ALGERIA - According to statistics in the local daily, el-Khabar, 50% of women in Algeria's big cities wear a headscarf while more than 97% wear it in the country. (Middle East Online, Aug 9)
HOLLAND - Leader of the Freedom Party, which holds 9 of the 150 seats in Parliament, MP Wilders called for a ban on the Qu'ran in Holand, calling it a ‘fascist book’ and compared it to Hitler's autobiography Mein Kampf. (News 24, Aug 8)
NIGERIA - 18 men arrested for sodomy in Bauchi State, one of 12 states governed by Islamic Sharia law. (BBC, Aug 10)
SOMALIA - Human Rights Watch says Ethiopian soldiers are perpetrating human rights abuses. They attack civilians and loot hospitals. 400,000 people have fled Mogadishu in 4 months. (BBC, Aug 13)
INDONESIA - 100,000 Muslims met in Jakarta to press for the re-establishment of a caliphate across the Muslim world. Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir organised the conference. A caliphate, or single Muslim state, last existed in 1924. (BBC, Aug 13)
MALAYSIA - Makkal Osai newspaper was shut down after it published an image of Jesus holding a cigarette and a can of beer. (BBC, Aug 25)
PHILIPPINES - Military launched a full offensive against Mujahideen after Mujahideen killed 25 soldiers in battles in Jolo. (BBC, Aug 13)
PALESTINE - Palestine Islamic Bank froze the accounts of Hamas’ security force on authority of Fatah. Tensions between Hamas and Fatah are high since Hamas seized Gaza in June. Gaza has severe food shortages imposed by Fatah, Israel and the West after the takeover. (BBC, Aug 13)
KASHMIR - Mujahideen started a fire at an Indian arms depot and blasts continued for 3 days. It will take 2 months to clean up the area. The dead include a major and 9 soldiers. 10% of the ammunition of the Indian army's 15 Corps was destroyed in the fire. (BBC, Aug 14)
SCOTLAND - Scotland's SNP govt set out plans for independence from England. Ireland fought for independence from England while Northern Ireland is still occupied by English forces after years of fighting for independence. (BBC, Aug 13)
KAZAKHSTAN - Japanese firm Toshiba sold a 10% stake in its majority-owned nuclear firm Westinghouse to Kazakh uranium maker Kazatomprom for R3,5 billion. Toshiba bought 77% of Westinghouse, US power plant arm of British Nuclear Fuels in 2006. Kazatomprom holds 10% of the global uranium market. (BBC, Aug 13)
CHECHNYA - Ingush Mujahideen fought Russian forces in Nazran, Ingushetia Aug 13. Ingushetia is a Muslim state next to Chechnya. Chechen Mujahideen ambushed Russian troops in Shali Aug 12. 4 Russians killed. In Eshelhatoi Mujahideen killed 3 Russian soldiers. (Kavkaz-Center, Aug 14)
PALESTINE - US signed a deal to provide Israel with R140bn in military aid over 10 years, 25% increase. (BBC, Aug 16) A rocket from Gaza injured 69 Jewish soldiers in Zikkim army base. (BBC, Sep 11)
OGADEN - Ogaden National Liberation Front increased attacks on Ethiopian troops since Ethiopia invaded Somalia last Dec. Ogaden is a Somali Muslim region occupied by Ethiopia, fighting for independence. (BBC, Aug 14)
LEBANON - Army continues to strike Fatah al-Islam Mujahideen in Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp. 300 people, mostly soldiers, died in the months-long fighting. (BBC, Aug 22)
ITALY - Authorities in Rome refused to allow a building to be converted into a Musjid. There are 7 churches, a Buddhist temple, a synagogue, a Zain prayer centre and a Chinese church in the area. Rome has the biggest Musjid in Europe 3km from St Peter's Basilica. (BBC, Aug 22)
PAKISTAN - Latest reports from the Lal Masjid massacre show that govt forces killed 1,500 students, mainly girls. (Al Haq, 39; darulihsan.co.za)
SYRIA - Israeli jets entered Syrian airspace and fired at deserted areas. (BBC, Sep 12)
SUDAN - 500,000 homeless after floods. Another 500,000 homeless in West Africa. (BBC, Sep 15)
SAUDI ARABIA - 2,000 camels died last month due to poisoned animal feed. Camels are traded by Bedouins for thousands of dollars each. They are used for racing and eaten. (BBC, Aug 26)
WORLD NEWS SEP 2007
