Reporters on the Job
• Sadr's Myths: A big part of the appeal of the Sadrist movement to Iraqi youth, says correspondent Sam Dagher, is its use of simple language, vivid imagery, and even myth.
Sam attended the mid-day Friday prayers organized by Sadr's followers in Amara. Temperatures were close to 45 Celsius (113 degrees F.) It was a packed sidewalk sermon, and Sam wore a baseball cap and towel over his head to keep cool.
"At some point during the sermon I heard the cleric speak about a giant white bird hovering over the mosque and the gathering. He said the bird bore the spirit of the late Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr, Moqtada's father and the movement's spiritual leader," Sam says.
Meeting later with a Sadr sheikh, Sam asked about the dove. The sheikh explained that this was part of the mythology of the movement which sees divine intervention everywhere in aid of what they believe to be their righteous and just cause .
– David Clark Scott
World editor
• Monday, June 23: Singapore – International Water Week and World Cities Summit.
• Tuesday, June 24: Berlin – Germany hosts an international conference on improving the Palestinian police and justice systems. Berlin – Meeting of the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) of Middle East peacemakers.
• Friday, June 27: Harare, Zimbabwe – Presidential election runoff. London – Hyde Park concert marks Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.
