October 26 News Briefs

SAN'A: October 26, 2009 - Today King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia overturned a sentence of 60 lashes against a Saudi television producer Ruzana Al-Yami of LBTC Television, who had spoken about sex on a television show. A Jeddah court convicted her on Oct. 24 of "cooperating with a media (organization) unlicensed in Saudi Arabia," for her role in an episode in which Abdul Jawad, a guest on a television show, detailed his sexual encounters outside of marriage. The court had sentenced her to 60 lashes as a "deterrent", to be administered in one session.

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO: Jagdish Grewal was attacked as he was leaving his office on Friday, October 23. Grewal is the founder and editor of Brampton-based newspaper Punjabi Post, and also hosts the radio show"Khabarsar". Three masked men, one of whom spoke Punjabi, armed with a baton and a gun approached him as he was heading to his van. Grewal was able to get in, but the men smashed the windows and pulled him out by his turban. Grewal managed to honk his car horn and alert one of his co-workers, who then locked the office doors and called the police. Grewal believes his attackers may have been pro-separatist Sikhs who disagree with his moderate politics. He does not support violence by Sikh militants.

WASHINGTON D.C., Oct. 27, 2009: Speaking at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, President Obama said he would not rush in formalizing a strategy in Afghanistan and praised U.S. troops for their commitment, pledging government support as they fulfill their mission. Obama's announcement comes as foreign service officer Matthew Hoh's resignation letter in protest over the war makes the headlines.