Author: Sarah

Prison-break: with the help of security agent, former Iraqi minister charged with corruption ‘freed’ from Green Zone jail: Jailed Ex-Minister in Baghdad Escapes; Iraqi American Faces Corruption Charges (Washington Post) Cleric fighting for religious equality dies in Bahrain Bahrain’s Leading Shiite Cleric Dies (AP/Washington Post) Surprise! US blames Sadr Army as “the gravest danger to…

“Every time my wife insisted we leave Iraq, I used to tell her to have hope. Then when the first mortar fell near my house I knew that death was knocking at my door.” Mortar Wars Terrorize Weary Baghdad Residents (Reuters/Washington Post) Editorial:US financial service company buys port operations in US from Dubai Ports World,…

Red Crescent in Iraq complains about treatment from US troops: Iraqi Red Crescent: U.S. Threatens Work (AP/Washington Post) Egyptian police arrest “at least 140 others Thursday after a protest by uniformed students raised fears the Islamic political group is creating a military wing.” Scores Arrested After Rally in Egypt (AP/Washington Post) Women find little freedom…

Discussion of prayer room at airport as false rumors continue to swirl about Imams’ actions before being kicked off plane: Diversity of Opinion on Imams’ Dispute With Airline (Washington Post) Sign of Unity: A Sunni leads Friday Prayers at predominantly-Shi’a anti-government protest in Beirut… Lebanese Opposition Puts on Show of Muslim Unity (Washington Post/Reuters) …Meanwhile,…

Battle lines being drawn in Baghdad: Battle for Baghdad Spurs ‘Sectarian’ House Market (Washington Post/Reuters) UN Security Council, at the urging of the U.S., endorses peacekeepers for Somalia to ‘prop up’ another puppet regime: Rage and Delight at Somali Peacekeeper Move (Washington Post/Reuters) Malaysian city to impose fines for ‘tight fitting clothes’: ‘I would like…

Human rights in Saudi Arabia: “The government seems, at least at the rhetorical level, interested in reform.” Human Rights Watch Starts Work in Saudi Arabia (Washington Post/Reuters) “Pakistan is willing to give up its claim to Kashmir if India agrees to a far-reaching self-governance plan for the Himalayan region” Pakistan Would Give Up Claim to…

Gearing up for another civil war in the Middle East? Lebanese Think the Unthinkable: Another Civil War (LA Times) Some Sunni scholars in Southern Iraq issued a fatwa prohibiting the killing of Shi’as: Some Sunnis in Iraq Have a Plan for Peace (LA Times) Muslim lawyer falsely arrested in connection to Madrid bombings receives apology,…

China’s Hui Muslims: “The national policies are opening up and as long as you don’t go against the country’s religious policies and regulations, you can freely progress.”—but then, is it really ‘free’? China’s Muslims Look to Middle East as Ties Grow (Washington Post/Reuters) Meanwhile, China increases persecution of the Uighars, arresting and harassing the family…

A different perspective in news now in English: Not Coming Soon to a Channel Near You  (NY Times) To ensure the safety of Iraqi university students Maliki suggestion is to, “ban pictures, leaflets, placards or other politically inspired materials from campuses “because the universities shall remain outside partisan politics or sectarian affiliation.” In Iraqi Colleges,…

Annan on the West-Muslim divide: “”The problem is never the faith, it is the faithful and how they behave toward each other.” Annan: Politics Cause Muslim-West Divide (AP/Washington Post) Iraqi police stand by and watch over 100 men systematically kidnapped at Education Ministry: Dozens Snatched in Mass Kidnap at Iraq Ministry (Reuters/Washington Post) Al-Arian refuses…