Egyptian Mufti Dr. Ali Gum'a has said that the Swiss referendum approval of a ban on minaret construction harms not only religious freedom but also the feelings of Muslims in Switzerland and throughout the world.
Gum'a called on Muslims residing in Switzerland to take legal steps to protest against the referendum results.
Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, november 2009
Cartoonist: Eley Saleba
Source: Al-Watan, Qatar, November 29, 2009
During his visit to Iran, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said that no obstacle would stand in the way of long-term strategic relations between his country and Iran, and that Russia would complete the construction of the Bushehr reactor as soon as possible.
Source: IRNA, IRIBnews, Iran, November 29, 2009
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit has said that Egypt is willing to calm tensions with Egypt in exchange for monetary compensation for the damage caused to Egyptian companies in Algeria by rioting soccer fans.
He added that Algeria has expressed willingness to discuss the problems between the countries, that Libya and Sudan have offered to mediate, and that the Arab League is interested in a resolution to the crisis.
Source: Al-Gomhouriyya, Egypt, November 30, 2009
Cartoonist: Nikahang Kowsar
Source: Rooz, Iran, November 30, 2009
At a Basij conference in the former U.S. Embassy building in Tehran, Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi, a member of the Iranian Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution, called the White House a pagan temple, and said that the founder of the Islamic regime in Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei, would never have ordered a reduction in Iran-U.S tension
He said that the Basij mission is worldwide, and that the struggle against the U.S. is Iran's drug of life.
A senior member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that 12 men who disguised themselves as Basij members and shot at demonstrators during the post-election riots have been arrested and will stand trial.
On the other hand, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who opposes the regime, has called on the Basij militia to stop oppressing the people and to serve the way of God instead of the way of Satan.
Source: Mehr, Iran; Khandaniha.eu, November 29, 2008; Ayatollah Montazeri's website, Iran, November 28, 2009; Javan, Iran, November 26, 2009
Hamas refugee department director Husam Ahmad has said that U.N. Resolution No 181, the Palestine Partition Plan of 1947, is illegal and that Hamas still opposes it.
Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, November 30, 2009
Sources in Hamas have said that Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash'al is planning to present a new political initiative in light of the stagnation in the peace process.
The initiative is to include an internal Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
Source: Al-Hayat, London, November 30, 2009
An official in the Palestinian Authority Information Ministry who is also a columnist for the PA daily Al-Ayyam stated that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud 'Abbas' visit to Venezuela was an expression of his anger at the U.S. administration for not living up to its commitments.
It is noteworthy that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has decided to upgrade his country's diplomatic relations with the PA, to embassy level.
Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, November 30, 2009
Iraqi girls cheer their soccer team
FIFA, the international soccer federation, has suspended Iraq's team from competing in international matches because of alleged government intervention in the affairs of the Iraqi soccer federation.
The decision shocked the Iraqi public, because throughout wars and violence, soccer has remained one of the few sources of mass entertainment.
[FIFA's decision is shocking indeed, because so many sports federations, in small and very large countries, operate under strict government control. Consider the cases of Syria, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Zimbabwe, and many others.]
Source: Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, November 29, 2009
