Daily Report

Jews in Britain protest Israel's Gaza aggression

The following paid advertisement was signed by 300 Jews in Britain and placed in The London Times on July 7:

WHAT IS ISRAEL DOING? A CALL BY JEWS IN BRITAIN
WE WATCH WITH HORROR the collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Everything reasonable must be done to secure Corporal Gilad Shalit's safe release but nothing Israel is doing contributes to that aim. Instead, it is using its enormously superior military might to terrorise an entire people.

Sufis under attack in Kashmir

The Times of India reported June 22:

SRINAGAR: Terrorists on Thursday tossed a grenade at the house of a holy man in Sopore, north Kashmir, killing two of his devotees and injuring 15, even as the saint escaped unhurt.

This was the second attack on the 'darvaish', Abdul Ahad, alias Ahad Bab, from the time militancy took root in the state. The ascetic lives a simple life and sits in an iron cage, clad in rags, while his devotees, who belong to different faiths, sit around him.

Gush Shalom protests Gaza aggression

The Israeli peace group Gush Shalom placed the following paid statement in Haaretz and the International Herald Tribune on July 7:

The march of folly
The offensive on land, from the sea and from the air does not put an end to the launching of Qassam rockets. It is leading to their increase.

Mexico: Calderón declared victor; López Obrador pledges challenge

From the New York Times, links and annotation added:

MEXICO CITY, July 6 — Felipe Calderón, a conservative former energy minister, won a narrow victory in the race for president today after election officials finished their official tally, but his leftist rival vowed to go court and demand a recount.

July 4th fireworks threaten life on Earth

North Korea notoriously test-fired at least seven missiles July 4—although the intercontinental Taepodong-2, which we were told could reach parts of the Western US, failed less than a minute after launch, falling into the Sea of Japan, along with the other, medium-range missiles. The timing of the spectacle was not lost on observers. "It's very in-your-face to do it on the Fourth of July," said Ashton B. Carter, a Harvard professor who, with former defense secretary William Perry, had urged the Bush administration to destroy the Taepodong missile on the launch pad. (WP, July 5)

Mexico: electoral crisis deepens

Both left-populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and right-technocratic Felipe Calderon of the ruling National Action Party (PAN) continue to claim the victory in Mexico, while the Federal Electoral Institute conitinues to tally the vote three days after the July 2 presidential elections. Reuters, July 5:

Lopez Obrador, who has a long history of launching street protests, called on electoral authorities to be thorough in the recount.

"The stability of the country is at stake," he told a news conference. He said there had been "manipulation" of the preliminary results. "We can prove that, we have all the elements," he said.

Iraq Freedom Congress launches fund drive

From the Iraq Freedom Congress:

To all libertarian forces in the world
To organizations and parties that support the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC)
To people around the world who hope for an independent and prosperous Iraq

Despite the dangers, the IFC is determined to salvage Iraqi society from the violence of the occupation and sectarian gangs.

Israeli refusenik on "kidnapping"

From Israel's largest daily, Yediot Aharanot, July 5:

Look who's been kidnapped!
Hundreds of Palestinian 'suspects' have been kidnapped from their homes and will never stand trial
by Arik Diamant

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