Month: December 2009

The Catholic Church successfully argues that Allah “is the only suitable translation for God in the Malay language”: Malaysian Court Strikes Down Ban (Wall Street Journal) Branding Ahmadinejad’s political opponents as opponents of the system,  tens of thousands attend demonstrations calling for their death: Iran Government Supporters Rally in Tehran (LA Times) The deadline approaches […]

Critics say after the substantial fraud of the recent presidential election holding more elections without “root and branch reform” will only cast further doubt into the legitimacy and competence of the Afghan government: Afghans Announce Spring Election (NY Times) Accusations that “a group partially led by former Guantanamo detainees may have equipped and trained Nigerian […]

Denied access to the border by Egyptian forces, the protesters say they will organize a walk all the way to Rafah … Egypt Cracks Down on Foreign Protesters Heading to Gaza Strip (Christian Science Monitor) … Meanwhile, other protesters expecting to reach Gaza via the Mediterranean will probably be intercepted by the IDF: Gaza Aid […]

As Israelis terrorize the locals to the tune of about $40,000 in fire damage along with 50 uprooted trees in protest of delayed settlement growth… Settlers Torch Palestinian Property, Uproot Trees (Ma’an News) … the government pursues its claim to all of Jerusalem: Israel to Build 700 Apartments in East Jerusalem (AP / Washington Post) […]

Who gets to place over a million names on watch lists, when  the man whose own father warned us was dangerous was not “placed on any watch list for flights into the United States” … Plane Suspect was Listed in Terror Database After Father Alerted U.S. Officials (Washington Post) … Will American Muslims be similarly […]

“It is a wall of shame being built by Egypt on the borders with Gaza…. We are opening our territories for a barrier that only serves and supports the Israeli and U.S. policies”… Egypt’s Barrier Along Gaza Border Called ‘Wall of Shame’ (LA Times) … Meanwhile, opposition leaders continue to challenge the fairness of democracy […]

The ugly story of al-Qaeda’a rise and fall in a Sunni triangle town where “tribal justice” trumps rule of law, whether Islamic or Western: 2003 U.S. Raid in Iraqi Town Serves as a Cautionary Tale (Washington Post) Legislation that betrays liberty and will confine ultra-conservative Muslim women to virtual house arrest: No Burqas in France? […]

“We hope and we dream that the siege will be lifted with Shalit” but “Shalit is not the main reason for the blockade – Hamas is. So nothing will change” — unemployed Gazan: Israel-Hamas Deal on Gilad Shalit Won’t Include an End to Gaza Blockade (Christian Science Monitor) Notwithstanding Pakistani denials, the unpopular drone attacks […]

Sparked by Montazeri’s “timely demise,” … Iranian Dissident Cleric’s Funeral Draws Huge Crowds (LA Times) … as “people used the sadness of Moharram to unite themselves against the Shah” they now unite around “Montazeri’s last wish, an end to this dictatorship”: Iran Opposition Energized by Montazeri Funeral in Qom, Say Eyewitnesses (Christian Science Monitor) Men […]

“Some of the bodies were definitely Palestinians who were killed in conflicts…. Their organs were taken without consent of families and were used to serve the needs of the country in terms of hospitals as well as the army’s needs” … Israel Admits to Organ Thefts (Al Jazeera) … Meanwhile, the intimidation tactics of the IDF […]