#work rss Apple RSS The Irish Times - News @IrishTimesWorldFeed Irish Times World RSS [p?c1=2&c2=8946263&cv=2.0&cj=1] IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M9Q373 * Search * Newsletters * Crossword * Notices * My Account * Sign Out * Subscribe * Sign In [adserv|3.0|826.1|4269159|0|225|ADTECH;loc=300;target=_blank;kvtopic=Mi ddle+East;kvloc=Saudi+Arabia;cookie=info;] Menu The Irish Times Sun, Jan 17, 2016 ^Sign In Welcome * The Irish Times * News * Sport * Business * Opinion * Life & Style * Culture * More * Video * Podcasts * Executive Jobs * Subscribe * My Account * Sign Out * Sign In * * World * Middle East * Exodus * UK * Europe * US * Africa * Asia-Pacific * Paris Attacks * Migrant Crisis All News * Ireland + Irish News * World + UK + Europe + US + Africa + Middle East + Asia-Pacific * Politics + Election 2016 + Oireachtas + Poll * Crime & Law * Social Affairs + Religion & Beliefs * Health * Education + Student Hub * Courts * Irish Times Data * Environment * Science * Consumer * Offbeat * In Depth * Specials + Year in Review + State Papers 1985 + Floods + Exodus * Podcasts + Inside Politics + World View * Subscriptions + ePaper + Newspaper Archive + Digital Message By using this website, you consent to our use of cookies. For more information on cookies see our Cookie Policy. (BUTTON) X Death threats for Saudi satirist who fights Islamic State with humour Sketch show recently shown on Saudi television lampoons holy warriors Mon, Jun 22, 2015, 22:41 Satirist Nasser al-Qasabi. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Satirist Nasser al-Qasabi. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images A Saudi TV star has earned death threats for deploying a new weapon against Islamic State: laughter. Selfie, a sketch show which debuted last week on Saudi-owned pan-Arab satellite channel MBC, has won praise from influential voices in the Middle East for daring to mock the hardline militant group. In one scene, a group of buffoonish holy warriors at a “girl market” picks concubines from a line of chained women. “Come on guys!” interjects a naive character played by the show’s Saudi star, Nasser al-Qasabi. “This is forbidden by Islam, these are just children!” “God forgives!” the ringleader snaps back. Saudi Arabia observes a strict form of Sunni Islam but is opposed to Islamic State, the group also known as ISIS or ISIL which has seized much of Syria and Iraq and declared a “caliphate” to rule over all Muslims. Al-Qasabi says his show’s message, though presented in the form of satire, is deadly serious. He says he has been unfazed by threats he has received from the militants’ supporters since the broadcast. In a typical response from a supporter of the militants, a Twitter user wrote to al-Qasabi: “I swear to god you will regret what you did, you apostate.” – (Reuters) * Topics: * Saudi Arabia Subscribe. More from The Irish Times * Crime & Law Gardaí search the Grand Canal bank in Ardclough, Co Kildare, where the body of a man was found in a suitcase on Saturday afternoon. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times. Gardaí say remains those of man who died in recent days * Opinion “The takeaway message from its negative poster this week might be that it has ceded control of the narrative to Fine Gael.” Photograph: Eric Luke / The Irish Times Fianna Fáil is changing but not quickly enough * European Cup Leinster’s Sean Cronin celebrates after scoring a try in their clash with Bath in the European Champions Cup. Photo: Billy Stickland/Inpho Fountain of youth comes good for Leinster with fighting victory * Politics Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, flanked by party colleagues, waves to supporters after his ardfheis speech at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times. 5:35 Coalition has not delivered a fair recovery - Martin ADVERTISEMENT [adserv|3.0|826.1|4269161|0|170|ADTECH;loc=300;target=_blank;kvtopic=Mi ddle+East;kvloc=Saudi+Arabia;cookie=info;] ADVERTISEMENT Exodus A special report on the desperate plight of migrants trying to make a new life in Europe Latest World Burkina Faso hotel attack: 18 nationalities among 28 dead 14:44 Bill Cosby sexual assault case could be thrown out 13:25 Isis ‘kills 300 people’ in Deir al-Zor, Syrian government says 12:06 Jakarta attacks: Death toll rises to eight after Isis assault 11:20 Independence-minded opposition wins Taiwan election 09:18 ADVERTISEMENT [adserv|3.0|826.1|4269160|0|170|ADTECH;loc=300;target=_blank;kvtopic=Mi ddle+East;kvloc=Saudi+Arabia;cookie=info;] [image.png] Subscribe on iTunes Follow on Soundcloud Listen on Stitcher Migrant Crisis European unity falters in the face of refugee crisis Most Read in News 1 Conservative Germany is ‘mad as hell’ over Merkel’s policies 2 Gardaí say remains those of man who died in recent days 3 Isis ‘kills 300 people’ in Deir al-Zor, Syrian government says 4 Irish nanny plans to sue over wrongful detention in US 5 Woman who was asked to leave River Island awarded €7,500 Never miss a story. SUBSCRIBE Features & Opinion Migrant crisis sees no slowdown during winter * Europe * Daniel McLaughlin Migrant crisis sees no slowdown during winter The new year has failed to bring cohesion to Europe’s handling of its worst refugee emergency since the second World War Conservative Germany is ‘mad as hell’ over Merkel’s policies * Europe * Derek Scally Conservative Germany is ‘mad as hell’ over Merkel’s policies As vigilantes roam Cologne to protect ‘blonde German women’, the clock ticks for chancellor Republican debate: Gloves come off as fight intensifies * US * Simon Carswell Republican debate: Gloves come off as fight intensifies Analysis: Insults and policy jabs flew in a debate that came at a crucial point Uganda moves to meet women’s contraceptive needs * Africa * Louise McLoughlin Uganda moves to meet women’s contraceptive needs Attitudes changing in country where belief remains strong that contraception causes infertility Taiwan frontrunner conciliatory towards China ahead of poll * Asia-Pacific * Clifford Coonan Taiwan frontrunner conciliatory towards China ahead of poll Tsai Ing-wen expected to unseat President Ma Ying-jeou in Saturday’s election A French police officer stands guard by the Eiffel tower. Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters Paris attacks Full coverage of Europe's counter-terror operations following the Paris attacks Ukraine Crisis The revolt that escalated to a global crisis Galleries Irish artist Colin Davidson with his painting of Angela Merkel which made the front cover of Time magazine. The Belfast artist was commissioned by Time which has made the German chancellor its person of the year. Angela Merkel cover star Policemen stand guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center on Wednesday as French Police special forces raid an apartment, hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago. 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