Clinton: Arab resolution on Israeli settlements submitted to UN not helpful

Ha'aretz: Clinton: Arab resolution on Israeli settlements submitted to UN not helpful http://bit.ly/fO4BjW

Map of political freedom in the Middle East

A map of political freedom in the Middle East for dummies: A primer for Guardian readers

January 20, 2011  by Adam Levick   For map, see  http://networkedblogs.com/dge5h

Freedom House recently released its 2010 survey of freedom in the world, and the results are relatively intuitive, unless of course, you’re someone who actually takes the Guardian’s coverage of the Middle East seriously.

Here’s Freedom House’s categories:

A Free country, according to Freedom House, is one where there is broad scope for open political competition, a climate of respect for civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and independent media. (Green: That tiny patch of land next to Egypt, which you can hardly see)

Partly Free countries are characterized by some restrictions on political rights and civil liberties, often in a context of corruption, weak rule of law, ethnic strife, or civil war. (Yellow: Lebanon, Morocco, and Kuwait)

A Not Free country is one where basic political rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and systematically denied. (Lavender: Every other country)

South Sudan's majority votes for independence!

 Through JCRC, our community has conveyed our congratulations to the people of South Sudan, who, through referendum, have voted for independence from Sudan.  //Mark Finkelstein

 

 From: GOANAR CHOL  

 

 Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 11:05 AM
Subject: RE: South Sudan's majority votes for independence!

Thank you for the message for Congratulating the People of South Sudan.
 
It is very exciting for us and I personally thank God and all the People who support us to be able to see this day.
 
Khartoum Arabs have treated the People of South Sudan in a way indescribable in human language.  I saw teachers murdered as a child in 1967 and many of us began bearing dead People at 11 years old because the Khartoum Government. 
 
I personally give great appreciation for the People and Government of Israel for the support given to us in 1970s and the People of the United States for supporting the Sudanese in many ways.
 
I would like these realtions to continue and I am aware that Khartoum will turn their brutal attention to Darfur, Jubal En Nuba from which My wife Batul come and other marjinalized areas.
 
Please continue to pray
 
Rev. Goanar J. Chol
 
Sudanese Ministry Resource Person.
 
Presbytery of Des Moines
 
Presbyterian Church USA.
 

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S. Sudan hits majority needed for independence

Bishop Paul blows into a vuvuzela (trumpet) after casting his vote on South Sudanese independence at a polling station in Juba. South Sudan has achieved the majority needed to break away in an independence vote, partial preliminary results collated by AFP show, with many counties still to report.  

 

AFP - South Sudan has achieved the majority needed to break away in an independence vote, partial preliminary results collated by AFP showed on Wednesday, with many counties still to report. 

 
The figures gathered from state and county referendum commission chairmen showed that 2,198,422 votes for independence have already been returned, comfortably exceeding the simple majority of 1.89 million votes needed for secession on the 96 percent turnout of the 3,932,588 registered voters.