Islamic World

Tehran, June 21: Opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi said he was ‘ready for martyrdom’, according to an ally, in leading protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic and brought warnings of bloodshed from Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Mousavi also called for a national strike if he is arrested, a witness said. As darkness fell, rooftop cries of Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) sounded out across northern Tehran for nearly an hour, an echo of tactics used in the 1979 Islamic revolution against the Shah.

Tehran, June 20: The Iranian group which planned to organise a rally on Saturday said it will not go ahead with the demonstration as it did not have the required permission, state television said.

Earlier, an aide to defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi had said that the country’s opposition will go ahead with a planned rally in Tehran despite a government warning against new protests.

“I have not heard anything indicating that the rally has been cancelled,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Abu Dhabi, June 20: Saudi Arabia has denied media reports that it intends to allow Israeli military planes to fly over its airspace. ”These reports are totally false and baseless,” an official source at the Ministry of Defense and Aviation said.

The source also denied reports that Saudi military officials had met with their Israeli counterparts to discuss the issue. ”The source expressed surprise over such false media reports,” the Saudi Press Agency said.

Tehran, June 20: Iran’s supreme leader sought Friday to end the deepening crisis over disputed elections with one decisive speech _ declaring the vote will almost certainly stand and sternly warning opposition leaders to end street protests or be held responsible for any “bloodshed and chaos” to come.

But a first sign of possible resistance came shortly after nightfall in Tehran. Cries of “Death to the dictator!” and “Allahu akbar” _ “God is great” _ rang from rooftops in what’s become a nightly ritual of opposition unity.

Tehran, June 19: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Friday threw his weight behind re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and called for an end to protests challenging the results of the June 12 polls.

In his first public remarks since last week’s presidential election, the cleric insisted that no cheating had taken place and issued a stern warning to protestors that illegal initiatives were not acceptable.

“Political decisions are made at the ballot box, not in the streets,” Khamenei said.

Tehran, June 19: Iran’s supreme leader addressed the nation today in his first public comments since opposition supporters flooded Tehran’s streets in an unprecedented challenge to the country’s ruling clerics.
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Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already approved the June 12 election results that gave hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a landslide victory, but he has not been able to ignore the powerful defiance of the opposition, which has called the vote rigged, of his authority.

Istanbul, June 19: World reaction to the upheaval in Iran is cautious and divided, reflecting uncertainty over fast-moving events within the country after its disputed election.

International opinion is roughly divided between the Western line — a pro-democratic stance that implies or levels criticism at Iran’s leadership — and economic allies, mostly among developing nations, that accept the election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Golestan, June 19: The request crackled over the radio in the police station in this remote Afghan valley: four officers needed to accompany US Marines on an overnight patrol.

The appeal was met with little enthusiasm. Though one officer ran for his Kalashnikov, another said he felt sick; his colleague said he was recovering from a long shift the previous day. With rain falling outside, the rest cast their eyes downward to avoid the glare of their commander.

Tehran, June 19: At first sight, what is happening in Tehran today looks very like the extraordinary events of the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago. But how deep do the similarities go?

On 2 December 1978, two million Iranians filled the streets of central Tehran to demand an end to the rule of the Shah and the return of Ayatollah Khomeini. It was the most popular revolution in history. At night, people gathered on rooftops to chant “Allahu Akbar – God is Great”. In the daytime, mass rallies commemorated as martyrs the protesters who had been killed by the security forces.

Dubai, June 19: Female expatriates in Sharjah caught dressed immodestly will be told to go home and change, officials said.

Sharjah Police is launching an awareness campaign in the run-up to Ramadan to ensure that foreigners abide by the rules of the emirate.

The campaign follows new travel advice given to British nationals this week, which warns women against wearing skimpy outfits in public and sunbathing topless.

The advice urges particular caution about respecting local culture in emirates like Sharjah and Ajman.

Teheran, June 19: Among the propaganda coming from all sides in the Iranian election dispute, one letter stands out: a note from the interior minister to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving the ‘true’ result of last Friday’s vote.

The letter acknowledges the Supreme Leader’s ‘order’ for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to win but shows Hossein Mousavi winning, with a total that would have set up a runoff against fellow reformer Mehdi Karroubi. Real or fake, the document is circulating widely, the Independent reported.

Tehran, June 18: Tens of thousands of Iranians, wearing black and carrying candles, marched on Thursday to mourn those killed in mass protests against a presidential election they and defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi say was rigged.

Chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest), they massed in downtown Imam Khomeini Square, responding to Mousavi’s call for people to gather in mosques or at peaceful rallies to show solidarity with the victims and their families.

Khameini to lead Friday prayers with Islamic militia Tehran, June 18: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead Friday prayers in Tehran in the presence of the Basji volunteer Islamic militia, the Mehr news agency said on Thursday.

“Alert Basijis… with their epic presence, will take part in Friday’s prayers to be led by Ayatollah Khamenei,” the agency quoted a statement issued by the militia.

Vienna, June 18: Israel bluntly accused the head of the UN atomic agency of political bias on Thursday in his probe of Syria’s nuclear program, in an unusual direct attack on the agency chief.

The comments by Israel Michael, Israel’s chief delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency, briefly lifted the diplomatic curtain shrouding the agency and revealed the tensions surrounding Middle East issues that often pit Israel — and the U.S., its chief Western backer — against Islamic IAEA member nations.

Abu Dhabi, June 18: Rumours circulating about an employee of a fast food outlet in Dubai contracting H1N1 have been denied.

A statement from McDonald’s read: “McDonald’s strongly denies the rumours being circulated among mobile and internet users, falsely claiming the detection of an H1N1 virus (known as swine flu) case among its employees and the closure of one of its restaurants. These rumours are not true whatsoever.

Muscat, June 18: Young Omanis aspiring to become school teachers must realise that there may not be many jobs available to them; they should, instead, try to specialise in other professions as dictated by the labour market, the country’s top policymakers said.

They pointed out that Omanisation of jobs in the education sector had reached high levels, significantly reducing the number of new teachers and other staff required in schools.

Tehran, June 18: Anti-government protesters in Iran are set to mark a day of mourning on Thursday for those killed in post-election clashes.

State media said seven people were killed in an opposition protest in Tehran against what defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi says was a rigged election last week in favour of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incumbent president.

On his website, Mousavi called on Iranians to stage peaceful demonstrations or gather in mosques on Thursday.

Jeddah, 17 June: HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Amir of Makkah, received here today the newly appointed UAE Consul General Ahmed Mohammed Manqoush.
Prince Khalid welcomed the Consul General and wished him success in his new assignment.

–Agencies–

Sharjah, June 17: Sharjah Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, has honoured 20 government employees from various public institutions in the emirate for distinguishing themselves in their areas of work. Sharjah Deputy Ruler, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al-Qasimi, was present at the honouring ceremony which was held at the auditorium of the Sharjah Cultural Palace.

Tehran, June 17: Iran’s opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi indicated Wednesday that his supporters would continue their protests until new presidential elections were held. “We peacefully protest against election fraud and all we want is the annulment of the election and the holding of a new election without cheating,” the opposition leader said while calling on his supporters to stay calm and peaceful.

Cairo, June 17: With an “unchecked power”, the George W. Bush administration’s war on terror has undermined American Muslim charities providing needed humanitarian aid and “chilled” fearful US Muslims from practicing their faith through charitable giving, a leading rights organization said.
“The federal government’s enforcement of terrorism financing laws has disproportionately affected Muslim charities,” the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a report issued on Tuesday, June 16.

Gaza City, June 17: Former US president Jimmy Carter said he had to “hold back tears” while touring scenes of devastation in the war-torn Gaza strip, and seeing Palestinians treated more “like animals” under the Israeli stifling siege.

“Tragically, the international community too often ignores the cries for help and the citizens of Palestine are treated more like animals than like human beings,” Cater said as he toured the blockaded enclave, reporte.

Dubai, June 16: Outraged Palestinians have called for legal action against a prominent Israeli comedian after a guest on his talk show launched a scathing tirade against Muslims and compared them to cockroaches.

In an attempt at humor, a guest on Israel’s “Tonight with Lior Shlein” mocked the way Muslims pray and to the audience’s delight likened the way they looked when in prostration to a penis.

The guest continued his jibe to cheers and applause and went on to compare Muslims to cockroaches.

Tehran, June 16 : Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched towards Tehran University and the Iranian capital’s Enqelab (Revolution) Square Monday despite the interior ministry’s ban on the gathering, eyewitnesses said.

“We had warned you, if you cheat, we make hell in this city,” the protestors who support opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi shouted. Moussavi also joined the rally but stayed in his car for security reasons.

Cairo, June 16: How do you count almost 40 million handwritten paper ballots in a matter of hours and declare a winner? That’s a key question in Iran’s disputed presidential election.

International polling experts and Iran analysts said the speed of the vote count, coupled with a lack of detailed election data normally released by officials, was fueling suspicion around President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s landslide victory.