Future of Belgium Under Threat Over Language Row
THE TELEGRAPH: The "survival" of Belgium as a unified country was called into question last night after a row between French and Dutch speakers brought the government to the verge of collapse.

The wrangle has already brought down the government four times in the past three years but the latest spat is the gravest yet and threatens to split the country into Flemish areas and French-speaking areas.

King Albert II warned politicians that the political crisis "seriously threatens" the country's role in Europe, after the Prime Minister, Yves Leterme tendered his resignation. >>> Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, April 22, 2010

An Artist Has Not Been Doing Naughty Things with the French Flag! And He’s Going to Have to Pay for It
THE TELEGRAPH: A photograph of a man wiping his bottom with the French flag has prompted the government to demand criminal proceedings against the artist that produced it.

The image, one of the winners in a photo contest organised by the book and record shop FNAC in the southern city of Nice, sparked a controversy after it appeared last month in a free national newspaper, Metro.

Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie "has demanded that criminal proceedings be launched against this unacceptable act," according to justice ministry spokesman Guillaume Didier. French government calls for punishment for flag-bottom wiping artist >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

US Abuse Victim Sues Pope to Gain Access to 'Secret Files'
THE TELEGRAPH: The alleged victim of a US priest accused of being a serial pedophile is suing the Pope and the Vatican in an attempt to gain access to secret files containing internal investigations into sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.

"There is a painful and long history of the Vatican and the top officials... muffling and suppressing the truth and protecting themselves and their own reputation instead of protecting the children," lawyer Jeff Anderson said at a press conference.

"This suit demands further action by the Vatican and the removal of every single priest that has offended a single child and every single bishop and cardinal that has been complicit in those crimes."

Mr Anderson, who has spent decades pursuing justice for victims of child sex abuse, said the case was "unprecedented" in its scope and demands.

That case is currently before the Supreme Court to determine whether the Vatican, which claims sovereign immunity, can be sued in a US court. >>> | Friday, April 23, 2010

TIMES ONLINE: US court action accuses Pope of failing to protect children from priest: The Pope was named in a lawsuit in a new court action in America yesterday by a man who says that he was abused as a child by a Roman Catholic priest. >>> Ruth Gledhill, Roger Boyes and David Sharrock | Friday, April 23, 2010

BBC: Vatican says US lawsuit against Pope 'without merit': The Vatican says a lawsuit brought against Pope Benedict and two Church officials by a US man who says he was abused by a priest is "without merit". >>> | Friday, April 23, 2010

Self-censorship and Dhimmitude! Comedy Central Censors South Park Mohammed Episode
Image: The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: Comedy Central, the television network, has censored the latest episode of South Park, following threats by a radical Muslim group that its producers could be killed.

The second episode of a two-part storyline contained further references of the Prophet Mohammed, but his body was purposely blocked out while all audio mentions to him were bleeped out.

Comedy Central also censored 35 seconds worth of a conversation towards the end of the show between the characters Stan, Jesus Christ and Father Christmas.

It led to speculation that Parker and Stone had censored themselves as part of a joke or a wider commentary, but they issued a statement in response to Comedy Central's decision to alter the episode.

It said: "In the 14 years we’ve been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn’t stand behind. >>> | Thursday, April 22, 2010

South Park Episode Featuring the Prophet Muhammad Blocked by Network
The episode included a character representing Muhammad, who spoke from inside a giant bear suit. Image: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: An American television network has blocked global internet broadcasts of an episode of South Park featuring the Prophet Muhammad after death threats from a radical Islamic group.

The 201st edition of the satirical animation was aired on Comedy Central last night but only after the channel had introduced a slew of audio and visual obfuscations in addition to the self-censorship applied by the programme’s makers.

A spokesman confirmed that the network had not granted permission to play the episode online and that producers had edited the programme before it was broadcast. >>> Nico Hines, Washington | Thursday, April 22, 2010

South Park Censored After Threat of Fatwa Over Muhammad Episode
South Park, the animation created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is well known for its satirical attacks. Photo: The Guardian
THE GUARDIAN: Extremist group's death warning leads TV network to censor 201st episode, to fans' dismay

They have depicted the Queen blowing her brains out after a failed attempt by the British army to reinvade America, Saddam Hussein as Satan's gay lover, and Jesus as a trigger-happy superhero. Mormons, Scientologists, Catholics, Jews, politicians and film stars have all been skewered on the razor-sharp wit of South Park.

Now the caustic animated satire appears to have reached its limits within the confines of mainstream US television. Fans and pundits alike were taken aback last night when an episode featuring the prophet Muhammad purportedly dressed in a bear costume had bleeps and "Censored" blocks slapped liberally throughout to remove all audio and visual reference to the prophet.

The censorship followed a warning from a New York-based group of extremist Muslim converts that could be construed as a death threat. The group, through its website Revolutionmuslim.com, had reacted to last week's episode of South Park which first depicted Muhammad dressed as a bear by saying its originators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, "will probably wind up like Theo van Gogh".

To underline the point, the website carried a picture of Van Gogh, the Dutch film-maker killed in 2004 after he made a documentary on the abuse of women in Muslim countries, with his throat cut and a knife in his chest. They also listed the New York headquarters of Comedy Central, the cable television channel that broadcasts the show, and South Park's production company, adding: "You can pay them a visit at these addresses."

In the aftermath of the show's censorship, the chatrooms on South Park's website hummed with the indignation of its fans. "Do you seriously think that will appease the extremists from more terrorism?" one wrote.

As controversy raged, Comedy Central confessed that it was responsible for the cuts. "I can't go into the thinking behind it, but I can confirm it was Comedy Central that inserted the bleeps and not South Park," a spokesman for the station said. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Thursday, April22, 2010

Clarifying the South Park Response and Calling on Others to Join in the Defense of the Prophet Muhammad – RevolutionMuslim.com >>>

Try also Revolutionmulim.blogspot.com

THE GUARDIAN: South Park Muhammad episode censored: US Muslim group warns creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker they could 'wind up like Van Gogh' for depiction of prophet >>> Alexandra Topping and agencies | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Related:

South Park Creators Warned by Islamic Website >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Benjamin Netanyahu Defies Barack Obama's Demands Over East Jerusalem
THE TELEGRAPH: Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has formally defied a US call to halt Jewish construction in East Jerusalem, according to officials in Washington.

Benjamin Netanyahu with Barack Obama in the Oval Office last month. Photo: The Telegraph
Mr Netanyahu is said to have written to Barack Obama over the weekend officially rejecting his demand to freeze settlement expansion in the city – a move that takes relations between Israel and its superpower patron into uncharted territory.

The Israeli prime minister's response came nearly a month after a tempestuous meeting at the White House in which he was instructed to make a series of confidence-building measures towards the Palestinian leadership.

Until now, Mr Netanyahu has equivocated as he tried to balance the demands of his coalition's right-wing, which urged him to make no compromises, against the intense pressure of the US president.

Although he offered to make some concessions, such as releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners, Mr Netanyahu held firm on the issue of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured and annexed after the Six-Day War of 1967.

Israeli officials, however, denied that their prime minister had made any formal reply to Mr Obama's demands.

"The idea that there was some formal response is just not true," one said.

Mr Netanyahu has made his feelings on East Jerusalem clear in recent days. Stopping construction in the city's Jewish settlements is "totally, totally a non-starter", he told the US television network ABC on Sunday. >>> Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Binyamin Netanyahu Tells US: We Won't Stop East Jerusalem Settlement Building
THE GUARDIAN: Israeli prime minister defiant ahead of visit from US special envoy, George Mitchell, despite deadlock in peace talks

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has reportedly told the US administration that his government will not stop settlement construction in east Jerusalem, despite US pressure and long-running deadlock in peace talks.

The message was delivered to US officials at the weekend, according to reports by AP and the Wall Street Journal, and comes ahead of a visit to the Middle East by George Mitchell, the US special envoy, later today.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Netanyahu, would not discuss the details of Israel's talks with the US administration but he said: "We want this process to succeed and to see the restart of talks. We hope that this is possible soon."

Earlier this week Netanyahu insisted again that construction in east Jerusalem would continue. "The Palestinian demand is that we prevent Jews from building in Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem. That is an unacceptable demand. If we made it in London or made it in New York or in Paris, people would cry foul," he told US television network ABC.

He admitted there were outstanding issues with the US. "We're trying to resolve them through diplomatic channels in the best way that we can," Netanyahu said. >>> Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Obama’s Smarm >>>

Clegg Reveals His Smoking Habit
POLITICS.co.uk: Nick Clegg is an occasional smoker, he has admitted.

The Liberal Democrat leader revealed his habit during a half-hour interview with politics.co.uk, conducted in association with Yahoo!.

Asked if he would repeal the ban on smoking in public places, Mr Clegg admitted the ban made him miss the days of smoking in pubs, but insisted he believed it was the right thing to do.

"I have a confession to make," he told politics.co.uk. "I do take the occasional puffs of cigarettes myself.

"I understand that if you do, the days of sitting in a pub drinking a pint and having a cigarette is something you feel very attached to."

But the Liberal Democrat leader insisted the ban confirmed to his liberal philosophy.

"One of the first principles of a liberal is that you allow people to do what they want as long as it doesn't harm others," he said. >>> Ian Dunt | Friday, April 02, 2010

Live Coverage - General Election 2010
Watch BBC video here or on a larger screen via The Telegraph here
Where They Stand: Guide to party election policies >>>

Full Text of Letter from Ronald S. Lauder to President Obama
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS:

Dear President Obama:

I write today as a proud American and a proud Jew.

Jews around the world are concerned today. We are concerned about the nuclear ambitions of an Iranian regime that brags about its genocidal intentions against Israel. We are concerned that the Jewish state is being isolated and delegitimized.

Mr. President, we are concerned about the dramatic deterioration of diplomatic relations between the United States and Israel.

The Israeli housing bureaucracy made a poorly timed announcement and your Administration branded it an “insult.” This diplomatic faux pas was over the fourth stage of a seven stage planning permission process – a plan to build homes years from now in a Jewish area of Jerusalem that under any peace agreement would remain an integral part of Israel.

Our concern grows to alarm as we consider some disturbing questions. Why does the thrust of this Administration’s Middle East rhetoric seem to blame Israel for the lack of movement on peace talks? After all, it is the Palestinians, not Israel, who refuse to negotiate.

Israel has made unprecedented concessions. It has enacted the most far[-]reaching West Bank settlement moratorium in Israeli history.

Israel has publicly declared support for a two-state solution. Conversely, many Palestinians continue their refusal to even acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.

The conflict’s root cause has always been the Palestinian refusal to accept Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Every American President who has tried to broker a peace agreement has collided with that Palestinian intransigence, sooner or later. Recall President Clinton’s anguish when his peace proposals were bluntly rejected by the Palestinians in 2000. Settlements were not the key issue then.

They are not the key issue now.

>>> Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress | Thursday, April 15, 2010

The New Star of British Politics: Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg. Photo: The Globe and Mail
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: From fringe candidate to the most popular politician in Britain, it’s been quite a week for Liberal Democrats Leader Nick Clegg

week ago this morning, it was still possible to refer to Nick Clegg as a fringe candidate, the nerdy leader of a third-place British party who could walk down city streets without being recognized.

What has happened to him in the past seven days has no precedent in British politics, and few in elections anywhere. You probably have to reach to the world of reality television, where fellow Briton Susan Boyle rose, in similar one-night fashion, from spinsterdom to celebrity.

As of Thursday, Mr. Clegg, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, is the most popular politician in Britain, with his party either leading or tied with the Tories throughout the week. An Ipsos MORI poll Wednesday showed his party tied with the Conservatives at 32 per cent, with Labour at 28 per cent – a doubling of the Liberal Democrat standing last week. Other polls had his party ahead.

“We have never seen anything like this sort of an instant rise before in the history of British elections, and it means that the entire system has changed, quite literally overnight,” said Bobby Duffy of the London office of polling firm Ipsos MORI. “What had been a fairly staid election to choose between Gordon Brown and David Cameron has suddenly sparked into life, and nobody knows where things will go now.” >>> Doug Sanders | Wednesday, April 22, 2010

British Far Right Party Told to Stop Using Marmite in Ads
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Maker of the yeasty spread says it did not authorize the use of Marmite's image by the anti-immigration British National Party

The maker of Marmite spread is demanding that a far-right party stop using the product's image in election ads.

Marmite's owner, Unilever NV, says it did not authorize the use of Marmite's image by the British National Party. A jar of the yeast spread appears without explanation in the upper left corner of the online broadcast. >>> The Associated Press | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Pope Ally Offers Resignation in Germany Over Abuse Claims
THE TELEGRAPH: A close friend and ally of the Pope Benedict XVI, has offered to resign over allegations that he abused children in his care.

Bishop Walter Mixa. Photo: The Telegraph
Bishop Walter Mixa of Augsburg, in southern Germany, denied for weeks that he had used violence against youngsters. But the bishop from the Pope's native Bavaria later admitted that he "may have" slapped the children while a priest decades ago.

Some of the victims, who are now adults, allege that he hit them in the face with full force and beat their bare skin, shouting: "Satan is in you and I must drive him out."

In his letter of resignation to the Pope, the bishop wrote: "I ask the forgiveness of all those to whom I may have been unfair and to those who I may have caused heartache."

The 68-year-old bishop said he was "fully aware of my own weaknesses" and would co-operate with investigators.

A statement released by the diocese said: "With his resignation, he wants to avert further damage to the Church and to allow a new start."

Adding to Bishop Mixa's troubles, a special investigator has found financial irregularities at the children's home he was in charge of at around the same time as the allegations of beatings.

The case does not involve allegations of sexual abuse. However, the bishop, who was appointed by the Pope in 2005, is a controversial figure who has tried to explain paedophilia in the Church by claiming the sexual liberation movement must share a "significant" part of the blame. >>> Nick Squires in Rome | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Belgium to Vote on Islamic Veil Ban
THE TELEGRAPH: Belgium will today vote on whether to ban on wearing the Islamic burka in public, the first such move in Europe, just a day after the French government promised a similar law.

But a political crisis threatening the Belgian government and objections from France's constitutional watchdog mean the controversial measures might not make it into law.

Belgium's parliament was to vote on the law after its home affairs committee unanimously backed a nationwide ban on clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burka.

With both the governing parties and the opposition supporting the measure, Thursday's vote is expected to approve the draft law.

It would allow fines of 15-25 euros (£13-£21) and/or a jail sentence of up to seven days, for anyone ignoring it unless they had police permission to wear such garments. Read on (including politically correct video) >>> | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Catholic Church Child Abuse Scandal: Archbishop Vincent Nichols Expresses 'Deep Shame'
THE TELEGRAPH: The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols, has issued a statement expressing "deep shame" over the child abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church.

The Archbishop of Westminster referred to the "inadequate response by some church leaders" to the "terrible crimes" committed.

He said: "The criminal offences committed by some priests and religious are a profound scandal. They bring deep shame to the whole church."

"We express our heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed.

"We ask their pardon, and the pardon of God for these terrible deeds done in our midst. There can be no excuses.

The statement made at the Bishops' Conference in England and Wales said the church would do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"We recognise the failings of some Bishops and religious leaders in handling these matters. These, too, are aspects of this tragedy which we deeply regret and for which we apologise. >>> Peter Hutchison | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Interview with Nick Clegg
THE MUSLIM NEWS: Clegg backs engagement with Muslims

In an exclusive interview with the Editor of The Muslim News, Ahmed J Versi, 
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg MP, on March 4 at his offices in the House of Commons, answers questions on a wide range issues related to Muslims in the run up to the general election. His central theme is his party’s support for engagement with the community to overcome any tensions and disagreements. “I’ve always felt that engagement is an absolute necessity in order to reach a common understanding,” he said. 



Clegg admits that the Lib Dems are “too white” as well as “too male,” and goes as far as encouraging Muslims to join his party and become potential candidates to widen its diversity. “There’s no prejudice, no hostility. Quite the reverse,” he insists, even though the Lib Dems seems nowhere nearer having their first Muslim MP elected.

The Lib Dem Leader agrees the Government’s discredited Prevent extremism strategy needs changing. “If you really want to re-establish trust in communities you’ve got to start from the bottom up,” he suggests. He also accepts there are many excesses in the country’s anti-terrorism laws saying his party was the only one to vote against renewing control orders. “The Government has used anti-terror powers in a way which diminish all of our freedoms and has a disproportionately worrying effect on those Muslim communities who feel they are being the object of those measures,” he further added. 


With regard to the incitement against religious hatred, the Lib Dem leader insists that his party’s amendment in 2005 improved it rather than watering it down to render prosecutions under the law as virtually impossible. 



On the Middle East conflict, he believes the UK and the EU should be much tougher, but applied evenly on both the Israelis and the Palestinians. “Whilst the Israeli state is very effective at deciding its next military move it seems to me it’s not working towards a long term solution which will actually help safeguard Israeli’s own security,” he said. >>> Ahmed J Versi, Editor of The Muslim News | Friday, March 26, 2010

Catholic Church Will Confront Sex Abuse Scandal, Pope Says
THE TELEGRAPH: The Pope has pledged that the Catholic Church will take action to confront the clerical sex abuse scandal, in his first public remarks calling for change since the crisis erupted.

During his weekly public audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square, the pontiff recounted his tearful weekend encounter in Malta with eight men who say they were abused as children by priests in a church-run orphanage. Benedict met with the men in the Vatican's embassy for more than 30 minutes, praying with them and listening to their stories.

"I shared with them their suffering, and emotionally prayed with them, assuring them of church action," Benedict told the audience.

He said he told the victims in the tearful meeting "not to be afraid of life's storms or even shipwrecks, because the love of God is greater than storms or shipwrecks." >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Nick Clegg: Britain Bears Cross 'Bigger Than Germany's Nazi Past'
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain has a more insidious “cross to bear” than Germany does over its Nazi history, according to Nick Clegg.

The Liberal Democrat leader said the British have “a misplaced sense of superiority, sustained by delusions of grandeur”.

In an article written in 2002, Mr Clegg, who was then MEP for the East Midlands, described the shame he felt over an incident on a school exchange trip to Germany.

“A boy called Adrian started it,” Mr Clegg wrote. “He shouted from the back of the coach, 'We own your country, we won the war’.”

The future Lib Dem leader said this was an example of what he described as a “warped” British obsession with Germans and the Second World War. “It is easy enough to explain the mixture of arrogance and insecurity that fuels this peculiar British obsession,” he wrote. “Watching Germany rise from its knees after the war and become a vastly more prosperous nation has not been easy on the febrile British psyche.” >>> Jon Swaine | Thursday, April 22, 2010

Don't Mention the War. Grow Up
THE GUARDIAN: Britain is still stuck in a childish rut of anti-German prejudice, argues Nick Clegg MEP

I still cringe when I remember what happened on the school bus. The shame of it still lingers.

We were all travelling together - a class of 17-year-olds from my school and our German "exchange" partners - on an excursion to the Bavarian mountains. The German teenagers had already endured a month at our school in central London. Now it was our turn to spend a month in Munich, living with our "exchange" families and attending the local school.

A boy called Adrian started it. He shouted from the back of the coach, "we own your country, we won the war". Other boys tittered. One put a finger to his upper lip - the traditional British schoolyard designation for Hitler's moustache - threw his arm out in a Nazi salute, and goose-stepped down the bus aisle. Soon there was a cascade of sneering jokes, most delivered in 'Allo 'Allo German accents.

I remember two things vividly. First, none of the girls in my class joined in. It seemed to be a male thing. Second, the German schoolchildren did not appear angry, or even offended. That was what was so heart wrenching. They just looked confused, utterly bewildered. To a generation of young Germans, raised under the crushing, introspective guilt of postwar Germany, the sight of such facile antics was simply incomprehensible. >>> Nick Clegg MEP | Tuesday, November 19, 2002

New Global 'FAT' Tax to Rein in Banks
THE GUARDIAN: Gordon Brown claims credit for International Monetary Fund plan to impose tough levy on biggest banks' profits and pay

Tough proposals to cut the world's biggest banks down to size by taxing their profits and pay were outlined by the International Monetary Fund tonight in an attempt to spare taxpayers another massive public bailout of the financial sector.

In measures more stringent than Wall Street and the City had expected, the fund called for the introduction of a twin-track approach to the three-year banking crisis that would both force firms to pay for any future support packages and raise new taxes on their profits and remuneration.

The report, prepared by the Washington-based institution for the G20 group of developed and developing nations, was seized upon by Gordon Brown as evidence that his push for an international crackdown on the banking sector was gaining support.

Leaked in advance of the fund's meeting this weekend, the blueprint emerged as the investment bank Goldman Sachs released better than expected first quarter revenues and admitted its bonus and pay pool had reached $5.5bn (£3.3bn) in the first three months of 2010.

The anticipated study called for a financial stability contribution (FSC), which should be paid by all financial institutions, not just banks, and used to bail out weak and failing firms. It would initially be paid at a flat rate but eventually be tailored to suit institutions' size and riskiness.

While banks had been braced for the FSC plan, they were caught unawares by the proposal for a financial activities tax (FAT), which would be based on the profits and the pay structure of the firms. >>> Larry Elliott, Jill Treanor and Patrick Wintour | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Conservative Party to Send Gay MP to Quell EU Extremists
THE GUARDIAN: Most senior gay member of Conservative party sent to Poland to encourage EU allies to abandon homophobic views

David Cameron is to dispatch the most senior gay member of his frontbench team to Poland to encourage the Tories' rightwing allies in the European parliament to abandon their homophobic views.

In a move designed to defuse criticism in tonight's leaders' television debate that the Tories have allied themselves with extremists in the EU, Cameron has revealed that the shadow environment secretary, Nick Herbert, will attend a gay rights march in Warsaw in July.

Cameron told the Guardian that Herbert's trip to Poland is designed to persuade the highly conservative Law and Justice party to embark on a "journey" to moderate its views on sexuality.

The party was founded by the late Polish president Lech Kaczynski, who died earlier this month in a plane crash in western Russia. Kaczynski banned gay rights marches in Warsaw when he was the city's mayor.

Nick Clegg, who supported British membership of the euro, and Gordon Brown are expected to use the second TV debate tomorrow night to embarrass the Tories by highlighting the party's links with hard-right groups in the European parliament. >>> Nicholas Watt and Patrick Wintour | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

South Park Creators Warned by Islamic Website
THE TELEGRAPH: The creators of South Park, the controversial American cartoon show, have been warned by an Islamic website that they could face violent retribution for depicting the Prophet Mohammed disguised in a bear suit.

The cartoon series made by Matt Stone and Trey Parker has attracted criticism throughout its award-winning run. Photo: The Telegraph
The 200th episode of the show, which was broadcast last week, included a satirical discussion about whether an image of Mohammed could be shown.

An image was not shown and instead other characters suggested that Mohammed was inside the suit.

South Park, which was created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker, previously portrayed a cartoon image of Mohammed in 2001 but the episode is now rarely seen.

A posting on a New York-based website Revolutionmuslim.com was accompanied by a graphic photograph of the Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Kollision oder Kollusion der Werte? In Frankreich wird heftig über das Kopftuchverbot debattiert. Bild: NZZ Online
Wie hast du's mit der Religion, Europa? : Ein Interview mit dem französischen Islamexperten Olivier Roy
NZZ ONLINE: Der französische Politologe Olivier Roy zählt zu den herausragendsten Islamexperten in Europa. Sein neues Buch, «Heilige Einfalt – Über die politischen Gefahren entwurzelter Religionen», erscheint demnächst auf Deutsch. Eren Güvercin befragte ihn zu aktuellen Themen in der Debatte um den Islam.

Die Mehrheit der Schweizer Wähler hat sich unlängst für ein Minarettverbot ausgesprochen; in Frankreich und Belgien diskutiert man das Verbot von Burkas; auch in Deutschland ist der Islam ein Dauerthema. Was irritiert die Europäer so sehr an religiösen Symbolen oder «fremden» Religionen?

Die Debatte in Europa hat sich in den letzten 25 Jahren vom Thema Immigration auf die sichtbaren Symbole des Islam verlagert. Das bedeutet, dass sogar die Gegner der Immigration mittlerweile zugestehen, dass die zweite oder dritte Einwanderergeneration sich hier auf Dauer niedergelassen hat und dass damit auch der Islam in Europa Wurzeln schlägt. Die diesbezügliche Diskussion hat nun eine merkwürdige Wendung genommen: Während die Polemik gegen die Immigration in erster Linie von der konservativen Rechten kam, wird der Islam von rechter wie linker Seite her angegriffen, allerdings mit sehr unterschiedlicher Begründung. Die Rechte findet, dass Europa christlich ist und der Islam als eine zwar tolerierte, aber inferiore Religion behandelt werden sollte. Man gesteht – eher widerwillig – zu, dass der Islam aufgrund der verfassungsmässig garantierten Religionsfreiheit nicht verboten werden kann, nimmt aber Möglichkeiten wahr, seine Sichtbarkeit einzuschränken; so hat sich etwa der Europäische Menschenrechtsgerichtshof nicht gegen das Kopftuchverbot in Frankreich ausgesprochen. Die Linke dagegen plädiert für Säkularismus, Frauenrechte und gegen religiösen Fundamentalismus; man kritisiert die Verschleierung, nicht weil sie zum Islam gehört, sondern weil man sie als Verstoss gegen die Rechte der Frau empfindet. Deshalb verbirgt sich hinter der Islamdebatte eine wesentlich komplexere Problematik – die Frage nämlich nach der Beschaffenheit einer europäischen Identität und nach der Rolle des Religiösen in Europa. Und obwohl die Rechte und die Linke in dieser Hinsicht sehr unterschiedliche Positionen vertreten, sehen wir nun neue populistische Bewegungen – etwa Geert Wilders' Freiheitspartei in den Niederlanden –, in denen sich die beiden Denkweisen vermischen; es sind Parteien, die grundsätzlich der Rechten zuneigen, aber linke Argumente verwenden. >>> Olivier Roy | Mittwoch, 21. April 2010

General Election 2010: Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem Donors and Payments into His Private Bank Account
THE TELEGRAPH: Nick Clegg received a series of payments from party donors directly into his private bank account, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The Liberal Democrat leader was paid regular monthly sums by three senior businessmen during 2006.

The same account was used to pay his mortgage, shopping and other personal expenditure, documents seen by this newspaper show.

The businessmen bankrolling Mr Clegg were Ian Wright, a senior executive at the drinks firm Diageo; Neil Sherlock, the head of public affairs at the accountants KPMG; and Michael Young, a former gold mining executive. All are registered as Liberal Democrat donors.

Records of Mr Clegg’s personal bank account show the three men each paid up to £250 a month into the account.

The Liberal Democrat leader is likely to face questions over the arrangement.

MPs have historically sought to distance party donors from their personal finances to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

Last night Mr Clegg denied the money had been used for his own personal spending and said that it had subsidised his parliamentary work. >>> Robert Winnett and Jon Swaine | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Will Christians Swing the 2010 UK Election?
BBC: Tony Blair's spokesman Alastair Campbell famously once said the prime minister didn't "do God" when talking to the media.

Religious pronouncements were kept to a minimum, for fear of risking the broad political support for the New Labour project.

Mr Campbell's simple words illustrate how Christianity is generally treated at Westminster.

Explicit mention of religion is seen as "un-British", a bit "American" and a "turn-off" to the electorate.

But, with a closely fought election in the offing and a desperate fight taking place for marginal seats, might candidates become more open about their beliefs if it means a few more votes? >>> Justin Parkinson | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Syria Smoking Ban Enters Into Force
BBC: Syria has become the first Arab state to implement a ban on smoking in public places, such as restaurants and cafes.

The decree also outlaws smoking in educational institutions, health centres, sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport.

Workers must not smoke during meetings and businesses need to provide well-ventilated areas for smokers.

The restrictions include the nargile, or hubble-bubble pipe, which is popular among locals and tourists.

The decree was signed last November by President Bashar al-Assad, a qualified medical doctor.

According to the official news agency SANA, fines for violating the ban range from 500 to 100,000 Syrian pounds (US$11 to $2,169). >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Philip Johnston: We Need to Consider This: Could Nick Clegg Be Prime Minister?
Are the doors opening for Nick Clegg? Photograph: The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH – BLOG: The second televised election debate could be a pivotal event in modern British politics. If Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, performs well and further improves his poll ratings, we could be looking at a totally changed landscape. Instead of musing about the prospect of a Lab-Lib Dem coalition that sustains Gordon Brown in office, we might seriously have to contemplate a Lib Dem win and Clegg himself in Number 10.

The latest opinion polls have the Liberal Democrats on around 33 per cent of the vote, some 10 points ahead of where they normally are. This may be less to do with the party’s policies and more to do with a desire to stick one on the other two parties. But the reasons are less important than the reality of where we are.

In the past, the Lib Dems have found it difficult to pick up support in general elections because it is assumed that in national terms a Lib Dem vote is a wasted vote. David Cameron is playing on this with the Vote Clegg, Get Brown attack. But what if voting Clegg gets Clegg as PM? Once that idea takes hold, what happens then to the Lib Dem vote? >>> Philip Johnston | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

TIMES ONLINE: Prep school, privilege and charm smoothe Clegg’s rise to prominence >>> Sam Coates, Will Pavia | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: General Election: the Tories have a fortnight to save themselves from disaster: The nation wants change - and Cameron must show that he's the man to deliver it, says Benedict Brogan. It is customary to wait for the patient to expire before performing the autopsy, but impatience is one of the weaknesses of modern politics, and everyone wants to know why the Tories threw away the election. >>> Benedict Brogan | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Roots of Islamic Fundamentalism Lie in Nazi Propaganda for Arab World, Book Claims
THE TELEGRAPH: The roots of Islamic fanaticism can be traced to Adolf Hitler's radio messages broadcast around the Arab world during the Second World War, according to a new book.

Roots of Islamic funamentalism lie in Nazi propaganda for Arab world, book claims. Photograph: The Telegraph
"Your only hope for rescue is the destruction of the Jews before they destroy you!" Hitler said in a 1942 message, one of thousands broadcast across the Middle East in an attempt to woo the Arab world.

In a broadcast aimed at provoking an anti-Semitic uprising in Egypt, he said: "A large number of Jews who live in Egypt, along with Poles, Greeks, Armenians and Frenchmen, have guns and ammunition.

"Some Jews in Cairo have even asked the British authorities to set up machine guns on the roofs of their houses," he claimed.

But the Nazi's wartime broadcasts had remained a largely hidden chapter in the history of the war until the transmissions were unearthed by a US scholar, who believes they have fuelled continuing unrest in the Middle East.

"The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians would have been over long ago were it not for the uncompromising, religiously inspired hatred of the Jews that was articulated and given assistance by Nazi propagandists and continued after the war by Islamists of various sorts," said Jeffrey Herf, a history professor at the University of Maryland.

In his new book, "Nazi Propaganda for the Arab World", Mr Herf argues that Nazi propagandists offered a message that neatly dovetailed with underlying prejudice.

"Islamic fundamentalism, like European totalitarianism in the 20th century, was and is a mixture of very old and very modern elements. >>> Allan Hall in Berlin | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Google Had 1,200 Requests for Data from British Authorities
THE TELEGRAPH: Google was asked by British authorities almost 1,200 times for information about the internet activites of individuals and companies in just six months, the search engine has disclosed.

Britons are among the most spied upon on the web, according to the figures which show only Brazil and the United States asked for more information.

The 1,166 requests for information - which relate to the second half of 2009 - came from agencies such as local and national police, and usually formed part of a criminal investigation. France asked for 846 pieces of information, and Germany for 428.

The search engine also received 59 requests from British government departments and other official sources to remove items from Google's services.

A Google spokesman said that the company regularly gets asked by governments for information relating to users’ emails or on how and where they have logged on. The company added, however, that where broad requests are made it endeavours to release as little information as is necessary by law. It complies with approximately 77 per cent of all British requests for removal.

Google has launched its Government Requests Tool to highlight the extent to which governments are using their legal systems to gather information about citizens or censor the web. However, it admitted it could not provide data for China as Beijing considers such figures as a state secret. >>> Matt Warman, Consumer Technology Editor | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

France Moves Towards Banning Muslim Veil in Public
REUTERS: France is moving toward a ban on wearing face-covering Islamic veils in public, with the government set to examine a draft bill next month amid heated debate over women's rights and religious freedom.

President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke out in favor for a complete ban on Wednesday, and the relevant bill will be presented to the cabinet in May, government spokesman Luc Chatel said on Wednesday.

Sarkozy believed that the full veil, commonly referred to as the burqa in France, "hurts the dignity of women and is not acceptable in French society," he told reporters.

Chatel quoted Sarkozy as saying that everything should be done so that "no one feels stigmatized because of their faith and religious practices."

The proposal has attracted both fierce criticism and praise in the home of the largest Muslim community in the 27-member European Union. Almost 10 percent of France's 62 million population is Muslim.

Most French voters back a ban, polls have shown, but legal experts have warned that it could violate the constitution.

France's highest court, which advises the government on the preparation of new laws, said in March a ban could be unlawful. >>> Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry, writing by Sophie Hardach; Editing by Mark Heinrich | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Le port de la burqa sera totalement interdit en France
Photo : Le Figaro Magazine
LE FIGARO: INFO LE FIGARO - La décision a été arrêtée mercredi matin à l'Elysée par Nicolas Sarkozy : le gouvernement va déposer un projet de loi mi-mai, qui sera soumis à l'examen du Parlement en juillet.

Nicolas Sarkozy a tranché. Malgré l'avis défavorable rendu par le Conseil d'État en mars, le port de la burqa fera l'objet d'une mesure d'interdiction générale sur le territoire national. Un projet de loi sera présenté par le gouvernement. La décision a été arrêtée, ce mercredi matin, lors d'une réunion à l'Elysée, réunissant autour du chef de l'Etat, le premier ministre François Fillon, les responsables de la majorité et les présidents des groupes parlementaires. >>> Par Bruno Jeudy | Mercredi 21 Avril 2010

THE TELEGRAPH – FRANCE: "We're legislating for the future. Wearing a full veil is a sign of a community closing in on itself and of a rejection of our values," Luc Chatel >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Iran Could Develop Missile Capable of US Strike by 2015
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran could develop a ballistic missile capable of striking the United States by 2015, a senior US official has warned.

The Shahab 3 missile has a range of 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometre) and capable of hitting Israel and US bases in the region. Photo: The Telegraph
Asked at a senate hearing about Tehran's missile capability, James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defence for policy, said current estimates indicate "that it could potentially be as soon as 2015."

But he said that estimate assumed "foreign assistance" to enable Iran to improve its missile technology.

A report last year from the US Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Centre said Iran could build an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit US soil by 2015-2018, if it received outside help.

Analysts say Iran's Safir space launch vehicle, which Tehran put into orbit in February 2009, has the potential to be converted into a long-range missile.

Washington closely follows Iran's missile program and has cited threats from Tehran and North Korea as the main impetus for building up missile defences for the United States and allies. >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Why Are the Conservatives Worried About a Hung Parliament? The Way Things Are Going There’ll Be an Outright Win: For the Lib Dems!
THE TELEGRAPH: The International Monetary Fund may have to step in if the general election results in a hung parliament, the Conservatives have warned.

Conservative leader David Cameron and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne. Photo: The Telegraph
George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, and Ken Clarke, the shadow business secretary, predicted that the bond markets would collapse while the parties “haggled” over possible coalitions, leading to the intervention of the IMF.

Mr Clarke warned that the public had failed to appreciate the seriousness of the election given the troubled state of the economy, and the full consequences of an indecisive result and a hung parliament.

He said: "Bond markets won't wait. Sterling will wobble. We have seen even minor flickers in the opinion polls causing problems with interest rates in the recent past.

"If the British don't decide to put in a government with a working majority, and the markets think that we can't tackle our debt and deficit problems, then the IMF will have to do it for us." General election 2010: Tories warn of risks of hung parliament >>> Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

It’s Amazing How Easy It Is to Change Your Sex on the NHS These Days!
THE TELEGRAPH: The number of sex change operations carried out on the NHS has almost tripled in the last eight years.

Since 2000 a total of 853 men have gone under the knife to become women while in the same time span 12 women have had an operation to become a man.

Back in 2000 there were just 54 sex change operations carried out in the country while last year the figure stood at 143.

The average age for a man having a sex change operation is 42 with only one procedure in the last nine years being carried out on somebody under 21. Number of NHS sex change operations triples >>> | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Met Allows Islamic Protesters to Throw Shoes
Protesters throw shoes at a placard of Barack Obama in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: SCOTLAND YARD has bowed to Islamic sensitivities and accepted that Muslims are entitled to throw shoes in ritual protest — which could have the unintended consequence of politicians or the police being hit.

News of the concession by the Metropolitan police has come to light amid a series of trials of more than 70 mostly Muslim demonstrators who were charged with violent disorder after last year’s Gaza protests outside the Israeli embassy in London.

Aquib Salim, 21, an IT student at Queen Mary, London University, who was involved in a shoe-throwing incident, is almost certain to avoid a prison sentence as a result.

Chris Holt, Salim’s solicitor, said he was likely to get a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to a single charge of throwing a stick at police lines.

“The court accepted that the earlier shoe-throwing incident was simply a ritual form of protest and therefore not a criminal act of violence,” Holt said.

Judge Denniss agreed that the act of shoe-throwing should not be considered in a charge of violent disorder against the student because it was “a symbolic” political gesture.

Shoes, and particularly the soles of shoes, are regarded as ritually unclean in the Islamic world. An Iraqi journalist became a folk hero for throwing a shoe at President George W Bush during a press conference in December 2008. >>> David Leppard | Sunday, April 11, 2010

HT: Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch: here and here

Dubai Briton Drops Appeal and Goes to Jail for a Month Over a Kiss
MAIL ONLINE: A British woman convicted of indecency for kissing a man in Dubai gave up the battle to prove her innocence yesterday and went to jail.

Estate agent Charlotte Adams believes she will get back to Britain quicker if she serves her one-month sentence.

The 26-year-old tourist, who has been stuck in the Arab state for five months, waived her right to a final appeal and was sent to Dubai Central Prison.

She was allegedly seen passionately kissing Ayman Najafi in a diner at the Jumeirah Beach Residence.

They were each given one-month prison sentences last month for breaching strict public decency laws.

The pair, both from North London, lost an appeal last month against their convictions.

At the time Miss Adams said: 'I want to go to jail straight away. I can't get on with my life at the moment. I'm stuck in this country with no money and I can't work.' >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

General Election 2010: Nick Clegg Says 'Desperate' Gordon Brown Cannot Be Trusted
THE TELEGRAPH: Nick Clegg has delivered his most outspoken attack on Gordon Brown, calling him “a desperate politician” as he signalled that he would find it difficult to do a deal with the Prime Minister in a hung parliament.

Nick Clegg said that Labour had failed to deliver in its 13 years in charge and could not be trusted now. Photograph: The Telegraph
Labour has become increasingly keen to ally itself with the Liberal Democrats as its chances of victory fade.

But in his first newspaper interview since his party’s shock rise in the opinion polls, Mr Clegg told The Daily Telegraph that Labour had failed to deliver in its 13 years in charge and could not be trusted now.

He said: “Brown systematically blocked, and personally blocked, political reform. I think he is a desperate politician and I just do not believe him.” He added: “And do I think Labour delivered fairness? No. Do I think the Labour Party in its heart has a faith in civil liberties? No. Do I think they’ve delivered political reform? No. They are clutching at straws.”

The highly personal attack on Mr Brown’s integrity will lead to further speculation that the price for any deal with Labour would be that it ditches Mr Brown as leader. >>> Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Tuesday, April 21, 2010

Generals Add Their Fire to Clegg’s Attack on Trident
TIMES ONLINE: Britain should be prepared to scrap its nuclear deterrent, a group of generals write in The Times today, pushing the future of Trident to the forefront of the election.

The generals say that the next government would threaten both frontline Forces and global disarmament talks unless it considers different ways of spending the £80 billion required to replace the fleet of submarines.

Their intervention, although nonpolitical, offers timely support for Nick Clegg, who goes into tomorrow night’s foreign affairs debate with Gordon Brown and David Cameron as the only party leader arguing against a like-for-like replacement. >>> Deborah Haynes and Roland Watson | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

TIMES ONLINE: Money spent on Trident can’t go on troops: Four former senior military commanders ask if our nuclear deterrent is value for money >>> Edwin Bramall, David Ramsbotham, Hugh Beach, Patrick Cordingley | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Nile Gardiner: Nick Clegg’s Israel-bashing Is Sickening
THE TELEGRAPH – BLOG: With Thursday night’s foreign policy debate looming, it’s important to take a look at Nick Clegg’s willingness to vilify Israel, and his inclination towards bashing the Israelis over the head. I’ve written about Clegg’s distinctly anti-American views and his complete disregard for the NATO alliance, but his policies towards Israel deserve attention as well.

Israel is a close ally of both Great Britain and the United States, the only full democracy in the Middle East along with Iraq, and is under constant fire from Iranian and Syrian-backed terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hizbollah. Its very existence is threatened by the rise of a nuclear-armed Iran, which has malevolently warned of another Holocaust. Yet, the leader of the Liberal Democrats still thinks it’s necessary to demonise Israel, one of our only friends in the region. He’s doing everything but directly call Gaza an Israeli-administered concentration camp.

In his statements, Clegg has drawn a dangerous and false parallel between the Israelis and Islamist terrorist groups. For example he wrote a piece for The Guardian in January 2009 entitled “We Must Stop Arming Israel” condemning Israel’s response to Hamas attacks, and in effect calling for the EU to isolate and even sanction Israel:

Brown must stop sitting on his hands. He must condemn unambiguously Israel’s tactics, just as he has rightly condemned Hamas’s rocket attacks. Then he must lead the EU into using its economic and diplomatic leverage in the region to broker peace. The EU is by far Israel’s biggest export market, and by far the biggest donor to the Palestinians. It must immediately suspend the proposed new cooperation agreement with Israel until things change in Gaza, and apply tough conditions on any long-term assistance to the Palestinian community.

Read on and comment >>> Nile Gardiner | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Too Fat to Fight
TAGES ANZEIGER: Jeder vierte Jugendliche in den USA hat Übergewicht. Für die US-Armee ist dieser Trend eine Gefahr für die nationale Sicherheit.

Untauglich für die Armee: Eine übergewichtige Familie in New York. Bild: Tages Anzeiger
Amerikas Jugend ist mittlerweile so dick, dass sich selbst das US-Militär Sorgen macht. Der Bericht einer Gruppe von pensionierten Armeeangehörigen bezeichnet die Fettleibigkeit als eine Gefahr für die nationale Sicherheit. 27 Prozent der US-Bürger zwischen 17 und 24 Jahren können der Armee nicht beitreten, weil sie übergewichtig sind. Das sind 9 Millionen Männer und Frauen. Jedes Jahr ist das Militär gezwungen, 1200 Rekruten wegen Gewichtsproblemen zu entlassen. «Too fat to fight», «Zu fett, um zu kämpfen» ist das Verdikt und der Titel des Berichts.

«Wenn so viele junge Erwachsene wegen ihres Gewichts nicht kämpfen können, betrifft dies unsere nationale Sicherheit und Bereitschaft», sagt der pensionierte General Jamie Barnett gegenüber der «USA Today». Er ist Teil des Nonprofitunternehmens «Mission: Readiness, Military Leaders for Kids», das aus 130 zurückgetretenen Generälen, Admirälen und anderen Militärkadern besteht. Kalorienreiche Schulkantinen >>> jak | Dienstag, 20. April 2010

'Civil Rights Godmother' Dorothy Height Dies
THE TELEGRAPH: Dorothy Height, "the godmother of the civil rights movement", has died aged 98.

Dorothy Height became president of the National Council of Negro Women in 1957 and held the post for 40 years. Photograph: The Telegraph
Miss Height, the leading female voice of the 1960s US civil rights movement and a participant in historic marches with Martin Luther King Jr and others, died on Tuesday of natural causes.

She led the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years. She continued actively speaking out into her 90s but had been at Howard University Hospital for some time. President Barack Obama called her "the godmother of the civil rights movement" and a hero to many Americans. Mr Obama said in a statement that Height was the only woman at the highest level of the civil rights movement and witnessed "every march and milestone along the way." >>> | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

General Election 2010: David Cameron's Image-makers Created the Vacuum That Nick Clegg Has Filled
THE TELEGRAPH: The Tories are suffering because they don’t have enough solid policies, argues Simon Heffer .

Photo: The Telegraph
The appointment of Nick Clegg as the nation’s favourite son-in-law is more easily explained than many would have us believe. The British public engages with politics only every four or five years. Until a week ago many did not know who Mr Clegg was. Indeed, a considerable number probably still do not. Then he appeared on television (the principal medium of engagement) with equal status to the Prime Minister and the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, yet with the incalculable bonus of being neither. The usually uninterested public, in this rare moment of engagement, did what it often does at such times, and became impressed by the last charlatan to come along.

The post of novelty charlatan was previously held by Mr Cameron. He established his claim to it when he sought the leadership of his party in 2005, with a performance of equivalent meretriciousness and vacuousness to that executed by Mr Clegg. He now knows how David Davis felt: elbowed aside by somebody more glamorous, more novel, more manipulative, less contaminated by the past. We must doubt that the Liberal Democrats will win the general election, or that Mr Clegg will be prime minister, but the change effected by the unprecedented television debate will have elements of permanence.

Despite being in third place in the polls, Labour is loving this. If the shift to the Lib Dems is remotely reflected at the ballot box, Labour will suffer badly; but the suffering of the Conservative Party, which we were told was going to win the election, is of a different order. There is rage (and I use that word with care) not just that Mr Cameron and his teenage advisers agreed to give Mr Clegg such a platform as these three debates offer; there is rage, albeit hypocritical and belated, that the entire strategy pursued by the Cameron regime over the past four and a half years has left the party so pathetically incapable of defending itself against this mountebank and his frequently preposterous party. For the strategy has left the Conservative Party – and Mr Cameron in particular, as was clear in the first televised debate – without much in the way of conviction to use to counter the Clegg soufflé, and apparently believing in nothing. >>> Simon Heffer | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

UK Investigates Goldman as Bankers Net $5.5bn
TIMES ONLINE: Goldman Sachs has announced it will pay its bankers a share of $5.5 billion (£3.5 billion) for three months work just hours after the Financial Services Authority launched a formal investigation into the US bank.

Staff will receive average compensation of $166,000 each for the first quarter of 2010 after the bank beat expectations with a $3.5 billion net profit.

Goldman Sachs has seen $10 billion wiped from its market value since the Securities and Exchange Commission launched a $1 billion lawsuit against the bank, alleging the bank and one of its vice presidents, Fabrice Tourre, committed securities fraud.

Today, Britain’s FSA said that it has decided to start a “formal enforcement investigation” into Goldman Sachs International, its London-based business, after an initial review of the US case.

The bankers’ payouts beat the start of last year, when average remuneration for the first quarter was $149,000. However, this quarter’s pay is still considerably below the $226,000 allocated to each worker in the first quarter of bank’s record year of 2007.

The amount Goldman put aside for pay this quarter is equivalent to 43 per cent of its $12.8 billion net revenue, the lowest first-quarter compensation ratio in the bank’s history.

In a statement today, Goldman’s chairman and chief executive Lloyd Blankfein alluded to the scandal surrounding the bank. Even before Friday’s shock charges, Goldman had already been criticised for accepting a $10 billion state bailout then paying out billions of dollars in bonuses to its employees.

Mr Blankfein said: “In light of recent events involving the firm, we appreciate the support of our clients and shareholders and the dedication and commitment of our people”. >>> Christine Seib | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

”They Promised Us Cash, But They’ve Given Us Ash!”*
THE TELEGRAPH: The ban on flights over most of Britain caused by a cloud of volcanic ash drifting from Iceland has been extended until tomorrow morning as Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, expressed fear the restrictions could be "indefinite".

Lighting could be seen amid the erupting lava and ash. Photo: The Telegraph
Mr Johnson questioned the Government's handling of the volcanic ash cloud crisis and said the public needed to know the risks of flying against the reality of the country being without air travel.

He said experts within the aviation industry had told him they were used to operating in countries with volcanos and understood the risks, implying they did not agree with the current flight ban.

But Mr Johnson said if it was "genuinely impossible" to fly, then plans had to be made for the long-term, as the economy of the nation was being affected.

He said: "My anxiety clearly, given the damage that this is going to do to the UK economy, is that this no-fly zone, this closure of the airspace over the country, could just go on for an indefinite period of time at this level of risk to aviation." Iceland volcano: Boris Johnson voices fears of 'indefinite' flight ban >>> Lucy Cockcroft and Gordon Rayner | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

*Source unknown

Atomstreit: Iran weist russische Piloten aus
ZEIT ONLINE: Russland war lange Zeit ein Fürsprecher Teherans, doch inzwischen will auch Moskau UN-Sanktionen gegen Iran mittragen. Teheran reagiert verunsichert.

Irans Präsident Mahmud Ahmadineschad hat angewiesen, dass alle russischen Piloten innerhalb von zwei Monaten Iran verlassen müssen. Bild: Zeit Online
Die iranische Regierung hat alle russischen Piloten, die in der Islamischen Republik arbeiten, aufgefordert das Land innerhalb von zwei Monaten zu verlassen. Es gäbe genügend iranische Piloten, die die Aufgabe übernehmen könnten, so der iranische Transportminister. In der Vergangenheit gab es zwar Probleme und Abstürze bei Flugzeugen mit russischen Piloten, doch der Vorgang geht weit darüber hinaus: Iran sieht sich von seinem Partner Russland international im Stich gelassen.

"Die Iraner brauchen Russlands Unterstützung. Das Ausweisen der Piloten zeugt von einer deutlichen Verunsicherung in Teheran", sagt Walter Posch, Iran-Experte bei der Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin. Die beiden Länder pflegen seit langer Zeit gute wirtschaftliche und politische Beziehungen. Im August soll das erste von Russland gebaute Atomkraftwerk in Iran in Betrieb genommen werden. Gleichzeitig schützte Russland Iran mit seinem Veto im UN-Sicherheitsrat zuverlässig vor Sanktionen. Doch damit soll jetzt Schluss sein, wie Russlands Präsident Dimitrij Medwedjew auf dem Nukleargipfel in Washington bekannt gab. >>> Von Raphael Thelen | Montag, 19. April 2010

NATO Calls on Russia to Help Build Missile Defense Shield

RUSSIA TODAY: NATO calls on Russia to help build missile defense shield: Speaking at a news conference in Brussels, Secretary General of NATO Andres Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance should bring Russia onboard as it plans to build a missile defense “roof” in Europe. >>> | Published April 19, 2010; Edited Apiril 20, 2010

Bakijew findet in Weissrussland Exil: Lukaschenko gewährt gestürztem kirgisischem Präsidenten Zuflucht
NZZ ONLINE: Der gestürzte kirgisische Präsident Bakijew hat in der weissrussischen Hauptstadt Minsk sein Exil gefunden. Das teilte der autoritäre Präsident Alexander Lukaschenko mit. «Er kann hier bleiben und leben, und es gibt Arbeit für ihn», sagte Lukaschenko.

Der gestürzte kirgisische Präsident Kurmanbek Bakijew hat in Weissrussland Zuflucht gefunden. Wie der weissrussische Präsident Alexander Lukaschenko am Dienstag mitteilte, traf Bakijew aus Kasachstan kommende in Minsk ein. >>> ddp | Dienstag, 20. April 2010

US Summons Syrian Diplomat Over Hizbollah 'Arms Transfer'
THE TELEGRAPH: The United States has summoned the senior Syrian diplomat in Washington to address "provocative behaviour" regarding the potential transfer of Scud missiles to Hizbollah that it said could be a threat to both Lebanon and Israel.

Lebanese Hezbollah student supporters carry a mock rocket during a protest held by a Hezbollah-run school. Photograph: The Telegraph
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the Scud, from Syria to Hizbollah," the statement, issued by State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid, said.

"The transfer of these arms can only have a destabilising effect on the region, and would pose an immediate threat to both the security of Israel and the sovereignty of Lebanon."

The US statement stopped short of confirming the alleged transfer of long-range Scud missiles to Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas, which if true could cast doubt on US President Barack Obama's diplomatic outreach to Syria.

The State Department said this was the fourth time in recent months that Washington had raised the issue with the Syrian Embassy.

US officials said last week they believed Syria intended to transfer the weaponry, but had doubts about whether the missiles were delivered fully assembled or had actually been transferred to Lebanon.

Damascus has denied the transfer and said Israel might be using the accusation as a pretext for a military strike against Syrian targets. >>> | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Leo McKinstry: The Lib Dems’ Stance on Immigrants Us Their Most Dishonest (and Dangerous) Policy Yet
MAIL ONLINE: The Lib Dems' surge continues to gather momentum, transforming the nature of British politics. For the first time in more than a century, they are the front-runners in an election campaign, something that would have been unthinkable before Nick Clegg's assured performance in last week's historic TV debate.

A key part of their growing appeal is their claim to be the party of moderation and honesty. That was certainly the tone that Nick Clegg adopted on Thursday night, posing as the honest man of reason who could be trusted to hold the centre ground and be straight with the British public.

Yet, on perhaps the most important issue that British society faces, the Lib Dems are anything but moderate, reasonable or straight. On the question of immigration, the chief concern of many voters after more than a decade of Labour's disastrous open-door policy, Clegg and his party are ideological extremists. >>> Leo McKinstry | Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Bill Discriminates Against Muslims: Protesters
CBC NEWS: About 60 women, a third donning the Muslim veil, demonstrated Saturday in front of Montreal City Hall and demanded the province scrap legislation that would require anyone receiving public services to show their face.

Bill 94 was proposed last month amid Quebec's public debate over how far governments should go to accommodate religious customs.

Government officials have said the bill is a solution to the need to balance individual freedoms with the values of Quebec society, including the equality between men and women and secular public institutions.

But protesters described the legislation as being discriminatory. >>> CBC News | Sunday, April 18, 2010

Behind the Veil: An Intimate Journey Into the Lives of Kandahar’s Women

Islamic Banking & Finance: Shariah Investments

Royaume-Uni : Séisme britannique en vue?
Nick Clegg, leader des «lib-dems», peut compter sur des partisans très actifs. Mais il pourrait être confronté à un vif débat idéologique au sein même de son parti, notamment au niveau des finances publiques. Photo : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: Depuis la bonne prestation, lors du premier débat télévisé, de son leader Nick Clegg que certains comparent déjà à Barack Obama, le troisième parti britannique brouille les cartes électorales

C’est un véritable tremblement de terre électoral qui est en train de se produire en Grande-Bretagne. Le traditionnel Petit Poucet de la politique britannique, le Parti libéral-démocrate, connaît un bond phénoménal dans les sondages. Deux d’entre eux le mettent même en tête (autour de 33%), devant les conservateurs (32%), reléguant les travaillistes en troisième position (26%).

Cet incroyable rebondissement s’est joué en tout juste 90 minutes. Jeudi soir, lors du premier débat télévisé électoral de l’histoire britannique, Nick Clegg, le leader des «lib-dems», a pris tout le monde par surprise. Inconnu d’une bonne partie des 10 millions de téléspectateurs, il a fait souffler un vent frais sur l’échiquier politique du Royaume-Uni, face au premier ministre travailliste Gordon Brown et au leader conservateur David Cameron. Son argument clé? Renvoyer les deux vieux partis dos à dos, promettant «un vrai changement». Très implantés localement >>> Eric Albert | Lundi 19 Avril 2010

La Turquie prête à servir d'"intermédiaire" avec l'Iran
LE MONDE: La Turquie est "prête à agir comme intermédiaire" pour aider au règlement de la question nucléaire iranienne, a déclaré mardi le ministre des affaires étrangères turc, Ahmet Davutoglu, lors d'une conférence de presse à Téhéran. "La Turquie est prête à servir d'intermédiaire pour un échange d'uranium" entre l'Iran et les grandes puissances "et nous espérons avoir un rôle utile dans ce dossier", a déclaré M. Davutoglu à l'issue d'une rencontre avec son homologue iranien Manouchehr Mottaki.

Le chef de la diplomatie turque a par ailleurs réaffirmé que pour Ankara "la solution [de la question nucléaire iranienne] passe par la négociation et par le processus diplomatique" plutôt que par des sanctions, envisagées par les grandes puissances. ”Manque de confiance” >>> LeMonde.fr avec AFP | Mardi 20 Avril 2010