Opening the Rafah Crossing
Hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza have entered Egypt as the Rafah border crossing was reopened on Saturday by Egypt's interim military government.

The gateway has been mostly shut since Hamas routed Fatah from the Gaza Strip in internecine fighting in 2007.

Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnston reports the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing.

Hosni Mubarak Fined £20 Million for Shutting Down Internet

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Egyptian court has fined ousted President Hosni Mubarak and two former officials 540 million Egyptian pounds (£55 million) for cutting off mobile and internet services during January protests.

The administrative court fined Mr Mubarak £20 million; former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif £4 million, and former interior minister Habib al-Adly £30 million for their damage to the national economy, a court source said.

This was the first court ruling to be made against Mr Mubarak since he was ousted on February 11. » | Saturday, May 28, 2011

Italy: Muslims Thank Italian Bishops Leader for Backing Milan Mosque

ADN KRONOS INTERNATIONAL: Milan - Italy's largest Muslim group has sent a message to Italy's highest ranking bishop to thank him for his organisation's support for a project to construct a mosque in Milan, the country's conservative business hub.

In the message to Angelo Bagnasco, who leads Italy's Bishops' Conference (CEI), the UCOII said: "We are relieved and immensely grateful for the position voiced by senior officials from the Italian Bishops' Conference in support of official places of worship for Muslims, an issue which nowadays has wrongly become a political hot potato."

"The brotherly solidarity of the great majority of Christians, which we have experienced at thousands of inter-faith gatherings and debates, has been strongly confirmed," the statement added.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday during the CEI's general assembly at the Vatican, CEI secretary-general Mariano Crociata said the Catholic Church backed "the right to freedom of worship and places of worship to exercise this fundamental right". » | AKI | Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Italy: Arab Spring Shows Democracy Compatible with Islam Says Berlusconi

ADN KRONOS INTERNATIONAL: Deauville - The unrest that has shaken the Arab world over the past six months and ousted two of the region's autocratic leaders shows that Islam is compatible with democracy, Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi told said on Friday.

"The principle has been established that democracy is not only compatible with western countries and their civilisations, and I believe this is very important," Berlusconi told journalists at the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France.

The stirrings of democracy seen in the popular revolts that have taken place in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen and other Arab countries are the latest in an "extraordinary period of history" that has unfolded over the past 25 years, he said. » | AKI | Friday, May 27, 2011

How on earth can Berlusconi come to this ridiculous conclusion from the ‘Arab Spring’? The ‘Arab Spring’ shows that the Arabs yearn for freedom of expression, yearn for a different governance, another way of life, another way of being ruled. Precisely what the uprisings do not show is that Islam and democracy are compatible. First of all, we have yet to observe what the outcome of these revolutions will be? Secondly, the sine qua non of democracy is that there be a separation of church and state. In the case of Muslims, that would mean a separation of mosque and state. This is absolutely forbidden in Islam. There is no concept in Islam of such a separation. In fact, there is no concept in Islam of the secular. In Islam, life is meant to be one coherent whole, the 'secular' and the religious and the political all meld into one. So clearly, Silvio Berlusconi needs to go away and do some serious homework. And not of the bunga bunga variety, either! Something rather more profound, something rather more taxing (mentally), and something rather more intellectual.

Ruhollah Khomeini said: "In Islam, the legislative power and competence to establish laws belong exclusively to God Almighty." In a democracy, the opposite is true. Further…

“Secularism cannot be a solution for countries with a Muslim majority or even a sizeable minority, for it requires people to replace their God-given beliefs with an entirely different set of man-made beliefs. Separation of religion and state is not an option for Muslims because is requires us to abandon Allah's decree for that of a man['s].” [Source: Islaam.com: Separation of Church and State] | Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris ]

– © Mark

Listening Post - Al Jazeera and the Arab Awakening
Wadah Khanfar, Al Jazeera's director general, talks to Listening Post about the network's coverage of the Arab revolutions

Nordkorea entlässt US-Bürger aus Haft
TAGES ANZEIGER: Der US-Amerikaner Eddie Jun wurde nach sechs Monaten Haft in Nordkorea freigelassen. Die Behörden warfen ihm vor, für das Christentum missioniert zu haben.

Nach sechs Monaten Haft hat Nordkorea einen US-Bürger freigelassen. Der Amerikaner Eddie Jun, dem die nordkoreanischen Behörden Medienberichten zufolge Missionierung vorwarfen, wurde heute von einem US-Sondergesandten nach Peking gebracht und reiste von dort weiter nach Seoul. Jun werde innerhalb der nächsten Tage zu seiner Familie in die USA fliegen, sagte der US-Beauftragte für Menschenrechte in Nordkorea, Robert King. Jun trat nicht vor die Presse. » | mrs/dapd | Samstag, 28. Mai 2011

Jesus a Hit on Facebook
May 27, 2011 – 'Jesus Daily' gains popularity for its religious message

FACEBOOK: Jesus Daily »

Latest Raw, Uncut And Exclusive Interview Of Pastor Dr. Terry Jones

HT: Faith Freedom »

Islam’s Growing Influence in Denmark: Muslim Converts Share Their Experiences about Being Muslim in Denmark
With English subtitles

Greek Muslims
With English subtitles

Muslims Rally Against the Tyrant Barack Obama with Special Guest Speaker Anjem Choudary
24th May 2011 - Demonstration against Barack Obama and Allies, organised by the International Shariah Court, outside 10 Downing Street

Sex and Power: 'Powerful Men Have an Overactive Libido'

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: As the former head of the International Monetary Fund awaits trial in New York on sexual assault charges, SPIEGEL ONLINE speaks to Dutch socio[-]biologist Johan van der Dennen about the relationship between sex and power. Powerful men, van der Dennen says, "just take what they want."

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Those in positions of power have sex with the secretaries; they assault hotel maids, or at least are accused of such, and sleep with the nanny. Is there a normal percentage of oversexed people among powerful men, and it's just easier to notice their lapses, their misconduct, because they are so visible?

Van der Dennen: Both may be true. Powerful men have a both an overactive libido as compared to 'normal' men, but they are also more willing to gamble that they can get away with their sexual activities whenever and wherever. Power is a great aphrodisiac, as Kissinger said. Powerful men almost automatically expect other people to do their bidding. Sex is just part of that game. Powerful women also have larger-than-average sexual appetites.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Would Clinton, Berlusconi, Strauss-Kahn and Schwarzenegger have done the same if they weren't in a position of power? Or is it the power itself that makes them do such things?

Van der Dennen: Undoubtedly men who eventually reach positions of power have strong ambitions in that direction and indeed a certain recklessness and even unscrupulousness. But, in my opinion, it is the position of power itself that makes men arrogant, narcissistic, egocentric, oversexed, paranoid, despotic, and craving even more power, though there are exceptions to this rule. Powerful men generally have a keen eye for female beauty and attractiveness, and women generally are attracted to powerful, successful, famous, and wealthy men. Every "willing" woman confirms the power of the powerful man. » | Interview conducted by Rafaela von Bredow | Friday, May 27, 2011

WikiLeaks Accused Bradley Manning 'Should Never Have Been Sent to Iraq'
Guardian exclusive: Soldier held over US intelligence leak was known to be mentally fragile and unsuited to army life
Watch video here
Read the article here

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Founder, Slaughters His Own Food

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, has started slaughtering his own food, including slicing the throat of a goat with a knife, as part of a sustainable living project.

The 27-year-old billionaire said his decision to kill his own meat was part of a “personal challenge” he had set himself to appreciate food more and understand where it comes from.

Earlier this month he announced on his personal Facebook account: “I just killed a pig and a goat.”

After a series of less than positive responses he explained that he wanted to live more sustainably by only eating what he had personally killed. That has included eating the heart, liver and feet of a chicken.

In an email to Fortune magazine he said: “I started thinking about this last year when I had a pig roast at my house. A bunch of people told me that even though they loved eating pork, they really didn't want to think about the fact that the pig used to be alive.

“That just seemed irresponsible to me. I don't have an issue with anything people choose to eat, but I do think they should take responsibility and be thankful for what they eat rather than trying to ignore where it came from. » | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Friday, May 27, 2011

My comment:

Earlier this month he announced on his personal Facebook account: “I just killed a pig and a goat.” After a series of less than positive responses he explained that he wanted to live more sustainably by only eating what he had personally killed. That has included eating the heart, liver and feet of a chicken.

I hope he enjoyed the feet of the chicken! Not much flesh on those; and hellishly rough on the throat! What a load of tosh! Not much sensible coming out of America these days!

If he really wants to appreciate where the animals he eats come from, I suggest that he go into the countryside, and find a friendly farmer to show him round his farm. Then, after that, I would suggest that he visit a couple of abattoirs to see first-hand how meat is slaughtered, observe the blood flowing in the channels beneath his feet, and savour the stench. That will make him appreciate where his meat comes from.

To say that I want to eat beef, so I'm going to slaughter an ox is about as sensible as saying that I want to fly to the States, so I am going to build myself a plane! – © Mark

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Mark Zuckerberg déçoit à l'e-G8

LE POINT: L'intervention du patron de Facebook devait être le bouquet final du forum. Il n'a pas dévié d'un pouce de son discours marketing.

Il fallait s'y attendre. Si certains espéraient un discours visionnaire de Mark Zuckerberg pour clore le forum e-G8, le fondateur de Facebook n'est pas sorti des clous du marketing. Le patron du réseau social aux 600 millions de membres a vanté les mérites de son entreprise et rappelé une énième fois l'"extraordinaire" histoire de Facebook et les raisons de son succès.

Interrogé sur les révolutions arabes, il s'est contenté de ne pas s'en attribuer tout le crédit. "Il serait particulièrement arrogant pour une entreprise de technologie de revendiquer un rôle dans les mouvements de protestation", a-t-il expliqué. Mais de son avis personnel sur la liberté d'expression et le pouvoir des réseaux sociaux, on ne saura rien : il ne faudrait pas blesser tel ou tel gouvernement. Même topo pour le respect de la vie privée. La star du forum s'est contentée de répéter les communiqués de Facebook : "Chacun doit fixer ses limites", a-t-il simplement affirmé. » | Guerric Poncet | Mercredi 25 Mai 2011

Inside Story - Who Will Come Out On Top at the E-G8?
World leaders are meeting in France this week for the G8 summit. The Arab Awakening is set to be top of the agenda, but the innovations that helped to mobilise that awakening will also be discussed. Mark Zuckerburg, the Facebook CEO, was welcomed to Paris by Nicolas Zarkozy [sic], the French president. Zuckerburg was in France with other web and media executives for the first ever so-called E-G8 summit - a discussion on internet governance. It is a nod to the ever-growing power of the internet. But some of the biggest names in the online industry have offered a stark warning to world leaders: Over-regulate and we will bypass you. Inside Story asks what impact this meeting will have and who will come out on top.

These Immigration Figures Should Give David Cameron Sleepless Nights

TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – NORMAN TEBBIT: The latest figures on immigration are a body blow to the Coalition. Many electors voted Conservative in the belief that David Cameron had the will and strength to cut immigration. It seems that he lacks one or the other, or both.

In The Spectator this week James Forsyth suggests that in the wake of the good results in the AV referendum and the local elections the Prime Minister may be becoming dangerously complacent about the next election. There is too much to be done for any complacency. We are more, not less under the thumb of Our Masters in Brussels and indeed our judicial masters in Brussels.

There is no sign of a repeal or even substantial amendments to NuLab’s grotesque Human Rights and Equality legislation. Ken Clarke’s out of touch and laid back attitude to crime has enraged a far wider constituency than those offended by his careless remarks about rape.

Now on top of all that come the latest figures showing the rising tide of foreigners, putting further strain on housing, schools, power, water and transport and health infrastructure. Last year the number of people coming into our country from overseas increased by almost 50 per cent. We are almost back to the record levels set by Blair. Fewer people are now leaving Britain and more and more are pouring in. Many are from central Europe, and to be fair they are mostly coming here to work, doing jobs declined by our native unemployed.

They, of course, need no visas or work permits and – short of leaving the EU – there is nothing that we can do about that. However, even where we are allowed to defend our own borders the Lib-Dem/Con Coalition granted 6 per cent more work permits than Mr Brown’s government did in its last year of office.

Belatedly, a cap on non-EU migrants was imposed last month, but the Coalition is still trying to bring Turkey into the EEC which would unleash a new uncontrolled wave of immigration. Ministers look on, but do nothing, as the Judiciary blocks the deportation of foreign criminals and blithely puts the interests of foreign law-breakers ahead of those of the law-abiding British. Nor has anything been done to stop the admission of asylum seekers on the grounds that they would be happier here than in their own countries. » | Norman Tebbit | Friday, May 27, 2011

My comment:

There was a time when one could count on the Conservatives to do the right thing. Alas, those days appear to be over. It is difficult to see much difference anymore between NuLabour, Liberals, or Conservatives. They're all a shabby, spineless lot. As for upholding all that is best about Britain, none of the politicians are willing to do it anymore.

Immigration has always been a hot-button issue. But no politician has the courage to deal with the ongoing problem for fear of sounding racist. But the fact is clear: immigration needs to be controlled and severely restricted. And it could be; but the will isn't there.

We should take a leaf out of the Swiss' book and set up a totally separate police department, a department that deals only with issues pertaining to immigrants. It would be a dedicated team, with a police station in all main towns.

In German-speaking Switzerland, it is known as the Fremdenpolizei. They deal only with issues relating to foreigners resident in the country; and they keep a close eye on them, ensuring that they are there legally, etc. The system works well. Why can't we have such a system in this country?

Further, if our companies need foreign workers, why can't we move over to a guest worker system? Guest workers can come here for a specified time, often times extendable. But when they are no longer required, they go home. That way, our companies' needs for workers are met. But the system doesn't have long-term consequences for the nation. – © Mark

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Lessons in Winning a Billionaire's Heart
A Chinese school teaches girls the skills to win the hearts of wealthy men

UK Palace Goes All-out for Obama State Dinner

SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER: LONDON — For President Barack Obama, a state dinner hosted by the British queen is much more than a chance to dine on Windsor lamb washed down with 50-year-old port. It's also an opportunity to bask in the grandeur of Britain's monarchy, still glowing from the success of a princely wedding watched around the world.

Large British and American flags lined the Mall, where, less than a month before, Prince William and his new bride, the Duchess of Cambridge, rode to Buckingham Palace. The nearby Green Park still bore large bare patches where the world's media had camped out for the marriage.

Inside the palace, the crimson-carpeted ballroom was laid out with 19th-century silverware, Louis XVI porcelain and fragrant floral arrangements more than 12 feet (four meters) tall. Every gilded ornament had its own rich history — the Rockingham dessert service, for example, was first used for Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838.

The 170 or so guests joining the Obamas for dinner include Britain's prime minister, senior royalty, ambassadors, business leaders, top brass, leading academics, prominent nobility and even the archbishop of Canterbury — who officiated at William's April 29 wedding.

No white-tie state dinner would be complete without a side helping of celebrity. Tom Hanks was on the guest list, as was Tim Burton, Kevin Spacey and Helena Bonham-Carter — who won plaudits for her recent portrayal of the queen's mother in the Academy Award-winning movie "The King's Speech."

The menu, printed in French on dainty white cards, included sole, Windsor lamb with basil, green bean panache and Charlotte a la Vanille for dessert. Wines include Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2004 and Royal Vintage Port from 1963. » | Raphael G. Satter, Associated Press | Tuesday, May 24, 2011

State Banquet Menu for President Obama »

Related »

Queen Elizabeth II. und US-Präsident Barack Obama an Bankett
US-Präsident Barack Obama und der britische Premierminister David Cameron sind in London zu Gesprächen zusammengetroffen. Im Zentrum der Gespräche stehen dürften die Libyen-Krise, der Nahost-Konflikt und das weitere Vorgehen in Syrien. Gestern Aband war das amerikanische Präsidenten-Paar Gast beim Bankett der Queen im Bukingham Palast