Lebanon bans movie over nude MPs daughter

"Help" has caused controversy in Lebanon's political scene

Beirut (Rania Mahmoud)

The daughter of a Lebanese politician has caused a stir after she played a prostitute and appeared nude in a movie, which was banned only four days after it premiered.

The censorship division at the Lebanese General Security Authority did not give reasons for banning "Help" but the outraged producer Bacchus Elwan threatened to sue the censorship, saying the film had not broken any laws.

" The movie is not insolent.It is 'daring.' It addresses the problems of homeless teenagers who end up as sexual delinquents or criminals and draws the attention to the necessity of helping them " Producer Bacchus Elwan "Help" tells the story of Ali, a teenager who lives in a van in a car junkyard. He meets Thoraya, a prostitute who lives with her gay friend, Janou. There is also a subplot of a taxi driver who meets his rich look-alike. Actress Joanna Andraus, who is the daughter of Antoine Andraus, member of Lebanon's ruling March 14 Alliance, admitted that the scenes were daring, but stressed that they serve the purpose of the movie. "I have no problem with nudity on screen," she told AlArabiya.net. "It is art like paintings of nude women." Joanna added that the movie sheds light on a problem that most societies, especially Lebanon, go through. She refused to say more about her role. Elwan objected critics' statements that the movie was "insolent" and full of nudity, group sex, and cuss words with no dialogue at. "The movie is not insolent," he argued. "It is 'daring.' It addresses the problems of homeless teenagers who end up as sexual delinquents or criminals and draws the attention to the necessity of helping them."

Political scene " My father has nothing to do with that, and he never interferes in my work " Actress Joanna Andraus The movie stirred controversy in Lebanon's political scene and some tried to link the ban to Joanna's father, an allegation she strongly denied. "My father has nothing to do with that, and he never interferes in my work," she said. Joanna, a former fashion model, pointed out that she was no stranger to raunchy outfits and said her father has never had any objections in the past. The movie was given screening permission last year but under the "adults only" category. But since then the officer in charge of censorship has changed.

" The movie was banned because the officer in charge of censorship was replaced and he didn't like it " Elwan Elwan said the ban should not be linked to political disputes in Lebanon. "The movie was banned because the officer in charge of censorship was replaced and he didn't like it," he told AlArabiya.net. "He hasn't seen the movie, though." "The law hasn't changed since we got the screening permission last year." This was made clear in the complaint filed to the General Security Chief, protesting the ban of the movie. The $220,000 movie is written and directed by Mark Abi Rashid and was screened for journalists on Feb. 12. (Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid.)

Hollywood's 'terrorists' get makeover in US film

Co-writer Sayed Badreya, who has played a terrorist in several movies, stars in the film (Photo by Satir Gonzalez)

DUBAI (Mona Moussly)

Finding a portrayal of an average Arab or Muslim-American in the media is nearly impossible given the rampant stereotyping of them as terrorists or un-integrated immigrants, but a new movie about daily life in these communities hopes to offer a more realistic view of America’s more vilified citizens.

"The movie is about how things have changed from before 9/11 to after. We just want to say how we feel," Egyptian-born director and co-writer, Hesham Issawi, told AlArabiya.net, adding that the events of Sept. 11, 2001 made Americans more aware and curious about Muslims and Arabs.

American East is an emotional drama about Arab and Muslim-Americans living in post-9/11 Los Angeles written by two Egyptian-Americans who drew on their personal stories of the dramatic change that occurred after the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks.

" The movie is about how things have changed from before 9/11 to after. We just want to say how we feel " Hesham Issawi The story is about family man Mustafa, played by co-writer Sayed Badreya, who opens a Middle Eastern restaurant in Los Angeles with his best friend, who is Jewish, played by Lebanese-American actor Tony Shalhoub. ‘It’s a slice of life story, it’s got romance it has humor it has violence it has all of that, it’s not a movie that is just about terrorism,’ Tony Shalhoub told CNN. The film tells a story about Mustafa and his family from his children feeling uncomfortable with being Muslim because of the constant suspicion and fear surrounding the faith to him being arrested twice by the FBI and interrogated for sending money back to a charity in the Middle East.

No-go in Hollywood " I just don’t think there are people that are ready to admit that we are oppressed in this country, people just don’t want to acknowledge a movie that makes that assertion " Ray Hanania Despite attempts to reach the American population, the movie never made it to the big screen and was released on DVD last month. Hollywood’s rejection of the film for the big screen sparked criticism from Arab-Americans who saw a conspiracy against showing Arabs and Muslims in a positive light. With all the negative press Arabs and Muslims get in the post-9/11 world, journalist and radio personality Ray Hanania said he was shocked that Hollywood would not allow the Arab community to "clean up its image and portray Arab Americans in a positive light." "If this had been a terrorism movie, where there were massacring all kinds of people and yelling horrific phrases, it would have been all over the country," Hanania told AlArabiya.net. The movie "presents our cause, our experience, our arguments, our issues in a believable light, I just don’t think there are people that are ready to admit that we are oppressed in this country, people just don’t want to acknowledge a movie that makes that assertion," Hanania said. Despite the movie's failure to get an airing on the big screen, it seemed to rate highly with customers on Amazon.com. One viewer who gave it a five-out-of-five rating wrote: "I can't emphasize enough the importance of this film's message which is really about tolerance, understanding and respect. The actors have done a great job in portraying very complex Arab characters who are caught up in the frenzy of post-911 America," N.Joseph wrote.

The business of money " I don’t want to go into the whole discrimination thing so I can live my life but I would rather think that they did do that because they thought they are not going to make money out of it " Issawi But both Issawi and the movie's producer Brian Cox denied claims of censorship and said the reason the movie wasn’t aired in mainstream theaters is because the industry is motivated by money rather than altruism. "I work in the business and I know for a fact this business is motivated by money,” said Issawi. ”If someone thought that they could make money out of this movie, regardless of the what the movie is, they will put it in the theatre and make money off it," Issawi said, adding he doesn’t believe in that there is a conspiracy to block the movie because of its content. Nevertheless, Issawi said he had no idea why movie distributors MGM and Fox, who bought the movie, didn’t do a better job in promoting and marketing the movie. He said the companies did not try to promote American East and get it out to theaters.

" You could've made a film about a lovable terrorist and if it had a potential to make money it would get distributed here [U.S.] " Producer Brian Cox "I don’t want to go into the whole discrimination thing so I can live my life but I would rather think that they did do that because they thought they are not going to make money out of it" Issawi said, adding that he did not believe in any conspiracy to block the movie, but that decision was a calculation about cold, hard cash. For Cox it was simply a marketing and economics matter which had nothing to do with the picture. "I know there are a lot of people who want to say that because it's about Arabs it's not getting distributed," Cox told AlArabiya.net. "But I don’t believe that." "You could've made a film about a lovable terrorist and if it had a potential to make money it would get distributed here [U.S.]," Cox said, adding "in fact probably there has been more acceptance of the picture here than probably there will be in the Middle East.

Saudi man sets world record with deadly 'hobby'

Majid al-Maliki, 39, has been eating reptiles for 22 years

DUBAI (Hayyan Nayouf)

A Saudi man set a new world record last month after he ate 22 live scorpions in 20 seconds at a show in Riyadh. The 39-year-old earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records but told AlArabiya.net that is not why he did it.

"It's always been my hobby to eat scorpions," Majid al-Maliki told AlArabiya.net, adding that he once ate 50 live scorpions in one meal.

" I advise everyone to stay calm after being stung since it is fear that kills...Scorpion poison has many benefits and as long as there are no ulcers, it is ok if the poison reaches the stomach " Majid al-Maliki When asked how he eats the scorpions, Maliki replied that he treats them like any other type of food, he chews and then swallows. The Riyadh-based civil servant said he enjoys eating all types and sizes of scorpions, but especially relishes in the yellow species known as Palestinian. Maliki said he has been eating scorpions for 22 years and said he also eats snakes, small crocodiles and lizards. "I can eat 10 snakes at a time," he said.

Maliki says eating reptiles is a hobby of his Maliki explained he has never been poisoned and said he cuts part of the scorpion's spike so that the sting is mild. "Even if it stings, the poison won't affect me," he said, adding that it is not the sting that kills but the person's fear as people tend to panic causing the temperature to rapidly rise, which causes death. "I advise everyone to stay calm after being stung since it is fear that kills," he said. "Scorpion poison has many benefits and as long as there are no ulcers, it is ok if the poison reaches the stomach." The previous Guinness record holder was an American man, Dean Sheldon, who ate 21 deadly Chinese golden scorpions in 2004. Maliki said he had a contract with an American program to perform his shows, but said he stopped after the September 11 attacks. (Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid.)

"Slumdog Millionaire" wins big at 81st Oscars

The rags-to-riches romance swept the board, winning eight Oscars

HOLLYWOOD (Agencies)

Rags-to-riches romance "Slumdog Millionaire" swept the board at the 81st Academy Awards here Sunday, winning eight Oscars including best picture on a night of high-voltage Hollywood glamour.

Among the "Slumdog" honors, Briton Danny Boyle was named best director for the often dark but ultimately hopeful tale about a poor Indian boy who competes for love and money on a TV game show, and writer Simon Beaufoy won adapted screenplay.

It was a fairytale night for "Slumdog", which had been nearly released directly to video last year, a move which would have ruled it out of Oscars contention.

Kate Winslet Kate Winslet was named best actress for her dramatic turn as a former Nazi prison guard who involves herself in a love affair with a teenage boy in "The Reader." Winslet, won her first Oscar after five previous defeats, for her portrayal of a former Nazi death camp guard who starts a love affair with a teenage boy in post-war Germany and is later put on trial for war crimes.

Sean Penn The acting honors saw Sean Penn triumph for his portrayal of murdered gay politician Harvey Milk in the biopic "Milk" while Britain's Kate Winslet ended her Oscars losing streak for her performance in Holocaust drama "The Reader." "Thank you. Thank you. You commie, homo-loving sons-of-a-gun. I did not expect this," joked the famously outspoken Penn after collecting the second best actor Oscar of his career. Penn used his acceptance speech to urge opponents of same-sex marriage -- recently banned in California -- to rethink their positions.

Supporting roles Heath Ledger There was a tear-jerking posthumous Oscar for late Australian actor Heath Ledger as his family took to the stage to collect the tragic star's best supporting actor honor for his portrayal of Batman villain the Joker in "The Dark Knight."

Penelope Cruz Spanish star Penelope Cruz won the best supporting actress prize for her part in the steamy Woody Allen comedy "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Host Hugh Jackman Period romance "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which began the night with 13 nominations, ended the night with only three Oscars in the technical categories of art direction, makeup and visual effects. The new-look awards extravaganza had got off to a flying start with Australian actor host Hugh Jackman wasting no time in launching into a medley of musical numbers that referenced this year's nominees. It was one of several innovations made by Oscars show producers that breathed new life into the previously tried and trusted formula which had led to record low television ratings last year. In the most noticeable break with the past, the show called on giants of the acting world to introduce each individual nominee in the acting categories, a ploy that heightened the anticipation inside the theater.

Kenzie Marie Houk Murdered by 11-Year-Old Jordan Brown, Say Authorities

Kenzie Marie Houk-Ap

Kenzie Marie Houk, the 26-year-old mother of two young girls, may have been murdered by the 11-year-old son of her live-in boyfriend, say authorities. The culprit, Jordan Brown, is being tried as an adult int he case of Kenzie Marie Houk's murder.

Ms. Houk's 4-year-old daughter discovered her mother dead on Friday, February 20, and ran outside to tell nearby maintenance workers. Kenzie Marie Houk was expecting her third child.

Upon hearing the news, Houk's father said "I wouldn't know anybody in the whole world who would want to kill a 26-year-old beautiful daughter like mine and take a child."

Jordan Brown, 11, Killed Father's Pregnant Girlfriend, Kenzie Houk, Charged As Adult

Jordan Brown, 11, Charged in Shooting death of Kenzie Marie Houk
Photo found in NY Daily News

The news gets crazier by the day. Jordan Brown, 11, shot his father's pregnant girlfriend, Kenzie Marie Houk, in the back of the head while she was lying in bed. He then got on a school bus and went to school. Wow. This kid was downright cruel. He was rightly charged as an adult. Apparently Houk, 26, had problems with the boy before. There seemed to have been some jealousy at play here. Houk's brother-in-law, Jason Kraner reportedly said that the child expressed to his son "he actually told my son that he wanted to do that to her."

The child was charged with criminal homicide and criminal homicide of an unborn child, a police spokesperson said. He was being held in Lawrence County Jail. A preliminary hearing is set for Thursday.

According to media reports, the fifth-grader was picked up from school Friday by Pennsylvania State Police, who found Houk's body after her 4-year-old daughter told tree cutters on the property that she thought her mother was dead.

Equally more disturbing is that the boy had told police there was a suspicious black truck on the property that morning, causing investigators to look into a false lead for about five hours. Right. A black truck. The kid is sick. Really sick.

The weapon allegedly used in this heinous crime was a youth model 20-gauge shotgun, which was found in what police believed was the boy's bedroom. The shotgun, which apparently belonged to Brown, is designed for children and such weapons do not have to be registered.

What is this country coming to? This is the third child charged with killing an adult. Crazy. Really crazy and pathetic at the same time.

Man charged with fraud in scuttling of his own yacht

Felony insurance fraud charges have been filed against a Seattle man who is accused of sinking his own yacht because of “financial pressure and frustration with the maintenance” of the vessel, authorities said.

Court documents say that on March 22, 2008, Brian A. Lewis, 50, scuttled the Jubilee in the Puget Sound Bay, and then rowed a borrowed vessel back to shore, CNN reported.

Three days later, Lewis filled an insurance claim with USAA Insurance reporting the Jubilee sank accidentally “due to unknown causes.”

Insurance investigators examining the boat found that a 2-inch hole had been cut into the boat’s hull and that the bilge system had been damaged.

“The vessel appeared to have been deliberately sunk,” authorities said in their probable cause affidavit.

According to court documents, Lewis admitted he intentionally sunk his vessel, saying the financial strain “caused him extreme anxiety and frustration.”

Before the sinking, Lewis had attempted to sell the boat at an asking price of $28,500.

Jack Bateman, a broker with Mahina Yachts, remembers the Jubilee as a “beautiful” 1967 Chris Craft Cavalier. He said the Mahina has only seen this type of case one other time in its 30 years of operation.

Saudi officials block child marriages

Saudi human rights activists have sought to have a law banning the practice of child marriage (File)

RIYADH (AlArabiya.net, AFP)

Marriage officials in Saudi Arabia have refused to marry three 13-year-old girls, amid an outcry by rights activists in the kingdom over child marriages, Al-Watan newspaper reported on Saturday.

Last week marriage officials told the parents of three girls that they were too young, citing a recent instruction by the head of the Dammam regional courts, Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Raqib, Watan reported.

When the father of one then sought permission from Raqib, he was told to wait until she was 15.

Saudi Arabia has no law setting a minimum age for marriage for either gender, leading to occasional cases in which girls are married off by their parents before reaching their teens, some even younger than age 10.

Saudi human rights activists have sought to have a law banning the practice of child marriage and setting a minimum age of 18, but some powerful religious officials have resisted.

In January, the grand mufti, Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, said girls as young as 10 may be married according to Islam and stressed that Islamic law is not by any means oppressive to women as he lashed out at critics.

"If a girl exceeds ten or twelve then she is eligible for marriage, and whoever thinks she is too young, then he or she is wrong and has done her an injustice," he said.

The Saudi National Human Rights Association (NHRA) has criticized the occurrence of marriage of minors in the kingdom and considered it a violation of childhood. The association has sought to work with authorities to curb the practice and protect children's rights.

Moroccan tribes refuse to register marriages

Unofficial, or urfi, marriages are common among Moroccan tribes

Fes, MOROCCO (Khadeeja al-Fathi)

With the approach of the deadline to register unofficial marriages fast approaching, Moroccan officials are urging families in tribal areas to submit their requests but are facing resistance from some tribes who view the registration as a waste of time and money.

The Moroccan Ministry of Justice is carrying out a campaign in tribal areas urging families to submit their requests to the court before the February deadline. has set the registration deadline for February set for unofficial marriages to be registered, the authorities. Many tribes, however, view official marriage registration as an unnecessary burden and as an infringement on their customs.

Unofficial marriages in Morocco can trigger several social and ethical problems, according to Abdullah al-Hamoumi, head of the Lawyers Syndicate for Fes. With no official marriage documentation parents put the status of their children at risk, he told AlArabiya.net.

Children of unofficial, or urfi, marriages are legally equated with illegitimate children since in both cases there no official document and creates problems issuing birth certificates or enrolling in school.

"Moroccan courts are looking at many cases of that type," Hamoumi added.

There are two dimensions from which to interpret unofficial marriages, according to sociologist Aziz Meshwat. The first and more basic dimension is the long-established tradition where marriage represents a social ceremony validated through making the union known to everyone in the community.

The second dimension is the urfi marriage concept that was imported to the Arab Maghreb from the Arab Mashreq, or Western region.

"Some tribes in the Atlas and other remote areas resist all modernization attempts by the state and inherit the custom of marriage without contract, and the marriage is only validated by 12 witnesses from the tribe and an announcement," Meshwat told AlArabiya.net

Some fundamentalists resort to the second type, urfi marriages, as part of their rebellion against society and the state, which they consider illegitimate, said Meshwat.

Feminist and head of the Women Solidarity Organization Aisha al-Shanna told AlArabiya.net that many of the urfi marriage cases she deals with come from couples with Salafi backgrounds, and that women will often refuse to say who the fathers of their children are.

"This marriage was done through reading a verse from the Quran after which the women tells the man, 'I marry you,' and the husband refuses to have a contract under the pretext that he does not acknowledge the legitimacy of the state," explained Shanna.

But she also noted that women were more forthcoming with that information following the deadly terrorist attacks in Casablanca in May 2003.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid).

Did we ever bother to know Muzzammil?

Zerqa Abid

Muzzammil Hassan, the owner and CEO of Bridges TV has been arrested for beheading his wife, Aasiya Zubair.

This is the news of the year that has once again damaged not only the Muslim image in American society, but it has also damaged our trust and the hope that we place in American Muslim leadership.

It’s been five days now that my family along with the rest of the community has been in shock. The fact that Muzzammil was married to my first cousin before marrying the victim still horrifies us. Ms Zubair was his third wife. Both of his earlier wives filed divorces on the same grounds of severe domestic violence and abuses.

My cousin lived with him for only a year. Yet, it took her several years to get rid of the fear of living with a man in marriage. He was known as violent and abusive in the community. He had changed his name from Syed Muzzammil Hassan to Mo Steve Hassan. He had no background of community service or involvement in the Mosque or in any other organization. Neither his character and nor his faith were sound. In addition, he had no background or expertise in TV production or media.

But none of it mattered; he still got the stage at the most reputable American Muslim conventions. Our leaders and established organizations did not bother to vet him. No questions or flags were raised about him. He was introduced with huge respect and the Muslim community was told to give him generous funds for Bridges TV.

The American Muslim community, desperate for its own English channel in the United States, collected millions of dollars and handed it over to him. It was not Hassan, the donors but trusted the organizations standing behind him.

Hassan put that money in his pocket and moved into a huge property with stables and horses. Nobody questioned that how much was spent on the actual project and how much was spent on his new but lavish lifestyle.

After resigning from NBC News, I was working as General Manager of The City Channel of ARY Digital in Pakistan, when I heard about the Bridges TV. I thought it must be a project of Islamic Broadcasting Network or Sound Vision Foundation. But I was surprised to hear that none of our longtime organizations were part of this channel and nobody knew the owner for long time.

The surprise was changed into shock and worry when I learned that Bridges TV was owned and operated by the same Muzzammil Hassan who I knew as a serious criminal. To me, domestic violence is a serious crime and a person’s character must be judged by the way he deals with his family. At my return, I warned some community leaders, but in vain. People told me that regardless of his messed up personal life, we should support him for the cause.

As a gesture of this support, Hassan received many awards. Now the pictures of award ceremonies are coming back to haunt us and some of them are already posted on anti-Muslim blogs after the murder of Ms. Zubair. One of the headlines reads: Bridges TV CEO Arrested for Beheading Wife Received Award from … [Name of a prominent national American Muslim organization].

This murder might not have cost us as much if Muzzammil was just an ordinary Muslim. Instead, unfortunately, he was a trusted and respected member of the American Muslim community.

The Vice President of Islamic Society of North America, Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali, writes in an open letter, “Our community needs to take strong stand against abusive spouses and we should not make it easy for them to remarry ...”

What about making community leadership easy for them, Imam?

Shouldn’t Islamic organizations also take responsibility of vetting new comers before presenting them on the stage? Common people rely on organizational leadership and judgment.

Vetting of community leader has been established since the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and is now in practice within the conscious communities all over the world. The Obama administration is going through the same process. Whenever it is not done properly it causes trouble and embarrassment as we have recently witnessed in the case of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. The American Muslim organizations have no option but to live up to this standard.

As my heart goes out to Aasiya’s family, I recognize this not only as their personal loss, but as a huge loss for our American Muslim community at large: A loss of a project needed now more than ever before; a loss of financial resources that can never be collected again with the same trust and passion; and a loss of respect for an American Islamic channel and the intentions behind it.

Norway drops plan to let police wear headscarf

Norway govt had earlier approved a police decision to allow female officers to wear the headscarf (File)

OSLO (AFP)

Norwegian Justice Minister Knut Storberget on Friday reversed a decision to allow Muslim women police officers to wear the Islamic head scarf following massive criticism of the ruling.

"We have today decided to not pursue the proposal. This has been a very difficult case," Storberget told a press conference, according to the NTB news agency.

Storberget's comment came just weeks after Norway's centre-left government approved a police decision to allow female officers to wear the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, in a bid to improve recruitment of Muslim officers.

The decision sparked an outcry, especially from the main opposition populist right Progress Party, which decried the "gradual Islamization" of the Scandinavian country.

The police union, which has demanded that force uniforms remain "neutral," also objected.

"We have sounded out the people, we have had in-depth discussions between the parties represented in parliament. This is the background for our decision to halt any further pursuit of the proposal" on allowing police to wear the headscarf, Storberget said.

He added however that "the justice minister and the government will continue with existing measures and will launch new measures to ensure a better recruitment of minorities (to the police). This is very important."

Saudi scholar warns alcohol in bio fuel is a sin

Muslims may be sinning if they fill their cars with bio fuel like that from this Sao Paulo ethanol pump (Courtesy of Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz).jpg

DUBAI (Allo Gulf)

A prominent Saudi scholar warned youths studying abroad of using ethanol or other fuel that contains alcohol in their cars since they could be committing a sin, local press reported Thursday.

Sheikh Mohamed Al-Najimi, member of the Saudi Islamic Jurisprudence Academy, based his statement on a saying by the prophet that prohibited all kinds of dealings with alcohol including buying, selling, carrying, serving, drinking, and manufacturing, the Saudi newspaper Shams reported Thursday.

Saudi and Muslim youth studying abroad would violate the prohibition if they used bio fuel, he said, since it “is basically made up of alcohol.”

Majimi stressed that his statement should not be considered an official fatwa, but is rather a personal opinion. He noted that this is an important issue that needs to be studied by the relevant religious bodies.

Mohamed al-Najimi said since ethanol is alcohol is it prohibited for Muslims to use in their cars

Bio fuel is becoming increasingly popular in the West for its relatively low price and as an environmentally-friendly source of energy..

In the past few years, millions of organic-fuel cars have been manufactured in Europe, the United States, Brazil, China, and India.

Bio fuel is derived from recently dead biological material. Bio fuel is manufactured by growing plants that are high in sugar, like sugar cane or sugar beet, or high in starch, like maize. The sugar or starch is then converted into cellular energy by using yeast fermentation to produce ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, which is also found in alcoholic beverages.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)

Canada threatens to slash funds from Arab org

Khaled Mouammar (L) president of CAF faces funding cuts for condemning Jason Kenney (R)

CAIRO (Marwa Awad)

Canada's immigration minister threatened Tuesday to slash funds to the country’s largest Arab organization, despite fears that the cut would affect its ability to provide services to new immigrants, after its president denounced Canadian politicians for backing Israel's assault on Gaza.

Khaled Mouammar, president of the Canadian Arab Federation slammed Canadian politicians at an anti-Gaza war rally in Toronto calling immigration minister Jason Kenney "a professional whore" for supporting Israel's assault on Gaza.

" We should not be rewarding those who express views that are contrary to Canada's best liberal values of tolerance and mutual respect " Jason Kenney, immigration minister Jason Kenney said that groups are within legal rights to speak their mind, but cannot expect to get tax payer's money if they say intolerant and hateful things, according to news reports. "We should not be rewarding those who express views that are contrary to Canada's best liberal values of tolerance and mutual respect," Kenney was quoted in the Ottawa Sun as saying. The controversy began at the rally where Mouammar gave a speech condemning Canadian politicians for supporting Israel's 22-day offensive on civilians in Gaza and denouncing mainstream Canadian media for "misinforming" Canadians through misleading coverage of the war.

Khaled Mouammar denounced Canadian politicians for their silence on the Israeli war on Gaza “We have in Canada two types of politicians, those who are professional whores who say Israel has right to defend itself by killing women and children with phosphorus bombs. The second type of politicians are those who lost their tongues. All have been silent as if they lost their tongues except for one politician who condemned Israel’s war crimes,” Mouammar said at the rally. (see AlArabiya.net’s Video Forum http://evideo.alarabiya.net/ShowClip.aspx?clipid=2009.02.18.13.16.44.666) Kenney reportedly requested that government officials consider comments made by groups as part of their portfolio for funds application assessments, adding that the comments made by the Arab Federation president will affect its application once the current grant expires in March 2010. CAF received a $447,297 contribution from Kenney’s department to run a immigrant settlement program in Toronto for two years, teaching new residents language and job search skills, according to reports.

Response " It is unethical for a minister to use tax money to threaten non profit community organizations and muzzle their political opinion if it displeases him " Khaled Mouammar, CAF president Mouammar said that Kenney's political stance and decision to cut funds promotes bigotry against Canada's one million Arabs and Muslims, who are less and less willing to voice their opinions in public in the midst of government backlash. "Trying to legislate fascist laws that curtail the civil and human rights of all Canadians and muzzle criticism of Israel's war crimes [are acts] of desperation," Mouammar told AlArabiya.net referring to Kenney's plans. "It is unethical for a minister to use tax money to threaten non-profit community organizations and muzzle their political opinion if it displeases him," Muammar said. "This tax money belongs to all Canadians and only they have the right to decide how this money is spent." CAF's two different mandates are to provide settlement services and undertake advocacy work. While advocacy work is done by an elected committee of volunteers without pay, the settlement services are contracted to CAF by the Canadian Federal government and handled by paid employees. The group has provided settlement services since 1997 and according to its president, is the best provider of such services in the greater Toronto area.

Fund cut harms newcomers " Jason Kenney’s threat to cut funding to any group that does not conform to his political viewpoint is unethical and of great concern to all immigrants and newcomers to Canada " Khaled Mouammar, CAF Mouammar says that Kenney's decision to cut funds will hamper all newcomers to Canada, not just Arabs who make up five percent of those receiving CAF's services while Chinese, South Asians and Eastern Europeans make up the remaining 95 percent of service seekers. "Jason Kenney’s threat to cut funding to any group that does not conform to his political viewpoint is unethical and of great concern to all immigrants and newcomers to Canada," Mouammar said. "By cutting settlement services he is perceived as trying to dissuade immigrants from coming to Canada by making it difficult," he added.

Dialogue needed Wahida Valiante, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, which does not receive government funds, said that the controversy signals a lack of communication between the current Canadian government and groups like CAF. "Canadians are not xenophobic and have always shown a unique pragmatism in dealing with both domestic and foreign policy,” she told AlArabiya.net. “A big part of Canada’s pragmatism has been to shelve preconceptions and ideology and to engage in open, uncomfortable dialogue," she added.

" The Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers have my phone number. I am always ready to talk. If they are not then they need to ask themselves why " Wahida Valiante, CIC president Valiante said that the Conservative federal government is yet to meet with the Canadian Arab Federation or the Canadian Islamic Congress since Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to power. "The Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers have my phone number. I am always ready to talk. If they are not then they need to ask themselves why." "We want the Canadian Government to look out for Canada’s interests – all Canadians." Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration office was unavailable for comment. * To see video of Toronto rally featuring Khaled Mouammar go to AlArabiya.net Video Forum at http://evideo.alarabiya.net/ShowClip.aspx?clipid=2009.02.15.13.03.18.362

Egypt frees dissident Nour for "health reasons"

Ayman Nour said Egypt freed him for purely political reasons

CAIRO (Marwa Awad)

Egyptian authorities freed opposition politician Ayman Nour Wednesday in what came as "sudden news" that surprised Nour and his supporters after more than three years in prison on forgery charges he said were politically motivated.

Cheers and trilling of joy filled the air of Ayman Nour's home in Zamalek neighborhood in Cairo as friends and members of the Gad party welcomed him home, while a demanding crowd of journalists from various news agencies gathered for interviews.

"We are more than joyous, we are thrilled out of belief that Mr. Nour has been released and is coming back to us," Warda Ali, assistant to Ayman Nour and Jameela Ismail, told AlArabiya.net Nour told AlArabiya.net from his home that he plans to continue his work in politics through the opposition Ghad party. "Thank God I am released and now here with my family and supporters," Nour told AlArabiya.net. "I plan to continue with my political advocacy as an Egyptian citizen." Gameela Ismail, Nour's wife confirmed her husband's intention to resume his post as leader of the party, insinuating that he has plans for another presidential campaign. "He will carry on with what he was doing prior to his imprisonment," Ismail told AlArabiya.net.

No political guarantees " The public prosecutor decided to free Ayman Nour for health reasons " Egyptian official While prosecution sources said Nour was released on health grounds, the newly freed Gad leader insisted the reasons for his release were political. "The public prosecutor decided to free Ayman Nour for health reasons," the official told Reuters, requesting anonymity. "I am sure my release was a political decision that could have only happened through coordination of political heads of state because the entire issue has been and is mainly a political one," Nour told AlArabiya.net, adding that his release came as "sudden news" to him and with no political deal in place. "I was not pressured into any agreement or political deal to be freed, infact I knew of my release a mere hour before it happened.," he said denying he had come under any political pressure to gain his freedom. Nour mounted an unprecedented presidential campaign against the current President Hosni Mubarak during the 2005 presidential election but was immediately jailed on forgery charges after nearly overtaking Mubarak in Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential elections. on forgery charges many saw as trumped up.

Still optimistic " I am going to practice my role as a politician through the Ghad party and through my previous role " Nour and his wife said the Egyptian government was retaliating against them for daring to challenge Mubarak, who has ruled the most populous Arab country since 1981. Despite three years of "political and personal hardship," Nour revealed the same optimism he showed during his presidential campaign. "My determination has not ceased. I will work for a democratic future in Egypt and will rebuild the Gad party with the help of Egyptians who want to renew the liberal political current in the country," The U.S. administration of former President George W. Bush has called repeatedly on Egypt to release Nour. Cairo says its judiciary is independent and not politically motivated.

US star must convert to wed Israeli model: paper

Leonardo DiCaprio and his girlfriend Bar Refaeli

DUBAI (AlloGulf)

American actor Leonardo DiCaprio must convert to Judaism if he wants to marry his Israeli girlfriend Bar Refaeli, media reports said on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old model's father has forbidden her to marry outside of her faith and the only way DiCaprio, 34, will be welcomed into the family is if he converts, the New York Daily News newspaper reported.

“He told me that if Leo doesn’t convert to Judaism, there will be no marriage," the paper quoted a source as saying about Refaeli's father.

The ‘Titanic’ star and the Israeli supermodel have been dating since 2005 and he recently said he wanted to wed.

Recently, Refaeli posed half naked for the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit magazine.

Israel wants swap prisoners exiled: report

Israel wants four Palestinian prisoners exiled (File)

CAIRO/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Agencies)

A deal to exchange captured Israel soldier Gilad Shalit for Palestinians held in Israel is being held up over demands that some of the Palestinians be exiled, Hamas officials were quoted as saying on Monday.

Meanwhile, an Israeli minister on Tuesday called for jailed Jewish extremists to be released if Palestinian prisoners are freed.

"I turn to you to work towards the release of these prisoners in the spirit of balance so that a large part of the country may realize that goodwill gestures are made in both camps," Trade Minister Eli Yishai said in a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

About 20 Jewish extremists are currently serving prison sentences. Yishai is a member of the security cabinet which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the case of Shalit, who was captured by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid in June 2006.

The disagreement between Hamas and Israel over prisoners’ swap centers on four Palestinian prisoners whom Israeli courts convicted of attacks against Israeli civilians or of heading a "terrorist organization," the state-owned Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported. The four include Ahmed Saadat, leader of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who was sentenced to 30 years by an Israeli military court in December "because of his position and activities within the terrorist movement." Israel had accused him of ordering the 2001 killing in Arab east Jerusalem of far-right tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi but prosecutors did not in the end press that charge. The PFLP claimed Zeevi's killing as a response to an Israeli air strike that killed Saadat's predecessor as leader, Abu Ali Mustapha, and the Israeli court convicted four other PFLP militants of the assassination.

Hamas members A Palestinian man holds a photograph of a relative held in an Israeli jail The other three prisoners that Israel wants exiled are all members of Hamas, Al-Ahram said. Abdullah Barghouti was sentenced to 67 consecutive life terms for organizing suicide bombings in Israel that killed 66 Israelis, and Abbas al-Sayyed sentenced to 35 life terms. Ibrahim Hamed was convicted of leading the operations of Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and of carrying out attacks on Jewish settlements. Hamas officials have said they were on the verge of agreeing a truce with Israel but that demands for the release of Shalit, captured in a cross-border raid from Gaza more than two years ago, had set back the agreement. A shaky calm in Gaza has been tested by Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli air strikes after both sides declared ceasefires on Jan. 18, ending the 22-day war in Gaza which killed 1,330 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that Shalit must be released before Israel agrees a long-term truce and on Sunday he consulted with key cabinet members to draw up the government's position on a truce.

Israeli set to consider swap " If they want him back at home as they say, they have to let the Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons go home too " Moussa Abu Marzouk Olmert will re-convene his security cabinet on Wednesday to consider a prisoner swap with Hamas that could lead to a truce in the Gaza Strip, officials said on Monday. Olmert is mounting a last-ditch effort to free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit before leaving office. He has refused to accept an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire that would open the Gaza Strip's border crossings until the enclave's Islamist rulers release Shalit in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Hamas warned on Monday that Olmert's brinkmanship over Shalit put broader ceasefire talks in jeopardy. "If they want him back at home as they say, they have to let the Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons go home too, " Senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk told the media. Hamas official Taher al-Nono said "a clear agreement" on a ceasefire had been reached until Olmert, over the weekend, insisted on Shalit being freed first.

Leverage Israel believes last month's military offensive in the Gaza Strip increased its leverage over Hamas, increasing the chances of a breakthrough on Shalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid by Gaza militants in 2006. The air, sea and land bombardment, which Israel launched with the declared aim of halting rocket attacks, killed more than 1,300 Palestinians, destroyed some 5,000 homes and decimated much of Gaza's infrastructure, local officials said. If Gazans want to rebuild, they will need Israel and Egypt to open border crossings. Olmert has ruled out doing so until Shalit has been freed. Hamas has demanded the release of 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. Israel has repeatedly recovered both captured hostages and remains of slain soldiers from its conscript army through massively lopsided swaps.

Israel allows rare export of Golan apples to Syria

A Syrian living at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights awaits his turn for his apple production to pass through the Quneitra border

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Agencies)

Israel authorized the shipment of truckloads of apples from the occupied Golan Heights to Syria on Tuesday in a rare move that will see 8,000 tons of fruit grown in the area exported to the Arab state.

"An apple transfer through the demarcation line between the occupied Golan and Syria proper is no every day event," the International Committee of the Red Cross, which organized the operation, said in a statement.

" An apple transfer through the demarcation line between the occupied Golan and Syria proper is no every day event " ICRC statement "The ICRC is acting in its capacity as a neutral intermediary at the request of the farmers of the occupied Golan and with the approval of the Syrian and Israeli authorities," the humanitarian organization said in a statement. "We hope this operation will help create an environment conducive to raising other humanitarian concerns, for example the fact that family members separated by the demarcation line cannot cross the gates to maintain family ties," said Jean-Jacques Fresard, who heads the ICRC delegation in Syria. The first shipments went through the Kuneitra crossing on Tuesday morning, a military spokesman said. The transfer of the apples is expected to take between six and eight weeks, and marks the fourth time the ICRC has conducted such an operation.

Golan products " We hope this operation will help create an environment conducive to raising other humanitarian concerns, for example the fact that family members separated by the demarcation line cannot cross the gates to maintain family ties " ICRC spokesman The Golan Heights is a rich agricultural area and apple production is a main source of income for Syrian farmers in the Golan, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981 in a move never recognized by the international community. More than 18,000 Syrians, mostly from the Druze sect, an offshoot of Islam, are left from the Golan's original population of 150,000. The vast majority of the Druze have refused to take Israeli citizenship. The plateau which overlooks much of northern Israel is also home to nearly 20,000 Jewish settlers. Despite a 1949 armistice agreement, the two neighbors remain technically at a state of war. In January, Syria protested to the United Nations about what it called Israel's illegal use of produce from the occupied Golan Heights after Israel distributed wine made from grapes grown in the territory as year-end holiday gifts to U.N. staff.