All Over 40s Should Consider Daily Dose of Aspirin: Leading Expert
THE TELEGRAPH: Healthy people in their 40s should consider taking a low-dose of aspirin a day to prevent cancer, a leading expert has said.

Prof Peter Rothwell of Oxford University has found that taking the painkiller daily for five years can reduce the chance of developing colorectal cancer by a quarter and cut deaths from the disease by a third.

He said these results are the 'tip of the iceberg' and are likely to be an underestimate of its benefit in colorectal cancer prevention.

In addition he believes a similar effect is likely in other cancers such as breast, ovarian, womb, stomach and small bowel.

Prof Rothwell who is 46 said he and his wife both started taking low-dose aspirin themselves in order to reduce the chance of cancer several years ago and others in their 40s and 50s should consider it.

"The whole approach to aspirin is likely to change over the next few years. Currently people take it to prevent vascular events (such as heart attacks and stroke) but it is likely that in five years people will be taking it to prevent non-vascular diseases like cancer as well." >>> Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor | Friday, October 22, 2010

Cancer Caused by Modern Man As It Was Virtually Non-existent in Ancient World
THE TELEGRAPH: Cancer is a modern man-made disease caused by the excesses of modern life, a new study suggests.

Researchers looking at almost a thousand mummies from ancient Egypt and South America found only a handful suffered from cancer when now it accounts for nearly one in three deaths.

The findings suggest that it is modern lifestyles and pollution levels caused by industry that are the main cause of the disease and that it is not a naturally occurring condition.

The study showed the disease rate has risen dramatically since the Industrial Revolution, in particular childhood cancer – proving that the rise is not simply due to people living longer. >>> Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent | Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hormone Research Suggests Rich Live Longer
THE TELEGRAPH: A hormone which is more plentiful in wealthier people has been linked to longer life.

DHEAS - or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate - is produced by the brain, adrenal glands and sexual organs and is a guide to life expectancy.

Researchers from University College London, working on the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, found evidence that biological ageing is slower among people with better socio-economic circumstances.

It found that the wealthier people were, the higher their levels of DHEAS.

The discovery raises the possibility that the hormone could be artificially produced and used to make people live longer.

The scientists also found that those with higher levels of it tended to do greater amounts of exercise, lead a more active life with lots of pastimes, and have more friends and family. >>> Andy Bloxham | Thursday, October 21, 2010

Record £113 Million Lottery Jackpot: Euromillions Winners Found?
THE TELEGRAPH: Four friends are believed to have won the £113m Euromillions jackpot, according to reports.

The Sun reported that the friends, who are aged between 25 and 40, are from Coventry where the ticket was bought.

It said the four of them were staying in a London hotel and receiving advice from financial experts at Camelot, the lottery's organiser in the UK.

The newspaper named one of the men as 28 and said his name was Daniel.

It quoted a relative called Stephen saying: "All I know is that Daniel has gone to London and that he's won it with three other guys. He can be a bit of a joker, but if he is lying about this it will crucify his grandparents. The family are being very cagey and not saying much."

The winning ticket is worth £113,019,926. >>> Andy Bloxham | Friday, October 22, 2010

Related >>>

So you’ve won the jackpot. What happens next? >>>

Cleric Linked to Al-Qaeda Dined at Pentagon After September 11

THE TELEGRAPH: A Pentagon official says radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki had lunch there as part of a program to reach out to moderate Muslims in the months following the Sept 11, 2001, attacks against the United States.

Al-Awlaki is now on the US capture-or-kill list. >>> | Thursday, October 21, 2010

Islam in Europe Cannot Be Stopped

European Court Fines Russia for Banning Gay Parades
BBC: The European Court of Human Rights has fined Russia for banning gay parades in Moscow, in an important victory for the country's gay community.

A leading activist, Nikolai Alexeyev, brought the case after the city authorities repeatedly rejected his requests to organise marches.

The Moscow authorities had argued the parades would cause a violent reaction.

But the court in Strasbourg said Russia had discriminated against Mr Alexeyev on grounds of sexual orientation.

It said that by refusing to allow the parades, the authorities had "effectively approved of and supported groups who had called for (their) disruption".

"The mere risk of a demonstration creating a disturbance was not sufficient to justify its ban," the court said.

It ordered Russia to pay Mr Alexeyev 29,510 euros ($41,090) in damages and for legal fees.

"This is a crippling blow to Russian homophobia on all accounts," Mr Alexeyev said after the verdict was announced.

"The authorities now have to ensure the security of peaceful gay activists, and must allow our protests to take place in Moscow or any other city in Russia. We will be applying to hold a sixth gay pride event in Moscow in May 2011," he told the BBC's Russian service. >>> | Thursday, October 21, 2010

Ugandan Paper Calls for Gay People to Be Hanged
THE GUARDIAN: Gay people named in article face violence and abuse after newspaper claims they are recruiting children

A Ugandan man reads the headline of the Rolling Stone newspaper which calls for gay people to be hanged. Photograph: The Guardian
Human rights activists have warned that the lives of gay people in Uganda are in danger aftera newspaper published a story featuring the names and photographs of 100 homosexuals under the headline: "Hang Them".

At least one woman named in the story has been forced to leave her home after neighbours pelted it with stones, while several others have been verbally abused, according to the campaign group Sexual Minorities Uganda.

The article appeared earlier this month in the Rolling Stone newspaper, a new weekly title started by journalism graduates. Its publication came just days before the first anniversary of the introduction to parliament of a controversial anti-homosexuality bill that calls for the death penalty for those convicted of repeated same-sex relations, and life imprisonment for others.

Inspired at least in part by a group of US evangelicals with close links to Uganda, the bill was heavily promoted by a few preachers and politicians. Its progress through parliament was stalled after an international outcry, though it has not been scrapped.

Gay activists in Uganda say the proposed legislation has fuelled hate speech and created a climate of fear among homosexuals. The media have played a strong role in this.

The widely read tabloid Red Pepper has previously "outed" dozens of gay people under headlines such as "Top Homos in Uganda named". But the Rolling Stone story appears to incite people to violence against gays. >>> Xan Rice in Kampala | Thursday, October 21, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH – BLOG – TOM CHIVERS: Ugandan newspaper calls for 'hanging' of homosexuals >>> Tom Chivers | Thursday, October 21, 2010

Shohreh Aghdashloo: 'The Stoning of Soraya M.' Interview


The Stoning of Soray M. >>>

Trailer: The Stoning of Soraya M.


Ridiculous blog in The Daily Telegraph about The Stoning of Soray M. >>>

Keep Drawing Muhammad

Smell of Frying Bacon Offends Muslims, Claims Neighbour
MAIL ONLINE: A hard-working cafe owner has been ordered to tear down an extractor fan - because the smell of her frying bacon 'offends' Muslims.

Planning bosses acted against Beverley Akciecek, 49, after being told her next-door neighbour's Muslim friends had felt 'physically sick' due to the 'foul odour'.

Councillors at Stockport Council in Greater Manchester say the smell from the fan is 'unacceptable on the grounds of residential amenity'.

The fan has been in Beverley's Snack Shack takeaway in the Shaw Heath area of the town for the past three years.

Mrs Akciecek and her husband Cetin, 50, - himself a Turkish Muslim - work more than 50 hours a week buying, preparing and cooking hot and cold sandwiches and hot-pots for their customers.

Today mother-of-seven Mrs Akciecek said she plans to appeal against the decision.

She said: 'I just think it's crazy. Cetin's friends actually visit the shop, they're regular visitors, they're Muslim people, they come in a couple of times a week.

'I have Muslim people come in for cheese toasties. Cetin cooks the food himself, he cooks the bacon.

'When we go to a cafe my husband wouldn't be offended by the smell of bacon. His friends are not offended by it, we have three visitors who come here for a sandwich, friends of my husband, and the smell doesn't offend them at all.

'My brother-in-law doesn't flinch if he comes and we've just taken out three trays of bacon.

'I'm going to find a local councillor. I'm waiting for the letter so I can appeal.' Cafe owner ordered to remove extractor fan because neighbour claimed 'smell of frying bacon offends Muslims' >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Thursday, October 21, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Cafe fan banned in case smell of bacon offends Muslims: A cafe owner was ordered to remove an extractor fan because the smell of her frying bacon offended passing Muslims. >>> | Friday, October 22, 2010

Loki Schmidt gestorben: Fast sieben Jahrzehnte mit dem früheren deutschen Kanzler verheiratet
NZZ ONLINE: In Hamburg ist die Ehefrau des früheren deutschen Bundeskanzlers, Loki Schmidt, gestorben. Die 91-Jährige bezeichnete sich einst selbst als «Angeheiratete der Politik». Mit Helmut Schmidt war sie fast siebzig Jahre verheiratet.

Die Ehefrau von ehemaligen deutschen Bundeskanzlers Helmut Schmidt (SPD), Loki Schmidt, ist gestorben. Die 91-Jährige verschied in der Nacht zum Donnerstag in ihrem Haus im Hamburger Stadtteil Langenhorn, wie eine Sprecherin des Hamburger Büros von Helmut Schmidt auf Anfrage der Nachrichtenagentur ddp sagte. Angaben zu den nähere Umständen lagen bisher nicht vor.

Hannelore Schmidt wurde 1919 in Hamburg geboren. Gemeinsam mit zwei Geschwistern wuchs sie als Tochter eines Betriebselektrikers in bescheidenen Verhältnissen im Stadtteil Barmbek auf. 1931 wurde der Vater arbeitslos, worauf die Mutter als Näherin arbeitete. Schon mit zehn Jahren lernte sie Helmut Schmidt kennen, denn beide besuchten dieselbe Schulklasse. «Wir waren von Anfang an befreundet», erinnerte sich Loki in ihren Memoiren an den Anfang ihren langen und glücklichen Beziehung. Nach dem Abitur absolvierte sie ein pädagogisches Studium und wurde Lehrerin. «Eigentlich wollte ich Biologin werden, aber das scheiterte an den Studiengebühren», sagte sie einmal. >>> ddp | Donnerstag, 21. Oktober 2010

Outpouring of Grief in Germany at Death of Helmut Schmidt's Wife Loki
THE IRISH TIMES: FOR 68 years, Loki Schmidt matched her chain-smoking husband Helmut cigarette for cigarette.

Yesterday, the popular wife of the former German chancellor died in Hamburg aged 91.

Hannelore “Loki” Glasner was born in 1919 in Hamburg and met her future husband in junior school. They married in 1942 and Loki worked as a school teacher, though her husband’s rising political star in the 1950s drew her increasingly to his side for official engagements.

Mrs Schmidt gave up teaching when he became defence minister in the 1960s. She was propelled into the spotlight after Helmut Schmidt succeeded Willy Brandt as West German chancellor in 1974, when a Brandt adviser was exposed as an East German spy.

Though Mrs Schmidt suffered many miscarriages, the Schmidts had two children – a son, who died as an infant, and a daughter.

Even when first lady, Mrs Schmidt pursued a career of her own as one of Germany’s leading conservationists. >>> Derek Scally | Friday, October 22, 2010

Suisse : Schwyz ne veut pas interdire la burqa
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: BURQA | Le Grand Conseil schwyzois a rejeté mercredi un postulat UDC exigeant une interdiction absolue de toute forme de dissimulation des femmes.

Le Grand Conseil schwyzois a rejeté mercredi par 53 voix contre 36 un postulat UDC exigeant une interdiction absolue de toute forme de dissimulation des femmes. L’exécutif cantonal s’était également opposé à ce texte, estimant qu’il allait trop loin et que son application était difficile. >>> ATS | Jeudi 21 Octobre 2010

Jeder zehnte Deutsche sehnt sich nach einem Führer
WELT ONLINE: Nach einer Studie stimmt ein Viertel der Bevölkerung fremdenfeindlichen Aussagen zu. Ungebildete und Alte sind besonders anfällig.

Ausländerfeindliche Einstellungen in Deutschland nehmen offenbar deutlich zu. Wie eine am Mittwoch in Berlin vorgestellte Studie im Auftrag der SPD-nahen Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung ergab, schließt sich ein Viertel der Bevölkerung fremdenfeindlichen Aussagen an. 2008 sei es noch ein Fünftel der Bürger gewesen.

Sogar mehr als 30 Prozent der Bevölkerung stimmen laut Studie der Einschätzung zu: „Ausländer kommen, um den Sozialstaat auszunutzen.“ Eine ebenso großer Anteil meint, bei knappen Arbeitsplätzen „sollte man Ausländer wieder in ihre Heimat schicken“, und durch „die vielen Ausländer“ werde Deutschland „in einem gefährlichen Maß überfremdet“.

Die Feindseligkeit gegenüber dem Islam ist der Studien zufolge besonders ausgeprägt. Der Aussage „Für Muslime in Deutschland sollte die Religionsausübung erheblich eingeschränkt werden“ schließen sich 58,4 Prozent der Bevölkerung an – in Ostdeutschland sogar 75,7 Prozent. >>> dapd/pku | Mittwoch, 13. Oktober 2010

WELT ONLINE: Wirtschafts-Fixierung schürt autoritäre Aggression: Woher rührt die Aggression gegen Schwache? Forscher glauben, die Bevölkerung wird angestachelt, weil sie sich ökonomischen Zielen unterwirft. >>> Von Günther Lachmann | Donnerstag, 21. Oktober 2010

ZEIT ONLINE: Parallelgesellschaften gibt es nicht nur unter Muslimen: Die Motive der schärfsten Parallelgesellschaften- und Migranten-Kritiker sind nicht gerade fortschrittlich. Das zeigt eine Studie zum Rechtsextremismus. >>> Von Tanja Dückers | Mittwoch, 20. Oktober 2010

Hardliners Call for Deaths of Surrey Muslims
THE INDEPENDENT: Islamic extremists have started openly calling for the destruction of a controversial Muslim sect in a major escalation of sectarian conflict within British Islam, an investigation by The Independent has revealed.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Community have seen a significant upsurge in threats and intimidation over the past four months, sparked by an extremist attack on two of their largest mosques in Pakistan earlier this year.

Hardline Islamists in Britain have been distributing leaflets calling for the murder of AhmadiMuslims in Kingston-upon-Thames whilst mosques have been vandalised in Newham and Crawley. Preachers in south London have also been orchestrating a boycott of Ahmadi businesses and Ofcom has had to reprimand an Islamic satellite channel for repeatedly calling the sect "Wajib-ul Qatal" - an Arabic phrase used to describe those who digress from mainstream Islam that translates as "liable for death". >>> Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, October 21, 2010

Spain Passes Law to Ban Smoking
THE TELEGRAPH: The Spanish parliamentary commission passed a bill on Wednesday night to make all bars and restaurants no-smoking zones, bringing Spain in line with the European Union's strictest antismoking nations.

he law is expected to pass the Senate and become law on Jan 2.

The law also will make Spain a tougher place to smoke than many other European countries where bars and restaurants are still allowed to have smoking sections, and will prohibit smoking in outdoor places such as playgrounds and the grounds of schools and hospitals.

The current law put in place in 2006 prohibits smoking in the workplace, and workers smoking just outside their office buildings are a common sight. >>> | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Snow Falls in Yorkshire - In October!
THE TELEGRAPH: Snow fell as far south as Yorkshire as drivers were stranded in cars following blizzards in Scotland as winter came early to Britain.

Wendy Gordon feeds her horses in the snow at Garve near Inverness. Photo: The Telegraph
Early snow covered parts of Aberdeenshire, the Cairngorms and Shetland - as well as the Pennines.

A number of drivers needed police assistance after getting stuck on the B974 at Cairn o’Mount, near Aberdeen.

The road became impassable due to snow and ice and was later closed.

Grampian Police spokesman Alan Majury said: “Several cars were stuck on the B974 and could not get along the road due to snow.

“The people are still with their vehicles and police officers are assisting them.” >>> | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Mark: What Do We Want with This Disgusting Individual on Our Shores? Get Rid of Him!
THE TELEGRAPH: Radical cleric Abu Hamza, who is fighting attempts to strip him of his British passport, has claimed he was rejected by his home country of Egypt after moving to the UK.

The Home Office wants to remove Hamza’s British nationality so that he can eventually be deported.

But the controversial preacher has claimed doing so would breach his human rights as it would leave him stateless.

Lawyers for Hamza told a Special Immigration Appeals Commission that the Egyptian authorities effectively removed his nationality when he became a British citizen in 1986.

They said his status was confirmed after he publicly criticised the Cairo government and was then arrested on terror charges in Britain.

The Egyptian authorities have said they are unable to answer Home Office inquiries as to whether Hamza is still regarded as an Egyptian national.

Hamza told the hearing: “It is not the habit of the Egyptian government to respond to anything,” but he added that he was certain he had been stripped of his citizenship. Abu Hamza claims removing his British citizenship would leave him stateless >>> Martin Evans | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Denmark: Politicians Speak on Islam

Euromillions £113m Ticket Claimed
BBC: The winner of the UK's largest ever lottery ticket has been claimed and paid out, Camelot has announced.

The record-breaking £113m Euromillions Lottery jackpot prize followed a draw on 8 October.

The winner beat odds of more than 76 million to one to pick the winning numbers which were nine, 30, 35, 39, 46, with lucky stars six and eight.

The previous largest lottery winner in the UK was an anonymous player who scooped £84.4m in May.

Nigel Page and Justine Laycock, from Barnsley, Gloucestershire, previously broke the record in February after winning £56m on Euromillions.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2010, the ticket-holder could become the 589th wealthiest person in Great Britain. [Source: BBC] | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: £113 million lottery winner receives prize: The winner of the record £113 million EuroMillions lottery jackpot came forward to claim their prize, becoming immediately one of the richest people in Britain. >>> Harry Wallop, Martin Evans and Nick Britten | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Justice, Even for Princes *
THE GUARDIAN: Britain's conviction of a Saudi prince for the murder of his servant has inspired Saudi Arabians longing for impartial justice

Prince Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Saud, left, was found guilty of the murder of his servant Bandar Abdulaziz. Photograph: The Guardian
The prince is guilty of murder. That was the verdict rendered against the Saudi prince, Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Saud, regarding the death of his servant, Bandar Abdulaziz. It is a victory for the people of Saudi Arabia who, for the first time in their lives, can see a "blueblood" royal held accountable for his actions against a commoner.

His trial at the Old Bailey sent a strong message that a Saudi prince and a pauper are the same in the eyes of the law in Britain, and that British justice is superior to the Saudi court system, which claims to uphold Islamic standards.

Many Saudis are cheering the verdict: they know that if this murder had occurred in Saudi Arabia, the killer would not have seen a single day in prison. The victim in this case had no hopes of receiving justice in his homeland, but the British court has upheld the fundamental principle of equality under law.

Millions of people in Saudi Arabia were watching the trial closely, and the outcome gives them hope that the impartial rules of western jurisprudence may one day be emulated in their land. In Saudi Arabia and other despotic regimes, where people are divided into rulers and subjects, the judicial system is guided by the whims of the ruling family and the accused prince would have been given a free pass. This may have been on the mind of detective chief inspector John McFarlane, who summarised the situation: "This verdict clearly shows no one, regardless of their position, is above the law."

The convicted prince is a "Royal Highness" prince – one of the few hundred males eligible by birth to ascend to the Saudi throne. There are two classes of Saudi princes. Male descendents of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia, are given the title of "Royal Highness", while other princely males have to make do with a mere "Your Highness". It is worth noting that these titles are an anathema to Islam's egalitarian tradition and, in fact, have no foundation in Arab history. They were imported to Saudi Arabia from the United Kingdom in the 1940s.

Bandar Abdulaziz, the prince's victim, was a black man who grew up in a government orphanage with no known parents – the worst possible combination in Saudi Arabia in terms of social worth. In the eyes of many royals, Bandar was just a slave – and it's a view that the Saudi courts usually share. Read on and comment >>> Ali al-Ahmed | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

* "Justice even for princes." Yes, for now, perhaps. But how long will it be before a deal will be done with the royal family of Saudi Arabia to safeguard/secure a contract or two?

This comment can also be found here

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Turquie – Allemagne : Le président allemand tente l’apaisement
Le[s] présidents Christian Wulff et Abdullah Gül en conférence de presse. Photo : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: En visite officielle de quatre jours en Turquie, Christian Wulff a salué le rôle joué par les Turcs en Allemagne après les propos de la chancelière Angela Merkel sur l’échec du modèle «multiculti» en Allemagne. Les Turcs d’Allemagne revenus au pays témoignent

Pas de vague ni de déclaration fracassante, le président Christian Wulff a tenté de calmer le jeu lors de sa première journée de visite officielle en Turquie. Alors que son pays débat avec passion de la place des étrangers, et notamment des 2,5 millions de Turcs, le chef de l’Etat allemand a certes évoqué certains problèmes d’intégration et la peur du fondamentalisme religieux, mais il a surtout salué le rôle joué par les citoyens d’origine turque dans le développement économique de son pays. Contrairement aux propos de la chancelière Angela Merkel samedi, il n’a donc pas dénoncé le modèle multiculti de son pays, mais appelé Berlin et Ankara à œuvrer «de concert» pour développer l’amitié entre leurs deux peuples.

Ces propos mesurés tombent à pic, mais auront du mal à rassurer une opinion publique turque qui observe avec une certaine déception l’actuel débat sur la place des étrangers. «La communauté turque a besoin de reconnaissance et de respect», commente Nail Alkan, un académicien qui a passé vingt-quatre années en Allemagne avant de rentrer en Turquie. «Ces gens ont travaillé durant trente ou quarante ans dans ce pays. Même s’il y a des problèmes, on peut dire qu’ils ont fait du bon boulot. Il était nécessaire que le président Wulff salue leur rôle tout comme l’existence de l’islam comme l’une des composantes de la société allemande.» >>> Delphine Nerbollier | Mercredi 20 Octobre 2010

LE TEMPS: Islam dans la société: la droite déchirée: Alors que la chancelière Angela Merkel déclare que le «multiculti» a échoué, le président se rend ce lundi en Turquie en plein débat sur la place des musulmans en Allemagne >>> Christophe Bourdoiseau Berlin | Lundi 18 Octobre 2010

Iran to Prosecute American Hikers
FOX NEWS: Iran reportedly planning to try two American hikers in November

Islamgegner: "Prophet Mohammed war ein Mörder! So wie Hitler!"

France Burns as Strike Descends into Violence
THE INDEPENDENT: President Sarkozy vows to crush petrol blockades crippling country

Protesters in Lyon set fire to the city as riot police look on. Photograph: The Independent
France teetered on the edge of a complex and multi-layered crisis yesterday as petrol shortages worsened and violence by disaffected suburban youths spread and intensified.

Around 3.5 million people, according to unions – about the same or marginally fewer than last week – joined marches around the country to protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to raise the retirement age to 62. One-day strikes in the public sector disrupted rail and air services but were patchily observed by workers in other sectors.

The sense of crisis threatening the country came not from these "official" protests but from spreading blockages of schools and universities by students and by continuing strikes at oil refineries and the picketing of fuel distribution depots by hardline union branches.

Mr Sarkozy promised rapid action to lift the fuel blockages as the government admitted that 4,000 – almost one in three – petrol stations were "waiting for supplies" (in other words empty).

The Prime Minister, François Fillon, said that "no one has a right to take an entire country hostage" and promised emergency action to restore petrol supplies to normal within five days. Potentially even more seriously, there was a second day of violent clashes between police and hooded youths in Lyon, in Nanterre, west of Paris, and in a score of other towns and suburbs. In Lyon, 200 youths – apparently unconnected to any pension protest – rampaged down the city's main shopping street, burning and overturning cars and looting and smashing shops. Read on and comment >>> John Lichfield in Paris | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Gay Saudi Prince Faces the Death Penalty in His Homeland
MAIL ONLINE: Prince Saud faces the death penalty over his gay sex life if he ever returns to his home country and may have to apply for asylum when he is eventually released.

His lawyers failed in a last-ditch attempt to stop sordid details of his encounters with male escorts being revealed during the trial.

John Kelsey-Fry QC, defending, said Al Saud had already faced abuse from Islamic fundamentalists being held alongside him at Belmarsh prison.

The court heard that homosexuality remains a capital offence in Saudi Arabia, with the country in which the acts take place having little relevance to the prosecution, under the country's sharia law code.

Families of those accused have been known to push for the most severe penalties because of the perceived shame caused to them by homosexuality.

Saudi nationals have been granted asylum in the UK on the basis they were gay.

Mr Kelsey-Fry had unsuccessfully argued before the trial started to exclude evidence of the gay relationship from the evidence put before the jury.

In a sign of the anxiety about his sexuality becoming public, the prince's lawyers had even initially argued that this legal argument should be held behind closed doors.

He added: 'There have been difficulties in Belmarsh prison already whereby there are Islamists - Islamic fundamentalists - who have already caused difficulties with this defendant.'

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said that while the defendant might be 'anxious' about this evidence about him, he would not be returning to his home country 'for some time'.

'He knows as he has no doubt been advised that if the time arises that a return to Saudi Arabia is contemplated and there is then a real risk to him suffering, he will be entitled to apply for asylum.' [Source: Mail Online] | Daily Mail Reporter | Wednesday, October 20, 2010



Minimum of twenty years in jail for sadistic, cruel gay Saudi prince >>>

THE GUARDIAN: Saudi prince jailed for life for murdering servant: Brutal death at five-star London hotel was culmination of 'sadistic' abuse for which 'no one is above the law', rules judge >>> Sam Jones and agencies | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

THE INDEPENDENT: Life term for Saudi prince who murdered servant: A Saudi prince who used his servant as a "human punchbag" was jailed for life today for beating and strangling him to death. >>> PA | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Saudi Arabian Prince Could Never Be Seen to Be Gay
THE TELEGRAPH: A Saudi Arabian prince could never be seen to be homosexual in a country where it is punishable by death.

Ostensibly in a relationship with a woman, Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir al Saud portrayed himself as an upstanding member of the House of Saud. A grandson of King Abdullah, he tended to his royal duties alongside his father, Prince Abdulaziz.

However, when released to go travelling for three months with his manservant Bandula Abdulaziz, Saud was free to embrace a more “effeminate” way of life.

Described as a combination of Nigel Havers and Omar Sharif, he made little secret of the fact he and his aide were sharing a bed in their room at the five-star Landmark hotel in London. Rarely out of each other’s sight, they routinely shopped in Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, where on one occasion they spent just eight minutes and bought a £2,005 dress. For whom this was intended was not clear.

The language used by hotel staff to describe the prince was strikingly similar – “effeminate”, “giggling”, “very camp”. Shamsul Arafin, a waiter who delivered him room service, said: “By his gestures and postures, he seemed to be gay.” >>> Caroline Gammell | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Related here

US Military Accepts Gay Troops for the First Time in 17 Years
THE TELEGRAPH: The American military has been told to begin admitting openly gay troops to their ranks for the first time in 17 years.

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that military recruiters must accept applications from gays and lesbians, following a ruling by a federal judge that a law banning them was unconstitutional.

Judge Virginia Phillips said that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law breached gay troops' right to freedom of expression and to proper legal process, and ordered last week that it be lifted immediately.

She is expected later on Tuesday to reject a request from the US government to stay, or postpone, her ruling while the administration prepares an appeal against it.

Earlier in the day a Pentagon spokesman confirmed that in the mean time it had ordered officers to begin complying with the ruling.

"Recruiters have been given guidance, and they will process applications for applicants who admit they are openly gay or lesbian," the spokesman said.

However, troops were warned that disclosing that they were gay could have repercussions if the government's appeal against the ruling is ultimately successful. Read on and comment >>> Jon Swaine in New York | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: US military accepts openly gay recruits: 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy suffers another blow, but activists still warn applicants not to reveal sexuality >>> Paul Harris in New York | Wednesday, October 20, 2010

'Wilders Denied Fair Trial'
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Geert Wilders' defence lawyer told a court in Amsterdam on Tuesday that his client had been denied a fair trial. The Freedom party leader faces charges of inciting hatred, discrimination against minorities and insulting Muslims.

Last year an appeal court ordered the Public Prosecutor's office to press charges, despite its belief that the MP was protected by the right to free speech. >>> | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Dutch Anti-Islam MP Just 'the Messenger': Lawyer
AFP: THE HAGUE — A defence lawyer rejected accusations of hate speech and xenophobia against Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders on Tuesday, urging judges not to "shoot the messenger".

"In his eyes, Islam is a totalitarian ideology," the politician's lawyer Bram Moszkowicz told judges of the Amsterdam district court on the first day of defence pleadings broadcast live via the Internet.

"He is trying to prevent violence from being committed with the Koran in hand," the lawyer said, adding: "Don't shoot the messenger." >>> AFP | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Two Britons Linked to Al-Qaida Plans to Attack Danish Newspaper
THE GUARDIAN: Evidence from India shows two Britons, part of a new generation of jihad, were ready to back Danish attacks

A British al-Qaida sympathiser living in Derby volunteered last year to help with a terrorist attack on targets in Denmark including the offices of the newspaper that published cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, secret documents obtained by the Guardian reveal. A second British man is alleged to have handed over cash for the plot.

The two men were visited in August 2009 by David Headley, an extremist born in Pakistan but raised in the US, where he is now in custody. Headley, who was arrested two months later, was working for Ilyas Kashmiri, a senior Pakistani militant with links to al-Qaida.

Kashmiri, whom al-Qaida leadership figures have named as part of Osama bin Laden's group, told Headley to focus on a plan to attack the offices of the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which had published controversial cartoons of the prophet in 2005. He gave Headley $1500 (£954) to finance a surveillance trip. More general attacks in Denmark were also discussed. Headley said he understood that they might involve suicide bombings. >>> Jason Burke in Delhi | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Les grèves et les perturbations se poursuivent en France
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: RETRAITES | La mobilisation des jeunes se poursuit en France, malgré les arrestations des casseurs. Les perturbations de trafic et le manque de carburant perdure, mais certains entrepôts ont été débloqués.

Les forces de l’ordre ont entrepris dans la nuit de débloquer trois dépôts de carburant bloqués par des opposants à la réforme des retraites, contre laquelle les jeunes veulent rester mobilisés mercredi malgré de nouvelles violences de casseurs la veille.

Quelques heures après la promesse du Premier ministre François Fillon de ramener à la "normale" la situation dans les stations-service en "quatre à cinq jours", les forces de l’ordre sont intervenues dans les dépôts de La Rochelle, du Mans et de Donges, en Loire-Atlantique. Mais des manifestants ont commencé dans la matinée à bloquer celui de Port-de-Bouc dans les Bouches-du-Rhône.

"Nous continuerons à débloquer autant que nécessaire les dépôts", a prévenu mercredi matin le ministre de l’Intérieur Brice Hortefeux, deux jours après l’activation de la cellule interministérielle de crise qu’il préside. >>> AFP | Mercredi 20 Octobre 2010

NZZ: Frankreichs Regierung kämpft gegen Benzinknappheit: Polizei löst Blockaden von Treibstoffdepots auf >>> afp | Mittwoch, 20. Oktober 2010

«Das Christentum gehört zur Türkei»
NZZ ONLINE: Der deutsche Bundespräsident Christian Wulff in der Türkei für den Schutz der dortigen christlichen Minderheit stark gemacht. «Das Christentum gehört zweifelsfrei zur Türkei», sagte Wulff in seiner Rede vor dem türkischen Parlament in Ankara.

«Muslime können in Deutschland ihren Glauben in würdigem Rahmen praktizieren. Die zunehmende Zahl der Moscheen zeugt hiervon», sagte Wulff, der in seiner Rede zu deutschen Einheit betont hatte, dass auch der Islam zu Deutschland gehört. «Gleichzeitig erwarten wir, dass Christen in islamischen Ländern das gleiche Recht haben, ihren Glauben öffentlich zu leben, theologischen Nachwuchs auszubilden und Kirchen zu bauen», fügte der Bundespräsident laut Redemanuskript hinzu.

In der Türkei habe auch das Christentum eine lange Tradition. «Ich höre mit grosser Begeisterung, dass in der Türkei Stimmen zu hören sind, die mehr Kirchen für Gottesdienste öffnen wollen. Zu dieser Entwicklung möchte ich Sie nachhaltig ermutigen», betonte Wulff, der als erstes deutsches Staatsoberhaupt eine Rede vor dem türkischen Parlament hielt. 99 Prozent der über 70 Millionen Türken sind Muslime, nur rund 100'000 bekennen sich zum christlichen Glauben. [Quelle: NZZ Online] | Dienstag, 19. Oktober 2010

NZZ ONLINE: Wulff stellt Seehofer ins Abseits: Wieder Spekulationen um Aufstieg Guttenbergs – Der deutsche Bundespräsident Wulff hat der These von CSU-Chef Seehofer von der mangelnden Integrationsfähigkeit von Türken widersprochen. Seehofer selbst ist wieder einmal Gegenstand von politischen Spekulationen. Verteidigungsminister Guttenberg könnte ihn als Parteichef ablösen. >>> srs. / (afp) | Dienstag, 19. Oktober 2010

US Textbooks: Muslims Discovered America


Hat Tip: Always On Watch >>>

Science and Islam: Native Americans Spoke Arabic!

Merkel hält Multikulti für "absolut gescheitert"

ZDF: Horst Seehofer - Angela Merkel - Multi Kulti ist Tot / Gescheitert!

The New German President Christian Wulff | People & Politics

Saudi Prince Guilty of Murdering Servant in London Hotel
THE TELEGRAPH: A Saudi prince, Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud, faces a life sentence for beating and strangling his servant to death in the culmination of a campaign of "sadistic" abuse.

Saud was found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering Bandar Abdulaziz in a "brutal" assault at their five-star hotel suite.

The prince was fuelled by champagne and 'sex on the beach' cocktails when he bit the 32-year-old hard on both cheeks during the attack in February.

They had just returned from a Valentine's Day night out when Saud launched the ferocious assault.

When he was arrested he at first wrongly believed he had diplomatic immunity but his special status as a Saudi royal could not save him from British justice.

The 34-year-old, a member of one of the world's richest and most powerful dynasties, was found guilty of murder today by the jury after just one hour and 35 minutes of deliberation.

Saud showed no reaction as the decision was announced.

The verdict means a lengthy jail term for the prince and the end to his luxury playboy lifestyle, funded by his wealthy family, in which he dined in fine restaurants and secretly entertained gay escorts in his plush hotel room.

In court his lawyers tried to cover up evidence of his homosexuality.

If he ever returns to his home country he faces the possibility of execution - not because of the killing but because being homosexual is a capital offence there.

The murder of Mr Abdulaziz was the final act in a "deeply abusive" master-servant relationship in which the prince carried out frequent attacks on his aide "for his own personal gratification". >>> | Tuesday, October 19, 2010



Related here

Protesters to Hit France en masse
THE TELEGRAPH: Protesters are due to hit the streets in France en masse in the sixth such demonstration in two months against Nicolas Sarkozy's unpopular pension reforms.



Airport staff, bus and train drivers, teachers, postal workers and armoured truck drivers who stock cash machines will join refinery workers and others in a day of nationwide strikes against Mr Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age.

Fuel shortages will worsen as refinery strikes go into an eighth day, and the authorities will be alert for any escalation of sporadic violence on Monday in some cities, with small groups of troublemakers torching vehicles and scuffling with police.

A school in Le Mans, northwest France, burned down in the early hours of Tuesday after an apparent arson attack but it was unclear if the apparent arson attack was linked to the protests.

Michele Alliot-Marie, the justice minister, told Europe 1 radio the situation was not a crisis, but warned protesters that "the right to demonstrate does not mean the right to smash things up."

Tuesday's protests are a last-ditch challenge to the centre-right government before a final Senate vote this week on the pension bill, which the government says is vital to rein in a ballooning pension shortfall as the population ages. >>> | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Cracks Are Now Showing in the Church of England
THE TELEGRAPH: A parish in Kent is shifting allegiance to Rome and, with many more likely to follow, Anglicanism is feeling the strain. Tim Ross reports.

Shortly after eight o'clock one spring morning in 2007, an earthquake struck the parish church of St Peter in Folkestone, bringing down the gable-end of the south transept.

Three years later, the 19th-century church, which opened as a chapel for local fishermen, has caused tremors of its own, becoming the first parish in England to declare its intention to defect to Rome. Within hours of the news emerging last Friday, the Bishop of Fulham announced that he, too, will take up the Pope's offer to join a new structure within the Roman Catholic Church for disaffected Anglicans.

Some are now talking openly of an "exodus" from the Anglican Communion next year, with thousands following Folkestone's lead. The Archbishop of Canterbury, from whose back yard the revolt has sprung, can be in little doubt about the seriousness of the threat. >>> Tim Ross | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Let's Make CEOs Justify Their Wages
THE GUARDIAN: If business leaders had to explain why they are worth their extravagant salaries, we might see an end to corrosive inequality

When an economy is booming, unjustifiable inequalities in pay can easily escape our attention. In these straitened times, with big cuts in public services about to hit the most vulnerable, it is time to look more carefully at how work is rewarded in our society. We need to realise that recognising the significance of incentives should not lead to acceptance of the daylight robbery that passes for executive compensation today. A good place to start is by looking at corporate governance.

The facts about income inequality in the UK are nothing less than mind-boggling. The average income of a FTSE 100 chief executive, according to the most recent Guardian survey of executive pay, is over £3m per year, including bonuses and pension contributions. This is more than 100 times median household income. It is not uncommon for CEOs to run 200 or 300 times as much as the median pay of their employees or, in the case of Terry Leahy's final year at Tesco, for a CEO to be paid 500 times the average take-home pay of his colleagues.

Moreover, executive pay continues to march relentlessly upwards, unconnected to skill, judgment or underlying profitability. While the FTSE lost a third of its value in the year to September 2009, executive pay rose 10% during the same period. According to the Work Foundation, the ratio of average CEO pay to average UK earnings rose from 10:1 in 1980 to 75:1 in 2006 (and has continued to grow since). In short, the gains of economic growth are becoming increasingly concentrated in a small number of hands, while the wages of ordinary people have stagnated.

Should we care? New Labour's answer, famously encapsulated by Peter Mandelson, is that we should be "intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich". Looking at runaway top-pay with a clear eye on its social and political consequences, Mandelson's claim looks as short-sighted as it is wrong-headed. Read on and comment >>> Martin O’Neill | Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Whatever happened to conscience? No responsible chief executive would feel good about siphoning off the cream for himself and leaving the worker bees with the crumbs. But these days, it seems that 'responsible' and 'CEO' are mutually exclusive concepts.

Taken to the extreme, this situation could eventually lead to revolution. History shows this to be so. Revolutions occur where extreme wealth and extreme poverty collide. The British are very complacent people, especially by comparison with the French, who have currently taken to the streets. But even a worm will turn. The élite shouldn't push their luck. – © Mark

This comment also appeared here

Iran Tells Iraqi Prime Minister 'Get Rid of America'
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran has demonstrated its hold over the future of Iraqi politics, telling Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to "get rid of America" as he arrived to ask Tehran's blessing for a second term in office.

Mr Maliki, who is on a tour of Middle Eastern capitals to drum up support for his bid to stay in power, had an audience with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Two weeks ago, the Iranian leadership negotiated backing for Mr Maliki from the militant Shia grouping, the Sadrists, who had previously been deeply opposed to his candidacy.

"The Iraqi nation is vigilant and aggressors cannot dominate this country again," Mr Khamenei told Mr Maliki, according to a statement put out by his office. "May God get rid of America in Iraq so that its people's problems are solved."

Mr Khamenei's aggressive stance, while seeming to give his blessing to Mr Maliki, whose secular Shia State of Law party came a close second in Iraqi elections in March, will alarm the Americans.

They already face losing their influence after their troops pull out of Iraq next year – an outcome that would once have been unthinkable after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the loss of so many American lives.

Now they risk seeing the creation of a government brokered by their greatest rivals in the region.

Iran has not overtly backed Mr Maliki, but officials on Monday said he would be a "suitable" choice. >>> Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Monday, October 18, 2010

Taliban drohen Niederlande wegen Wilders mit Terror
WELT ONLINE: Falls die Regierung Forderungen des Islamgegners Wilders umsetze, werde das Land "Ziel einer Dschihadisten-Gruppe", so ein Taliban-Sprecher.

Ein Anführer der afghanischen Taliban hat einem Zeitungsbericht zufolge die Niederlande vor einem Anschlag gewarnt, sollte die neue Regierung Forderungen des Islamgegners Geert Wilders umsetzen. „Wenn die Niederlande ihre Anti-Islam-Politik beibehalten oder intensivieren, werden sie mit Sicherheit das Ziel einer Dschihadisten-Gruppe werden“, zitierte die Tageszeitung „Volkskrant“ Sabjullah Mudschahed, der offizieller Sprecher der Taliban für Ost- und Nordafghanistan sein soll.

Wenn Wilders erfolgreich das niederländische Parlament „so manipuliert, dass es mehr Anti-Islam-Gesetze verabschiedet, gibt es keinen Zweifel, dass Muslime aus anderen Ländern aktiv werden, um ihren muslimischen Brüdern und Schwestern zu helfen“, sagte Mudschahed demnach weiter. >>> AFP/dpa/Reuters/cn | Montag, 18. Oktober, 2010

DAILY TIMES: Taliban warn Dutch against adopting anti-Islam agenda >>> Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Alleged Muslim Victims of Hate Speech by Anti-Islam Politician Plead for His Conviction
THE CANADIAN PRESS: AMSTERDAM — Muslim witnesses said Monday that a Dutch lawmaker's anti-Islamic comments had led to attacks and intimidation, and they pleaded with judges to convict him and give him a symbolic fine of one euro ($1.40).

Geert Wilders is facing charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims for statements that include comparing Islam with Nazism and calling for banning the Qur’an and taxing Muslim scarves, which he calls "head rags." His trial has been seen as testing the limits of free speech.

Prosecutors last week acknowledged they have failed to prove the case against him and called for his acquittal. But the judges may disagree, and their verdict is expected Nov. 5.

"Arson. Attempted arson. Vandalism. Disturbances. Incivility to people attending mosques. Obscenities. Intimidating behaviour — they have all become everyday occurrences" as a result of Wilders' public remarks, said Mohammed Enait, speaking for an alliance of Dutch mosques that had asked to testify as victims in the case.

Wilders denies inciting hatred of Muslims, and says he criticizes Islam because it's an ideology that rejects Western values. He says it is not a crime to state what many Dutch voters believe. >>> Toby Sterling | Monday, October 18, 2010

Bravo Frau Merkel! Merkel’s ‘MultiKulti’ Speech Fires Up Immigration Debate


MAIL ONLINE: Multiculturalism in Germany has 'utterly failed', claims Chancellor Angela Merkel: 'Too little required of immigrants' says tough-talking Christian Democrat leader >>> Alan Hall in Berlin | Monday, October 18, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: Chancellor Angela Merkel says multiculturalism in Germany has 'failed utterly'. She tells a conference of the youth wing of her Christian Democratic Union party that Germans and foreign workers could not 'live happily side by side'. The speech has been interpreted as a dramatic shift to the right

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Receives Hero's Welcome in Lebanon
THE TELEGRAPH: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, received a hero's welcome in Lebanon as he arrived in the country for a two-day visit designed to demonstrate Tehran's grip over the region's most perilous state.



Thousands held up flowers and Iranian flags as Mr Ahmedinejad waved through the open roof of an armoured car that carried him through the Shia Muslim strongholds of south Beirut, the Lebanese capital.

Hizbollah, Iran's local ally, mobilised its followers to throw rice and slaughter camels as the motorcade passed by.

It was, however, a welcome that ran just one street deep and normal life – bereft of Iranian flags – continued yards away from the old airport road used by the Iranian leader to reach a summit with his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Sleiman.

Maura Connelly, the US ambassador, expressed misgivings about the impact of the Iranian leader's visit and newspapers reported that America had unveiled a $22 million (£13.8 million) package of military aid to strengthen the Lebanese security forces. Continue reading and comment >>> Damien McElroy in Beirut | Wednesday, October 13, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: Beirut gives Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a warm welcome: Iranian president's Lebanon visit seen as a boost for Hezbollah and described by White House as provocative >>> Hugh Macleod in Beirut and Ian Black, Middle East editor | Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Salman Rushdie Still Receives Death Threats
MAIL ONLINE: Sir Salman Rushdie has revealed he receives a reminder every year from Iranian extremists that they still want to kill him.

The author said the threat comes in the form of a 'sort of Valentine's Day' card each February 14th.

Mr Rushdie said the card was a reminder from Iran that it had not given up on its 21-year-old promise to kill him.

Rushdie revealed details about the unusual card when he told the New York Times he was penning a book about his life during the years he was forced into hiding. Salman Rushdie still receives death threats from Iranian extremists 21 YEARS after fatwa >>> Paul Thompson | Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Militant Islam Gains Ground in the Balkans
GERSON LEHRMAN GROUP: A recent online music video featuring Macedonians praising Osama bin Laden has fueled fears that Southeastern Europe could be emerging as the latest breeding ground for homegrown Islamist militants. It focuses attention on Muslim charities active in The Balkans since the wars in former Yugoslavia in the mid-1990s. Many of those charities are funded by oil-rich Saudi Arabia and propagate Wahhabism - the kingdom's austere and puritan interpretation of Islam. >>> GLG Expert Contributor | Tuesday, October 12, 2010

(IN) COHERENT >>>

Ban on Openly Gay Troops in US Army Is Suspended
THE TELEGRAPH: The ban on openly homosexual troops serving in the United States military was suspended, in what is seen as a victory for gay rights campaigners.

A judge in California ordered a worldwide injunction against the enforcement of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, which forced the expulsion of homosexual troops whose sexuality was disclosed.

The judge, Virginia Phillips, ruled last month that the 17-year-old rule was unconstitutional, as it violated America's First and Fifth Amendments, which guarantee free speech and proper legal process.

On Tuesday she rejected an attempt by the Government to limit this to military personnel who were members of the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-gay rights group that filed the lawsuit against the rule.

Government lawyers had argued that an abrupt reversal of the rule could harm military operations at a time of war.

But Judge Phillips said the rule itself had a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed forces because it damaged recruiting efforts during wartime and forced the discharge of valuable troops.

She said that the Log Cabin group had shown that the rule "irreparably injures servicemembers by infringing their fundamental rights" and therefore must be applied to US troops everywhere.

Dan Woods, a lawyer for the group, said: "The order represents a complete and total victory for the Log Cabin Republicans and reaffirms the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians in the military who are fighting and dying for our country."

The ruling comes soon after another federal judge, in Tacoma, Washington, ruled that a flight nurse discharged from the US Air Force for being homosexual should be reinstated. Read on and comment >>> Jon Swaine, New York | Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Al-Qaeda Magazine Teaches How to Kill Americans
THE TELEGRAPH: Al-Qaeda has published a series of articles in its magazine giving would-be militants tips on how to kill Americans, including a section on how to mow people down with a pickup truck.

The 74-page online, English-language magazine, titled Inspire, which has a foreword by Osama bin Laden, encourages "individual jihad" to kill Americans and westerners.

It is an indication that the terrorist network is signalling a move away from terror "spectaculars", which are easier for intelligence agencies to foil, towards one-man operations.

In a graphic feature called The Ultimate Mowing Machine, it gives ideas for one-man operations, such as attaching blades to the front of a pickup truck which can then be used to "mow down" passers-by.

"To achieve maximum carnage, you need to pick up as much speed as you can while still retaining good control of your vehicle," it advises. "The ideal location is a place where there are a maximum number of pedestrians and the least number of vehicles." >>> Richard Spencer, Middle East correspondent | Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Saudi Prince Slept in Double Bed with Manservant
THE TELEGRAPH: A Saudi prince accused of murdering his manservant in a sexually motivated attack insisted they were “close friends” who only shared a double bed because the sofa bed was inferior, a court heard yesterday.

Prince Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir Al Saud told police he was not homosexual and that he and Bandar Abdulaziz were equals who had spent four months travelling the world.

He said the detectives did not understand the Saudi Arabian culture, where men regularly travel together as companions.

The prince’s explanation of the relationship came during his murder trial at the Old Bailey, which has heard how the Saudi royal employed gay escorts and took compromising photographs of Mr Abdulaziz on his mobile phone.

He was arrested only hours after Mr Abdulaziz’s battered body was discovered in the room they shared at the five-star Landmark Hotel in London on February 15 this year.

A post-mortem examination showed that the 32-year-old died from a combination of strangulation and neck and abdomen injuries.

When his body was discovered, Prince Saud tried to explain his wounds by saying Mr Abdulaziz was robbed on the Edgware Road, three weeks before his death, the court heard.

However, as he led detectives on a false walking tour to show them where it happened, other police officers discovered cctv footage of Prince Saud beating up Mr Abdulaziz in the hotel lift.

He was immediately arrested on suspicion of murder but refused to answer questions, instead giving the police a statement in which he explained why the pair shared a room. >>> Caroline Gammell | Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Related: Homosexual Saudi prince in ferocious attack on his manservant >>>

Republican New York Candidate Says 'Homosexuality' Is 'Not Acceptable'
THE TELEGRAPH: The Republican candidate for the governor of New York state has been condemned by both conservatives and Democrats for saying that he did not want his children "brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality" was "an acceptable option".

New York Republican candidate Carl Paladino in the Williamsburg neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Photo: The Telegraph
Carl Paladino, a property developer-turned-politician, was accused of raising the risk of attacks on homosexual men after several recent anti-gay crimes in New York, including an assault at the Stonewall Inn in the West Village and a brutal anti-gay gang attack in the Bronx.

Mr Paladino, 64, who has received strong support from conservative Tea Party activists, made his initial comments at a Brooklyn synagogue.

He was trying to strike a contrast between himself and Andrew Cuomo, his Democratic rival, who once took his young daughters to a gay pride parade.

In a television interview yesterday, Mr Paladino said that he did not discriminate against gays, and employed a gay nephew.

But he repeated his opposition to gay marriage and, referring to homosexuality, added: "That's not how God created us, and that's not the example that we should be showing our children."

He also said young children shouldn't be exposed to gay culture, and singled out pride parades. >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Monoday, October 11, 2010

German Politician Inflames Immigration Debate
THE GUARDIAN: Horst Seehofer calls for halt to immigration for Turks and Arabs, claiming they find it hard to integrate

Horst Seehofer has refused to apologise for saying Germany should not accept any more Turkish or Arab migrants. Photograph: The Guardian
A leading German politician has stoked a debate about foreigners and the workplace after calling for a halt to immigration for Turks and Arabs, citing the difficulties they have in integrating.

Horst Seehofer, premier of the conservative southern German state of Bavaria, stressed the urgent need to stem the flow of immigrants from Arab lands, and focus instead on cultures more similar to Germany's.

Seehofer, a member of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, told a German magazine it was time for the country to look elsewhere for qualified workers at a time when many parts of the labour market are facing grave shortfalls.

"It's clear that immigrants from other cultural circles like Turkey, and Arab countries have more difficulties. From that I draw the conclusion that we don't need any additional foreign workers from other cultures," he said.

He added that Germany should first "deal with the people who already live here" and "get tougher on those who refuse to integrate" before opening itself up to further immigration. >>> Kate Connolly, Berlin | Monday, 11. October 2010

Bettencourt, victime de "harcèlement"?
leJDD.fr: "Ma fille me désespère". Liliane Bettencourt a réagi dans un communiqué manuscrit, dimanche soir, à la saisine, mercredi, du juge des tutelles par sa fille, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers. Elle souhaite engager des poursuites judiciaires pour faire constater ce qu'elle nomme du "harcèlement". La milliardaire veut être "tranquille".

"Je ne peux plus accepter un tel harcèlement, ni qu’elle abime l’image de L’Oréal au travers de moi ou de notre famille". Liliane Bettencourt a vivement réagi dimanche soir à la révélation, par le site ParisMatch.com , de la saisine mercredi d'un juge des tutelles par sa fille. Selon le site de l'hebdomadaire, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers se serait tournée vers un magistrat de Courbevoie pour faire constater la situation de faiblesse de sa mère. C'est la troisième fois qu'elle agit ainsi et les deux premières avaient été déclarées irrecevables en l'absence d'une expertise médicale à laquelle la milliardaire refuse de se plier. "Cette fois-ci, les avocats de Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers ont mandaté le gériatre Christophe de Jaeger, un expert agréé par le Tribunal de Nanterre", ajoutait le site de Paris Match. >>> V.V (avec Reuters) - leJDD.fr | Dimanche 10 Octobre 2010

"Der Koran ist dem Teufel seine Bibel"
KRONEN ZEITUNG: Ein offensichtlich religiös motivierter Sprayer hat in der Steirmark der Basilika in Mariazell einen nächtlichen Besuch abgestattet. Auf der Nordmauer der römisch-katholischen Wallfahrtskirche stehen in schwarzen Lettern die Sprüche "Der Koran ist dem Teufel seine Bibel" und "Am Horizont taucht der Teufel auf" zu lesen. Der Sachschaden ist laut Polizei "enorm".

Die Spray- Attacke dürfte nach Angaben der Exekutive in der Zeit zwischen Samstag, 21 Uhr, und Sonntag, 7.45 Uhr, passiert sein. Die Spruchfolge auf dem Granitsockel der Basilika ist rund 30 Meter lang und einen knappen Meter hoch. Den hohen Schaden erklärt die Polizei damit, dass sich die Farbe nicht durch einfaches Abwaschen entfernen lasse. Basilika Mariazell mit Anti-Koran-Sprüchen besprüht >>>
| Sonntag, 10. Oktober 2010