Shocking world news: From the battle of Iranian women for their human rights to the sea tragedy of Lebanon migrants

Bambi does not know what to write about today. So many shocking news from around the world, including the following:

In Iran, from a tweet by Beirut-based L’Orient Le Jour journalist, Ms. Roula Douglas, Bambi learned that a young woman in her early twenties was shot dead two days ago during the unfolding protests in Iran. She is not the only victim on top of that. Iranian women (and anyone supporting them) are HEROS who deserve our utmost admiration. They are fighting for equality between men and women, for women’s rights, and for democracy in their country.

May your memory be eternal Ms. Hananeh Kian (same for all the other victims). Bambi’s heart goes to your parents and loved ones. She cannot dare to imagine their sorrow right now.

The second set of tragic AND unacceptable news come from out of Syria and it is about Lebanon’s so-called “death boats“.

First, there is this sinking Lebanon boat with (https://bit.ly/3dDHcq7) more than 90 dead migrants on the way to Europe (likely Cyprus first?)! They were “mostly Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians and included children and the elderly“, according to UN sources as reported by The Guardian (https://bit.ly/3xRpM0).

Can you imagine how you would feel had you been a worried relative or a grieving loved one?! Thanks to the Lebanese Red Cross for providing “two hotlines for the relatives of migrants to call for information“. Thanks also to those who helped in searching for survivors… or recovering human bodies.

From the same L’Orient Today article cited above, Bambi learned that “the Lebanese Army announced Saturday that it had arrested a suspected smuggler who allegedly organized the ill-fated boat journey. Investigations are continuing to arrest others involved“.

Second, from Naharnet, it seems that another illegal boat,with illegal migrants from a very poor neighbourhood in Tripoli, Lebanon, is missing. It was on its way to Italy (https://bit.ly/3r5n1Va). Worried relatives are urging powerful folks of their country to intervene to help find the boat.

Sadly, history seems to be repeating itself in Lebanon. Boats sinking. Hopeless people losing their lives in the beautiful Mediterranean sea that they could have been enjoying, eating seafood from, swimming in and having fun, writing poetry about, falling in love or getting married on its beaches… not dying in its waters!

Bambi will stop here. She will spare you the rest of her thoughts about those human tragedies and about her birth country that has failed both its citizens and residents/hosts. Once again, she sends her solidarity, along with her fond regards, to the women of Iran for their inspiring courage. By the way, where are our so-called domestic feminists? Perhaps Bambi missed hearing their voices on this one.

To conclude this post, one moving song comes to Bambi’s mind now. It is called “Bghanilak ya Watani” [“I sing for you my country”] by Ms. Hiba Tawaji, lyrics by Mr. Ghadi Rahbni and music by Mr. Oussama Rahbani. It is sub-titled in English.

May everyone’s memory be eternal ❤️…

Earlier posts on Iran:

To Maya from Bambi… with love: Happy belated birthday!

What kind of a deer forgets to wish her childhood friend Maya a Happy Birthday, even when the latter has been on her mind since the start of the month? Being busy is no excuse, not even for wild animals. Happy three-day belated Birthday dearest Maya!!! Enjoy your family reunion!! Bambi loves you beyond words ❤️. She thanks you for always enriching her blog with your insights, even when you are busy :). Here are two songs for you, thanks to the anonymous person posting the first and to the Mr. Hisham El Hajj for his superb joyful song “Yalla Nifrah” [“Let’s Rejoice” or “Let’s Celebrate“].

Thanks to journalists, Roula Douglas (Beirut) and Thomas Snegaroff (Paris): Yes, “the power of the images is” indeed “incredible”!

In the picture below, you see Iranian women dancing in the street and throwing their “forced” hijab into the fire. Is there any need for more words in this post that speaks for itself? Is there anything more dignified in life than freedom? In this case, it is the freedom of women to be observant or not. Respect for ALL, regardless…

Earlier posts on the topic:

Bravo to Ms. Katayoun Riahi, Iranian actress, and ALL the courageous women for removing their forced hijab in protest to the killing of Ms. Masha Amini!

Bambi would like to thank her friend Rose for attracting her attention to what is happening in Iran right now in relation to the unacceptable tragedy of Ms. Masha Amini, as per the older post shown below. As a reminder, she has been beaten to death by the “Morality Police” for not wearing her hijab (or headscarf) properly. Can you imagine? May her memory be eternal and may God comfort her parents.

Is history repeating itself again in Iran? Yes, according to Ms. Amna Nawaz who was interviewed by Ms. Judy Woodruff from PBS News Hour. As she explained VERY well, it is all about the freedom of choice of wearing the hijab or not. Sadly, this freedom is no longer the case in Iran as it is in Canada or in other Muslim or Arab countries, including Lebanon.

From this excellent interview, Bambi learned the following: Protests erupted in Iran following the death of Ms Amini for violating the imposed dress code. A courageous Iranian actress, called Ms. Katayoun Riahi, who removed her hijab in protest, expressed what is happening in her beautiful country, which is sadly “turned into a large prison”, by the Islamist regime with these powerful words: “People are no longer fearful of prison because Iran has become a prison itself“.

Earlier post about the Iranian tragedy of Ms. Masha Amini, 22 year-old:

Good-bye summer (today) and hello fall (tomorrow)!

Bye-Bye, beautiful summer, to begin with.

When Bambi first arrived to Québec, about 32 years ago, there was a funny French-Canadian joke circulating at her CEGEP (or college): “How many seasons are there in Canada“? Answer: “There are two of them: this winter and the past one“. Although funny or scary, especially for new immigrants from warmer countries (even if Lebanon has snowy mountains), this joke is of course untrue. Indeed, Canadians are blessed to have four fabulous seasons, including a magical North American fall.

Yes, the fall is absolutely charming in our country. She does not know about you, but Bambi loves it so much. Mind you, she is still under the charm of the winter too. If she may, she would like to wish you all a smooth transition of seasons now. She will do so by offering you a French song she adores. It celebrates Canada’s beautiful fall season. Some of you may guess that it is Mr. Joe Dassin’s “L’été indien“.

May your memory be eternal, Mr. Dassin. Thank you for all your beautiful songs, including this one!

Isn’t the sunrise magical in New Brunswick, Canada?

Bambi would like to begin by thanking Brittany for generously sharing this wonderful picture of a sunrise in our beautiful New Brunswick!

A magical sunrise moment in New Brunswick, Canada. A picture taken by Brittany

A new dawn. A new day. A new hope.

As readers of this post, may your day be simply good to you/your loved ones. May it be as good as you would like it to be. By good, Bambi simply means making the best out of it. Hopefully even fully enjoying it or simply living it until its end, ideally after moments of true pleasure, despite any hassle.

To conclude this brief post on a positive musical note, first thanks again dear Brittany. Here is a melody for you, and by extension to all the readers of this post, that Bambi has posted on her blog in the past. It is about “the sun of the feast that will shine tomorow“; thanks to Mr. Marwan Khoury for his beautiful interpretation of the late and great Sabah’s famous Lebanese song. May the sun of joy as well as hope always shine in our hearts and especially eyes, particularly on cloudy, rainy, snowy or… tough days, regardless of any weather forecast!

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Good-bye… and may her memory be eternal

If she may, Bambi would like to echo the words of Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould:

In a world with increased mediocrity and lack of principles, it was somehow reassuring to have a world public figure with an inspiring sense of duty like Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

If only for the above, thank you Your Majesty. May your memory be eternal. If Bambi has a wish for you today, it is to be eternally reunited with the love of your life, your late spouse Prince Philip.

Again if she may, Bambi will end this brief post by offering Your Majesty the Our Father prayer in Aramaic (Jesus’ language). It is beautifully interpreted by Ms. Majida El Roumi from Lebanon.

Earlier posts on the topic:

Did you know that the late and great Mr. Rachid Taha was born on September 18, 1959?

Sadly, the world of music lost you, Mr. Rachid Taha, on September 12, 2018. You were born 59 years earlier in the month of September as well, precisely like today, that is at the very end of the summer. May your memory be eternal and many thanks for having existed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Taha).

To honour your memory, Bambi would like to post your own beautiful song Ya Rayeh [Hey Migrant, where are you travelling?]. It is sub-titled in English for the readers’ convenience. Mind you, it is for Bambi’s own convenience as well since it is quite hard for her to understand your nice Algerian-Arabic dialect (just a few words here and there). If she may, she will also conclude this brief musical post with Fairouz’ song on the last days of the summer, as a tribute to the timing of your birthday. Thank you for your talent!

Cruelty of Islamism in Iran: Ms. Masha Amini, 22 year-old, beaten to death for not “properly” wearing her hijab!

Good-bye Masha Amini….

Bambi’s heart goes to your parents, Ms. Masha Amini. She cannot imagine one single drop of the ocean of their sorrow and/or anger.

For those who do not know it, in NB, a few weeks ago, a cartoonist from l‘Acadie Nouvelle denounced the awful practices of the Talibans against women through his art. He was accused by some of Islamophobia toward Muslim women.

Of what can we accuse the Iranian regime’s “morality police“?

America Got Talent: Bravo and “Mabrouk” Mayyas!

Today is September 17, 2022. It seems that is National Dance Day in the United States. Well, what a lovely coincidence as this post is about the Mayyas Lebanese female dancers who won America Got Talent!!

Today, they returned to Beirut and they were officially welcomed at the airport with 36 bouquet of flowers, one for each dancer, Bambi just learned from her parents. Wow!

Before sharing the video of their final performance that made them win the first place (coming with US$1 million!), Bambi would like to thank all the readers from as close as a nearby street in Sackville, NB, to as far as Beirut, Lebanon (and through at least 3 different Canadian provinces and the USA) for informing her of all the latest steps of their success: voting process, voting results, confirmation of their victory, etc.

Of course, art is art regardless of who is performing it. Talent is universal. This time America’s Got Talent happened to be made in Lebanon. Bravo to this incredibly talented team!!!

Let’s also not forget about the conditions they practice in with an increasingly limited quality of life in bankrupt Lebanon (e.g., power outages, water outages, hyperinflation, gas crisis, bread crisis, healthcare crisis, etc…).

To conclude this post, following their performance, Mr. Ramy Ayyash’s wonderful Mabrouk [or Congrats] song is a must today. These inspiring dancers, their choreographer, and supporters deserve it BIG TIME! Bambi wishes the Mayyas dancers continuous success in their career. She thanks them for offering their fellow citizens and all of us hope along with magic!

A picture sent to Bambi from Khaldieh
A picture sent to Bambi from Khaldieh

Earlier posts on Mayyas: