INDONESIA - Christian woman caned 30 times according to Islamic law.

INDONESIA - Christian woman caned according to Islamic law. (Fides).

An elderly 60-year-old Protestant Christian woman was caned in Indonesia, the first time a Sharia law punishment, has been meted out to a non-Muslim.

As Fides learns, this is what happened to Remita Sinaga, who was convicted of selling alcohol, after the police seized 50 bottles of alcohol from her shop and whipped nearly 30 times with a rattan cane, before a crowd of hundreds in the town of Takengon, in the province of Aceh.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that applies Sharia law, reserved for Muslim citizens, but also non-Muslims can choose it. As some local officials pointed out, the woman chose flogging
voluntarily, thinking that the alternative would be worse: a period of detention, according to the law in force. In 2015, in fact, the Indonesian government banned the sale of alcohol in small shops.

In 2002, the Indonesian central government granted to the province of Aceh, home to 4.7 million people the majority of whom are Muslims, a regime of "special autonomy". The new Islamic Penal Code was approved in the province in 2014 and entered into force in October 2015.

The Code punishes with flogging sexual relations outside marriage, consumption or sale of alcohol, gambling.

According to the Indonesian NGO "Kontras", which defends and promotes human rights, "flogging is an inhuman practice and is a form of torture that should not be allowed in Indonesia"

Russian Officials Order Deportation of Chief Rabbi of Omsk.

Russian Officials Order Deportation of Chief Rabbi of Omsk. (Forward).

The chief rabbi of Omsk in southern Siberia, Asher Krichevsky, was ordered deported by Russian officials, according to Russian media reports.

Krichevsky, 36, was told Tuesday that he and his family — a wife and six children — have 15 days to leave Russia.

The rabbi, who has Israeli citizenship, has worked in Russia as a Chabad emissary for 13 years.

The Federal Migration Service has accused Krichevsky of “illegal trading of alcohol,” Kommersant-Siberia reported Tuesday, but Krichevsky told the newspaper that he has not been told why he is losing his residency permit.

Local news organizations also reported that Krichevsky is under suspicion of spying for Israel, while others believe the decision is politically motivated.

Last month, Krichevsky was fined 2,000 rubles, or about $50, for selling kosher wine from the Chabad House without a liquor license, Kommersant reported.

Omsk Jewish leaders plan to appeal the deportation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling Krichevsky “an absolutely apolitical individual,” according to Kommersant.

The newspaper reported, however, that the rabbi may have made anti-government comments in private conversations and that the deportation may be intended to send a message to other religious leaders.

The rabbi has 10 days to appeal the decision. Hmmm.....In he 'good old days' they would send you to Siberia, now they send you to Israel?

Harar: The Ethiopian city of beer and mosques.

Harar: The Ethiopian city of beer and mosques. HT: BBC.

Ethiopia's historic city of Harar is one of Islam's holiest centres - but in recent times it has built up another tradition and is now also known for its brewery.

As holy cities go, Harar is a colourful one. Inside the walls of the old town I find buildings in greens, purples and yellows - its women seem to take this as a challenge, dressing in veils and robes of shocking pink and the brightest orange.


Harar lies far in the east of Ethiopia, with a road that rises out of the town in the direction of Somaliland.
I've come to find the city's brewery, which is what it's known for - beyond its holy credentials.

For three decades now it's turned out Harar beer, its bottles carrying a label that depicts the old city's famous gates.

Inside the grounds, green beer crates frame the horizon, with a green mosque in the distance.Read the full story here.

'Islamist' Turkey toughening conditions for advertising & Selling of alcoholic beverages...to Tourists as well.

'Islamist' Turkey toughening conditions for advertising of alcoholic beverages.(Taz).

Turkey is toughening conditions for the advertising of alcoholic beverages, Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported on June 2.

Under the new draft law, which will come into force in 10 days, the country will ban the advertising of alcoholic beverages in front of cafes, restaurants and shops that sell alcohol.

The fine for violators of this requirement will range from 5,000 to 200,000 Turkish liras (approx. $2,300 to $95,000), according to the draft law.

In May 2013, Turkey adopted a law restricting the sale of alcoholic beverages.

The new law caused discontent among a number of citizens, who felt that by doing so the government is restricting their rights and freedoms.

Under the law, adopted in Turkey in May 2013, the sale of alcoholic beverages in the shops was banned between 22:00 and 06:00.

During this period of time, the sale of alcohol is also banned at tourist sites throughout Turkey.

The shops and entertainment venues that sell alcoholic beverages between 22:00 and 06:00 will face a fine of 30,000 to 146,000 Turkish liras (approx. $14,300 to $69,600)

Some 23 percent of the adult male population of Turkey consumes alcoholic beverages, according to the Turkish Health Ministry. Alcoholic beverages are consumed by 4 percent of Turkish women.

Over 20 percent of the alcohol consumption in Turkey takes place in the north-western regions of the country.

"Haram' - Sobering times for Turkish winemakers as new law takes effect.

Sobering times for Turkish winemakers as new law takes effect.(AA).

Blasted by winds whipped up on the Aegean Sea, the Turkish island of Bozcaada sits close to the ancient city of Troy and has been known since the time of Helen and Paris for one thing: wine.

But that may be all about to change.

In early September in Bozcaada, another grape harvest was coming to an end, and with the final fruit of the season heading to the pressing room, Mehmet Tanay was feeling gloomy.

“It will be an average year,” the vintner said. Last year he produced 600,000 bottles, but after the introduction of a new law designed to curb the sale and advertising of alcohol in Turkey, Tanay has lowered his expectations.

Although deputies voted for the law in May, it only came into force on Sept. 9, a move that Tanay and his fellow winemakers believe threatens their livelihoods and a tradition that stretches back generations.

Tanay estimates his business has shrunk by between five and 10 percent in the months since the law was passed banning advertising in the press and online, the sale of alcohol in shops between 10pm and 6am, and a total ban on its retail near schools and mosques.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended the law as a measure to improve the population’s health, but critics see it as just his latest attempt to “Islamicize” Turkey.

During the violent protests that swept the country in June, the law was consistently raised by demonstrators as the specter of a more hardline Muslim nation they say is sought by Erdogan.

“We can't have wine tastings, we can’t organize events, we can't advertise in newspapers,” said Tanay. “We already couldn’t advertise on TV but now newspaper advertising is banned too. With these laws we can't communicate.”
Even a website advertising his vintage is gone, replaced with a black screen. A highly popular wine festival is now a “grape festival.”

‘Too many people depend on the wine sector’

As Bozcaada ponders its economic future - two-thirds of the island’s 2,400 people are employed in the wine trade - others are worried about losing a part of their identity.

“Small producers don't want to sell their [vineyards] because it’s part of their culture and they’re attached to it. It’s their heritage, often inherited from their parents and families” said mayor Mustafa Mutay. “The islanders want to continue to produce wine and they will fight to be able to do that.”

That may prove a challenge. Since taking power in 2002, Erdogan and his conservative AKP party have lumbered producers and drinkers with huge tax hikes.

Inflation is also a factor, but the price of Turkey’s national drink, reki, has risen by a staggering 272 percent since 2004, with beer bloating by 218 percent and wine by 163 percent, according to official statistics.

The government raked in 4.6 billion Turkish lira ($2.3 billion) in taxes from alcohol last year, up from three billion lira in 2010.

To relieve the pressure on producers, Erdogan’s administration claims it has helped by boosting wine exports, which winemakers concede is true but say is not enough.

“These restrictions have to be looked at differently,” Tanay said. “Too many people depend on this sector.”

Bozcaada’s residents remain optimistic, however, believing that laws and taxes are nothing in the face of many Turks’' desire for a nice glass of red.

“People come to Bozcaada for the wine. When they order a drink, it’s wine,” said Mahir, a restaurant owner on the island.

Selma Songul, one of his customers, described the law as “prohibition.” “Drinking alcohol is a personal choice, nobody should control it,” she said.

And Turks are voting with their wallets by drinking more than ever, it seems. Taxes or no, consumption has jumped from 38 to 60 billion liters a year between 2008 and 2012.

.

Related: "Haram" - Turkish Parliament adopts alcohol restrictions, bans sale between 10 pm and 6 am.

Hmmmm......This short article will attempt to put an end to the questions and debates on this issue by analyzing the straightforward verses relating to alcohol in the Quran:

"O you who believe, do not approach the Salat while you are intoxicated, until you know what you are saying. Nor if you have had intercourse, unless travelling, until you bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or one of you has excreted feces, or you had sexual contact with the women, and could not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and hands. God is Pardoning, Forgiving." (4:43)

"O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and altars, and arrows of chance are tools of affliction used by the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful." (5:90)

"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say: “In them is great harm, and a benefit for the people; but their harm is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you how much are they to give, Say: “The excess.” It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think." (2:219)

"And from the fruits of the palm trees and the grapes you make wine and a good provision. In that is a sign for a people who comprehend." (16:67)

"Is the example of Paradise; that the righteous have been promised with rivers of pure water, and rivers of milk whose taste does not change, and rivers of wine that are delicious for the drinkers, and rivers of strained honey, and for them in it are all kinds of fruits, and a forgiveness from their Lord; like that of those who abide in the Fire, and are given to drink boiling water that cuts-up their intestines?" (47:15)

The usual arguments presented on this subject are listed below with their relevant responses:

Argument # 1: Alcohol is `haram/forbidden`

This statement is usually uttered by followers of the Hadith or Ulema with no ability to provide direct evidence from the Quran. This statement is based on no knowledge or research as the Quran is very explicit in the items that are `haram` (see verse 5:3 for an example of how forbidden items are directly stated).
When confronted with obvious contradictions to their statement such as the verse (see 4:43) stating that Salat is not to be approached if a person is intoxicated, they will go into a spin that alcohol was permitted at the beginning of the Quran`s revelation as God did not want to scare people away from the new religion (God had no problem ripping the very fabric of their social and political and religious lives, but did not want to upset people by taking away their drink!). And that when Islam was established, God went ahead and forbade it.

Argument # 2: God tells us that alcohol is `to be avoided` which is far stronger than being `haram/forbidden`. 

This statement, although wrong, is somewhat creative. The debaters have decided to create a new category called `stronger than being forbidden` and they base their view on verse 5:90 which they claim God tells people to `avoid` alcohol and therefore this is more powerful than being forbidden as you have to make a conscious effort to even get out of places and situations where alcohol is present.

SHAKIR: O you who believe! intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness (Rijs), the Shaitan's work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. (5:90)

Why is this argument wrong?

Simply because the verse being quoted and used as evidence has been mistranslated.
The word in question is the Arabic `faijtanibuh`. Nearly all translators (and even Arabic speakers) automatically relate this word (which means: `avoid / stay-away`) as addressing the subject of alcohol quoted in the beginning of 5:90. What is obvious to a careful reader is that the wording ends with the `H` which is in Arabic called `dhameer` and is referring to a singular.
Now, the verse in question has two singular items that it may be referring to: 1. Rijs/Uncleanness, 2. Shaitan.
While the majority have obviously selected the `Rijs` to support their theory of alcohol being avoided, the verse is correctly referring to the Devil `Shaitan` as can be seen in the very next verse:
"The devil only wants to cause strife between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the Salat. Will you be deterred?" (5:91)
The correct translation therefore becomes:
"O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and sacraments, and fortunes are foul tools used by the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful." (5:90)

Argument # 3: Alcohol is `Ithm` (sin) and ithm has been forbidden.

This argument is based on verses 2:219 and 7:33.
As with point # 2, this argument is not valid based on a simply study of the Quranic text.
While `ithm/sin` is indeed clearly forbidden in 7:33, the verse linking alcohol with `ithm` is saying `fihima ithm` (`in them is ithm`) and not they are Ithm. Thus, alcohol in itself is not `Ithm` but may be used in a way that produces the `Ithm` (which is in-line with the previous point that the devil uses these tools against people).

Conclusion:

Nowhere does God forbid alcohol in the Quran.
God informs us that Salat is not to be approached while intoxicated. This nullifies the `haram` argument in its infancy.
God tells us heaven will have rivers of alcohol as well as milk and honey. This again nullifies the `haram` argument as no pig or blood or any other `haram` elements are made available. 
The verse used most to outlaw alcohol speaks of the `devil` and that he should be avoided (not the alcohol). 
Cleary alcohol is not forbidden in Islam and the only restriction found in the Quran is to avoid making Salat if intoxicated. 
However, having said all of the above, it must be noted that alcohol is to treated with `caution` as it may lead to sin and is one of the preferred tools used by the devil to entice humankind.

"Haram" - Turkish Parliament adopts alcohol restrictions, bans sale between 10 pm and 6 am.

"Haram" - Turkish Parliament adopts alcohol restrictions, bans sale between 10 pm and 6 am.(HD).
Parliament’s General Assembly has adopted a highly controversial alcohol bill proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), tightening restrictions on the sale and advertising of alcoholic beverages, despite strong objections against the bill on the grounds of personal freedom and respect for lifestyle choices.

The proposal was swiftly put on the agenda, despite the protests from the opposition, and was eventually adopted early in the morning of May 24 following debates which ran on past midnight. The AKP has acted remarkably fast in bringing the legislative package to the agenda of Parliament’s General Assembly, within a period of a mere two days.

According to the bill, retailers will no longer be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The opposition parties strongly criticized the amendments, arguing that such a ban should not include touristic regions. “[Alcohol] banned during night prayers, but allowed during morning prayers,” a Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy said about the proposition.

The head of the Planning and Budget Commission, Lütfü Elvan of the AKP, said that such restrictions were in place in many Western countries. “This approach of night prayers and morning prayers saddened me. In Sweden, [the retail sale of alcohol] is forbidden after 7 p.m. on weekdays, 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 24 hours on Sundays. There are similar restrictions in all Scandinavian countries,” he said.

“No one can be forced to drink or not to drink. This is a religious and ideological imposition,” Musa Çam, a deputy from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said. “This is not a struggle against the ills of alcohol but an attempt to re-design the society according to their beliefs and lifestyle,” he added.

All sorts of advertising campaigns will be completely banned, such as promotions, sponsored activities, festivals and free giveaways. The only exception will be the international fairs aimed at international marketing of the alcoholic beverages.

Violators of the advertising ban will be punished with financial penalties ranging from 5000 to 200,000 Turkish liras.

Under the bill, alcohol companies would no longer be allowed to promote their brands and logos, these can only be used as part of service inside the facility.

Additionally, all liquor bottles sold would have to display warning signs about the harms of alcohol, again similar to those found on cigarette packages.

London-based spirits company Diageo, which entered the Turkish market by acquiring Mey Icki in 2011, released a statement on May 23, saying that it shared the government’s concerns about alcohol consumption but that it was seeking a meeting with officials to “present alternative views” on “fair, balanced and responsible” regulation.

In TV series, films and music videos, images that glorify the consumption of alcohol will be prohibited. Images of alcohol would be blurred, the same way as cigarettes are being blurred at the moment. BDP deputy Murat Bozlak also demonstrated their disapproval of the bill as he said “Nobody has the right to impose the monotype lifestyle on the society.”

Alcoholic beverages will not be allowed to be purchased from vending machines. Beverages could not be sold from see-through shop windows and cannot be sold to be consumed outside the facility.

Student dormitories, health institutions, sports clubs, all sorts of education institutions and gas stations will be banned from selling alcohol. Already acquired licenses to sell alcohol will remain intact, yet to get new ones, facilities are required to be located outside the perimeter of 100 meters of educational and religious centers.

Those who want to get licenses to sell alcohol from the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority (TAPDK) will be conditioned to get the license to open up a business from the municipality and then a tourism document from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Before granting a license the municipalities will get the opinion of the authorized law enforcement forces.Read the full story here.


Hmmmm......This short article will attempt to put an end to the questions and debates on this issue by analyzing the straightforward verses relating to alcohol in the Quran:

"O you who believe, do not approach the Salat while you are intoxicated, until you know what you are saying. Nor if you have had intercourse, unless travelling, until you bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or one of you has excreted feces, or you had sexual contact with the women, and could not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and hands. God is Pardoning, Forgiving." (4:43)

"O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and altars, and arrows of chance are tools of affliction used by the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful." (5:90)

"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say: “In them is great harm, and a benefit for the people; but their harm is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you how much are they to give, Say: “The excess.” It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think." (2:219)

"And from the fruits of the palm trees and the grapes you make wine and a good provision. In that is a sign for a people who comprehend." (16:67)

"Is the example of Paradise; that the righteous have been promised with rivers of pure water, and rivers of milk whose taste does not change, and rivers of wine that are delicious for the drinkers, and rivers of strained honey, and for them in it are all kinds of fruits, and a forgiveness from their Lord; like that of those who abide in the Fire, and are given to drink boiling water that cuts-up their intestines?" (47:15)

The usual arguments presented on this subject are listed below with their relevant responses:

Argument # 1: Alcohol is `haram/forbidden`

This statement is usually uttered by followers of the Hadith or Ulema with no ability to provide direct evidence from the Quran. This statement is based on no knowledge or research as the Quran is very explicit in the items that are `haram` (see verse 5:3 for an example of how forbidden items are directly stated).
When confronted with obvious contradictions to their statement such as the verse (see 4:43) stating that Salat is not to be approached if a person is intoxicated, they will go into a spin that alcohol was permitted at the beginning of the Quran`s revelation as God did not want to scare people away from the new religion (God had no problem ripping the very fabric of their social and political and religious lives, but did not want to upset people by taking away their drink!). And that when Islam was established, God went ahead and forbade it.

Argument # 2: God tells us that alcohol is `to be avoided` which is far stronger than being `haram/forbidden`. 

This statement, although wrong, is somewhat creative. The debaters have decided to create a new category called `stronger than being forbidden` and they base their view on verse 5:90 which they claim God tells people to `avoid` alcohol and therefore this is more powerful than being forbidden as you have to make a conscious effort to even get out of places and situations where alcohol is present.

SHAKIR: O you who believe! intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness (Rijs), the Shaitan's work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. (5:90)

Why is this argument wrong?

Simply because the verse being quoted and used as evidence has been mistranslated.
The word in question is the Arabic `faijtanibuh`. Nearly all translators (and even Arabic speakers) automatically relate this word (which means: `avoid / stay-away`) as addressing the subject of alcohol quoted in the beginning of 5:90. What is obvious to a careful reader is that the wording ends with the `H` which is in Arabic called `dhameer` and is referring to a singular.
Now, the verse in question has two singular items that it may be referring to: 1. Rijs/Uncleanness, 2. Shaitan.
While the majority have obviously selected the `Rijs` to support their theory of alcohol being avoided, the verse is correctly referring to the Devil `Shaitan` as can be seen in the very next verse:
"The devil only wants to cause strife between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the Salat. Will you be deterred?" (5:91)
The correct translation therefore becomes:
"O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and sacraments, and fortunes are foul tools used by the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful." (5:90)

Argument # 3: Alcohol is `Ithm` (sin) and ithm has been forbidden.

This argument is based on verses 2:219 and 7:33.
As with point # 2, this argument is not valid based on a simply study of the Quranic text.
While `ithm/sin` is indeed clearly forbidden in 7:33, the verse linking alcohol with `ithm` is saying `fihima ithm` (`in them is ithm`) and not they are Ithm. Thus, alcohol in itself is not `Ithm` but may be used in a way that produces the `Ithm` (which is in-line with the previous point that the devil uses these tools against people).

Conclusion:

Nowhere does God forbid alcohol in the Quran.
God informs us that Salat is not to be approached while intoxicated. This nullifies the `haram` argument in its infancy.
God tells us heaven will have rivers of alcohol as well as milk and honey. This again nullifies the `haram` argument as no pig or blood or any other `haram` elements are made available. 
The verse used most to outlaw alcohol speaks of the `devil` and that he should be avoided (not the alcohol). 
Cleary alcohol is not forbidden in Islam and the only restriction found in the Quran is to avoid making Salat if intoxicated. 
However, having said all of the above, it must be noted that alcohol is to treated with `caution` as it may lead to sin and is one of the preferred tools used by the devil to entice humankind.

Islamist Turkey's Alcohol controversy mounts after Ottoman comparison.

Islamist Turkey's Alcohol controversy mounts after Ottoman comparison.(HD).Following a brief introductory debate marked by bickering, Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission sent a proposal to a sub-commission further restricting the sale and promotion of alcoholic drinks on May 15.

The sub-commission will be able to make amendments to the proposal introduced by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on May 10.

A heated debate erupted between deputies of the AKP and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), after CHP members compared Isparta deputy Süreyya Sadi Bilgiç and Manisa deputy Recai Berber, who were among the AKP deputies drafting the proposal, to “Murat IV,” an Ottoman sultan who ruled from 1623 to 1640 and is known for his ban on alcohol.

CHP Istanbul deputy Ferit Mevlüt Aslanoğlu’s words sparked the controversy. “I like Recai Berber a lot, so I would be upset if Berber and Bilgiç were called ‘Murat IV.’ I would be upset if they became sultans like Murat IV,” Aslanoğlu said.

Similarly, the CHP’s Veli Ağbaba suggested the ban would be tantamount to hypocrisy. “Murat IV himself used to drink, he banned it but he himself used to drink secretly,” Ağbaba said.

The discussion escalated to such a level that Lütfi Elvan, the AKP’s Karaman deputy heading the commission, had to interrupt and suspend the session.

On May 10, the AKP proposed harsher measures related to alcohol, banning all sorts of advertising and obliging producers to include information about the risks of alcohol on the packaging of every unit. In the event of the measures being infringed, the guilty company will be totally banned from sale.

Alongside this, alcohol producers will no longer be allowed to sponsor cultural festivals, and their brands and logos may also be banned from being displayed at such events.

If the bill is approved, education, sports and health institutions, as well as establishments next to highways - such as markets and restaurants - will be prevented from selling alcoholic drinks. Sales via automatic vending machines, telephone, and the Internet will also be banned.

The AKP’s maneuver to send the proposal to the sub-commission indicates that certain amendments are likely to be introduced. The granting of the vendors their vested right based on their currently possessed liquor license is among the changes expected to be made. The proposal on tourism establishments is also to be altered to either remove or soften the ban on vendors who have tourism establishment documents, if not deeming them exceptions.Hmmmm......I wonder if Erdogan will stick to water during his US visit?Read the full story here.

Related: World alcoholic drinks leader Diageo concerned over sale restrictions

'Islamist’ gunmen kill alcohol seller in Egypt’s Sinai, Booze and bikinis are welcome in Egypt, says Egypt's tourism minister.

'Islamist’ gunmen kill alcohol seller in Egypt’s Sinai, Booze and bikinis are welcome in Egypt, says Egypt's tourism minister. (HD And AA).Islamist-ruled Egypt is open to visitors who drink alcohol and wear bikinis as it sets out to boost numbers by at least a fifth this year, the tourism minister said on Sunday.

The minister, Hisham Zaazou, said the government had "optimistic goals" for the sector, and played down comments from radical Salafi Muslim groups who have called for a ban on alcohol and women wearing swimsuits.

"Bikinis are welcome in Egypt and booze is still being served," Zaazou, speaking in English, told a news conference during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.

"We had talks with these Salafi groups and now they understand the importance of the tourism sector, but still you have some individuals that are not from the leadership saying these things," added the minister, an independent who is not a member of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood.

"We want to show people that Egypt is safe, and the best way to show this is by live streaming. The next step will be to have these images shown on big screens in public squares in Paris or New York."

Gunmen shot a man dead who was selling alcohol in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Sunday in an attack security officials said was likely carried out by Islamist militants.

The four gunmen killed Rami Ahmed, 28, at a bar on a main road near El-Arish, a town in the northern Sinai Peninsula. It is an area where Islamist militant influence has expanded since the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak more than two years ago.

"We are still in the early stages of the investigation but it is likely that Islamic hardliners were behind the incident," one of the security officials said. He said the victim came from the Nile Delta, north of Cairo, suggesting the shooting was unlikely to be related to local tribal rivalries.Hmmmm......How about 'Live streaming' that on big screens in public squares in Paris or New York?Read the full story here and here.

Iranian Family: Saudi Embassy drunk Employee who killed an Iranian driver in a car accident Should Stand Trial Based on Iranian Law.

Iranian Family: Saudi Embassy drunk Employee who killed an Iranian driver in a car accident Should Stand Trial Based on Iranian Law.(Fars).A drunk employee of Saudi Arabia Embassy in Tehran killed an Iranian driver and wounded a passer-by in a fatal car accident in northeastern capital, Tehran, earlier this month.

The Saudi staffer rammed his vehicle into the Iranian car before veering off the road. The Iranian driver was killed on the spot.

"I'm very angry because no one from the Saudi Embassy in Tehran has even come to sympathize with us or express condolences to my children for the loss of their father. The Saudi Embassy staffer should be brought to justice so that foreign diplomats will not dare to be drunk or kill Iranian nationals without being punished in the future," Mahboubeh Habibi, wife of the victim, told press tv.

Although medical evidence showed that the embassy staffer was drunk, Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied media reports that he had been drunk, saying, "It is untrue that he was intoxicated".However, Iranian police have found four bottles of alcoholic beverage in the Saudi employee's car.

"I urge the Saudi government to freely cooperate with the Iranian officials and accept the mistake of their diplomat. We are not thinking of the blood money. What matters to us is that we will not allow our rights to be ignored," Mohaddeseh Farahani, daughter of the victim said.

Meanwhile, brother of the victim added, "If the Saudi officials are true Muslims, they should accept the reality. I want the right of my brother to be respected. We want the Saudi diplomat to be punished under the Iranian law. This is our right and we will never give it up."

On March 19, Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast mentioned violating Iranian laws, exceeding the speed limit, and driver's intoxication as the causes of the deadly accident, saying Iran has strongly protested to the Saudi Embassy staffer's behavior and has notified the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran of its complaint. Read the full story here.

Alleged Drunken 'Muslim' Saudi Prince shot and Kills Young Man in Riyadh.

Alleged Drunken 'Muslim' Saudi Prince shot and Kills Young Man in Riyadh.(Fars).

Turki bin Faisal Al Saud shot at a young man, named Adel al-Mohaimed, and his friend and killed al-Mohaimed, Iran's Arabic-language news network, Al-Alam reported on Saturday. The friend of the young man was seriously wounded in the shooting and sent to a nearby hospital.

Saudi activists have declared in the social networks that the Saudi prince was drunk at the time of shooting.
People are growingly discontent with the ruling regime. Since February 2011, protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis to show their anger at the Saudi despots.
Saudi officials have intensified arrests of activists and opposition figures in the recent weeks in a move to crack down on popular protests across the country.
The Saudi demonstrators first called for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly and an end to widespread discrimination.
However, the demonstrations have turned into protests against the repressive Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the oil-rich region. According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime "routinely represses expression critical of the government". Read the full story here.

Alcohol use on the rise in Islamic Middle East.

Alcohol use on the rise in Islamic Middle East.(BM).CAIRO and KUALA LUMPUR: While alcohol consumption is supposedly forbidden, the Muslim world has seen nearly double the increase in alcohol consumption in the past decade, according to a new study. Across the Islamic world, The Economist magazine said, consumption is on the rise, with an increase of some 72 percent between 2001 and 2011. “I believe it 100 percent,” said Egyptian lawyer Ahmed, who regularly joins his friends at a bar after work for a beer. “We just like to enjoy ourselves and this whole religion thing has not been something that hinders us,” he told Bikyamasr.com.
Surprisingly, the Islamic world’s increase in boozing has been as the rest of the world has only grown in its alcohol consumption by some 30 percent. The magazine, in its report on the new figures, said that the “rise [in alcohol-sales in the Middle East] is unlikely to be accounted for by non-Muslims and foreigners alone.” Muslims are just as likely to partake in drinking as their non-Muslim counterparts.
Granted, there are some Muslims who maintain abstinence to drinking, but the magazine and others believe Muslims have had a direct role in the rise of alcohol. Although a taboo in many Muslim countries, more so in places like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Pakistan where it is legally banned, drinking is still commonplace. In other places, such as Lebanon, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Egypt it is legal to consume alcohol and bars are often crowded. At a Chinatown cafe in Kuala Lumpur, three advertising executives sit down ahead of Ramadan and order two pitchers of Carlsberg beer. They are relaxing, the humidity at its peak and drinking quenches their thirst. “We all worked in the Gulf, so it is great to be here and just get a drink when we want and to relax. We aren’t stupid about it, but we do enjoy a good beer,” Mahmoud told Bikyamasr.com as he downed his first glass.
The magazine calculated the annual alcohol consumption of people in different Muslim countries from 2003 – 2005 of age-groups 15+, revealing some staggering results. The highest consumption can be found among the secular-minded wealthy of Lebanon, where one person drinks about 2.23 liters of pure alcohol a year. Lebanon is closely followed by Turkey, as one person consumes about 1.87 liters annually. Next on the list is Iran, where home-brewers and party-goers in Tehran drink 1.02 liters per capita a year, even though it is not officially allowed.
Indonesia stands at 0.59 liters a day, while Egypt follows with 0.37 liters mainly consumed either by the poor in their own homes, or by the rich in “posh hotels”. In Saudi Arabia, foreign diplomats are thought to drink 0.25 liters of pure alcohol a year. As for Libya, the study claimed that the Qaddafi-family was the main alcohol-consumer before its fall earlier this year, with 0.11 liters. Last on the list is Pakistan, with only 0.06 liters. While there ares some countries where drinking is lower, overall drinking is becoming a common part of many lives in the Islamic world, from Morocco to Indonesia.Hmmmm......."Cheers".Read the full story here.

Official: Iranians' alcohol consumption on the rise.

Official: Iranians' alcohol consumption on the rise.(TI).A top health official in Iran has warned of rising alcohol consumption in the country. Last year (Iran's solar year ended on March 19), more than 90 people lost their lives because of alcohol poisoning, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reports. In 2011, Iranian law enforcement's seizures of alcoholic beverages also grew by 69 percent over the previous year, and police confiscated 829 drivers' licenses because they tested positive for drugs or alcohol. Of those arrested, 43 were women. Over the last 11 days, seven people have died and 17 have been hospitalized because of alcohol poisoning.Read the full story here.

Iran - Alcohol consumption in Tehran is “worrying”, official.

Iran - Alcohol consumption in Tehran is “worrying”, official.(AA).Alcohol consumption in Tehran, banned since the Islamic revolution, has become “alarming”, according to deputy health minister, Bagher Larijani, quoted Tuesday by the Iranian media. “We sometimes receive quite disturbing reports from hospitals and doctors concerning the consumption of alcohol in (popular) neighborhoods south of Tehran,” said Larijani, adding that alcohol consumption was also “high” in some other “parts of the country”. He stressed the need “to pay more attention” in the current times to the problem of alcohol than to diseases like “diabetes, heart illnesses and vascular problems.” Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, the sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Iran, except for the Christian minorities. But alcoholic consumption seemed to increase in recent years, despite the severe penalties against the production, consumption and trafficking of alcohol. According to official figures, 60 to 80 million liters of smuggled alcohol enter the country each year of which only 20 million liters are seized by the police. A representative of the “anti-trafficking” movement estimated the market of alcohol at $ 730 million per year in early 2011. Police Chief, General Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam, recently said that the country counts some “200,000 alcoholic cases” and that 80% of the smuggled alcohol enters to Iran from the Iraqi Kurdistan.Iranian police has set this year breath testing to detect motorists driving while intoxicated. Offenders are liable to a fine of 2 million rials (120 dollars), confiscation of driver’s license and prosecution.Read the full story here.

Former Arab-American Miss USA gets probation in drunken driving case.

Former Arab-American Miss USA gets probation in drunken driving case.(AA).Rima Fakih, the first Arab-American to be crowned Miss USA, avoided jail during sentencing Wednesday in a drunken driving case, an experience she called “very humbling.” A Michigan judge put Fakih on six months of probation, ordered her to perform 20 hours of community service and said she must pay $600 in fines and costs. Fakih also must attend an alcohol safety class. The 26-year-old pleaded no contest last month to driving while visibly impaired. A no contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing. She had faced a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail. “I’m very relieved,” Fakih said. “I was willing to pay the price it took because I knew I made mistakes.” Fakih has said she wasn’t drinking the night of her arrest in December, but two police breath tests put her blood alcohol content at more than twice the legal limit. The police report says Rima Fakih was pulled over going 60mph, weaving in heavy traffic and changing lanes with a turn signal, and officers found an open bottle of champagne behind the driver’s seat of the 2011 Jaguar. The report says she "immediately identified herself as Miss USA." Fakih’s family moved from Lebanon in 1993. She won the Miss USA Pageant in 2010. Supporters called her win a victory for diversity, saying it countered negative stereotypes about people of Middle Eastern descent that have flourished in post-Sept. 11 America. Fakih said Wednesday the incident was out of character for her and that she didn’t take her first drink until age 23. “It’s not something that I grew up to be like a party girl or anything like that,” she said.Read the full story here.

Blasphemous Vodka Brand Pulled in Kazakhstan.

Blasphemous Vodka Brand Pulled in Kazakhstan.(RN).Imams fumed and believers rallied this week in Kazakhstan, where a brand of vodka praising the might of Allah went on sale in the country’s east, local media reported on Thursday. The plastic wrapping on the neck of the Baiterek vodka contained the phrase roughly translated as “the might of Allah suffices for everyone” in Arabic script amid flowery ornaments, KTK television said. The vodka, priced at 650 tenge ($4.3) per bottle, appeared in the city of Semey, some 600 kilometers east from the capital Almaty, Tengrinews.kz said. Several dozen devout Muslims staged a protest rally in the city of Aktobe, while the country’s Islamic clergy lambasted the unholy produce in an online appeal, which pointed out that Allah banned believers from consumption of alcohol. The manufacturer, Geom, blamed its Russian partners, saying the wrapping was designed by an unspecified Russian firm, KTK said. The firm mistook the Arabic script for an ethnic Kazakh design, Geom’s director said, Tengrinews.kz reported. The company issued an official apology and pulled the blasphemous beverage off the shelves, the report said. Islam is the dominant religion in Kazakhstan, a Central Asian nation of 16 millions, but the country adopted a relaxed stance on religion after decades under Soviet rule. However, it experienced the first violent attacks by Islamic radicals in its history last fall, indicating a rise in religious sentiment.Read the full story here.

Sharia (Islamic) Law is Coming to America.

Makes me wonder if Alcohol is really 'Haram'? HT : New Zeal .