You might have thought it was safe to wander back into the world now that Osama bin Laden is dead. But then you haven't noticed, amidst political instability in Yemen, the convergence of interest between the Yemeni regime and US counter-terrorism officials...
American counterterrorism officials are increasingly concerned that the most dangerous regional arm of Al Qaeda is trying to produce the lethal poison ricin, to be packed around small explosives for attacks against the United States.
For more than a year, according to classified intelligence reports, Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen has been making efforts to acquire large quantities of castor beans, which are required to produce ricin, a white, powdery toxin that is so deadly that just a speck can kill if it is inhaled or reaches the bloodstream.
In an age where technology is changing the way news is reported, are the techniques that EA uses that unique or cutting edge? Dr. Amy Zalman, founder of Strategic Narrative, thinks so. In her words, we are "rewriting the terms of journalistic objectivity" in order to meet the needs of the 21st century, and overcome those dreaded words, "this video cannot be independently verified."
The competing narrative continuing to unfold about the ongoing violence in Syria reflect how completely amateur video has now transformed our understanding of what “news” is. Activists’ homemade videos have shattered the idea that the Syrian government’s claim to be restoring “stability” to towns under attack from “armed terrorists” can be taken at face value...
2040 GMT: Kalame.com has a detailed report on the fate of prisoners who have not received temporary release from Evin Prison - something mandated by Iranian law.
Contrary to the repeated claims by Tehran's Prosecutor and judicial authorities in Iran that all political prisoners have access to furlough [temporary leave from prison], many of these prisoners, particularly those who are supporters of the Green movement and were arrested following the post election turmoil, have either been denied of this right all together, or in many cases have not been granted furlough for at least a year. According to reports received by Kaleme, some of these prisoners have been behind bars at Evin prison for more than 24 months without even one day of furlough. Abdollah Momeni, Saeed Matinpour, Mohammad Davari, Abbas Nami, Bahman Ahmadi Amoui, Nezam Hasanpour, Emad Bahavar, Navid Kamran, Amir Khosro Dalirsani, Amir Bahmani, Majid Tamjidi, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, are only some of the tens of political prisoners denied the right to furlough from prison. It is worth mentioning that temporary leave from prison is amongst the fundamental rights of all prisoners under Iranian law and political prisoners are not excluded under this law.
You can read the full report with prisoners' names and details here.
1958 GMT: The "Khatoom (lady)" special - Ahmadinejad may have really stepped into the fire this time. The Iran Daily, closely tied to the President, published a 1 page special, called "Khatoom," which the conservatives believe was a direct attack on Hejab, even going as far as to suggest that it was a French fashion symbol, not a mark of modesty. Jahan news has branded the special an "unprecedented insult," and the Tehran prosecutor has even filed a complaint against the Iran Daily for "insulting public morality."
1911 GMT: Oil alert - Iran has resumed the importation of gasoline to meet domestic demand. According to Khabar Online, Iran is currently importing 12 million liters of gasoline per day to meet the 60 million liter demand.
1900 GMT: The President isn't Islamic enough alert - A major voice for the hardliners, Nedaye Enghelab, has noted that Ahmadinejad has not attended Friday prayers in months, with the exception of when he has appeared with the Supreme Leader.
A rebel force of about 200 fighters advancing from the south reached a bridge on Az-Zawiyah's southwestern outskirts, and some rebels pushed farther into the city's central main square.
They tore down the green flag of Gaddafi's regime from a mosque minaret and put up two rebel flags. An Associated Press reporter traveling with the rebels saw hundreds of residents rush into the streets, greeting the fighters with chants of "God is great."
Gaddafi's forces then counterattacked, unleashing rounds of heavy shelling and gunfire could be heard as rebels and government troops battled.
Regime snipers were firing down from rooftops on the rebels, said one resident, Abdel-Basset Abu Riyak, who joined to fight alongside the rebels when they entered the city. He said Gaddafi's forces were holed up in several pockets in the city and that there were reports of reinforcements coming from Tripoli, though there was no sign of them yet.
Speaking to the AP by telephone, Abu Riyak said residents were now joining up with the rebels' assault, saying, "95 percent of Az-Zawiyah's people are with the revolution."
"There is shooting from all sides," said another rebel, 23-year-old Ibrahim Akram. "The people joined us. Fierce clashes are still ongoing, but thank God our numbers are great." - Associated Press
1938 GMT: James Miller takes the blog for a few updates...
The Local Coordinating Committees of Syria have stated that 7 people have been killed today in Syria, "4 in Homs, 1 in Hama, 1 in Daraya and 1 in Latakia. Earlier, two deaths were reported in Latakia."
1700 GMT: After US President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah had discussed the situation in Syria. the White House said in a statement:
The two leaders expressed their shared, deep concerns about the Syrian government's use of violence against its citizens and agreed that the Syrian regime's brutal campaign of violence against the Syrian people must end immediately.
1630 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says soldiers and Assad loyalists have raided Jousiyah village near the Lebanese border, carrying out arrests.
Since the spring, we have noted and criticised the International Monetary Fund's optimistic "reports" on the Iranian economy, which appear to be driven more by advocacy for subsidy cuts and reliance on the statistics claimed by Iranian officials than on any substantive analysis.
Now the IMF tries once more to vindicate its efforts --- in a letter to the Wall Street Journal, which has also posted sceptical articles on the reports --- the Fund's Ratna Satay, in the Middle East and Central Asia Department, insists, "Our projections remain independent of the authorities' views; indeed, the growth forecasts for 2011-12 are lower than the authorities' and below past trends despite the higher potential brought about by the subsidy reform."
Satay claims the IMF's projections of Iranian growth, with lower-than-expected inflation and fiscal stability, come from "statistics we collected in a recent mission which indicated an exceptional agricultural performance in the past two years as well as the positive impact of the high oil prices on a highly diversified Iranian economy".
I am not sure how, but Satay has managed to produce an "explanation" even weaker than the original puff-piece for the Government's economic policy.
A building in Hama, pictured on Aug. 10, 2011. It was damaged in a 10-day military assault on the city - / AFP / Getty Images
Hama's streets are deserted. They are strewn with debris, not so much from the shelling that left gaping holes in many of the four- and five-story residential buildings along the city's main thoroughfares, several of which are now blackened, but from the desperate, makeshift barricades set up by residents in a bid to block Syrian President Bashar Assad's tanks. There are piles of broken cinderblocks, doors torn from their hinges, sheets of decorative wrought iron. At Roundabout 40, along a main road, there are even two fire trucks, now burned. "It didn't stop them," says a resident as he surveys the damage. "It didn't even slow them down."
Ramadan 2011 coincides with two significant events for the people of the Middle East. The first—Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s appearance in a Cairo courtroom—has received plenty of coverage and was seen as emblematic of a new Egypt in which even the highest officials are accountable to the law. The second event will get less attention in the West, but also comes out of the political movements that have transformed the Arab World in the last seven months: Lebanese superstar singer Maher Zain is set to release his new music video, “Ya Nabi Salam Alayka” (“Oh Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon You”).
Washington analysts have overlooked the political significance of the pop singer, who—like the Bob Dylan of the ’60s—represents a new generation of Arabs...
I will be taking some time off this week. James Miller and Ali Yenidunya will be holding the EA fort, but the Iran and Middle East/North Africa LiveBlogs may be limited.
As usual, we ask readers to bring in news and ideas via the Comments sections --- remember that if you are not using Disqus, it may take some time to clear your contributions.
I set off on the road with this thought, courtesy of Billy Bragg: "If no one seems to understand, start your own revolution and cut off the middle man":
Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 6:23
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