joi, 29 mai 2008
UMMMM... CAN'T REALLY COME UP WITH A TITLE FOR THIS
Advice on Saudi Arabian tv for the good faithful muslim men. It would be hilarious, if there weren't real women going through all this.
marți, 27 mai 2008
CONVERSATION ON APTN DIRECT BETWEEN CHINESE TELEVISION AND THE AP DESK EDITOR
China Central Television (CCTV) (1226 GMT)
From CCTV News will any live broadcasting of the bombing of North Korea Facilities?Since there are news that CNN will have live covering
APTN (1229 GMT)
China Central Television (CCTV): we are not aware of any bombing. do you have more details?
China Central Television (CCTV) (1238 GMT)
there are news that at the end of May before next round of six party talks, the cooling tower of the North korea facilties in Yongbyon would be bombed and CNN would provide live coveragei
From CCTV News will any live broadcasting of the bombing of North Korea Facilities?Since there are news that CNN will have live covering
APTN (1229 GMT)
China Central Television (CCTV): we are not aware of any bombing. do you have more details?
China Central Television (CCTV) (1238 GMT)
there are news that at the end of May before next round of six party talks, the cooling tower of the North korea facilties in Yongbyon would be bombed and CNN would provide live coveragei
luni, 26 mai 2008
THE NIGERIAN GUY FROM THE OLD SOUK
He was right. Part of me didn't want to believe him. "Lebanon is a beautiful country, but the politicians are killing it". B totally agreed. We found him in the old souk in Byblos. Sitting in front of a shop on a chair. A thin black guy smiling. He called us in. "People don't buy anything when they come to this place unless they come to my shop", he jokes. He was right. I instantly found something to buy. The shop was a mess. The way I like a shop to be. Dusty. Clothes and bed covers and table covers and souvenirs and anything you can imagine. On a shelf at the back I found the keffiyah I wanted for a friend. B started to speak to the guy. That why he entered the shop in the first place; to find out more. "Where are you from?" "She's from Romanian and I'm Lebanese. Where are you from?" "Nigeria. But I'm married to a Lebanese woman." "Cool. Is this your shop?" "No. I work for somebody. Find anything you like?" The man kept smiling, happy I had found something to buy from his place. I bought two keffiyah. Just 10 000 Lebanese pounds. Around 7 dollars. The guy went out to another shop to bring me the change for a 20 000 banknote. "you know, you have a beautiful country, but the politicians are killing it", he told B as he came back. And we left to the coffee shop across the street to have a sandwich and a cappuccino. "You're gonna write about this guy, won't you?" "Mhm."
****
They're fighting again in Beirut. Here's the Naharnet live coverage.
9:50pm Clashes in Beirut's Kourniche Mazraa district between opposition and majority and the army intervenes.
9:45pm Clashes reported between the Hizbullah-led opposition and majority supporters in the Beqaa Valley village of Taalabaya.
9:29pm Beirut MP Ammar Houry pleaded with president Suleiman to rescuse civilians in the capital from attacks by Nasrallah's partisans.
9:27pmAt least 16 people were wounded by gunfire from Nasrallah's followers.
8:24pm At least two people were wounded by pro-Nasrallah shooting in Beirut and admitted to Maqassed hospital.
B told me like 20 minutes ago they started the firing again. Man, I really hoped they would stop. The people really believed that electing a new president would stop the fighting. And here come Nasrallah to ruin everything once again.
****
They're fighting again in Beirut. Here's the Naharnet live coverage.
9:50pm Clashes in Beirut's Kourniche Mazraa district between opposition and majority and the army intervenes.
9:45pm Clashes reported between the Hizbullah-led opposition and majority supporters in the Beqaa Valley village of Taalabaya.
9:29pm Beirut MP Ammar Houry pleaded with president Suleiman to rescuse civilians in the capital from attacks by Nasrallah's partisans.
9:27pmAt least 16 people were wounded by gunfire from Nasrallah's followers.
8:24pm At least two people were wounded by pro-Nasrallah shooting in Beirut and admitted to Maqassed hospital.
B told me like 20 minutes ago they started the firing again. Man, I really hoped they would stop. The people really believed that electing a new president would stop the fighting. And here come Nasrallah to ruin everything once again.
duminică, 25 mai 2008
LEBANON AT PEACE?
Downtown Beirut. May 22. Thursday evening. Around 11 pm. Noisy. Humming. The traffic is almost impossible. You get out of the service cab, you hardly find your way across the street and then you struggle to make your way among the people. People are literally pouring from everywhere. Laughing, walking hand in hand, smiling. Young people, old people. Huge coffee shops that stretch on half of the street are filled with people. Not even one free table. An old man shouts from a distance at his friend sitting in a coffee shop and opens his arms. They meet, kiss three times, the Lebanese way, and they sit down for a talk. They congratulate each other. They hope and feel it’s time for their country to have a rest.
Downtown Beirut used to be the Camps Elysees of the Middle East. You can find here all the famous designers’ shops; you can smoke the nargil, have a cup of cappuccino and talk to a friend for hours. There is even a Place de l’Etoile, where students meet and usually sit on the side walks.
In the middle of it all they staged a tv show. Live on LBC, the national television, a debate to celebrate peace. To celebrate something that Lebanon hasn’t known in decades- an agreement between the factions that a few days ago were fighting in the streets. A TV debate in the middle of the street. True, surrounded by soldiers, but they weren’t more than 4 young soldiers guarding the stage. A huge act of courage that would not have been possible…. No. An act of courage that WAS never possible in a country where people get assassinated for speaking about what they believe in.
Six months ago, the whole place was deserted. Nobody was there except a few shy soldiers who’d ask you to open your bag. All the museums were closed; the shops were almost out of business. And nobody adventured there. The Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah had staged a sit in. They demanded enough seats in the cabinet to wield veto power over any decision the government makes, despite the fact that they couldn’t win enough seats in the last election.
The Parliament building in Place de L’Etoile was surrounded by barbed wire and the door remained closed for a few months. That’s actually why they weren’t able to elect a new president. The parliament was not functioning, cause the Hezbollah did not show up for the vote.
And then there was the Situation. With an S. A tension you could even touch and try to cut with a knife. People would avoid investing in their businesses because of the Situation. They avoided refurbishing a house because of the Situation. And made people startle when they heard a tire exploding or even fireworks. But on Thursday night it was all gone.
There have been agreements before; there have been attempts to rebuild the country. But none of them had the privilege to be the one that people believed in.
The Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and the Parliamentary Majority leader, Saad Hariri, son of the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and the Speaker of the Parliament, a close ally of the Hezbollah militia reached an agreement on Wednesday in Doha. They will form a national unity government and elect the new president - Michel Suleiman, the head of the army.
People are really optimistic. Happier. And they are aware of that. They see each other smile and it makes them smile again. Life got back to Beirut this week. But still everybody’s asking for how long it’s going to last.
“We, Lebanese, are like that. We just snap. In and out of war. Just like that. That’s why people don’t trust us as a country.”, B says as he snaps his fingers. But he still admits things are different now.
Downtown Beirut used to be the Camps Elysees of the Middle East. You can find here all the famous designers’ shops; you can smoke the nargil, have a cup of cappuccino and talk to a friend for hours. There is even a Place de l’Etoile, where students meet and usually sit on the side walks.
In the middle of it all they staged a tv show. Live on LBC, the national television, a debate to celebrate peace. To celebrate something that Lebanon hasn’t known in decades- an agreement between the factions that a few days ago were fighting in the streets. A TV debate in the middle of the street. True, surrounded by soldiers, but they weren’t more than 4 young soldiers guarding the stage. A huge act of courage that would not have been possible…. No. An act of courage that WAS never possible in a country where people get assassinated for speaking about what they believe in.
Six months ago, the whole place was deserted. Nobody was there except a few shy soldiers who’d ask you to open your bag. All the museums were closed; the shops were almost out of business. And nobody adventured there. The Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah had staged a sit in. They demanded enough seats in the cabinet to wield veto power over any decision the government makes, despite the fact that they couldn’t win enough seats in the last election.
The Parliament building in Place de L’Etoile was surrounded by barbed wire and the door remained closed for a few months. That’s actually why they weren’t able to elect a new president. The parliament was not functioning, cause the Hezbollah did not show up for the vote.
And then there was the Situation. With an S. A tension you could even touch and try to cut with a knife. People would avoid investing in their businesses because of the Situation. They avoided refurbishing a house because of the Situation. And made people startle when they heard a tire exploding or even fireworks. But on Thursday night it was all gone.
There have been agreements before; there have been attempts to rebuild the country. But none of them had the privilege to be the one that people believed in.
The Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and the Parliamentary Majority leader, Saad Hariri, son of the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and the Speaker of the Parliament, a close ally of the Hezbollah militia reached an agreement on Wednesday in Doha. They will form a national unity government and elect the new president - Michel Suleiman, the head of the army.
People are really optimistic. Happier. And they are aware of that. They see each other smile and it makes them smile again. Life got back to Beirut this week. But still everybody’s asking for how long it’s going to last.
“We, Lebanese, are like that. We just snap. In and out of war. Just like that. That’s why people don’t trust us as a country.”, B says as he snaps his fingers. But he still admits things are different now.
THIRD TIME IN LEBANON
The post is a bit late, cause I couldn't connect to the Internet in Beirut.
I’m back in Lebanon. It took me a while. 4 months actually. Seems like ages to me now. And I found it different this time. Third time. Well, not the country. All that was changed about it when I got off the plane were a few dark circles on the road – from the burned tires. But the people… The people felt different. I got off the plane on Wednesday at about 2 in the morning. They double checked my passport this time. Never happened the first two times. They even “sounded” the alarm when the saw on my entrance card that I am a journalist. The airport security guys started to ask questions. Who do I work for, what station, and as they’ve never heard of Antena3 before, as I expected, they were really confused. The guy at the counter didn’t know what to do, so he called the boss. I gave him my press card, he looked at it carefully. It looks official enough although the guys who made it forgot to write “PRESS” on it. They only wrote a small “Ştiri” instead of it. The security chef only said a “hm” and then asked if I knew English and asked what my beat was. Hehe. I told him I cover international affairs and he went like “Ohhhh, NEWS! Ok, let her pass.” “WELCOME TO LEBANON!”
Well, thank you very much. What kind of journalist would you think would come to Lebanon at a time like this? Maybe a Children’s Show producer? Geez!
(UPDATE. I was told later that a few Israeli journalists had got into Lebanon with foreign passports under the Hezbollah nose and they were bragging about it on TV. "Hey, look, we're in Lebanon!")
As Ramy drove on the highway, I looked around to see at least a trace of the fighting that had been going on. Had seen a picture a friend had taken during the fighting. The usually crowded highway to the airport all deserted. Nothing alive on it but a small bird. I expected to see at least traces of the dirt they used to barricade the road.
But there was nothing. No barricades, not even a hint that they were there 4 days before. All clean and wiped. I am always amazed by the Lebanese capacity of regeneration. I remember the bridges bombed by the Israelis in the summer of 2006. I remember all the footage that came in on Reuters and AP at the time and the destroyed roads and the bridges. The Lebanese are amazing. The roads are now all rebuilt. (One more reason for those politicians bullshitting the Romanians after 20 years of so called democracy to visit Lebanon more often. Lebanon has highways, and bridges and everything a civilized country needs. Well, they are not satisfied with their roads, that's for sure. But, they are definetly better than the Romanian ones, trust me. AND THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH DECADES OF INTERNAL FIGHTING.)
I arrived into a quiet Beirut. Hamra, where my hotel is, is now as full of people as ever. They had it closed last week after the Hezbollah fighters moved in. It was around 3 am on Wednesday morning. A few hours later I was watching on Al Jazeera that the Lebanese politicians had made up and they agreed on a national unity government in Doha. And I saw the people of Lebanon smiling at each other for the first time.
I’m back in Lebanon. It took me a while. 4 months actually. Seems like ages to me now. And I found it different this time. Third time. Well, not the country. All that was changed about it when I got off the plane were a few dark circles on the road – from the burned tires. But the people… The people felt different. I got off the plane on Wednesday at about 2 in the morning. They double checked my passport this time. Never happened the first two times. They even “sounded” the alarm when the saw on my entrance card that I am a journalist. The airport security guys started to ask questions. Who do I work for, what station, and as they’ve never heard of Antena3 before, as I expected, they were really confused. The guy at the counter didn’t know what to do, so he called the boss. I gave him my press card, he looked at it carefully. It looks official enough although the guys who made it forgot to write “PRESS” on it. They only wrote a small “Ştiri” instead of it. The security chef only said a “hm” and then asked if I knew English and asked what my beat was. Hehe. I told him I cover international affairs and he went like “Ohhhh, NEWS! Ok, let her pass.” “WELCOME TO LEBANON!”
Well, thank you very much. What kind of journalist would you think would come to Lebanon at a time like this? Maybe a Children’s Show producer? Geez!
(UPDATE. I was told later that a few Israeli journalists had got into Lebanon with foreign passports under the Hezbollah nose and they were bragging about it on TV. "Hey, look, we're in Lebanon!")
As Ramy drove on the highway, I looked around to see at least a trace of the fighting that had been going on. Had seen a picture a friend had taken during the fighting. The usually crowded highway to the airport all deserted. Nothing alive on it but a small bird. I expected to see at least traces of the dirt they used to barricade the road.
But there was nothing. No barricades, not even a hint that they were there 4 days before. All clean and wiped. I am always amazed by the Lebanese capacity of regeneration. I remember the bridges bombed by the Israelis in the summer of 2006. I remember all the footage that came in on Reuters and AP at the time and the destroyed roads and the bridges. The Lebanese are amazing. The roads are now all rebuilt. (One more reason for those politicians bullshitting the Romanians after 20 years of so called democracy to visit Lebanon more often. Lebanon has highways, and bridges and everything a civilized country needs. Well, they are not satisfied with their roads, that's for sure. But, they are definetly better than the Romanian ones, trust me. AND THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH DECADES OF INTERNAL FIGHTING.)
I arrived into a quiet Beirut. Hamra, where my hotel is, is now as full of people as ever. They had it closed last week after the Hezbollah fighters moved in. It was around 3 am on Wednesday morning. A few hours later I was watching on Al Jazeera that the Lebanese politicians had made up and they agreed on a national unity government in Doha. And I saw the people of Lebanon smiling at each other for the first time.
marți, 20 mai 2008
WATCH AND WEEP
Look at this guy's arguments. Have you heard of anybody masturbating while watching the news? I mean ok, unless they are terribly SICK. WTF!
Anyways, Saudi Arabia is a country where they actually have executioners trained to cut people's heads with a sword.
luni, 19 mai 2008
THE BORING STUFF
Representatives from around 100 countries opened a 12-day conference Monday in a bid to agree a global ban on cluster bombs, one of the most lethal weapons facing civilians caught up in conflict. The talks, at Dublin's Croke Park Gaelic sports stadium, are aiming for a wide-ranging pact that would completely wipe out the use, production and stockpiling of cluster bombs by its signatories.
USA, Russia, China, Israel, India and Pakistan, the biggest manufacturers of such boms, are not participating.
sâmbătă, 17 mai 2008
CHINA AGAIN
In was browsing around looking for what other people report on. This one I found on Liveleak really left me speechless.
joi, 15 mai 2008
EARTHQUAKE IN CHINA
Haven't seen anything like it before. Have you? And I wonder why all these disasters happen in countries like China, Myanmar, Indonesia... where the governments would rather let half of the country perish than admit they're stupid and cruel.
YAY!
I'm going to Beirut! I'm going to Beirut!
Lebanese MEA said it was likely to resume incoming flights from Europe starting Thursday afternoon.
Lebanese MEA said it was likely to resume incoming flights from Europe starting Thursday afternoon.
DID THE WISER GUY GIVE UP? AND WHAT FOR?
I know I shouldn't push my luck. Siniora revoked those two decisions that made Hezbollah so angry they started the violence last week. The Airport Chief of security keeps his seat and the Hezbollah can have their cameras supervising the airport (as creepy as it sounds). They made the decision after the visit yesterday of Arab Committee delegation, carefully filtered by the Hezbollah some say. I've also heard people say how weak Siniora is, how Hariri, the cute guy who'll never be his father, made a fool of himself (again!)... I've read about how Siniora was weak on purpose, how Hariri doesn't want to arm his Sunnis to prevent them from fighting back.
Aaaaaanyway. Everybody's waiting for that airport to open. So, Hezbollah got what they wanted, round 50 people where killed in the process, 200 wounded, why isn't that airport open yet, huh?
"After the cabinet meeting, an opposition official said the airport road was likely to reopen on Thursday morning.", I read this morning on Naharnet.
Hey, guys, it's NOON! :((
Aaaaaanyway. Everybody's waiting for that airport to open. So, Hezbollah got what they wanted, round 50 people where killed in the process, 200 wounded, why isn't that airport open yet, huh?
"After the cabinet meeting, an opposition official said the airport road was likely to reopen on Thursday morning.", I read this morning on Naharnet.
Hey, guys, it's NOON! :((
marți, 13 mai 2008
ROMANIANS IN BEIRUT - Frere Felician
Frere Felician is the only Romanian priest in Lebanon. He's my age, has the face of an angel and speaks Romanian with that Moldovan accent which made me instantly homesick. Frere Felician Tamas graduated Roman Catholic Theology in Roman, a town in Eastern Romania. I found him last November in Saint Antoine de Padoue church in Sin el-Fil, Beirut. Small Franciscan convent where you can find 7 monks, including Brazilian, French and Lebanese.
Frere Felician has been in Lebanon since 2004. God's will, he says. Otherwise he can't explain it. He knew nothing of Lebanon, besides the verses in the Bible and the cedars of Lebanon. Now he's taking Arabic lessons and has conversations with the soldiers guarding the church. He's there for the Lebanese seeking comfort in God's word. Bu the wants to be there for the Romanians in Lebanon and called them to a Easter service last year. Around 30 people came and Frere Felician was happy.
Being in Lebanon made him understand what brought most Christians closer to the church. "You don't see only women and old people in church. You see also the young. They're going through difficult times, they know what suffering is and this is what brought them closer to God ".
DAY 6: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN TRIPOLI
As seen on Beirut Spring blog.Well, more bad news for me. Fighting again in Tripoli.
At 11.00 am, Naharnet reports, Al-Manar TV, NBN and OTV stopped broadcasting in Tripoli and nearby areas. Naharnet also reports that Arab League sources say the opposition backing Hezbollah had a positive reaction to Arab League leader Moussa’s demand to open the airport road so that the Arab delegation arrives in Beirut through the facility.
I sure hope it says open. At least until next Wednesday morning.
luni, 12 mai 2008
Day 5: Lebanese dare to hope worst is over
The Beirut Daily Star front page headline makes me a bit happier. I woke up this afternoon with a feeling I'm not gonna get to Lebanon next week as I'm supposed to. I got my plane ticket just two days before the fighting began. I see the things started to settle down, people are getting back to work in Beirut which is a good sign. The road to the airport is still blocked, though, but I'm sure they'll clear the way by next Tuesday when I'm supposed to leave.
I hope it's not gonna get worse. Actually at the beginning I thought it was just a one day thing, as it usually is. And it seems quite unreal to see what's happening.
I've been in Lebanon the week Emile Lahoud left the presidency. Everybody was, of course, worried. Army filters every 100 meters on the highway, people being cautious, watching the news and stuff like that. Lahoud left the office on a Friday evening, tried to declare a state of emergency so that the army could take control of the country. Five minutes afterwards on LBC Siniora almost told him "Fuck off! What state of emergency? Get real and get lost!". And it all calmed down.
The second time I were in Lebanon, in February, I found myself on a Sunday afternoon in Saint Michael square in Beirut, in the middle of a protest. I was looking for a Hezbollah flag, a present for Tote, one of my friends. I was stunned to actually find a.... HEZBOLLAH SHOP where they sold coffee cups with Nasrrallah's picture and cheep rose perfume the seller pretended it's Nasrallah's scent.
Anyway, on our way to the shop - cause I was with two friends crazy enough to give me a lift to the southern Beirut - we ran into the protest. The army had just shot a protester a few yards away. And I looked around and I only saw 14-15 year old laughing, jumping around and shouting a lot. My friends translated to me what they were saying. " They're swearing, shouting slogans against the LBC , Lebanese television, and they're also shouting "Jaja has AIDS, Jaja has AIDS!", Bassem told me. "See? This is Lebanese fun at it's best". And at some point the children started jumping again and laughing. "Let's have some fun, let's burn tires!" 8 people were killed that day as far as i remember now. 11 army officers were punished for the shooting. And that was it. People got back to they work.
They didn't even fight on Hariri assassination anniversary. Maybe because Hezbollah was busy burying Imad Moughniyah, the military chief assassinated in Syria.
Until now. I was just thinking the other day. Isn't it funny that the Hezbollah suddenly got very busy on Israel's 60th anniversary?
I hope it's not gonna get worse. Actually at the beginning I thought it was just a one day thing, as it usually is. And it seems quite unreal to see what's happening.
I've been in Lebanon the week Emile Lahoud left the presidency. Everybody was, of course, worried. Army filters every 100 meters on the highway, people being cautious, watching the news and stuff like that. Lahoud left the office on a Friday evening, tried to declare a state of emergency so that the army could take control of the country. Five minutes afterwards on LBC Siniora almost told him "Fuck off! What state of emergency? Get real and get lost!". And it all calmed down.
The second time I were in Lebanon, in February, I found myself on a Sunday afternoon in Saint Michael square in Beirut, in the middle of a protest. I was looking for a Hezbollah flag, a present for Tote, one of my friends. I was stunned to actually find a.... HEZBOLLAH SHOP where they sold coffee cups with Nasrrallah's picture and cheep rose perfume the seller pretended it's Nasrallah's scent.
Anyway, on our way to the shop - cause I was with two friends crazy enough to give me a lift to the southern Beirut - we ran into the protest. The army had just shot a protester a few yards away. And I looked around and I only saw 14-15 year old laughing, jumping around and shouting a lot. My friends translated to me what they were saying. " They're swearing, shouting slogans against the LBC , Lebanese television, and they're also shouting "Jaja has AIDS, Jaja has AIDS!", Bassem told me. "See? This is Lebanese fun at it's best". And at some point the children started jumping again and laughing. "Let's have some fun, let's burn tires!" 8 people were killed that day as far as i remember now. 11 army officers were punished for the shooting. And that was it. People got back to they work.
They didn't even fight on Hariri assassination anniversary. Maybe because Hezbollah was busy burying Imad Moughniyah, the military chief assassinated in Syria.
Until now. I was just thinking the other day. Isn't it funny that the Hezbollah suddenly got very busy on Israel's 60th anniversary?
duminică, 11 mai 2008
"HEY, AREN'T WE COOL? WE'RE TAKING TURNS SHOOTING ! "
I can't believe these guys. They're actually having fun. Well, I've been told that this is the "Lebanese fun at its best" but i thought is was a joke. Silly me, I thought fighting might be stressful. But not when you bring a chair in the street, empty your gun and the sit for a while and get some rest, smoke a cigarette and let yourself filmed in action. What do these guys have to defend, huh? They don't really seem convinced of a certain cause, do they? I'm sure they couldn't care less about who's in charge of the government or how many spy cameras the Hezbollah has in the Beirut Airport.
And I'm sure there are guys like these two playing around and killing children without even noticing. Man , these guys deserve to be stripped naked in the center of Beirut and not given permission to go to the bathroom.
sâmbătă, 10 mai 2008
AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE PLANE TICKET
I have a plane ticket to Beirut. I should leave on May 20. I was very happy about it. Definetly very happy. I got my ticket on Monday, booked the room on Tuesday and on Wednesday they started to fire. Right. Story of my life I said. The fighting between the Hezbollah gunmen and the Hariri's supporters went on and on for foru days. Last night, before I came to work and be unhappy about the reports I had to write on the turmoil in Beirut, Tote, as nice as he usually is, sent me a piece of news. Sunni Al Qaida wants to come destroy Shia Hezbollah. Great, that's just what I need. Al Qaida.
By the time I got to work, the Hezbollah agreed to withdraw from the street and leave them to the army. Great, I said. At least they let the security cheif at the airport have his jpb back with or without the special Hezbollah security cameras. I couldn't care less. I just want that airport to function at least until I get there.
But then, in the morning, at about 5. 30, France Presse served un URGENT. I'm not bothering to translate.
De violents combats faisaient rage dimanche matin à Tripoli, dans le nord du Liban, entre des partisans de la majorité et de l'opposition menée par le Hezbollah, a annoncé à l'AFP un responsable libanais de la sécurité. Plusieurs personnes ont été blessées, a-t-il ajouté, sans autres précisions. Les combats sont concentrés au nord de Tripoli, dans les quartiers de Bab al Tebbaneh, Kobbeh et Jabal Mohsen et "environ 7.000 personnes ont du fuir" ces affrontements, a indiqué le responsable. Des tirs à l'arme lourde, ainsi que des explosions en pleine ville ont été entendus, selon un correspondant de l'AFP.
Guys, please start to fight AFTER I get and answer from LAU, ok? Pf.
By the time I got to work, the Hezbollah agreed to withdraw from the street and leave them to the army. Great, I said. At least they let the security cheif at the airport have his jpb back with or without the special Hezbollah security cameras. I couldn't care less. I just want that airport to function at least until I get there.
But then, in the morning, at about 5. 30, France Presse served un URGENT. I'm not bothering to translate.
De violents combats faisaient rage dimanche matin à Tripoli, dans le nord du Liban, entre des partisans de la majorité et de l'opposition menée par le Hezbollah, a annoncé à l'AFP un responsable libanais de la sécurité. Plusieurs personnes ont été blessées, a-t-il ajouté, sans autres précisions. Les combats sont concentrés au nord de Tripoli, dans les quartiers de Bab al Tebbaneh, Kobbeh et Jabal Mohsen et "environ 7.000 personnes ont du fuir" ces affrontements, a indiqué le responsable. Des tirs à l'arme lourde, ainsi que des explosions en pleine ville ont été entendus, selon un correspondant de l'AFP.
Guys, please start to fight AFTER I get and answer from LAU, ok? Pf.
THE ROMANIANS IN BEIRUT
This is the first of the stories I shot in Beirut in November last year, a day before president Emile Lahoud steped down from office. Lost of tension, of course.
My Romanians felt the tension and they were afraid the concert they had that week would have been cancelled due to the political crisis. Thre are about 50 Romanians in the Beirut Philarmonic Orchestra. They play every morning in St. Joseph Church in Monot street and I found them with a little help from the Cultural secretary of the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. I've been trying to call them forthe last few days, since the Hezbollah (yeah, again Hezbollah) has taken control of the western Beirut where all the nice places are. For some reason nobody is interested in this story in Romania. I can't understand why, given the fact that most of the world is carefully watching what's happening in Lebanon.
Oh, please, don't be harsh on the video. It was the first time I had to shoot my own footage and do the interviews at the same time. And it's the first video I edit alone, at home, on my laptop using Movie Maker. So, yeah, you professionals out there, be patient with me. It takes time to learn this stuff, ok? And it takes time to do the subtitles. So here's what they say.
The guy in the orange coat has been in Beirut since febriary last year and he's pretty happy there. There has been a bit of turmoil, but not as much as he expected.
The girl witht he glasses, the violonist, explains how she had to cancel her classes becasue of the SITUATION ad how scared she was to cross downtown Beirut on her way to Brumana, on the mountain, where she lives. She thanked God when she reached home a day before.
The red haired lady is a Romanian Armenian who's been in Lebanon for 37 years. She's been through the civil war, lived it as any Lebanese lived it and she says nothing impresses her anymore. She graduated the Conservatory in Romania and she left during Ceausescu's rule. Lebanon seemed better during the civil war to her than communist Romania.
PS. There will be a few more stories in the next days. Depending how much sleep I get after the nights I spend at work.
miercuri, 7 mai 2008
THE FINNISH WAY
 |
“We will ask them why they have arrived in Finland. Naturally it will also be interesting to find out they are genuinely victims of intimidation at home. And are the talks about their money lending and high interests true?” explained senior planning officer Johanna Seppälä from the City of Helsinki Safety and Preparedness Co-ordinating Division on Tuesday as quoted in the Helsingin Sanomat daily.
What complicates matters is the range and variety of beggars. There are peddlers of false gold and roses, those who stop cars, and petty thieves, but also women begging on their knees, who presumably have nothing to do with the previous. Some are street musicians. The usual stuff I might add.
The reason for the over-representation of Romania is the country’s sizeable Roma population, which is estimated at a minimum of two million people, the largest in Europe, the Finnish believe.
Several human rights organizations have reported on Romania’s systematic discrimination against its Roma minority.
So is putting pressure on the Romanian government through the EU one of the means toslove the problem? “Yes”, says a guy from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Definetly not, I'd say. I wonder how they will react when they really find out how complicated this whole thing is and how difficult it is to change the way people think. Try make these people stay off the streets and see what happens.
I once interviewed a Gypsy chief in a town called Tandarei in southern Romania. He had two huge houses, marble plated and was very proud of it. And proud of how he got the money for the two precious palaces.
"After the Revolution we put our children in the trunks and we went to Germany. We were hundreds of thousands. There was nothing here for us. The government wouldn't give us anything. So we left. People died then. Children suffocated in the trunks and the police at the borders had no idea. But it was worth the sacrifice. I made the money for these houses in two years. How? Social assistance. We had 10 children and we got lots of money for that. My people wouldn't steal. They are Christians." Traian Bulibasha is now a pentecostal pastor and forbids his people to lie and steal. But can he?
Abonați-vă la:
Postări (Atom)
