Disturbing morning reading

I was extremely disturbed to read (via What’s in up in Jordan) that Jordanian columnist Abd Allah al Qaq has openly asked [in Arabic] in Al-Dustour daily for the death penalty to be imposed on the Afghan, Abdul Rahman, who converted to Christianity. I guess every author is entitled to his opinion, but calling for the death of someone who chose to change religions is something I just cannot tolerate. It also seems that Al-Qaq is not the only one who wants Abdul Rahman dead. Sigh!

Hundreds of people protested in a northern Afghan city following reports that a man who faced a possible death penalty for converting to Christianity would be released, officials said. About 700 Muslim clerics and others chanted "Death to Bush" and other anti-Western slogans in Mazar-e-Sharif on Monday, officials told The Associated Press. Clerics have called for protests across Afghanistan against both the government and the West, which had pressured President Hamid Karzai’s administration to drop the case against Abdul Rahman. Source: [CNN]

It’s official: The Bird Flu has hit Jordan

Jordan became the latest country in the Middle East to confirm cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu on Friday but said no humans had been infected and the outbreak was under control. Jordanian Health Minister Said Darwazeh said at least three dead turkeys at a domestic farm in Ajloun had tested positive for the disease but none of the humans tested in the area were infected. Twenty people were given the Tamiflu vaccine and the area has been cordoned off to prevent the disease from spreading further, he told a news conference in Amman. "The disease in its current form is more of an economic disease that affects poultry. It has had a very limited effect on human health," he said. Source: [Reuters]

I guess this was bound to happen, as the virus had already spread into most of the countries neighboring Jordan, including the West Bank, Israel and Iraq. I have to admit, though, I’m a bit worried. Let’s hope Jordanian health authorities can control the situation and stop the spread of this pandemic inside the kingdom. Here is the a link to Alghad’s story [in Arabic].

Hope renewed

I was thrilled to hear the news about the release of the peace activists in Iraq. Of course this has renewed my hope that Jill’s turn will be next. Meanwhile, a US military spokesmen spoke of the ongoing rescue operations in Iraq:

A US military spokesman says a raid to free three Christian peace activists in Iraq may lead to other hostage rescue "operations." Major General Rick Lynch says the operations will "probably" be a result of what investigators are learning now. When asked about freelance journalist Jill Carroll, Lynch says he has no information he can discuss. Except for videotapes delivered to Arab TV outlets, Carroll hasn’t been seen since she was kidnapped in Baghdad in January.

Source: [AP via WISTV ]

Photos of Iraq hostages unveiled in Paris square

Kudos to Reporters Without Borders. The group deserves real recognition for their continuing efforts to highlight the plight of Jill and the other journalists that have been kidnapped in Iraq. Yesterday in Paris, on the third anniversary of the Iraq war, the organization held a ceremony and issued the following statement:

Paris posters are unveiledOn the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, Reporters Without Borders today paid tribute to the 86 journalists and media assistants who have lost there lives there in the past three years, and it participated in a ceremony in which large photos of the three journalists currently held hostage in Iraq — Jill Carroll, Reem Zeid and Marwan Khazaal — were displayed in a central Paris square.
Source: [RSF]