Month: July 2010

Iran Sanctions May Target Iran’s Middle Class

Although the United States and its allies insist that the latest round of U.N. sanctions against Iran targets high-level government officials rather than the general population, interviews with a number of analysts, activists and journalists in Tehran reveal a growing concern over the impact on the country’s middle class. "The government will use the oil … Continue reading “Iran Sanctions May Target Iran’s Middle Class”

CNN’s Objectivity Questioned in Sacking of Mideast Reporter

CNN’s firing of Octavia Nasr, the editor responsible for the network’s Middle East coverage, over a Twitter post in which she expressed her sadness over the death of a Lebanese cleric has set off a firestorm of debate about what the decision says about CNN’s fairness in reporting on the region. On Sunday, Nasr wrote, … Continue reading “CNN’s Objectivity Questioned in Sacking of Mideast Reporter”

Thursday: 33 Iraqis Killed, 119 Wounded

Solemn observances at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad culminated today. Although pilgrims began to return to their homes, they remain vulnerable to attacks. At least 33 Iraqis were killed and 119 more were wounded, mostly in the capital. Due to the nature of these reports an exact count is difficult at best: The confusion of numerous or larger attacks can lead to wildly conflicting numbers and vague locations. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Parliament is to meet next Tuesday, just ahead of a constitutional deadline.

These Explosions Are Saviors

GAZA CITY – At precisely 12 noon on a Thursday afternoon, among the rolling sandy hills in southern Gaza, a controlled explosion destroys another round of white phosphorous shells left in Gaza following the 2008-2009 Israeli war on Gaza. Explosives experts from the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and the United Nations Mine Action Team (UNMAT) … Continue reading “These Explosions Are Saviors”

Wednesday: 84 Iraqis Killed, 362 Wounded

Updated at 2:49 p.m. EDT, July 8, 2010 Shi’ite pilgrims streaming in to Baghdad for Imam Kadhim observances were met by a number of bombs across the city. One blast targeting them killed or wounded over 120 people in a Sunni neighborhood. Earlier in the day, however, most of the attacks were curiously focused on areas just west of the capital. At least 84 Iraqis were killed and 362 more were wounded in these and other attacks. Meanwhile, a Rasmussen poll found that less than a third of Americans would call the war in Iraq a success, and only 55 percent think that Iraqis are better off now than under Saddam.

New Rankings Overrate Obama

The periodic Siena College poll [.pdf] of 238 presidential scholars in colleges and universities across the nation ranked Barack Obama, after only a year-and-a-half of his presidency, as the 15th best president out of all 43 in American history. His predecessor, George W. Bush, earned an abysmal 39th rating. Yet, despite differences in rhetoric and … Continue reading “New Rankings Overrate Obama”

European Parliament Set to Approve Snooping Bill

BRUSSELS – Private information on innocent citizens will be handed over to U.S. law enforcement authorities under an agreement slated for approval by the European Parliament this week.In February, members of the Parliament (MEPs) rejected a plan to allow data on everyday bank transactions be given to the U.S., citing concerns over fundamental civil rights. … Continue reading “European Parliament Set to Approve Snooping Bill”