Anwar sworn into Malaysian Parliament

Anwar Ibrahim was sworn into parliament after a decade of absence that included a prison term for corruption and sodomy.

Before his earlier fall from grace, Anwar was one of the rising stars of Malaysia's strongest party, the currently leads the ruling Barisan coalition.

Anwar faces new charges of sodomy, but he claims that these accusations along with the earlier ones for which he was convicted are untrue. The opposition leader has promised to unseat Barisan in a mid-September confidence vote vowing to end widespread government corruption.

Barisan has grown increasingly unpopular among Malaysia's minorities who feel that it has been moving toward fundamentalist Islamic law.

Wall Street Journal

Anwar sworn in as MP in Malaysian parliament Reuters - 30 minutes ago KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's leading opposition figure, Anwar Ibrahim, was sworn in on Thursday, taking his parliamentary seat after a decade-long absence following convictions for sodomy and corruption. Politics May Drag Malaysian Stocks Further Lower CNBC Critics want Malaysia PM to resign over Anwar win The Associated Press

Pakistan government collapses

Pakistan's ruling coalition today split into two threatening to send the country into further instability.

For years, former President Pervez Musharraf held things together in this country rife with Islamic fundamentalism especially in the border area with Afghanistan. Pakistan is the only predominantly Muslim country known to possess nuclear weapons.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif left the coalition after disagreement on the restoration of two Supreme Court justices ousted by Musharraf.

Bombing attacks in Pakistan last week killed about 100 people.

Washington Post

Pakistan's ruling coalition collapses amid dissent
The Associated Press - 10 hours ago
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan's ruling coalition collapsed Monday, torn apart by internal bickering just a week after Pervez Musharraf's ouster and ...
Post-Musharraf Gloomy Pakistan Islam Online
Former PM quits ruling coalition The Press Association
Pak bans umbrella group of Taliban militants Press Trust of India

Olympic medal count

Olympic medal count

				Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1.		China		6	2	0	8
2.		South Korea		3	2	0	5
3.		United States		2	2	4	8

results.beijing2008.cn

Gold medal winner Xian Dongmei of China waves on podium during the judo women's -52 kg category medal ceremony at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, August 10, 2008. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (CHINA)

Gold medal winner Xian Dongmei of China waves on podium during the judo women's -52 kg category medal ceremony at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, August 10, 2008. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (CHINA)