Free Republic

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The political movement loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr quit Iraq's ruling Shi'ite Alliance on Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition in a precarious position in parliament. The move further weakens the ruling coalition, which even before the defection had failed to push through laws aimed at reconciling Iraq's warring majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs. Maliki's government now enjoys the support of only about half of Iraq's 275 lawmakers, although it could survive with the support of a handful of independent lawmakers. "The political committee has declared the withdrawal of the Sadr bloc from the...

The Daily Star last night pulled a page that mocked Muslim law by turning the tabloid into the "Daily Fatwa" following a newsroom revolt. Management acted after the Daily Star's National Union of Journalists' chapel held a stop work meeting that produced a resolution condemning the page. The page included a "Page 3 burqa babes special" showing a woman in a niqab, as part of a feature billed as "How your favourite paper would look under Muslim law". The page also contained a blank editorial stamped with the words "censored" and "Allah is great" ...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Japanese carmaker Nissan said Friday it has pulled a raunchy commercial starring "Sex and the City" actress Kim Cattrall from New Zealand television after complaints over its content. Cattrall, who plays sex-obsessed, promiscuous Samantha Jones in the hugely successful U.S. series, appears in the ad purring with excitement about Nissan's new sedan. "Why didn't you tell me it was so big, I just wasn't prepared for it?" she gushes. "The all-new Nissan Tiida makes you feel really, really, really good inside." She tells a salesman: "Ah! That was amazing. Absolutely fabulous! I mean the great body...

<p>WASHINGTON — Just a few weeks into the new congressional session, many are beginning to wonder aloud: "What's up with Barbara Boxer?"</p> <p>The first week of the session, the California Democrat led the Senate challenge over certifying the Ohio presidential vote, citing irregularities.</p>

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri's most violent criminals can no longer play video games that simulate murders, carjackings and the killing of police officers, a decision reached after prison officials were told about the content. "We didn't closely review these," Dave Dormire, superintendent of the Jefferson City Correctional Center, told The Kansas City Star. "We were told these games had more like cartoon violence." The Star reported Thursday the state's new maximum-security prison pulled dozens of violent Sony PlayStation 2 (news - web sites) games from its recreation center on Wednesday, after officials were alerted to their content by a...

Station pulls liberal show after threats Associated Press SILVER CITY -- A Silver City radio station yanked a liberal talk show off the air because of pressure from advertisers, the station's owner says. "It's a shame that, in America, we can't have someone with an opposing view," said Matt Runnels, owner of KNFT. The one-hour daily show, "Radio Free Silver," hosted by Kyle Johnson, was canceled Monday after running for about six weeks on KNFT. Runnels said 20 to 25 advertisers -- including car dealers, bankers, pizza stores and furniture stores -- threatened to pull their spots from KNFT if...

Cronkite pulls plug on fight against giant wind farm By Marcus Warren in Hyannis, Cape Cod (Filed: 02/09/2003) An alliance of East Coast liberals opposed to the building of the world's largest wind farm within sight of their holiday homes has been shaken by the defection of "the most trusted man in America".(sic) The change of heart by Walter Cronkite, the legendary broadcaster, deprives the campaign of its front man and most revered supporter. Other opponents of the project include the Kennedy clan and its patriarch, Senator Edward Kennedy, and the historian David McCullough, but none can compete for authority...

<p>Nothing can deflate a joke faster than the threat of a lawsuit.</p> <p>DontBuyMusic.com last week brought attention to the marked similarities between TV commercials for iTunes and BuyMusic (see the ads here and here).</p> <p>Macteens server master Clark Mueller said Macteens did not receive any direct communication from BuyMusic's lawyers. Instead, the counsel for Direct Response Network and its affiliated companies, including BuyMusic.com and Buy.com, sent an e-mail that reached DontBuyMusic's host, datahive.</p>