Barack Obama Signs Law Repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' for Gays in the Military
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama has signed a law allowing gays to serve openly in the military, repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a sweeping and historic shift for the US armed forces. Read about it >>> | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: 'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed as Obama signs landmark law: The US president fulfils his campaign pledge by allowing gay people to serve openly in the armed forces >>> Staff and agencies | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

THE ADVOCATE: Obama: "Prepared to Implement" – ADVOCATE EXCLUSIVE OBAMA INTERVIEW: President Obama tells The Advocate the Pentagon is "prepared to implement" repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and it will take months not years. He also says he's “wrestling” with the issue of marriage equality. >>> Kerry Eleveld | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Art of Arabic Calligraphy
THE GUARDIAN: Taha Al-Hiti, a professional calligrapher, explains how letters were originally based on the shape of the human body

Watch Guardian video here Mona Mahmood | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Saudi King Leaves New York Hospital After Back Surgery
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The King of Saudi Arabia has left a New York hospital to recover from back surgery.

King Abdullah left the hospital on Tuesday evening "for his New York residence for a period of convalescence and physiotherapy," the Saudi court said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Saudi television showed the king, about 86 years old, together with Abdullah al-Rabeeah, the health minister, walking with difficulty and smiling at hospital staff.

There was no mention of when the king would return to Saudi Arabia.

As head of a government led by several princes in their 70s and 80s, many also suffering chronic health problems, Abdullah's travelling to the United States for treatment sparked quiet speculation about the future of the leadership in many Saudi circles.

He flew to New York on November 22 and was operated on two days later at New York Presbyterian Hospital for a debilitating herniated disc complicated by a haematoma that put pressure on his spine. >>> | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

'Christmas Bomb Plotters Were Radicalised in Jail'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Members of an alleged terrorist cell that was said to have been plotting Christmas suicide attacks in London were radicalised in jail, it has been claimed.

A neighbour of three men arrested in Cardiff said that, after they were convicted of theft and drugs offences, they "went to prison as petty criminals and came out expressing extreme views".

Twelve men, mainly British nationals of Bangladeshi origin, were still being questioned by anti-terrorism officers last night following co-ordinated raids in the Welsh capital, London, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham on Monday.

Sources said the gang was planning a "spectacular" attack on banks, shops and "iconic" sites in London. >>> Duncan Gardham, Peter Hutchison, John Bingham and Richard Savill | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Iraq's Christians Plan a Simple Christmas in the Shadow of Violence
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Only one Baghdad church is celebrating Christmas fully this year, as Iraq's Christians fear a recurrence of the recent murders of their fellow parishioners and are forced to mark the occasion in the absence of over 1,000 families that have fled.

Five Islamist extremists burst into the church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad in October, murdering two priests, holding the congregation hostage and eventually killing more than 50 people. Now Amnesty International has warned of a spike in violence in the run-up to Christmas and has urged the Iraqi government to do more to protect Christians, who are now believed to number less than 500,000, about half its level of seven years ago.

Only 40 people turned up for mass at Our Lady last Sunday. They sang and chanted, a forlorn gathering of survivors, the walls around them spattered with blood and cratered by bullet-holes. The bloodied hand prints of those who failed to escape marked the door in an ante-room.

In front of the altar stood photographs of the dead, including a light-haired smiling four year old boy, Adam Eashoue, and his 33 year old father, Uday. Adam's grandparents, Zuher and Amal, cannot bear to return to the church.

"I've lost my world," said Amal at her home, who watched as her son and grandson were murdered. "I don't want to leave Baghdad - I was born and married here. But I have to think of my children."

Her 16 year old daughter, Mirna, dressed in black, described how she played dead to avoid being killed. The house is full of painful reminders: Uday and his wife's empty room, Adam's toys, the baby cot for their 11-month-old granddaughter who is now in Italy with her mother and being treated for gunshot wounds. >>> Lindsey Hilsum in Baghdad | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Saudi Arabia Girls' Schools Investigated Over 'Illegal' Sports Day
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Private Saudi girls' high schools are being investigated by the education ministry for holding an "illegal" sports tournament.

The Dec 8 event involving 200 females from six Jeddah private high schools broke ministry rules against girls' sports in schools, a ministry official said.

"We don't have any regulations that say that it's OK for girls' schools to hold sports classes or training," said Ahmed Al-Zahrani, director of girls' education in Jeddah.

"This tournament was held by these schools, something that has now led us to know about their illegal activities," he said. >>> | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Spain Smoking Ban Law Approved
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Spain’s smoke-filled bars, corner cafés and restaurants are on the verge of extinction after lawmakers on Tuesday approved a tough new antismoking law that will rid the country of its reputation as one of Western Europe’s easiest places to light up.

The bill, proposed by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his governing Socialist Party, passed in a 189-154 vote that also rejected a Senate amendment to allow casinos to have smoking areas. >>> | Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The flag of Jihad. Image: Google Images
Evil Bid to Massacre Christmas Shoppers
DAILY EXPRESS: ANTI-terror police foiled suspected Al Qaeda plots to slaughter Christmas shoppers in a bomb blitz and Mumbai-style massacres yesterday.

Officers arrested 12 young Muslim men in dawn raids in Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

The suspects, all believed to be of Bangladeshi origin, were being questioned about alleged conspiracies to launch a spate of devastating attacks across the UK.

Police and MI5 officers, aided by the Government’s listening post GCHQ, are believed to have uncovered plans to set off a series of explosions in crowded high streets and shopping centres. Bars, night- clubs and restaurants are also thought to be potential targets.

It is also believed there is some intelligence of a suspected plot to launch commando raids like the Mumbai massacre in India two years ago which claimed more than 170 lives.

It was not clear exactly when the men arrested yesterday allegedly planned to carry out the attacks. >>> John Twomey | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Why do we put up with this dangerous nonsense? We are under no obligation to do so. – © Mark

Peter Tatchell Bids to Overturn Gay Marriage Ban at European Court of Human Rights
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Campaigners for equal rights for homosexuals will launch an attempt to overturn England’s “discriminatory” marriage laws at the European Court of Human Rights today.

Eight British couples will argue that the twin bans on same-sex marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships are unlawful and should be reversed.

Over the last two months four homosexual couples have all been refused marriage licenses at register offices across England, while four heterosexual couples were turned away when they applied for civil partnership status.

The couples will file a joint application to the court today, which is the fifth anniversary of the first civil partnership ceremonies in England.

They will argue that the current ban on gay marriages is a breach of the Human Rights Act, specifically the right to respect for private and family life, the right to marry, and the prohibition of discrimination.

Peter Tatchell, the equality activist coordinating the “Equal Love” campaign, of which the couples are part, said bans on same-sex civil marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships were “a form of sexual apartheid”.

“Outlawing black marriages would provoke uproar,” he said. “The prohibition on gay marriages should provoke similar outrage.” >>> Tim Ross, Social Affairs Editor | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

German Politician Says Gays Should Not Be Allowed to Bring Up Children
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A leading German politician has declared that homosexuals should not be allowed to bring up children.

Volker Kauder, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, said the question of children's wellbeing should come before the wishes of adults wanting to become parents.

"This has to be accepted, even if it's difficult for those affected," said Mr Kauder told the Berliner Zeitung. "I don't think children wish to be raised by homosexual couples."

In Germany, homosexuals can legally adopt the children of their partners, but adopting an unrelated child as a couple is against the law. [Source: The Daily Telegraph] Allan Hall in Berlin | Monday, December 20, 2010

Vince Cable: I Could Bring Down the Government
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vince Cable has privately threatened to “bring the Government down” if he is “pushed too far” during fractious discussions with his Conservative colleagues, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.


The Business Secretary also claims that David Cameron will seek to scrap or reduce the winter fuel allowance paid to pensioners from next year.

He believes that policies are being rushed through by the Conservatives and that ministers should be “putting a brake on” some proposals, which are in “danger of getting out of control”. Mr Cable says that, behind the scenes, the Tories and Liberal Democrats are fighting a “constant battle”, including over tax proposals. Likening the conflict to a war, he says he can always use the “nuclear option” of resignation. His departure from the Government would spell the end of the Coalition, he claims.

The disclosures emerged in a secret recording of a conversation Mr Cable had with two reporters from The Daily Telegraph posing as Lib Dem voters in his constituency.

They provide the first concrete evidence of the level of distrust and infighting taking place within the Coalition. His comments indicate that the public professions of support between the parties may not be a true reflection of what is occurring in Cabinet. Mr Cable has appeared uncomfortable in the Coalition and his comments will lead to speculation that he could be the first high-­profile member of the Government to quit.

Following divisions within the Lib Dems over the raising of tuition fees, this newspaper has begun an investigation into the party’s true feelings towards the Coalition and it discloses widespread unease. >>> Holly Watt, Robert Winnett and Heidi Blake | Monday, December 20, 2010

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – BENEDICT BROGAN: No one in the Coalition will trust Vince Cable now >>> Benedict Brogan | Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Saudi Wahhabis Infiltrate USA Through Chicago Nation of Islam

Pour financer les mosquées, les élus se mouillent
L’EXPRESS.fr: Marine Le Pen s'est opposée à tout financement, public ou étranger, pour la construction des mosquées en France. A mille lieues des réalités du terrain. Exemples à Strasbourg et à Marseille.

Pour mettre le cap sur l'Elysée, Marine Le Pen s'est trouvé un nouveau cheval de bataille: le respect de la laïcité. Depuis deux semaines, elle enchaîne les déclarations polémiques et les sorties tonitruantes sur le sujet. Après avoir comparé à l'occupation nazie les musulmans qui prient dans la rue, elle s'en est pris au financement de leurs lieux de culte.

Invitée du Grand jury RTL/LCI/Le Figaro, la candidate à la succession de son père à la tête du Front national s'est dite opposée à tout "financement public" pour la construction de mosquées, "directement ou indirectement", ainsi qu'au financement "de pays étrangers", dont l'Arabie Saoudite. Selon elle, "les fidèles doivent financer leurs propres mosquées (...) modestes et pas ostensibles". >>> Par Julien Chabrout et Matthieu Deprieck | Lundi 20 Décembre 2010

Frankreich: Marine Le Pen vergleicht Burka-Trägerinnen mit Nazis
WELT ONLINE: Sie steht ihrem Vater in nichts nach: Die rechtsextreme Politikerin Marine Le Pen wettert gegen Burka-Trägerinnen. Dahinter steht ein Machtkampf in ihrer Partei Front National.

Gezielt provozieren, die öffentliche Empörung an sich abprallen lassen und sich danach über steigende Umfragewerte freuen – dies war lange Jahre die Strategie, mit der Jean-Marie Le Pen die Wahlerfolge des „Front National“ (FN) erzielte. Vor knapp zwei Wochen hat seine Tochter Marine Le Pen endgültig unter Beweis gestellt, dass sie dieses schwefelige Talent von ihrem Vater geerbt hat – und damit ihren Anspruch bekräftigt, diesen als Führer der rechtsextremen Partei abzulösen. Bei einem Auftritt in Lyon verglich die 42-jährige Muslime, die in manchen Vierteln französischer Großstädte freitags auf der Straße beten, weil es nicht genug Platz in den Gebetshäusern gibt, mit der Besetzung Frankreichs durch die Nationalsozialisten zwischen 1940 und 1944.

Vor zehn Jahren sei der Schleier aufgetaucht, begann Marine Le Pen ihre Ausführungen, inzwischen gebe es mehr und mehr Schleier in Frankreich. Dann sei die Burka gekommen, inzwischen gebe es mehr und mehr Burkas, behauptete die Frau mit der Stimme einer Stadionsprecherin. Und dann fügte sie betont umständlich und verschachtelt jenen perfiden Vergleich an, der in der Folge sämtliche Kommentatoren der französischen Medienlandschaft gut eine Woche lang beschäftigte: „Es tut mir leid, aber für diejenigen, die gerne vom Zweiten Weltkrieg reden, wenn es darum geht, über Besatzung zu sprechen, dann könnte man dies in diesem Fall so nennen, denn das, das ist eine Besatzung von Territorium.“ Diese geschehe zwar „ohne Panzer“ und „Soldaten“, „gleichwohl ist es eine Besatzung“, so Marine Le Pen. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Sascha Lehnartz | Montag, 20. Dezember 2010

Le froid sème la pagaille en Grande-Bretagne
LE TEMPS: Avions cloués au sol, passagers qui dorment dans les aérogares, routes et voies ferrées gelées: le chaos dans les transports se poursuivait ce lundi en Grande-Bretagne, où les températures restaient exceptionnellement basses

Bien qu’ouvert, l’aéroport de Heathrow près de Londres, un des premiers du monde pour le trafic voyageurs, opérait «un nombre limité de vols», selon son site internet. British Airways a annoncé qu’une soixantaine de vols seraient maintenus lundi matin à partir de Heathrow, soit environ la moitié. Des dizaines d’autres vols ont donc été annulés, et les perturbations devraient se prolonger au-delà de Noël du fait des reports et annulations. >>> AFP | Lundi 20 Décembre 2010

LE TEMPS: L’Europe est paralysée par les intempéries: Des milliers de passagers, en Belgique et en Angleterre, ont été bloqués dans les aéroports >>> AFP/LT | Lundi 20 Décembre 2010

BBC Middle East Business Report: Designer Dishdasha

Bah Humbug! Christmas Trees 'Make Non-Christians Feel Excluded'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Christmas trees should be removed from public places to avoid making non-Christians feel “excluded”, scientists have suggested.

The research suggests firms and councils should think twice about displaying Christmas trees. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada, found non-Christians feel less self-assured and have fewer positive feelings if a Christmas tree was in the room.

The scientists conducted the study using 77 Christians and 57 non-believers, including Buddhists and Sikhs.

The participants did not know the survey was about Christmas, and were asked to fill in questions about themselves both when a 12-inch Christmas tree was in the room and when it was not.

"Non-celebrators" reported fewer positive feelings and less self-assurance in the Christmas room. Christians were mostly cheered by the tree.

Christians, however, did report feeling more guilt when a tree was in the room, which, claim the researchers, suggests the holidays can be stressful. >>> Andy Bloxham | Monday, December 20, 2010

Diddums! Christmas Displays Have Emotional Consequences
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY: Christmas displays can undermine the psychological well-being of people who do not celebrate the holiday, according to a new Simon Fraser University study.



“This research demonstrates that the pervasive presence of Christmas displays in December makes people who do not celebrate Christmas feel like they don’t belong, and it harms their emotional well-being,” said SFU associate psychology professor Michael Schmitt.



The study was conducted by Schmitt, SFU psychology professor Stephen Wright, and SFU grads Kelly Davies and Mandy Hung. Their research was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology in an article called, “Identity moderates the effects of Christmas displays on mood, self-esteem, and inclusion.”



Two experiments were conducted to examine the emotional consequences of being in the presence of a Christmas tree. SFU students were brought to a lab and randomly assigned to work in one of two rooms – one that had a 12-inch Christmas tree on a desk and one that didn’t. The participants, who were not aware they were part of a study about the effects of Christmas trees, then completed a questionnaire about their mood. >>> | Friday, December 17, 2010

This study is a load of nonsense! Christmas trees are part of our heritage. If non-Christians (you are probably referring here to Muslims) feel they don’t belong, then probably they don’t; and there’s a simple solution to this: Find the nearest airport and look for greener pastures!

I think I speak for the many when I say that I am sick to death of politically-correct do-gooders undermining our civilization. Take a trip to Saudi Arabia, or some other Muslim country, and see if they care whether we feel we don’t belong when they display their own Islamic ornaments for Eid, etc. They couldn’t give a fig. So lay off our Christmas! Get back to real science, guys, and see if you can do some good in this troubled world! – © Mark

Contact:
Michael Schmitt, SFU psychology, 778.898.0464, mschmitt@sfu.ca
Dixon Tam, SFU media relations, 778.782.8742; dixon_tam@sfu.ca

Deutschland: Eine Muslimin tanzt aus der Reihe

Germany Admits Enslaving and Abusing a Generation of Children
Youths digging turf at Diakonie Freistatt, one of the church institutions, near Hannover, in the 1960s. Photograph: The Independent
THE INDEPENDENT: Government agrees up to €120m in compensation for three decades of post-war 'Nazi-era' brutality in foster homes

Germany has owned up to one of the most disturbing examples of mass child and youth abuse in its post-war history, some 60 years after the first teenagers started being locked away and mistreated by supposedly "caring" foster homes.

The country agreed yesterday to provide a €120m (£101m) compensation fund for the estimated 30,000 victims who were among the 800,000 children in German foster homes in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.

Institutions that for decades meted out inhuman treatment – including ritual beatings, periods of solitary confinement, forced labour and sexual assaults – were not youth remand centres or borstals as might be expected, but homes run by nuns and priests in former West Germany's Catholic and Protestant churches, as well as state-run homes. Read on and comment >>> Tony Paterson in Berlin | Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Briton Stabbed and US Tourist Killed in Israel Knife Attack
THE INDEPENDENT: An American woman was knifed to death and her British Israeli companion seriously injured when they were attacked by two assailants while walking in the wooded hills near Jerusalem over the weekend.

Briton Kaye Wilson, who narrowly survived the assault, claimed that two Arab men attacked her and her friend before trussing them and stabbing them repeatedly.

Suspicion for the attack appeared to fall on Arab militants. Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said it was probably a "terrorist attack" given the way in which the two women were tied up and stabbed. "The main line that we're looking at is that it's a nationalistically-motivated attack, but we haven't ruled out possible criminal motives," Mr Rosenfeld said.

Israeli soldiers raided a Palestinian hospital in nearby Bethlehem, in case the attackers were injured and sought treatment. No arrests were made. >>> Catrina Stewart in Jerusalem | Monday, December 20, 2010

Endless Memory


MAIL ONLINE: Masters of memory: The people who can recall what happened on every day of their lives >>> Clare Bates | Monday, December 20, 2010

Saudi King 'In Talks to Buy Disused New York Hospital to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero'
MAIL ONLINE: The King of Saudi Arabia is said to be in talks with New York officials about a plan to move the controversial Ground Zero mosque to a disused medical centre.

Lawyer Dudley Gaffin claims King Abdullah is considering buying St Vincent's Medical Center in the West Village to build an Islamic cultural centre on the site.

Under the proposals, the hospital would also be saved with units shut when it filed for bankruptcy in April reopened, the New York Post reported.

Sources said that Mr Gaffin has come up with the plan in a bid to head off the Rudin Organization, which is trying to buy St Vincent's with a view to constructing luxury housing.

One community leader, who did not want to be identified, told the newspaper: 'He's asking what it would take to put in a bid.

'He says the king wants to do this as a PR move - to save the hospital and move the mosque away from the World Trade Center site.

'He wants to show that Muslims can do good works.' Read on and comment >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Monday, December 20, 2010

Sacked Iran Foreign Minister Criticises 'Un-Islamic' Dismissal
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Manouchehr Mottaki, the former Iranian foreign minister who was abruptly fired last week, has said his dismissal was "un-Islamic, undiplomatic and offensive".

The former minister said he was caught unaware when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iran president, announced the decision to sack him while he was away on a diplomatic mission in Senegal, according to the Mehr new agency. Mr Ahmadinejad appointed nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as acting foreign minister.

Mr Mottaki added his criticism to an outcry by parliament members who rival Mr Ahmadinejad from within his own conservative camp. He told that he was not told about the dismissal before or during his trip.

"Dismissing a minister during a mission is un-Islamic, undiplomatic and offensive," Mr Mottaki said. "I was never informed," he added. >>> | Sunday, December 19, 2010

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Riot police across Tehran as regime fears unrest: Iran's rulers showed they were fearing another bout of mass unrest on Sunday when they deployed riot police across the capital at the same time as a biting austerity programme took effect. >>> Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Former Sarah Palin Colleague Says She Has Multiple Flaws
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Nicolle Wallace, a former colleague of Sarah Palin, has become the latest senior Republican publicly to round on the darling of the Tea Party movement, saying that her opponents should avoid criticising her directly and let her expose her own multiple flaws.

Mrs Wallace, who worked closely with Mrs Palin on the ill-fated 2008 Republican presidential campaign, said the former vice-presidential candidate's weaknesses would be revealed by the rigours and demands of a long contest to secure the party's nomination for the next White House election. >>> Alex Spillius, New York | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Iran Committee Votes to Cut Ties with U.K.
TORONTO SUN: TEHRAN - A committee in Iran’s parliament voted on Sunday to cut diplomatic relations with Britain, a day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for “cooperation“ with major powers.

The decision by parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, reported by the semi-official Fars news agency, follows criticism by Britain’s ambassador to Tehran of Iran’s human rights record.

“After voting by the members of the committee, it was decided to have diplomatic relations completely severed with Britain,” Fars quoted lawmaker Mohammad Karami-rad as saying.

If the motion is backed by the full parliament it would put pressure on the government to downgrade relations with Britain at a time when a new foreign minister has called for “positive interaction””with the European Union. >>> Reuters | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Schweden nach dem Terroranschlag: „Wir haben es immer gesagt“
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach dem misslungenen Terroranschlag in Stockholm trumpfen die Rechtspopulisten in Schweden auf und fordern eine „offene Debatte“; die Gefahr müsse endlich ernst genommen werden. Islamistischen Fundamentalisten sei in Schweden ein „roter Teppich“ ausgerollt worden.

Am Tag nach dem Terroranschlag von Stockholm legte Fredrik Reinfeldt auf eine Feststellung besonderen Wert. „Es ist wichtig“, sagte der Ministerpräsident, „dass wir unsere offene Gesellschaft verteidigen und keine voreiligen Schlüsse ziehen.“ Anderenfalls drohten unerwünschte Spannungen in der schwedischen Gesellschaft. Doch die rechtspopulistischen Schwedendemokraten, seit der Wahl vom September im Reichstag vertreten, wollten nicht warten. Sie verlangten „eine aktuelle Debatte im Parlament über gewaltbereiten islamischen Extremismus“ – und zwar „aufgrund des großen öffentlichen Interesses so schnell wie möglich“.

Parteichef Jimmie Åkesson forderte im „Svenska Dagbladet“ eine offene Debatte; die Gefahr müsse endlich ernst genommen werden. Doch die Bereitschaft der anderen Parteien, die Diskussion tatsächlich offen und mit den Schwedendemokraten zu führen, dürfte spätestens dann versiegt sein, als deren Parteisekretär Björn Söder der gesamten politischen Konkurrenz vorwarf, sie hätten den islamischen Fundamentalisten in Schweden „den roten Teppich“ ausgerollt. Johan Linander von der mitregierenden Zentrumspartei gab sich empört. Soweit er verstehe, seien die Schwedendemokraten ohnehin gegen alle eingewanderten Muslime. „Sie geben einer ganz Gruppe die Schuld für die Tat eines Einzelnen, das ist sehr gefährlich.“ >>> Von Matthias Wyssuwa | Freitag, 17. Dezember 2010

Wikileaks: Julian Assange Facing US Prosecution Bid, Says Joe Biden
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder, is facing proscution [sic] in America for leaking secret cables, the US Vice President, Joe Biden, has disclosed as he branded him a "high-tech terrorist".

Mr Biden said that officials in the US Justice Department were actively exploring ways to prosecute Mr Assange in America over his website’s leaks.

It is the first admission from a senior member of the US administration that efforts are already underway in Washington to bring charges against Mr Assange, who is currently on bail in Britain facing extradition to Sweden on unrelated sexual assault charges.

The 39-year-old Australian-born whistleblower has infuriated the US government by leaking thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables.

He said last week that it looked increasingly likely the US would try to extradite him to face charges related over the leaked cables. >>> John Bingham | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Hier feiern die Obamas Weihnachten
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Vier Wochen vor Heiligabend erstrahlt das Weisse Haus in feierlichem Glanz. In welcher Pracht Barack und Michelle Obama mit ihren Töchtern Weihnachten feiern, sehen Sie im Video.


Barack Obama läutet Weihnachten ein
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Jetzt weihnachtet es auch offiziell: Barack Obama hat in Washington einen riesigen Christbaum in ein Lichtermeer getaucht. Der US-Präsident forderte in seiner Rede zur Nächstenliebe auf. Auch Michelle Obama und Blues-Legende B. B. King hatten einen Auftritt.

Fury Over BBC’s Nativity Insult
THE SUNDAY EXPRESS: THE BBC has angered Christians with a TV drama in which the Virgin Mary is branded a prostitute and sex cheat.

In The Nativity, written by EastEnders scriptwriter Tony Jordan, 15-year-old Mary is attacked by people who do not believe her claim that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph accuses her of “whoring” and even suggests that her pregnancy might have been the result of rape.

The Church of England has described the four-part drama, which goes out before the 9pm watershed from tomorrow, as “a gritty interpretation”. >>> David Stephenson | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Legalisierung bleibt für zwölf Millionen Menschen ein Traum
Keine erleichterte Einbürgerung für junge Einwanderer in USA
NZZ ONLINE: Für Hunderttausende illegal in die USA eingewanderte Menschen ist der Traum von der amerikanischen Staatsbürgerschaft wieder ein Stückchen weiter in die Ferne gerückt. Die Republikaner blockierten den sogenannten «DREAM Act» zur erleichterten Einbürgerung. Obama zeigte sich enttäuscht. >>> sda | Samstag, 18. Dezember 2010

Königliche Visite: Prinz Harry besucht Berlin

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Nummer drei der britischen Thronfolge, Prinz Harry, hat am Wochenende die deutsche Hauptstadt besucht. Er nahm an einer Wohltätigkeitsveranstaltung teil und sah sich die Wahrzeichen der Stadt an.

Das Video hier abspielen

Le patron du Wef voudrait inviter Julian Assange au Forum de Davos
leJDD.fr: Le fondateur de Wikileaks ne peut actuellement pas quitter l'Angleterre.

Le patron du Forum économique mondial (Wef), Klaus Schwab, qui réunit chaque année à Davos le gotha international des affaires et de la politique, a annoncé dimanche qu'il souhaiterait inviter le fondateur du site WikiLeaks Julian Assange pour le prochain sommet en janvier.

"En réalité, je devrais inviter" Julian Assange à Davos, "mais ce n'est pas possible car il n'est pas autorisé à quitter l'Angleterre", a expliqué M. Schwab dans un entretien avec le journal dominical SonntagsZeitung. >>> AFP | Dimanche 19 Décembre 2010

Egypte: Moubarak annonce des réformes
leJDD.fr: Le président Hosni Moubarak s'est engagé dimanche à améliorer la gestion de l'eau, à durcir les conditions d'acquisition de terrains de l'Etat et à renforcer le commerce intérieur lors de la prochaine législature du nouveau Parlement. Les élections législatives de début décembre ont débouché sans surprise sur un triomphe du Parti national démocrate (PND) au pouvoir. S'exprimant devant les deux chambres du Parlement, Moubarak a déclaré que les réformes allaient donner un coup de fouet aux nouvelles industries alors que le gouvernement s'est fixé pour objectif une croissance de 8% sur les cinq prochaines années. [Source: leJDD] | Dimanche 19 Décembre 2010

Russia & China Take on the Dollar

Sharia Law to Be Tightened if Sudan Splits - President
Mr Bashir also defended a recent public flogging of a woman by police. Photo: BBC
BBC: The north of Sudan will reinforce its Islamic laws if the south secedes as a result of next month's referendum, President Omar al-Bashir has said.

Mr Bashir said the constitution would then be changed, making Islam the only religion, Sharia the only law and Arabic the only official language.

Correspondents say his comments are likely to alarm thousands of non-Muslim southerners living in the north.

They are currently protected from some of the stronger aspects of Sharia.

"If south Sudan secedes, we will change the constitution," Mr Bashir told a gathering of his supporters in the eastern town of Gederef on Sunday.

"Sharia and Islam will be the main source for the constitution, Islam the official religion and Arabic the official language," the president added. >>> | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Billionaire's Holiday Gift to Neighborhood
Holiday light show at the home of hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones II * in Greenwich, Connecticut. 12/16/10

* Christmas kitsch! Clearly, Paul Tudor Jones II has more money than taste!

George Papandreou Risks Sparking Class War Over Austerity Cuts
THE GUARDIAN: A mob attack on a politician in broad daylight has highlighted how desperate Greeks are becoming about political decisions imposed on them

Riot police clash with protesters in September outside the Thessaloniki International Fair where the Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, was delivering a keynote speech. Photograph: The Guardian
Stung by fury on the streets, criticism within his own party and rising poverty, the Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, addressed an emergency session of his socialist MPs yesterday as parliament prepared to debate one of the toughest budgets in the near-bankrupt nation's modern history.

Amid mounting hostility over austerity measures that last week sparked some of the ugliest scenes of violence since the eruption of Europe's debt-crisis in Athens, he appealed for calm in navigating what he has increasingly come to call a "state of war".

"These are critical times for Greece," said Kostas Panagopoulos, a political analyst. "It is going through its worst period in 30 years."

An attack in broad daylight on Kostas Hadzidakis, a minister in the former conservative government, has highlighted fears that Greeks are at a tipping point. He was set upon as he walked through Athens during one of the capital's biggest ever anti-austerity demonstrations. Protesters were seen shouting "thieves, thieves" and "let the parliament burn" as they punched him in the face, threw stones at him and tried to attack him with sticks. >>> Helena Smith | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Bank of America Blocks Donations to WikiLeaks
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bank of America has halted all transactions for WikiLeaks, joining other institutions that refuse to process payments for the website that has exposed a trove of US government cables.

"Bank of America joins in the actions previously announced by MasterCard, PayPal, Visa Europe and others and will not process transactions of any type that we have reason to believe are intended for WikiLeaks," the largest US bank said in a statement.

"This decision is based upon our reasonable belief that WikiLeaks may be engaged in activities that are, among other things, inconsistent with our internal policies for processing payments."

Bank of America spokesman Scott Silvestri declined to comment beyond the official statement.

The action comes weeks after WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claimed in an interview with Forbes magazine that a "megaleak" by the website will target a major US bank "early next year."

He has previously said that he has a treasure trove of documents on Bank of America, whose shares tumbled more than three per cent on November 30 shortly after the Forbes interview was released. Read on and comment >>> | Saturday, December 18, 2010

Stockholm Bomber: Banned Extremists Recruit Near Taimur Abdulwahab al-Abdaly's Luton Home
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The outlawed Islamist group al-Muhajiroun is openly recruiting near the home of the suicide bomber who blew himself up on a Stockholm street last week, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

MI5 and anti-terrorist police are attempting to unravel what transformed the father of three into an extremist.

But moderate Muslims in Luton, where Iraqi-born Taimour Abdulwahab lived for almost 10 years, claim the authorities are to blame for turning a blind eye to the activities of hard-core jihadi sympathisers.

Unimpeded by the police, the group, now calling itself The Reflect Project, is accused of mounting a campaign of intimidation and violence against those who disagree with it.

The group's members are followers of the radical cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad, who is being held in jail in Lebanon on terrorism charges, and are led locally by Ishtiaq Alamgir or Sword of Islam – a former inland revenue accountant. >>> Jason Lewis, Investigations Editor | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Sarkozy Bows to Rival Le Pen over Muslim Prayers in the Street
THE SUNDAY TIMES: Stung by the rise of the right’s new star, the president is taking his cue from her on the highly volatile issue of Muslim prayers on the streets Read on and comment (£) >>> Matthew Campbell | Sunday, December 19, 2010

Snow Chaos: Heathrow Airport To Stay Shut
SKY NEWS: Heathrow will remain closed and will not reopen until checks this morning confirm it is safe, as heavy snow continues to cause chaos across Britain's transport networks.


DAILY TELEGRAPH PICTURE GALLERY: Britain's coldest winters on record >>>

Gays to Be Allowed in the US Military
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The US Senate has lifted the controversial ban on gays serving openly in the US military.

The bill will be signed into law this week by President Barack Obama, who made lifting the ban a key campaign pledge.

The repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is a major victory for Mr Obama and congressional Democrat leaders and a historic breakthrough for gay rights advocates.

It will also mark a striking cultural shift for the US armed forces as gays are allowed to serve for the first time without fear of dismissal.

“It is time to close this chapter in our history,” said Mr Obama who has remained in Washington to complete political duties while his family begins their annual Christmas holiday in Hawaii.

“It is time to recognise that sacrifice, valour and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed.” He added that as commander-in-chief, he believed the measure would strengthen the country’s military. >>> | Saturday, December 18, 2010

This is indeed a historic day for gays in America. Congratulations! It is to be hoped that the bigots will now be silenced, once and for all. Congratulations, too, to all Americans for taking one big, bold step into the twenty-first century. It took a long time, but the eventual outcome is just nevertheless. American gays in the military have been downtrodden for a very long time. Enough is enough. It is time to look forward with hope and confidence. I feel sure that this historic decision will only serve to strengthen the US military; and a strong US military is what we all want and need. – © Mark

US Senate Votes to Allow Openly Gay Soldiers in Military
THE OBSERVER: 'Don't ask, don't tell' overturned by 65-31 majority in Senate, paving way for Obama to sign a law ending the policy this week

Campaigners celebrate the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell'. Photograph: The Observer
The US Senate voted yesterday to repeal the ban on gay people serving openly in the military, paving the way for President Obama to sign a law ending the policy this week.

However, the defence secretary, Robert Gates, who had pushed for the change, warned gay men and women in the military that the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy will remain in effect for some time while the new rules are put in place.

Obama said in a statement: "By ending 'don't ask, don't tell' no longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay. And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love." Read on and comment >>> Ben Quinn | Sunday, December 19, 2010

None too soon either. Gays in the US military have been downtrodden for far too long.

I'm glad that the US military has decided, at last, to embrace the twenty-first century. Denying people their rights simply because they were born different is, and always has been, unconscionable.

Merry Christmas US gay military! You deserve a damn good celebration. God knows, you've waited long enough for it. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Senate Overturns 'DADT' Saturday
Senate votes to overturn military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

Oskar Freysinger ovationné à un colloque anti-islam à Paris
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: UDC | Le Valaisan avait été invité par l’organisation «Riposte laïque», un mouvement militant laïque français.

Quelque 200 opposants à la tenue d’un colloque baptisé «Assises contre l’islamisation de l’Europe», avec notamment la participation remarquée du conseiller national UDC Oskar Freysinger, ont manifesté samedi à Paris, près de la salle où se tient l’événement. La manifestation s’est dispersée dans le calme en milieu de journée.

Sur un périmètre de plusieurs centaines de mètres autour de l’Espace Charenton (XIIe), où se tenait le colloque organisé par le mouvement d’extrême droite «Bloc Identitaire», des forces de l’ordre déployées en nombre filtraient l’accès au bâtiment, selon l’AFP.

Derrière une banderole rouge portant le slogan: «Pas de fachos dans nos quartiers», les manifestants se sont rassemblés sur une place non loin de là, à l’appel de plusieurs associations et partis de gauche.

«Ne nous laissons pas voler l’idée même de République (...) La laïcité, ce n’est pas la haine, pas la persécution de la majorité sur la minorité», a déclaré la députée PS de Paris Sandrine Mazetier, lors d’une série de prises de parole. Freysinger ovationné >>> ATS/AFP | Samedi 18 Décembre 2010

WIKIPEDIA: Oskar Freysinger >>>

Why Prince Charles Is Too Dangerous to Be King…
Charles and Camilla: Obsessively convinced of his own rightness, Charles views his ­critics with the weary ­resignation of an early Christian martyr. Photograph: Mail Online
MAIL ONLINE: The engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton has given the British people a welcome fillip in a chilly season. Next April’s wedding will be a big success — even if we make a mess of some things, we’re ­jolly good at royal ceremonies.

The hard part comes afterwards: as the Queen gets older, growing ­attention and speculation is focusing on the ­monarchy’s future. Opinion polls show that most British people would like William to become heir to the throne, bypassing his father, the Prince of Wales.

But courtiers vigorously declare that’s not going to happen. When the Queen dies — as, like all of us, she eventually must — her son is ­determined to succeed her.

The Prince and his wife Camilla earned warm public sympathy last week when their car was assaulted by rioting student demonstrators in London. But many thoughtful people are alarmed by the prospect of a ­figure of such assertive eccentricity acceding to the British throne.

I heard one of the cleverest men in Britain, master of an Oxbridge ­college, quite calmly say the other night: ‘The best hope for the ­monarchy is that Prince Charles dies before the Queen.’

This seemed a brutal observation from a kindly and temperate man, but he went on to justify it: ‘We spend our lives here educating a new ­generation to understand that rational behaviour requires us to reach conclusions and make ­decisions by examining evidence.

‘Yet now we have the heir to the throne demanding — not in a ­throwaway remark, but in an entire book to which he has just put his name — that we should reject science and evidence in favour of following our instincts. This is surely disturbing.’ Why Prince Charles is too dangerous to be king: In a landmark essay MAX HASTINGS tells why this increasingly eccentric royal could imperil the monarchy >>> Max Hastings | Saturday, December 18, 2010

HRH, The Prince of Wales 'Harmony': A New Way of Looking at Our World

WikiLeaks Cables: Sudanese President 'Stashed $9bn in UK Banks'
THE GUARDIAN: Speculation that Omar al-Bashir siphoned $9bn in oil money and deposited it in foreign accounts could fuel calls for his arrest

Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, has siphoned as much as $9bn out of his impoverished country, and much of it may be stashed in London banks, according to secret US diplomatic cables that recount conversations with the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court.

Some of the funds may be held by the part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group, according to prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who told US officials it was time to go public with the scale of Bashir's theft in order to turn Sudanese public opinion against him. >>> Afua Hirsch, legal affairs correspondent | Friday, December 17, 2010

Winona Ryder: Mel Gibson Called Me an 'Oven Dodger'
THE GUARDIAN: Actor claims Gibson made antisemitic and homophobic remarks to her at a party more than 15 years ago

The actor Winona Ryder has claimed that Mel Gibson called her an "oven-dodger" in an apparent reference to her Jewish heritage at a party more than 15 years ago.

Ryder, 39, makes the accusation in an interview with GQ magazine. Gibson, who allegedly also made homophobic remarks about one of her friends on the same evening, was referencing the gas chambers used by Nazis to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust, she believes. >>> Ben Child | Friday, December 17, 2010

Steven Spielberg Was Target of Arab League Boycott, WikiLeaks Cable Shows
THE GUARDIAN: Leaked dispatch reveals diplomats from 14 Arab states voted to ban the director's films in response to his donation to Israel

A WikiLeaks cable reveals that Steven Spielberg and his Righteous Persons Foundation were the target of an Arab League boycott. Photograph: The Guardian
Steven Spielberg was blacklisted by the Arab League's Central Boycott Office after making a $1m (£645m) donation to Isreal during the 2006 conflict in Lebanon.

A US embassy memo released by WikiLeaks reveals that during a meeting of the group in April 2007, diplomats or representatives from 14 Arab states voted to ban all films and other products related to Spielberg or his Righteous Persons Foundation.

At the confidential US briefing, the head of the Syrian regional office for the boycott of Israel, Muhammad al-Ajami, said that Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen had agreed to ban all Spielberg's works. >>> Amelia Hill | Friday, December 17, 2010

Thousands of Christians Flee Central Iraq after Attacks
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled their homes to semi-autonomous Kurdish areas and neighbouring countries since a Catholic church in Baghdad was attacked six weeks ago, the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday.

Iraqi Christians gather at the Sayidat al-Nejat Catholic Cathedral to mark the 40th day since the bloody attack. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
Some 1,000 Christian families, roughly 6,000 people, have arrived in the northern Kurdish areas from Baghdad, Mosul and Nineveh, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. Several thousand have crossed into Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Many spoke of receiving threats or leaving out of fear. Fifty-two hostages and police were killed when Iraqi forces tried to free more than 100 Catholics taken hostage during Sunday mass on Oct. 31. >>> | Friday, December 17, 2010

En route vers le yuan
Image : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: Prudemment plutôt que délibérément, la Chine est en train d’internationaliser son renminbi. Un processus qui pourrait avoir un gros impact sur le commerce, ainsi que sur le système financier mondial. Et même sur la politique internationale

Le marché des emprunts obligataires émis dans la devise chinoise est tellement neuf qu’il doit encore se trouver un nom. A défaut d’autre chose, il est surnommé marché «dimsum», une allusion à la cuisine de Hongkong, où il est basé. En dépit de sa ­jeunesse, ce marché fait l’objet d’un intérêt grandissant. Le mois dernier, Caterpillar, le fabricant américain d’équipements de chantier, a lancé une émission d’obligations pour 1 milliard de renminbis [145 millions de francs]. C’est la deuxième multinationale à exploiter ce marché, après la chaîne de fast-food McDonald’s en août.

Ces émissions d’obligations sont importantes, car le marché des emprunts obligataires en renminbis par des entreprises étrangères représente bien plus qu’une nouvelle voie pour financer de la dette, c’est un atout majeur dans un plan visant à internationaliser la monnaie chinoise. Le processus sera lent, à pas de bébé bien plus qu’à pas de géant, et il n’est en aucun cas garanti que le renminbi – connu aussi sous le nom de yuan – jouera un rôle décisif au niveau mondial. Mais il pourrait avoir un énorme impact sur le commerce, sur le système financier global et même sur la politique internationale. >>> Robert Cookson et Geoff Dyer | Jeudi 16 Décembre 2010

Lieber fett und fit, als schlank und schlapp
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Menschen mit Übergewicht leben ungesund – und Schlanke gesund. Irrtum, sagt der ETH-Wissenschaftler Paolo Colombani. Wer sein Gewicht und damit sein Krankheits-Risiko lediglich gemäss Body-Mass-Index beurteilt, liegt falsch.


Zum Teil in Schwyzertüütsch übertragen.

Islamische Republik Deutschland

Eric Holder Refuses To Say "Radical Islam"

BNP Leader Defeats Contempt Bid
SKY NEWS: BNP leader Nick Griffin fights off a bid to have him declared guilty of contempt of court.


BBC: BNP leader Nick Griffin wins court contempt battle: BNP leader Nick Griffin has fought off a bid to have him declared guilty of contempt of court. >>> | Friday, December 17, 2010

Assange: Extradition To US Likely
SKY NEWS: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says extradition to the US seems increasingly likely. He's been speaking to Sky's Emma Birchley in Suffolk where he's under house arrest.


Related here and here

Prince William and Kate Middleton. Photograph: Google Images
Snub for Obamas as Royal Sources Reveal They Will Not Be Invited to Prince William's Wedding
MAIL ONLINE: American President left off the guest list as it is not a 'state occasion' / Royal couple eager to ask ordinary citizens to attend rather than VIPs / Heads of State who may attend include Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni

President Obama and his wife Michelle will not be invited to Prince William's wedding next year.

Because Prince William is not yet heir to the throne, his wedding to Kate Middleton is not classed as a ‘state occasion’ – and the couple feel under no pressure to fill the 2,000-strong guest list with heads of state, the Mail understands.

They are more eager to ask ordinary citizens and charity workers than foreign dignitaries and VIPs to what will be the first royal ‘people’s wedding’, courtiers suggested.

A handful of heads of state are likely to be invited in line with previous royal weddings, possibly including France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni.

But the decision to exclude the American premier and his wife Michelle from the celebrations marks a break from tradition. Read on and comment >>> Fay Schlesinger | Friday, December 17, 2010

Armistead Maupin: 'We're Winning' Gay Culture War

BBC: Stephen Sackur talks to Armistead Maupin, an American author whose bestselling Tales of the City series chronicled the beginning of gay liberation in 1970s San Francisco. Has it really got any better for America's gay community since then? Watch BBC video >>> | Friday, December 17, 2010

Julian Assange's Bail Host Had 'No Hesitation'
BBC: The owner of the hall where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been ordered to spend his bail has told BBC Look East he has no qualms about housing the Australian.

Mr Assange has been ordered to spend his bail at Ellingham Hall in Bungay, Suffolk.

Vaughan Smith has only known Mr Assange for five months, but claims he is sure they will get on fine. Watch BBC video >>> | Friday, December 17, 2010