15 Independent Egyptian papers forge a consensus on protesting the government’s recent clampdown on journalists and papers, refusing to publish in early October, while local Tunisian civil society groups score a small, but important win for freedom of speech as persistence combined with raised awareness in the international community wins the freedom of prominent dissent Mohammad Abbou and 21 other political prisoners:
- Egypt Papers Agree Day of Protest (BBC News)
- A Rare Free-Speech Victory in Tunisia (Christian Science Monitor)
Iraq’s most prominent Sunni Muslim group denounces the US Senate’s non-binding resolution to decentralize power in Iraq to ethno-sectarian regions and weaken the federal government:
- Muslim Ulema Slam Decision By US Senate To Divide Iraq (Adnkronos International)
New York Times editorial slams the Bush administration for continuing to ask for more eye-popping amounts of cash to an immoral, ineffective and counterproductive war:
- Runaway (Spending) Train (New York Times)
“… if Bollinger had invited President Bush to Columbia and made those same unvarnished remarks to him, and Bush had toughed it out and struggled to answer half a dozen unfiltered, critical questions from an audience not made up of his handpicked supporters…. Well, that too would have been free speech at its best.”–Columnist Rosa Brooks.
- The Bollinger/Ahmadinejad Farce (LA Times)
Much to the disappointment of Pakistan’s opposition groups, the Supreme Court rules that he can still run, while resignations are taking place local and provincial governments:
- Pakistan Court Rules Musharraf Can Run for Re-election (Washington Post)
- Fazl Accepts APDM’s Resignation Plan (The Dawn)
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