News and Analysis (11/5/11)

The new proliferation of civil society institutions gives women new opportunities that fear of of the brutal Revolutionary Committees denied them despite Gaddafi’s expanding “educational and employment opportunities for women and signal[ing] a commitment to gender equality by traveling with a contingent of gun-toting female bodyguards” …

• Libyan Women Savor New Freedoms After Revolution (Washington Post with Foreign Policy)

… but Gaddafi’s success in making 97% of homes occupier-owned is threatened by the return of the landlords:

• Libyans Try to Get Back Property Seized by Gaddafi (Guardian)

“[O]nce an arrogant and pervasive force in Cairo, until they cracked down on the Tahrir Square demonstrations, the police are now “hated, and in their shame, they have disappeared. The transitional military government has failed badly in reorganizing them”:

• The Fears of Egyptians Great and Small (Washington Post)

As Israel beats the war drums against Iran, Iran protests at the U.N. that the alleged plotter Washington calls an Iranian military official is really a member of the MEK rebel group on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations:

• Iran says U.S. Plot Suspect Is Anti-Tehran Militant (Reuters)

Israelis practice a more genteel form of piracy, abducting 27 passengers on the high seas but managing not to kill anyone the humanitarian relief mission for the beseiged people of Gaza after their tasers and water cannons failed to provoke a violent response:

• Activists on Gaza-bound Vessels Detained (AlJazeera)

When the Jewish family found it hard to keep their Coney Island Bialys Bakers Co. profitable in the current economy, local Muslims bought out the failing bagel and bialys business, declaring “”We’re sticking with kosher”:

• Two Muslim Men Keep Jewish Tradition Alive in Brooklyn (CNN)

“Two senior police officers and five suspected Taliban fighters charged for their alleged role in the killing of ex-PM” and then=president Muhsarraf, although not charged, is wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant in the matter:

• Pakistan Charges Seven for Bhutto Murder (AlJazeera)

The Bahraini government marks Eid-al-Adha by releasing 17-year-old  Zulfiqar Naji:

• Player’s Father: Iraqi Football Player Released After Months in Bahraini Custody (Washington Post with Foreign Affairs)

Boko Haram has taken responsibility for the “wave of bombings and shootings carried out in northeast Nigeria overnight,” threatening “We will continue attacking federal government formations until security forces stop their excesses on our members and vulnerable civilians”:

• Nigeria Attacks Kill 67; Sect Claims Responsibility (AP / NY Times)

ImadadDean