The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Feb. 29 called on South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard to veto a bill (HB 1253) that the civil rights group says is “unconstitutional and anti-Muslim” and negatively impacts the religious practices of all of that state’s residents. In a letter sent to the governor on Feb. 29, CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas wrote in part: “HB 1253 is un-American to its core and violates the Establishment Clause of t...

In a major blow to the repressive regime of Syria, the United Nations’ main human rights body on Feb. 28 condemned Damascus for the “brutal” use of heavy weapons on residential areas, killing innocent people and persecuting opponents. It is its fourth rebuke to President Bashar Assad since an uprising began last year. The emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva also called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to end the fighting and bombardment...

The United Nations on Feb. 28 said “well over 7,500 people” have been killed in Syria during an 11-month government crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, raising its previous estimated death toll by nearly a third. UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs Lynn Pascoe told the UN Security Council that the firepower of the opposition forces appeared to be minimal compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army. “While we cannot give exact ...

France on March 2 said it is closing its embassy in Syria, a day after two French journalists escaped to Lebanon after being trapped for days in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. French President Nicolas Sarkozy made the announcement in Brussels, where EU leaders were debating their response to the Syrian military’s crackdown on the opposition uprising in Syria. The United States and Britain already have closed their embassies in Syria.

“What is happening ...

Egypt’s airport authorities have been told that a travel ban on US pro-democracy activists has been lifted, airport sources said on March 1, opening the way to defuse a row that US officials linked to $1.3 billion of annual military aid. A judge had said on Feb. 29 that Egypt was scrapping the ban, which barred the departure of US citizens and others working for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that Cairo says received foreign funds illegally. Judge Abdel Moez Ibrahim told state me...

Iran opened a key space facility to visiting journalists for the first time on Feb. 29 in an apparent effort to show its willingness to allow glimpses at sensitive technology even as Tehran and UN inspectors trade accusations about access to nuclear sites and experts. The press tour of the Alborz Space Centre, about 70 km west of Tehran, also sought to showcase Iran’s advances in aerospace sciences less than a month after it announced another satellite was launched into orbit. Iran&rsqu...

The Saudi dental consultant, who won international attention in periodontics and implant dentistry, has started practical application of his invention for the benefit of patients. Head of the King Abdulaziz University Oral Basic and Clinical Sciences Department Dr. Ali Thafeed Al-Ghamdi, who is also assistant professor and consultant in periodontics and implant dentistry and head of periodontic department, received the copyright for his novel technique from the American Burea...