The Burka Empowering Women? You Must Be Mad, Minister
MAIL ONLINE: These British apologists for the burka make me see red, whatever side of the political spectrum they come from.

They can be Left-wingers who'll countenance no criticism, however valid, of hardline Muslims. They can be Right-wing libertarians who insist any woman has the right to wear whatever she chooses.

And, as we discovered this week, they can be members of the British Cabinet who ludicrously claim the burka actually empowers women.

Yes, Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, really did claim that the burka delivers its wearer blissful freedom. As a Muslim, you might expect me to agree with her, but I can't. She is wrong. Her fatuous and ill-conceived defence of the burka rendered me apoplectic with fury.

Does she even understand the harm she does by sanctioning this perversion of our faith?

Immigrant Muslims who came to Britain to get away from Stalinist ayatollahs, mullahs and women-hating fanatic regimes in their home countries must be spitting their teeth out after hearing Spelman's astounding endorsement of this dreadful garment.

We Muslims who came here wanted the freedom that Britain's proud history of democracy was renowned for. We wanted better education for our children and to live and pray in peace in a country which, for all its faults, gives us civil rights and equality between the sexes.

Yet Spelman's support for the burka suddenly puts all of our expectations under threat; for the most obvious manifestation of the oppressive Islam we left behind is welcomed here with the blessing of the ruling elite.

I'd like to invite Mrs Spelman to prove she believes what she says by wearing the black sheet and mask - surely she should do that as an act of solidarity with the 'empowered' Muslim sisters she admires so much.

And if she chooses not to, if she feels she would find wearing a burka limiting and suffocating, why on earth is she breezily recommending it as a garment for other women?

Would she honestly be so upbeat about the burka if a daughter of hers hid herself away inside its veil, or if her son brought home a totally veiled bride-to-be? I don't think so. She and the rest of the 'liberal-minded' burka brigade can only afford to be generous because the burka does not - and never will - affect their own lives, nor test their powers of endurance. To check out the shrouded sisters who tell me they feel ' beautifully' liberated under a veil, I tried wearing a burka for a day - and threw it off in a couple of hours, wheezing asthmatically.

I felt wiped out, a nobody - lifeless and voiceless. A Pakistani shopkeeper said I made him nervous because he couldn't see my face. I saw others shrinking away from me - and I could understand their reactions. So, will the defenders of the burka brand me and the shopkeeper racist? I wouldn't put it past them.

In truth, I am a life-long anti-racist and die-hard defender of Muslims - yet one who abhors veils as do countless other Muslims.

It is a view that has provoked fury and warnings from veiled women, who self-righteously tell me that uncovered Muslim females will end up in hell unless they repent. Women like me, they warn, are 'western whores' who should be thrown on the eternal fire, along with our mothers.

Of course, many veiled Muslim women argue that, far from being forced to wear burkas by ruthless husbands, they do so out of choice. And I have to take them at their word. But it is also very apparent that many women are forced behind the veil. Continue reading and comment >>> Yasmin Alibhai-Brown | Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Another £6bn for Goldman Bankers: They're Picking Up an Average of £350,000-plus
MAIL ONLINE: Goldman Sachs is today expected to earmark almost £6billion for its annual salary and bonus pool, handing staff a 15 per cent pay rise.

The windfall means Goldman bankers will take home an average of £356,000 this year.

Many senior deal-makers and star traders will pocket seven or even eight-figure packages, despite the bank's pivotal role in the financial crisis.

The payouts - to be confirmed in the group's financial results for the first half of the year - are likely to anger taxpayers here and in the U.S.

They come days after the Wall Street giant agreed to pay a £356million penalty to settle one of the most explosive fraud cases in U.S. banking history.

Goldman cut a face-saving deal with America's financial watchdog after it was charged with tricking clients into buying an investment that was designed to collapse.

Government-controlled Royal Bank of Scotland lost about £550million in this way, effectively leaving British taxpayers out of pocket.

Goldman is expected to set aside as much as 45 per cent of its first-half turnover for salary and bonuses.

Although markets have been shaken by the eurozone debt crisis, Goldman's turnover is forecast to hit £13.2billion, meaning £5.9billion will be channelled into the pay pool.

For the typical worker at Goldman, this equates to some £178,000 for just six months work. >>> Simon Duke | Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Uproar After Minister Says: Let Women Wear a Burkha
DAILY EXPRESS: A CABINET minister provoked outrage last night by suggesting wearing a burkha could be “empowering” for some Muslim women.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman claimed that a full-face veil was seen as “conferring dignity” in some Islamic societies, such as Afghanistan.

And she vowed to oppose calls for Britain to follow France in outlawing burkhas in public.

She said: “We are a free country, we attach importance to people being free and for a woman it is empowering to be able to choose each morning when you wake up what you wear.”

But her remarks sparked an angry reaction from ­critics last night.

UK Independence Party Euro MP Nigel Farage, whose party is pressing for the ­burkha and other face ­coverings to be outlawed, said: “It is astonishing that a member of the Government in the 21st century can say that women covering their faces empowers them.

“It does not. It disadvantages them in every walk of life. Her comments are ignorant and ill-founded.” Mrs Spelman spoke out ­yesterday after the Government ruled out banning the burkha, the niqab and other face veils. >>> Macer Hall, Political Editor | Monday, July 19, 2010

Related >>>

The Hal Lindsey (July 5, 2010)

USA und Einwanderung: Barack Obama hat neue Helfer - rechte Christen
SUEDDEUTSCHE: In Arizona tritt das schärfste Einwanderungsgesetz der USA in Kraft, doch die Nation ist gespalten. Bei seiner Kritik bekommt Präsident Obama nun überraschende Unterstützung - von rechts.

Arizonas strenges Einwanderungsgesetz SB 1070 spaltet die Nation. Photo: Sueddeutsche
Einwanderung ist eines der heißesten Eisen in der amerikanischen Innenpolitik - eines, das alle Politiker am liebsten links liegen lassen würden. Doch kurz vor dem Inkrafttreten von SB 1070 in Arizona, dem schärfsten Immigrationsgesetz des Landes, ist das Thema in aller Munde. US-Präsident Barack Obama hat das Gesetz bereits scharf kritisiert. Das Bundesjustizministerium klagt dagegen. Und der Senat erarbeitet einen Entwurf für ein Bundesgesetz.

Einig sind sich alle, dass etwas getan werden muss. Nur was, da ist die Nation gespalten. Die Demokraten wollen Illegalen unter bestimmten Bedingungen die Staatsbürgerschaft ermöglichen. Die Republikaner verunglimpfen diese Pläne als "Massenamnestie" und fordern stattdessen eine Verstärkung des Grenzschutzes und harte Maßnahmen gegen illegale Immigranten.

Nun unterstützen aber ausgerechnet diejenigen die Linie des Präsidenten, die bisher die treuesten Parteigänger der Republikaner waren: die evangelikalen Christen. Der Schwenk geht zurück auf das Engagement einiger politisch aktiver Pastoren, die lateinamerikanische Wurzeln haben. Sie überzeugten einen beträchtlichen Teil ihrer Glaubensbrüder, dass ein hartes Vorgehen gegen Einwanderer dem christlichen Menschenbild widerspräche. >>> Von Barbara Vorsamer | Montag, 19. Juli 2010

Die Queen geht auf Urlaub - und das gleich bis Oktober
Bild: Kronen Zeitung
KRONEN ZEITUNG: Jetzt kommt auch für Königin Elizabeth II. die schönste Zeit des Jahres. Die britische Monarchin beginnt Ende Juli ihren Sommerurlaub auf Schloss Balmoral (kl. Bild) in Schottland, konkreter will ihr Sprecher im Buckingham-Palast nicht werden. Fest steht aber, es ist ein ziemlich langer Urlaub: Denn nicht drei Wochen, nicht vier Wochen, nein, um die zehn Wochen dauert "Her Majesty's annual holiday". Erst Anfang Oktober kehrt die 84-Jährige zurück.

Und dies ist nicht der einzige Langstreckenurlaub von Elizabeth II. Am 20. Dezember verabschiedet sich die Königin traditionell in die Weihnachtsferien nach Schloss Sandringham in Ostengland. Und erst nach dem 6. Februar kommt sie zurück. Warum gerade am 6. Februar? "Es ist der Todestag ihres Vaters, der Tag, an dem sie Königin wurde", erläutert ihr Sprecher.

Wenn die Queen nicht auf Urlaub ist, verbringt sie zumindest ein verlängertes Wochenende auf Schloss Windsor. Das dauert von Freitagmittag bis Montagmittag. Dennoch kommt sie im Jahr noch auf etwa 350 offizielle Termine. "Außerdem öffnet sie auch im Urlaub täglich ihre Red Box", betont der Sprecher. Die Red Box ist ein roter, bombensicherer Aktenkoffer, in dem Mitglieder der britischen Regierung wichtige Papiere aufbewahren. >>> | Montag, 19. Juli 2010

Bild: Die Presse
Schweiz: Warnung vor Anti-Ausländer-Volksbegehren
DIE PRESSE: Die Schweizer Volkspartei will kriminelle Ausländer automatisch abschieben. Würde das Volksbegehren angenommen, hätte das sogar gravierende wirtschaftliche Folgen, so eine Studie.

Der Think Tank "Forum Außenpolitik" warnt vor dem Anti-Ausländer-Volksbegehren, das die Schweizer Volkspartei (SVP) am 28. November zur Abstimmung bringt. Würde das Volksbegehren angenommen, hätte das gravierende außen- und wirtschaftspolitische Konsequenzen, warnt das "foraus" in seiner jüngsten Studie. Das Begehren "Für die Ausschaffung von kriminellen Ausländern" sei nicht mit der Schweizer Rechtsordnung und den völkerrechtlichen Verpflichtungen der Schweiz vereinbar, so "foraus"-Präsident Nicolas Forster. 



Mit der Initiative verfolgt die SVP das Ziel, dass kriminelle Ausländer konsequent ausgewiesen werden. Automatisch das Aufenthaltsrecht verlieren soll, wer wegen eines Tötungs- oder Sexualdelikts sowie wegen Raubes oder Einbruchs verurteilt wurde. Auch der missbräuchliche Bezug von Sozialhilfe soll ein Grund sein. Konflikt mit EU-Abkommen >>> Ag. | Montag, 19. Juli 2010

Bristol Palin, reine de la communication et des tabloïds
LE FIGARO – BLOG – PEOPOLITIQUE: La républicaine Sarah Palin se retrouve à nouveau dans les pages people des magazines. Sans l’avoir recherché. Dans un rebondissement digne des meilleurs soap-opéras, sa fille aînée, Bristol, a annoncé jeudi ses fiançailles avec Levi Johnston, le père de son enfant… dont elle était séparée depuis deux ans.

Un scoop rendu public avec l’aisance d’une vétéran(e) de la peopolisation. Bristol, 19 ans, et Levi, 20 ans, ont réservé l’exclusivité de leur réconciliation à US Weekly. La jeune femme, fiancée depuis quinze jours, avait donné peu avant une interview au concurrent People, où elle était restée très évasive. Des rumeurs, démenties par la rédactrice en chef d’US Weekly, prétendent que l’hebdomadaire aurait versé 100.000 dollars aux tourtereaux.

Bristol, dont la grossesse adolescente hors mariage, si peu conforme aux valeurs conservatrices prônées par sa mère, avait défrayé la chronique lors de la présidentielle américaine de 2008, confie avoir renoué avec Levi Johnston au cours leurs rendez-vous destinés à trouver le meilleur accord de garde pour leur fils, Tripp, 18 mois. D’ailleurs la jeune femme n’a pas annoncé à Sarah Palin ses fiançailles. «Tout révéler à maman était intimidant. J’espère qu’elle se fera à l’idée. Se fiancer semble naturel même si nous n’avons pas l’approbation de nos parents», explique Bristol. Continuez à lire et écrire un commentaire >>> Par Constance Jamet | Lundi 19 Juillet 2010

White House Shifts Afghanistan Strategy Towards Talks with Taliban
THE GUARDIAN: Senior Washington officials tell the Guardian of a 'change of mindset' over the Obama administration's Afghanistan policy

Any negotiations with the Taliban would be conducted largely in secret, through third parties, Washington sources reported. Illustration: The Guardian
The Obama administration is revising its Afghanistan strategy to embrace the idea of negotiating with senior members of the Taliban through third parties – a policy to which it had previously been lukewarm.

Negotiation with the Taliban has long been advocated by Hamid Karzai, the Afghanistan president, and the British and Pakistan governments, but resisted by the US.

The Guardian has learned that while the official position of the US government is still resistant to the idea of talks with Taliban leaders, behind the scenes a shift is under way, and Washington is now encouraging Karzai to take a lead in such negotiations.

"There is a change of mindset in DC," a senior official in Washington said. "There is no military solution. That means you have to find something else. There was something missing." The missing element is talks with the Taliban leadership, the official added.

The US rethink comes in the aftermath of the departure in June of General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander in Afghanistan Barack Obama, apparently frustrated at the way the war is going, reminded his national security advisers that while he was on the election campaign trail in 2008, he had advocated talking to America's enemies.

A US review of Afghanistan policy is under way, and is due for completion in December, but officials in Washington, Kabul and Islamabad with knowledge of internal discussions said feelers have already been put out. Negotiations would be conducted largely in secret, through a web of contacts, involving governments such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, or organisations with back-channel links to the Taliban. >>> Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Simon Tisdall | Monday, July 19, 2010

«Verschleierte Bedrohung?» – Eine Burka-Trägerin lauscht dem Schuldspruch in einem französischem Gericht in Nantes. Die Frau wurde verurteilt, weil sie verschleiert Auto gefahren ist. Bild: NZZ Online
Der Blick der Anderen: Verstösst die Verschleierung des Gesichts oder verstösst das Verbot solcher Verschleierung gegen die Prinzipien einer offenen Gesellschaft?
NZZ ONLINE: Die Debatte um die Frauen, die in der Öffentlichkeit «offener» Gesellschaften ihr Gesicht gänzlich verhüllen, geht weiter. Letzte Woche hat die französische Nationalversammlung ein Verbot der Verschleierung verabschiedet, während die amerikanische Philosophin Martha Nussbaum sich gegen Verbote wandte.

Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa; es trägt einen Ganzkörperschleier und regt nicht nur die Phantasie an, sondern, wenigstens in einigen Ländern, auch die Gesetzgebungstätigkeit. Durch rechtsverbindliche Kleiderordnungen will man das vermummte Schreckgespenst aus der Öffentlichkeit vertreiben. Ist aber Angst eine gute Ratgeberin? Und sind Verbote das Mittel der – klugen – Wahl in einer liberalen Demokratie?

Es sind verschiedenste Argumente im Umlauf, die für ein Verbot sprechen könnten. Die in Chicago lehrende Moral- und Rechtsphilosophin Martha Nussbaum greift unter der Überschrift «Veiled Threats?» – «Verschleierte Bedrohungen?» – auf dem «Opinionator»-Online-Forum der «New York Times» einige häufig ins Feld geführte Begründungen auf und versucht sie zu entkräften. Als Richtschnur dient ihr dabei die Frage, «whether they treat all citizens with equal respect». Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Uwe Justus Wenzel | Montag, 19. Juli 2010

NZZ ONLINE: Debatte um Burka-Verbot erreicht Grossbritannien: Gesetzentwurf gegen Ganzkörperschleier im Parlament eingebracht – Die in mehreren europäischen Ländern geführte Debatte um ein Verbot der Vollverschleierung muslimischer Frauen hat nun auch die Politik in Grossbritannien erreicht. Ein Abgeordneter der Konservativen brachte einen entsprechenden Gesetzentwurf im Unterhaus ein. >>> sda/afp | Sonntag, 18. Juli 2010

Public Prayer Illegal?

Two Trains Collide in Eastern India: A fast moving passenger train rams into the back of a stationary train in West Bengal state, killing dozens

Pitching to Voters in Australia: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott hit the campaign trail


Related video >>>

Sarah Palin Invents Word in Twitter Gaffe
THE TELEGRAPH: Sarah Palin has run into language difficulties in the course of attempting to write an entry on her Twitter account about plans to build a mosque near the Ground Zero site in New York.

Sarah Palin has struggled with the English language. Photo: The Telegraph
The former vice-presidential candidate, who regularly uses the social networking website to communicate her views, made three attempts before writing an error-free Twitter entry, which can only contain 140 characters.

In her first effort, she asked "peaceful Muslims to "pls refudiate" the mosque. Having invented a word, in her second attempt she used "refute" incorrectly, calling on "peaceful New Yorkers to "refute the Ground Zero mosque plan". >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Monday, July 19, 2010

Indonesian Muslims Praying to Kenya, Not Mecca, After Faulty Edict
THE TELEGRAPH: Indonesia's highest Islamic body has been forced to apologise to the country's Muslims after admitting they have been praying towards Kenya rather than Mecca.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, has since asked followers to shift direction slightly northward during their daily prayers. Photo: The Telegraph
Officials in the world's most populous Muslim country admitted on Monday that they made a mistake when issuing an edict in March saying the holy city in Saudi Arabia was to the country's west.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, has since asked followers to shift direction slightly northward during their daily prayers.

"After a thorough study with some cosmography and astronomy experts, we learned they've been facing southern Somalia and Kenya," said Ma'ruf Amin, a prominent cleric of the MUI.

"We've revised it now to the north-west."

He said Indonesians need not worry, however.

"Allah understands that humans make mistakes," he said. "Allah always hears their prayers." >>> | Monday, July 19, 2010

Russie: le Sénat approuve une loi élargissant les pouvoirs de l'ex-KGB
LE POINT: La chambre haute du Parlement russe a a approuvé lundi une loi élargissant les pouvoirs des services spéciaux (FSB, ex-KGB) vertement critiquée par les défenseurs des droits de l'homme, ont rapporté les agences russes.

Ce texte qui permet aux services spéciaux d'émettre des "avertissements" à toute personne soupçonnée de "créer des conditions pour la perpétration d'un crime", avait été voté la semaine dernière par la Douma (chambre basse). >>> AFP | Lundi 19 Juillet 2010

Inquiry Urged Into Lockerbie Bomber Release
THE INDEPENDENT: A UK public inquiry should be held into the release of the Lockerbie bomber, a backbench Tory MP said today.

Daniel Kawczynski, who chairs the Westminster all-party group on Libya, also called on Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to apologise for the "huge error" in releasing Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi almost a year ago.

David Cameron is expected to face criticism from American politicians over claims that BP lobbied for the release of Megrahi to secure an oil deal, as the Prime Minister flies into the US today for his first official visit since taking office.

Mr MacAskill has already said he would be prepared to assist any inquiry held into circumstances surrounding Megrahi's release.

But Mr Kawcynski, the MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, told BBC Radio Scotland today: "Clearly Mr MacAskill has made a huge error which has impacted on British foreign policy. Continue reading and comment >>> Scott Macnab, Press Association | Monday, July 19, 2010

LE POINT: Attentat de Lockerbie - La libération de Megrahi a été une "erreur complète", pour Cameron : La libération, en 2009, du Libyen Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, condamné pour l'attentat de Lockerbie, a été "une erreur complète et totale", a affirmé lundi le Premier ministre britannique David Cameron, avant de s'envoler pour sa première visite officielle aux États-Unis. >>> AFP | Lundi 19 Juillet 2010

Related articles here and here

Kulturkampf in Iran: Pomade für den sittsamen Iraner
ZEIT ONLINE: Lippenstiftverbot, "islamisch korrekte" Haarschnitte, Sittenwächter: Teheran zieht mal wieder verstärkt gegen vermeintlich westliche Werte zu Felde.

Staatsschnitt: Teheran schreibt jetzt auch die Frisuren vor. Bild: Zeit Online
Erst wurden die Proteste auf den Straßen mit roher Gewalt niedergeknüppelt, jetzt will das Regime Front machen gegen die „kulturelle Invasion des Westens“. Die Islamische Republik soll noch islamischer werden, auf allen Ebenen werden die Zügel angezogen. Ob männlicher Haarschnitt oder weibliches Kopftuch, ob Lehrbücher an Schulen oder Curricula an Universitäten, ob Filme, Bücher oder Konzerte – die allmächtigen Revolutionswächter haben ihren Kulturkampf ausgerufen gegen die verderblichen Einflüsse des Auslands.

So präsentierte das iranische Kulturministerium zum „Festival für Schleier und Sittsamkeit“ neue Richtlinien für „islamisch korrekte“ Haarschnitte für Männer. Das Plakat zeigt bartlose Gesichter mit Scheitel, kurzem Haar und wuchtigen Koteletten, einige auch mit Pomadefrisur – nie aber mit Pferdeschwänzen oder dem im Iran so populären Stachel-Look. Alle Designs seien auf „die Größe des Kinns eines typischen iranischen Mannes sowie das Aussehen seines Nackens abgestimmt“, betonte Jaleh Khodayar, die das Festival organisierte.

Die spezielle Mischung aus islamischer Tradition und modischem Schick sei geeignet, „den kulturellen Angriff des Westen auf unser Land zu parieren“. Bei jedem Coiffeur sollen die Modelle künftig hängen – neue Vorschriften für weibliche Haarmode unter dem Schleier hat sie bereits in Arbeit. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Von Martin Gehlen | Dienstag, 13. Juli 2010

Verbunden / Related >>>

Atom-Programm: Hamburger Bank soll Iran bei Atom-Geschäften geholfen haben
ZEIT ONLINE: Eine in Deutschland ansässige Bank ist offenbar an iranischen Atomgeschäften beteiligt. Damit hat das Geldinstitut Iran geholfen, die Sanktionen der UN zu umgehen.

An iranischen Rüstungsgeschäften beteiligt: die Sepah-Bank. Foto: Zeit Online
Mithilfe einer kleinen Bank in Deutschland hat die iranische Regierung die im Atomstreit verhängten Sanktionen umgangen. Dies berichtet das Wall Street Journal. Demnach wickelte die in Hamburg ansässige Europäisch-iranische Handelsbank (EIH) Milliarden-Geschäfte für iranische Unternehmen ab, die an den umstrittenen Atom- und Rüstungsprogrammen Teherans beteiligt sind. Zu den Kunden des Geldinstituts gehörten auch die iranischen Revolutionsgarden.

Nach Informationen der Zeitung war die EIH im vergangenen Jahr Teil eines groß angelegten Versuchs der iranischen Führung, an den vom UN-Sicherheitsrat verhängten Sanktionen vorbei Geschäfte zu machen. So habe das Institut unter anderem Überweisungen für die iranische Sepah-Bank ausgeführt, die in Europa und den USA wegen ihrer Rolle bei iranischen Rüstungsdeals auf der schwarzen Liste steht. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Zeit Online, AFP | Montag, 19. Juli 2010

Australian PM Announces Elections: After three weeks in office, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a federal election set for August 21st.

Clinton Unveils Major Aid Package* to Pakistan


*Where on earth is all this money going to come from? Does this Democratic government not yet realize that America is on its uppers? The US government is already trillions of dollars in debt, and now, not satisfied with the current debt already spiralling out of control, Obama & Co. want to add to the Americans’ woes by giving aid to Pakistan! Isn't it high time this nonsense stopped? – © Mark

LE POINT: Le Pakistan et les États-Unis vantent l'amélioration de leurs relations : Le Pakistan et les États-Unis ont vanté lundi l'amélioration de leurs relations, Hillary Clinton annonçant à Islamabad plusieurs projets d'aide civile destinés à "jeter les bases d'un partenariat de long terme" avec son allié stratégique face au terrorisme. >>> AFP | Lundi 19 Juillet 2010

Clinton Offers Aid to Pakistan: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces $500 million in new aid projects for Pakistan

Syria's Niqab Ban Is Part of a Clash Within Islam Itself
THE GUARDIAN: Far from the heated debates of Europe, Syria has banned the niqab in classrooms, adding another layer to this complex story

Quietly, away from the fanfare that accompanied the French vote on banning the niqab in public, and calls by Philip Hollobone to impose a ban in Britain, the Syrian government has instituted its own, more limited, ban, removing teachers who wear the full face veil from teaching in public schools.

At first glance, such a move might seem puzzling: Syria, with dozens of religious sects and a nominally secular government, has managed for decades to use a light touch, at least when it comes to personal faith.

But the rise of religion among the population has shaken the leadership: with overt displays of faith on the rise and a rare terrorist attack in Damascus two years ago attributed to Islamists, the government appears to be moving against hardline religious ideas.

The niqab ban in public schools is a fairly blunt instrument but, on such a small scale, it may be intended to send a message. Egypt, too, has instigated a similarly limited ban (for university exams), a move opposed by Islamists but upheld by the courts.

But Syria's struggle with Islamists and visible symbols of Islam is part of a wider clash, a clash within Islam itself. Political Islam is gaining ground across both the Arab world and Muslim-majority countries. What happens in this debate matters profoundly, because the same debate is taking place within Muslim communities in the west.

The debate, crudely put, is over the space between the personal and the political. Secular-minded governments have tried to keep faith out of state institutions; Islamists want their faith to guide those institutions. Personal space has also increasingly been politicised, with a rise in the wearing of the headscarf and the veil in Syria and in most Muslim-majority countries. Read on and comment >>> Faisal al Yafai | Monday, July 19, 2010

White Christian Britons Being Unfairly Targeted for Hate Crimes by CPS, Civitas Claims
THE TELEGRAPH: White Christian Britons are being unfairly targeted compared with minority groups for committing hate crimes, a new report says.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, who were prosecuted and then cleared last December of a religiously aggravated hate crime after a strongly worded discussion with a Muslim guest at their hotel about the relative merits of their respective religions. Photo: The Telegraph
The study from think-tank Civitas argues that new hate crime legislation is restricting freedom of speech, and has effectively introduced a new blasphemy law into Britain by the back door.

A foreword attached to the main report, “A New Inquisition: religious persecution in Britain today”, argues that prosecutors and police are unfairly singling out alleged crimes by white Christians, while ignoring other similar offences by minority groups.

It says: “Some police forces and the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] seem to be interpreting statutes in favour of ethnic and religious minorities and in a spirit hostile to members of the majority population, defined as ‘White’ or ‘Christian’.”

Report authors said it is “legitimate to ask” whether these agendas are being driven by “sectarian groups” within either police forces or inside the CPS.

It claims “there is evidence of biased application of the law”, citing the case of a Muslim man who sprayed the words “Islam will dominate the world – Osama is on his way” and “Kill Gordon Brown” on a war memorial in Burton-Upon-Trent.

He was prosecuted for criminal damage – “that is neither a racially nor a religiously aggravated offence”.

The CPS had argued that “the defacing the memorial did not attach to any particular racial or religious group” despite the fact that the monument was “a Christian and British memorial, carrying Christian and British symbols.

"People who read the story found themselves thinking that, if a non-Muslim had defaced a Muslim building the system would have thrown the book at him".

This compared with a Christian couple in Liverpool, Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, who were prosecuted and then cleared last December of a religiously aggravated hate crime after a strongly worded discussion with a Muslim guest at their hotel about the relative merits of their respective religions. >>> Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor | Monday, July 19, 2010

Baroness Warsi Gets Heroine's Welcome in Pakistan
THE TELEGRAPH: Baroness Warsi, Britain's first Muslim cabinet minister, has returned to her Pakistani roots to be feted as a heroine in her grandmother's village.

Baroness Warsi, Britain's first Muslim cabinet minister. Photo: The Telegraph
More than 2,000 people cheered and threw fragrant rose petals in the air – not the sort of reception usually afforded the chairman of the British Conservative Party ­– as she addressed them deep in rural Punjab.

"My grandmother, she was living in this village of Bewal and no one thought that her granddaughter would ever be a minister in the United Kingdom," she said in Urdu, to cries of "zindabad", which means live-long.

Her father left Pakistan in 1960, arriving in Britain with only £2 in his pocket.

He went from working in a mill to running a bed manufacturing business with a turnover of £2m, providing the inspiration for Baroness Warsi's Conservative politics.

Her appointment to the cabinet in May attracted banner headlines in Pakistan, where people are enthralled by her family's immigrant-to-minister story. >>> Rob Crilly in Bewal | Monday, July 19, 2010

Benjamin Netanyahu's Allies 'Threaten to Bring Down Israeli Government'
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile ruling coalition is facing its sternest test since coming to power last year after disgruntled cabinet colleagues threatened to bring down the government.

The leader of the hardline Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, was deliberately excluded from secret talks with Turkey last month despite holding the position of foreign minister. Photo: The Sunday Telegraph
The Israeli prime minister was allegedly treated to a barrage of taunts and insults from disgruntled members of the hardline Yisrael Beiteinu party during a stormy cabinet meeting to approve the country's 2010 budget.

The confrontation represented an escalation in a row that began when the party's leader, Avigdor Lieberman, was deliberately excluded from secret talks with Turkey last month despite holding the position of foreign minister.

The snub led to a rift between Mr Netanyahu and his mercurial coalition partner, who leads the second largest party in the government after the prime minister's Likud.

Having apologised, Mr Netanyahu may have thought that matters had been resolved -- until he headed into a 24-hour meeting on Friday to discuss the budget.

According to Israeli newspapers, one of Yisrael Beiteinu's five cabinet ministers launched into a tirade at the manner in which Mr Lieberman was being sidelined, saying: "You deceived us. That's not the way to work with us."

Another party official said that Mr Netanyahu was "expediting the end of his days as prime minister."

"If he does not learn to keep his word and to respect his most loyal partners, he will fall from power," the Maariv newspaper quoted the official as saying. >>> Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem | Sunday, July 18, 2010

Women Banned from Smoking Hookah Pipes in Gaza
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Women in Gaza have been banned from smoking hookah pipes in public after Hamas ruled it was against tradition and lead[s] to divorce.

A Palestinian woman smokes a waterpipe at a cafe in Gaza City. Photo: The Sunday Telegraph
The sudden edict, the latest in an often arbitrary campaign to improve moral standards in the territory, threatens to bring to an end centuries of tradition.

Without warning, bearded members of Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza, arrived in cafés and restaurants over the weekend to inform proprietors of the ban.

Amid uncertainty about the details of the decision, a large number of institutions stopped serving the scented tobacco altogether, prompting outrage among patrons, many of whom went home in disgust.

Hamas officials subsequently clarified that only women were forbidden from smoking the narghile, the water pipe better known in the West as the hookah or hubble-bubble [hubbly-bubbly].

"The police have decided to ban women from smoking narghile in open, public places because it is against our customs, traditions and social norms," said Ihab al-Hussein, a spokesman for the Hamas interior ministry. >>> Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem | Sunday, July 18, 2010

French Police Struggle to Restore Order after Two Days of Riots in Grenoble
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Rioters in the French city of Grenoble shot at police and torched cars overnight as the authorities struggled to restore order after two days of violence.

Residents talk behind a burned off car on July 17, 2010 in a neighbourhood of southeastern French city of Grenoble, where rioters exchanged gunfire with police setting fire to shops and cars. Photo: The Sunday Telegraph
Police on Sunday arrested four men for attempted murder by shooting at officers during riots in the poor neighbourhood of La Villeneuve.

The four were seized in a dawn raid in La Villeneuve after two nights of unrest.

The riots broke out after a 27-year-old man was shot dead by police when he allegedly robbed a casino. >>> | Sunday, July 18, 2010

YNET NEWS: France: Riots over killing of Muslim man: Cars burned, police shot at after authorities kill hold-up suspect near Grenoble >>> News agencies | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Barack Obama Finally Makes His Peace with Bill Clinton
THE TELEGRAPH: With his approval ratings plummeting and his party facing a pummeling in crucial elections, President Barack Obama has turned for salvation to the man who was until recently his harshest Democratic critic - Bill Clinton.

President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton. Photo: The Telegraph
Mr Obama is forging a fragile partnership with his bitter adversary from the 2008 presidential race in the hope of dragging his presidency out of the doldrums and salvaging Democratic prospects in a bleak campaign season.

With his time in the White House linked for many Americans to an era of economic boom, Mr Clinton will be dispatched to campaign in key states where Democratic candidates regard Mr Obama as a political liability.

A senior Clinton advisor recently sat down with Obama aides to map out the strategy to support "endangered" Democratic candidates as the party battles to retain its majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate in November.

It is a dramatic transformation from the hostilities of 2008 when Mr Clinton was often reduced to red-faced rants as an unbridled cheerleader for his wife Hillary in her acrimonious battle with Mr Obama for the Democratic nomination.

As The Sunday Telegraph revealed the former president was so furious with the way that he was portrayed by the rival camp, particularly his belief that that they had portrayed him as racist, that he told friends that Mr Obama could "kiss my ass" in return for his support.

Mr Obama for his part ran his campaign against Mrs Clinton on the mantra that he was overturning "politics as usual" – a barely-veiled dig at the Clintonian style of operations.

There was an uneasy truce before the general election in November 2008 and Mr Clinton delivered a handful of set-piece speeches for the Democratic nominee before focusing on his philanthropic work.

But two years is an eternity in politics – as Mr Obama can testify after seeing his sky-high popularity ratings slide inexorably in the meantime. >>> Philip Sherwell in New York | Saturday, July 17, 2010

BBC: Islam and Science
Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries.



Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern science - there would be no modern mathematics or physics without algebra, no computers without algorithms and no chemistry without alkalis.



For Baghdad-born Al-Khalili this is also a personal journey and on his travels he uncovers a diverse and outward-looking culture, fascinated by learning and obsessed with science. From the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who did much to establish the mathematical tradition we now know as algebra, to Ibn Sina, a pioneer of early medicine whose Canon of Medicine was still in use as recently as the 19th century, he pieces together a remarkable story of the often-overlooked achievements of the early medieval Islamic scientists. [Source: YouTube]

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



Part 5:



Part 6:

CIA Suspects Iranian Nuclear Defector Who Returned to Tehran Was a Double Agent
THE TELEGRAPH: The CIA is investigating whether Shahram Amiri, the Iranian nuclear scientist who defected to the US but last week flew back to Tehran, was a double agent.

The strange case of Shahram Amiri has puzzled US intelligence chiefs who approved a $5 million payment to him for information about Iran's illicit nuclear programme.

Former US intelligence agents have predicted that Mr Amiri will disappear into prison or even face death, despite the hero's welcome he was accorded as he was met by his wife and hugged his seven-year-old son.

But his decision to fly back voluntarily, claiming outlandishly that he was kidnapped by CIA and Saudi agents during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last June and then tortured in the US, has prompted suspicions that he was a double agent working for Iran all along, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.

There are also questions about why the Iranian authorities allowed him to travel alone to Saudi Arabia, despite his sensitive work, and why he left his family behind if he was intending to leave Iran permanently. >>> Philip Sherwell in New York and William Lowther in Washington | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Related articles here

Polanski assiste au concert de sa femme
20 MINUTES ONLINE: Roman Polanski s'est rendu à Montreux (VD) samedi soir pour assister au concert de sa femme Emmanuelle Seigner, lors du Jazz Festival.

Roman Polanski a créé l’émeute lors de son arrivée à Montreux. Photo : 20 Minutes Online
Roman Polanski a fait samedi soir sa première apparition publique depuis sa libération lundi: le cinéaste s'est rendu au Montreux Jazz Festival, où son épouse Emmanuelle Seignier donnait un concert. Peu avant dans une interview télévisée, le Franco-Polonais a réaffirmé son amitié pour la Suisse.

«Je suis heureux d'être libre», a indiqué M. Polanski dans le «19:30» de la Télévision suisse romande. Après avoir promis de revenir à Gstaad, le réalisateur a tenu à remercier les milliers de personnes qui lui ont exprimé leur soutien durant ces «neuf longs mois», en particulier les habitants de la station bernoise. Ces derniers lui ont apporté «des fleurs et des bouteilles de vin». >>> ats | Samedi 17 Juillet 2010

Interview mit Roman Polanski
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Roman Polanski hat sich erstmals nach seiner Freilassung öffentlich geäussert. In einem Interview mit dem TSR betonte der Regisseur, dass er zur Schweiz weiterhin «grosse Freundschaft» pflegen wolle.

Kevin Calvey Turns Down Money from Hamas-linked CAIR
THE OKLAHOMAN: Oklahoma congressional candidate Kevin Calvey says he will not accept money from a state Islamic group. Group's director said he made the personal donation in hopes of starting a dialogue with Calvey.

A congressional candidate has refused a campaign donation from the executive director of an Islamic-American association, saying the group has ties to terrorist groups.

Kevin Calvey, a candidate for the 5th Congressional District seat, said Wednesday he refused a $25 online donation from Razi Hashim, the executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.

Hashim said his donation was a personal contribution and not meant to be affiliated with the nonprofit group that employs him.

"I thought on a personal level, we could talk as two men, as people of God,” Hashim said. "Jesus said to love your neighbor; we have similar teachings in Islam as well.”

Calvey has been vocal in his opposition of the council nationally, pointing to the 2007 case against the Holy Land Foundation in which 307 people and the council were listed as "unindicted co-conspirators.”

In 2008, a jury found members of the foundation guilty of funneling money to the militant group Hamas. One of the men found guilty was a member of the Texas branch of the council.

"That's not my opinion, that is a fact,” said Calvey, an attorney who was deployed to Iraq as a member of the National Guard. "That's what our own government says about CAIR.”

Hashim said Calvey has a history of bashing Muslims. >>> Julie Bisbee | Thursday, July 15, 2010

HT: Jihad Watch >>>



Kevin Calvey >>>

What a Silly, Stupid, Idiotic Thing to Say! Is This Really the Calibre of This Parliament?
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Wearing a burka can be 'empowering ' and 'dignified' for Mulsim [sic] women, one of the Government’s most senior female ministers has said.

The controversial remarks by Caroline Spelman, who as Environment Secretary is the second most powerful woman in the Cabinet, were immediately described as “moronic” and “bizarre”.

She is also likely to face anger from back bench Conservative MPs, some of whom have called for the burka – the covering which some Muslim women adopt in public to hide their face, hair and body – to be banned outside of private homes.

Mrs Spelman made her remarks when asked in an interview what she thought of the recent decision by French MPs to introduce a law outlawing the burka in public.

Critics of the ban, including her fellow ministers, have argued that while they do not like to see women covering their faces, particularly if forced to do so by male relatives, legislation is heavy-handed and contrary to the principle of freedom of expression.

But the Environment Secretary’s suggestion that wearing the burka could in fact be seen as a feminist statement will raise eyebrows.

She said that she held her view “as a woman,” and claimed that her experience of visiting Afghanistan had persuaded her that “the burka confers dignity”.

Her remarks are particularly controversial given that before the Taliban was driven out of large parts of Afghanistan with the help of British troops, millions of women were forced under threat of physical violence to wear the veil in public.

British soldiers still gauge the level of threat from the Taliban in a particular area by assessing whether local women feel the need to cover themselves.

But Mrs Spelman insisted that the burka was “empowering”. She told Sky News: “I take a strong view on this, actually. Caroline Spelman: wearing burka can be ‘empowering’ >>> Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent | Sunday, July 18, 2010

Burka Ban Would 'Not Be British'
SKY NEWS: A senior female Cabinet minister says Britain should not ban the burka. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman told Sky News a ban would be "un-British".

Ignorance and Dhimmitude! The Burqah? Muslimah’s Choice, Says Stupid Conservative Minister!
MAIL ON SUNDAY: Banning the burka would infringe a woman's right to 'choose each morning when you wake up what you wear', Cabinet minister Caroline Spelman said today.

The Environment Secretary claimed it was 'empowering' to be able to choose your own outfit, and this must not be taken away.

It came after the immigration minister, Damian Green, resisted demands from within the Tory party to ban the burka - which critics claim is actually a symbol of oppression.

Mr Green said a ban would be 'rather un-British'* and run contrary to the conventions of a 'tolerant and mutually respectful society'.

This is despite a YouGov survey that found that 67 per cent of voters wanted the wearing of full-face veils to be made illegal. Female minister insists women must be able to choose their own clothes as ban on burka is ruled out >>> James Slack, Home Affairs Editor | Sunday, July 18, 2010

*It is also very un-British to wear such a ridiculous garment! – © Mark

Related article here

Michael Nazir-Ali: Burkas Should Not Be Worn Where It Compromises Safety*
THE TELEGRAPH: The Sheikh of Al-Azhar, the late Dr Tantawi, famously, and provocatively made female students remove the face-veil in the classroom. This was a brave thing to do at the premier place of Sunni Muslim learning. Was he right to do it?

It is clear that the fundamental principle of freedom of belief and of the right to manifest one's own belief must continue to be upheld in a free society, whether for Christians, Muslims or anyone else.

Such a principle does not, however, exist in isolation and has to be balanced against other considerations of the common good and of public order.

As far as the wearing of the Burka is concerned, there are, first of all, questions of safety. >>> Michael Nazir-Ali, former Bishop of Rochester | Saturday, July 17, 2010

No, Sir! You've got that wrong. The burqah shouldn't be worn anywhere in public in the United Kingdom. Burqahs are an affront to our way of life and our values. – © Mark

Iraq Security Forces Attacked by Suicide Bomber
THE GUARDIAN: More than 40 killed as members of government-backed militia in Baghdad were queueing up to get paid

Relatives of an injured man look at x-rays after the attack in Radwaniya. Photograph: The Guardian
A suicide bomber killed more than 40 people in Baghdad this morning in an attack on security personnel as they queued up for their wages.

The victims were all members of a government-backed militia known as Sahwa, or Sons of Iraq, who were waiting for their pay in Radwaniya, a Sunni district in the south-west of the city.

Police put the number of dead at 39, but the interior ministry said 43 had died. >>> Matthew Weaver and agencies | Sunday, July 18, 2010

The Megrahi Affair: Blair, BP & the Libyan Link
THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: The US Senate is determined to uncover the truth behind the early release of the Lockerbie bomber

Alex Salmond has heaped pressure on Tony Blair over his alleged role in the controversial release of the Lockerbie bomber by claiming that the former prime minister should be forced to testify before a US Senate committee investigating the affair.

Amid growing concerns over the potential impact of the forthcoming foreign relations committee hearings, the Scottish First Minister advised senators to question Mr Blair over the infamous "deal in the desert" in 2007, when Mr Blair and the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi agreed plans to open the country up to foreign trade.

The call came as the Daily Mail claimed Mr Blair was flown to Libya for secret talks with Col Gaddafi last month, days after denying he was an adviser to the dictator.

The committee inquiry, led by Senator John Kerry, will investigate BP's alleged involvement in the release last August, on compassionate grounds, of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. But it threatens to turn into an embarrassing episode for a series of senior British figures. Both David Cameron and Foreign Secretary, William Hague, have said the release was "a mistake". But officials in Washington have confirmed that they want to ask past and present UK ministers to give evidence about their handling of the case – casting a shadow over former justice secretary Jack Straw and the Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, the man who authorised the release.

But, in an attempt to deflect criticism from his own administration, Mr Salmond suggested that the senators look elsewhere. "It is important to understand that what the American senators want to inquire about is whether there was a deal in the desert with Col Gaddafi," Mr Salmond said. "The best [way] to answer that would be to call Mr Blair and ask him directly." Continue reading and comment >>> Brian Brady and David Usborne | Sunday, July 18, 2010

Related article here

Insurers Push Plans Limiting Patient Choice of Doctors
THE NEW YORK TIMES: As the Obama administration begins to enact the new national health care law, the country’s biggest insurers are promoting affordable plans with reduced premiums that require participants to use a narrower selection of doctors or hospitals.

The plans, being tested in places like San Diego, New York and Chicago, are likely to appeal especially to small businesses that already provide insurance to their employees, but are concerned about the ever-spiraling cost of coverage.

But large employers, as well, are starting to show some interest, and insurers and consultants expect that, over time, businesses of all sizes will gravitate toward these plans in an effort to cut costs.

The tradeoff, they say, is that more Americans will be asked to pay higher prices for the privilege of choosing or keeping their own doctors if they are outside the new networks. That could come as a surprise to many who remember the repeated assurances from President Obama and other officials that consumers would retain a variety of health-care choices. >>> Reed Abelson | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Socialized medicine begins here! Consider this the start of the dismantlement of the old system of medicine provision in the States. By the end, the patient’s opinion will matter far less than the doctor’s. The state will control your healthcare and the management thereof. This is the price Americans will pay for being taken in by a smooth talker! – © Mark

British Dhimmitude! Burka Ban Ruled Out by Immigration Minister
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain will not follow France by introducing a law banning women from wearing the burka, the immigration minister has ruled.

Damian Green said such a move would be “rather un-British” and run contrary to the conventions of a “tolerant and mutually respectful society”.

He said it would be “undesirable” for Parliament to vote on a burka ban in Britain and that there was no prospect of the Coalition proposing it.

His comments will dismay the growing number of supporters of a ban. A YouGov survey last week found that 67 per cent of voters wanted the wearing of full-face veils to be made illegal.

Mr Green used a wide-ranging interview with The Sunday Telegraph, his first since taking up his post at the Home Office in May, to issue a “message around the world that Britain is no longer a soft touch on immigration”.

He said the summer would see a major crackdown on the main streams of illegal immigration — including sham marriages, illegal workers and people trafficking — and confirmed that this autumn the Government would set an overall cap on migrants entering Britain from outside the European Union.

His firm decision to rule out a burka ban will disappoint some Right-of-centre Tory MPs, including Philip Hollobone, who has tabled a private member’s bill that would make it illegal for anyone to cover their face in public.

Mr Hollobone, the MP for Kettering, said this weekend that he would refuse to hold any constituency meetings with women wearing burkas. >>> Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Not a pair of balls between them! – © Mark

Ministère de l’Intérieur : Brice Hortefeux à Grenoble : "Nous allons rétablir l'ordre public"
Brice Hortefeux a déclaré, samedi, à Grenoble qu'il souhaitait "rétablir l'ordre public et l'autorité de l'État" au plus vite et par "tous les moyens". Photo : Le Point
LE POINT: Le ministre de l'Intérieur, Brice Hortefeux, a déclaré samedi à Grenoble qu'il souhaitait "rétablir l'ordre public et l'autorité de l'État" au plus vite et par "tous les moyens", après une visite éclair dans le quartier secoué dans la nuit par des violences urbaines. "Nous allons réagir vite. Quand je dis vite, c'est-à-dire tout de suite, c'est ainsi que nous allons rétablir l'ordre public et l'autorité de l'État", a déclaré le ministre lors d'un point de presse. >>> AFP | Samedi 17 Juillet 2010

Venezuela : Hugo Chavez exhume les restes de Bolivar
Quels moments extraordinaires avons-nous vécus ce soir !" a écrit Hugo Chavez, sur son compte Twitter, après que les restes de Simon Bolivar eurent été exhumés. Photo : Le Point
LE POINT: Les autorités vénézuéliennes ont exhumé vendredi les restes de Simon Bolivar, héros de l'indépendance décédé en 1830, afin de vérifier une thèse selon laquelle il aurait été empoisonné par des ennemis en Colombie. Le président vénézuélien Hugo Chavez rejette la thèse traditionnelle selon laquelle Bolivar, qui a libéré une grande partie de l'Amérique du Sud du joug espagnol, est mort de tuberculose. "Quels moments extraordinaires avons-nous vécus ce soir ! Nous avons vu les restes du grand Bolivar. Mon Dieu, mon Dieu. (...) J'avoue que j'ai pleuré. (...) Je leur ai dit : Ce glorieux squelette doit être celui de Bolivar parce que vous pouvez sentir sa présence", écrit Chavez sur son compte Twitter @chavezcandanga. >>> Reuters | Samedi 17 Juillet 2010

Un député britanique lance chez lui le débat sur le voile intégral
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: GRANDE-BRETAGNE | Un député britannique du parti conservateur au pouvoir a déposé un projet de loi limitant le port du voile intégral islamique dans les lieux publics.

Philip Hollobone a déposé à la chambre des Communes un texte visant à "réglementer le port de certains voiles" dans le but assumé de provoquer un débat entre les députés qu’il juge "déconnectés de l’opinion publique".

Le texte doit être examiné en décembre mais n’a quasiment aucune chance d’être adopté en raison de la réticence d’une majorité de parlementaires à légiférer sur le voile.

Le député a par ailleurs affirmé samedi dans un entretien au journal The Independent qu’il exigerait des femmes voilées qu’elles se découvrent si elles souhaitent le rencontrer à sa permanence de Kettering (centre de l’Angleterre). >>> AFP | Samedi 17 Juillet 2010

Is Coming Out a Career Killer?
THE GUARDIAN: Former BP chief Lord Browne said this week that despite a shift in attitudes, homophobia is rife — and people in public life are afraid to come out

It hasn't been a great few weeks for those who dare to believe that we are living in enlightened times. It had been looking likely that Dr Jeffrey John, the highly regarded dean of St Albans, who came out in the 1970s and is in a (celibate) civil partnership, would become Britain's first openly gay bishop, but last week his nomination was blocked. There was the teacher in Liverpool who called a pupil "a fat gay boy" and the small but vocal anti-gay protest that tried (but failed) to disrupt the Pride festival in Derby. This week a Tory councillor, Denis Knowles, was cleared of homophobia to the dismay of many who took offence at his description of male Labour activists as being "of the limp-wristed variety". Last week Alastair Campbell revealed on his blog that when he appeared on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, when questioned about his views on gay rights, said: "I demand the right not to be bummed." Strange that the BBC didn't show that bit.

Meanwhile, some of the rightwing papers got themselves into a state about the "floodgates" being open to gay asylum seekers after last week's landmark ruling that two asylum seekers should have the right to stay in the UK – a story that was given an added dose of hysteria by the bizarre statement from one of the supreme court judges, Lord Rodger, that gay men should have the right "to be free to enjoy themselves going to Kylie concerts and drinking exotically coloured cocktails".

So who can be entirely surprised by the piece in yesterday's newspaper by Lord Browne of Madingley, the former BP chief executive who resigned after he was outed in 2007, who wrote that homophobia still thrives in British public life? "Even in today's more tolerant age, there are many lonely people out there still afraid to reveal who they really are for fear of marginalisation and abuse." He highlighted the case of David Laws, the Liberal Democrat MP, who was forced to resign as chief secretary to the Treasury in May after he claimed expenses for accommodation owned by his male partner in order to keep their relationship secret. "[Laws' resignation] suggests that public figures continue to feel they have no choice but to cover up their sexuality," wrote Browne.

Perhaps one of the most revealing things about Lord Mandelson's memoirs, which came out this week, is what they didn't reveal. In an interview in the Times this week, he was asked about his position "as the most powerful gay man in the country", and in the closest he has yet come to acknowledging his sexuality publicly, he said: "I think I'm actually quite a good role model for people who, without any fuss or bother, without any self-consciousness or inverse or other discrimination, are able to make it in politics, to make it in public life … If I've demonstrated that, and provided a role model for that, then I think I've done a service."

Mandelson, Browne and Laws are all from a generation who grew up at a time when it was illegal to be gay, which may explain their reticence. But the last 10 years have seen a huge shift in attitudes, and a raft of legislative changes have brought greater equality for gay people: the introduction of civil partnerships; the right to serve in the military; to adopt; for lesbians to have IVF and for same-sex couples to be named on a child's birth certificate. There have been new laws against discrimination at work and in public services, the abolition of section 28 and the age of consent brought into line with that for heterosexuals. >>> Emine Saner | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Additional reporting by Patrick Kingsley

THE GUARDIAN: Being Outed Is a Blessing >>> John Browne | Thursday, July 15, 2010