Killing the messenger
Lebanese photojournalist, Layal Najib was killed by an Israeli strike on Sunday. She was only 23. This is just horrendous. Najib is yet another innocent victim of the Israeli collective punishment of Lebanon. Why did she have to perish at such a young age? This is an image Layal took while covering the invasion. It […]
Déjà vu
This was the cover of Time magazine in 1982 during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The striking resemblance is giving me shivers. Lebanon, my heart aches for your suffering. The admirable Lebanese people are known for being the ultimate survivors. They will rebuild their beautiful country and return it to the status it was just […]
‘The Syrian Bride’: Far-fetched ideas of coexistence?
Ironically enough, amid the bloodshed taking place in the Middle East as Arabs and Israelis again engage in a vicious conflict that has innocent civilians paying the price, we watched a movie about tolerance. The Syrian Bride, born from the joint efforts of Israeli and Palestinian movie makers, depicts the strife of the Druze community […]
Aching!
I haven’t had the time to jot down a word on two on this blog in a while; the reason being that I’m simply at a loss for words. What is happening in the already volatile region ails me to no end. From Gaza to Iraq and now to Lebanon, things are deteriorating from bad […]
The Economist & the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
I found it quite intriguing that the Economist — which I personally think is one of the best magazines out there — chose the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as the star of a new advertising campaign. The concept of the ad is that Economist readers are savvy enough to know that Jordan is in fact […]
4th of July in the nation’s capital
Right after watching the out-of-this world World Cup match between Italy and Germany, we jumped on the Metro and made our way down to the National Mall to celebrate Independence Day along with hundreds of thousands (estimates of 400,000) of people that flocked to the nation’s capital. As expected, this once-a-year mammoth event was extremely […]
A young King Abdallah does Star Trek
I had heard about the appearance of His Majesty King Abdallah as a young man on Star Trek in the international press on a number of occasions but I never got the chance to actually see the clip. I had always been curious. Now thanks to YouTube — and the blogosphere I must add — […]
Hope renewed: Kuwaiti women take their place
I have a confession to make: Kuwaiti women have renewed my hope in the Arab world, especially when it comes to the issue of Arab women’s rights. Kuwaiti women fought for years until they finally got the right to vote and run for parliament. It was today that we saw this materialize, as elections took […]
Jordan’s fight against corruption
It seems efforts are underway to fight corruption in Jordan. The Amman prosecutor general recently indicted 350 people on charges of corruption, a senior interior ministry official said on Monday. "Abuse of public and private posts has wrought havoc on our economy and development," said the official, preferring anonymity due to the sensitivity of the […]
A look back: A young King Hussein
My wonderful friend Muna provided me with this historic photo that shows the late King Hussein as a young boy sitting in the lap of his grandfather, King Abdullah I. Isn’t it just priceless! Thanks Muna!
A look back: Marka Airport arrival
Reader Fred drew my attention to this Jordan-related photo on Flickr [click to enlarge]. From what I can see it is a snapshot of the arrival of a military convoy (I assume it is a British convoy) at Marka Airport. I just love old photos of Jordan.
Bigotry at Jordan’s education ministry
Renowned journalist Randa Habib, who heads the AFP bureau in Amman, reported in a column she writes for The Jordan Times a very disturbing situation. Here is an excerpt: One of my readers called to tell me about this shocking problem: she works for a Christian who is in the field of education, but her […]
Jordan’s Fastlink caught spying on competition
Jordanian blogger Basem drew attention to an article published in the on-line magazine Elaph (Arabic) where it was revealed that Jordan’s number one mobile operator — Fastlink — was found guilty of spying on Jordan’s second largest GSM provider, Mobilecom. According to the article, Fastlink created a special unit solely dedicated to spying on Mobilecom. […]
Mona Eltahway details her Asharq al-Awsat banning
Egyptian journalist and columnist Mona Eltahawy, who’s writing was banned from the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat publication, has written an op-ed for the International Herald Tribune explaining her experience with the Arab daily. You can read the whole article here. It’s worth your time. Here is an excerpt: Writing for an Arab newspaper is like playing […]
Poll: A majority of Jordanians call Zarqawi a ‘terrorist’
This is a follow-up to my reply to Iraqi blogger Zeyad, who felt that the majority of Jordanians regard the late Zarqawi a martyr. The death of al-Qaida’s chief in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is still reverberating in Jordan, where the majority of the population sees him as a terrorist. An opinion poll conducted by […]
Meeting the Moorish Girl
I had the opportunity to meet Moroccan author Laila Lalami face-to-face the other day in Washington, and I must say that she is extremely admirable and more impressive in the flesh than in cyberspace. She was in Washington, DC this past Thursday to read some excerpts from her debut novel, Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits […]
Reply to Zeyad from ‘Healing Iraq’
Iraqi blogger Zeyad who runs the popular blog Healing Iraq, has written a post about his recent trip to Amman. Here is an excerpt:Amman is the same as I left it last...
No more Philipino maids in Jordan
Human rights groups on Wednesday welcomed a decision by the government of the Philippines to stop sending domestic helpers to Jordan, saying such a step would highlight the abuse Philipinos and other nationals are subjected to at the hands of Jordanian families that employ them. "These types of measures will positively contribute to providing protection […]
The DC Metro female Arab blogger meet-up
Leilouta has already discussed the embarrassing incident of several days ago, exposing my footwear dilemma (and Hal’s shoe supply service), so I’m not going to dwell on it here, as I’ve yet to recover. Instead, I will focus this post on the wonderful time we had during our Metro area female Arab blogger meet-up here […]
Moorish Girl comes to DC
Laila Lalami, author of Hope and other Dangerous Pursuits and creator of the Moorish Girl blog will be in Washington, DC on Thursday to read from her debut novel. The event will take place at Olsson’s Bookstore in Dupont Circle at 7:00 PM. For those of you who live in the DC metro area, make […]
Zarqawi’s elmination: The Jordanian connection
Time magazine has revealed some details about the events that facilitated the military operation that ended the life of Zarqawi. Read the full article here. What grabbed my attention in the story was the new (at least new to me) information about the role that Jordanian intelligence played in the operation. Here is one excerpt: […]
Wanted!
Jordanian blogger Hamzeh has unleashed his anger at the Jordanian deputies who showed support for Zarqawi by posting this powerful image. Meanwhile, Roba is disappointed by the lack of female protesters at the sit-in that took place today in front of Parliament. For sure, Zarqawi’s death and its repercussions have galvanized the Jordanian blogoshpere.
Jordanian bloggers angered by deputies’ despicable acts
Jordanian bloggers have expressed anger over the actions of a number of Islamic Action Front (IAF) deputies who paid condolences to Zarqawi’s family and called him a "mujahid" (Arabic). Jordanian blogger Ahmad Humeid calls the deputies’ actions "shameful," saying: … anger for Palestine, Iraq and no feeling of oppression or humiliation and no ‘jihad’ justifies […]
The end of Zarqawi
So Zarqawi is dead. Good riddance. To all the skeptics out there, it seems that Zarqawi wasn’t a "US invention" or a "creation by Jordanian intelligence" after all! What will the conspiracy theorists say now? "We need proof!" "We want to see the corpse." [There’s now pictorial evidence] Frankly, I would have preferred seeing him […]
The repercussions of banning ‘The Da Vinci Code’
As expected, the proposed banning of the controversial film version of the book The Da Vinci Code in Jordan has increased interest in the film. Here is an excerpt from a Jordan Times article: …shops selling pirated DVDs in downtown Amman are awash with copies of the controversial film, which is based on the controversial […]
Opening Pandora’s box!
Thanks to my bother-in-law, David, I got acquainted with one of the coolest free on-line radio stations out there: Pandora. The amazing thing about this radio is that it selects music for you based upon your taste. For example, let’s say you like Massive Attack, so you add them to your list. Based on this […]
A peek inside Amman’s Duinde cofffee shop
In solidarity with Roba, whose dream is to own Amman’s Lavazza, which is now called Duinde Gallery, I decided to put up a picture I took of the coffee shop, which I visited for the first time a month or so ago when I was in Amman. Actually it was Hal who suggested we go […]
The banning of Mona Eltahawy
Through Abu Aadvark, I discovered that one of my favorite Arab columnists, Mona Eltahawy, has been banned from writing for the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq Al-Alawsat daily. The reason is unclear, says Abu Aaadvark, who also wondered if it could be Egyptian pressure. "Perhaps she offended the wrong Saudi? She wasn’t officially told she was banned nor […]
Giveaway: ‘How the Garcia girls lost their accents’
Inspired by the generosity of Moorish Girl, I’ve decided to start giving away some books and other items every once in a while. Why am I doing this? Well, it is a token of appreciation for everyone who spends time reading my mental scribbles. It is also a thank you to all of those who […]
The great outdoors
As someone who spent most of her life in Amman, I have never been much of an outdoorsy person. It is simple, Amman is not really designed for the outdoors. If you venture north or south you can get the chance to do some hiking here and there, but other than that the choices are […]
The wonders of blogging
One of the few perks about having a blog (and believe me they are few, as I primarily get yelled at on this blog) is meeting people. Yes, through Mental Mayhem I've...
Gay parade in Lebanon
For people routinely harassed and sometimes arrested by the Lebanese authorities, it was refreshing to be able to attend a public event without fear of being detained....
A pleasant encounter
There was nothing particularly eventful about yesterday except for one brief, significant incident that will certainly be told for generations to come. The incident...
Government to ‘Jordanize’ labor force
It seems that Jordan is following in the footsteps of some Gulf countries by attempting to localize its labor force. Some of the Gulf countries that followed this...
Queen Rania’s full Oprah interview
The smart husband managed to get the full interview of Queen Rania on Oprah digitized and onto this blog. So for those interested, who either weren't able to see it or...
Jordan’s Labor Ministry admits to QIZ work violations
I was glad to learn that Jordan's Ministry of Labor has come out and admitted that there are violations of workers' rights in the kingdom's QIZ-based factories in a...
HM Queen Rania does Oprah
Several days ago, I got the chance to watch Her Majesty Queen Rania on Oprah and I have to say, that besides looking absolutely stunning, the Queen was dignified, very...
The use of the word ‘observer’
The United Nations News agency IRIN ran a story today about the ongoing Hamas vs. Jordan issue. The thing that bugged me about the article was its choice of headline:...
VIVA magazine … uncensored
I was told by informed sources that the publisher of VIVA magazine pulled the latest issue of the magazine right after it hit the stands because it contained risqué...
Jordan’s smoking ban: Will it ever take effect?
Ahmad at 360 East drew my attention to some good news in Jordan. According to Alghad [Arabic], fines for smoking in public will increase to a minimum of 100 JD ($140)...
Mental Mayhem poll on the Hamas debacle
After nearly six months absence, Mental Mayhem's opinion poll is back. The topic this week is the ongoing Hamas debacle. So far the poll's results are in favor of the...
Syrian opposition moving to Amman!
Both Amarji from the Heretic blog and Abu Kais from Beirut to the Beltway blog are reporting that Syrian opposition figures will soon start operating from Amman and...
Jordan detains 20 Hamas activists
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- Jordan has detained more than 20 Hamas activists for smuggling arms from Syria, a government spokesman said Wednesday, revealing for the first...
The mistreatment of animals in Jordan
The Jordan Times should be commended for Monday's investigative report into the mistreatment of animals in Jordanian zoos. Here is an excerpt:The inhumane treatment of...
Free Ala’!
Ala' is another victim of the fight for freedom. He is an Egyptian blogger and activist who is currently being detained by the Egyptian police for taking part in a...
Snapshot: Naturalization on the mall
The other day I was invited to attend the naturalization ceremony of my Moroccan friend. The event took place on the national mall in Washington DC. The most...
NY Times Jordan sweatshop report has fallout
As expected, the story about Jordan's sweatshop is being taken seriously by the Jordanian government. AMMAN -- Jordan vowed on Thursday to crack down on abuse of...
The Arab credit report
My German-Jordanian friend and fellow blogger Euroarabe has a facinating post about the existence of the "Arab credit score." It is so worth a read I'll...
Jordanian cartoon ‘Ben and Izzy’ promotes tolerance
A Jordanian media firm hopes its new TV cartoon series can achieve what politicians have failed to do so far: bridge the cultural divide between East and West. It...
Status of the press in Jordan
This is what Freedom House had to say about the press freedom in Jordan:In Jordan, articles of the penal and press codes restrict criticism of the royal family, the...
Kuwaiti public hanging: It’s a mad, mad world!
While doing my usual daily surfing of the Arab blogoshpere this morning I came across this disturbing picture of public hangings occurring in Kuwait City as featured on...
A few thoughts on ‘United 93’
United 93, which details the story of the fourth plane hijacked on 9/11 that crashed in Pennsylvania, is a powerful, extremely intense and very heart-wrenching film. It...
Jordan’s ‘sweatshops’
The New York Times ran a very disturbing story today about the mistreatment of workers in Jordanian factories that were established as part of the Qualified Industrial...
A Virginia wedding
Several days after my return from from Jordan, we drove to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley to attend the wedding of my brother-in-law David to my now sister-in-law, Diane....
Banat Al Riyadh: An intriguing read
The first time I heard about the controversial Saudi novel Banat Al Riyadh (The girls of Riyadh) by female Saudi writer Raja Al Sanea was when I read about it in the...
The trip back ‘home’
I'm back to the US after a hectic 20-hour trip from my parent's place in Amman to our apartment in Maryland. The 13-hour Royal Jordanian flight from Amman to Chicago...
Jordanian journalists’ skepticism
The UN news agency IRIN published an article about the skepticism Jordanian journalists have expressed over the government promise to stop jailing members of the press....
Depressing Dahab developments
I want to extend my condolences to the Egyptians and other nationals impacted by the terrible human tragedy that befell Dahab on Monday. More than 20 people were killed...
A peek at Abdoun’s mammoth ‘air bridge’
I've passed by the construction site for the new 4th Circle to Abdoun air bridge a number of times during the past two weeks and each time we drove by I had to pause...
Hamas vs. Jordan
I have to admit I was quiet shocked when I read the front page story of Al-Rai daily this morning. According to Jordanian officials, Hamas members have smuggled weapons...
Shopping in downtown Amman
In my pursuit of the most authentic Jordanian souvenirs for gifts to friends and family in the US, I decided to venture into downtown Amman, or Al-Balad. I was thrilled...
An open question to Mental Mayhem readers
While visiting friends and family here in Amman, the subject of my blog came up on quite a number of occasions. I was quiet surprised -- and humbled -- that a...
The Jerash Roman army experience
If you are residing in Jordan nowadays then make sure to take time out for a visit to the "Roman Army and Chariot Experience," a highly engaging historical...
One fine day
I kicked off my day this morning with a trip to Jara, more commonly known as Amman's flea market. I'd heard and read about this buzzing street market first on Jordan...
The new Amman lifestyle
Yesterday, I went through security checks on two separate occasions while out and about in Amman. The first was at the entrance of Mecca Mall, the second at the main...
Of Turkish coffee, bird flu and Yansoun!
There is nothing much to report from Amman today besides the fact that Turkish coffee has never tasted better. After nearly one year sans this sweet, potent coffee, I'd...
First Jordan dispatch
Well, I'm back in Amman, Jordan and I have to admit it feels surreal. I still cannot believe that I am physically here in my hometown surrounded by familiar faces and...
More than just a cookie!
Like nearly everything else "American," the first time I heard about Girl Scout cookies was while watching American TV shows when I was living in Jordan. At...
Jordanian-American play opens at the Kennedy Center
The Washington Post ran an article yesterday about the Jordanian-American play, Arabian Tales, currently in performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. For...
Zade Dirani organizes musical tour in the US
Reader Lisa drew my attention to a series of concerts being organized by Jordanian musician Zade Dirani in the US, entitled Roads to you. According to the tour website:...
A Seattle wedding
Our brief visit to Seattle for a family wedding was a blast. The wedding was marvelous in every sense of the word. And with regards to the city of Seattle, it is simply...
Jill named recipient of international media award
The same day that the kidnappers freed American freelancer Jill Carroll, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) named her the recipient of its prestigious...
Jill and her family are reunited
I could not control my tears when I saw the pictures of Jill reuniting with her family. What a happy ending! We love you Jill. Welcome back! There's a wonderful story...
Jill makes a statement
I was glad that Jill made a statement yesterday saying that the video that circulated on the internet after her release was made under threat. I was appalled, shocked...
‘Like falling off a cliff for three months’
The Washington Post talked with Jill soon after her release, quoting her as saying that her orderal felt “like falling off a cliff for three months." They also ran...
Jill is released!!
We have received word that Jill has been released. The Italian News Agency, ANSA (in Italian), which Jill used to work for, is reporting that Jill was released about...
Katie Carroll makes appeal for sister Jill on Alarabiya
Jill's twin sister Katie appeared on Alarabiya today, appealing for Jill's release, as she highlighted Jill's importance to her, her family and really, to all of us who...
Jordanian journalists make themselves heard
Jordanian journalists protest changes to Press law AMMAN -- Jordanian journalists stopped work for one hour yesterday in protest at the government's adoption of an...
Wisconsin dispatch
The highlight of this past weekend was spending time with one of my favorite Arab journalists and commentators, the one and only Mona Eltahawy. We were both invited by...
Disturbing morning reading
I was extremely disturbed to read (via What's in up in Jordan) that Jordanian columnist Abd Allah al Qaq has openly asked [in Arabic] in Al-Dustour daily for the death...
It’s official: The Bird Flu has hit Jordan
Jordan became the latest country in the Middle East to confirm cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu on Friday but said no humans had been infected and the...
Hope renewed
I was thrilled to hear the news about the release of the peace activists in Iraq. Of course this has renewed my hope that Jill's turn will be next. Meanwhile, a US...
A Look back: Jordanian Bedu Army weapons inspection
Here is another picture form the wonderful historical collection of reader Abdo. This one comes with no caption but it appears to be of the Jordanian Bedouin Army...
Photos of Iraq hostages unveiled in Paris square
Kudos to Reporters Without Borders. The group deserves real recognition for their continuing efforts to highlight the plight of Jill and the other journalists that have...
Mad, mad man!
It seems that the case of the Afghani Islam-to-Christian convert is attracting attention from the international community. One of the more outspoken is Amnesty...
On the issue of conversion
This morning I read disturbing news about an Afghan that converted to Christianity and now might be facing the death penalty for choosing a religion different from...
Celebrating ‘Rana’s Wedding’
We just finished watching Hani Abu Asad's Rana's Wedding, and what a delight it was. The movie, which was made in 2002, tells the story of a young Palestinian woman who...
Human rights practices in Jordan
The US Department of State recently launched its Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005. This is what they said about Jordan:Although the government respected...
Poverty in Jordan: Depressing figures
IRIN, the United Nations news agency, ran a feature disclosing that Jordanian citizens currently living in 40 of the kingdom's municipalities are living below the...
Iraqi interior minister: Jill is alive
Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr told the Associated Press in an exclusive interview that Jill is still alive. Here is an excerpt:Kidnapped Christian Science Monitor...
A scholarship for Atwar Bahjat
In a piece published in The Daily Star, highly esteemed Egyptian columnist Mona ElTahawy calls for the establishment of a scholarship for murdered Iraqi journalist...
A wonderful weekend with Amal
We spent this past weekend with our dear friend Amal, who was in town for a few days. We met at DC's breathtaking Union Station, where we sat, had lunch and talked like...
Bloggers campaign for Jill
The Committee to Protect Bloggers is campaigning for Jill. They are asking bloggers to post a link of Jill's video that is running on Iraqi stations and calling for her...
The Prophet cartoon row rolls on
Yemeni lawyers have called for a newspaper editor to be sentenced to death for showing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, his paper says. Muhammad al-Asadi was...
Caught red-handed and red-faced at the red light
After returning home from work the other day, I found an unpleasant surprise waiting for me in the mailbox. Amid the junk mail and endless brochures was a notice from...
Remembering Allan
The Christian Science Monitor has a moving feature on Allan Enwiyah, Jill's interpreter who was killed during her kidnapping. Here is an excerpt: I worked with Allan...
New England-style prep school coming to Madaba
Since my exodus, it seems things are getting pretty exciting in my hometown of Madaba. According to this story in The New York Times:Deerfield Academy, with its brick...
Jordanian couple recalls wedding tragedy
BBC Radio 4 has interviewed the Jordanian couple whose wedding was shattered by a suicide bomber's attack on Amman's Raddisson SAS November 9th. Here is the full...
Jordan ‘thwarts al-Qaeda attack’
What in heaven's name is happening in Jordan! Early this morning, a hostage drama unfolded in a Jordanian prison and now this:Jordan has foiled a planned suicide bomb...
Islamic Army said to be holding Jill
An Iraqi official said Tuesday that a group calling itself the "Islamic Army" is actually holding Jill. The name of this group differs from the name seen in...
Alarabiya.net’s poor choice of photos
I always get a kick out of Alarabiya.net's picture choices. I blogged once about how the photo editor (or whoever) at Alarabiya had selected a picture of a Halloween...
Iraqi official hopeful, says Jill is alive as deadline passes
The Feb 26 deadline set by Jill's kidnappers passed by yesterday with nary a word about Jill. But I believe, at this stage, no news is good news. This morning, some...
The Jordan Planet Book Club
One new initative that has sprung forth from the constantly evolving realm that is Jordan Planet is an online book club -- the brain child of Jordanian blogger Ohoud....
Atwar Bahjat, rest in peace
I am really shocked by the horrifying news today of the murder of Alarabiya reporter Atwar Bahjat and her crew in Samarra, Iraq. Two gunmen pulled up in a pickup truck,...
‘Iraq’s Jordanian Jihadis’ author Nir Rosen replies to my post
I was pleased to find that Nir Rosen, author of the New York Times feature "Iraq's Jordanian Jihadis," took time out to reply to my post on his article,...
‘G21’ Arab blogging feature published
For those interested, here is a link to an article I wrote about the Arab blogging explosion that was just published in G21 World magazine. Here is an excerpt:From...
Jordanian hostage Mahmoud Saedat freed
AMMAN -- A Jordanian embassy driver kidnapped two months ago by Iraqi militants demanding the release of a failed woman suicide bomber has been freed, officials said on...
Rally held at UMass calling for Jill’s release
I was pleased to see that students at the University of Massachusetts, where Jill got her journalism degree, held a rally to support her release. Karen List, one of her...
At odds with ‘Iraq’s Jordanian jihadis’
Well, the first thing that I did this sunny Sunday morning was to read a 12-page feature in the New York Times entitled "Iraq's Jordanian Jihadis." Trust me,...
Jordan welcomes Hamas delegation
So after expelling Hamas leaders some years back for "collaborating on Jordanian soil with foreign sides that do not like Jordan or its well-being,"Jordan has...
Challenges facing Arab-Christians gain international recognition
I read two articles this morning that examined the challenges facing Arab-Christians. Both pieces highlighted the fact that the affairs of Christians in the Middle East...
Former Saddam regime official appeals for Jill’s release
Here is a quick Jill update from the Christian Science Monitor:Sattam Hameed Farhan al-Gaood, a former senior official in Saddam Hussein's regime, made an appeal in...
Survey: Amman is the most expensive Arab city
Jordanian writer and blogger Batir Wardam's is discussing a recent global survey conducted by the highly respected Economist Intelligence Unit which revealed that Amman...
Movie chatter
When I feel like the world is going down the drain -- something that I have been sensing quite often lately -- I turn to the movies. For me, films provide an especially...
Good news from Jordan, bad news elsewhere
Editors of two local weekly tabloids were released on bail on Sunday, one week after being arrested for republishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. Jihad Momani,...
Kidnappers set new deadline for Jill
Reuters has just released some breaking news from Al Rai TV in Kuwait in the last few minutes. According to Al Rai, the kidnappers say they will carry out a threat to...
Jordanian editors who published cartoons again denied bail
By Mohammad Ben Hussein Chief editors of the two weekly tabloids, Shihan and Al Mihwar were denied bail for the second time on Thursday, according to a statement...
New Jill tape!
CNN is reporting that a private Kuwaiti TV station -- Al Rai -- has a new -- third -- tape of Jill! I haven't seen it yet but I understand she is wearing different...
‘My nationality: a right for me and my family’
Probably one of the most inspiring campaigns I've seen in the Arab world lately is the Lebanese campaign "My nationality: a right for me and my family," which...
RSF: Jordanian authorities ‘acrimonious’ since cartoon controversy began
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is apparently not satisfied with the Jordanian government's handling of the Prophet caricature controversy. In a press release, RSF...
Paris demonstration held in support of Jill
With actress Juliette Binoche and former French hostage Florence Aubenas attending, Reporters Without Borders staged a demonstration in Paris today in support of...
Don’t forget Jill Carroll
Below is an Associated Press photo taken of a poster of Jill that was hung outside city hall in Rome. It will remain there until Jill is freed. Jill has been kidnapped...
New trend in the Arab world: Sectarian strife
The most upsetting thing to me about this whole cartoon fiasco is how some fundamentalists in the Arab world have decided to react to the offensive cartoons –...
New Zealand paper republishes Prophet cartoons
A New Zealand newspaper has published controversial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed. The Dominion Post, a Fairfax-owned Wellington newspaper, published...
Prophet caricatures: The ‘Big Pharaoh’ question
Egyptian blogger Big Pharaoh is asking a question that has been haunting me for the past couple of days. He wonders: "A question to my fellow Muslims and Arabs:...
A poster of Jill to be hung from Rome’s city hall
I just read this in the Christian Science Monitor: A poster of Jill Carroll will be hung from Rome's city hall starting Sunday in a sign of hope and solidarity, the...
Jordanian weekly ‘Sheehan’ publishes Prophet caricatures
The Jordanian weekly Sheehan has published three of the controversial caricatures (in Arabic) that depict the Prophet Mohammad. Accompanying the cartoons is an...
Jill’s latest video: Analysis and condemnations
It has been two days since the release of the most recent heart-wrenching video, in which my dear friend Jill is weeping and begging for her life! Ah! I guess hope is...
Are Jordanians equal before the law? I think not!
Ahmad Humeid drew my attention to the "Know your rights, protect yourself" campaign currently underway in Jordan. A number of Jordanian dailies published...
New Jill video, Ah!
Al-Jazeera aired a new videotape Monday of kidnapped U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, showing her wearing a veil and weeping as she purportedly appealed for the release of...
Is Danish cartoon controversy related to attacks on Iraqi churchs?
I came across this Elaph article (in Arabic) via Jameed indicating that some Iraqi sources are linking the latest attacks on churches in Iraq -– in which at least three...
Quick Jill update: Dulaimi renews plea
Adnan al-Dulaimi, the Sunni political leader who Jill was supposed to interview on the day of her kidnapping, has issued another plea for her release. Like many others,...
Jordan foreign minister summons Danish consul over cartoons
After Jordan's parliament called for for the punishment of the caricaturists that created images of the Prophet Mohammad, Jordan's foreign minister got into things...
Jordanian and other Arab intellectuals, politicians call for Jill’s release
The Jordanian daily Al-Ghad must be commended for its extensive coverage of Jill's ordeal. In addition to the moving editorial written by Al-Ghad's editor-in-chief,...
U.S. frees female detainees in Iraq, speculation on Jill begins
Well, the hottest news of the day, aside from Hamas major victory in the Palestinian elections, is the fact that the US has released five female detainees in Iraq. Here...
Jordanian women’s groups call for Jill’s release
According to Al-Ghad daily (in Arabic), a number of Jordanian women's organizations have condemned the kidnapping of Jill and asked for her release. Among those calling...
Still hopeful
Although we have not heard any major news regarding Jill, the following news items eked out today, making me feel even more hopeful:The Iraqi authorities have arrested...
Concern over Jordan’s parliamentary call for the punishment of Danish cartoonists
Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about the Jordanian parliament's call yesterday for the punishment of the cartoonist that drew 12 caricatures of the...
Former member of Gamaa Islamiya appeals for Jill’s release
First of all, Jill's father has made a second appeal for Jill's release this time appearing on CNN: I wish to speak to the men holding my daughter. I hope that you...
On pins and needles
It's true, the deadline has passed with no word on Jill's fate, but I remain very hopeful, as efforts to secure her release continue non-stop. As the clock keeps...
Jill’s father appeals for her release on Aljazeera
The deadline the kidnappers initially gave will expire later today but efforts to save my very dear friend's life are still ongoing, non-stop. The latest major effort...
Muslim organizations appeal for Jill’s release
First, this morning Jill's mother Mary Beth made an appeal for Jill's release in an interview on CNN, saying "Jill has always shown the highest respect for the...
Al Ghad editor’s moving commentary on Jill
The editor-in-chief of the Jordanian daily Al-Ghad, Ayman Al-Safadi, wrote a moving piece (in Arabic) about Jill in today's edition. Mr Al-Safadi was the one who hired...
Arab media and Muslim groups urged to quickly act in support of Jill
Reporters without Borders has appealed to Arab media and Muslim organizations to speak out in support of Jill. We appeal to the press of the entire world, especially in...
Aljazeera airs video of Jill Carroll
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Al-Jazeera has aired a tape of a hostage American reporter along with a statement saying the U.S. has three days to free female prisoners in Iraq...
Iraqis entering Jordan facing restrictions
My friends and family in Jordan have been telling me that life in Jordan has changed remarkably following the horrible 9 November terrorist attacks that rocked the...
The paranoia continues
The bird flu paranoia continues ... Here is the latest statement from a senior Jordanian health official. Yes it is scary!A senior health official on Monday said Jordan...
Bird flu paranoia!
Via Zandaqa, I came across this Elaph article, which states that two people have died in Syria after exhibiting symptoms similar to those found in bird flu! I'm not...
The Jordan Times Jill Carroll editorial
The Jordan Times, where Jill worked for a year, ran a moving editorial about her today. Here are some excerpts: The kidnappers who abducted her could not have chosen a...
A look back: Jordanian Bedouin troops
This is another great picture from Abdo. Unfortunately it did not have a description with it but I believe that it depicts Bedouin troops taking a breather. Once again,...
Meeting the Sandmonkey
The other day, I had a chance to meet face-to-face with the infamous, the one and only Egyptian blogger Sandmoneky. We met in downtown DC, where we talked mostly about...
Brief update on Jill’s abduction
The Christian Science Monitor published a brief update today on efforts to get Jill freed:Vigorous efforts are under way on many fronts –- by the Monitor, many media...
Review: ‘Sharon and my Mother-in-Law’
I recently finished Suad's Amiry short book Sharon and My Mother-in-Law. The book is based on Amiry's daily doings and escapades in Ramallah in the West Bank. It is an...
Praying and hoping
For the last two days, both the husband and I have been extremely stressed out, worried about the fate of our dear fiend Jill. We are still very hopeful that she will...
Oh God, not Jill!!
Oh my God. I'm in utter and complete shock. My hands are trembling as I'm writing this. My very good friend Jill Carroll has been kidnapped while on assignment in Iraq...
Between a rock and a hard place
Once again Jordan finds itself between a rock and a hard place. It is an awkward position where Jordan is torn between fulfilling its commitment to international...
Jordan Planet East Coast Congress
While the Jameeds were in town, we had our first official East Coast Jordan Planet meeting. Attendants included the Jameeds, Beisan and yours truly (along with the...
Ushering in 2006 with the Jameeds
For the past three days, we have been having a marvelous time with the Jameeds. We met up with them in New York for New Year's Eve, where we had a blast in every sense...
A majority of Jordanians now view al-Qaeda as terrorist group
According to the latest poll conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies, the percentage of Jordanians that consider Bin Laden's al-Qaeda movement as a legitimate...
Quick thoughts on ‘Munich’
We finally got a chance to watch the controversial film Munich last night with the Jameeds, Beisan, and another friend. After the movie each of us had a different...
Campaign to end journalists’ imprisonment
We are back from New York after a wonderful time spent with the Jameeds. I will blog about our exhilarating adventures in detail later this evening! Meanwhile, I will...
Majestical Mansef in the USA!
Last night, I devoured my first Mansaf for the first time in over six months! Yes, you heard me right: Six whole months without a taste of my country's national dish! I...
Digesting Kieslowski’s ‘Decalogue’
We finally finished watching Kristof's Kieslowski's Decalogue -- a 10-part dramatic series based on the Ten Commandants that originally aired on Polish television....
Rights group calls for closure of overcrowded Jordanian prison
A leading human rights organisation has called on the government to close the remote Jafr prison, located in an isolated desert area nearly 256 km south of the capital,...
Free Mahmoud Saidat!
I deliberately stayed away from all news sources during the Christmas holidays to give myself a break from the daily dose of death and destruction. Now that I'm back...
A look back: British military police in Amman
Here's another fascinating image from the early days of Jordan. This again comes from reader Abdo; thanks again Abdo! The caption reads: "British Military police,...
Merry Christmas from the Nation’s capitol
We are off to Virginia tomorrow morning to celebrate Christmas with various assembled family members. I'm really looking forward to the festive season, as Christmas has...
Mamnou’ channel closes shop
For some reason I've been blogging all about Mamnou' channel, or the "taboo" channel, since its inception. First, came its launch announcement, then the...
Featured in ‘Viva’ magazine
I was featured in the globetrotter section of a new Jordanian lifestyle magazine called Viva. I thought I'd share. My awesome friend Lana scanned the article in Jordan...
My take on ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’
The first time I heard about Narnia was during the first days of my arrival in the US, almost six months ago. I vividly remember the day the husband and I were talking...
A look back: Amman demonstration
Here's another great picture from Abdo's secret cache. The caption reads: "Scenes of the demonstration in Amman on the occasion of the 5th of June war, in which...
Typepad outage
Typepad experienced a major outage yesterday that took Mental Mayhem out of action for over a day. Of course, I was peeved. I felt like a mother with a sick child....
Alarabiya’s ‘genius’ reporting
Here is some genius reporting coming at you all the way from Alarabiya.net. This picture, which shows what appears to be youths celebrating Halloween, was chosen for an...
Human Rights Watch calls on Jordan to abolish death penalty
Human Rights watch has called on Jordan to abolish the death penalty following "flawed justice" in the handling of two cases. Here is an excerpt :New...
Now open: Superjordan.com … thanks Abdo!
This is a quick post to extend a special "super" thanks to reader Abdo (yes, the same Abdo that's provided this blog with historic Jordan pictures) for...
Jordanian rappers condemn terrorist attacks
I just listened to a Jordanian rap tune entitled Ready by a new "local" band called Last Standing Poet. The song condemns the 9 November terrorist attacks...
‘No conspiracy theorists’
In its editorial condemning the assassination of Lebanese journalist Gibran Tueni, The Jordan Times came down hard on believers of conspiracy theories. Here is an...
Jordanian podcasts
I spent a good chunk of this morning listening to Jordanian podcasts found on this new podcast blog: www.ninish.com. I have to admit, they were highly entertaining....
A few thoughts on ‘Syriana’
I had been looking forward to watching Syriana since I'd read an article about it nearly three months ago. Back then, the movie seemed to have all the elements that...
A look back: King Hussein’s Coronation in 1953
Here is this week's "look back" picture. Once again, the photo is provided by the one and only Abdo. [Click to enlarge]. The captions reads: "Members of...
A ‘second wedding’
Last weekend, the amazing Mom T arranged a "welcome-to-the US" reception for us at their wonderful home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The idea behind...
Photo of the day
Jordan's Rima Taha poses with the gold medal she won in the women's long jump final at the 3rd West Asian Games in Doha December 8, 2005. Photo by Jamal Saidi for...
Business as usual
Two days ago a snowstorm made its way across the DC-Metro area. The snowfall began around noon Monday and continued all night. The next morning, we awoke to an...
Iraqis in Jordan face discrimination in wake of bombings
The UN news agency IRIN has a disturbing report about alleged discrimination against Iraqis in Jordan. Here is an excerpt:AMMAN, 7 December (IRIN) -- Reports of...
Jordanian authorities remove posters for Iraqi polls
The Amman city council has removed campaign posters for Iraqis voting in Jordan during the election this month, saying they should be confined to the vicinity of...
King: Jerusalem is for Christians, Muslims, Jews
AMMAN: Jordan's King Abdullah II insisted on December 5 that Jerusalem must be an open city for Jews, Muslims and Christians during talks with Theophilos III, the new...
A look back: Downtown Amman 1970
Here is is another wonderful picture that is being provided by Mayhem reader, Abdo. This is a photo of downtown Amman in 1970 [click it to enlarge]. Once again, thanks...
Best books of 2005
The New York Times has come up with its ten best books of 2005. On the fiction list: Zadie Smith's On Beauty, Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep, Ian McEwan's Saturday, Mary...
The atrocity continues — Part II
This is a follow-up to a post I put up October 12 with the title The Atrocity continues. In that instance, a man got six months of jail for butchering his sister....
Court approved for Coptic community in Jordan
Nas drew my attention to the following news item that was published in the Jordan Times last week:AMMAN (Petra) — The government has given its consent to a request by...
Plans to establish Jordan’s first Shia mosque underway
According to a report published on Alarabiya's website, some Iraqi businessmen are planning to build Jordan's first Shia mosque in Amman's Abdoun neighborhood on land...
Back to frozen pizza!
Remember the magloubeh pact that I made last month, well, in case you are wondering, it is still standing. However, and sadly enough, my first attempt at making...
The new cabinet and its promise of reform
The dominate topic in the Jordanian blogosphere as of late is the newly appointed Jordanian cabinet. It was discussed here, here, here and here. I really don't have...
A look back: Brits in the bazaars
Reader Abdo sent me this wonderful historic photo of Jordan taken in the 1950s's and I thought I would post it here to give it maximum exposure [enlarges on click]. The...
Quick thoughts about my first Thanksgiving
My primary impression from my first Thanksgiving experience is that this particular festivity could have been an Arab celebration. I mean, it is really all about eating...
‘Ya Amman’ music video
For those living outside of Jordan and are interested in seeing the music video for the song Ya Amman, which was released to condemn the terrorist attacks in Jordan,...
Religious freedom in Jordan
I just finished reading parts of the 2005 US State Department report on International Religious Freedom. The section on Jordan is quite long and detailed. The report...
The ‘jameed’ aroma
According to this Elaph article (Arabic), the smell of Mansaf on the streets of Paterson, New Jersey is so potent that it sticks to your clothes as you wander about ......
Kudos to Moorish girl
One of the blogs that I enjoy a great deal is Moorish Girl, a site maintained by Moroccan author Laila Lalami, who recently released her fist novel Hope and Other...
Concerns over Jordan’s anti-terror law
IRIN, the UN news agency, has a feature examining concerns over the anti–terror draft law in Jordan. The feature also tackles the issue of the growing Iraqi population...