors

By Alexander Bisley | (Lumiere Reader) | – – N.B. Rosewater is now streaming at Amazon Instant Video and will be available on Netflix beginning June 10 It’s slightly surreal interviewing Jon Stewart, The Daily Show interviewer. His debut film Rosewater tells the story of Maziar Bahari (played by Gael García Bernal), imprisoned in solitary […]

Apartheid

Palestinians drop motion on Expelling Israel from In’tl Soccer for Apartheid

contributors

Update: Having made their point, Palestine dropped this motion at FIFA on Friday, likely because of behind the scenes assurances the harassment will stop. (note: title has changed.). By Camila Benson | (IMEMC) | – Palestinian Football Association chief, Jibril Rajoub, says of the vote to expel Israel from FIFA that “the situation has not […]