Dutch Coalition Agreement - But What's In It for Wilders?
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: The Qur'an will not be banned, headscarves will not be taxed, and Muslims will not be deported en masse. Geert Wilders did not get everything he wanted in the coalition agreement between the conservative VVD and the Christian Democrats, propped up by own Freedom Party.

So what did Mr Wilders get in return for supporting this minority cabinet? These are the main PVV points: >>> John Tyler | Thursday, September 30, 2010

REUTERS: Dutch government pact cuts budget, bans burqa: Two Dutch centre-right political parties, supported by the anti-Islam Freedom Party, announced a coalition agreement on Thursday that calls for balancing the budget by 2015 and banning the burqa. >>> | Amsterdam, September 30, 2010

THE LOCAL: German politicians slam Dutch pact with Geert Wilders' far-right party: German politicians on both sides of the spectrum have expressed deep unease over the Netherlands’ conservative parties' decisions to strike a tentative power deal with the far-right populist Geert Wilders. >>> | Thursday, September 30, 2010

Most Germans See Muslims as a Burden
THE LOCAL: More than half of Germans see Muslim immigrants as a drag on the country, a poll published Thursday has found.

According to the Allensbach poll commissioned by the Financial Times Deutschland, 55 percent judged that the migrant group “has cost significantly more financially and socially than it has yielded economically.”

Only one fifth of respondents believed Muslim immigrants were more a benefit than a burden. The skepticism is particularly strong in the former east of the country, where 74 percent of respondents saw Muslims as a drain on the nation. In the former west, the figure was 50 percent.

Furthermore, more than one third of the population believes Germany is indeed becoming “dumber on average” because of immigration, as former Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin has controversially claimed. Migrants were poorly educated and had more children, many respondents said. In the former east, 37 percent of people believed this to be the case, compared with 33 percent who rejected the proposition. Read on and comment >>> | Thursday, September 30, 2010

Woman Sentenced to Death by Stoning Could Now Be Hanged Instead
'Save Sakineh' posters in Rome. There has been worldwide condemnation of Iran's death sentence for the 43-year-old mother-of-two. Photograph: The Independent
THE INDEPENDENT: Confusion surrounded the fate of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani yesterday, the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, who now faces execution by hanging for the alleged murder of her husband, according to some reports.

The government says no final decision has been taken in a case that has generated outrage around the world, as the adultery and murder issues are still before the courts. A final judgement would be announced only when that process is completed, Ramin Mehmanparast, the foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters in Tehran.

But he indicated that the focus was shifting to a charge of murder, and seemed to suggest that Ms Ashtiani's guilt was not in doubt. "Right now, what we are pursuing is the topic of murder, and her participation in murder is confirmed," he said. >>> Rupert Cornwell in Washington | Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Barack Obama Says He Is 'a Christian by Choice'
THE TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama, in a rare discussion about his religious beliefs, has described himself as a "Christian by choice" who arrived at his faith in adulthood because "the precepts of Jesus Christ" helped him envision the kind of life he wanted to lead.

Mr Obama talked about his beliefs when he was asked, "Why are you a Christian." The question was posed by a woman at a backyard conversation, part of a series of meetings Mr Obama is holding to talk informally with Americans.

Some conservatives and political opponents have questioned Mr Obama's Christian faith and a Pew Research Center poll in August found that 18 per cent of Americans wrongly believe that the president is Muslim - up from 11 per cent who said so in March 2009. Just 34 per cent said they thought Obama is Christian.

"I'm a Christian by choice," Mr Obama said. "My family didn't - frankly, they weren't folks who went to church every week. And my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn't raise me in the church.

"So I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead - being my brothers' and sisters' keeper, treating others as they would treat me," he continued. >>> | Wednesday, September 29, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama says he is 'Christian by choice' in rare comments on religion: President Barack Obama has spoken of how he is a "Christian by choice" who found faith while an adult because "the precepts of Jesus Christ" offered a basis for the life he wanted to lead. >>> Toby Harnden, Washington | Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Ed Miliband: I Would Raise Taxes Higher Than Gordon Brown
THE TELEGRAPH: Ed Miliband’s Labour Party will push for increases in taxation at a higher rate than that proposed by Gordon Brown at the last general election.

The new leader said that he wanted to do “more” from taxation, adding that plans by Alistair Darling, the former chancellor, to cut the deficit over four years were only a “starting point”.

Mr Miliband, who joined in the traditional singing of the Red Flag at the close of Labour conference, has hit out his characterisation as “Red Ed” after he defeated his brother for the party leadership with the support of the trade unions.

But in a break from the New Labour era, when Tony Blair’s ministers shied away from advocating tax rises, he made clear that he was unafraid of being labelled left-wing. >>> Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent | Thursday, September 30, 2010

Alien Life Certain to Exist on Earth-like Planet, Scientists Say
THE TELEGRAPH: The chances of alien life existing on a newly-discovered Earth-like planet are 100 per cent, an astronomer has claimed.



Gliese 581g was discovered orbiting a nearby star at a distance that places it squarely in the "habitable zone" where liquid could exist on its surface. Of around 500 planets that astronomers have found outside Earth's solar system, this is the first to be considered habitable.

The planet is a similar size to Earth and its mass indicates that it is probably rocky with a definite surface and has enough gravity to hold an atmosphere, according to Prof Steven Vogt, who led the team that discovered it.

It is as yet unknown whether water does exist on the planet or what kind of atmosphere it has. But because conditions are ideal for liquid, which is always a precursor for life on Earth, Prof Vogt believes that life will undoubtedly have begun there.

"Personally, given the ubiquity and propensity of life to flourish wherever it can, I would say, my own personal feeling is that the chances of life on this planet are 100 percent," he said during a press briefing. "I have almost no doubt about it." >>> Heidi Blake | Thursday, September 30, 2010

Michael Bublé: Haven’t Met You Yet (Official Video)


Everything >>>

Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Images: Google Images
Danish Editor Reprints Prophet Mohammad Cartoons
THE TELEGRAPH: The Danish editor whose 2005 publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad sparked violent protests around the globe released a book on Wednesday that reprints the pictures.

Thursday marks the fifth anniversary of the publication of the 12 drawings in Jyllands-Posten which one year later became a major global controversy leading to dozens of deaths.

Flemming Rose's book The Tyranny of Silence has fed worries of renewed unrest, similar to when the cartoons were reprinted by many newspapers in 2008 after a death threat to cartoonist Kurt Westergaard.

Danish Foreign Minister Lene Espersen met 17 ambassadors from Muslim countries on Wednesday as part of efforts to prevent any new cartoon crisis.

"The violence was committed by people who made a decision to react to these cartoons in a specific way," said Mr Rose, who has lived for years under police protection because of threats against him and his paper Jyllands-Posten.

"To publish cartoons, religious satire, in a Danish newspaper is not incitation to violence," he said. >>> | Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Obama Presidency 'Hobbled by Discord' According to Book
THE GUARDIAN: Extracts from Obama's Wars portray president anxious to pull US troops out of Afghanistan and at odds with senior advisers

Barack Obama's presidency is hobbled by discord, according to a new book, Obama's Wars. Photograph: The Guardian
The Obama presidency is hobbled by discord and mutual contempt among its senior policy-makers and top generals according to a new book which is likely to damage the administration in November's congressional elections and undermine its efforts in Afghanistan.

The book, Obama's Wars, by the veteran investigative journalist Bob Woodward, is out on Monday, but extracts published overnight by the Washington Post and the New York Times make it clear that it will hurt the administration in the runup to mid-term elections, in which Democrats are already struggling and in which they are expected to lose control of the House of Representatives.

The book also portrays a president anxious to pull US troops out of Afghanistan as soon as possible, and at odds with his military commanders and some senior advisers, who openly question whether his strategy will work. It is likely to be read as evidence that the attempt to divide the Taliban is having more success dividing Washington. >>> Julian Borger | Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Bravo, Mr Cable! Bravo! Vince Cable Attacks Bankers as 'Spivs and Gamblers'
THE TELEGRAPH: Vince Cable has attacked the “spivs and gamblers” who he claimed are more of a danger to the economy than militant union leaders.



The Business Secretary told the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool that it was right that the public was angry about the bankers’ bonuses.

He refused to tone down his comments, which have angered business leaders, about the “murky world of capitalism.”

He said: “I make no apology for attacking spivs and gamblers who did more harm to the British economy than Bob Crow (the RMT union leader) could achieve in his wildest Trotskyite fantasies, while paying themselves outrageous bonuses underwritten by the taxpayer. There is much public anger about banks and it is well deserved.”

In another move that is likely to anger the Conservatives Mr Cable revelled in the fact that the Lib Dems had forced David Cameron to drop his pre-election commitment to a new inheritance tax limit.

To cheers from the Lib Dem delegates, he said: “You'll remember our Conservative colleagues campaigned in the General Election to lift the inheritance tax burden on double millionaires. But they have dropped that commitment.

“They have gone halfway to accepting our case for equalising income tax and capital gains tax rates. They have accepted in the Coalition Agreement that the priority for cutting income tax is for low earners not top earners.”

He also repeated his wish for a new tax on properties worth more than £2 million.

Mr Cable said: “I personally regret that mansion tax did not make it into the Coalition Agreement but in a coalition we have to compromise. But we can and should maintain our distinctive and progressive tax policies for the future.”

Mr Cable was unrepentant for talking about capitalism's failings.

He said: “The Government's agenda is not one of laissez-faire. Markets are often irrational or rigged. So I am shining a harsh light into the murky world of corporate behaviour. >>> Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Pope Benedict XVI Says Christian Faith Remains Strong in Britain
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain remains a country in which Christian faith is “still strong and active at every level of society”, Pope Benedict XVI said in his first remarks after returning from his historic four-day visit to England and Scotland.

The Pope said the visit, which was widely judged a success despite being preceded by months of controversy over cost, clerical sex abuse scandals and the issue of gay and married clergy, marked a new phase in the Vatican’s “complicated” relations with the Church of England.

"This was a historic event marking a new and important phase in the long and complicated history of relations between (the British) and the Holy See," he said during his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square, after flying into Rome by helicopter from his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, in the hills outside the capital.

"In the course of the intense and very beautiful four days spent in this noble country, I had the great pleasure of speaking to the heart of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom and they spoke to my heart, most particularly with their presence and the testimony of their faith," he said.

"I witnessed how the Christian faith is still strong and active at every level of society," he said. >>> Nick Squires in Rome | Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Switzerland Has Women Majority Cabinet for First Time
THE TELEGRAPH: The Swiss government has more women in its cabinet than men for the first time in the country's history.

The new Swiss government pose during the autumn Parliament Session in Bern. Photo: The Telegraph
Swiss women have for the first time taken control of the reins of power in an Alpine country that denied any females the vote until 1971.

One Swiss canton, Appenzell Inner-Rhodes, continued to bar women from local elections until 1990, making Switzerland the last European country to introduce universal suffrage.

The historic shift in the balance of power came as the Swiss parliament in Bern voted Simonetta Sommaruga, a Social Democrat MP, on to the cabinet, a Federal Council.

The council is comprised of seven politicians from different parties, four of whom are now women, and does without a fixed Prime Minister or President to rule Switzerland - one of the most prosperous countries in the world.

"It's a great day to see a female majority in the Cabinet," said Claudine Esseiva, a cabinet ministers and member of the pro-business Free Democrats. >>> Bruno Waterfield | Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Liberal Democrat Conference: 'Oil Price Could Double in Return to 1970s Style Shocks'
THE TELEGRAPH: Energy secretary Chris Huhne has ordered his officials to look at the impact of a 1970s-style oil price spike on the British economy.

Mr Huhne said the UK was having to prepare itself for “lots of shocks”, forcing the price of a barrel of oil to double, mirroring the volatility last seen in the 1970s.

The news came as Mr Huhne said he would only give the green light to more nuclear power stations if Chancellor George Osborne agreed to taking millions of the lowest paid out of income tax. “A deal is a deal,” he said.

Mr Huhne said he was concerned about the future fluctuations in the price of a barrel of oil, which would send the price of petrol soaring.

A 1970s-style doubling in the price of oil would drain £45billion from the UK economy in two years, hitting investment and jobs.

He told a meeting on the fringe of the party’s conference in Liverpool: “We will have a world where there may be lots of shocks, we may well have oil price rises which are similar to the ones that we had in the 1970s, a doubling.

“I have asked for some work to be done in the department about what the impact of that might be in terms of British business, businesses that have nothing to do with energy, with green growth, entirely outside.

“The corner shop is affected if we have an oil price shock because the economy is hit very seriously.” >>> Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor | Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Bristol Palin on 'Dancing with the Stars'
THE TELEGRAPH: The daughter of Sarah Palin made reference to her Republican mother when she appeared on Dancing with the Stars by singing “Mama Told Me Not to Come.”

Bristol Palin, 19, performed a version of Randy Newman’s hit on the 11th series of the dance show and explained that she had not always taken her mother’s advice.

The 19-year-old was thrust into the public spotlight when Mrs Palin stood for Vice-President as John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 American election.

Mrs Palin, who has advocated the virtue of no sex before marriage, faced some embarressment when Bristol and her boyfriend revealed during the election campaign that they were expecting a baby. >>> | Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Far-right Success in Swedish Elections
CNN: The far-right party took 20 seats in the Swedish parliament after a nail-biter of an election.

Bruni: Mrs. Obama Never Said Job Is Hell
CNN: French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy denies U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama ever said being first lady is "hell."

First Lady On Restaurant Food
CNN: Michelle Obama addresses the National Restaurant Association about the role restaurant meals play on children's health.

Lieberman: ‘Don’t Ask ‘Un-American’
CNN: Sen. Joe Lieberman has a warning for those who planned to vote against the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."

CNN Claptrap & Whitewash!
CNN: Author Deepak Chopra discusses the misconceptions surrounding Islam and advocates tolerance and understanding.

Stick With Me, Clegg Begs Lib Dems

France Raises Paris Terror Alert Over Al-Qaeda Warning
THE TELEGRAPH: France raised its terrorist alert warning today amid fears of suicide bomb plots against the Paris transport network.

French police officers and security personnel stand guard at a security cordon around the Eiffel Tower after a bomb threat was called in. Photo: The Telegraph
French intelligence services are hunting a female would-be suicide bomber who they believe could be planning to target the Paris metro.

The alert followed a tip-off from a friendly intelligence agency – thought to be Algeria’s — warning of an imminent al-Qaeda threat.

Five French nationals have been kidnapped close to a French uranium mine in Niger in the last week, while a bomb scare caused alarm at the Eiffel Tower.

In a separate development armed guards were deployed to protect prominent Islamic moderate Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Paris mosque. >>> Henry Samuel in Paris | Monday, Septemebr 20, 2010

Pastor Who Threatened to Burn Korans Told to Pay Police Bill
THE TELEGRAPH: US pastor Terry Jones, who threatened to burn copies of the Koran, has been told he must pay $180,000 (£115,000) for security costs triggered by the controversy.

Pastor Terry Jones arrived in New York the night before the anniversary after cancelling his scheduled burning of the Koran. Photo: The Telegraph
The city of Gainesville, Florida said that local police agencies spent more than a month working on security plans to ensure the community close to the planned site of the burning was safe.

Mr Jones sparked outrage when he announced his plan to burn the Muslim holy text on the anniversary of the September, 11, 2001, attacks. He eventually agreed to abandon the idea after pressure from Barack Obama and other world leaders.

Gainesville police spokeswoman Cpl. Tscharna Senn told CNN that the threat led to a large police operation. >>> | Monday, September 20, 2010

Why should he pay the police bill? Has the police bill been paid by al-Qaeda? – Mark

Hillary Clinton Urges Iran to Dump Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
THE TELEGRAPH: Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, has called on "responsible" leaders to assert control in Iran and said tough UN sanctions were turning the screw on the military-backed regime.

Short of an explicit call to the Iranian people to revolt, Mrs Clinton's comments represented a sharpening of rhetoric as she increasingly seeks to portray Iran as a military dictatorship.

Mrs Clinton said the military, especially the elite Revolutionary Guard, was wielding more and more power to prop up a regime struggling to maintain its legitimacy since last year's "very flawed" presidential elections.

"And I can only hope that there will be some effort inside Iran, by responsible civil and religious leaders, to take hold of the apparatus of the state," she told ABC News.

"When you empower a military as much as they have to rely on them to put down legitimate protests and demonstrations, you create a momentum and unleash forces that you do not know where they will end up.

"And I know that that's a concern of people inside Iran. We read reports coming out of Iran. And it is something that would be even more distressing for the Iranian people." >>> | Monday, September 20, 2010

Interview With Hillary Clinton
ABC NEWS: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sits down with Christiane Amanpour.



Interview With Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
ABC NEWS: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad joins Christiane Amanpour on "This Week."

Liberal Democrat Conference: Nick Clegg Defends Coalition Cuts
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Nick Clegg has defended the coalition's policies amid criticism from activists over the impact of the impending spending cuts.

The Deputy Prime Minister denied that the Government "relished" having to impose tight budget reductions, but insisted there was "nothing fair" about forcing future generations to pay off the nation's debt.

He said the Government had restored the earnings link to pensioners and was reversing the "grotesque inequality" in the tax system.

But he was told the deep spending cuts to be outlined in next month's spending review would "disproportionately" affect the poorest in society.

Speaking to party members during a question-and-answer session at the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool, Mr Clegg said: "The fact of this deficit, which (Labour) created, you and I can't wish it away.

"You cannot build social justice on the sands of debt. It can't be done." >>> | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pope Visit: Benedict XVI Says Goodbye to Britain
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Britain's historic papal visit has come to an end as Benedict XVI gave his final wave from the steps of his aeroplane.



The Pontiff took off from Birmingham Airport on a windy Sunday evening after thanking the nation for its hospitality.

In speeches to a small crowd of dignitaries on the airport's apron, both he and Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to strengthen relationships between Britain and the Vatican.

The hustle and bustle of the airport continued throughout the day, with holidaymakers oblivious to frantic behind-the-scenes preparations for the Pope's departure.

Hours before his arrival, police and officials swarmed round the Alitalia plane, checking every detail, while officials practised "walk-throughs" on a specially-laid cross-shaped red carpet. >>> | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pope Visit: Britons Thirst for Holy Word, Says Holy Father
THE TELEGRAPH: The British people have a “deep thirst” for the message of Christianity, the Pope said as he ended his historic state visit to Britain.



On his arrival, the Pope said the country’s Christian culture was under threat from “aggressive forms of secularism”. But before his departure he said that he had seen evidence of a continued interest in religion.

He called upon the local Roman Catholic bishops to help people turn away from the “vain enticements of this world”.

The Pope made his comments to Catholic bishops in Birmingham after beatifying Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Victorian theologian who converted to Rome.

Despite controversy over his speeches in some quarters and a well-attended protest rally, the Vatican believes the first papal state visit to Britain has been a “wonderful” success with an estimated 500,000 attending open-air services or lining the streets to see the Pope over the past four days.

Images of the Pontiff meeting the Queen at Holyroodhouse Palace, embracing the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey and addressing four former prime ministers in Parliament will go some way to restoring the Church’s reputation after the scandal over clergy abusing children.

Last night Britain’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, spoke of his hope that the four-day trip would lead to a “Benedict bounce”. >>> Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Monday, September 20, 2010

The Pope's Parting Gift
THE TELEGRAPH: Benedict XVI's historic visit to Britain has been a resounding success – and may have changed attitudes towards the role of religion in modern life, says Peter Stanford.

In a damp Birmingham park before a crowd of 55,000 worshippers, Pope Benedict XVI rounded off his visit to Britain yesterday by beatifying the Victorian convert and theologian John Henry Newman. Like Newman (best remembered, said Benedict, for his "keen intellect and prolific pen"), this Pontiff has long enjoyed a reputation for being a complex, clever but rather dry academic, favouring language that is difficult to understand and moral positions that are uncompromising. Hence his nickname, "God's rottweiler". Or at least that was how Benedict was seen until he arrived in Britain. What a difference four days can make.

When the Pope argued in his homily that, contrary to popular prejudice, Newman was in fact a "warm and human" character, a parish priest and "pastor of souls" as well as a great thinker, he might well have been referring to himself. If this state visit has achieved anything, it has been to show a decidedly sceptical public that the parish priest of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics does indeed have a heart. Since the theme that the organisers chose for the trip was Newman's motto "Heart speaks unto heart", they must be congratulating themselves on a mission accomplished.

From the moment the television cameras picked up Benedict and the Queen chatting amiably in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Thursday, during the traditional exchange of gifts, it was clear that the Pope was determined to reveal himself more as a kindly German shepherd than a rottweiler. Every time the Popemobile pulled to a halt to allow Benedict to reach out and kiss a baby, that pastoral image was reinforced. And it was not a cynical, mechanical ploy. Benedict's voice may have been devoid of intonation, and his face curiously immobile, but his eyes conveyed that same pastorly warmth and humanity that he praised in Newman. Here was an essentially modest man; if not charismatic in the mould of his crowd-pleasing predecessor, John Paul II, then certainly possessing a quiet charm, and emphatically not the woman-hater, gay-basher or ivory-tower bigot of stereotype.

In advance of the visit, siren voices had warned that it would all be a disaster. Few would turn up, we were told. Yet 125,000 lined the streets of Edinburgh, according to the police, and 75,000 came to Glasgow's Bellahouston Park. Everywhere the Popemobile went, the crowds were 10 or 12 deep. As reporters moved among them, it was clear that these were not simply the faithful, coming out of a tribal loyalty to their embattled leader, but people of faith and none, simply curious to witness a moment of history – the first state visit by a pope since the Reformation – and to hear a distinctly counter-cultural message, questioning the remorseless march of the me society, with its twin obsessions of consumerism and celebrity. Read on and comment >>> Peter Stanford * | Monday, September 20, 2010

* Peter Stanford is a former editor of the 'Catholic Herald' and author of 'The Extra Mile: A 21st Century Pilgrimage' (Continuum)

Bermuda Lashed by Hurricane Igor
THE TELEGRAPH: Fierce waves have pounded Bermuda's breakwaters and shores and battered oceanfront hotels as Hurricane Igor lashed the British territory.

Bermudians battened down their homes in pelting rain to wait out Igor, a relatively weak Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. The wind uprooted trees and power poles, knocking out electricity in many parts of the island. But there were no early reports of major damage.

"We're certainly getting our money's worth in drama," lawyer James Dodi said while standing outside a hotel in downtown Hamilton watching Igor's winds whip through palm trees and howl around buildings.

Some storm-seasoned islanders ventured outside during the day to watch as the hurricane force winds drove 15-foot surf onto shore. Flooding was reported in low-lying areas, while streets in downtown Hamilton, the capital, were covered in several inches of water and littered with tree branches and other debris. >>> | Monday, September 20, 2010

Igor Powers Ashore in Bermuda


Bracing for Igor in Bermuda >>>

Bermuda in More Tranquil Times

Sweden Elections End in Hung Parliament, Rise of Far-Right
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Swedish elections on Sunday night ended in a hung parliament after the rise of a far-Right group narrowly prevented the conservative-liberal coalition government from winning an outright majority in Sweden’s parliament.

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his wife Filippa. Reinfeldt appears to be heading for an historic second term. Photo: The Telegraph
The result, which gave Frederik Reinfeldt's Moderate-led alliance the largest share of seats in the Riksdag, was the worst result since 1914 for the Social Democrats, effectively ending the party's 80 year domination of Swedish politics.

Official preliminary results showed Mr Reinfeldt’s centre-Right coalition winning 173 seats in the 349-seat parliament and the Social Democrat led Left-Green coalition with 156 seats.

However, the big news of the night for a country which has long prided itself as being one of the most tolerant in Europe was that the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats (SD) looked set to win 20 seats, their first entry to the national parliament.

Despite winning the largest share of the vote, Mr Reinfeldt’s coalition could face weeks of horse-trading after both his conservative-liberal alliance and the opposition left-Green bloc ruled out working with the far-Right.

“If this result stands we will have an uncertain situation,” said a government spokesman.

Before polling opened, Mr Reinfeldt had pleaded for a clear majority amid fears that in the event of a hung vote far-Right MPs from the SD party could play a “kingmaker” role in forming a new government.

“Don’t expose Sweden to this experiment. Make sure they don’t get any power,” he said of the far-Right. >>> Bruno Waterfield and Matthew Day | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Sweden's PM Re-elected But Fails to Win Majority
THE GUARDIAN: Sweden's ruling centre-right coalition led by prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt beat the Social Democrat opposition in Sunday's election but failed to win an outright majority. The far right Sweden Democrats have won seats in parliament for the first time

Watch Guardian video here
Read article: Sweden's ruling coalition heads for minority government: Prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt becomes first non-socialist to win re-election since 1930s >>> Julian Borger | Monday, September 20, 2010

Virginia Set to Execute First Woman in Nearly a Century
THE GUARDIAN: Teresa Lewis will die by lethal injection on Thursday unless an appeal to the supreme court can save her

The state of Virginia this week plans to carry out its first execution of a woman in nearly a century, despite claims that Teresa Lewis has severe learning difficulties.

Lewis's last hope is an appeal to the US supreme court after Robert McDonnell, the state governor, said he will not spare the life of the 41-year-old who was convicted of arranging for two men to murder her husband and stepson. She is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Thursday.

The men who carried out the killings – one of whom was Lewis's lover – received life sentences.

Lewis's last hope of avoiding the death chamber is an appeal before the supreme court. Her lawyers will argue that because she has such a low IQ her execution would be unconstitutional. >>> Chris McGreal in Washington | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Suède: L'extrême droite au Parlement?
leJDD.fr: Selon un sondage réalisé à la sortie des urnes dimanche soir, l'extrême droite suédoise entrerait pour la première fois au Parlement. La coalition de centre-droit au pouvoir arriverait en tête du scrutin, devant l'opposition de centre-gauche, sans pour autant disposer de la majorité absolue. [Source: leJDD.fr] | Dimanche 19 Septembre 2010

Wie der Papst die Zuneigung der Briten gewann
WELT ONLINE: Zum Abschluss seiner Reise spricht Benedikt XVI. John Newman in Birmingham selig und dankt den "englischen Fräulein".

Der Regen hört auf, als Benedikt XVI. an den Altar tritt. Die Sonne bricht durch. Hier, im Cofton Park von Birmingham, hatte John Henry Newman oft Atem geschöpft, zwischen ausladenden Eichen, Kastanien, Nussbäumen und Pappeln, die sich im Wind bogen. Jetzt hat er, 120 Jahre nach seinem Tod, 55.000 Pilger unter sanftem Regen hierhin gezogen, die seine Seligsprechung persönlich miterleben wollen. Trompeten setzen ein, als der Papst mit einer kurzen Erklärung den eminenten Denker und Priester des 19. Jahrhunderts endlich zu einem Seligen der katholischen Kirche erklärt.

Es ist der innere Höhepunkt dieser Reise – nicht weit von Coventry, das die deutsche Luftwaffe vor 70 Jahren in Schutt und Asche legte, vor deren Opfern sich der Papst aus Deutschland nun noch einmal verbeugt, wie vor all den Engländern, „die ihr Leben opferten, als sie so tapfer den Mächten dieser Ideologie des Bösen“ widerstanden. Eine Ewigkeit scheint der Einsatz der Bläser und das überwältigende „Gloria“ der Pilger in der zugigen Landschaft von den wehmütigen Dudelsäcken entfernt, die am Donnerstag die Ankunft des Papstes in Schottland begleitet hatten. >>> Von Paul Badde | Sonntag, 19. September 2010

Tausende feiern Messe mit Papst
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Tausende Katholiken haben mit Papst Benedikt XVI. eine Messe im Cofton Park von Birmingham gefeiert. Der viertägige Besuch des Papstes in Grossbritannien hatte aber auch viele Proteste provoziert.

Cult Members Go Missing in Apparent Mass Suicide Bid
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Police launched a helicopter search for 13 missing cult members on Sunday amid fears they had gone to a California desert to commit mass suicide.

The religious sect included eight children, aged as young as three, and was led by a suburban housewife Reyna Marisol Chicas, 32.

She took her two children Ezequel, 15, and Genisis, 12, with her, police said.

The group, made up of El Salvadorian immigrants, left behind a bag with a relative which contained farewell notes in which members indicated the world was about to end and they were “going to heaven.”

An alert issued by the California Highway Patrol said: “It is believed, through further investigation, that their intentions are to commit mass suicide.” >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Sunday, September 19, 2010

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Cult members 'planning mass suicide' discovered praying for end to sexual immorality: Members of a religious cult feared to be planning a mass suicide in a California desert were discovered hours after they went missing. >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pope Visit: Benedict XVI Beatifies Cardinal John Henry Newman
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI has beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman at an open-air Mass in Birmingham.

Around 55,000 people attended the two-hour ceremony at Cofton Park on the final day of the pope's four-day state visit. | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pope Expresses Sadness at No Welsh Visit

BBC: The Pope has spoken of his "deep love" for the Welsh people and his sadness at being unable to visit during his trip to Britain.

In a special address to the people of Wales, broadcast from a mass at Westminster Cathedral in London, the Pope also gave a blessing in Welsh.

He said he was happy to honour the people of Wales and the ancient Christian tradition.

He also blessed a mosaic of St David, the Welsh patron saint.

The pontiff said St David was "one of the great saints of the the sixth century".

"David's preaching was simple yet profound," reflected Pope Benedict.

"His dying words to his monks were: 'be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things'.

He added: "May St David's message, in all its simplicity and richness, continue to resound in Wales today, drawing the hearts of its people to renewed love for Christ and his Church."

The Pope was speaking after he blessed a new mosaic of St David installed in Westminster Cathedral earlier this month.

He also prayed before the statue of Our Lady of the Taper, the Welsh shrine brought from Cardigan to mark the occasion.

The Pope said he hoped the statue, set to return to Cardigan, would be a "lasting reminder" of his "deep love" for the Welsh people and of his "constant closeness" in prayer and in the communion of the Church[.]

He concluded his address: "Bendith Duw ar bobol Cymru! God bless the people of Wales." (+ video) >>> | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Historische Messe in der Türkei: Hunderte von Armeniern feiern im Osten des Landes
NZZ ONLINE: Im Osten der Türkei haben Armenier zum ersten Mal seit hundert Jahren in der Inselkirche Akdamar einen Gottesdienst gefeiert. Der türkische Ministerpräsident Erdogan hatte zuvor grünes Licht gegeben.

Hunderte von Armeniern haben am Sonntag in einer Kirche im Osten der Türkei einen historischen Gottesdienst gefeiert. Zum ersten Mal seit fast 100 Jahren wurde in der Inselkirche Akdamar im Van-See in Südostanatolien wieder eine Messe abgehalten.
Via Leinwand

Da in der historischen Kirche aus dem 10. Jahrhundert nur wenige Platz fanden, mussten die meisten Besucher die Messe auf einer Leinwand verfolgen. Der türkische Ministerpräsident Erdogan hatte die Feier erlaubt, um den Bemühungen zu einer Normalisierung des Verhältnisses zum Nachbarstaat Armenien einen neuen Impuls zu geben. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> sda/afp | Sonntag, 19. September 2010

Au moins 29 tués et 100 blessés dans un double attentat à Bagdad
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: IRAK | Deux attentats à la voiture piégée quasi simultanés ont frappé le nord et l'ouest de Bagdad dimanche matin, a indiqué une source au sein du ministère de l'Intérieur.

Au moins 29 personnes ont été tuées et plus de 100 autres blessées dans deux attentats à la voiture piégée quasi simultanés qui ont frappé Bagdad dimanche matin. Ces attentats constituent les attaques les plus meurtrières depuis le début du mois de septembre.

Les explosions, qui ont secoué les quartiers d'Aden (nord) et Mansour (ouest) de la capitale, ont retenti vers 10h10 (09h10 en Espagne), selon des journalistes de l'AFP sur place.

Au moins 29 personnes et 111 ont été blessées, selon un bilan fourni par une source au sein du ministère de l'Intérieur.

L'attaque la plus sanglante a eu lieu dans le quartier d'Aden (nord) et a fait 19 tués et 53 blessés, selon cette source.

Dans le quartier résidentiel de Mansour, dans l'ouest de la capitale, une autre voiture piégée a explosé, faisant 10 tués et 58 blessés, a également précisé cette source. Le chaos régnait sur les lieux des déflagrations. >>> ATS | Dimanche 18 Septembre 2010

Pope Visit: Benedict Pays Tribute to Britain’s Sacrifices in Fighting Nazis
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Britain’s “courageous resistance” to the “evil ideology” of Nazism was honoured by the Pope as he spoke to a crowd of more than 50,000 in Birmingham.



Benedict XVI said it was “deeply moving” to recall the sacrifices made by Britons during the Second World War and paid particular tribute to nearby Coventry, which was heavily bombed during the Battle of Britain 70 years ago.

Speaking at the Beatification Mass for Cardinal John Henry Newman in Cofton Park, near where the Victorian theologian was buried, the Pope said the destruction of the conflict should be remembered with “shame and horror”.

His words were particularly significant given controversy over his own wartime record. As a 14 year-old growing up in Germany, the then Joseph Ratzinger was drafted into the Hitler Youth and later enlisted in the anti-aircraft corps. >>> Martin Beckford | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Six Freed Over Pope 'Plot'
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Six men quizzed by counter-terrorism police probing a plot to attack the Pope were all released without charge, Scotland Yard said today.

The men, all believed to be of North African origin, were arrested on Friday in London.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ''Six men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Friday, 17 September, were all released without charge late on Saturday night (September 18) and early this morning (Sunday September 19).''

Police searched eight homes in north and east London and two business premises in central London, including a street cleaning depot as part of the investigation.

The Metropolitan Police said the searches of the premises had been completed and had not revealed any weapons or suspicious materials. >>> | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Related >>>

Ban on 'Distracting' Miniskirts at School Is Set to Spread
THE OBSERVER: Parents back heads over controversial ban on miniskirts

Concerns could be addressed by specifying skirts that cannot be customised. Photograph: The Observer
When Mary Quant first raised the nation's hemlines in the 1960s, it was seen as a symbol of women's liberation. Fifty years on and the miniskirt is still causing consternation, and now faces a ban in Britain's schools.

Dozens of schools are considering following the lead of St Aidan's High in Yorkshire and St Alban's in Suffolk, which have banned skirts altogether this term and insisted girls wear trousers. In others, letters have been sent to parents saying that the current fashion for wearing school skirts as short, and as tight, as possible is a real problem in school, and dealing with the issue is a distraction from teaching.

At Kinross High in Perthshire, some parents received a stinging note telling them: "The length of your daughter's skirt is such that she spends a great deal of time pulling it down. It detracts her attention from the learning process."

Last week another Scottish head, Robert Kelly, rector of Berwickshire High in Duns, said short skirts were encouraging "inappropriate thoughts" among boys. Kelly, who had gathered together female pupils for his lecture, referred to a recent anti-rape advert. >>> Tracy McVeigh, social affairs editor | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Nick Clegg Tells Lib Dems: Accept My Cameron Pact
THE GUARDIAN: As party gathers for annual conference, leader says he has been impressed by PM's pragmatism and flexibility

Nick Clegg has appealed to his party to embrace PM and Conservative leader David Cameron, above. Photograph: The Guardian
Nick Clegg tomorrow will launch a heartfelt appeal to Liberal Democrats to finally embrace David Cameron's centre-right party as he predicts that together they can become a "great, great reforming government". In terms that may deepen unease among Lib Dems unhappy with the coalition, Clegg uses an interview with the Observer to heap praise on Cameron as a "big politician" who fully understands how to share power.

As his party gathers in Liverpool for its annual conference, Clegg admits he was completely wrong to call Cameron a "fake" and a "con" during the election campaign and has been impressed by his pragmatism and flexibility. "He hasn't been dogmatic. He hasn't been doctrinaire," he says. "I think this government definitely has the capacity to be a great, great reforming government."

The Lib Dem leader's central message is that the coalition can only work if his own party accepts it is a full and willing participant that jointly "owns the government". The alternative, he says, is to operate in an atmosphere of "poison" as a competing faction "constantly trying to put little trophies on the mantelpiece to show we are winning victories".

He adds: "In fact the truth is much more radical than that. All the big decisions are jointly taken by David Cameron and myself … that is why I didn't want to have a department, why I am a hop and a skip from his office." >>> Toby Helm | Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Inside Story of Pope Benedict XVI's Visit
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Only a handful of journalists flew with the Pope to Britain and travelled around the country with his touring party. Jonathan Wynne Jones, The Sunday Telegraph's Religious Affairs Correspondent, was one of them

Pope Benedict XVI greets journalists on board Shepherd One, his private plane. Photo: The Sunday Telegraph
There was a great sense of anticipation on board Shepherd One, the Pope's private plane, as the grey curtain dividing us from the papal entourage was pulled back.

His aides moved to the side to reveal the 83-year-old pontiff shuffling up the aisle, using the seats for balance, to meet the small group of Press given permission to join him on the flight from Rome to the UK.

Standing only a few feet from me, the spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholics cut a fragile and weary figure.

Dressed all in white, except for his red shoes that peeped from under his cassock, his eyes blinked often as he waited for our questions.

It is the only point of the papal visit where the Pope addresses journalists directly, but introducing the session, Fr Frederico Lombardi, the Holy See's spokesman, told the pontiff that the questions and answers would all be in Italian "so as not to tire you".

Pope Benedict's voice sounded hoarse and cracking as he replied to my question on his concerns for the trip.

"Above all I wish you a good-day and a pleasant flight to all of us," he said.

"I must admit that I am not worried, because when I went to France, it was said that it was the most anticlerical country, with strong anticlerical opinions and very few believers; when I went to the Czech Republic it was said that it was the most irreligious country in Europe and the most anticlerical also."

It would have been understandable if he was anxious at the reception that awaited him, given that in the run-up to his state visit to Britain – the first in papal history – opposition had been shrill, with atheists threatening to have him arrested and apathy seeming to be the prevailing mood.

But instead he said he was arriving in "good spirits and with joy".

"Naturally Great Britain has had is own history of anti-Catholicism. This is obvious; but it is also a country with a great history of tolerance."

His reply appeared to be going down well with his posse of aides who stood behind him as he spoke, smiling and nodding at almost every other word.

Most prominent were Georg Ganswein [sic], his private secretary who has become known as Gorgeous George for his Hollywood-good looks, and Cardinal Bertone, the Holy See's secretary of state, who comes across as more mafia don than Don Juan with his bovine face and menacing dark eyes.

Pope Benedict then surprised us by choosing to address the clerical abuse scandal, expressing his shock and sadness at the revelations and criticising the Church for failing to act swiftly enough, before adding: "Now we are in a moment of repentance and humility."

After speaking for 15 minutes, the Pope raised his arms to give his papal wave, before returning to his seat with his entourage filing behind him like bridesmaids dutifully following a bride, Fr Ganswein [sic] gently brushing down his cassock as he walked. >>> Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Sunday, September 19, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope visit: wait for a guest who took time to charm his hosts _ Pontiff shows his dislikes about the modern age include rushing about >>> Andrew Gimson | Saturday, September 18, 2010

My essay on Pope Benedict XVI written in 2006! It has taken the MSM in Great Britain till now to catch on, to realize just how wonderful this pope is! (And I speak not as a Catholic, but as a member of the Anglican communion!

Pope Benedict XVI: Saviour of Western Civilization? >>> Mark Alexander | Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Pope to Call for 'Full Communion' Between Anglicans and Catholics
THE TELEGRAPH: The Pope is to make a dramatic offer to disaffected Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church.

Dr Rowan Williams and Pope Benedict XVI embrace on Friday. Dr Williams has admitted that the papal offer last year put him in 'an awkward position' and it is unlikely that he would welcome Anglicans being encouraged to defect to Rome. Photo: The Telegraph
In a move which the pontiff views as a positive step for Christianity, he will on Sunday make a personal plea for the Churches to come together.

Pope Benedict XVI sees this as the best way to challenge the rise of "aggressive secularism" and heal centuries of division.

He will use the final speech of his historic state visit to urge for a "restoration of full ecclesial communion" between the Churches, which separated nearly 500 years ago.

Addressing the Catholic bishops of England, Wales and Scotland, he will argue that his offer to disaffected Anglicans should not be viewed negatively, but as "a prophetic gesture".

However, the speech could undermine his efforts to build bridges with Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who confronted the Pope over the issue last year.

The plea will come at the end of his four day state visit to England and Scotland which has seen tens of thousands of members of the public attend religious ceremonies and thousands more lining the streets to see him. >>> Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Cardinal Newman's Beatification 'Miracle'
BBC: The Pope is to perform the first beatification ceremony ever to take place in the UK, paving the way for the Victorian Cardinal John Henry Newman to become a saint.

Thousands are expected to attend the ceremony in Cofton Park in Birmingham, but some have questioned the validity of the miracle attributed to Cardinal Newman.

Robert Pigott reports. Watch BBC video >>> | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Radical Islam on Rise in Balkans
ASSOCIATED PRESS: SKOPJE, Macedonia — An online music video praising Osama bin Laden has driven home a troubling new reality: A radical brand of Islam embraced by al-Qaida and the Taliban is gaining a foothold in the Balkans.

"Oh Osama, annihilate the American army. Oh Osama, raise the Muslims' honor," a group of Macedonian men sing in Albanian, in video posted on YouTube last year and picked up by Macedonian media this August. "In September 2001 you conquered a power. We all pray for you."

Although most of Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority are Muslims, they have generally been secular. But experts are now seeing an increasing radicalization in pockets of the country's Islamic community, particularly after armed groups from the ethnic Albanian minority, which forms a quarter of the population of 2.1 million, fought a brief war against Macedonian government forces in 2001.

It's a trend seen across the Balkans and has raised concerns that the region, which includes new European Union member Bulgaria, could become a breeding ground for terrorists with easy access to Western Europe. Many fear that radicalized European Muslims with EU passports could slip across borders and blend into society.

At the center of the issue is the Wahhabi sect, an austere brand of Islam most prevalent in Saudi Arabia and practiced by bin Laden and the Taliban. >>> Konstantin Testorides, AP | Saturday, September 18, 2010

SHARIAH Alert! Britain Goes Halal... But No-one Tells the Public: How Famous Institutions Serve Ritually Slaughtered Meat with No Warning
MAIL ONLINE: A Mail on Sunday investigation – which will alarm anyone concerned about animal cruelty – has revealed that schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues such as Ascot and Twickenham are controversially serving up meat slaughtered in accordance with strict Islamic law to unwitting members of the public.

All the beef, chicken and lamb sold to fans at Wembley has secretly been prepared in accordance with sharia law, while Cheltenham College, which boasts of its ‘strong Christian ethos’, is one of several top public schools which also serves halal chicken to pupils without informing them.

Even Britain’s biggest hotel and restaurant group Whitbread, which owns the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre chains, among many others, has admitted that more than three-quarters of its poultry is halal.

Animal welfare campaigners have long called for a ban on the traditional Islamic way of preparing meat – which involves killing animals by drawing a knife across their throats, without stunning them first – saying it is cruel and causes unnecessary pain.

Sharia law expressly forbids knocking the animal out with a bolt gun, as is usual in British slaughter­houses. Instead, it must be sentient when its throat is cut, and the blood allowed to drip from the carcass while a religious phrase in praise of Allah is recited.

The extent of halal meat consumption, even in areas of Britain with a very small Muslim population, was revealed as the Pope, on his first visit to Britain, expressed fears that the country was not doing enough to preserve traditional Christian values and customs.

In a strongly worded speech to Parliament, he said: ‘There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none.’

But it is animal rights groups which have been most vociferous in their opposition to halal slaughter. Campaign organisation Viva!, whose supporters include Heather Mills and Joanna Lumley, said in a statement: ‘Other practices which may be undertaken for religious reasons, such as polygamy or the stoning of adulterers, are not permitted in the UK.

‘Religious freedom does not override other moral considerations and the suffering caused by this form of slaughter is so severe that it cannot be allowed to prevent action to be taken. Consumers can do their bit by boycotting places that persist in selling meat from unstunned animals.’ Read on and comment >>> Simon McGee and Martin DelGado | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Papal Visit: The Pope Shows Great Courage
THE TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict's visit offers a lesson for all Christians in Britain.

Pope Benedict XVI wipes his brow during a mass in Westminster Cathedral in central London. Photo: The Telegraph
The Pope’s visit to Britain has demonstrated the abiding strength of Christianity within this nation. Throughout his visit, thousands of people from across the country have come to watch the spiritual leader of the world’s Catholics as he makes the first state visit by a Pontiff to these shores. In his speeches, His Holiness has shown a clarity of thought to shame the woolly utterances of Britain’s politicians, throwing down the gauntlet to our overly secularised society and insisting – as this newspaper has on many occasions – that religion still has a vital role to play within our culture. >>> Telegraph View | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Verstimmung zwischen Berlin und Paris: Merkel weiss nichts von einer angeblichen Schliessung von Roma-Lagern
NZZ ONLINE: Die deutsche Kanzlerin Merkel hat die Darstellung Präsident Sarkozys, wonach Deutschland ebenfalls Roma-Lager zu schliessen gedenkt, zurückgewiesen. Bei den deutschen Roma kennt man keine Lager.

Missverstanden? Merkel und Sarkozy während des EU-Gipfels in Brüssel. Bild: NZZ Online
Ein Sprecher der Regierung in Berlin hat am Freitag Äusserungen des französischen Präsidenten Sarkozy dementiert, wonach auch Deutschland die Räumung von Roma-Lagern plant. Der Sprecher sagte, Bundeskanzlerin Merkel habe weder im Europäischen Rat noch im Gespräch mit Sarkozy über angebliche Roma-Lager in Deutschland, geschweige denn über deren Räumung gesprochen. Sarkozy hatte nach einem Gespräch mit Merkel in Brüssel behauptet, auch Deutschland wolle «seine» Roma-Lager bald auflösen. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Ulrich Schmid, Berlin | Freitag, 17. September 2010

THE INDEPENDENT: Row with Merkel leaves Sarkozy more isolated than ever: The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has rubbished a claim by President Nicolas Sarkozy that she planned to follow France's example and bulldoze Roma camps in Germany.

The humiliating disavowal by France's closest ally left President Sarkozy more isolated than ever in his battle with the European Union over his campaign against Roma migrants from eastern Europe. >>> John Lichfield in Paris | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Kubanischer Newspeak und die harte Realität: Raúl Castro ringt sich zu Reformen durch und gibt sie als Retuschen aus
NZZ ONLINE: Die Machthaber in Havanna maskieren Abstriche am orthodoxen Sozialismus als Perfektionierung des kubanischen Modells. Doch das Wirtschaftsdebakel lässt ihnen keine andere Wahl, als Freiheitsräume in der Arbeitswelt einzuführen.

Ein Kubaner trägt Blumen aus seinem Auto, die er an einem Verkaufsstand auf dem Lebensmittelmarkt «Cuatros Caminos» bei Havanna verkaufen will. Bild: NZZ Online
Und Fidel hatte doch recht, als ihm der Satz entglitt, das kubanische Modell funktioniere nicht einmal mehr in Kuba selbst. Zwar deutete der «Líder máximo» seine gegenüber einem Journalisten geäusserten häretischen Worte, als sie publik geworden waren, zum Scherz um, den seine unbedarften Zuhörer nicht verstanden hätten. Wenige Tage später aber traf Raúl Castro die ersten dezidierten Massnahmen zur Korrektur des bankrotten Systems.

Das Gesicht wahren

Die Einführung von Leistungskriterien im Staatssektor, der Verzicht auf fiktive Vollbeschäftigung und die Entlassung von vorerst einer halben Million Staatsangestellten in eine Privatwirtschaft, welcher ein fruchtbarer Nährboden erst noch bereitet werden muss, sind wahrhaftig keine blossen Retuschen. Es sind tiefe Einschnitte in die Orthodoxie der Kommunistischen Partei Kubas. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Peter Gaupp, San José de Costa Rica | Freitag, 17. September 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Cuba to make 500,000 state employees redundant: Cuba has announced it will make at least half a million state workers redundant and reduce restrictions on private enterprise in the most dramatic step yet to remodel employment on the communist-run island. >>> | Monday, September 13, 2010