US Security Chief Gloats Over Iran’s World Cup Exit

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin (right), whose agency were responsible for enforcing controversial security measures targeting the Iranian football team at the World Cup, brazenly bragged that the job put him on cloud nine and that he was overjoyed Iran was eliminated. 

Iran exited the global football tournament, which the US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, after three draws against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt during the group stage. 

Iranian officials complained that, unlike other teams, Iranian players were not allowed to stay in the US and instead had to travel for training and games in Los Angeles and Seattle from Tijuana, Mexico. 

“I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back”, Mullin told an interagency meeting on Monday, as first reported by Sports Business Journal. 

He added that “there wasn’t a single team that we dealt with more than them”. 

“I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave US soil, and I might have sung a song or two, or maybe danced a happy dance”, the senior official crowed. 

Clearly, this is an American who is deplorable, detestable and despicable!

Iran Draws With Egypt @ World Cup

Yesterday's final Group G matches concluded with Iran drawing 1-1 against Egypt, and Belgium thumping New Zealand 5-1. These results left Team Melli in third place with 3 points, causing them to narrowly miss out on automatic knockout qualification. 

There are now two possible scenarios for Iran: either they go through to the next round with three points and three draws, or they leave the tournament unbeaten. 

According to ⁠Opta's supercomputer's calculations, Iran has a 92% chance of progressing. [Note: Under the expanded 48-team format, the 12 groups will narrow down to a Round of 32. This structure allows the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place teams, to advance via a wildcard tiebreaker system]. 

As it currently stands, Iran sits in sixth place in the third-placed teams rankings.  

Concurrently, Scotland dropped to tenth place in the third-place rankings. Over the last 48 hours, their chances of reaching the World Cup knockouts for the first time plummeted from 42% to a microscopic 0.07%, making elimination practically certain.

The remaining matches in Groups J, K, and L will conclusively determine the tournament fates of both Iran and Scotland.  

We should know by Saturday (local time)/Sunday (Malaysian time).

I Support Team Melli Too

Besides Scotland, I am unabashedly rooting for Iran in the grandest stage in global football. 

Not because of goals. Not because of stars. But because I watched what Team Melli went through – and admired how they still showed up. Respect is earned in moments like these. 🧡🧡🧡

Iran is the ultimate underdog. Despite consistently holding a Top-20 spot in the ⁠FIFA Men's World Rankings, they've historically struggled to advance past the group stage. 

But more importantly, I'm backing them because they continue to fight and compete at an elite level, even while navigating unprecedented off-pitch hurdles and restrictive external conditions. [Read my post "The Most Oppressed Team at the World Cup" published Monday]. 

There is a modicum of good news though. Iran's football team have been given extra time in the United States to prepare for their last group fixture. The US Department of Homeland Security have come out to say that Iran has been allowed to travel to Seattle in Washington State two days before their match against Egypt on Friday – giving them an extra day beyond the 24-hour window they'd been granted for their first two games. 

But their players are still required to return to their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, after the match. 

According to BBC on Tuesday, this change came after the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (commonly abbreviated as FFIRI) said, on June 19, they planned to lodge an official complaint with FIFA over what they described as unfair treatment in the United States.

The above aside, Iran's football federation reported the following day that their team’s flight to Seattle was delayed by 25 minutes as star forward Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were held up for an undisclosed reason. 

As if the crises currently strangling the Iranian team were not catastrophic enough, today's fixture between Iran and the Pharaohs has drawn global attention and significant international tension as it overlaps with Seattle's annual Pride Weekend. 

Because homosexuality is criminalized in both competing nations, the matchup was branded by the city's local organizing committee as a "Pride Match" to promote inclusivity, sparking protests and raised concerns from the Iranian and Egyptian governments. 

In fact, FIFA have given the green light for fans to bring rainbow flags into the stadium, classifying the symbol as one of human rights rather than a political slogan.

The abject failure of the global governing body for football to protect Iran from relentless political distractions and unfair travel restrictions severely compromises the fundamental spirit of the game.

Shame on you, FIFA! 😡😡😡

The Most Oppressed Team at the World Cup

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei says Iran’s treatment by FIFA makes them “the most oppressed” team at the World Cup. Of course, we all know that this is primarily due to hostile US actions.

[Note that Iran blamed FIFA rather than pointing fingers directly at the US because, under FIFA’s tournament regulations, the governing body – not the host nation – are solely responsible for venue operations, scheduling, flag rules, and enforcing team logistics].

There had been severe logistical, travel, and administrative hurdles put in place by co-host the United States. Among them:

Visa Denials: Fifteen members of Iran’s coaching, support staff, and football federation executives were denied visas to enter the US, where all of Iran’s group stage games are taking place. That number was later reduced to eleven after some visas were approved.

Forced Base Relocation: Due to supposedly security precautions and visa complications, the team was forced to abandon their planned training base in Tucson, Arizona and relocate to Tijuana, Mexico.

Exhausting Travel Restrictions: Ahead of their opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles, California, the Iranians were denied permission to stay overnight. Instead, they were forced to commute back and forth from their base in Tijuana, severely disrupting recovery and training schedules.

Revoked Ticket Allocations: The Iranian Football Federation reported that their designated 8% quota of tickets for group-stage matches against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand was withdrawn, leaving them unable to provide tickets to their fans through official channels. One can surmise that Iran residents who are subject to a travel ban by the US government since last year, are, therefore, unlikely to get entry visas for the World Cup, as well as their inability to make payments while financial sanctions are in force.  

WHO'S REALLY RUNNING THE WORLD CUP?!?! 😡😡😡

FYI, the 2026 tournament marks the seventh time the Iranian national team have competed on football's biggest stage. 

And Iran opened their campaign on June 16 with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. And yesterday, they drew 0-0 against Belgium. 

Iran will finish out group play against Egypt on June 26.

I'm betting Iran will qualify for the Round of 32 knockout stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

World Cup Set for New Era as Giants Miss Out

The remaining places for this year's FIFA World Cup were finalised on Tuesday, capping a qualifying campaign that spanned nearly three years and setting the stage for the tournament's first 48-team edition. 

The competition will be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. 

The expanded format has opened the door to new contenders while leaving several established powers and high-profile players on the outside looking in. 

Italy will miss a third straight World Cup after losing its playoff final to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. It has been a rapid fall for the Azzurri, which won its fourth World Cup title in 2006 and won the 2020 European Championship. 

Elsewhere, Nigeria's absence stands out in Africa, with the Super Eagles unable to navigate a competitive qualifying campaign despite a squad drawn from top European leagues. 

Chile, twice Copa America champions in the past 11 years, also missed out as the core of its golden generation fades. 

Poland is another notable omission, having lost its playoff final against Sweden, while Costa Rica, quarterfinalists in 2014, also missed out for the first time since 2010 after a poor CONCACAF zone qualifying campaign. 

Even with 16 additional teams in this year's tournament, the list is a reminder that qualification still leaves little margin for error. 

Besides the above, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sought to allay doubts about Iran's participation in the tournament, insisting the team would play all of its group matches in the US as scheduled. 

There has been ongoing uncertainty over Iran's involvement because of the conflict in West Asia, with Tehran raising concerns over player safety and banning national and club teams from traveling to countries it considers hostile. 

The Iranian football federation said earlier this month they were negotiating with FIFA to relocate the country's World Cup matches from the US to Mexico.

Iran is due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21 respectively, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

In squash, Sivasangari Subramaniam (right) was handed an extended break at the El Gouna International Open after advancing to the quarter-finals via a walkover following the withdrawal of opponent Mariam Metwally of Egypt. 

The Malaysian was set to take on the world No. 33 yesterday but the home player pulled out after her father passed away. 

Sivasangari had booked her place in the second round with a hard-fought win over world No. 16 Nada Abbas in Giza, Egypt on Saturday. 

The 27-year-old Kedahan won 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 in 47 minutes. It was Sivasangari's fourth triumph against the Egyptian in five meetings. 

Spanish Town Bans Black Cat Adoptions During Halloween

The Spanish town of Terrassa in north-eastern Catalonia has temporarily banned the adoption of black cats from animal shelters to prevent potentially sinister "rituals" during Halloween. 

All requests for the fostering or adoption of the felines will be denied from October 06-10 to protect them from being hurt or used as props, said the local animal welfare service. 

Deputy Mayor Noel Duque told broadcaster RTVE that adoption requests for black cats usually increase around Halloween. While black cats are often associated with witchcraft and seen as bad luck in Western culture, many other cultures, including Japan and Egypt, see them as symbols of prosperity and fortune. 

Terassa's city council said there had been no record of cruelty towards black cats in the town, however there have been incidents in other areas and the decision was taken after warnings from animal welfare groups. 

"We try to prevent people from adopting because it's trendy or impulsively. And in cases like these, which we know exist, to prevent any macabre practices", Duque said. 

Terrassa is home to more than 9,800 cats, according to local authorities, and the town's adoption centre houses around 100 felines, 12 of which are black, the Catalan News Agency reported. 

The city council emphasised that the measure is "temporary and exceptional" and represents an extra precaution for animal welfare, but did not rule out repeating the ban in the future. Exceptions during the ban period will be assessed individually by the adoption centre and normal fostering requests will resume after Halloween.

Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam has climbed two places to a career-high world No. 6 in the women's PSA Tour rankings after reaching the final of the Silicon Valley Open in the United States – refer my October 17 post. 

Her previous best was No. 7, achieved after winning the Cincinnati Gaynor Cup title on February 17. 

It is the perfect Deepavali gift for the 26-year-old, who will not be in Malaysia to celebrate with her family as she begins her US Open campaign in Philadelphia on Sunday. 

Based on the all-time rankings of Malaysian women players, Sivasangari now trails only former world No. 1 Nicol David and former world No. 5 Low Wee Wern. 

If she continues her upward trajectory, she could soon break into the top five.

South African Men's Liberation from Colonial Naming Values

South African husbands are now legally entitled to adopt their wives’ surnames – a right previously denied under civil registration laws – the country’s Constitutional Court have found, in a ruling described as "historic" in local media. 

In the decision issued on Thursday, Justice Leona Theron (left) found that the prevailing legal framework imposed outdated colonial values and reinforced patriarchal assumptions. 

According the Citizen outlet, Justice Theron stated that the tradition of women taking their husbands’ surnames stems from a “a colonial import rooted in patriarchal norms where women were seen as legally inferior to their husbands and expected to assume their identity”. 

In her decision, Theron noted that the law’s failure to offer men the same right constituted unfair gender-based discrimination. The court suspended the declaration for 24 months, granting Parliament time to amend the legislation or introduce a new framework. 

The court’s judgment followed a legal challenge brought earlier this year by two South African couples: Jana Jordaan and Henry Van Der Merwe, and Jess Donnelly-Bornman and Andreas Nicolas Bornman. 

According to reporting by News24, applicant Henry Van Der Merwe had been entirely blocked from assuming the surname of his wife, Jana Jordaan, despite the couple mutually agreeing on the change prior to their marriage. In a similar case, Andreas Bornman was denied permission by the Department of Home Affairs to hyphenate his surname to include that of his wife, Jess Donnelly. 

There are generally no prohibitions preventing husbands from taking their wives’ surnames across Africa. For example, in Kenya, the law allows any adult to change their name for any reason through a gender-neutral process involving a deed poll. In Nigeria, name changes are also done via deed poll. In Zimbabwe, a notarial deed of change of name and gazette publication is required. 

The exception is North Africa, where countries like Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt do not provide for surname changes through marriage at all, spouses must retain their birth names, and any alteration requires a separate judicial or administrative procedure.

At the $366,000 Egyptian Open in Giza on Saturday, world No. 8 Sivasangari Subramaniam, who received a first-round bye, opened her campaign in the second round against Egypt's world No. 45.   

She beat Nour Heikal 13-11, 11-9, 11-5 in 29 minutes. 

In fact, she's Malaysia’s sole representative to advance to the third round, following the elimination of three other Malaysian players including Rachel Arnold, Aira Azman, and national men’s number one Ng Eain Yow.

Donald Trump Really Believes He is Peacemaker-in-Chief

US President Donald Trump really believes he is the “peacemaker-in-chief”, even boasting he has ended six wars since he became president. Of course lah, Trump is playing fast and loose with the truth. As he often does. 

Trump and his administration have claimed to have helped settle the conflicts between Israel and Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Cambodia and Thailand, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia. 

Yet the claim to have settled those conflicts is egregiously embellished and in some cases contradicted by continued violence in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where both its government and Rwanda-backed rebels, M23, failed to sign a final peace accord in Doha, Qatar scheduled for Monday. 

In Iran, the US carried out its own strikes using bunker-buster bombs against military and nuclear facilities before strong-arming Iran to accept a ceasefire in June. The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia saw a ceasefire reached in July that was mediated by Malaysia. India has denied that Trump played any role in reaching a ceasefire deal with Pakistan to end days of strikes over the disputed Kashmir territory in May. Egypt and Ethiopia have no deal to settle the root of their quarrel – a Nile River dam constructed by Ethiopia that would divert water from Egypt. And Serbia has denied it had any plans to pursue a war with Kosovo, although Trump took credit for preventing one. 

I've no doubt he is seriously eyeing the Nobel Peace Prize. In fact, he covets it!

May 09 is Russia’s Victory Day

Foreign leaders from 27 countries graced Russia’s Victory Day parade on Friday. 

[Two Heads of State, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith did not turn up – the former pulled out at the last minute and the latter due to illness]. 

As well as military contingents from 13 countries – Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Egypt, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam – joined in to march alongside Russian forces on the day of the parade. 

The May 09 event commemorates 80 years since the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in the Second World War (referred to by the Russians as the Great Patriotic War). 

[Notes: The Soviet Union lost around 27 million people during the Great Patriotic War (40% of all human losses in World War II), with civilian deaths accounting for the larger part of these losses. According to data of the Extraordinary State Commission for the Establishment and Investigation of Atrocities of the German Fascist Invaders, the German troops destroyed fully or partially over 1,700 cities and towns, more than 70,000 villages and settlements in the USSR. 

And Western revisionists are deliberately downplaying the USSR's vital contribution to World War II. Partly because of the Cold War rivalry but more due to a Western bias to focus on the Western front and American and British victories]. 

The twenty-seven leaders who came: 

In case you're wondering, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are "separatist" regions of Georgia in the Caucasus. Most countries recognise them as part of Georgia, while Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria regard them as independent.

Donald Trump Promotes Gaza Plan in AI Video

US President Donald Trump posted a video on his Truth Social account on Tuesday, which appears to have been created with generative AI, promoting the transformation of Gaza into a Gulf state-like resort featuring a golden statue of himself, and even a hummus-eating Elon Musk.

The video opens on barefoot Palestinian children walking through Gazan rubble. “What’s next?” a title card asks. They walk towards a skyline of skyscrapers lining Gaza’s coast. 

“Donald’s coming to set you free”, a voice sings. “Trump Gaza shining bright. Golden future, a brand-new light. Feast and dance. The deed is done”.

The video, incongruously, features bearded and bikini-clad belly dancers, a child holding a golden balloon in the shape of Trump’s head, and Musk dancing on a beach under a shower of US Dollars. 

As the Truth Social video ends, the camera pushes in on Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sipping drinks on a beach.

The American president has proposed expelling 2.1 million Palestinians from Gaza and transforming the enclave into a “Riviera” that would be owned by the United States. 

The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority has called that proposal a “serious violation of international law”.

It is unclear whether Trump intends to carry through on his expulsion plan. After receiving forceful pushback from Egyptian and Jordanian leaders, Trump told Fox News on Friday: “The way to do it is my plan. I think that’s the plan that really works. But I’m not forcing it. I’m just going to sit back and recommend it”. 

Donald Trump's Plan for the Urban Regeneration of Gaza

Donald Trump on Tuesday floated two bombshell ideas about Gaza. 

The first: that the United States “will take over” Gaza and that he won’t rule out sending US troops to secure American ownership. His comments break with decades of US foreign policy, which has long emphasized a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, as well as his past skepticism over US intervention in the Middle East. 

The real estate investor turned president sees Gaza as a business opportunity: A plan to redevelop Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. 

The second: Gaza's entire population would be relocated to other countries. (He had previously listed Jordan and Egypt). This is Trump’s vision for Palestine: No Palestinians! 

Only Trump can conceive these preposterous proposals. His madcap views parallel Israeli hardliners’ desire to see Palestinians ousted from part of what they view as the sacred land of Israel. 

The fallout has been fast and furious. Notably, Arab nations have rejected any suggestions to displace Palestinians from Gaza, which opponents argue would amount to ethnic cleansing.

Celtic demolished Dundee 6-0 to restore 13-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership yesterday. 

Arne Engels scored with a penalty in the eighteenth minute following the intervention of VAR before Adam Idah put the Scottish champions in control at the interval with a powerful finish. 

In the fifty-fifth minute, Daizen Maeda headed home a pinpoint Jota cross to make it three and just four minutes later, the Japanese forward found the net again with a delightful chip over the Dundee goalkeeper. In the 71st minute, Engels added his second and Celtic's fifth with a deflected strike from the edge of the box and substitute Nicolas Kuhn curled home a sixth ten minutes later to complete the rout for Brendan Rodgers’s side.

On this showing and given the big gap, it seems a certainty that the league title will be staying with Celtic come May. 

US Suspends Aid to Ukraine

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) has frozen nearly all new aid grants to Ukraine for 90 days, Politico reported on Friday. 

The move comes after President Donald Trump ordered a full review of all foreign assistance. According to Politico, the order “shocked” State Department officials and appears to apply to funding for military assistance to Ukraine. The magazine cited three current and two former officials familiar with the matter as saying Rubio’s guidance means that “no further actions will be taken to disperse aid funding to programs already approved by the US government”. 

The BBC, which also reviewed the State Department memo, reported that it appears to “affect everything from development assistance to military aid”. Although the Pentagon previously told Voice of America that the aid freeze would not affect “security assistance to Ukraine”, Rubio’s memo reportedly only granted exceptions for military aid to Israel and Egypt, without mentioning any other country.

Trump (left) has repeatedly criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for approving unconditional aid to Ukraine and has vowed to implement cost-cutting measures. He also promised to quickly negotiate a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev.

I see this as a positive development. Ukraine shouldn't be allowed to bleed the US dry – after all, it is already very badly losing the war and no amount of aid can save the beleaguered country. Besides, didn't Trump declare putting America first? 😁😁😁

But I also see that Trump is giving Vladimir Putin a 90-day window to win the war!

Malaysia's top women’s doubles duo, Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan stormed into the women’s doubles final of the Indonesia Masters today, the first Malaysian pair to do so in 14 years.

The gutsy pair took 52 minutes to defeat South Korea's Lee Yeon Woo-Lee Yu Lim in straight games by a 21-19, 21-16 scoreline.

I am fully believing the girls will follow in the footsteps of Vivian Hoo-Woon Khei Wei, who reached the final in 2011 and went on to claim Malaysia's only women's doubles title at the tournament. Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan can and will win!

The Malaysians face another South Korean pair, Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong in Sunday's final.

Russia Reveals Condition for Joining BRICS

BRICS applicants can’t join in sanctions against any of the economic bloc’s member states, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday, outlining a key condition for joining the grouping.

 

The group that started as an informal association of Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006 have since expanded to nine member states – including South Africa on December 24, 2010 and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and UAE on January 01 this year. Note that Argentina rejected the membership while Saudi Arabia has kept the decision to join pending. 

 

And in the BRICS 2024 Summit in Kazan, Russia later this month, they're expected to discuss further expansion.

 

"One needs to pursue a sovereign policy, have a significant role in international and regional affairs, build good-neighborly and friendly relations with the BRICS countries, and not join in illegitimate sanctions against members of the association", Ryabkov (left) emphasized, when asked about conditions for aspiring members.

 

"The doors to BRICS remain open, but expansion should not become an end unto itself. Russia’s objective this year has been to 'ensure organic and full integration' of the recently accepted members into the 'multifaceted architecture of the BRICS partnership', while maintaining the dynamics and effectiveness of the international association’s mechanisms and formats", he added. 

 

Methinks, Malaysia will be accepted.

No To ECOWAS

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced on Saturday they have "irrevocably" turned their backs on ECOWAS.

 

The Economic Community of West African States regional bloc had swiftly suspended the three countries after their respective military takeovers, which occurred in July 2023 in Niger, September 2022 in Burkina Faso and August 2021 in Mali. 

 

ECOWAS even imposed sanctions on Niger and Mali, and at one stage, had threatened military intervention. And yet, the regional bloc’s leaders held out hope for the trio’s eventual return. Fat chance because in January. the said countries withdrew from ECOWAS. 

 

Speaking at the summit, Niger's General Abdourahamane Tchiani called the 50-year-old ECOWAS “a threat to our states”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traoré and Mali's Colonel Assimi Goïta met General Tchiani in Niger's capital, Niamey to formalise an alliance created in the face of opposition from neighboring countries. The three soldiers took power in their respective countries which have been battered by jihadist violence, in part a reason given for the military coups. 

 

They now establish the Alliance of Sahel States as a step “towards greater integration” between the three countries, in the latest showing of their shift away from traditional regional and Western allies.

 

The junta chiefs said they aimed to build a community of sovereign peoples "far from the control of foreign powers. A community of peace, solidarity, prosperity based on our African values”.

 

In a message on X, Capt Traoré declared that "together, we will consolidate the foundations of our true independence". 

 

Speaking at the summit, he went on to say that "this continent has suffered and continues to suffer from the fire of the imperialists. These imperialists have only one cliché in mind: 'Africa is the empire of slaves'". 

 

Security co-operation is high on the agenda, but the alliance, known by their French acronym AES, will also look towards forming closer economic ties, including the goal of creating a common currency. This would be a rejection of the France-backed CFA Franc, which is used in many states across the region. 

 

Already, the three countries have expelled French soldiers who were there supposedly as part of an anti-jihadist mission. Besides, they have regularly accused former colonial ruler France of meddling in the 15-member ECOWAS. 

 

Finally, we're seeing African countries asserting genuine independence. And I would urge countries which are under the thumb of the Western powers (e.g., Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria) to follow the three countries' example and break free!

Marge Simpson Depicted on 3,500-year-old Egyptian Coffin

The iconic cartoon character Marge Simpson appears to have a doppelganger from ancient Egyptian times. 

 

Coffin lids during the New Kingdom era are known for their intricate designs, but this particular cover was remarkable for another reason from the perspective of social media users and fans of the longtime Fox animated sitcom "The Simpsons". 

 

Dr Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, said work last year uncovered what archeologists believe were tombs for senior officials and priests in a 3,500-year-old cemetery dating back to the New Kingdom, specifically the 20th Dynasty (circa 1186-1069 BC). 

 

There were amulets, ornaments, as well as stone and wooden coffins with the mummies, according to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a press release October 15, 2023, translated from Arabic to English. The New Kingdom period is commonly known as the "Golden Age" of ancient Egypt, according to TheArchaeologist.org. 

 

Although the discovery of the mummy's coffin was announced nine months ago, the image went viral on social media as users pointed out the uncanny resemblance to the beloved matriarch from "The Simpsons". 

 

The upper lid of the coffin has an image of a yellow-hued woman with an extremely tall blue crown, resembling Marge Simpson's outsized blue hair, and a strapless green outfit, similar to the cartoon character's own dress. 

 

The coffin belonged to Tadi Ist, daughter of the High Priest of Djehouti in El-Ashmunein, according to The Egyptian Gazette, described as the oldest daily newspaper in the Middle East. The mummy (photo below) featured a mask and a beaded dress in "excellent condition", the publication reported.

 

The discovery is said to be a significant archaeological find. It not only enriches our understanding of ancient Egyptian burial practices and artistic achievements but also provides a tangible connection to a pivotal period in Egypt's history. 

 

As research and excavations continue, this find will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper comprehension of the complex and fascinating civilization of ancient Egypt.

Cognitive Test for Joe Biden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eighty-four US House Republicans have raised “grave concerns” about President Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities, saying he should be tested to prove his fitness for office after a prosecutor’s report suggested that he was too elderly and befuddled to stand trial. [Refer my February 15 post "Too Old To Face Justice But Not Too Old To Be President"].

 

US Representative Ronny Jackson (right), a Texas Republican who also served as White House doctor under then-Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, authored a letter to Biden on Thursday calling for the commander-in-chief to take a cognitive test. 

 

“If you are too mentally impaired to stand trial, as your own Department of Justice claim, then we are concerned that your mental state is not at a competent level to serve as the leader of the free world”, Jackson said in the letter, which was co-signed by 83 other Republican lawmakers. 

 

He added that if Biden is unwilling or unable to take a cognitive exam, his cabinet members should begin proceedings under the US Constitution’s 25th Amendment to remove him from office.

 

The 81-year-old Biden, the oldest president in US history, had, of course, promptly defended his cognitive fitness in a nationally televised address on February 08. “My memory is fine”, he insisted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few minutes later, in a comment about the Middle East crisis, he referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the leader of Mexico. The gaffe came in the same week that he claimed to have had conversations with two world leaders who had died years before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had confused French President Emmanuel Macron with former president, Francois Mitterrand (who died in 1996) and mixed up former German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Helmut Kohl (who died in 2017).

 

“Over the past three years, your mental decline and forgetfulness has become even more apparent”, Jackson and the other lawmakers said in their letter to Biden. “It is a common occurrence to see you shuffling your feet, stumbling while walking, slurring your words, forgetting names, losing your train of thought, and appearing confused or asleep when making public appearances here at home and on the world stage”.

 

Biden’s next annual medical exam will not include a cognitive test, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday. 

 

Her staff dismissed media inquiries about Jackson’s demands for an exam by responding with images likening the congressman to Dr. Nick Riviera, a cartoon character from "The Simpsons" known for quackery.

 

Democrats have rallied around Biden and I reckon the president is almost certain to be the Democratic Party’s nominee as long as he wants. 

 

Then again, you can never tell.