In brief: Ex-lawmakers released from jail
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Bahrain released two former lawmakers from the Shiite opposition Sunday along with several other detainees who were arrested in the wake of widespread anti-government protests.
Their release appears to be aimed at defusing tensions in the small island-country, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, Washington’s main counterweight against Iran’s influence in the oil-rich Gulf.
The lawmakers, Jawad Fairooz and Matar Matar, told the Associated Press they were freed Sunday after more than two months in custody. They were arrested in May on anti-state security charges and still face trial.
Tall tower means longer Ramadan
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Muslims living in the world’s tallest tower will have to wait even longer to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Mohammed al-Qubaisi, Dubai’s top Muslim cleric, said Sunday that Burj Khalifa residents living above the 80th floor should wait two additional minutes to break their dawn-to-dusk fast while those above the 150th floor must wait three extra minutes because they will be able to see the sun longer than those on the ground. The half-mile high tower has 160 habitable floors.
Al-Qubaisi said the decree is similar to those relating to Muslims traveling on airplanes, and harkens back to a time when people living in the mountains broke their fast after those at lower elevations.
Minister: Cut ties with Palestine
JERUSALEM – Israel’s foreign minister on Sunday accused the Palestinian Authority of planning “unprecedented bloodshed” next month after an expected symbolic U.N. endorsement of Palestinian independence.
Accenting his warning, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called for Israel to sever ties with the West Bank-based government.
Lieberman’s allegation runs counter to other Israeli assessments and stands in stark contrast to public and private statements by the Palestinians.
“They say they don’t want violence, but the Palestinian Authority is planning unprecedented bloodshed,” his spokesman Tzachi Moshe quoted Lieberman as saying.
“They are going to send waves of people to storm roadblocks,” Lieberman said, according to his spokesman. “Israel should cut all ties with them.”
Palestinian spokesman Ghassan Khatib denied the Palestinians were preparing for violence. “These Israeli predictions of violence aren’t true. Israel is trying to fuel a fake picture of what will happen in September.
“In September, we will request the international community’s help – legally and according to law – from the U.N. to help us end the illegal occupation,” Khatib said.
Lieberman did not provide evidence for his claim that Palestinians were getting ready for violent demonstrations. Moshe said Lieberman drew his conclusions from intelligence reports and public statements by Palestinian officials.
Alleged Monroe porn film unsold
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – There were no buyers Sunday at the auction of a 1940s stag film that an events promoter claims shows a young Marilyn Monroe having sex before she became a movie star.
The auction was a flop. Nobody came forward willing to pay Mikel Barsa’s starting price of 2 million Argentine pesos, about $480,000.
Barsa said it didn’t help matters that a spokeswoman for Monroe’s estate was quoted in an Associated Press interview calling the whole thing a fraud.
“It doesn’t surprise me. The latest statements of Nancy Carlson didn’t do anything good for all this,” Barsa said, referring to the spokeswoman for a company in charge of protecting Monroe’s image and estate.