SOMALIA - 70 civilians killed and 200 wounded in Ethiopian bombing in Mogadishu after 21 Ethiopian soldiers were killed and some of their bodies dragged in the streets. 300 civilians killed and 400,000 displaced after Ethiopian invasion. 83,000 children are suffering malnutrition with swollen limbs. (IOL, Oct 18; BBC, Nov 9)
INDONESIA - Constitutional court blocked appeal to allow greater freedom for polygamy. Current laws allow men 4 wives with approval of a court only if existing wives are disabled, terminally ill, sexually inactive or infertile. First wife's consent is also required. (BBC, Oct 3)
MALDIVES - 10 arrested for bomb blast which injured 12. The Muslim country is tranquil and the capital has not witnessed gunfire or explosions since 1988. (BBC, Oct 1)
PHILIPPINES - 4 navy commandos killed in gun fight with Mujahideen on Lanhil island. 40 soldiers have been killed in the last 2 months. (BBC, Oct 2)
AFGHANISTAN - For years the most popular poet in USA is Muslim scholar Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi. Translations of his book Mathnawi are popular. Mathnawi uses stories to explain man’s link with Allah. Rumi was born in 1207 in Afghanistan. (BBC, Sep 30)
PAKISTAN - Mujahideen in Waziristan released 280 soldiers captured Aug for 28 Mujahideen. Govt launched operation in Swat valley against pro-Taleban Alim, Maulana Fazlullah. Mujahideen control the valley. (BBC, Oct 31)
PALESTINE - Palestinians living in extreme poverty. Unemployment is 90% in some villages says World Bank, due to Jewish boycott on Palestinians, locking them into a cage. 31% of households live in poverty in West Bank, 35% in deep poverty in Gaza says UN. (BBC, Oct 11)
KOSOVO - Muslims want full independence
but Serbia, supported by Russia, has refused. UN set Dec 10 as deadline for a resolution. (BBC, Oct 14)
TURKEY - Deterioration in relationship with US after US criticised Turkish plans to raid Kurdish rebel area in Iraq. Ties also strained by US congress vote branding killing of Armenians 1915-17 as genocide by Turks. (BBC, Oct 13) 13 Turkish soldiers killed by Kurd rebels. (BBC, Oct 7)
MALAYSIA - First Malaysian astronaut in space, Sheikh Muszaphar, spent Eid there. He is the 8th Muslim in space. (BBC, Oct 12)
ISRAEL - Hundreds of Jewish teenagers from Europe and USA go every year to Israel for an 8-week course run by Israeli Defense Force. Marva program est. 1981 allows participants, who must be Jewish between 18 and 28, to fire weapons and live in military barracks in the Negev desert. Young Palestinians learning the basics of military life are called terrorists. (Truthdig.com, Oct 1)
TANZANIA - Ulama warned against eating at US and UK embassies at Iftaar functions, as they cause suffering to Muslims in the world. (BBC, Oct 11)
COMOROS - AU sanctions on Anjouan island to resolve a deadlock between the island and Comoros. Comoros is 99% Muslim. (allAfrica.com, Oct 12)
AFRICA - 400 dead and 2 million affected in Africa’s worst flooding for 30 years in July. Catastrophic rains hit half of all African countries, some Muslim, with 113 dead in Sudan. (BBC, Oct 17)
SAUDI ARABIA - One of the world’s most expensive homes is the Aspen ski lodge of Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan which lists for R945 million. (Forbes.com, Oct 18)
USA - Bush invited 90 Muslims to the White House for 7th annual iftaar dinner, which included roasted kabocha squash soup and spiced rack of lamb. (AP, Oct 4)
MALDIVES - New laws to curb ‘Islamic militancy’ stop foreign Ulama entering and women are outlawed from being covered from head-to-toe (Hijab). (BBC, Oct 18)
PAKISTAN - 130 killed in attack on ex-PM Bhutto in Karachi. (BBC, Oct 19) 1,800, including lawyers, arrested after Musharraf declared state of emergency. (AP Nov 6)
IRAN - 12 people executed for murder and rape. 210 executed so far this year. (BBC, Oct 18)
USA - 1,800 homes burnt, 640,000 people fled, 14 dead, 2,072 sq km of land burnt, over $1 billion damage and toxic air after wildfires in California. (BBC, Oct 31)
VATICAN - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited for the meeting by the Pope with a Saudi king. (BBC, Nov 6)
NIGERIA - Islamic authorities in Kano banned film-making after a Muslim actress appeared on a video clip of having sex. (BBC, Oct 3)
MOROCCO - Morocco recalled its ambassador to Spain after the Spanish king visited Ceuta and Melilla, 2 Spanish colonies in Morocco. Morocco criticised the visits calling it a continuation of colonialism. (BBC, Nov 6)
USA - Republican politician Peter King said ‘we have too many mosques in’ USA. In 2004 he said 85% of American Muslim community leaders are ‘an enemy living amongst us’. (M&G, Sep 20)
EGYPT - Deaf Muslims can now understand Khutbas (sermons) on Friday due to a project to translate them into sign language in a few Musjids. An interpreter stands in front next to the mimbar. (IOL, Nov 2)
WORLD NEWS OCT 2007
