Stop Fundamentalism – Syrian Activists say 17 protesters have been killed in clashes when army opened fire on demonstrators in various regions of the country. Most heavily hit was the city of Rastan in Homs province where at least 14 protesters died Wednesday, say Syrian Human Rights Observers.
Reports indicate that the Syrian army has stepped up its operation in the Homs province and heavy gunfire and explosions can be heard in various areas.
Stop Fundamentalism – HRA News Agency reported Monday that following the new sex segregation measures put in to effect in Iranian universities, female students in the Science and Art University have had to use separate doors to enter classrooms since the beginning of the new school session.
Students say they noticed a thick and dark curtain covering the entry designated to women on the first day of classes. Security agents hid by the curtain and forced female students to pass through these doors to enter classrooms where they were checked for proper Islamic dress code, say the students.
SF News – Said Salarian, a deputy to Iran’s Informatics Council introduced a Farsi language free email system, yesterday called “chmail”. The Online service is expected to begin operation in mid December.
Salarian highlighted that the will be no need to identification cards in order to sign up for the service.
Stop Fundamentalism – Jean De Ruyt, an experienced Belgian diplomat and the former Belgium’s Representative to the European Union, was appointed by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative and Vice President to advise her on this union’s response to the situation at Camp Ashraf in Iraq.
De Ruyt will work with the EU member states and members of the European Parliament and also Iraq and the United States to advise the High Representative on how to solve the situation in Camp Ashraf, says a statement released by the office of High Representative today.
SF News – Iranian women’s Rugby team is heading to India to participate in the Asia’s Woman competition there. 13 teams will be participating in these games which will take place on 2-3 October.
Nima Sharif
After six months has passed since the start of the popular uprising in Syria against the rule of Assad family; a real political alternative is yet to be established by the opposition. This gives the ruling government the chance to hold on to power while being crushed by ongoing protests and demonstrations and international condemnations for the killing of over 2700 of its citizens in the nationwide clashes.
Sharq Alawsat, a major Arabic language newspaper published in London, reported that after many conferences and forums and coalitions forming, yet a political alternative to represent the opposition and the people in streets of Syria is far from reach.
SF News – Dollar was sold in Iran’s open market at 1295 Tomans today. That is a new high for Dollar in Iran’s currency market.
That is about 16 percent higher than the official price announced by Iran’s Central Bank. Central Bank said that it sold each Dollar for 1077 Tomans today.
Stop Fundamentalism – BBC Farsi programming reported Monday that 4 Iranian asylum seekers in Norway may be returned to Iran after their application for asylum was rejected by the authorities in Oslo.
The extradition will take place after 48 hours of notification. The applicants whose requests are rejected have a chance to leave the country within the time frame specified. Those who voluntarily leave receive about 400 Dollars of financial compensation.
Stop Fundamentalism – Iranian state-run Mehr news agency reported today that the resignation of the director of the Bank-e Meli, Mahmoud Khavari, has been accepted by the minister of economy.
Stop Fundamentalism – Reports from Sanaa, Yemen indicate that at least 40 people have been killed yesterday when fighting broke out after the surprised Friday return of President Ali Abdullah Saleh from Saudi Arabia. In total, over 100 people have been killed last week.
Saleh was in Saudi Arabia for apparent treatment of wounds he had received when his quarters were hit by rockets fired by rebels back in June.
