Delicious Pickings | BBC Arabia, Jewish Facebook & A Dowry Of Roses

While everyone waits with bated breath the results of today’s deadly primaries in the US, here are a few del.icio.us pickings I’ve been reading these past couple of days:

– A Rose By Any Other Name: An Iranian court has ordered a man to give his wife the 124,000 roses that he promised in her dowry, after she filed a complaint to claim it, reports say. The woman said she was claiming the dowry because her “very stingy husband” would not even pay for a cup of coffee, according to the E’temad newspaper. The court has seized the man’s flat until he produces all of the roses.

– Elections Online: The Iranian government might block private access to the Internet for the general legislative election on March 14, two Iranian news outlets reported Monday.

– Weird Science: Desperate for a glimpse into Adolf Hitler’s unpredictable mind, British spies hired an astrologer during World War II to write horoscopes for him and other Nazi leaders, documents declassified Tuesday show.

– The Rachel Corrie Play: Later this month, on the fifth anniversary of Rachel’s death, it will be staged in Israel and the Corries will be there to watch the first performance in Arabic. This is a typically frenetic month.

– Google & Facebook Are Jewish: Israel may not boast a wealth of world class professional athletes; however, it does have more than its fair share of scientists and inventors. These brilliant Jewish minds will be front and center at the 2008 Israeli presidential conference organized by President Shimon Peres, as part of a unique Olympiad of inventions and innovations.

– BBC Arabia: British broadcaster the BBC said on Monday it is launching an Arabic television news channel across the Middle East and North Africa to meet a growing demand for current affairs and debate in the Arab world.

– Following Up: The BBC will certainly give al-Jazeera a run for its money. Over 13 million people listen to BBC Arabic each week while its Web site bbcarabic.com receives over 21 million page impressions and has over 1 million unique users each month. Independent research over recent years consistently shows that the BBC’s Arab audiences regard it as highly trusted, impartial and objective.

– The King’s Speech: “Fifty-seven countries are not at peace with Israel today. Fifty-seven countries out of 193 countries in the world. Fifty-seven countries with a total population greater than Europe and the United States combined. Fifty-seven countries, representing one-third of the members of the United Nations. Fifty-seven countries for whose citizens the conflict in Palestine is the issue of their time.”

– Are We That New Hope?: in the early 21st century, a budding culture of change is creatively challenging the status quo — and the extremists….Dissident judges in Cairo, rebel clerics in Tehran, satellite television station owners in Dubai, the first female parliamentary candidates in Kuwait, young techies in Jeddah, intrepid journalists in Beirut, and bold businessmen in Damascus are carving out new space for political action.

– Birth Rights: A large majority of Russian Jewish youth are discontent. Eighty-seven percent are interested in emigrating; however, less than half of this group – 36 percent – consider Israel a desirable destination and only 30 percent are considering immigrating in the next four years.

– Islam Will Win: An ill wind is blowing for jihadists. It is the wind of reason. It is the wind of human conscience. It is the wind of true Islam. And it is bad news for the terrorists. (the comments at the bottom of the page are interesting reads)