Russian rocket deliveries to Iran started  —  Russia has begun deliveries of the Tor-M1 air defence rocket system to Iran, Russian news agencies quoted military industry sources as saying, in the latest sign of a Russian-US rift over Iran.  —  "Deliveries of the Tor-M1 have begun.

Baghdad attack death toll rises to 202  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sunni Muslim insurgents blew up five car bombs and fired mortars into Baghdad's largest Shiite district Thursday, killing at least 202 people and wounding 252 in a dramatic attack that sent the U.S. ambassador racing to meet …

AWB given advance warning of Iraq troop deployment  —  Previously secret AWB documents have revealed that the wheat exporter was told Australia would join the war against Iraq a year before the Federal Government says it decided to commit troops.  —  The information came from Australia's Ambassador to the United Nations, John Dauth.

A Profiling In Courage  —  Homeland Security: Kudos to US Airways.  Risking fines and a boycott, it did the right thing this week by removing a group of Muslim men from a flight to protect its crew and passengers.  —  By most accounts, the six bearded men were behaving suspiciously …

Breaking News: Small Riots in Beirut and Gunfire in Tripoli - Updated!  —  Update:  —  Apart from a few isolated fist fights throughout Beirut, the demonstrations appear to have not resulted in any damage or injuries.  Reports coming in of deployment of security forces and a peaceful disperion of rioters.

Calif. Judge Blocks Raids on Homeless Camps  —  FRESNO, Calif. — When city workers tore down her hillside encampment, Charlene Clay lost her asthma medicine, her sleeping bags and her only photos of her dead granddaughter.  —  The people living there weren't warned, she said.

So how does 'engaging with Syria' look now?  —  In recent weeks the idea that the United States and the UK should "engage" Syria, but also Iran, to stabilise Iraq has been all the rage.  On Tuesday, in an east Beirut suburb, Lebanon's industry minister, Pierre Gemayel, showed what the cost of engagement might be.

Anti-War Movement's Strange Allies: Hard Line Islamists  —  Canada's progressive Muslims wonder why left would embrace theocrats.  —  TheTyee.ca  —  This is what it's come to: a disgraced, dictator-praising British MP who dances around in red tights on reality-television shows is visiting Canada …

Genetic breakthrough that reveals the differences between humans  —  Scientists hail genetic discovery that will change human understanding  —  Scientists have discovered a dramatic variation in the genetic make-up of humans that could lead to a fundamental reappraisal of what causes incurable diseases …

Western Muslim Opinion On The War in Iraq  —  What is the Western Muslim opinion on the War in Iraq?  And what is to be made of this, the deadliest attack in the Iraq war ever: 150 dead, 238 wounded (launched by Sunni militants).  —  I have to say, I am severely hurt by what Islam has become in Iraq.