UN Watchdog Slams Religious Defamation Resolution
JTA: NEW YORK -- A Geneva-based U.N. watchdog group blasted a draft resolution opposing "defamation of and contempt of religions."

In a statement Wednesday, U.N. Watch said the resolution, authored by Pakistan and expected to pass the U.N. Human Rights Council, would undermine moderate Muslim voices.

"It's an Orwellian text that distorts the meaning of human rights, free speech, and religious freedom, and marks a giant step backwards for liberty and democracy worldwide," the group said.

The U.N.'s human rights body has previously adopted resolutions on the defamation of religions while mentioning only Islam as a target. Such measures have been opposed by the United States and Europe, which see defamation laws as pertaining to individuals and not ideas, such as religious creeds. Such resolutions, crtiics say, would have a chilling effect on free speech.

"The first to suffer will be moderate Muslims in the countries that are behind this resolution, like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan, who seek international legitimacy for state-sanctioned blasphemy laws that stifle religious freedom and outlaw conversions from Islam to other faiths," U.N. Watch said. "Next to suffer from this U.N.-sanctioned McCarthyism will be writers and journalists in the democratic West, with the resolution targeting the media for the 'deliberate stereotyping of religions, their adherents and sacred persons.'

"Ultimately, it is the very notion of individual human rights at stake, because the sponsors of this resolution seek not to protect individuals from harm, but rather to shield a specific set of beliefs from any question, debate, or critical inquiry." [Source: JTA] | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Le pape évitera une partie du mémorial de la Shoah à Jérusalem
LE POINT: Benoît XVI "ne lâche" pas Pie XII même s'il n'a toujours pas donné le feu vert pour sa béatification . Le souverain pontife a décidé de ne pas se rendre au musée de Yad Vashem, mémorial de la Shoah à Jérusalem, lors de son pèlerinage en Terre sainte en mai. Il entend ainsi protester contre la légende d'une photo du musée où Pie XII - élu pape le 2 mars 1939 - est accusé d'être resté silencieux pendant la Shoah et de n'avoir rien fait face à la déportation et l'extermination de six millions de juifs. >>> AFP | Mardi 10 Mars 2009

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Lord Ahmed Freed
THE GUARDIAN: Lord Ahmed was involved in an accident that left a man dead on the M1 near Rotherham

Lord Ahmed was freed from prison today. Photo courtesy of The Guardian
The Labour peer Lord Ahmed has been freed by the court of appeal today from a 12-week jail sentence for dangerous driving.
Ahmed, 51, was sentenced for sending and receiving texts on the M1 near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, shortly before he was involved in a fatal crash in darkness on Christmas day in 2007.

Martyn Gombar, a 28-year-old Slovakian, was killed after Ahmed's Jaguar hit his Audi car, which had stopped in the fast lane. Subsequent tests revealed that Gombar, a father of two, had been drinking before his vehicle clipped the central reservation of the motorway and spun around. Gombar was attempting to retrieve his mobile phone from the car at the time of the collision.

Records showed that Ahmed, whose wife and mother were also in the car, had sent and received five text messages with a journalist while driving at over 60mph.

He was jailed by Sheffield crown court last month after admitting driving dangerously, and was banned from driving for 12 months.

Although the judge in the trial, Justice Wilkie, described Ahmed's texting as "prolonged, deliberate, repeated and highly dangerous," he said the text messaging had finished before the accident took place and was not connected with the crash.

Allowing Lord Ahmed's appeal today, Lady Justice Hallett said it was important to state that Ahmed's offence was one of dangerous driving, not of causing death by dangerous driving. >>> Jo Adetunji and agencies | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Anjem Choudary & Majid Nawaz in Debate on Islam

Part 2
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Afghanistan: 20-Year Sentence for Journalist Upheld
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Politicized Case Shows Grave Threat to Freedom of Expression

Afghan policemen escort Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh after he leaves court in Kabul. © 2008 Reuters
(New York) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai should issue a pardon for Parwez Kambakhsh, a student and part-time journalist, whose 20-year prison sentence for blasphemy has been upheld by the Supreme Court, Human Rights Watch said today. The Supreme Court decision was the final stage in a highly politicized case that has repeatedly flouted Afghan and international law and highlighted the lack of professionalism among the Afghan judiciary.

The court upheld the sentence on February 11, 2009, without informing Kambakhsh or his lawyer, or allowing the lawyer to submit arguments in Kambakhsh's defense. On March 7, the lawyer, Azfal Nooristani, discovered that the decision had been made.

"The Supreme Court represented the last hope that Parwez Kambakhsh would receive a fair hearing, but once again justice was denied," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Kambakhsh has committed no crime. Now it is up to President Karzai to act on principle and free him." >>> | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH:
Afghanistan: Overturn Death Sentence of Jailed Journalist – Blasphemy Case Illustrates Failings of Legal System >>> | Saturday, January 31, 2009

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Nigerian Bill Defines Gay Roommates as "Married," Inflicts Prison Penalty
Anti-gay Anglican leader Peter Akinola. Photo courtesy of TDGE Boston

EDGE Boston: Under a proposed new law in Nigeria, same-sex marriage would consist of gays simply living together--and would be punishable by three years in prison.

The law would extend new powers to the police to crack down on anyone thought to be gay, reported the BBC in an article posted online Mar. 11.

Advocates of the country’s gay and lesbian population stood against the bill, with the Queer Alliance of Nigeria’s Rashidi Williams addressing a government committee with plea not to enhance the nation’s existing anti-gay legislation with a law that would essentially make it a crime for gays to share living space by defining the sharing of housing as "gay marriage."

Existing law in the Christian part of the country penalizes gays with 14 years in prison, while in Muslim areas gays face being stoned to death for their sexuality. >>> By Kilian Melloy | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Melanie Phillips: Persistently Validating Extremism
THE SPECTATOR: Policy Exchange has produced yet another extremely important pamphlet on radical Islamism and the grievous and indeed lethal errors in government policy towards it. Entitled Choosing Our Friends Wisely by Shiraz Maher and Martin Frampton, it is a devastating critique of the centrepiece of that policy, a strategy called Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE). Recently, it was reported that there was a strong feeling in parts of the security establishment that this strategy had been a disaster; defining the problem as only ‘violent’ extremism’, the government had failed to grasp that the core problem is actually religious/ ideological extremism which produces a continuum of divisive, antisocial or threatening views which provides the sea in which violence swims. The strategy should therefore be changed to ‘Preventing Extremism.’

This is a case I have made many times, not least in my book Londonistan. It is not clear whether or how this argument has resolved itself within government – although from a speech made recently by the Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, it looked as if the PVE camp had succeeded in fending off the PE proponents. No surprise there – a change to Preventing Extremism would take clarity of vision and a great deal of courage. Now, though, the Policy Exchange pamphlet has dissected the disaster that is the Preventing Violent Extremism strategy – which, through its unbelievably stupid belief that non-violent extremists can be used as the antidote to violent extremists, is actually radicalising a new generation of Muslims, sometimes with the very funds that are supposed to be countering radicalisation. It says:

Non-violent extremists have consequently become well dug in as partners of national and local government and the police. Some of the government’s chosen collaborators in ‘addressing grievances’ of angry young Muslims are themselves at the forefront of stoking those grievances against British foreign policy; western social values; and alleged state-sanctioned ‘Islamophobia’. PVE is thus underwriting the very Islamist ideology which spawns an illiberal, intolerant and anti-western world view.

Political and theological extremists, acting with the authority conferred by official recognition, are indoctrinating young people with an ideology of hostility to western values. This strategic error on the part of officialdom is born of a poverty of aspiration: the belief of the authorities that they cannot reasonably ask angry Muslims for much more than a pledge not to use violence in Britain. The effect has been to empower reactionaries within Muslim communities and to marginalise genuine moderates, thus increasing inter-community tensions and envenoming the public space.

>>> Melanie Phillips | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Texas College Offers Courses on How to Be a Proper Woman

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‘Islam Can Be Used to Curb Tobacco Use’
SINDH TODAY: Mumbai – An Iraqi cancer specialist’s view that the teachings of Islam can be used to curb tobacco consumption has found favour with experts from several nations, especially those with Muslim majorities, who attended the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health here.

“Islam can be used as an effective tool for tobacco control among Muslims, who constitute 22 percent of the world’s population,” Lath Yahya Ibrahim Mula Hussain, an oncologist from Iraq, told IANS.

“It is a hard fact that most Muslims have fallen prey to tobacco. Islam is a powerful tool that can be used to guide the lives of Muslims across the globe but it ought to be used effectively,” said Hussain.

He added that a large number of Muslim scholars and clerics are not convinced about tobacco being dangerous and hence haven’t taken steps to prohibit it. >>> ik/sh/jg | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Texas Students Take to the Turban!
THE DALLAS MORING NEWS: The line outside the University of Texas at Arlington's library this week wasn't for intramural sign-up, a spring break travel package or even hot dogs sold off the grill for a fraternity fundraiser.

It was for turbans.

Sikh volunteers swirled blood-red, neon orange and aquamarine cloth around the heads of students as they explained why an item intended to distinguish the Sikh religion has threatened its identity.

UTA is one of five North Texas college campuses where Sikh students tied turbans and debunked myths for their spring break.
Billed as "Sikh Turban Week," the event is intended to clarify the misconceptions ignited after Sept. 11, detail the significance of the turban for Sikhs and showcase one of the region's fast-growing communities.

"It's nothing to do with Osama bin Laden or terrorism," said Jaipreet Singh Suri, the president of Southern Methodist University's Sikh Student Association and organizer of the event. "The message we want to go out is that the majority of people who wear turbans are Sikh and not Hindu or Muslim."

The SMU students recruited additional volunteers from the region's five gurdwaras – the Sikh place of worship – and raised about $7,000 from among the 5,000 Sikhs who live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Most Sikhs originally come from the Punjab region in northwest India. North Texas College Students Try on Turbans, New Perspectives >>> By Jessica Myers | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Somalia to Get Sharia-based Law
AL JAZEERA: The Somali cabinet has voted to make Islamic law the basis for the country's legal system.

Tuesday's move was an attempt to isolate more extreme armed groups by agreeing to a demand supported by much of the Somali population.

Farhan Ali Mohamed, the information minister, said implementing sharia, or Islamic law, would help end attacks by the militias.
The bill must still be approved by parliament, which is expected to hear it within days, and the ministry of justice would still select judges and police would have the power to detain suspects, the minister said.

Several armed groups have said they will stop fighting the government if sharia were implemented. >>> | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Obamalism

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Westerners Help Financial Jihad Along
TIMES ONLINE: Sharia-compliant finance is prospering in Britain. But how can it stay insulated from the credit crunch?

As the credit crunch has mutated inexorably into a recession, with bankers having eclipsed politicians, lawyers and even journalists as public enemy number one, the growing number of Islamic finance institutions in Britain might just be sitting pretty.

The UK now has five fully Sharia-compliant banks and another 17 financial institutions have set up special branches or firms. They include the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), with its London-based European Finance House in Berkeley Square, and the Islamic Bank of Britain, which has headquarters in Birmingham.

Both have answered Gordon Brown’s call of two years ago for Britain to become the global centre for international Islamic banking; a report by the International Financial Services London even says that Britain’s Islamic banking sector is now bigger than that of Pakistan.

Islamic banks, says Steven Amos, the Islamic Bank of Britain’s head of marketing, are prospering. “Our core business will always be Muslims but the numbers of non-Muslims are really picking up. We’ve had massive interest — and that’s down to a number of reasons, all of which have kept us insulated from the credit crunch.”

He alludes to the nuances of Islamic banking — specifically that Islamic finance has to be Sharia, or Islamic law, compliant. Sharia is taken from the Koran, one of whose central tenets — that money has no intrinsic value — might sound alien to the denizens of the City.

One British businessman believes that adopting Sharia principles might be just what the West needs. Roger Smee, a former professional footballer and now businessman, says the West has “lost the plot. All we have as a success guide is a number of rich lists. Instead of looking down on what we are quick to reject as cumbersome legal restrictions, we should take a page out of the Middle East’s book and use the principles of Sharia to begin building real and sustainable economies.” Crossing Over to Islamic Banking >>> Alex Wade | Thursday March 12, 2009

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Iraqi Jailed for Bush Shoe Attack
BBC: An Iraqi journalist hailed as a hero in the Arab world for throwing his shoes at former US President George W Bush has been jailed for three years.

Muntadar al-Zaidi, the shoe-thrower. Photo courtesy of the BBC
Muntadar al-Zaidi pleaded not guilty as his trial resumed in Baghdad, telling the judge:"My reaction was natural, just like any Iraqi."

He could have been jailed for 15 years for assaulting a foreign leader on an official visit. >>> | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Otan : les Etats-Unis «ravis» du retour de la France
LE FIGARO: Le secrétaire général de l'organisation a également accueilli chaleureusement l'annonce d'une possible réintégration de la France dans le commandement intégré de l'Alliance.

Les Etats-Unis sont «ravis» de la décision de la France de rejoindre le commandement militaire intégré de l'Otan, quitté par Paris il y a 43 ans, a indiqué mercredi le département américain de la Défense. «Nous sommes ravis qu'après 43 ans d'absence, la France soit de nouveau à sa place dans la structure de commandement de l'alliance qu'elle a contribué à créer», a ainsi déclaré le porte-parole du Pentagone Geoff Morrell.

«Même si leurs soldats ont combattu bravement au côté des nôtres en Afghanistan, leur retour complet dans tous les aspects militaires de l'Otan est une nouvelle bienvenue», a-t-il ajouté. Par ailleurs les Etats-Unis se réjouissent de «travailler encore plus étroitement avec (les Français) dans les décennies à venir», a developpé le porte-parole. «La France, un allié important» >>> Flore Galaud (lefigaro.fr) avec AFP | Jeudi 12 Mars 2009

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Al-Qaida-Video: Islamisten rufen zu Anschlägen in Deutschland auf
WELT ONLINE: Schon wieder hat das Terrornetzwerk al-Qaida eine Video-Botschaft speziell an Deutschland gesendet. Darin rufen zwei deutsch-marokkanische Brüder zu Anschlägen gegen die Bundesrepubik auf. Das Bundeskriminalamt hat die Spur der beiden zurückverfolgt.

Zwei deutsch-marokkanische Brüder aus Bonn rufen nach einem Bericht der „Bild“ in einem neuen Droh-Video zu Selbstmord-Anschlägen gegen Deutschland auf. 



„Entscheidet euch für das Leben nach dem Tod. Leistet euren Beitrag, wo immer Ihr euch befindet. Es gibt keine Ruhe mehr“, sagten die beiden Männer in dem im Internet verbreiteten Video in deutscher Sprache. 



Die in Tarnanzügen auftretenden Männer bezeichneten sich als „Abu Adam aus Deutschland“ und „Abu Ibraheem aus Deutschland“, berichtet die Zeitung. >>> dpa/ab | Donnerstag, 12. März 2009

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Er kann die Wallstreet nicht beruhigen
TAGES ANZEIGER: Vom Auftreten her ein Diplomat, von der Arbeitsweise her ein Technokrat: US-Finanzminister Geithner hat Mühe, sich als Krisenmanager durchzusetzen.

Was immer der 54-jährige Timothy Geithner zu erklären versucht: Stets wirkt er besorgt und an sich selbst zweifelnd. Diese Eigenheit, die seine Freunde seit seiner Jugend kennen, macht ihm heute – mitten in der gröbsten Finanzkrise seit 80 Jahren – die Arbeit schwer. Nur sechs Wochen nach Amtsantritt ist der Finanzminister bereits umstritten. Kritiker von links und rechts sehen ihn gar als Fehlbesetzung, nicht zuletzt, weil er im Netz der Old Boys an Wallstreet hängen geblieben scheint.

«Das Problem von Tim ist nicht, dass er die Schwere einer Krise nicht erfasst oder nicht stets die beste Lösung will», sagt eine Vertraute, die ihn seit der Hochschule am Dartmouth College gut kennt. «Seine Schwierigkeit war und ist, dass er besorgt erscheint, auch wenn er es gar nicht ist und lieber grübelt als sich öffentlich zu erklären.» Geithner ist in seinem Habitus viel mehr Vermittler als ein harter, schnell entscheidender Krisenmanager. >>> Von Walter Niederberger, San Francisco | Donnerstag, 12. März 2009

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USA – Kuba: Washington stößt die Tür zu Castro-Regime auf
DIE PRESSE: Die USA lockern Embargo gegen die Karibikinsel – ein Signal der Öffnung. In Kuba hofft das Regime auf weitere Signale der Öffnung aus Washington.

WASHINGTON. Seit der „Schweinebucht-Aktion“, dem von John F. Kennedy initiierten und grandios gescheiterten Putschversuch gegen Kubas Staatschef Fidel Castro 1960, hat niemand an der Doktrin der US-Außenpolitik gegen die Karibikinsel gerüttelt. Ob Republikaner wie Richard Nixon oder Ronald Reagan oder Demokraten wie Jimmy Carter oder Bill Clinton: Alle US-Präsidenten hielten an dem 1962 beschlossenen Handelsembargo fest, um so den Kommunismus in ihrem Hinterhof auszuhungern. Und die exilkubanische Gemeinde in Florida, meist hartgesottene Republikaner, sorgte dafür, dass das Lüftchen aus Washington nicht zu lau wurde.

Seit 45 Jahren ist John F. Kennedy nun tot, und der so oft totgesagte Fidel Castro erlebt in seinem krankheitsbedingten Ausgedinge als Politrentner bereits den zehnten US-Präsidenten. Im Gegensatz zu Kennedy jedoch, der sich in den ersten Monaten seiner Amtszeit zu dem abenteuerlichen Staatsstreich hinreißen ließ, setzt Barack Obama auf eine sanfte, schleichende Veränderung. Washington stößt die Tür zum Castro-Regime auf. >>> Thomas Vieregge | Mittwoch, 11. März 2009

LE MONDE: Obama allège les restrictions sur les voyages à Cuba

Des dissidents cubains ont qualifié, mercredi 11 mars, de "positif" l'allègement des restrictions sur les voyages à Cuba pour les Cubains américains, disant espérer que ce geste de Washington sera suivi d'une réponse similaire de la part de La Havane. "C'est une bonne nouvelle pour le peuple cubain, cela va contribuer à son unité", a déclaré l'économiste modéré Oscar Espinosa Chepe.

Le Sénat américain a voté mardi soir un vaste projet de loi qui comprend l'allègement de restrictions sur les voyages et l'envoi d'argent de Cubains américains vers l'île communiste des frères Castro, sous embargo américain depuis 1962. Les Cubains vivant aux Etats-Unis pourront notamment désormais visiter leurs proches restés à Cuba une fois par an plutôt que tous les trois ans et dépenser jusqu'à 179 dollars par jour sur l'île au lieu de 50. >>> LEMONDE.FR avec BBC News et AFP | Jeudi 12 Mars 2009

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Labour's Disastrous Policy Is Radicalising a Whole New Generation of Muslims
MAIL Online: The repellent spectacle of Muslims demonstrating in Luton against the British soldiers returning from Iraq does more than turn our stomach.

It tells us in graphic form that this country has not only utterly failed to combat a threat to itself from within but - astoundingly - turns not against those who threaten it but against those who seek to defend it.

When the returning troops of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded through Luton they had to run the gauntlet of Muslim protesters waving placards saying: ‘Anglian soldiers: Butchers of Basra,’ and ‘Anglian soldiers: cowards, killers, extremists.’

Not surprisingly, this enraged the rest of the crowd of decent, patriotic people who had turned out to welcome the troops home. Yet the only arrests made were among those who objected to the Muslim provocation, including a man who shouted something at them.

Talk about getting things back to front! The police turn a blind eye to gross and offensive provocation which clearly poses a threat to public order, while arresting instead those who are thus provoked!

Among the protesters was a group of burka-clad women with their faces wholly concealed except for slits for the eyes. Given the menacing nature of the protest, the fact that their identities were thus concealed was highly relevant.

Yet if anyone objects to any of this, they are called ‘Islamophobic’. Just think what the reaction would be if, say, a group of Ku Klux Klansmen in full regalia took part in a demonstration by neo-Nazis in a heavily ethnic minority area. Does anyone imagine that such a direct threat to public order would be permitted?

But when it comes to Islamist extremists, it is those who protest at such gross provocation - and, indeed, treachery against their own country - who are arrested as a threat to public order while the extremists are left free to preach their hatred.

Moreover, this demonstration appears to have been organised by an extremist group directly linked to Omar Bakri Mohammed, who now preaches to his followers from Lebanon via videos posted on websites after he was barred from Britain.

Omar Bakri led the extremist group al Muhajiroun which is now banned in Britain. But one of yesterday’s protesters was Sayful Islam, the leader of the Luton branch of an organisation that has the same beliefs as al Muhajiroun, and who said ‘They can’t come here and parade where there is such a Muslim community.’ Why are the police turning a blind eye to this?

Today, the extremist preacher Anjem Choudary not only praised yesterday’s protesters but, in an inflammatory message posted on an Islamic extremist website, viciously mocked the member of the returning regiment who had been killed by friendly fire in Iraq.

Why is Anjem Choudhary still at liberty to preach such inflammatory hatred? He leads a group formed after al Muhajiroun was banned called Islam For The UK which wants Britain to be an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law. >>> Melanie Phillips | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

YOUTUBE: "The Butchers Of Basra?"



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Feeling Sorry for Yourself as the World Depression Begins to Bite? Don’t! Spare a Thought for the World’s Poor Billionaires!
THE TELEGRAPH: The number of billionaires across the globe slumped by almost a third in the last 12 months as many of the world's richest men and women fell victim to the economic recession.

Photo of Bill Gates courtesy of The Telegraph
Those worth over £1billion fell from 1,125 in 2008 to just 793, as a combined $2.4 trillion (£1.74 trillion) was wiped off the value of their collective 2008 $4.4 trillion fortune.

As a result, the average billionaire saw their net worth fall from $3.9bn to $3bn in the year, as the value of investments, property and other assets all plunged.

The annual survey of who's who and who's worth what in the upper echelons of the world's entrepreneurial classes, the just-released Forbes 2009 World Billionaires list reveals the damage that has been wreaked on the fortunes of many.

Warren Buffett, the richest man in the world last year with a fortune of $62bn, lost $25bn as a result of declines in the value of his investments, many of which are in the insurance and financial sectors which have been hardest hit by the global recession.

Taking his crown is Bill Gates, who, in spite of reclaiming the top spot in the annual Forbes survey after a year's absence, still saw his Microsoft fortune fall by almost a third, down $18bn to $40bn. Number of World Billionaires Slumps by a Third >>> By James Quinn in New York | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

leJDD.fr:
Galerie de photos: Les riches deviennent moins riches: Comme chaque année, le magazine Forbes publie son classement annuel des grandes fortunes mondiales. Le crû 2008 a un petit air de crise. >>> | Jeudi 12 Mars 2009

BBC:
Watch BBC video: Billionaires Drop Off Rich List: The financial crisis is taking its toll on the world's richest people, wiping 332 names off the Forbes Magazine's 'rich list' of world billionaires. >>> Caroline Hepker | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Shari'ah Spreads
CHRISTIANITY TODAY: Islamic laws creep into half of Indonesia's provinces.

As candidates hit the campaign trail in preparation for July's presidential election, Indonesian rights groups have voiced strong opposition to an increasing number of Shari'ah-inspired laws they say discriminate against religious minorities and violate Indonesia's policy of the Pancasila, or "unity in diversity."

With President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono likely to form a coalition with Islamic parties for the election, such laws could become a key campaign issue.

Although Aceh is the only province governed by Shari'ah, more than 50 regencies in 16 of Indonesia's 32 provinces have passed some 600 Shari'ah-influenced laws following the Regional Autonomy Law of 2000.

The laws vary widely. Legislation in Padang requires both Muslim and non-Muslim women to wear headscarves, while a law in Tangerang allows women found "loitering" on the street after 10 p.m. to be arrested for prostitution. Other laws include stipulations for Qur'an literacy among schoolchildren and severe punishment for adultery, alcoholism, and gambling. >>> Compass Direct News | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Turkey's Science Council Under Fire for Censoring Darwin
AFP: ANKARA — Turkey's main science council came under fire Wednesday after a magazine it publishes was reported to have been forced to scrap a cover article on Charles Darwin under pressure from managers.

Newspapers and academics slammed the incident as meddling by the Islamist-rooted government, which has long been accused of favouring religious-minded loyalists for senior posts at the council.

The mass-selling Hurriyet daily described the incident at the Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK) as "a typical spectacle of cosying up to the government," while the popular Vatan said it was "a scandalous example of censorship that will go down in science history." >>> | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Netanyahu's Vow to Syria: Israel Won't Provoke War
HAARETZ: Benjamin Netanyahu sent a message to Syria before last month's election promising that a government under him would "not provoke war" and would be interested in "seriously and genuinely exploring" a peace process.

Likud officials met with senior Syrian figures in January in Washington to prepare the ground for further exchanges after Israel's next government takes office, Likud sources said.

The officials, however, did not express any willingness to make concessions or withdraw from the Golan Heights, as Syrian President Bashar Assad says is necessary. >>> Yoav Stern | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Wilders Britain Ban Not EU Issue
DUTCHNEWS.nl: MPs are still angry that ministers will not raise Britain's decision to ban anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders from entering the country within the European Union, reports the Telegraaf.

A majority of MPs earlier supported a motion calling on the government to raise the issue. During a second debate on the ban on Tuesday, MPs from across the political spectrum again called on ministers to take action.

Foreign minister Maxime Verhagen says he will not bring up the ban in Brussels because Britain is not breaking any EU laws. >>> | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Dutchman Acquitted of Insulting Islam
NRC HANDELSBLAD INTERNATIONAL: "Stop the tumour that is Islam" is not an insult to a group on the basis of its religion, the Dutch high court ruled on Tuesday. An activist from the southern town of Valkenswaard, who had hung a poster using this slogan in his window, has been acquitted of the charge, which is similar to one of the charges faced by controversial Dutch anti-Islam member of parliament Geert Wilders.

The man from Valkenswaard had hung the poster after the 2004 murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a Muslim extremist. The poster read: "Stop the tumour that is Islam. Theo has died for us. Who will be next? Resist now! National Alliance, we will not bow down to Allah. Join now." [The National Alliance in the Netherlands is an extreme right movement.]

The high court on Tuesday explained its ruling by saying that it is not a crime to express insults towards religion. "Not even if that happens in such a way that the devotees feel their religious feelings are hurt", the court said.

The highest judge in the Netherlands said that only if a needlessly offensive remark is 'explicitly' geared towards a certain group, which is distinct from others in society based on its religion, can there be a matter of group insult as defined in article 137c of the Dutch criminal code. For an insult towards a group to be punishable, that group has to be 'collectively' hit in what defines that group, namely religion. Criticism towards opinions that exist within a group or the behaviour of people belonging to that group cannot be penalized, according to the ruling. >>> News Staff, NRC Handelsblad International | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Is the Quran the Word of Allah?

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Deutschland begrenzt Managerlöhne
TAGES ANZEIGER: Längere Laufzeiten für Aktienoptionen, mehr Kontrollmacht für den VR – die deutsche Regierung legt den Topmanagern mit einem heute veröffentlichten Gesetzesentwurf die Zügel an.

Die deutsche Regierung will gesetzlich festhalten, dass die Vergütung eines Vorstands künftig in einem «angemessenen Verhältnis» zu seiner Leistung und zum Lohnniveau in seiner Firma stehen.

Die oft kritisierten Bonuszahlungen werden nicht in Frage gestellt, sie müssen jedoch stärker am langfristigen Erfolg des Unternehmens ausgerichtet sein. Aktienoptionen dürfen ausdrücklich erst nach vier statt bisher zwei Jahren eingelöst werden. Salärbeschlüsse werden transparenter >>> oku/sda | Mittwoch, 11. Marz 2009

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Die EU fürchtet um ihren Zusammenhalt
Karte von Europa dank dem Tages Anzeiger
TAGES ANZEIGER: Je länger die Krise dauert, desto stärker wird das Selbstverständnis der EU auf die Probe gestellt. Das Grundprinzip der Solidarität steht auf dem Spiel.

In Brüssel haben Schreckensszenarien Hochkonjunktur: Geht der Euro in den Turbulenzen der Finanzkrise unter? Kommt es angesichts von Massenentlassungen zum Flächenbrand und zu sozialen Unruhen in einzelnen Mitgliedsstaaten? Droht den Neumitgliedern im Osten der Reihe nach der Staatsbankrott, oder bricht die EU gar auseinander? Alles Fragen, zu denen sich EU-Kommissionspräsident José Manuel Barroso nicht äussern will. «Spekulationen über Negativszenarien helfen nichts», sagt sich der Portugiese diese Woche nach dem Krisengipfel der Union vom Sonntag in seinem Brüsseler Hauptquartier.

Der entfesselte Markt ist out

Barroso wirkt in diesen Krisentagen mehr wie ein Getriebener denn wie ein Akteur. Einige in der EU sehen den eloquenten Kommissionspräsidenten als Teil des Problems. Andere schimpfen über den «neoliberalen» Portugiesen und sehen ihn als Symbol einer gescheiterten Ära. In den fünf Jahren seiner Amtszeit hat Barroso für den freien Markt plädiert und möglichst wenig Regeln gepredigt. Das angelsächsische Modell galt sehr zum Ärger von Franzosen, Deutschen oder auch Italienern in Brüssel als grosses Vorbild und die boomende Londoner Finanzmetropole als Erfolgsgeschichte. Irland mit seinem Rekordwachstum liess sich als «keltischer Tiger» feiern. Balten oder Slowaken wurden dank Flat Tax als Niedrigsteuerparadies, als Trendsetter gepriesen und den «alten Europäern» bei Gelegenheit als Beispiel vorgehalten.

Heute ist alles anders. Der entfesselte Markt ist jetzt out, Regeln und Leitplanken sind nun angesagt. Doch die einst als neoliberal verschriene Barroso-Kommission tut sich mit ihrer neuen Rolle schwer. Die EU-Kommission hinkt bei der Suche nach Antworten auf die Krise immer einen Schritt hinterher. Sie wirkt, als würde sie sich auf einer Geisterbahn befinden. Hinter jeder Ecke verbergen sich neue Gefahren, und niemand scheint derzeit in Brüssel sagen zu können, wann mit dem Licht am Ende des Tunnels zu rechnen ist. Zuerst galt es, die Banken im alten Europa von «giftigen Papieren» zu säubern und zu stabilisieren. Dann wurde aus der Finanz- eine Wirtschaftskrise. Und nun hat die Krise die anfänglich verschonten Staaten an den Rändern Europas erreicht: Die Banken dort gehören in grosser Mehrheit Mutterhäusern im alten Westeuropa, denen nun das Geld fehlt, die nach der Wende aufgekauften Filialen über Wasser zu halten. >>> Von Stephan Israel, Brüssel | Freitag, 6. Marz 2009

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Affaire Williamson: le pape s'explique dans une lettre aux évêques
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: CITE DU VATICAN | Benoît XVI s'est expliqué dans une lettre aux évêques sur sa décision de lever l'excommunication des prélats intégristes dont un négationniste. Cette lettre sera rendue publique jeudi.

Le pape Benoît XVI bénit la foule sur la place Saint-Pierre à Rome, le 11 mars 2009. Photo grâce a là Tribune de Genève
Benoît XVI s'est expliqué dans une lettre aux évêques sur sa décision de lever l'excommunication des prélats intégristes dont un négationniste, a annoncé le Vatican mercredi, précisant que cette lettre serait rendue publique jeudi.

Selon des extraits publiés mercredi par un vaticaniste italien qui affirme en avoir eu connaissance, le pape confie avoir été blessé par les vives réactions suscitées par cette mesure.

Le Vatican, après avoir dans un premier temps refusé de confirmer l'existence de la lettre, a annoncé qu'elle serait publiée jeudi à 12H00 (11H00 GMT).

Les extraits publiés par le vaticaniste Andrea Tornielli sur son blog "sacri palazzi" montrent un pape blessé par la "véhémence" de la polémique qu'a provoquée la levée controversée de l'excommunication des quatre évêques lefebvristes tandis que, selon le Vatican, Benoît XVI ignorait les déclarations négationnistes de l'évêque Richard Williamson.

L'affaire "a suscité à l'intérieur et hors de l'Eglise catholique une discussion d'une véhémence que l'on n'avait pas connue depuis longtemps", aurait reconnu le pape.

"J'ai été attristé par le fait que même des catholiques, qui au fond auraient pu mieux savoir comment sont les choses, ont pensé devoir me frapper avec une hostilité prête à l'attaque", aurait-il écrit.

Il remercie en revanche ses "amis juifs" qui ont contribué à lever le "malentendu" et à "rétablir une atmosphère d'amitié et de confiance". >>> AFP | Mercredi 11 Mars 2009

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Afghanistan : Biden met 
la pression sur l'Europe
Photo de Joseph Biden grâce au Figaro
LE FIGARO: Le vice-président américain a demandé mardi aux alliés qui traînent des pieds «d'honorer leurs engagements».

Cinquante jours après l'investiture de Barack Obama, la pression monte sur l'Europe. Le vice-président américain Joseph Biden est venu mardi demander en personne l'aide des pays de l'Otan face à une situation «qui se détériore» en Afghanistan et dans la région. Officiellement, Joseph Biden a fait le déplacement de Bruxelles pour «consulter et écouter», une tonalité qui sonne agréablement aux oreilles européennes après les aigreurs de la présidence Bush. Avec les voyages du chef du Pentagone, Robert Gates, et de la secrétaire d'État, Hillary Clinton, la visite du vice-président témoigne d'un empressement qui culminera avec la venue de Barack Obama, les 3 et 4 avril au sommet de l'Alliance atlantique à Strasbourg-Kehl.

Cette succession, graduée, traduit aussi une insistance et une fermeté croissantes. «Je sais que les gens sont fatigués de cette guerre (…) mais aucun d'entre nous, je dis bien aucun d'entre nous, ne peut fuir sa responsabilité face aux menaces qui s'accumulent dans la région», a martelé Joseph Biden à l'issue de deux heures d'entretien avec les vingt-six ambassadeurs du Conseil de l'Atlantique Nord.

C'est là, aux confins de l'Afghanistan et du Pakistan, qu'ont germé les attaques du 11 septembre 2001 et presque tous les attentats qui ont suivi. «C'est là aussi qu'al-Qaida se régénère.» Washington a décidé l'envoi de 17 000 hommes supplémentaires, qui s'ajouteront aux 70 000 soldats étrangers déjà déployés en Afghanistan, dont 38 000 Américains. Face à cette montée en puissance, les Européens traînent des pieds, disant attendre que la Maison-Blanche honore d'abord sa promesse d'une «révision d'ensemble» de sa stratégie. C'est désormais une affaire de semaines, voire de jours. Joseph Biden a confirmé mardi que la nouvelle politique afghane serait connue à temps pour le sommet de l'Alliance. >>> Jean-Jacques Mével | Mardi 10 Mars 2009

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Soldiers Returning from Iraq Welcomed by Crowds after Taunts by Muslim Extremists
THE TELEGRAPH: Crowds have gathered in defiant mood in Watford to welcome soldiers returning from Iraq a day after they were subjected to protests by Muslim extremists in Luton.

Photo of the returning soldiers being given a warm welcome courtesy of The Telegraph
Troops from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were given a warm welcome in Watford, Herts, by thousands of supporters.

Their march through Luton on Tuesday was disrupted by protesters holding placards reading "Anglian soldiers: Butchers of Basra" and "Anglian Soldiers: Cowards, Killers, Extremists". >>> | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Urteile gegen Tarik Aziz und «Chemie Ali»
NAME: Je 15 Jahre Haft für Iraks Ex-Vizeregierungschef und Saddam Husseins Cousin

Wegen Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit und vorsätzlichen Mordes ist der ehemalige irakische Vize-Regierungschef Tarik Aziz zu einer 15-jährigen Gefängnisstrafe verurteilt worden. Auch der als «Chemie Ali» bekannte Ali Hassan al-Majid, ein Cousin des ehemaligen Staatschefs Saddam Hussein, muss für 15 Jahre in Haft, wie der Richter Rauf Raschid Abderrahman am Mittwoch in Bagdad verkündete. >>> sda/afp | Mittwoch, 11. März 2009

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Gordon Brown Cheers Up the United States

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Suspected Nazi Fights Extradition from Australia to Hungary
THE TELEGRAPH: An Australian man has taken a lie detector test as part of his battle against extradition to Hungary where he is alleged to have killed a Jewish teenager during the Second World War.

Charles Zentai, 87, is listed by the US-based Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Center as among its 10 most wanted Nazis, but maintains he is innocent.

The Centre claims Zentai "participated in manhunts, persecution, and murder of Jews in Budapest in 1944".

Hungary accuses him of torturing and killing 18-year-old Peter Balazs in a Budapest army barracks on Nov 8, 1944, for failing to wear a star that would identify him as a Jew. Zentai allegedly carried out the attack while serving as a soldier in the Hungarian army, then allied with Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany.

Zentai, who emigrated to Australia in 1950 from his native Hungary, denies the allegations.

In August, a Perth magistrate ruled that Zentai could be extradited to Hungary to face war crime charges. But his lawyers appealed the ruling in the Perth federal court, arguing the crime he is accused of was not an offense under Hungarian law at the time.

Zentai's lawyer, Grant Donaldson, said the charges were not valid. >>> By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Gay Ducks! Nature or Nurture, Ducky?
THE TELEGRAPH: Attempts to breed a rare species of duck to avoid extinction in the UK have backfired after the only two remaining males fell for each other.

Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Keepers at a bird sanctuary in West Sussex hoped that the last remaining female Blue Duck in the country - called Cherry - might mate with either of the drakes, Ben or Jerry.

But neither male duck appeared interested and are now inseparable at the Arundel Wetland Centre, leaving Cherry to her own devices.

Centre warden Paul Stevens said he was disappointed that efforts to produce new Blue Duck offspring had failed but said the two male birds made "a lovely couple".

"They stay together all the time, parading up and down their enclosure and whistling to each other as a male might do with a female he wants to mate with," he said. Blue Ducks Likely to Die Out in UK after Male Birds Get Together >>> By Caroline Gammell | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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The Arrogance and Ignorance of Obama

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How Could the Americans Have Elected This Big Head? This Man Is Far, Far Too Full of His Own Importance!
THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama has rejected the charge that he is taking on too much too soon, by comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt and John F Kennedy.

Barack Obama, the profligate president, shows how full of himself he is! Time will tell whether he’ll be counted as one of America’s greats. I would suggest that it is not for him to tell anyway. Meanwhile, we are waiting for at least a miracle a week that he promised us he would perform. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
The new president's response ran the risk of reviving the criticism sometimes heard during his campaign and inauguration that he was prematurely ranking himself among the great American politicians.

In a speech on his 50th day in office outlining his plans to reform education, Mr Obama said: "I know there are some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time."

He recalled that Lincoln had laid the transcontinental railway during the civil war, that Roosevelt "didn't have the luxury of choosing between ending a depression and fighting a war" and Kennedy didn't "have the luxury of choosing between civil rights and sending us to the moon".

"And we don't have the luxury of choosing between getting our economy moving now and rebuilding it over the long term," he said. Barack Obama Rejects Accusation that He Is Taking on Too Much Too Soon >>> By Alex Spillius in Washington | By Alex Spillius in Washington | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Vatican Envoy: Holocaust Deniers Can't Be Considered Catholic
HAARETZ: The Vatican's envoy to Israel asserted on Monday that Holocaust deniers could not be considered Catholic, in an apparent bid to temper tensions ahead of a papal visit in May.

Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco was seemingly referring to Pope Benedict XVI's reinstatement of bishop Bishop Williamson, who has denied the full extent of the Holocaust and says there were no gas chambers. The move sparked an outcry among Israelis and Jews across the world.

Williamson later apologized for his remarks.

Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev expressed satisfaction at Franco's comment, saying that the conference was a step toward "building trust and creating dialogue, in the wake of the latest crisis with the Vatican." >>> By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Saudi Arabia ‘Disturbed’ by Arrest Warrant against Sudan President
Photo of King King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz courtesy of the Sudan Tribune
SUDAN TRIBUNE: RIYADH – The Saudi government today said it was “disturbed” by the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision last week to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

“The council of ministers said the kingdom is concerned and disturbed by the International Criminal Court’s decision to arrest his Excellency President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir” the Saudi Information Minister Abdul Aziz al-Khoja told reporters following a regular cabinet meeting led by King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz.

“This will not solve the problems in Sudan. On the contrary, it will complicate them” al-Khoja said.

The ICC judges issued an arrest warrant for Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture. The three-judge panel said it had insufficient grounds for genocide.

Saudi Arabia joins the bulk of Arab states that expressed concern over the indictment without criticizing the court and urging the UN Security Council (UNSC) to invoke Article 16 of the Rome Statute that would suspend ICC proceedings against Bashir for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.

“The kingdom will stand by Sudan in facing all that could threaten its sovereignty and territorial unity” he added. >>> ST | Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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Die Geduld des Dalai Lama mit China ist am Ende
Dem Dalai Lama ist die Geduld mit China am Ende. Foto vom geistigen Oberhaupt der Tibeter dank Google Images
WELT ONLINE: Nie war das geistige Oberhaupt der Tibeter so deutlich wie zum 50. Jahrestag des Volksaufstandes. Offen griff der Dalai Lama China an: Sein Volk erleide unter der chinesischen Besatzung "die Hölle auf Erden" und Tibet brauche "echte Autonomie". Doch gerade momentan scheint eine Einigung weit entfernt. >>> Von Sophie Mühlmann | Dienstag, 10. März 2009

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Le Vatican répond à Obama
L’Eglise catholique s’oppose à l’utilisation de cellules souches embryonnaires humaines. (Reuters)
leJDD.fr: Si la décision de Barack Obama sur le financement des recherches sur cellules souches embryonnaires humaines a contenté les scientifiques, l'Eglise catholique se montre moins enthousiaste. L'archevêque de Philadelphie s'est empressé de condamner cette décision qui permettrait de réaliser des avancées sur certaines maladies, et qui suppose la destruction d'embryons humains pour y parvenir.

La réponse du Vatican ne s'est pas fait attendre. Seulement un jour après la signature de l'autorisation de financement fédéral de la recherche sur les cellules souches embryonnaires humaines par le président Obama, le cardinal Justin Rigali, s'est empressé de dénoncer cette décision, qu'il qualifie de "triste victoire de la politique sur la science et la morale". L'archevêque de Philadelphie ne s'est pas arrêté là, déclarant que ce décret est "moralement mauvais car il favorise la destruction de vies humaines innocentes, en considérant les êtres vulnérables comme de simples produits bons à être moissonnés". Un jugement sans appel, et peu étonnant de la part du président de la commission pro-vie de la conférence épiscopale américaine. L'Eglise est opposée à l'utilisation de cellules souches embryonnaires humaines car celle-ci suppose la destruction d'embryons humains afin d'obtenir une lignée de cellules. Monseigneur Elio Sgreccia, spécialiste de la bioéthique du Vatican, a d'ailleurs affirmé que la décision du président Obama n'était motivée que par des raisons financières. >>> Par F.F. avec Reuters | Mardi 10 Mars 2009

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Pictured: The Moment an Awe-inspiring Desert Storm Engulfed the Saudi Capital
Awe-inspiring sandstorm engulfs Riyadh today. Photo courtesy of the Mail Online
MAIL Online: With terrifying majesty, a giant dust storm swept in from the desert and enveloped large parts of the Saudi capital Riyadh today.

The vast, whirling clouds cast an apocalyptic yellowish hue over the city's sprawling surburbs, choking residents with a blanket of grit and sand.

The awe-inspiring storm engulfed buildings and caused huge traffic jams as it enveloped the city of 4million people in a layer of impenetrable gloom.

Riyadh's airport was forced to halt flights as the swirling eddies of dust blacked out visibility from the control tower and on the main runways.

A civil aviation spokesman said: 'It was a very frightening spectacle as it approached the city.

'Outbound flights from Riyadh were suspended and incoming flights were diverted to other airports in the kingdom.'

Motorists said visibility on motorways was reduced a few metres as the storm blew in. >>> By Ian Sparks | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Muslim Extremists Shout Abuse at British Soldiers During Home-coming March
THE TELEGRAPH: Muslim extremists shouted abuse at British soldiers during a home-coming march by the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment.

Muslims shout abuse at British soldiers in Luton, showing the true, loving nature of Muslims and Islam. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
A group of around 20 men in traditional Islamic dress held up banners and placards that read: "Anglian Soldiers Butchers of Basra", "Anglian Soldiers Criminals, Murderers Terrorists" and "Baby killers".

As the battalion, which is nicknamed The Poachers, reached Luton Town Hall the small group shouted and yelled "Terrorists" and "Anglian Soliders Go to Hell."

The protestors then had to be protected by police as angry supporters of the soldiers turned on them shouting: "Scum" and "No surrender to the Taliban." >>> | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Saudi Cleric: Prosecute Prominent Business Tycoons
YNET NEWS: Islamic law professor issues religious decree calling for prosecution of Waleed bin Talal, al-Waleed al-Ibrahim as 'drug dealers' for owning commercial TV channels broadcasting 'inappropriate programs'

Waleed bin Talal, one of the richest men in the world. Photo courtesy of Ynet News
A Saudi cleric has published a "fatwa" (Islamic decree) calling for the prosecution of two of the kingdom's most prominent businessmen, who belong to the ruling family.

This fatwa is unusual as it states the names of the two officials and is not just a general call. The two men mentioned are business tycoon Waleed bin Talal, one of the wealthiest people on earth, and al-Waleed al-Ibrahim, the brother-in-law of former Saudi King Fahd.

Yusuf al-Ahmad, an Islamic law professor, called for the two men's prosecution as "drug dealers" due to the fact that they own commercial television channels broadcasting "inappropriate programs". Bin Talal owns Rotana TV and al-Ibrahim owns the MBC channel. >>> Doron Peskin | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Guantánamo-Häftlinge sind stolz auf 9/11-Anschläge
TAGES ANZEIGER: Wegen der Anschläge in New York droht fünf Männern, die in Guantánamo inhaftiert sind, die Todesstrafe. In einem heute veröffentlichten Dokument bekennen sie sich mit Stolz zu den Terroranschlägen.

Foto von Chalid Scheich Mohammed dank dem Taages Anzeiger
Der mutmassliche Drahtzieher der Anschläge vom 11. September 2001, Chalid Scheich Mohammed, und vier weitere Angeklagte haben ein umfassendes Geständnis abgelegt. Im Dokument, das die Zeitung «New York Times» jetzt veröffentlicht hat, bezeichnen sie die Anschläge gegen das World Trade Center (WTC) in New York als «Opfergabe an Gott». Die Anschuldigungen gegen sie betrachten die Männer als Abzeichen der Ehre. Das Dokument trägt den Titel «Die islamische Antwort auf die neun Anschuldigungen der Regierung». Gemäss dem Zeitungsbericht wird die US-Justiz das Dokument möglicherweise heute Dienstag veröffentlichen. >>> vin | Dienstag, 10. März 2009

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Saudi Arabia Sees Sharp Rise in Diabetes
AL WATAN: RIYADH: Some 90 people a month have a foot amputated due to diabetes in the Saudi capital, a doctor told AFP on Monday, expressing concern about the high levels of the condition in the oilـrich kingdom.

The number of diabetesـlinked amputations is rising quickly and beginning to occur at younger and younger ages, said Dr Abdulaziz AlـGannass, foot and ankle surgeon at the National Guard King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.

"We have three cases every day of amputated feet due to diabetes in Riyadh," Gannass told AFP, adding that he could not provide a figure for such cases across the vast desert kingdom.

"It is the number two reason for admission (to hospitals) in the kingdom after trauma," he said.

Gannass called the level of diabetes in the country "shocking", attributing it to poor diet and high sugar consumption, lack of exercise and smoking, and said one of the worst complications, diabetic foot, is on the rise.

Diabetes occurs when a person cannot convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy due to a lack of insulin or because the conversion process is not working properly.

Diabetic foot, involving lack of feeling, ulcers which do not heal, bone softening, gangrene and other complications, results from nerve damage and constricted blood flow in the foot caused by diabetes. >>> AFP | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Sheikha Latifa Praises Kuwaiti Women
Sheikha Latifa Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Head of the Committeee on Women’s Affairs in Kuwait. Photo courtesy of Al Watan
AL WATAN: KUWAIT: Sheikha Latifa AlـFahad AlـSabah, the Head of the Committee on Women['s] Affairs and President of the Federation of Kuwaiti Women's Associations, said on Monday that Kuwaiti women have greatly participated in the development of Kuwait and have contributed towards the country's prosperity.

On the occasion of International Women''s Day, Sheikha Latifa said in a press release that Kuwaiti Woman has [sic] succeeded in many sectors, including the fields of science and art, as well as assumption of higher positions with the help of national efforts such as education.

She also urged Kuwaiti women to exert more effort for their country's future. [Source: Al Watan] Kuna | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Dalai Lama Warns Tibetans Are 'Near Extinction' at 50th Anniversary of Exile
THE TELEGRAPH: The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has marked 50 years of his flight from China and exile in India with a defiant speech praising the sacrifices of those killed during last year's uprising, but warning that Tibetan identity was "nearing extinction."

Despite 50 years of international campaigning and fruitless negotiations with Chinese leaders, Tibetans were still treated like criminals in their own country, he said.

"These 50 years have brought untold suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet. Even today, Tibetans in Tibet live in constant fear and the Chinese authorities remain constantly suspicious of them," he told followers in Dharamsala, the Indian home of his government in exile.

"Today, the religion, culture, language and identity, which successive generations of Tibetans have considered more precious than their lives, are nearing extinction; in short, the Tibetan people are regarded like criminals deserving to be put to death," he said. >>> By Dean Nelson in New Delhi | Tuesday, March 10, 2009

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le dalaï lama dénonce la répression au Tibet. «Mensonges» répond Pékin

CHINE | Les échanges de déclarations fleurissent à l'occasion du 50e anniversaire de la fuite du chef spirituel tibétain.

Les Tibétains en exil ont marqué mardi le 50e anniversaire du soulèvement réprimé par la Chine et de l'exil du dalaï lama. A cette occasion, leur chef spirituel a accusé Pékin d'avoir fait de la province un «enfer» et tué «des centaines de milliers» de ses compatriotes.

Depuis son lieu d'exil de Dharamsala, dans le nord de l'Inde, le dalaï lama a aussi réitéré sa revendication d'une «autonomie significative» pour son pays natal.

«Ces 50 dernières années ont été celles de la souffrance et des destructions pour le territoire et le peuple du Tibet», a dit le lauréat 1989 du prix Nobel de la paix, dans un discours prononcé devant son temple accroché aux contreforts de l'Himalaya.

«Une fois le Tibet occupé, le gouvernement communiste chinois y a mené toute une série de campagnes de violences et de répression (...) Les Tibétains ont littéralement vécu un enfer sur Terre», a accusé le bonze. >>> ATS/AFP/AP/Reuters | Mardi 10 Mars 2009

WELT ONLINE: Jahrestag des Volksaufstands: Dalai Lama beklagt Leben der Tibeter als Hölle

Vor 50 Jahren erhoben sich die Tibeter gegen China. Der Dalai Lama hat aus diesem Anlass eine dramatische Anklage gegen China erhoben. Die Volksrepublik habe den Tibetern die Hölle auf Erden bereitet, sagte er. Tatsächlich riegelte die chinesische Polizei Tibet zum Jahrestag nahezu vollständig ab. >>> AFP/dpa/lk | Dienstag, 10. März 2009

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Tibeter gedenken des Aufstands vor 50 Jahren

Peking - Unter massiven Sicherheitsvorkehrungen haben die Tibeter ihres Volksaufstandes gegen die Chinesen vom 10. März 1959 gedacht. Das Hochland war praktisch abgeriegelt. Der tibetische Regierungschef Qiangba Puncog beschrieb die Lage in Lhasa als «stabil».

Die Truppen befänden sich in normaler Bereitschaft, sagte der Regierungschef laut amtlicher Nachrichtenagentur Xinhua am Rande der Jahrestagung des Volkskongresses in Peking.

Aus Angst vor einem Wiederaufflammen der Proteste wie vor einem Jahr hatte China die Militärpräsenz massiv verstärkt. Es drangen keine unabhängigen Informationen nach außen. Telefonkontakte zu großen tibetischen Klöstern in Tibet und den angrenzenden Provinzen Qinghai, Gansu und Sichuan seien unterbrochen, berichtete das Zentrum für Demokratie und Menschenrechte aus Hongkong. Bei einem kleinen Zwischenfall an der Nationalitäten-Universität in Chengdu in Sichuan habe jemand Bilder des Dalai Lama und Flugblätter ausgehängt. >>> © dpa | Dienstag, 10. März 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – India >>>