Image from the LA Times

The Defiant One: Rap and protest in Morocco, post-Arab Spring.

The Iranian Pirate Rescue raises the question, if the enemy of your enemy is your friend, then what’s the captor of your enemy?  Or the captive of your enemy?

FBI finally redefines eons-old definition of rape.

Could Tennessee think of a way to make anti-bullying laws anymore toothless?

The history and algorithmic explanation behind Santorum’s “Google Problem.”

By KAL, The Economist

Tensions continue to rise between Iran and the West.

Last week, so-called “college students” overran and ransacked Britain’s Embassy (perhaps they were getting course credits for “community disservice”). In retaliation the British Government kicked out Iran’s diplomats from London.

The center of the problem revolves around western allegations of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. The Iranian government denies these claims suggesting the program is for peaceful power generation.

A recent report from United Nations inspectors claims otherwise.

Should the Iranians get close to producing a nuclear weapon, there are those in the region (Saudi Arabia and Israel) who might back military action against a nuclear weapon site… maybe as early as next year.

This could spark a violent reaction from the Iranians with large repercussions both locally and globally.

Should Iran be allowed to have “The Bomb’?

Image from Politico

Best friends forever? New Jersey governor makes big endorsement.

Ambassination: Iranians accused of plotting murder.

Debate debacle: Bachmann goes after contender’s big plan.

And, ouch!

Courtesy of Global Voices Online

If you are looking for a nice summer hike, we highly recommend you avoid the mountainous border of Iraq and Iran.

Two summers ago, three young western hikers were arrested in that region for allegedly stepping on Iranian soil.  Their crime? Espionage and trespassing.

The young travelers claimed they saw no sign indicating they had entered Iran and were unfairly tried.

Eyewitness testimony reported by US news magazine The Nation placed the three hikers inside Iraq, not Iran, at the time of their arrest by Iranian troops. The Iranian authorities maintain that they were arrested inside Iranian territory.

One of the hikers, Sarah Shourd, was luckily released last year due to health reasons. She personally thanked Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Most recently, the other two prisoners, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, have been sentenced to eight more years in prison with only twenty days to appeal this charge. They have been denied their lawyer before.

We all know that relations between the US and Iran are frosty, at best.

Now it seems these two poor hikers are pawns in a game of international brinkmanship.

Malcolm Smart of Amnesty International reports:

The way this case has been handled from the outset strongly suggests that they are being held as a bargaining chip to allow Iran to obtain unspecified concessions from the US government

The hikers’ website freethehikers.org keeps up-to-date with the latest headlines. What international prisoners’ rights should be granted in the U.S. and abroad?

Image courtesy of the Washington Post

When was the last time the combination of clothes and sports caused an international incident? (not including that little “costume malfunction” at the Super Bowl )

Step aside, Janet Jackson, Iranian women soccer players are now center stage.

The ruling body for international soccer, FIFA has banned the Iranian women’s team from playing because of their uniforms.

They were disqualified right before the team was set to play an Olympic qualifying game against Jordan. Jordan was given a forfeit victory, eliminating the Iranian women’s team from playing in the 2012 Olympics.

The reason cited for the disqualification is that the women’s uniform – including a track suit and a head scarf, covering the full body as required of women in Iran – violate FIFA dress code.

In 2007, FIFA banned headscarves for “safety reasons.”

And the FIFA rules for the 2012 Olympics state that

Players and officials shall not display political, religious, commercial or personal messages or slogans in any language or form on their playing or team kits.

However, the Iranian soccer team reports that upon the announcement of the 2012 Olympic policy designed scarves that would adhere to the new rules.

FIFA officials disagree though, saying that the team was informed before the match that their uniform was not within the dress code.

The team plans to lodge a protest of the ruling, and the Iranian president has condemned the decision saying,

Theses are the dictators and colonialists who want to impose their lifestyle on others. We will deal with those who carried out this ugly job. We follow definite rights of our girls.

The FIFA vice president, Prince Ali of Jordan, has indicated that the Federation may review the issue to try and find a compromise, explaining that,

This is an important issue that I will raise with the Asian Football Confederation and with the International Federation of Association Football. We will work together to find a solution that respects the rules of the game and the culture at the same time.

It is not certain an accommodation will be reached in this thorny issue. The Iranian women’s chances of competing at the 2012 Olympics are almost certainly dashed.

It seems the only thing worse than mixing religion with politics is mixing religion, politics AND sports.

We get boycotting the Olympics to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan and stuff… but boycotting over a logo? Leave it to Iran!

Will these big stars give away the money they got from Gaddafi?

This? Just go with it:

Protests haven arisen in Iran, Bahrain, Libya, and potentially Djibouti.

It looks like the Egyptians have started a regional call for change. The question is will these protests succeed or will they be crushed? Only time and the “skillful” words of a particular blog will tell.

Human error?  Watson stumbles on final jeopardy.

Come to papa: President Obama calls for an “Adult Conversation” on U.S. budget.

Government cracks down as protests pick up in Iran.

There is a new number two in the economic world.

And, your grocery bags might be able to get you to the grocery store.

The world watch as Egypt revolted, and now its eyes are fixated on Yemen, Algeria, and Iran…

Ding! Round one of the battle over the federal budget commences!

Also — check out this lost cat ask for directions:

Who needs a Firewall anyway? Report says Risks of Cyber attack “over-hyped”

Gruesome Iran Noos: 47 people already hanged by Tehran gov’t in 2011

SuperSize my Latte, Please: Starbucks to introduce a 31 ounce coffee drink