Kommentar: Arabische Ungewissheit
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Ähnlichkeiten der Ereignisse in Tunesien und Ägypten können die Unterschiede nicht verdecken: Mit Ägypten fiele ein wesentlicher Akteur des nahöstlichen Friedensprozesses aus. Überdies gibt es dort eine starke islamistische Bewegung.

Die Ähnlichkeiten zwischen den Ereignissen in Ägypten und dem Sturz Ben Alis in Tunesien fallen ins Auge: hier wie dort ein greiser Diktator, von Alter und Krankheit gezeichnet, der sich über Jahrzehnte an der Macht festgekrallt hat, zunehmend - und am Schluss ausschließlich - gestützt auf die Sicherheitskräfte seines Landes.

Beide haben den Ruf nach Reformen jahrzehntelang überhört und sich und ihre Familien schamlos bereichert. Der ägyptische Präsident Mubarak hat in den vergangenen Jahren versucht, seinen Sohn Gamal in die Rolle des Nachfolgers zu hieven. Zumindest dies - von einer Wiederwahl des 82 Jahre alten „Rais“ zu schweigen - dürfte sich nach den Protesten in mehreren Städten Ägyptens erledigt haben. >>> Von Günther Nonnenmacher | Donnerstag, 27. Januar 2011

Mass Egypt Anti-government Protest Planned

Wulff sieht "ewige" Verantwortung der Deutschen
WELT ONLINE: Christian Wulff hält als erster Bundespräsident eine Rede im Vernichtungslager Auschwitz. Er bedankt sich bei den Überlebenden und ihren Nachfahren.

Durch Eis und Schnee, entlang der Baracken aus rotem Backstein schreiten Jugendliche gemäßigten Tempos. Gut hundert Menschen schließen sich ihnen an. Aus Deutschland und Polen stammen die jungen Leute, Kränze tragen sie über die Wege des Stammlagers I im Konzentrationslager Auschwitz.

Zur Spitze des Zuges zählen Christian Wulff und Bronislaw Komorowski, die Staatsoberhäupter aus Deutschland und Polen, samt ihrer Delegationen. Wulff trägt einen schwarzen Mantel und einen schwarzen Hut, wie es nach jüdischem Ritus üblich ist. An der Todesmauer legen die Jugendlichen die Kränze nieder. Komorowski begibt sich nach vorn, hält inne, verbeugt sich. Dann tritt der Bundespräsident vor die Totenmauer, doch er tut dies nicht alleine.

Wulff wird eingerahmt von Dieter Graumann, dem neuen Präsidenten des Zentralrats der Juden, und Romani Rose, der schon viele Jahre die Sinti und Roma in Deutschland repräsentiert. Die drei Männer halten schweigend inne – und dann entscheidet sich Wulff zu einer Geste außerhalb des präzisen Protokolls: Er wendet sich Graumann zu, und umarmt ihn, dann legt er seinen Arm um Rose. Die Schleifen am Kranz richtet der Präsident diesmal nicht. >>> Autor: Daniel Friedrich Sturm | Donnerstag, 27. Januar 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Holocaust Memorial Day: Google launches Holocaust archive to help keep memories of tragedy alive: Google has partnered with Israel’s Yad Vashem museum, to help digitise the largest collection of Holocaust photos and documents in the world, to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. >>> Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Global Muslim Birth Rate Drops
YNET NEWS: Muslim population growing at slower rate, but will still be 26.4% of world by 2030, study says

Falling birth rates will slow the world's Muslim population growth over the next two decades, reducing it on average from 2.2 percent a year in 1990-2010 to 1.5% a year from now until 2030, a new study says.

Muslims will number 2.2 billion by 2030 compared to 1.6 billion in 2010, making up 26.4% of the world population compared to 23.4% now, according to estimates by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Continued migration will swell the ranks of Europe's Muslim minorities by one-third by 2030, to 8 percent of the region's inhabitants from 6 percent, the study says.

Muslims in France will rise to 6.9 million, or 10.3% of the population, from 4.7 million (7.5%), in Britain to 5.6 million (8.2%) from 2.9 million and in Germany to 5.5 million (7.1%) from 4.1 million (5%). >>> Reuters | Thursday, January 27, 2011

MAIL ONLINE: Number of British Muslims will double to 5.5m in 20 years >>> Steve Doughty | Friday, January 28, 2011

THE HUFFINGTON POST: World's Muslim Population Expected To Grow Twice As Fast As Non-Muslims In 20 Years: Report – On a global level, the Muslim population is expected to grow by 35 percent over the next two decades -- twice the pace of the world's non-Muslim population, according to a controversial new report. >>> Curtis M. Wong | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Good on Ya, Mr. Cable! Good on Ya!
MAIL ONLINE: Business Secretary Vince Cable today had a remarkable dig at bankers with a sick gag about one being mown down by a disgruntled driver.

In an astonishing joke with reporters he suggested a motorist would not slow down to avoid a financial services worker in the road.

The Liberal Democrat cabinet minister has been a fierce critic of bankers and has advocated taking a 'very strong approach' to beating down their bonuses.

But his gag shared with reporters at a Westminster Press Gallery lunch today, went 'too far', critics said.

He asked what the difference was between a cat being found dead on a motorway and a banker being found dead.

'There were skid marks around the cat,' said Mr Cable. Vince Cable jokes over bankers being 'mown down on motorways' >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Egyptian Protests Intensify, as Clashes Spread Across the Middle East
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egyptian police have been fighting protesters in intensifying clashes, and demonstrations have reported from Yemen and Gabon – a sign that defiance against authoritarian rulers in the Middle East is spreading.

Riot police clash with protesters in Cairo yesterday. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
Security forces shot dead a Bedouin protester in Egypt's Sinai region on Thursday, bringing the death in the three days of protests to five. Police in Suez fired rubber bullets, water cannon and tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators calling for an end to the 30-year-old rule of Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president. Protesters chucked rocks and petrol bombs at police lines. In Ismailia, hundreds of protesters clashed with police, who dispersed the crowds with tear gas.

Like in many other countries in the region, protesters in Egypt complain about surging prices, unemployment and the authorities' reliance on heavy-handed security to keep dissenting voices quiet. The protests are inspired by Tunisia, where a democratic movement recently overthrew the government.

Egyptian Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei announced on Thursday he was returning to Egypt to join the protests. "Tomorrow is going to be, I think, a major demonstration all over Egypt and I will be there with them," he said. Mr Baradei, who won the Nobel peace prize for his work as head of the UN's nuclear agency, called on Mr Mubarak to leave office, saying "he has served the country for 30 years and it is about time for him to retire."

His arrival could spur protesters who have no figurehead, although many activists resent his absences in recent months.

"Our government is a dictatorship. A total dictatorship," said Mohamed Fahim, a 29-year-old glass factory worker, as he stood near the charred skeleton of a car.

"It's our right to choose our government ourselves. We have been living 29 years, my whole life, without being able to choose a president." >>> | Thursday, January 27, 2011

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Les répercussions historiques de la «Révolution du Jasmin» : EFFET DOMINO | De l’Egypte à la Jordanie en passant par le Yémen, la "Révolution du jasmin" commence à toucher des régimes arabes qui se maintiennent depuis des décennies grâce au carcan de la peur. Eclairage. >>> AFP | Jeudi 27 Janvier 2011

Davos WEF 2011: Sarkozy Says France and Germany Will 'Never Let the Euro Fail'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: France and Germany will never turn their backs on the euro, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said in his most robust defence of the troubled single currency to date.

Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, he told speculators to be prepared for big losses if they bet against the euro. “[Germany’s] Chancellor Merkel and myself will never – do you hear me, never – let the euro fall,” he said.

“The euro is Europe. And Europe spells 60 years of peace. Therefore we will never let the euro go or be destroyed… To those who bet against the euro, watch out for your money because we are fully determined to defend the euro.”

President Sarkozy’s intervention comes with the single currency under greater strain than at any time in its short history. Davos has been abuzz with talk of a two-speed Europe, with billionaire investor George Soros warning that the “euro could possibly fall apart” under the strain.

Greece and Ireland are implementing painful pay cuts and other deflationary measures because they can not devalue, while Germany powers ahead. Ken Rogoff, the Harvard economist, has suggested Greece should be allowed to fail in an orderly fashion because its debts are insurmountable.

However, President Sarkozy said: “To imagine that we might pull out shows a complete misunderstanding of the European psychology. It has to do with our identities as Europeans.” >>> Philip Aldrick, Economics Editor, in Davos | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Anti-government Protests Erupt in Yemen
Protestors are putting pressure on governments across the Arab world - demanding changes in leadership and policies. In Yemen, tens of thousands of people marched in the capital, Sanaa. Opposition groups are calling for the president to stand down, after more than three decades in power. Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports on the developments in Yemen

Anonymous – Operation Egypt – A Press Release

Financial Crisis Was Avoidable, Inquiry Finds
The commission’s report finds fault with two Fed chairmen: Alan Greenspan, right, a skeptic of regulation who led the central bank as the housing bubble expanded, and his successor, Ben S. Bernanke, who did not foresee the crisis but then played a crucial role in the response to it. Photograph: The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — The 2008 financial crisis was an “avoidable” disaster caused by widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street, according to the conclusions of a federal inquiry.

The commission that investigated the crisis casts a wide net of blame, faulting two administrations, the Federal Reserve and other regulators for permitting a calamitous concoction: shoddy mortgage lending, the excessive packaging and sale of loans to investors and risky bets on securities backed by the loans.

“The greatest tragedy would be to accept the refrain that no one could have seen this coming and thus nothing could have been done,” the panel wrote in the report’s conclusions, which were read by The New York Times. “If we accept this notion, it will happen again.”

While the panel, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, accuses several financial institutions of greed, ineptitude or both, some of its gravest conclusions concern government failings, with embarrassing implications for both parties. But the panel was itself divided along partisan lines, which could blunt the impact of its findings.

Many of the conclusions have been widely described, but the synthesis of interviews, documents and testimony, along with its government imprimatur, give the report — to be released on Thursday as a 576-page book — a conclusive sweep and authority. >>> Sewell Chan | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Hizbollah Gains Power In Lebanon
Thousands of people have taken part in violent protests on the streets of Lebanon over the future of its government, after the appointment of a new prime minister put Hizbollah in control of the country. Sky's Dominic Waghorn reports

Egypt Protests Continue For Second Day
There have been more clashes in Egypt during a second day of protests against the country's President Hosni Mubarak. Sky's Tim Marshall reports

Lauren Booth, Tony Blair's Sister-in-law, Having an Anti-Israel Rant

Sister-in-law Says Try Blair for War Crimes
ABC RADIO AUSTRALIA NEWS: The sister-in-law of former British prime minister Tony Blair says he should be tried for war crimes over the invasion of Iraq.



Lauren Booth, a rights campaigner and Muslim convert, is the half-sister of Mr Blair's wife, Cherie.



Ms Booth is in Malaysia for lectures.



When asked whether Mr Blair should be arrested and sent to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for war crimes, she replied "Absolutely, he misled the British people and took Britain to war on a lie." [Source: ABC Radio Australia News] | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Egypt’s Young Seize Role of Key Opposition to Mubarak
THE NEW YORK TIMES: For decades, Egypt’s authoritarian president, Hosni Mubarak, played a clever game with his political opponents.

He tolerated a tiny and toothless opposition of liberal intellectuals whose vain electoral campaigns created the facade of a democratic process. And he demonized the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood as a group of violent extremists who posed a threat that he used to justify his police state.

But this enduring and, many here say, all too comfortable relationship was upended this week by the emergence of an unpredictable third force, the leaderless tens of thousands of young Egyptians who turned out to demand an end to Mr. Mubarak’s 30-year rule.

Now the older opponents are rushing to catch up.

“It was the young people who took the initiative and set the date and decided to go,” Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Wednesday with some surprise during a telephone interview from his office in Vienna, shortly before rushing home to Cairo to join the revolt.

Dr. ElBaradei, a Nobel prize winner, has been the public face of an effort to reinvigorate and unite Egypt’s fractious and ineffective opposition since he plunged into his home country’s politics nearly a year ago, and he said the youth movement had accomplished that on its own. “Young people are impatient,” he said. “Frankly, I didn’t think the people were ready.”

But their readiness — tens of thousands have braved tear gas, rubber bullets and security police officers notorious for torture — has threatened to upstage or displace the traditional opposition groups. >>> David D. Kirkpatrick and Michael Slackman | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Unruhen in Ägypten: Polizei jagt Demonstranten durch die Nacht
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Trotz einer Ausgangssperre reißen die Proteste in Ägypten nicht ab: In der Nacht lieferten sich Polizei und Demonstranten ein Katz-und-Maus-Spiel in den Straßen von Kairo und Suez. Neue Proteste sind angekündigt.

Kairo/Suez - Massiver Drohungen der ägyptischen Führung zum Trotz gehen die Menschen in Kairo, Suez und anderen Städten weiter auf die Straße. In der Nacht zum Donnerstag versammelten sich kleinere Gruppen von Demonstranten, um gegen Präsident Husni Mubarak, Korruption und Unterdrückung zu protestieren. Polizisten versuchten, sie auseinanderzutreiben. >>> amz/dpa/Reuters | Donnerstag, 27. Januar 2011

Facebook et Twitter bloqués en Égypte
LE POINT: Les réseaux sociaux sont inaccessibles dans le pays, en proie aux manifestations contre le pouvoir.

Il était impossible de se connecter au site de socialisation Facebook mercredi en Égypte, au lendemain du blocage du site de microblogs Twitter sur fond de manifestations antigouvernementales, selon le site spécialisé dans la surveillance d'Internet Herdict.org. Interrogé sur des informations faisant état de l'inaccessibilité de Facebook en Égypte, un porte-parole de Facebook renvoie au site Herdict.org spécialisé dans la surveillance de ce type de blocages. Ce site, géré par l'université Harvard, faisait état mercredi de six rapports d'inaccessibilité pour Facebook. "Des Égyptiens ont confirmé que Facebook avait été bloqué ce matin", a indiqué Jillian York, spécialiste de ces questions à Harvard. >>> Source AFP | Mercredi 26 Janvier 2011

Egypt Launches Crackdown on Protesters as US Urges Reform
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egyptian authorities launched a crackdown on anti-government protesters on Wednesday night as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued America's most blunt comments yet about its long-term ally, urging reform.

Police arrested 860 people across the country after bloody confrontations with security forces using rubber bullets, batons, tear gas and water cannon.

A protester and a policeman were killed on Wednesday night when a car ran them over during a protest in a poor, central Cairo neighbourhood. Officials said earlier the two died when they were hit by rocks but later changed the account. Three protesters and a policeman were killed on Tuesday.

Protesters in Suez set a government building on fire and tried to burn down a local office of Egypt's ruling party with petrol bombs.

Demonstrators had earlier broken through police cordons despite hundreds being severely beaten and the presence of the feared undercover police on the streets.

White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs would not say whether President Hosni Mubarak, the target of demonstrators' anger, still has the Obama administration's support.

Mrs Clinton said the government should allow peaceful protests instead of cracking down.

"We are particularly hopeful that the Egyptian government will take this opportunity to implement political, economic and social reforms that will answer the legitimate interests of the Egyptian people," she said. >>> Adrian Blomfield, Jerusalem and Damien McElroy | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

US Urges Reform in Egypt
PJ Crowley, the spokesman for the US state department, has been talking to Al Jazeera about the recent protests in Egypt and Tunisia. He says the US supports social reform and more freedoms in Egypt, yet at the same time supports the government of President Hosni Mubarak. Crowley describes Egypt as "an ally and friend of the United States, an anchor of stability in the Middle East which is helping us pursue a comprehensive peace in the Middle East". "We want to see change in Egypt, we want to see it done peacefully and stably."

Gamal Mubarak Travels Light to London!
MAIL ONLINE: The son of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is said to have fled to London after the country was rocked by two days of riots over poverty.

Gamal Mubarak, 48 and believed to be his father's choice of successor, boarded a private jet from Cairo to London with his wife, daughter and around 100 piece of luggage, according to reports.

His sudden flight, reported by the U.S. based Arabic website Akhbar al-Arab came as hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets despite a government ban on protests. Egyptian president's son 'flees to London with 100 pieces of luggage as country is rocked by second day of violence'
>>> Daily Mail Reporter | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

«Si Moubarak tombe, ce sera le chaos assuré»
Agé de 83 ans, Hosni Moubarak devrait briguer un sixième mandat en septembre. Photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Hosni Moubarak règne sans partage sur l'Egypte depuis 30 ans. Lefigaro.fr décrypte les rouages d'un régime autoritaire contre lequel la rue se retourne désormais.

En octobre prochain, Hosni Moubarak aura passé trente à la tête de l'Egypte. Président omnipotent, il n'aura même pas daigné, pendant ces trois décennies, s'adjoindre un vice-président comme le faisaient ses prédécesseurs. A l'heure où des milliers d'Egyptiens bravent l'interdiction du régime de manifester contre le chef de l'Etat, sur quoi repose le pouvoir de l'un des plus anciens dirigeants du monde ?

«Il y a toujours eu des critiques contre Moubarak, mais elles deviennent plus acerbes avec le temps. Toutefois, on aurait tort de comparer l'impopularité de Moubarak avec celle de Ben Ali», estime Jean-Noël Ferrié, directeur de recherche au CNRS.

Hosni Moubarak est arrivé au pouvoir à l'issue de l'assassinat de Sadate en 1981. Militaire de formation, héros de la guerre de 1973, il jouit du soutien de l'armée, élément-clé du régime. «Il est peu probable que les manifestants puissent le renverser sans avoir à affronter d'abord les militaires», souligne le spécialiste. Moubarak devrait d'autant plus pouvoir compter sur l'armée que celle-ci, très riche, contrôle de nombreuses sociétés et ne souhaite pas voir ses avantages remis en cause. >>> Par Pauline Fréour | Mercredi 26 Janvier 2011

Die schleichende Islamisierung von Atatürks Republik
DIE PRESSE: Langsam mehren sich die Anzeichen, dass es in der Türkei bald wieder islamischer zugehen könnte. Mit einer Reihe von Maßnahmen gibt die Regierung von Erdoğan Kritikern recht, die vor geheimer Agenda warnen.

Istanbul. Für einen türkischen Lehrer kann es mitunter gefährlich sein, die Frage eines Schülers nach bestem Wissen zu beantworten: Dies musste ein Grundschullehrer in der Hauptstadt Ankara nun erfahren. Er wurde von der Schulbehörde verwarnt, weil er den Schülern einer fünften Klasse Darwins Evolutionstheorie erklärte. Ein Schüler wollte wissen, ob es denn stimme, dass der Mensch vom Affen abstamme. Die Gewerkschaft ortet im Rüffel für den Lehrer ein Anzeichen für Islamisierung des Bildungswesens.

Seit die islamisch-konservative AK-Partei vor acht Jahren das Ruder in der Türkei übernommen hat, lebt ein beträchtlicher Teil der Türken mit der Angst, ihr „unislamischer“ Lebensstil könnte ihnen irgendwann unmöglich gemacht werden. Lange ist nicht viel geschehen, doch in letzter Zeit mehren sich die Anzeichen dafür, dass es in Atatürks Republik bald wieder islamischer zugehen könnte: Im Herbst wurden die Steuern auf Alkoholika massiv angehoben. Kurz darauf kam eine neue Verordnung zum Jugendschutz heraus. Danach ist es jetzt etwa nicht mehr möglich, auf Hochzeiten ohne Genehmigung Alkohol auszuschenken, es sei denn die Feier findet an einem Ort statt, wo dies ohnehin erlaubt ist. Insgesamt sind die Bestimmungen nicht besonders restriktiv, doch viele Dinge, die bisher jeder tun konnte, sind plötzlich an eine spezielle Genehmigung gebunden. >>> Vom Korrespondenten der Presse Jan Keetman | Mittwoch, 26. Januar 2011

Ben Ali international zur Fahndung ausgeschrieben
Haftbefehl gegen den früheren Präsidenten Tunesiens erlassen
NZZ ONLINE: Die tunesische Justiz hat einen internationalen Haftbefehl gegen den geflohenen Präsidenten Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali und seine Ehefrau Leila Trabelsi ausgestellt. Dem ehemaligen Präsidenten werden Diebstahl und Devisenvergehen vorgeworfen.

Die tunesische Übergangsregierung hat einen internationalen Haftbefehl gegen den gestürzten Präsidenten Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali ausgestellt. Dem geflohenen Staatschef werde unter anderem vorgeworfen, illegal Geld ins Ausland gebracht zu haben, sagte Justizminister Lazhar Karoui Chebbi am Mittwoch. Ausserdem gab er bekannt, dass während der wochenlangen Unruhen 11'000 Gefängnisinsassen geflohen seien. Unterdessen kam es zu neuen Protesten gegen Vertreter des alten Regimes in der neuen Regierung. >>> ddp | Mittwoch, 26. Januar 2011

Tunisia Seeks Arrest of Ex-leader
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Ousted President Ben Ali is wanted to stand trial for theft and currency offences, says the nation's justice minister.

Protesters demand interim government be purged of ministers who had been members of Ben Ali's ruling party. Photograph: Al Jazeera English
Tunisia wants to have ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family arrested and put on trial for possession of expropriated property and for transferring foreign currency abroad, the nation's interim justice minister has said.

Interpol, the international police agency, has been asked to help arrest Ben Ali, his wife Leila Trabelsi and other family members who have fled the country, Lazhar Karoui Chebbi said on Wednesday.

Ben Ali went to Saudi Arabia this month after weeks of violent protests against poverty, repression and corruption. He amassed vast riches during his 23 years in power, with his family controlling many of Tunisia's biggest companies.

"We are asking Interpol to find all those who fled, including the president and this woman, for trial in Tunisia," the justice minister said. >>> Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Egyptians Defy Security Clampdown
A security crackdown in Egypt, after fury over poverty and inequality, led to the biggest anti-government rallies in decades against the 30-year-rule of President Hosni Mubarak. Egyptian police have moved in on groups of protesters in Cairo and Suez on Wednesday, enforcing a ban on demonstrations enacted following mass rallies a day earlier. Hundreds of people had gathered at the headquarters of the journalists' syndicate, before police moved in, firing tear gas to break up the rally. Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reports from the Egyptian capital, Cairo

Egypte : nouveaux heurts entre policiers et manifestants
Des policiers égyptiens répriment des manifestants anti-gouvernement, mercredi 26 janvier, au Caire. Photo : Le Monde
LE MONDE: Des affrontements ont à nouveau opposé mercredi 26 janvier des policiers et des manifestants dans le centre du Caire et dans la ville de Suez, à l'est de la capitale égyptienne. Quelques centaines de manifestants affrontent les forces de l'ordre en face des locaux du syndicat de journaliste et de ceux du syndicat des avocats, rapporte un journaliste d'Al-Jazira.

Selon plusieurs journalistes présents sur place, la police a dispersé les manifestants en les frappant avec des bâtons et en utilisant des gaz lacrymoègnes. Des heurts particulièrement violents ont ensuite été signalés sur les rues avoisinantes. >>> LeMonde.fr | Mercredi 26 Janvier 2011

Thousands Join Cairo Protests
Thousands of protesters are marching in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, to demand that Hosni Mubarak, the president, step down. They clashed with riot police in a rare show of strength by the people. Many in the crowds called for a Tunisian style ousting of Mubarak. Rawya Rageh reports from Cairo

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Protester stands up to water cannon in Eygpt: In a scene reminiscent of Tiananmen Square, a protester in Cairo has blocked the path of a water cannon during demonstrations. >>> | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

People Power: Revolution in the Air >>>

A Forbidden Kiss That All Brazil Is Waiting to See
THE GUARDIAN: Gay characters feature in latest nightly telenovela, and activists urge show to have first on-screen embrace

Leonardo Miggiorin, one of the stars of Insensato Coração. Photograph: The Guardian
Love triangles, broken hearts and a reality TV star, accompanied by an upbeat samba soundtrack. It could only be one of Brazil's nightly telenovela soaps, the latest of which debuted last week. But Insensato Coração, or Foolish Heart, is set to break the mould by featuring at least six gay characters.

"We are going to take on a contemporary and pertinent issue," Ricardo Linhares, one of the show's creators told Brazil's R7 news website. He said he hoped the soap would help "combat prejudice and promote acceptance".

Most Brazilian cities have prominent gay communities but homophobia and violence persist. According to the Grupo Gay da Bahia, 198 gay people were murdered in Brazil in 2009, up from a figure of 122 two years earlier. >>> Tom Phililips in Rio de Janeiro | Monday, January 24, 2011

Control Orders: Terrorism Suspects to Be Given Greater Freedoms
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Suspected terrorists who are deemed a danger to Britain will have the restrictions on their movement relaxed following a revamp of the control orders regime.

Theresa May. Picture: The Daily Telegraph
Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the measures used against suspects who have not been convicted in court will be renamed and that suspects will be allowed the possibility of staying away from their home overnight.

But the new powers will no longer need to be reviewed every year, a clear signal that restrictions against suspected terrorists against whom prosecutions cannot be brought are here to stay.

The current 16-hour curfews will be replaced by an ''overnight residence requirement'', typically of between eight and 10 hours, Mrs May said.

The term "control order" has been scrapped and will be replaced with "Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures", or Tpims, Mrs May said.

The new powers will be limited to two years and will only be renewed "if there is new evidence that they have re-engaged in terrorism-related activities". >>> | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Loving Prophet Muhammad: It’s a Condition of Faith
"The Holy Prophet is dearer to us than our wealth, our children, our fathers, our forefathers, our mothers and cool water at the time of severe thirst."

The firmly established principle in Islam that our iman is as good as our love for the Prophet is fairly and accurately expressed by an Urdu poet when he says:

"Without love for the Prophet it is difficult to find God;
He who is not of the Prophet's cannot be of God.
Without love for Muhammad faith cannot be complete;
To be a Muslim it is not enough to believe in God.
Daily prayers, charity, fasting and hajj are fine;
But despite these I cannot be among the faithful.
Unless I am ready to be sacrificed for the honour of Muhammad;
God is witness - my faith cannot attain perfection."

Love of the Prophet breathes life into our practice of religion. Without it our religion reduces to an empty adherence to a set of dead rules and rituals.

("Soul of iman, essence of the Qur'an and life of religion - all these are love of Muhammad, the Mercy to All Creation.")

The Meaning of This Love for the Prophet

At one level it seems clear why the faithful should love the Prophet: he is their teacher, guide and leader and it is impossible for him to teach, guide and lead them if they don't love him. But there is a deeper meaning in the principle that love for the Prophet is essential for iman.

Love of the Prophet is love of all the beauty and nobility of character, truthfulness, justness, humility and inner strength of which man is capable and which the Prophet as al-insan al-kamil (the Perfect man) possessed in the utmost degree. Love for the Prophet means to acknowledge, cherish and glorify all the potential of goodness and greatness that God has created within Man.

It also means love of humanity, not just in regard to its potential for perfection but also despite its general inability to realize that potential and despite all kind of imperfections and weaknesses from which it suffers. For the Prophet is not only the Perfect Man but also the Representative Man who on the day of judgment will represent mankind and plead on their behalf for their imperfections and weaknesses before the throne of God.

Thus love of the Prophet, on the one hand puts us on the road to perfection by making us cherish it dearly and on the other hand it helps us accept our imperfect humanity and in this way to live in peace with ourselves as repentant servants of God hopeful of His mercy. This is why love for the Prophet is a condition of iman, for what is iman if it is not to acknowledge and repent for one's imperfections and weaknesses and to cherish and strive for - even as an unachievable ideal - the perfection of which man is potentially capable? [Source: The Modern Religion]

Egypt Braces for Unrest against Hosni Mubarak
Anti-Mubarak demonstrators pray in the streets of Cairo. Picture: The Australian
THE AUSTRALIAN: EGYPT is braced for a new round of violence today following unprecedented nationwide demonstrations demanding the end to the 30-year authoritarian rule of ageing President Hosni Mubarak.

Two protesters and a policeman were killed yesterday in demonstrations inspired by "the Tunisia effect".

Despite a day of violence and a huge show of force by the regime, the youth group co-ordinating the demonstrations last night urged Egyptians to return to the streets today to force Mr Mubarak from power.

Using Facebook, the group said: "Everyone needs to head down to Tahrir Square to take over the square once again." >>> John Lyons, Middle East correspondent | 
The Australian | Thursday, January 27, 2011

THE TIMES: Egypt bans protests as third demonstrator dies >>> Ashraf Khalil, Cairo, and Philippe Naughton | Wednesday, January 26, 2011 [£]

King Abdullah Goes Shopping in New York
THE AUSTRALIAN: AFTER two months in Manhattan, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia faced a problem that frequently troubles travellers leaving the Big Apple.

Like many before him, who promise themselves one nice pair of socks in a little brown bag from Bloomingdales and leave with suitcases bulging, the King seemed to have more luggage than he had arrived with.

Reports from JFK airport in New York last week suggest that at least 12 luggage buggies were required to transport his cases onto three aircraft. >>> Will Pavia | The Times | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Fundamentals of [Islamic] Faith - By Yasir Qadhi<

Hizbollah Government Will Damage US Relationship with Lebanon, Clinton Says
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Hizbollah-backed billionaire has won enough support to become Lebanon's prime minister, in a move that Hillary Clinton said would damage the country's relationship with the US.

Hizbollah managed to forge a coalition to back Najib Mikati after bringing down the government of the pro-American Saad Hariri two weeks ago.

President Barack Obama is likely to retaliate by suspending some or all of its aid to Beirut. The US administration had earmarked $246 million (£156 million) in support this year, including $100 million (£63 million) in military aid and $37 million (£23 million) for counter-terrorism operations.

Hizbollah, which is financially backed by Iran and Syria, is listed as a terrorist entity by Washington.

Mrs Clinton, the US secretary of state, said the power shift would "clearly have an impact on our bilateral relationship."

Israel, which already has Hizbollah ally Hamas on one side, will also be concerned by a Hizbollah-led government likely to insist on a more confrontational approach in the region. >>> Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Protests in Lebanon as Hizbollah-backed Najib Mikati is appointed prime minister >>>

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lebanese rally against Hizbollah in 'day of rage': Thousands of Sunni Muslim in Lebanon have staged protests in a "day of rage" against the Shiite militant group Hizbollah, which is on the brink of taking control of Lebanon's next government. >>> | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Bank of England Chief Mervyn King: Standard of Living to Plunge at Fastest Rate Since 1920s
Households face the most dramatic squeeze in living standards since the 1920s, the Governor of the Bank of England warned, as he reacted to the shock disclosure that the economy was shrinking again

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Families will see their disposable income eaten up as they “pay the inevitable price” for the financial crisis, Mervyn King warned.

With wages failing to keep pace with rising inflation, workers’ take- home pay will end the year worth the same as in 2005 — the most prolonged fall in living standards for more than 80 years, he claimed.

Mr King issued the warning in a speech in Newcastle upon Tyne after official figures showed that gross domestic product fell by 0.5 per cent during the final three months last year. The Government blamed the unexpected reduction — the first since the third quarter of 2009 — on the freezing weather that paralysed much of the country last month.

But there were fears that the country was poised to slip back into recession, defined as two successive quarters of negative growth. Economists said the situation was “an absolute disaster”. Read on and comment >>> Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Obama: 'Future Is Ours to Win'
State of the Union, Part 1: President calls for unity, cooperation; touts promise of clean energy

Obama: 'Level the Playing Field'
State of the Union, Part 2: President calls for education, infrastructure investment, tax and trade reform

Obama: 'The State of Our Union Is Strong'
State of the Union, Part 3: President proposes government spending freeze to combat national debt; salutes troops

Republican Response to State of the Union
Rep. Paul Ryan stresses need to 'restrain federal spending'

Tea Party Response to State of the Union
Rep. Bachmann calls for full repeal of Obamacare

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: State of the Union 2011: US risks losing its global supremacy, Barack Obama warns: The US risks losing its global supremacy and must "win the future by out-innovating, out-educating and outbuilding the rest of the world," President Barack Obama told Americans on Tuesday night. >>> Alex Spillius, Washington | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Interesting, Fun, Queer Ads

Who the Hell Do You Think You’re Kidding, Obama?
LOS ANGELES TIMES: President Obama, perceived by critics as free-spending in his first two years in office, is expected to call for a temporary halt to non-security discretionary spending in his State of the Union speech. Job creation also will be a main focus.

WASHINGTON — President Obama will call for a five year freeze on non-security discretionary spending in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, White House officials said, in a bid to help reduce the deficit and counter public perceptions that he spent too freely in his first two years in power.

Obama will also discuss plans to find budget cuts wherever he can, the White House said. The military, for example, isn't covered by the proposed freeze, yet Obama will advance a separate five-year plan, drawn up by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, to achieve $78 billion in savings, the White House said. >>> Peter Nicholas, Washington Bureau | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Ein Blick zurück: Obama in Saudi Arabien
US-Präsident Barack Obama ist in Saudi-Arabien eingetroffen. Er wird morgen eine mit Spannung erwartete Rede halten. SF-Nahost-Korrespondent Ulrich Tilgner zu den Hoffnungen und Ängsten rund um den Besuch Obamas in der islamischen Welt

Female Genital Mutilation Still Practised in Egypt

Egypt: The Tunisian Domino Effect?

Islamic Sharia: The Law Of God Will Dominate!

Miracles of Quran: A Message to the Atheists

George Osborne: Budget Cuts Keep Down Interest Rates
George Osborne has said the Government's austerity package will keep down interest rates for borrowers after economists questioned his strategy following a sharp contraction in the economy

Read on and comment >>>

Related >>>

Middle East Peace Talks Leaks: Obama 'Backed Out of Land Promise to Palestinians'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama’s efforts to reach out to the Arab world have been tarnished after it emerged that he reneged on an important Bush administration pledge to the Palestinian leadership.

Confidential Palestinian documents leaked to Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network, suggest that Mr Obama retreated from a promise that territory occupied by Israel after the Six Day War of 1967 should become the basis for a future Palestinian state.

The documents, part of a second tranche of the “Palestine Papers” released by Al Jazeera on Monday evening, indicate that Mr Obama’s change of heart was the result of Israeli pressure.

That fact alone is likely to damage Mr Obama’s carefully-cultivated image as a friend of the Arab world.

According to the papers, Condoleezza Rice, President George W Bush’s secretary of state, explicitly endorsed the use of 1967 borders as a basis for future negotiations on dividing territory in the months after the Annapolis peace conference in 2007.

The gesture was a hugely significant one for the Palestinians as it acknowledged the broad outlines of the state they craved. >>> Adrian Blomfield, Ramallah | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Deep frustrations with Obama: Obama pressured PA negotiators to restart talks and refused to honour one of the Bush administration's key promises. >>> Gregg Carlstrom Monday, January 24, 2011

The Palestine Papers: Obama Envoy Shunned Bush Parameters
The Palestine Papers also reveal that US president Barack Obama's administration refused to build upon agreements made under his predecessor George Bush. The documents show that they wanted to start negotiations from scratch. And as Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports, that is something that the Palestinian negotiators found extremely frustrating

Islam in the UK: Conversions Galore!
THE SUN: RECORD numbers of British women are converting to Islam.

There are up to 100,000 converts in the UK - up from around 60,000 in 2001 - with white women leading the trend, according to research for the Faith Matters organisation. A study by Swansea University, on behalf of Faith Matters, found 5,200 people converted to Islam in the UK last year.

And a survey of 122 converts last year showed 56 per cent were white British, with women making up 62 per cent of respondents.

Here, SAMANTHA WOSTEAR and DULCIE PEARCE speak to three women who have all embraced the faith.

EMMA TAYLOR, 30, from Reading, Berks, loved partying but converted to Islam. She says:

"I was raised a Catholic but after-school partying and living a wannabe WAG lifestyle became my religion. I loved buying sexy clothes and hanging out with mates.

As a filing clerk in an office I only earn £16,000 but until last year I managed to make it stretch by living in a shared house so I could spend my cash on looking and feeling good.

However in January last year, with my 30th birthday looming, I began to think that waking up with a hangover most mornings, having no long-term bloke in my life and no real ambition meant something was missing. I tell my friends my love of bacon butties has been replaced by new religion >>> | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

UK Economy Shrinks 0.5pc
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain's economy shrank unexpectedly in the final three months of last year as heavy snow compounded a slowdown in growth.

Gross domestic product fell 0.5pc in the fourth quarter, the most in more than a year, the Office for National Statistics reported on Tuesday. The decline compared with growth of 0.7pc in the third quarter.

George Osborne insisted that the Government will press ahead with planned cuts to public spending, despite warnings from forecasters that the economy may be too weak to withstand the package.

Blaming the growth figures on the cold weather, Mr Osborne maintained that a weakening in efforts to tackle the deficit would pose a greater bigger threat to the nation's future prosperity.

"There is no question of changing a fiscal plan that has established international credibility on the back of one very cold month. That would plunge Britain back into a financial crisis," the Chancellor said.

"We will not be blown off course by bad weather." Read on and comment >>> | Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Attentat de Moscou : la piste des rebelles caucasiens
LE FIGARO: L'attaque qui a fait 35 morts lundi dans le principal aéroport russe pourrait être l'oeuvre d'une femme kamikaze. Dmitri Medvedev s'en prend à la direction de l'aéroport.

«L'Emirat du Caucase» en ligne de mire. Au lendemain de l'attaque à l'aéroport de Moscou-Domodedovo (35 morts selon le dernier bilan), les enquêteurs russes estiment que l'attentat a probablement été commis par une femme kamikaze accompagnée d'un complice. Un mode opératoire «habituel» pour les rebelles du Caucase du Nord. >>> Par lefigaro.fr | Mardi 25 Janvier 2011

WELT ONLINE: Terroranschlag – Es soll eine Frau gewesen sein: Die Explosion am Flughafen Domodedowo geschah in dem Moment, in dem eine Frau ihre Tasche öffnete. Unter den 35 Toten ist ein Deutscher. >>> afp/dapd/dpa/rtr/sam | Dienstag, 25. Januar 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Moscow airport bombing victim Gordon Cousland was due to marry in April: A Briton who was among at least 35 people killed as by suicide bomber at Russia’s busiest airport has been named as Gordon Campbell Cousland. >>> Martin Beckford, and Andrew Osborn in Moscow | Monday, January 24, 2011

Les réponses de la directrice de l’Office National du Tourisme tunisien
Hamel Achani, directrice de l’Office National du Tourisme tunisien en France reste optimiste quand à l’impact de la révolution de jasmin sur l’économie du tourisme

Terrorisme : Sarkozy prône la fermeté
Le chef de l’Etat a notamment abordé lundi la situation en Tunisie, en Iran ou en Côte d’Ivoire

Ben Ali soll gestohlene Reichtümer zurückgeben
WELT ONLINE: Nach der Flucht des tunesischen Präsidenten hat die französische Justiz Ermittlungen zu Ben Alis Vermögen eingeleitet.

Die Pariser Staatsanwaltschaft hat Vorermittlungen zur Erfassung der in Frankreich befindlichen Güter des tunesischen Ex-Präsidenten Zine El Abidine Ben Ali eingeleitet. Mit den Ermittlungen reagierte die französische Justiz auf die Klagen dreier Nichtregierungsorganisationen gegen Ben Ali und seinen Clan wegen Korruption, Veruntreuung von Staatsgeldern und Geldwäsche. Frankreichs Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy versicherte, sein Land werde sich um eine systematische Suche der gestohlenen Reichtümer bemühen. Diese müssten dem tunesischen Volk zurückgegeben werden. >>> AFP/tts | Dienstag, 25. Januar 2011

Egypt Braced for 'Day of Revolution' Protests
THE GUARDIAN: Youth activists, Islamists, workers and football fans to hold rallies and marches against Mubarak government

Egyptian demonstrators hold a Tunisian flag in an anti-government protest in front of the attorney general's headquarters in Cairo last week. Photograph: The Guardian
Egypt's authoritarian government is bracing itself for one of the biggest opposition demonstrations in recent years tomorrow, as thousands of protesters prepare to take to the streets demanding political reform.

An unlikely alliance of youth activists, political Islamists, industrial workers and hardcore football fans have pledged to join a nationwide "day of revolution" on a national holiday to celebrate the achievements of the police force.

With public sentiment against state security forces at an unprecedented level following a series of high-profile police brutality cases and the torture of anti-government activists, protest organisers are hoping that a large number of Egyptians will be emboldened to attend rallies, marches and flash mobs across the country in a sustained effort to force concessions from an increasingly unpopular ruling elite.

In a move that suggests the uprising in Tunisia may be spreading to other parts of the Arab world, Tunisian activists announced they would be holding their own protests in solidarity with their Egyptian counterparts, while many Egyptians plan to wave Tunisian flags. Parallel protests are also scheduled to take place outside the Egyptian embassies in London and Washington.

Demonstrators are calling for the sacking of the country's interior minister, the cancelling of Egypt's perpetual emergency law, which suspends basic civil liberties, and a new term limit on the presidency that would bring to an end the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak, one of the Middle East's most entrenched dictators. Read on and comment >>> Jack Shenker in Cairo | Monday, January 24, 2011

LE FIGARO: Les jeunes Égyptiens veulent leur révolution : Lancé sur Facebook, un mot d'ordre de soulèvement à l'occasion de la Fête de la police va passer ce mardi l'épreuve de la rue. 80 000 internautes ont promis de venir manifester. >>> Par Tangi Sala | Mardi 25 Janvier 2011

Rahm Emanuel Prevented from Running for Chicago Mayor
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Rahm Emanuel, the former White House chief of staff, has been prevented from running for election as mayor of Chicago because he didn’t live in the city in the year before the election.

Rahm Emanuel speaks at a news conference in Chicago on Monday. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
An Illinois Appeals Court has ruled that Mr Emanuel’s name cannot appear on the Feb 22 ballot.

Those challenging Mr Emanuel’s candidacy have argued that the Democrat doesn’t meet the one-year residency requirement because he rented out his Chicago home and moved his family to Washington to work for President Barack Obama for nearly two years.

Mr Emanuel has said he always intended to return to Chicago and was only living in Washington at the request of the president. >>> | Monday, January 24, 2011

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. Photograph: Google Images
Silvio Berlusconi: Catholic Church Warns of Impending 'Anthropological Disaster’ in Italy
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Catholic Church has launched a scathing critique of Silvio Berlusconi, warning that his scandalous private life threatened to turn Italy into a moral vacuum.

The country’s most senior bishop, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, said the prime minister’s conduct was sowing the seeds of an “anthropological disaster”, where young Italians would eschew abiding by the law and working hard in favour of easy money by “selling” themselves.

Cardinal Bagnasco, said the example set by Italy’s leaders suggested that “cunning, social climbing, showing off and selling oneself” was the way to get ahead in life.

Italians were “horrified” by the conduct of politicians, some of whom needed a refresher course in “the ABCs of ethics”, he said. >>> Nick Squires, Rome | Monday, January 24, 2011

Pastor Jones will den Koran vor Gericht stellen
WELT ONLINE: Erst wollte der christliche Fundamentalist den Koran öffentlich verbrennen, sagte die Aktion jedoch ab. Nun plant er eine Hinrichtung per Internet-Abstimmung.

Der fundamentalistische US-Pastor Terry Jones plant eine neue publikumswirksame Aktion: Am 20. März will er den Koran vor Gericht stellen - und möglicherweise hinrichten lassen. Foto: Welt Online
Vor wenigen Monaten wirkte es noch so, als hätte Pastor Dr. Terry Jones die Sinnlosigkeit seiner geplanten "Burn-The-Koran"-Aktion erkannt. Der im US-Bundesstaat Florida ansässige Führer der christlichen Fundamentalisten-Gemeinde "Dove World Outreach Center" hatte geplant, am neunten Jahrestag der Terroranschläge vom 11. September 2001 den Koran - den er als ein "Teufelswerk" bezeichnete - öffentlich zu verbrennen.

Nach weltweiten Protesten, Medienrummel und dem Einwirken amerikanischer Politiker, blies der Prediger die geplante Protestaktion gegen die "Islamisierung" jedoch ab. Nun kündigt Pastor Jones eine neue provokative Aktion an - er will den Koran vor Gericht stellen. >>> Autor: Florian Flade | Montag 24. Januar 2011

International Judge the Koran Day

FACEBOOK: International Judge the Koran Day is on Facebook >>>

International Judge the Koran Day >>>

Oprah Reveals Her Big Family Secret

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Oprah Winfrey reunited with 'secret half-sister': Oprah Winfrey, the US chat show queen, has been reunited with a secret half-sister she never knew existed. >>> Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Monday, January 24, 2011

Converting to Islam - the White Britons Becoming Muslims
BBC: As 22-year-old Aisha Uddin recites Surah Al-Fatiha - the first chapter of the Koran - at home with close friend Sameeah Karim, she may stumble over one word but otherwise the text is perfectly recounted.

But unlike Sameeah, 35, who has Pakistani heritage and grew up reading the holy book, Aisha is newer to it: she used to be called Laura and only converted to Islam two years ago.

She is pale and has bright blue eyes; originally from Birmingham, until recently she dressed like many other young white British women.

"Before it was the jeans, the hoodies, loads of make-up," she says.

Now Aisha wears a long black jilbab (a long flowing over-garment) and a cream-coloured hijab (headscarf).

"For me now, obviously it's a dramatic change, but it's a change I'm happy I've made, because now I don't have to prove myself to anybody out there." Read on (+video) >>> Catrin Nye. BBC Asian Network | Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Saudi Arabia: Penguin Caught Stealing on Camera

HT: Londontowner >>>