Minaret of Freedom Weblog

Two hundred and four have already been arrested in another breakout of angry dissent in Iran …

• Violent Protests in Iran Carry Into Second Day (NY Times)

…joined by Iranian Kurds …

• Student Protests Erupt in Over a Dozen Iranian Cities (Indybay.org)

… while in Turkey a constitutional court may “undermine the government’s efforts to end its long-running conflict with the country’s Kurdish minority”:

• Turkey Is Considering Ban on Kurdish Party (NY Times)

“This muffled threat felt by so many people in our old European nations, rightly or wrongly, weighs on their identity… We must all speak about this together, out of fear that, if it is kept hidden, this sentiment could end up nourishing a terrible rancor”:

• Sarkozy Delivers a Mixed Message to France’s Muslim Immigrants (Washington Post)

As EU members back down from explicit language that East Jerusalem be the capital of a Palestinian state …

• EU Backs Jerusalem as Joint Capital (AL Jazeera)

… there is now no uncontaminated water in Gaza placing over half the 40,000 newborn babies at great risk:

• Who Will Save Gaza’s Children? (Guardian)

“As a visibly uncomfortable Gates stood next to him at a joint news conference,” Karzai said Afghanistan will need military aid for at least another fifteen years:

• Gates, Karzai Offer Differing Timeframes for Withdrawal (Washington Post)