world | Mohamed Fahmy
Exit
Caught Between Egypt, Qatar and the Struggle for Free Press
Judgment comes in just a matter of days –
July 30 – in the trial of us Al Jazeera journalists, after 19 months of a tormenting experience
that has changed me and the lives of my loved ones forever.
Understandably, the world is preoccupied with news about nuclear deals, thugs who kill their own people under the perverted justification of jihad and the banner of Islam and the war on terror that has left many journalists – myself included – under constant threat by governments who consider us just collateral damage.
Among the 200 journalists globally who are now in detention just for doing their job, perhaps our case is one of the best examples of how journalism and politics overlap in the media landscape today. It's no secret that the government of Qatar, the owner of the Al Jazeera Media Network, is a die-hard supporter of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
Was I overly ambitious as a journalist always out for a new challenge to take on the job of the Al Jazeera Bureau Chief of the English channel months after the ouster of the Brotherhood in 2013? After all, the Egyptian government banned and considered the Arabic arms of the channel as biased to the Islamic group and a clear supporter of its cause.
For that very reason I became hypercritical of my own work like never before. I went over in my mind every single bit of newsgathering, statistic, live broadcast and story that came out of our Cairo office. In all humbleness and after much reflection, I consider our reports -- which the Egyptian government alleges were biased and fabricated in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood -- to have been flawless.
And many months later, that assessment was validated by a technical committee of experts appointed by the judge in the retrial, who testified so to the court after reviewing the so-called video evidence.
world | Mohamed Fahmy
Exit
Caught Between Egypt, Qatar and the Struggle for Free Press
Judgment comes in just a matter of days –
July 30 – in the trial of us Al Jazeera journalists, after 19 months of a tormenting experience
that has changed me and the lives of my loved ones forever.
Understandably, the world is preoccupied with news about nuclear deals, thugs who kill their own people under the perverted justification of jihad and the banner of Islam and the war on terror that has left many journalists – myself included – under constant threat by governments who consider us just collateral damage.
Among the 200 journalists globally who are now in detention just for doing their job, perhaps our case is one of the best examples of how journalism and politics overlap in the media landscape today. It's no secret that the government of Qatar, the owner of the Al Jazeera Media Network, is a die-hard supporter of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
Was I overly ambitious as a journalist always out for a new challenge to take on the job of the Al Jazeera Bureau Chief of the English channel months after the ouster of the Brotherhood in 2013? After all, the Egyptian government banned and considered the Arabic arms of the channel as biased to the Islamic group and a clear supporter of its cause.
For that very reason I became hypercritical of my own work like never before. I went over in my mind every single bit of newsgathering, statistic, live broadcast and story that came out of our Cairo office. In all humbleness and after much reflection, I consider our reports -- which the Egyptian government alleges were biased and fabricated in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood -- to have been flawless.
And many months later, that assessment was validated by a technical committee of experts appointed by the judge in the retrial, who testified so to the court after reviewing the so-called video evidence.
world | Mohamed Fahmy
Exit
Caught Between Egypt, Qatar and the Struggle for Free Press
Judgment comes in just a matter of days –
July 30 – in the trial of us Al Jazeera journalists, after 19 months of a tormenting experience
that has changed me and the lives of my loved ones forever.
Understandably, the world is preoccupied with news about nuclear deals, thugs who kill their own people under the perverted justification of jihad and the banner of Islam and the war on terror that has left many journalists – myself included – under constant threat by governments who consider us just collateral damage.
Among the 200 journalists globally who are now in detention just for doing their job, perhaps our case is one of the best examples of how journalism and politics overlap in the media landscape today. It's no secret that the government of Qatar, the owner of the Al Jazeera Media Network, is a die-hard supporter of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
Was I overly ambitious as a journalist always out for a new challenge to take on the job of the Al Jazeera Bureau Chief of the English channel months after the ouster of the Brotherhood in 2013? After all, the Egyptian government banned and considered the Arabic arms of the channel as biased to the Islamic group and a clear supporter of its cause.
For that very reason I became hypercritical of my own work like never before. I went over in my mind every single bit of newsgathering, statistic, live broadcast and story that came out of our Cairo office. In all humbleness and after much reflection, I consider our reports -- which the Egyptian government alleges were biased and fabricated in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood -- to have been flawless.
And many months later, that assessment was validated by a technical committee of experts appointed by the judge in the retrial, who testified so to the court after reviewing the so-called video evidence.
Exit
taste | james cave
Ireland: Irish Coffee
France: Sidecar
The best drink to come out of Prohibition is said to have started in Paris in the early 1920s, where it was served chilled in a coupe, but there's nothing that says you can't take the cognac, cointreau and lemon juice combo and turn it into a frozen shake. Hennessy created theirs by substituting the juice with lemon sorbet and adding vanilla ice cream, triple sec and ice.
Cuba: Mojito
Throw white rum, simple syrup, lime juice, a lot of fresh mint leaves and crushed ice into a blender and pour into your glass. See the Food Network's technique here.
Peru: Pisco Sour
Pisco sours are heavily popular in Peru, where it is widely presumed to have been invented in the early 1900s. It's made with pisco (a white burgundy), fresh lime juice, simple syrup, an egg white and angostura bitters. We see nothing wrong with shaking those together to a froth and pouring into a highball, but blending it up with ice is a great way to upgrade.
Mexico: Margarita
We can't leave out the margarita, a classically beloved cocktail, frozen or otherwise -- this recipe, from HuffPost's Joe Satran, includes a secret ingredient (frozen limeade). Pour tequila, orange liqueur and frozen limeade into a blender with ice. That's it! "Measurements are NOT important in this recipe," he blessedly explains.
Italy:
Sgroppino
8 Frozen Cocktail Recipes Around the World, Because You've Had A Hot Day
Drink your way around the globe.
All you really need to cope with the incessant heat of late summer is a good booze collection, ice and a blender. It's the blessed trinity of refreshment.
Here are our favorite selections from around the world – from Peru's delicious pisco sour to France's sidecar (turned into a milkshake, thankyouverymuch).
What are you waiting for? Treat yourself cold.
hawaii:
Lava Flow
The lava flow is sort of the kitschy-Waikiki cousin of the piña colada, but it's more delicious because you feel like you're in Hawaii. It's coconut and light rums mixed with bananas, pineapples and frozen strawberries (sorry, not real lava).
brazil:
Caipirinha
This Brazilian classic, usually served on the rocks with muddled sugar and limes, gets refreshed when you blend cachaça, lime juice and simple syrup with ice.
The best drink for those "long mornings after" is even better when the Irish whisky and espresso is blended with creme de menthe, almond milk and a scoop each of vanilla and coffee ice creams.
ireland:
Irish Coffee
cuba:
Mojito
Throw white rum, simple syrup, lime juice, a lot of fresh mint leaves and crushed ice into a blender and pour into your glass. See the Food Network's technique here.
peru:
Pisco Sour
Pisco sours are heavily popular in Peru, where it is widely presumed to have been invented in the early 1900s. It's made with pisco (a white burgundy), fresh lime juice, simple syrup, an egg white and angostura bitters. We see nothing wrong with shaking those together to a froth and pouring into a highball, but blending it up with ice is a great way to upgrade.
mexico:
Margarita
We can't leave out the margarita, a classically beloved cocktail, frozen or otherwise -- this recipe, from HuffPost's Joe Satran, includes a secret ingredient (frozen limeade). Pour tequila, orange liqueur and frozen limeade into a blender with ice. That's it! "Measurements are NOT important in this recipe," he blessedly explains.
From Top: Daragh Ward/Flickr; Ryan Greenberg/Flickr; HandmadePictures via Getty Images; Lara Hata via Getty Images; Jeremy Brooks/Flickr; Robert Ingelhart via Getty Images
The sgroppino is what you get when you mix lemon sorbet, prosecco and vodka together – Italians drink it as a palate cleanser before dinner or as a dessert drink.
france:
Sidecar
The best drink to come out of Prohibition is said to have started in Paris in the early 1920s, where it was served chilled in a coupe, but there's nothing that says you can't take the cognac, cointreau and lemon juice combo and turn it into a frozen shake. Hennessy created theirs by substituting the juice with lemon sorbet and adding vanilla ice cream, triple sec and ice.