Stop the Idiocracy: Egypt

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Paradise before the flames

A sumptuous fantasy illustration of a dark-haired Middle Eastern woman standing barefoot in an opulent palace chamber, her arms wrapped tightly around herself in a gesture of fear and vulnerability. She wears ornate rose-coloured jewellery and matching briefs, while long crimson, violet, and sapphire silks stream dramatically around her. The richly decorated room is filled with embroidered cushions, gilded vessels, incense, and intricate Persian carpets beneath a mural depicting a phoenix confronting a dragon. Beyond an elaborate arched window lies a magnificent city of domes, minarets, and distant mountains, where a hooded falcon and a red-crowned crane stand tethered by delicate crimson cords. The contrast between the lavish surroundings and the woman's distressed expression evokes themes of captivity, uncertainty, and fragile resilience.

image generated via ChatGPT

At what point do we officially consider this a wider Middle Eastern war? Conflagration: US and Saudi fighter jets target Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, while the Iranians attack a US base in Jordan. {NYT 29 July}

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/28/world/iran-us-strikes-iraq-trump?unlocked_article_code=1.1VA._45q.S7aIn9qmA8k9&smid=url-share

FTA: The scope of the war in the Middle East widened on Wednesday, as American and Saudi fighter jets attacked Iran-allied militias in Iraq, Iran fired missiles at bases in Jordan used by U.S. forces, and an American-owned tanker in an Egyptian port was set on fire in an apparent drone strike.

The spate of attacks ended a pause in direct fighting between the United States and Iran. Since the collapse of a cease-fire between the United States and Iran this month, Iran-linked groups across the region have opened new fronts and reopened old ones, embroiling forces in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the war that until recently had been contained to countries along the Persian Gulf.

linktr.ee/arthurnewhook

🪐💔 #QueSeraSera 𓅨 🕈

Friday, November 26, 2021

New ‘omicron’ COVID variant discovered; the United States and European Union move to restrict travel from eight nations in southern Africa as stock markets fall

AP Photo/Denis Farrell

As President Biden has noted, it is time for some of these other countries to step up their efforts to contain this plague. Notice I said ‘contain,’ because there is no hope now of actually eradicating it, thanks to those who have spent this entire pandemic whining about their freedom instead of following necessary protocol. From the AP -

The White House said the U.S. will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries in the region beginning Monday. It did not give details except to say the restrictions will not apply to returning U.S. citizens or permanent residents, who will continue to be required to test negative before their travel.
Medical experts, including the WHO, warned against any overreaction before the variant that originated in southern Africa was better understood. But a jittery world feared the worst nearly two years after COVID-19 emerged and triggered a pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people around the globe.
“We must move quickly and at the earliest possible moment,” British Health Secretary Sajid Javid told lawmakers.
There was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease. As with other variants, some infected people display no symptoms, South African experts said. The WHO panel drew from the Greek alphabet in naming the variant omicron, as it has done with earlier, major variants of the virus. (Read more)