Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
The Inexhaustible Memories of Palestine By Barbara Nimri Aziz It had been five years since I last ventured into the Occupied Territories, the shrinking Palestinian homelands. I had stood speechless at the misnomered separation wall, essentially a cement corral and a menacing blight on the landscape of the Holy Land. I had seen the…
Reality TV winner gives proceeds to Palestinian refugees Kal Penn Wins ‘MasterChef Celebrity Showdown,’ donates Prize Money to Support Palestinian Refugees through the UN In a tight culinary competition last night, actor and public servant Kal Penn, of ABC’s Designated Survivor, took on and beat Son of Zorn’s Cheryl Hines to win FOX’s MasterChef Celebrity…
Read More “Reality TV winner gives proceeds to Palestinian refugees” »
Dubai New Years fireworks display dazzles Dubai brightens up the world with dazzling New Year’s Eve fireworks show by Emaar Dubai has once again mesmerised the world with a magnificent New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacle by Emaar Properties, bidding farewell to 2016 and welcoming in 2017 in resplendent style. Thousands of spectators from all over…
“Our Fates Are Linked” A conversation with Robin Yassin-Kassab, Co-Author of Burning Country; Syrians in Revolution and War. Dezeray Lyn sits down with writer Robin Yassin-Kassab for a Q&A on the book Burning Country, Syrians in War and Revolution that he co-authored with Syrian anarchist Leila al-Shami. By Dezeray Lyn Journalist Zouhir Al Shimale recently unpacked the…
Post Apartheid South Africa applauds criticism of settlements The Government of South Africa, a nation that had been saddled with the world’s greatest racist system of government, Apartheid, for many decades, applauded the passage of a resolution by the UN Security Council condemning Israel’s continued expansion of illegal and racist settlements as obstacles to peace. Many…
Read More “Post Apartheid South Africa applauds criticism of settlements” »
Here are the full text of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech regarding failed Middle East peace efforts and Israel’s illegal settlement expansion. The speech was made on Dec. 28, 2016 at The Dean Acheson Auditorium in Washington, DC. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. Thank you. (Coughs.) Excuse me. Thank…
UN vote a slap at Netanyahu than defense of peace Rather than do what she has done repeatedly during the Obama administration UN Ambassador Samantha Power abstained from a critical vote condemning Israel’s racist and illegal Jewish-only settlements. But the vote is irrelevant in the face of America’s do-nothing policies and the do-nothing policies of the Arab…
Read More “UN vote a slap at Netanyahu than defense of peace” »
An expensive television Christmas Story A new generation’s “Christmas Story,” not about Santa Claus or the spirit of kindness, but about the way our utilities control our lives with no accountability and definitely no really good service. This one is about Comcast/Xfinity but it could be about them all Published in the Des Plaines Valley…
Lebanese American leads Middle East fitness Q & A interview with Lebanese American fitness expert Maya Nassar, Lebanese government endorsed bikini fitness athlete. Nassar entered the Miami Pro European Championships in 2013 in London, England. She did not place in the event, but returned to competitions the following year at the 2014 Pure Elite UK…
Christmas comes early for Gatlinburg residents hit by wildfires Rocky Top Sports World Hosts Hundreds…And Unlikely Christmas Party As wildfires grew closer to the city of Gatlinburg and surrounding areas, the Rocky Top Sports World facility transformed from a world-class sports complex to an emergency community shelter. In a matter of hours, the Rocky Top Sports World…
Read More “Christmas comes early for Gatlinburg residents hit by wildfires” »
Fires Damage two homes in Orland Park, Il Fires hit two homes in Orland Park over the Christmas Holidays, one on Christmas Day related to a fireplace and a second one the following day linked to a Christmas tree Orland Fire Prevent District officials reported. Here are the two reports: Fireplace fire in Orland Park…
“Every man, woman and child lives under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, capable of being cut at any moment by accident or miscalculation or by madness.” -President John F. Kennedy, 1961 By Eileen Fleming The “sword of Damocles” is an ancient parable and the modern expression of impending doom…
Read More “Donald Trump, The Sword of Damocles and Hair-Trigger Alerts #TrumpInaugural” »
USS Liberty Veterans Association President’s New Year Mission Letter and a survivors Christmas Email follow: By Eileen Fleming On Christmas Eve, USS Liberty Veteran and speaker Don Pageler emailed the following piece written by a peacekeeping soldier stationed overseas: The Night Before Christmas T’was the night before Christmas, He lived all alone, In a one…
Read More “USS Liberty Veterans: Christmas Email and New Year Letter” »
Solar Eclipse sneak peek at Dubai Film Festival Solar Eclipse Teaser released at Dubai Film Festival on 8th December 2016 The Dubai film festival saw the release of the teaser of the epic film ‘Solar Eclipse – Depth of Darkness’, based on true events that led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January, 1948….
Read More “Movie on Gandhi sneak peek at Dubai film festival” »
UN denounces illegal Israeli settlements UN chief welcomes Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements as ‘significant step’ United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the adoption of a Security Council resolution which states that the establishment of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, have “no legal validity,” constitute a “flagrant violation” under international…
America’s empty “happy talk” on Palestine coming to an end President-Elect Donald Trump’s actions which critics claim favor Israel in fact have the potential of awakening the sleeping giant of the Arab and Muslim World. His appointment of extremist David Freidman as US Ambassador to Israel and his vow to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv…
Read More “America’s empty “happy talk” on Palestine coming to an end” »
Skimming through the Obits and life The obituary section of the old more informed newspaper era was an obsession with my father back in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, the newspapers are anorexic but the Obit section is still growing strong. And, I understand why my father paid attention to it so much now that I…
Arab League celebrates Arab women No Turning Back! League of Arab States celebrates Fifth Annual Arab-American Day honoring the Arab woman The grand entrance hall of the United States Institute of Peace overflowed the first week of December with hundreds of prominent men and women from government, academia, and business. They came to hear and…