Former US Marine Sues BAE for Mocking Military Service
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A former US Marine who was given the nation's highest award for valour is suing British defence giant BAE Systems alleging that a manager mocked his military service and blocked his efforts to get a job with another company.

Sergeant Dakota Meyer, who worked briefly this year for BAE Systems OASYS based in the US, claims the manager called him mentally unstable and suggeste [sic] BAE Systems warns of 'significant uncertainty' in US defence spending [d] he had a drink problem, thereby costing him a new job.

Sgt Meyer received the Medal of Honour from President Barack Obama in September, two years after saving 36 lives during a six-hour ambush in Afghanistan. He was the third living recipient of the award for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan.

At the age of 21 he defied orders from his commanders, charging five times in a Humvee into heavy gunfire and providing cover for his team, allowing many to escape. He killed at least eight Taliban.

In a defamation case filed in Texas, Sgt Meyer said he became dismayed in April upon learning that weapons systems including optical scopes were being sold to Pakistan.

He sent an email to supervisors saying: "We are simply taking the best gear, the best technology on the market to date and giving it to guys that are known to stab us in the back." » | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My comment:

What can we expect of BAE Systems? Isn't it a schlucky operation? Won't it £$%^ on anyone in its way to turn a profit? – © Mark

This comment also appears here.

Britain On Brink of Severing Diplomatic Ties with Iran
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain came close to severing diplomatic ties with Iran when the Government ordered the closure of the Islamic Republic's embassy in London and gave its staff 48 hours to leave.


Read article and comment here | David Blair, Chief Foreign Correspondent | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Jeremy Clarkson: 'Execute' Public Sector Workers, Says BBC Top Gear Host
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The BBC has apologised after Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, called for public sector workers to be "executed", during a live television interview.

In a series of gaffes live on the corporation’s popular The One Show, the 51 year-old suggested that public sectors workers should be shot in front of their families.

The veteran television presenter and newspaper columnist, whose show is broadcast on BBC Two, also complained about being delayed by people throwing themselves in front of trains.

The public broadcaster issued a swift on-air apology, saying he sometimes overstepped the mark in his quest for "comic" value.

The BBC disclosed that it had received complaints about the comments but could not provide exact numbers.

During his interview, Clarkson was asked what he would do with strikers, he replied: "I would have them all shot". » | Andrew Hough | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Ginger White: Herman Cain ‘Would Be a Bad President’
BBC: Herman Cain would not make a good president, says Ginger White, the woman who said she had a 13-year affair with the Republican White House hopeful.

Speaking to ABC News, Ms White also referred to her relationship with Mr Cain as "very casual".

The former pizza firm executive has denied the affair, calling Ms White a "troubled Atlanta businesswoman".

The candidate has said he is "reassessing" his campaign in light of the new allegations.

Ms White, 46, said on Wednesday that her mobile phone records show interactions with Mr Cain as late as November, although their relationship ended eight months ago when he began running for president.

"It was a very casual affair. Am I proud to admit to that? No I'm not," Ms White told ABC.
Mr Cain has not denied he was friends with Ms White, or that he helped her financially, but has denied they had any sexual relationship.

Mr Cain, a former head of the National Restaurant Association, wrote to supporters on Tuesday: "I have helped many friends and acquaintances throughout the years... Ms White has made it apparent that she was abusing the friendship." (+ video) » | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The Tolerant Dictator: Syria's Christians Side with Assad Out of Fear

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Many of Syria's 2.5 million Christians are supporting President Bashar Assad amidst ongoing protests in the country. They prefer a brutal dictator who guarantees the rights of religious minorities to the uncertain future that Assad's departure would bring. The president is exploiting their fears of Islamists for his own ends.

The rebellion against him was just a few days old when Syrian dictator Bashar Assad summoned his country's Christian leaders to the presidential palace in northwestern Damascus. Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius came. He is 78 years old and critically ill, but still a powerful figure. Bishops and archbishops representing Catholics, Armenians, Aramaeans and Assyrians were also present. In total, there were a dozen religious leaders, representing around 2.5 million Syrian Christians.

The message they received from their head of state was short and simple: Either support me, or your churches will burn.

It seemed Assad, himself a member of the Alawis, a branch of Shia Islam, didn't want to assume that Syria's Christians would continue to remain aloof from politics. Sensing that not only his authority but perhaps his very survival was at stake, he resorted to the same means his father, Hafez Assad, once used to maintain power: pressure and violence.

The Arab League has suspended Syria's membership, isolating the country internationally. Damascus missed last Friday's deadline for Assad to stop the bloodshed and allow a commission of observers into the country. The League had allowed a brief extension, but on Sunday imposed harsh economic sanctions on the country. On Wednesday, Turkey also introduced its own economic sanctions on Syria. » | Bastian Berbner | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Bundesverwaltungsgericht: Muslim darf in Schule nicht beten
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Ein 18 Jahre alter Muslim darf an seiner Schule nicht gen Mekka beten. In dem mehrjährigen Streit entschied das Bundesverwaltungsgericht, der Junge müsse die Einschränkung seiner Glaubensfreiheit hinnehmen. Sonst sei der Schulfrieden gestört.

Ein junger Muslim aus Berlin darf an seiner Schule nicht demonstrativ gen Mekka beten. Nach mehrjährigem Streit wies das Bundesverwaltungsgericht in Leipzig am Mittwoch die Klage des 18 Jahre alten Schülers zurück. Der Gymnasiast müsse die Einschränkung seiner Glaubensfreiheit hinnehmen, weil durch die öffentlichen Ritualgebete der Schulfrieden gestört werde, urteilte der 6. Senat. » | Quelle: dpa | Mittwoch 30. November 2011

Britain Expels Iranian Diplomats and Closes Tehran Embassy
THE GUARDIAN: William Hague says diplomats must leave UK within 48 hours, saying storming of British embassy in Iran had backing of regime

The foreign secretary, William Hague has ordered the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from the UK and announced that the UK is closing its embassy in Tehran, saying that the storming of the mission on Tuesday had the backing of the regime.

Hague said Iranian diplomats would have to leave Britain within 48 hours, and that all British embassy staff in Tehran had now left Iran. » | Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Anders Behring Breivik Was Insane Five Years Ago, Mother Says

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anders Behring Breivik showed signs of paranoid delusions as early as 2006, his mother Wenche Behring has confessed in a tearful interview with forensic psychiatrists.

"He must have been insane, he became so different," she is quoted as saying in the psychiatric evaluation submitted to the Oslo court on Tuesday, which has been leaked to Norway's Verdens Gang newspaper.

"It is hard to believe that these things happened. It's still hard to believe."

Shortly after the 32-year-old moved back in with her that year, he began to behave erratically, she told Torgeir Husby and Synne Soerheim, the two psychiatrists who carried out the interviews.

Mrs Behring described how her son became obsessively interested in politics and history.
"He was totally beyond reason and believed all the nonsense he said," she said.

Breivik told the two psychiatrists that his mother was his "Achilles' heel", and said that he hoped she would not attend his trial.

"I just hope that my mother is not there," he told them. "She is the only one who can make me emotionally unstable. She is my Achilles' heel." Read on and comment » | Richard Orange, Malmö | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My comment:

I am not a psychiatrist. I am not even a psychologist. But it seems to me that there is zilch evidence that this man is/was insane. There is evidence aplenty that he is/was evil. But insane? I don't think so!

It seems to me that he was obsessive about one particular fact: the fact that Western governments, Norway's included, have allowed far too many immigrants into the West for big business' desire for cheap labour, paying scant regard to the wishes of the people, paying scant regard to the long-term consequences of their policies and actions, and paying scant regard to the fact that wherever Islam has been allowed to put down roots, it has eventually taken over. Spain is the only example of a country which has been able to reverse the Islamisation of the country; but that took five hundred bloody years to achieve.

Anders Behring Breivik was obviously very aware of what was going on. Unfortunately, in his case, his knowledge was backed up by evil intent. But there really seems little evidence of insanity. Could an insane person really, truly have been the mastermind behind such an operation to massacre so many people? It's beyond my comprehension, I'm afraid. It seems to me that this is a convenient way for the authorities to brush the problem under the carpet.

There is one aspect to this heinous crime which I fail to understand: If he was so concerned about mass immigration, especially of Muslims, why did he decide to massacre innocent people who were his own countrymen? What did he hope to achieve? (Perhaps someone would be kind enough to explain this to me.)

It seems to me that this man should be severely punished for his egregious crime. But to put him into psychiatric care is to let him off the hook. Norway must have gone soft on crime, that's all I can say. – © Mark

This comment also appears here.

Related »

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anders Behring Breivik regrets loss of 'Great Nordic Nose': Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a bomb blast and gun rampage last July, has told psychiatrists of his regret at the loss of his “great Nordic nose”. Torgeir Husby and Synne Soerheim, the forensic psychiatrists who on Tuesday submitted their evaluation of Mr Breivik to the Olso court, said he displayed an unusual sensitivity about his appearance, complaining if he was forced to attend meetings unshaven. ¶ Mr Breivik told them that he regretted plastic surgery he had received, aged 20, to slim his nose. ¶ “I took away the cartilage. In retrospect, I have seen it as a mistake. I had a great Nordic nose, while the one I have now is not original,” he told them. » | Richard Orange, Malmö | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Gaddafi and Me: Professor Explains Why LSE Took Cash from Libyan Tyrant’s Son
THE INDEPENDENT: The man who helped to elicit a £1.5m donation from Saif al-Islam’s foundation tells his side of the story

A description of how Saif Gaddafi changed into a "frightened" man as the Libyan revolution approached is given today by his informal academic adviser from the London School of Economics.

Professor David Held, professor of political science at the LSE, is expected to face criticism – along with the university hierarchy – when the long-awaited inquiry into its links with the Libyan regime is published today.

In the first interview he has given about the saga – he spoke to reporters from the LSE's student newspaper, The Beaver – Professor Held acknowledges that he knew at the time that a £1.5m donation to the university from the Gaddafi charity would be "controversial". He says that, with hindsight, his behaviour could "give rise to a perception it was mistaken".

The professor also speaks of student Saif Gaddafi as a "young man who was struggling to make sense of the world, struggling to think about issues which obviously were not easy for him to think about".

He adds: "After four years or so, I found him to be much like an American liberal. He used to say there is nothing wrong with American democracy promotion in the Middle East – I'd be horrified by that statement – because Arabs should promote democracy themselves." » | Nicola Alexander, Alex Haigh, Richard Garner | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Anti-American Sentiment Grows in Pakistan
The lethal air strike on two military outposts near the Afghanistan border at the weekend heightened anti-American sentiment and is testing diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Washington.

Herman Cain to Reassess Presidential Plans
Political analysts in Iowa start to dismiss Herman Cain as a factor in the state's presidential caucuses, in the aftermath of an Atlanta woman's claim that she had a 13-year extramarital affair with Cain. Neil King has details on The News Hub.

Related »

Oslo ferme son ambassade à Téhéran
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La Norvège a fermé sa représentation diplomatique en Iran après l’attaque de la mission diplomatique britannique par des manifestants islamistes.

Le royaume scandinave est le premier pays à annoncer la fermeture de sa chancellerie dans le sillage de l’attaque de la représentation britannique.

Le personnel diplomatique norvégien se trouve toujours à Téhéran et aucune décision d’évacuation n’a encore été prise, a déclaré Hilde Steinfeld, une porte-parole du ministère norvégien des Affaires étrangères. » | AFP | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Législatives en Egypte: les Frères musulmans seraient en tête
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Selon les premières estimations rapportées par la presse égyptienne, les islamistes arrivent largement en tête des élections législatives historiques qui se sont terminées mardi.

L’influent mouvement des Frères musulmans arrive en tête au premier tour des législatives historiques clôturé mardi, selon des premières estimations rapportées mercredi par la presse. Les résultats officiels de la première phase sont attendus dans la journée de mercredi.

«Les islamistes et les libéraux en tête, recul des anciens partis», titrait le quotidien gouvernemental «Al Ahram», au lendemain de deux jours de vote marqués par une participation sans précédent pour les premières législatives organisées après la chute du président Hosni Moubarak en février.

La façade politique des Frères musulmans, «le Parti de la liberté et de la justice (PLJ) et le parti salafiste Al Nour (fondamentaliste musulman) viennent en tête dans six gouvernorats», des neuf concernés dans le premier tour devançant le Bloc égyptien, une coalition de partis laïques, selon le journal. » | ATS/AFP | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Gaddafi's Daughter Urges the Overthrow of Libya's Government
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The daughter Muammar Gaddafi has urged the Libyan people to rise up and overthrow the transitional government which toppled her father's regime.

In an audio message broadcast on Syria's al-Rai television station, Aisha Gaddafi called for a revolt against Libya's new rulers, a government that she said "arrived with the planes of Nato."

"My father has not left, he is always among us," she said, following the traditional 40-day mourning period after his death. "Don't forget the orders of your father urging you to continue fighting, even if you no longer hear his voice." » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Aisha Gaddafi, Daughter Of Former Libya Leader, Calls For Overthrow Of New Rulers: ALGIERS, Algeria — Moammar Gadhafi's daughter urged Libyans on Tuesday to overthrow their new rulers, possibly violating the terms of her exile in Algeria. » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Iceland Votes to Recognize Palestine
YNET NEWS: Iceland 'first Western European country to take this step,' FM boasts; Abbas reaffirms statehood bid

Iceland's parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of recognizing the Palestinian territories as an independent state, the first Western European country to do so according Iceland's foreign minister.

The vote paves the way for formal recognition by the small north Atlantic island, which led the way in recognizing the independence of the three Baltic States after the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991.

"Iceland is the first Western European country to take this step," Foreign Minister Ossur Skarphedinsson told Icelandic state broadcaster RUV. "I now have the formal authority to declare our recognition of Palestine." » | News agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Hague Says Iran Will Face 'Serious Consequences' Over Embassy Attack
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign secretary says Tehran breached Vienna convention in failing to protect diplomatic mission

William Hague has warned Iran it faces "serious consequences" over the attack on the British embassy in Tehran.

Hundreds of protesters surged onto two compounds this afternoon, putting the safety of staff at risk and causing "extensive damage" to property, the foreign secretary said.

"Clearly there will be other, further, and serious consequences. I will make a statement updating parliament on this tomorrow [Wednesday]."

Iranian police protected Britain's ambassador and some staff earlier from a large crowd outside, Hague said.

He added: "There has been a confusing situation at times as to the whereabouts of certain staff. I wouldn't use the term hostage. Clearly there have been situations where the Iranian police have intervened to try to ensure the safety of our staff.

"We are grateful for that but this situation should never have been allowed to arise in the first place." » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan and agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Related »

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British relations with Iran sink to lowest in decades as Tehran embassies are stormed: Britain’s relations with Iran were plunged into their worst crisis in decades after protesters [stormed] two British embassy compounds in Tehran, ransacked offices and forced diplomatic staff to seek refuge in secure rooms. ¶ The most extraordinary scenes came at Britain’s embassy near Tehran’s central bazaar, where riot police simply stood by as demonstrators broke into the main building and tore down pictures of The Queen, looted sensitive documents, smashed windows and even threw petrol bombs. ¶ Chanting “death to England”, the protesters - many of them organised by a student branch of the pro-regime Basiji militia - burned the British flag and set a car on fire in protest at sanctions imposed last week on the Iranian banking system. ¶ Diplomats were forced to seek refuge in a secure room behind reinforced doors and windows, from where they managed to use secure communications to alert London. According to one report, six embassy staff had to be rescued by police after being held hostage by the protesters for several hours. » | Damien McElroy, Amad Vahdat | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Norway Massacre: Breivik Declared Insane

BBC: Psychiatrists assessing self-confessed Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik have concluded that he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

They believe he was in a psychotic state both during and after the twin attacks on 22 July that led to the deaths of 77 people and injured 151.

Their report must still be reviewed by a panel of forensic psychiatrists.

Breivik will still be tried in April but it seems likely he will be placed in psychiatric care rather than prison.

Breivik admits carrying out the attacks but has pleaded not guilty to charges, arguing that that the attacks were atrocious but necessary for his campaign to defend Europe against a Muslim invasion. (+ video) » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Related »

Le roi du Maroc nomme un islamiste modéré comme Premier ministre

LIBÉRATION: Le roi Mohammed VI du Maroc a nommé mardi comme Premier ministre Abdelilah Benkirane, le chef du parti Justice et développement (PJD, islamiste modéré) dont la formation fait sa première entrée dans un gouvernement.

«Le Roi Mohammed VI a reçu mardi en début d’après-midi à Midelt (centre), Abdelilah Benkirane, secrétaire général du PJD, et l’a nommé chef du gouvernement, conformément aux dispositions de la nouvelle Constitution. Il l’a également chargé de former le nouveau gouvernement», indique un communiqué du palais.

Le PJD qui a obtenu 107 des 395 sièges lors des élections législatives anticipées du 25 novembre va pour la première fois diriger un gouvernement de coalition, sous le contrôle du roi, comme le veut la constitution.

Un journaliste sur place a précisé à l’AFP que M. Benkirane (57 ans) a prêté serment devant le roi lors d’une brève cérémonie.

Né à Rabat dans un quartier populaire, M. Benkirane, qui est membre du Conseil supérieur de l’enseignement, est marié et père de six enfants. » | AFP | mardi 29 novembre 2011

Michael Jackson's Doctor Conrad Murray Sentenced to Four Years for Involuntary Manslaughter
Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death, was jailed for four years with a judge describing him as a “disgrace to the medical profession”.

Read article here | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Iran: Demonstranten stürmen britische Einrichtungen

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: In Teheran haben mehrere hundert Demonstranten auf das Gelände der britischen Botschaft gestürmt. Sie rissen die britische Flagge herunter, warfen Steine und verwüsteten Büros. Bereitschafts-polizisten standen während des Angriffs teilnahmslos daneben.

Iranische Demonstranten haben am Dienstag in Teheran auf das Gelände der britischen Botschaft gestürmt. Laut unbestätigten Agenturberichten griffen sie auch eine zweite britische Vertretung im Stadtgebiet an. Wie die Nachrichtenagentur Irna meldet, befinden sich auf dem zweiten Gelände im Norden der iranischen Hauptstadt Gästehäuser für britische Diplomaten sowie deutsche, britische und französische Schulen.

Am Vormittag waren mehr als 20 Demonstranten in das Botschaftsgebäude eingedrungen. Sie rissen die britische Flagge herunter und verwüsteten Büros, wie ein AFP-Reporter berichtete.

Das iranische Staatsfernsehen zeigte, wie Demonstranten Fensterscheiben mit Steinen einwarfen. Ein Demonstrant war zu sehen, wie er mit einem Porträt von Queen Elizabeth II. die Mauer des Gebäudes hinaufkletterte. Die iranische Bereitschaftspolizisten standen während des Angriffs teilnahmslos daneben. » | Quelle: hcr. mit AFP | Dienstag 29. November 2011

Related here and here

Iranian Students Storm British Embassy in Tehran

Read USA Today article here | Douglas Stanglin, USA Today | Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Related »

Iranian TV Shows Protesters Storming British Embassy in Tehran
Following Tehran's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with the UK after the imposition of fresh sanctions, Iranian protesters have broken into the grounds of the British Embassy in the capital.

Read short article here | Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Follow live coverage of the situation here
Related »

A Capital Transforms, for Better and for Worse
THE NEW YORK TIMES: TRIPOLI, Libya — Tripoli is no longer the capital of a police state. But what it has become, in just a matter of weeks, can be both exhilarating and disturbing.

Hashish dealers are openly hawking their wares in the center of the city, Martyrs’ Square, known as Green Square before Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was overthrown. Drivers run red lights without giving it a thought, while political demonstrations snarl traffic. Irregular militia members who have replaced the hated Tripoli police in many neighborhoods are still showing poor discipline with their weapons, firing them accidentally or into the air all too frequently.

Tripoli is a vibrant city of nearly two million people with a bustling port, and it is graced by Roman ruins and old fortification walls built by the Ottomans and other conquerors. But while it has gone through other abrupt changes over the centuries, what is happening these days was unthinkable only weeks ago when Colonel Qaddafi tried to control even the smallest details of daily life.

Tinted windows were prohibited on cars; now, drivers everywhere are pasting dark green tinted plastic on their windows to keep out the searing sun but also as a sign of their new liberty. Fruit and vegetable vendors were restricted from selling their wares on most streets; now, throngs of them are out selling bananas and oranges beneath highway overpasses and on the sides of traffic circles, helping them feed their families but also worsening congestion.

English was largely prohibited from public signs by Colonel Qaddafi. Now, English signs have sprung up almost everywhere around town, even though few Libyans understand what they say. The signs are another expression of liberation, as well as the country’s readiness to open itself to the outer world. » | Clifford Krauss | Monday, November 28, 2011

Tehran Protesters Storm British Embassy
THE NEW YORK TIMES: LONDON — In the latest sign of deteriorating relations with the West, around 20 Iranian protesters entered the British Embassy compound in Tehran chanting “death to England,” tearing down a British flag and ransacking offices, news reports said.

The episode came a day after Iranenacted legislation on Monday to downgrade relations with Britain, in retaliation for intensified sanctions imposed by Western nations last week to punish the Iranians for their suspect nuclear development program. Britain promised to respond “robustly.”

The British Foreign Office in London said it was “aware of the reports” from Tehran about its embassy on Tuesday, but declined to comment further.

The Associated Press indentified [sic] the intruders as hard-line Iranian students, who were said to have burst into the building and thrown documents from windows. They also chanted: “The Embassy of Britain should be taken over.”

The episode was shown live on Iranian state television. The invaders threw stones at windows, and one was seen climbing over the highwall around the compound with an apparently looted portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. While some reports said the protesters clashed with riot police, other accounts said the authorities did nothing to prevent the attack. Read on and comment » | Alan Cowell and Rick Gladstone | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Anders Behring Breivik 'Not Accountable for Attacks'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Psychiatrists have found that Anders Behring Breivik was insane at the time of the crime.

The finding by the two forensic psychiatrists will help determine whether Breivik is sentenced to prison or psychiatric care. Prosecutor Svein Holden says the report shows Breivik was "psychotic" during the attack.

If that assessment is upheld by the court then Breivik cannot be sentenced to prison for the attacks.

"The conclusion is ... is that he is insane," Holden told a news conference. "He lives in his own delusional universe and his thoughts and acts are governed by this universe." Read on and comment » | Barney Henderson | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Bahrain Medics Face New Charges of Supplying Weapons to Protesters

THE GUARDIAN: Prosecutors claim guns, swords, knives and chains produced in court are proof despite findings of independent inquiry

Bahraini medical staff accused of trying to overthrow the government of the Gulf state earlier this year, and who had hoped charges against them might now be dropped, faced new accusations in a court hearing.

Twenty staff from the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama had thought their ordeal might be ending on Monday after the release of last week's report detailing human rights abuses by Bahrain's security forces during the Pearl revolution in February.

The report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) found allegations that the medics "assisted the demonstrators by supplying them with weapons" to be unfounded.

But prosecutors produced guns, swords, knives and chains and claimed this was proof against the doctors, nurses, and paramedics. These weapons had not been presented previously – and led to an incredulous response in court. "It was really hilarious," one of them, Dr Nada Dhaif, [see photo] told BBC Radio 5. "The government has missed the chance that anyone will take this seriously." » | Staff and agencies | Monday, November 28, 2011

Four Million Newspaper Pages Go Online
THE INDEPENDENT: Four million newspaper pages have been put online as part of a massive history project.

The British Newspaper Archive website includes pages from more than 200 different papers from across the UK and Ireland with first hand accounts of events including the wedding of Victoria and Albert and the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Ed King, the British Library's Head of Newspapers, said it opened up the collection "as never before".

He said: "Rather than having to view the items on site at the Library, turning each page, people across the UK and around the world will be able to explore for themselves the goldmine of stories and information contained in these pages - and the ability to search across millions of articles will yield results for each user, that might previously have been the work of weeks or months, in a matter of seconds and the click of a mouse." » | Robert Dex | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Queen Victoria’s funeral »

Stalin's Daughter Who Defected to US Dies at 85

THE GUARDIAN: Svetlana Peters, who denounced communism after the cold war, has died after living out her remaining years in seclusion

Josef Stalin's daughter, who denounced communism after defecting during the cold war, has died in the US after living out her remaining years there in seclusion.

Svetlana Peters, whose quest to find her own identity saw the only daughter and last surviving child of the dictator take on three names, had described her father as "a moral and spiritual monster" after the CIA helped her to escape the Soviet Union in 1967 which caused a diplomatic furore.

Born Svetlana Stalina, she adopted her mother's last name, Alliluyeva, following her father's death in 1953. But she ended her life as Lana Peters – the identity she adopted after claiming political asylum in the US.

After living many years in the public eye, she spent her final days in seclusion. She died of colon cancer on 22 November in Richland County, South Carolina, it emerged. She was 85.

Frequently moving countries, sampling religions from Hinduism to Christian science, the four-times married Peters lived a life which could grace the pages of any novel, and saw her tales inside the Soviet Union earn her two best-selling autobiographies. » | Staff and agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Herman Cain Accused of 13-year Affair with Businesswoman

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Herman Cain has been accused of having a 13-year affair with a businesswoman, providing a potentially lethal blow to a presidential bid already faltering under the weight of repeated sexual allegations.

The former pizza executive strenuously denied the detailed claims made by Ginger White, a woman he described as "an acquaintance who I thought was a friend".

Miss White said they met after a business presentation by Mr Cain in the late 1990s and that for more than a decade he had flown her to cities around the United States where they had sex in upmarket hotels.

The single mother of two said that their physical relationship had ended eight months ago, shortly before he declared his presidential bid, but that they had spoken as recently as September.

Her mobile phone bills showed she had contact with him 61 times in recent months, often receiving calls or texts in the early hours of the morning.

"He made it very intriguing. It was fun. It was something that took me away from my humdrum life at the time," she told Fox Atlanta. » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Egyptians Head to Polls for Second Day

Islamic Schools Flourish to Meet Demand

THE GUARDIAN: Demand for Islamic education in England is growing fast and schools – official and unofficial – are springing up to meet it. Now some local authorities are concerned that there is insufficient regulation

At about eight o'clock on a dull autumnal morning, a mother is preparing breakfast for her young son in the kitchen of an unassuming private house on a little modern estate in Leicester. The doorbell rings. Outside, a series of people carriers and estate cars are rolling up one by one; out of them tumbling a succession of children in twos and threes, all in traditional Islamic dress.

By 8.30, 26 children – some of them only just old enough for school, some almost grown – are sitting in tight rows on the floor of a little inner room, reciting morning prayers in Arabic and in English. By 9.30, the conservatory has become an infant classroom, the dining room has been taken over by the juniors and in the living room, year 7 and 8 girls are preparing to spread their geography projects across the laminate flooring.

By now, the mother has vanished – she doesn't want her name or address to be used, she says, because already families are turning up at odd hours asking to look round the "school" – and Fatima D'Oyen, director of Manara Education, has taken charge with her small team of staff.

There's no doubting that the Manara academy is a most unusual educational institution. But it's also part of a national trend. Although the number of Islamic schools is still small – around 140 at the latest count, just 12 of them state-funded – it is growing fast. About 60 of these schools have opened in the last 10 years; several in the last couple of months. And the demand from parents seems to be huge – one school in Birmingham recently attracted 1,500 applications for just 60 places. At least five Islamic schools have recently applied to be free schools, although so far only one has been approved.

Manara is one of two Islamic schools that have opened in Leicester this autumn – although in its case, the word "school" can only be used loosely. Manara operates just three mornings a week, and its pupils are registered as home-educated. » | Fran Abrams | Monday, November 28, 2011

Hasn't He Done Well! John Bercow Unveils His £37,000 Portrait and Coat of Arms Complete with Ladder, Rainbow and Pink Triangles

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: John Bercow has unveiled his official coat of arms, dominated by a ladder to represent his climb to the top and a rainbow and pink triangles to mark his support for homosexual issues.

The Speaker of the House of Commons also revealed his new official portrait by British artist Brendan Kelly, depicting him rising from his Speaker's chair and motioning towards the Government benches.

The total bill to the taxpayer is £37,000, prompting criticism from value for money campaigners, who said it was “very excessive at a time of public sector austerity” and only aimed at “boosting John Bercow’s ego”.

Mr Bercow’s official coat of arms sits in the frame of his portrait. It is dominated by a ladder, four roundels and two curved ‘seax’ knives.

The ladder represents Mr Bercow’s ascent from humble beginnings, as the son of a taxi driver in north London. He went to a comprehensive, before entering Parliament as MP for Buckingham and becoming Speaker in 2009.

The roundels mark Mr Bercow’s fondness for tennis – he is a qualified lawn tennis coach – and also represent his role as ex officio chairman of the Boundaries Commission of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The seax knives, which were traditionally worn by Saxon warriers over 1,000 years ago, represent Mr Bercow’s attachment to Essex.

He went to university in the county, graduating in 1985 with a first class degree in Government.

The rainbow colours and pink triangles mark Mr Bercow's championing of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans-sexual people. They sit between his motto: “All Are Equal”.

The red and blue colours, as well as the gold colour of the roundels, represent the three main parties in the House of Commons. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Monday, November 28, 2011

La gangrène menace Seif al-Islam s’il n’est pas soigné

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le fils de Mouammar Kadhafi, arrêté le 19 novembre et blessé à la main droite, pourrait développer une gangrène si ses blessures ne sont pas soignées, a déclaré lundi le médecin ukrainien qui l’a examiné.

Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, fils de l’ancien dirigeant libyen arrêté le 19 novembre dans le sud du pays, pourrait développer une gangrène si ses blessures ne sont pas soignées, a déclaré lundi le médecin ukrainien qui l’a examiné.

"Ses blessures sont graves mais quand je les ai vues, elles n’étaient pas gangrenées. Elles peuvent le devenir si elles ne sont pas soignées", a déclaré le Dr Andreï Mourakhovsky, qui a fait un pansement à la main droite du prisonnier au lendemain de son arrestation.

Une semaine après cette première visite, le Dr Mourakhovsky a exprimé son inquiétude: "J’avais été appelé par le conseil militaire. J’ai nettoyé la blessure et j’ai fait un pansement. Maintenant, il faut refaire un nouveau pansement. Le chef du conseil militaire a dit qu’il allait m’appeler mais ils ne l’ont toujours pas fait". » | AFP | lundi 28 novembre 2011

Deutschland, «einmal mehr»

TAGES ANZEIGER: Im verzweifelten Kampf um die Eurorettung brechen Jahrhunderte alte Gräben wieder auf: Briten und Franzosen zeichnen das Bild des hässlichen Deutschen.

Im Ringen um die Eurorettung liegen die Nerven in Europa blank. So blank, dass die Stimmung hie und da gehässig wird – insbesondere in Grossbritannien und Frankreich gegen die deutsche Regierung, die sich nicht für eine EZB-Aktion oder für Eurobonds aussprechen will. Dabei brechen Animositäten hervor, die man für überholt hielt: Deutschland wird zum Kriegsherrn stilisiert, der es im letzten Jahrhundert zweimal war. «Da wird mit uralten Stereotypen gearbeitet», sagt Joachim Knape, Professor für Allgemeine Rhetorik an der Universität Tübingen.

So schreibt etwa der französische Ökonom und frühere Regierungsberater Jacques Attali, Deutschland sei «einmal mehr verantwortlich für den Selbstmord des fortschrittlichsten Kontinents der Welt», falls es dem Anleihenkauf der EZB nicht zustimme. Deutschland halte dazu «die Waffe in der Hand». «Der Aufstieg des Vierten Reichs» » | Von Olivia Kühni | Montag 28. November 2011

Racist Rant of Mother Captured on Camera Phone Shocks Tram Passengers
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The racist rant of a young mother on a busy tram has caused an outpouring of outrage from across Britain.

The unidentified mother was filmed holding her toddler son on her lap while abusing black passengers.

The expletive-filled video shows the white mother on a tram screaming abuse at passengers on the Croydon to Wimbledon service in South London.

The brunette mother blasts black, Polish and foreign commuters with a hate-filled tirade demanding they "go back to their own country", saying that they are not British.

The footage has been viewed thousands of times by internet users - with many reacting angrily and calling for the woman to be arrested and charged. » | Monday, November 28, 2011

Disgusting Racist Rant »

Whatever has become of the refined English lady and gentleman of yore? This is the language of the sewer; and the mentality of a Nazi! Disgusting! – © Mark

Kuwaiti Emir to Hold Crisis Meeting After Three Ministers Quit Over Protests

THE GUARDIAN: Newspaper reports government could resign before demonstration demanding PM resign over corruption allegations

Kuwait's ruler will hold an emergency meeting with his cabinet to try to avert a possible government collapse after three ministers resigned amid growing protests, a Kuwaiti newspaper said.

Kuwaiti daily newspaper al-Watan said the government could submit its resignation to the emir on Monday morning before protesters plan a large demonstration against the government.

"His Highness the emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah will head a cabinet meeting to end the current crisis between the legislative and the executive authorities," Watan reported, citing special sources.

The paper said at least three ministers, including the minister of justice, minister of health and minister of state for development affairs, had resigned because they were unhappy with the government's performance. » | Reuters in Kuwait | Monday, November 28, 2011

Tehran Votes to Expel Britain's Ambassador
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Iran erupted in a fresh frenzy of animosity towards its old imperial foe on Sunday as MPs chanting "death to England" voted to expel Britain's ambassador to Tehran and threatened his mission with a reprise of the 1979 hostage crisis.

Dominic Chilcott, who took up the position of ambassador just a month ago, could be forced to leave the country within weeks after a motion to downgrade Iran's diplomatic ties with Britain was passed overwhelmingly by the Islamist republic's parliament.

The step was taken after Britain, Canada and the United States announced fresh sanctions against Iran last week in the wake of a report by UN weapons inspectors which provided the most compelling case yet that Tehran is trying to build a nuclear bomb.

Britain was singled out, however, after it became the first state to impose direct sanctions on Iran's central bank. Financial institutions in the City were also banned from doing business with their Iranian counterparts.

Despite pressure from Israel, Washington has baulked at following suit, arguing that such a step would cause deep financial pain for ordinary Iranians and could cause the price of oil to soar. If its central bank faced widespread international sanctions, Iran would find it virtually impossible to import and export oil, food and other commodities except on the black market.

It is the first time in the UK's postwar history that Britain has imposed a total boycott on the entire banking industry of a foreign state.

Iranian MPs were incandescent in their fury towards Britain, known by many in Iran as "the Old Fox". After announcing that the motion had been carried by 171 votes to three, Ali Larijani, the hawkish speaker, warned that even tougher penalties would be imposed on Britain, saying: "this is just the beginning of the road." Read on and comment » | Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent | Sunday, November 17, 2011

New Dark Age: Muslim Medical Students Boycotting Lectures on Evolution... Because It 'Clashes with the Koran'

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Muslim students, including trainee doctors on one of Britain's leading medical courses, are walking out of lectures on evolution claiming it conflicts with creationist ideas established in the Koran.

Professors at University College London have expressed concern over the increasing number of biology students boycotting lectures on Darwinist theory, which form an important part of the syllabus, citing their religion.

Similar to the beliefs expressed by fundamentalist Christians, Muslim opponents to Darwinism maintain that Allah created the world, mankind and all known species in a single act.

Steve Jones emeritus professor of human genetics at university college London has questioned why such students would want to study biology at all when it obviously conflicts with their beliefs.

He told the Sunday Times [£]: 'I had one or two slightly frisky discussions years ago with kids who belonged to fundamentalist Christian churches, now it is Islamic overwhelmingly.

'They don't come [to lectures] or they complain about it or they send notes or emails saying theyshouldn't have to learn this stuff.

'What they object to - and I don't really understand it, I am not religious - they object to the idea that there is a random process out there which is not directed by God.' » | Daily Mail Reporter | Sunday, November 27, 2011

Newt Gingrich Wins New Hampshire Union Leader Endorsement

THE GUARDIAN: Newspaper snubs Mitt Romney six weeks ahead of Republican primary and backs former Speaker of House of Representatives

The influential New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper has endorsed Newt Gingrich as the Republican party's presidential candidate, snubbing favourite Mitt Romney six weeks before voters in the state cast their ballots in one of the first Republican primaries.

"We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing," the state's largest newspaper wrote in a Sunday editorial which promoted Gingrich while delivering Romney a discreet rebuke.

"We don't back candidates based on popularity polls or big-shot backers. We look for conservatives of courage and conviction who are independent-minded, grounded in their core beliefs about this nation and its people, and best equipped for the job," the newspaper said. » | Associated Press | Sunday, November 27, 2011

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Now Scared, Alone and Pondering His Fate

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, held in a secret location by the men of Zintan who his family fought, must wonder if he will get a fair trial - and then execution.

There are no books, and no television. More importantly perhaps, for a partygoer used to shooting weekends at country houses and birthday celebrations, there is no company.

In an anonymous concrete house, in the back streets of the mountain stronghold of Zintan, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi sits alone, with no access yet to a lawyer, friends, or even the four men captured with him.

"For sure, he is just sitting there, thinking about his fate," Osama Jueili, the head of the Zintan Brigade and the man responsible for Saif al-Islam's security, told The Sunday Telegraph.

He does have 20 brigade men on permanent station to guard him. It is doubtful they have much in common with the man who pursued the bright lights of Europe in white tie and tails and once thought he was destined to rule over them.

The capture of the late dictator's son was a happy moment for Libya. A clean operation, it was performed without the bloodlust attendant on his father, Muammar, and brother, Mutassim.

Yet unlike their deaths, Saif al-Islam's fate will linger in the international consciousness for months as he is brought to trial and, most likely, convicted and hanged. Endless questions will be raised – not least by his own lawyers – about his character, his relationship to his father, and his close contacts with politicians and businessmen like Tony Blair, and fellow partygoers Peter Mandelson, Nathaniel Rothschild and Oleg Deripaska.

The process will be a test too of the stability of the new Libya, and of whether a country held in thrall to the whim of one man can unite to the difficult cause of building peaceful, prosperous institutions. » | Richard Spencer, Zintan | Sunday, November 27, 2011

Niall Ferguson Threatens to Sue over Accusation of Racism

THE GUARDIAN: Historian claims writer Pankaj Mishra accused him of racism and must apologise or face court action

It has been an intellectual spat of some savagery, so far largely confined to the refined pages of one of Britain's most respected literary magazines.

This weekend, however, it seems ever more likely that a court will have to adjudicate between the historian Niall Ferguson and writer Pankaj Mishra over Ferguson's claim that he had been accused of being a "racist".

Indeed, not since VS Naipaul and Paul Theroux fell out has there been a spat like this in the letters pages of a literary journal. A new exchange of correspondence in the current London Review of Books, triggered by Mishra's review of the Harvard professor's latest book Civilization, which Ferguson claims was "defamatory", is evidence that the row is becoming more intense.

In his letter Ferguson charges Mishra of being "in full and ignominious retreat", condemning both Mishra and the LRB for refusing to apologise. » | Peter Beaumont | Saturday, November 26, 2011

Islamists in Morocco Election Claim 'Historic' Vote Breakthrough

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Morocco's moderate Islamists said today that they were poised for an unprecedented electoral win.

Morocco's moderate Islamists are the latest religious party to achieve spectacular gains on the back of the Arab Spring.

A month after Islamists won Tunisia's post-revolution election and days before their predicted surge in Egyptian polls, their Moroccan counterparts claimed to have achieved a similar breakthrough without bloodshed.

With official results expected Sunday, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) – a moderate Islamist movement which accepts the monarchy – said its own figures gave it a clear edge.

"The figures which we have allow us to say that we will have over 100 seats" out of the 395 in parliament, PJD parliamentary bloc leader Lahcen Daoudi said, adding that his party notched up wins in rural areas where it had little traditional support.

"We have already won over 80 seats and I can tell you that we will easily have over 100 seats. This is a historic turning point," added Mustapha el Khelfi, the managing editor of Attajdid, the PJD's mouthpiece. » | Saturday, November 26, 2011

My comment:

What’s all this talk about “moderate Islamism”? Now that’s an oxymoron if ever I heard one! Islam is not given to moderation; Islamism still less so! What a load of tosh! They might well appear moderate on the surface, and at the start; but just wait! They’ll soon show just how moderate they are. – © Mark

Related »

New Zealand Election: John Key Wins Second Term as Prime Minister

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: John Key, the New Zealand prime minister, promised voters 'a brighter future' after his centre-right National party was swept back to power in a general election on Saturday.

During a victory speech to ecstatic supporters chanting "three more years", Mr Key said: "We have been given the trust and goodwill of New Zealanders.

"I do not take that trust for granted, and I never will.

"Tonight New Zealanders voted for a brighter future, and there will be a brighter future."

Mr Key alluded to some of the major issues he had faced during his first term in office, such as the destructive Christchurch earthquakes and the Pike River coal mine disaster.

"Over the past 15 months, New Zealand has experienced more than its fair share of challenges, but as a country we have risen to them," he said.

"We have shown that in the worst of times you have seen the very best of New Zealanders."

In an interview later, he renewed his commitment to returning the government's books to surplus by 2014 and addressing the controversial topic of welfare reform. » | Paul Chapman, Wellington | Saturday, November 16, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Smiling Assassin »

DIE PRESSE: Neuseeland: Konservative vor Wahlsieg im plötzlichen Auswanderungsland » | Manuela Kornell | Freitag 25. November 2011

Early Results Show Islamist Party Lead in Morocco
BRADENTON HERALD: Election results for the first 50 seats in Morocco's parliament announced by the state news agency early Saturday suggest a moderate Islamist party is taking 40 percent of the vote.

With just a fraction of the results for the 395-seat Parliament reported, the opposition Justice and Development Party looks to have dramatically increased its share.

Party Secretary General Abdelilah Benkirane said late Friday that by its own estimates, his party had come in first.

According to the new constitution, the party with the most seats gets first crack at forming a new government, so if the trend continues, the Islamists must find coalition partners willing to work with them.

In recent years Morocco's Islamists have cultivated an image as honest outsiders battling corruption and seeking to improve services, rather than focusing on moral issues such as the women's headscarf.

Morocco, a close U.S. ally and popular European tourist destination suffers from high unemployment and widespread poverty.

If the Islamists do end up winning the most seats, that would appear to confirm a trend of victories by Islamist parties in elections prompted by the Arab Spring, following Ennahda's win last month in Tunisia. Read on and comment » | PAUL SCHEMM, Associated Press | Saturday, November 26, 2011
LE MONDE: Les islamistes revendiquent la victoire électorale au Maroc » | Isabelle Mandraud, envoyée spéciale au Maroc | samedi 26 novembre 2011

Zapatero und die Medien: Verdiente Ruhe

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Kaum ist der spanische Ministerpräsident Zapatero abgewählt, fallen die Medien über ihn her. Egal ob Freund, ob Feind: Der Sozialist wird verhöhnt und verteufelt. Nur von einem nicht.

Es ist nicht leicht, eine angemessene Vorstellung von der Abneigung und Verachtung zu geben, welche die rechten spanischen Medien - Presse, Radio, Fernsehen - gegenüber José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero über die letzten acht Jahre an den Tag gelegt haben. Es ist auch nicht leicht, in Spanien über „links“ und „rechts“ zu reden, aber davon gleich. Alle Arten von Witzen, Wortspielen und Namensverdrehungen waren gängige Münze, um den sozialistischen Ministerpräsidenten zu verhöhnen, tagaus, tagein.

Auf dem Cover eines Buchs erschien Zapatero mit gefährlich funkelnden grünen Augen, langen Ohren und übertrieben spitzen Augenbrauen, als sei er der leibhaftige Teufel. Die „Augenbrauen des Präsidenten“ mit Hilfe von Photoshop als verräterisches Signal des Bösen schlechthin zu nehmen lag für eine klerikale Wählerschaft durchaus nahe, die der Regierungschef durch seine Gesetze zu Schwulenehe und Express-Scheidung brüskiert hatte. Sogar die spanischen Bischöfe gingen auf die Straße. » | PAUL INGENDAAY | Donnerstag 24. November 2011

A Bible Is a Thing of Beauty: Gove to Send One St James Text to Every School in Move Blasted as 'Unacceptable Waste of Money'
MAIL ONLINE: The Prime Minister will send every school in Britain a copy of the King James Bible – complete with a foreword by the Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Gove said the Bible was the most ‘important book written in the English language’ and had major cultural and historical significance.

But the move is highly controversial with non-religious groups condemning it as an unacceptable waste of public money.

Critics also mocked the project on Twitter with former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott describing it as Mr Gove’s ‘vanity project’.

The Department for Education confirmed that the Bibles will be sent out to over 20,000 schools to mark the 400th anniversary of it[s] translation.

Supporters said the book will help school pupils of all faiths to take pride in the history and culture of Britain.

Government ministers have always been careful to avoid controversies surrounding religion with Tony Blair’s former communications chief Alastair Campbell famously once declaring: ‘We don’t do God’.

But Mr Gove said: ‘It‘s a thing of beauty, and it‘s also an incredibly important historical artefact. It has helped shape and define the English language and is one of the keystones of our shared culture. And it is a work that has had international significance’. Continue reading and comment » | Kirsty Walker | Saturday, November 26, 2011

Prepare for Riots in Euro Collapse, Foreign Office Warns
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British embassies in the eurozone have been told to draw up plans to help British expats through the collapse of the single currency, amid new fears for Italy and Spain.

As the Italian government struggled to borrow and Spain considered seeking an international bail-out, British ministers privately warned that the break-up of the euro, once almost unthinkable, is now increasingly plausible.

Diplomats are preparing to help Britons abroad through a banking collapse and even riots arising from the debt crisis.

The Treasury confirmed earlier this month that contingency planning for a collapse is now under way.

A senior minister has now revealed the extent of the Government’s concern, saying that Britain is now planning on the basis that a euro collapse is now just a matter of time.

“It’s in our interests that they keep playing for time because that gives us more time to prepare,” the minister told the Daily Telegraph.

Recent Foreign and Commonwealth Office instructions to embassies and consulates request contingency planning for extreme scenarios including rioting and social unrest. » | James Kirkup, Deputy Political Editor | Friday, November 25, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Eurozone looks to International Monetary Fund as contagion spreads: • Italian and Spanish bond yields reach new highs • Belgium downgraded by S&P credit-rating agency » | David Gow in Brussels and Giles Tremlett in Madrid | Friday, November 25, 2011