London Imam Subjected to Death Threats for Supporting Evolution
THE GUARDIAN: Mosque suspends engineering lecturer Usama Hasan for 'antagonising' community and backing women's rights

An imam of an east London mosque has been subject to death threats and intimidation for expressing his views on evolution and women's right to refuse the veil.

Dr Usama Hasan, vice-chairman at Leyton mosque and a senior lecturer in engineering at Middlesex University, ceased delivering Friday prayers after 25 years of service when 50 Muslim protesters disrupted his lecture by handing out leaflets against him and shouting in the mosque for his execution.

A statement from the secretary of the mosque, Mohammad Sethi, that was leaked to extremist websites, said Hasan had been suspended after his lecture resulted in "considerable antagonism" from the community and for his "belief that Muslim women are allowed to uncover their hair in public".

Sethi's letter, dated 24 February, said Hasan's views were in "violation of the constitution of the Masjid Trust" and that the decision had been made for the "safety and security of all parties". >>> Rowenna Davis | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Saudi Arabia Bans Public Protest
THE GUARDIAN: Ruling by senior clerical council follows two weeks of Shia demonstrations and 22 arrests

Public protests have been banned in Saudi Arabia following demonstrations by minority Shia groups.

The ruling comes after widespread demonstrations in the Middle East – including those that led to the downfall of regimes in Egypt and Tunisia – and two weeks of Shia agitation in Saudi Arabia itself, during which 22 people were arrested.

A statement issued by the country's council of senior clerics said: "The council ... affirms that demonstrations are forbidden in this country. The correct way in sharia [law] of realising common interest is by advising, which is what the Prophet Muhammad established.

"Reform and advice should not be via demonstrations and ways that provoke strife and division, this is what the religious scholars of this country in the past and now have forbidden and warned against."

The statement goes on to make clear the council's stance against political parties, which are banned as they are deemed to be not in keeping with Islam. >>> Agencies | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Gaddafi Troops' 'Gains' Disputed
BBC: As I write I can hear volleys of gunfire hammering around Tripoli. It is around 1430 on Sunday and since early morning supporters of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have been out in the streets celebrating.

They have been told - and seem to believe without question - that his forces have scored important victories. One of the government spokesmen said Zawiya, Misrata and Ras Lanuf had been recaptured from rebels, and that Col Gaddafi's forces were advancing on Benghazi, the epicentre of the rebellion.

Not long after first light, I went to Green Square, right in the middle of Tripoli and the place where true believers in the regime congregate to celebrate its triumphs.

A couple of thousand people were there - the numbers have grown since then - and the atmosphere was crackling with feverish celebration.

Young men had climbed on to speakers and were dancing to music that praised their leader. Women, many with small children, swayed and sang along.

Guns were everywhere, pistols as well as Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles. Every so often their owners fired into the air. Someone was letting off fireworks as well.

There were green flags, green bandanas and green fringed posters of the colonel which kept getting kissed.

"Libya is united again," one man said. "We all love Gaddafi. He is our father and our brother. He is our leader." >>> Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Tripoli | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Tripoli Celebrates Gaddafi 'Win'
Pro-Gaddafi supporters are extremely festive in the capital Tripoli, celebrating the government's supposed victory against anti-government rebels.
Meanwhile, across the country, rebels still continue to oppose pro-Gaddafi forces.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli

Libya: A State of Terror - The Great Escape

Reforming Saudi Arabia
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Arab News runs an open letter to the King, by a Saudi lawyer, Khalid Alnowaiser. In the letter, Alnowaiser spells out the changes he thinks critical for Saudi Arabia to meet the challenges the country is now facing and will continue to face until political, social, and economic reforms are made.

For a person who’s been following Saudi Arabia’s halting march toward modernization, there’s not much new in his letter. He points out the flaws, like a dysfunctional legal system; an economy that relies on one commodity; violations of human rights and the limited rights of women; a failed education system. He calls on the King to start instituting the changes necessary. All good.

What’s disquieting, to say the least, is the pushback in the comments to his letter. There are those who somehow see the letter as a call to abandon Islam and Shariah law; others wrap their arms protectively around the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, seeing it as a necessity for good governance. No one actually calls Alnowaiser a kufar, but some suggest that his program of reform will inevitably lead the Saudi nation down the road to perdition. Continue reading and comment >>> | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Revolution in Libyen: Gaddafis Gegenoffensive setzt Westen unter Druck
Nach Berichten des libyschen Staatsfernsehen haben regierungstreue Truppen gleich mehrere Städte zurückerobert. Aufständische und Augenzeugen widersprachen diesen Darstellungen. Bild: Spiegel Online
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Eingreifen oder abwarten? Libyen droht nach immer heftigeren Kämpfen in einem Bürgerkrieg und damit im Chaos zu versinken, der Druck zu intervenieren nimmt zu, vor allem die westlichen Staaten sind gefragt. Doch noch schauen Deutschland, die EU und die USA rat- und tatenlos zu.

Hamburg - Erbitterte Kämpfe zwischen Aufständischen und Regierungstruppen in Libyen nähren die Angst vor einem langen und blutigen Bürgerkrieg. Truppen von Machthaber Muammar al-Gaddafi griffen am Sonntag die erst kurz zuvor von Rebellen eroberte Stadt Ben Dschawad an. Im nahe gelegenen Ras Lanuf, wo ein wichtiger Ölhafen liegt, konnten die Aufständischen dagegen einen Gegenangriff abwehren.

Ähnlich instabil die Lage im Westen des Landes: Erneute Angriffe von Gaddafi-Truppen auf die Stadt Sawija, die etwa 50 Kilometer von der Hauptstadt Tripolis entfernt und seit Tagen äußerst heftig umkämpft ist; Gaddafi-Einheiten gehen dort mit schweren Waffen vor. Unklar die Ursache für schweres Maschinengewehrfeuer in Tripolis. Nach Darstellung der Regierung wurde so die Rückeroberung mehrerer Städte gefeiert, die aber offenbar noch immer in Rebellenhand sind; ebenso wie die Stadt Bengasi, wo die Proteste gegen Gaddafi ihren Anfang genommen hatten. >>> tdo/Dapd/dpa/Reuters | Sonntag, 06. März 2011

Kadhafi fête sa longévité politique dans une capitale divisée
REUTERS FRANCE: TRIPOLI - Mouammar Kadhafi a transformé Tripoli dimanche en lieu de célébration de ses 41 ans de règne sur la Libye, mais les habitants d'un des quartiers les plus troublés de la ville se jurent de continuer à lui résister.

La capitale s'est réveillée au son de tirs de mitrailleuse qui fêtaient ce que le gouvernement a présenté comme sa victoire sur les rebelles dans des villes clés du pays. A l'aube, des milliers de fidèles de Kadhafi se sont répandus dans les rues en brandissant des drapeaux et en tirant des coups de feu en l'air.

Dans le quartier populaire de Tadjoura, point de cristallisation de l'hostilité à Kadhafi dans la capitale, des habitants inquiets ont vu passer des camions remplis de partisans du "guide libyen" qui hurlaient "Dieu, Mouammar, la Libye, rien d'autre". >>> Par Maria Golovnina et Michael Georgy | Dimanche 06 Mars 2011

Angst vor langem Bürgerkrieg in Libyen wächst
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Tripolis - Angesichts erbitterter Kämpfe zwischen Aufständischen und Regierungstruppen in Libyen wächst die Angst vor einem langen Bürgerkrieg.

Truppen von Machthaber Muammar Gaddafi griffen am Sonntag drei von Rebellen gehaltene Städte an. Dabei kamen Panzer, Artillerie, Kampfflugzeuge und Hubschrauber zum Einsatz. Die Kämpfe ereigneten sich in den Städten Sawija und Misrata im Westen des Landes sowie in der Ölhafenstadt Ras Lanuf weiter im Osten. Regierungssprecher berichteten von Erfolgen. Gaddafi beklagte sich über mangelnde Unterstützung aus dem Ausland. Er kämpfe gegen den Terrorismus, sagte der seit über 40 Jahren herrschende Staatschef. Die EU entsandte eine Delegation nach Tripolis, um sich über die Lage der Bevölkerung zu informieren. >>> | Sonntag, 06. März 2011

'Huda the Executioner' - Libya's Devil in Female Form
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: How pulling on a hanging man's legs made Huda Ben Amer one of Colonel Gaddafi's most trusted elite.


When Colonel Gaddafi hanged his first political opponent in Benghazi's basketball stadium, thousands of schoolchildren and students were rounded up to watch a carefully choreographed, sadistic display of the regime's version of justice.

They had been told they would see the trial of one of the Colonel's enemies.

But instead a gallows was dramatically produced as the condemned man knelt in the middle of the basketball court, weeping and asking for his mother, hands bound behind his back.

The crowd, many of them children, cried and yelled out "No, no" or called on God to help them as they realised what was about to happen. Two young men bravely ran up to the revolutionary judges and begged them for mercy.

The worst moment came right at the end, as the hanged man kicked and writhed on the gallows. A determined-looking young woman stepped forward, grabbed him by the legs, and pulled hard on his body until the struggling stopped. >>> Nick Meo, Benghazi | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Gadhafi Family Excesses

Gadhaf: The Mad Dog’d Mad Life

Inside the World of Gadhafi

Egyptian Protesters Storm State Security HQ
Protesters storm the state security headquarters in Alexandria, Egypt, after forces inside reportedly open fire. Video courtesy of Reuters

Egyptian Police Holed Up Against Angry Mob
Protesters storm security offices in Alexandria, driving police to hole out in the building's top floors. Video courtesy of Reuters

Moammar Gadhafi’s Son Speaks with CNN

Gillard Arrives in US for Obama Talks

Libya: A State of Terror
As Muammar Gaddafi wages war against a popular uprising, Libyan exiles explain how terror has long been a tool of the regime

Russian Church Calls for 'National Dress Code'
Russia's orthodox church has stirred controversy by calling for a "national dress code." A senior cleric in the church claimed Russian woman who wear revealing clothes encourage sexual assault. Al Jazeera's Neave Barker reports from Moscow

Conflicting Claims Abound in Libya
Everything in the Libyan conflict depends on who you believe, and in the capital, Tripoli, they believe Gaddafi's forces have taken back control of the towns of Az-Zawiyah and Misrata from the rebels. But witnesses have told Al Jazeera the government claims are false. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports

Libya Rebels Battle Gaddafi Loyalists
Anti-government fighters in the western Libyan town of Az Zawiyah have fought off forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan president, pushing them from the town. But the limited effectiveness of Gadaffi's forces and the overall disorganisation of the rebels have led largely to a stalemate situation. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports

SCHWEIZ: Bund sperrt Grenzen für den Gaddafi-Clan
20 MINUTEN ONLINE: Bundesrätin Micheline Calmy-Rey will das Gaddafi-Regime vor den Richter bringen. Vorerst hat die Schweiz für die Mitglieder des Gaddafi-Clans eine Einreisesperre verhängt.

Bundespräsidentin Micheline Calmy-Rey fordert die Schweizer Justiz dazu auf, die Verantwortlichen für die Entführung von Max Göldi und Rachid Hamdani zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen.

«Ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass man in der Schweiz eine Strafuntersuchung einleitet, um die Umstände der Entführung von Max Göldi und Rachid Hamdani im Herbst 2009 zu untersuchen und die Schuldigen vor den Richter zu bringen», sagte die Bundespräsidentin im Interview mit der «NZZ am Sonntag». Calmy-Rey: «Zeit, zurückzuschlagen» >>> ast | Samstag, 05. März 2011

Kadhafi: "C'est moi ou Al-Qaïda"
leJDD.fr: En exclusivité mondiale, le chef d'Etat libyen a reçu, samedi, deux envoyés spéciaux du JDD dans son QG de Tripoli. Retrouvez ici des extraits de cet entretien exceptionnel, publié dimanche dans le JDD nouvelle formule.

LA MENACE TERRORISTE 

"Quand il y a eu la confusion en Tunisie et en Egypte (…) Al-Qaida a donné instruction à ses cellules dormantes en Libye de faire surface (…) Les jeunes ne connaissaient pas Al-Qaida ni l’idéologie de cette organisation. Mais les membres de ces cellules vont jusqu’à leur donner des pilules hallucinogènes. (…) Aujourd’hui, ces jeunes ont pris goût à ces pilules et pensent que les mitraillettes sont comme une sorte de feu d’artifice."

"Je m’étonne vraiment que l’on ne comprenne pas qu’il s’agit ici d’un combat contre le terrorisme (…) Nos services de renseignement coopèrent. Nous vous avons beaucoup aidé ces dernières années! Alors pourquoi lorsque nous sommes dans un combat contre le terrorisme ici en Libye on ne vient pas nous aider en retour!"

"Il y aura un Djihad islamique en face de vous, en Méditerranée (…) Les gens de Ben Laden viendront imposer des rançons sur terre, et sur mer. On reviendra au temps de Barberousse, des pirates, des Ottomans qui imposaient des rançons sur les bateaux. Ce sera vraiment une crise mondiale et une catastrophe pour tout le monde." LE RÔLE DE LA FRANCE DANS LA CRISE >>> Laurent Valdiguié, Le Journal du Dimanche | Samedi 05 Mars 2011

"Kadhafi a peur"

leJDD.fr: "Aujourd'hui, Kadhafi a peur" : Envoyé spécial du JDD à Tripoli, Laurent Valdiguié raconte au JDD.fr sa rencontre avec Mouammar Kadhafi. >>> La Rédaction, leJDD.fr | Dimanche 06 Mars 2011

Heavy Machinegun Fire Rocks Libyan Capital Tripoli

REUTERS: Heavy automatic weapons fire erupted in the Libyan capital Tripoli Sunday, the first such outbreak in Muammar Gaddafi's main stronghold in a two-week-old insurrection against his 41-year-old rule.

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim denied any fighting was under way in Tripoli, saying the gunfire was staged to fete the army's recapture of several cities from rebel forces.

It was unclear who was doing the shooting, which started just before daybreak, or what had caused it. Machine gun volleys, some of them heavy caliber, reverberated around central Tripoli along with ambulance sirens, pro-Gaddafi chants, and a cacophony of car horns as vehicles sped through the vicinity.

"These are celebrations because government forces have taken control of all areas to Benghazi and are in the process of taking control of Benghazi," Ibrahim said, referring to Libya's rebel-controlled second largest city situated in the far east.

State television reported that government forces had retaken the important coastal cities of Zawiyah and Misrata, to the immediate west and east of Tripoli, and were also heading for Benghazi, where the opposition National Libyan Council has set up a crisis committee, in a quest for foreign recognition.

The state television report provided no details and, with poor communication affecting all areas outside Tripoli, there was no immediate way to confirm the battlefield turnaround. Rebel spokesmen could not be reached for comment. >>> Maria Golovnina | Tripoli | Sunday, March 06, 2011

Turning a Blind Eye to the Blood-thirsty Clerics
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pakistan is being swamped by a rising tide of religious hatred, while its political leaders remain silent, writes Praveen Swami.

Fewer than a thousand people made their way to Islamabad’s Khatun-i-Fatima church yesterday to mourn the passing of Shahbaz Bhatti: diplomats and journalists far outnumbered the politicians who claimed to have been proud to have called Pakistan’s assassinated religious minorities minister a friend.

Yusuf Raza Geelani, prime minister of Pakistan, fondly recalled spending time with Mr Bhatti in the church at Christmas, and promised to bring his assassins to justice, but had not one word to say about the cause his colleague died for. Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, was unable to attend.

Mr Bhatti is the second politician to have been killed in recent weeks for demanding amendments to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. His colleague Salman Taseer, the governor of the province of Punjab, was shot dead by one of his own guards in January. Incredibly, Mr Taseer’s assassin was showered with rose petals by lawyers when he was first brought to face trial, while clerical groups organised giant protests to applaud his actions.

Pakistan’s political establishment, though, has been silent in the face of a rising tide of religious hatred. The battle over the blasphemy laws is just one part of a larger war over religion and identity that is threatening the foundations of the nuclear-armed state – but its leaders seem to have neither the will nor the ability to drag it away from disaster. Continue reading and comment >>> Praveen Swami | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Wherever you find Islam, you find bloodshed! – Mark

This comment also appears here

Rebels Turn Tour Guides in Gaddafi Home
Mar 5 - Rebel fighters show off what they say is a beachside compound belonging to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

Amnesty: Qatari Blogger Detained
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Human rights group says Sultan al-Khalaifi has been held incommunicado in Qatar since March 2 and risks being tortured.

Amnesty International says a blogger and human rights activist has been detained incommunicado in Qatar and is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

The UK-based human rights group said Sultan al-Khalaifi was arrested on March 2 by around eight individuals in plain clothes, believed to be members of the security forces.

According to information received by Amnesty International, al-Khalaifi had told his wife earlier that day that state security had contacted him, asking him to report to them, but that he did not know why.

The reasons for his detentions and his whereabouts are unknown, Amnesty said in a statement on Friday, adding that it is believed he is being held in the custody of state security.

Amnesty said al-Khalaifi is the founder of a rights group which campaigns primarily on cases of detention in Qatar, but is legally registered in Switzerland. >>> Al Jazeera | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Libya Oil Sales Continue


Verbunden >>>

Anon: The New Face of Cyber-War
Anonymous, or Anon, is a movement made up of a number of nameless internet activists from around the world.
 For many, the 'hacktivist' group has become the face of the new cyber-war against oppressive governments and all-powerful corporates. 
Describing itself as "the freedom of speech, the freedom of information and the freedom of expression taken to a logical extreme," Anon says it breaks laws, but only for the greater good.
 Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports

Lies That Launched a War
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was sanctioned largely because of claims the country had weapons of mass destruction. The source of some of the alleged intelligence behind the claims was an Iraqi defector living in Germany, someone who has now admitted the evidence he submitted was false. Al Jazeera's Barnaby Phillips reports

Traveller's Guide: Syria
THE INDEPENDENT: Rogue state or not, this Middle Eastern nation is packed with attractions that will dazzle anyone who visits, says Matthew Teller

Libya, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, North Korea and... Syria: according to the last Bush administration, these half-dozen nations comprise the Axis of Evil. Yet walking by the Mediterranean coast, threading through the timeless streets of Damascus or clambering around a desert citadel, it is hard to reconcile Syria as a "rogue state". For its urbane self-possession, borne out of cultural roots which plunge deeper than anything Europe can match, Syria fascinates. Above all, the joviality and irreverent approachability of the Syrian people make the greatest impression on the visitor.

A country this old has had plenty of time to gather legends. Muslim tradition recalls that the Prophet Mohammed, arriving in the hills overlooking Damascus – a city then enveloped by gardens and the flowing River Barada – refused to go on. Paradise was unique, he reasoned: entering Damascus would rob him of the chance to enter heaven.

The gardens have gone and the Barada is mostly dry, but Syria's capital – perhaps the world's oldest continuously inhabited city – can still draw on 10,000 years of history to boggle the imagination.

In land area, Syria is nearly as big as Britain. Most of the 22 million people are Muslim, though there's a substantial Christian minority of around 10 per cent. Desert aside, Syria has 200km of Mediterranean coastline, with beach resorts around Lattakia backed by forests and orchards. Just inland, fertile mountains run parallel to the coast, cresting 2,000 metres in places: the walking here, on rural tracks between farming villages, is as good as anywhere in the Middle East. Motorways and high-speed trains connect the cities. >>> Matthew Teller | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Libya: A State of Terror
As Gaddafi wages war against a popular uprising, Libyan exiles explain how terror has long been a tool of the regime

News Bulletin - 1405GMT Update (Saturday, March 5, 2011)
The main headlines on Al Jazeera English, featuring the latest news and reports from around the world

Union entfacht Streit um Islam in Deutschland neu
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Berlin - Die Union streitet erneut heftig über die Bedeutung des Islam für Deutschland.

Fraktionschef Volker Kauder setzte sich am Samstag ebenso wie zuvor der neue Innenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) deutlich von der Einschätzung von Bundespräsident Christian Wulff ab, der Islam gehöre zu Deutschland. "Der Innenminister hat völlig recht", sagte Kauder der "Passauer Neue Presse". Der Islam habe die deutsche Gesellschaft nicht geprägt und präge sie auch heute nicht, betonte der CDU-Politiker. "Der Islam gehört damit nicht zu Deutschland". Wie zuvor Friedrich, schränkte auch er ein, die Menschen muslimischen Glaubens gehörten allerdings zu Deutschland. >>> | Samstag, 05. März 2011

Zeitung: Öl-Millionen fließen noch in Gaddafis Taschen
PASSAUER NEUE PRESSE: London - Trotz der Sanktionen des Westens sollen immer noch Öl-Millionen in die Taschen des libyschen Staatschefs Muammar al-Gaddafi fließen. Das berichtete die britische "Financial Times" aunter [sic] Berufung auf internationale Experten. Libyens Zentralbank habe die Kontrolle über Gelder aus den Rohölexporten - und damit potenziell auch Gaddafi, hieß es. Grund sei, dass die Sanktionen nicht auf die Zentralbank zielten. Libyen ist einer der größten Ölexporteure der Welt. [Quelle: Passauer Neue Presse] | Samstag, 05. März 2011

Combats à Zaouïah, les rebelles de l'Est avancent vers Tripoli
REUTERS FRANCE: TRIPOLI - Des combats font rage samedi à Zaouïah, dans l'ouest de la Libye, entre les forces fidèles à Mouammar Kadhafi et les insurgés, qui affirment avoir repoussé un assaut du régime libyen sur cette ville proche de Tripoli.
Plus à l'est, les rebelles affirment poursuivre leur progression en direction de la capitale au lendemain de la prise de contrôle de Ras Lanouf et de son important terminal pétrolier.

A Zaouïah, les insurgés ont déclaré que les forces du dirigeant libyen avaient été chassées du centre de la ville après une incursion dans la matinée avec l'appui de blindés.

Mais un journaliste de Reuters a constaté que les forces du régime se rapprochaient à nouveau du centre de la ville en fin de matinée. Des forces pro-Kadhafi ont établi des barrages à trois kilomètres du centre, bloquant les accès.

Selon Al Djazira, Mouammar Kadhafi a entrepris d'envoyer des renforts vers cette localité située à une cinquantaine de kilomètres à l'ouest de Tripoli. >>> Par Maria Golovnina | Samedi 05 Mars 2011

Libysche Rebellen rücken Richtung Westen vor
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Benghasi - Gegner des libyschen Machthabers Muammar Gaddafi haben nach eigener Darstellung im Osten des Landes weitere Gebiete eingenommen.

So sei die Stadt Bin Dschawad unter ihrer Kontrolle, teilten die Rebellen mit. Auch der wichtige Ölhafen Ras Lanuf wurde am Samstag von ihnen beherrscht. Die Front verlief westlich der Stadt. Aus der etwa 50 Kilometer von Tripolis entfernt liegenden Küstenstadt Sawija gab es Berichte über schwere Kämpfe. Ein Sprecher der Aufständischen sagte, man habe einen Panzerangriff von regierungstreuen Soldaten zurückgeschlagen. Gaddafis Anhänger sammelten sich demnach am Rande der Stadt. Auch zwei Wochen nach Beginn der Unruhen sind die Frontverläufe in Libyen unklar und ändern sich immer wieder. 60 Prozent der libyschen Ölförderung sind nach Schätzungen der Internationalen Energiebehörde IEA zum Erliegen gekommen. Tausende ausländische Fachkräfte sind geflüchtet. >>> | Samstag, 05. März 2011

Libya Rebels Hold Ground as Refugees Flee
Mar 4 - As rebels hold Benghazi, thousands continue to flood out of the borders of Libya straining relief efforts. Maryam Ishani reports

Un sondage donne Marine Le Pen en tête au premier tour en 2012
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - Marine Le Pen arriverait en tête au premier tour de l'élection présidentielle française en 2012, devant Nicolas Sarkozy et la socialiste Martine Aubry, selon un sondage Harris Interactive pour Le Parisien Dimanche.

Selon cette enquête publiée samedi sur leparisien.fr, la présidente du Front national recueillerait 23% des voix, contre 21% pour le président sortant, à égalité avec le premier secrétaire du Parti socialiste, Martine Aubry. >>> Elizabeth Pineau, édité par Jean-Stéphane Brosse | Samedi 05 Mars 2011

Saudi Arabia Bans All Demos After Shi'ite Protests
REUTERS: Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it would ban all protests and marches after minority Shi'ites staged small protests in the oil-producing eastern province.

Security forces would use all measures to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state television.

The ban follows a series of protests by Saudi Shi'ites in the kingdom's east in the past weeks mainly to demand the release of prisoners they say are long held without trial. >>> Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Jon Hemming | Riyadh | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Related >>>

REUTERS: Saudi minister says economy in excellent shape –TV: Saudi Arabia's economy is in an "excellent" shape and a rise in oil prices will boost the strong economic and financial position of the world's top oil exporter, its finance minister said on Saturday. >>> Khobar, Saudi Arabia | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Afghan Kids Suffer Abuses
Afghan youth are regularly recruited to join both the army and the Taliban. Children arrested by police also suffer torture and abuse in detention. The UN Security Council has urged Afghanistan's government to do more to protect the young victims of the country's conflict. Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports from Kabul

US Anti-Muslim Rally Raises Fears
The US based advocacy group, the Council on American Islamic Relations, has published a video of an anti-Muslim protest, at a fundraising event in California last month.

 Muslim residents say the demonstration has raised fears in their community.
 Al Jazeera's Rob Reynolds reports from Yorba Linda in California's Orange County

Egypt: Feared Former Interior Minister El-Adly On Trial
BBC: Egypt's feared former Interior Minister, Habib el-Adly, has denied charges of corruption at the opening of his trial in Cairo.

"It didn't happen," he said to allegations of laundering money and unlawfully acquiring public money.

He was arrested in mid-February, days after President Hosni Mubarak resigned in the face of popular protest.

The hearing was adjourned to 2 April as the defence argued for more time to study court papers.

Mr Adly appeared in the dock dressed in white prison clothes, and delivered his answers in a calm voice, an AFP news agency correspondent reports. >>> | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Rebels 'Beat Back Libyan Troops'
BBC: Rebels in Libya say they have repelled an attempt by government forces to retake the key city of Zawiya, just 50km (30 miles) west of Tripoli.

Following heavy fighting on Saturday morning, government forces were pushed out of the city centre, though recent reports suggest they have regrouped and may be preparing for a fresh assault.

The number of casualties is unclear.

Meanwhile, rebels fighting Col Muammar Gaddafi have taken control of the port of Ras Lanuf to the east of Tripoli.

Observers say the overall balance of power is difficult to assess as the struggle for control over Libya continues.

In Tripoli, there is an air of growing confidence among regime loyalists as their control appears to be consolidated in Tripoli and other central areas, our correspondent there says.

But elsewhere, correspondents say rebel forces have an enormous determination to overthrow his regime. Gaddafi troops 'flee' >>> | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Yemen: Foreign Office Travel Advice Tightened
BBC: The Foreign Office is warning Britons against all travel to the Middle Eastern state of Yemen.

Officials say the advice has been reviewed and reissued because of increasing violence in the country.

UK nationals already in Yemen without a pressing need to stay are advised to leave by commercial means.

There have been protests against the government in several cities, and there are reports of clashes between police and demonstrators.

The Foreign Office says there are reports of violence being used to disperse crowds, and of a number of deaths.

Further protests are expected, say officials, and violence is likely. >>> | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Food Supply Worries in Libya
The UN recently announced that global food prices have hit an all-time high, and nowhere is this more evident than in Libya, a country that depends on imports for more than 90 per cent of its food. 

High oil prices and the rising cost of basic food could threaten future political stability, too.

 Al Jazeera's Tim Friend reports

Zbigniew Brzezinski on Al Jazeera
The Obama adminstration is under increasing pressure to impose a no-fly zone over Libya. But so far it's ruled out getting involved in any military action.

 Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former National Security Adviser to the Carter administration, spoke to Al Jazeera.

He said that the US should play a more strategic role.

Libya: Fierce Day of Raids and Clashes Signals Shift towards Civil War
THE GUARDIAN: Pro-Gaddafi forces launch widespread offensives and rebels fortify their positions as diplomatic efforts fail

Libyan rebels are under intensifying pressure as forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi launch new offensives on several fronts to regain control of key rebel-held towns and oil facilities, and international efforts to mediate an end to the fighting appear to run into the sand.

Some of the fiercest clashes since the uprising began on 15 February took place in rebel-controlled Zawiyah, about 30 miles west of the Libyan capital, according to Arab media reports. Al-Arabiya television quoted a local doctor as saying at least 13 people were killed there, and al-Jazeera TV gave a figure of 50 dead and more than 300 wounded.

The leader of the rebels in Zawiyah, Colonel Husein Darbouk, was among those killed when his position was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Following attacks including an artillery bombardment by mercenaries and militia in Gaddafi's pay, the rebels were said to be pinned down in the central square. State media predicted the town would fall by Saturday.

A witness contacted by the Guardian inside Zawiyah said the assault began at about 10am from the west when government-controlled forces in pick-up trucks entered the city. "There has been fighting here all day," he said. "We are in a very difficult position. They have snipers and have used mortars and rocket-propelled grenades." >>> Martin Chulov in Benghazi, Peter Beaumont in Tripoli and Simon Tisdall | Friday, March 04, 2011

Interpol lance une alerte contre Kadhafi et ses proches
LE POINT: Interpol a émis une notice orange envers Kadhafi et quinze de ses proches, mais ne demande pas leur arrestation.

Interpol a alerté vendredi les polices de ses 188 États membres sur le colonel Muammar Kadhafi et 15 de ses proches, afin de faciliter la mise en oeuvre des sanctions de l'ONU et l'enquête ouverte par la Cour pénale internationale (CPI). En émettant une "notice orange", destinée à alerter sur "les évènements qui sont susceptibles de constituer une menace pour la sûreté publique", l'organisation policière ne demande pas l'arrestation de ces 16 Libyens mais met à disposition des informations les concernant. >>> Source AFP | Vendredi 04 Mars 2011

News from an Australian Perspective
ABC – AM: AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs program. AM sets the agenda for the nation's daily news and current affairs coverage.

Listen to Saturday’s program >>>

Die al-Qaida ringt um Aufmerksamkeit
TAGES ANZEIGER: Durch die Aufstände in Nordafrika fürchtet die al-Qaida in der Bedeutungslosigkeit zu versinken. Nun erwägt die Extremistengruppe eine Strategieänderung.

Die Verblüffung über die unerwarteten Volksaufstände in der arabischen Welt hat al-Qaida fast verstummen lassen. Die sunnitische Terrororganisation findet keine Antwort auf den plötzlichen Ruf nach Demokratie.

Die Extremisten sind kleinlaut: Die Umstürze in Ägypten und Tunesien stellen eines ihrer Kernargumente in Frage - nämlich, dass sich politischer Wandel in der Region nur durch terroristische Gewalt bewirken lasse. Inzwischen ist im extremistischen Dschihad- Milieu eine Debatte entbrannt, wie das Abdrängen in die Bedeutungslosigkeit verhindert werden kann. >>> mrs/sda | Freitag, 04. März 2011

Kadhafi verrouille le Nord-Ouest de la Libye
LE FIGARO: À Tripoli et Zawiya, les forces fidèles au régime sont intervenues brutalement vendredi.

Assises en rang d'oignons dans une salle de cours, une vingtaine d'adolescentes s'adonnent à un cours d'accordéon. «Les écoles sont ouvertes, la vie continue, il n'y a pas d'attaques contre la population. N'écoutez pas les chaînes étrangères, elles ne font que vous mentir !», raconte l'une d'elles, un micro sous la bouche. Le reportage, diffusé vendredi après-midi sur la télévision nationale libyenne, omet sciemment d'évoquer les nouvelles manifestations, violemment réprimées à coup de matraque et de gaz lacrymogène, à la sortie de la prière du vendredi.

«Il n'y aura pas de démocratie sans notre leader», promettaient depuis plusieurs jours des panneaux publicitaires qui ornent les carrefours de Tripoli. La démocratie version Kadhafi a pourtant une étrange couleur. Depuis jeudi, des chars ont été déployés tous les dix mètres sur l'autoroute principale qui mène vers la capitale. Le réseau Internet est totalement bloqué dans la partie nord-ouest du pays. L'accès aux principales chaînes satellitaires en langue arabe, al-Jezira et al-Arabiya est, lui, complètement brouillé. Quant à la centaine de journalistes actuellement présents à Tripoli, encombrants témoins d'une répression sans faille contre toute nouvelle tentative d'insurrection, ils ont été assignés à résidence dans leurs hôtels tout au long de la journée de vendredi. >>> Par Delphine Minoui | Vendredi 04 Mars 2011

Une ONG * dénonce des tortures et des viols contre des manifestants au Soudan
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Des "dizaines" de manifestants soudanais réclamant plus de libertés politiques au Soudan ont été torturés ces dernières semaines, a affirmé vendredi l’organisation américaine de défense des droits de l’homme Human Rights Watch (HRW), qui cite aussi des cas de viol.

Des "dizaines" de manifestants soudanais réclamant plus de libertés politiques au Soudan ont été torturés ces dernières semaines, a affirmé vendredi l’organisation américaine de défense des droits de l’homme Human Rights Watch (HRW), qui cite aussi des cas de viol.

Les mauvais traitements ont eu lieu à la suite d’arrestations massives fin janvier à Khartoum et dans la ville voisine d’Omdurman, d’après les témoignages recueillis par l’ONG. >>> AFP | Vendredi 04 Mars 2011

* Organisation Non-Gouvernamentale

Gaddafi Forces Surge in West Libya, Rebels Gain in East
REUTERS: Muammar Gaddafi's forces wrested back part of a town in western Libya from rebels, but his foes said they had seized the oil port of Ras Lanuf, expanding their grip in the east of the country in a two-week-old uprising.

Counter-attacks by Gaddafi loyalists this week suggest the flamboyant autocrat in power for 41 years will not go quietly or relatively quickly as leaders in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia did in a tide of popular unrest rolling across the Middle East.

An upsurge of fighting appears to be cementing a de facto split of the oil-producing desert state, Africa's fourth biggest, into a government-held western area round the capital Tripoli and an eastern region held by ragged but dedicated rebel forces.

In diplomacy aimed at quelling upheaval that has jacked up oil prices, a group of mostly Latin American states in a leftist bloc behind Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez endorsed his plan on Friday for an international mediating mission on Libya.

But Chavez's chances looked slim for now since the rebels have ruled out talks unless they lead to Gaddafi's resignation or exile, outcomes he has categorically ruled out.

Disaffected Libyans see Chavez as too close to Gaddafi, whom the Venezuelan leader calls a friend. It was unclear whether the plan has gained any traction with other countries. >>> Mohammed Abbas, Ajdabiyah, Libya | Friday, March 04, 2011

Britain at Risk of Another Financial Crisis, Bank of England Chief Warns
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain risks suffering another financial crisis without reform of the country’s banks, the Governor of the Bank of England warns today.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mervyn King says that “imbalances” in the banking system remain and are “beginning to grow again”.

Mr King urges high street banks to take a better, longer term view towards their customers and to stop focusing on the need to “simply maximise profits next week”.

He accuses them of routinely exploiting their millions of customers. “If it’s possible [for financial services firms] to make money out of gullible or unsuspecting customers, particularly institutional customers, [they think] that is perfectly acceptable,” he says.

The Governor criticises the “weight put on the importance and value of takeovers” and raises concerns that companies with good reputations have been “destroyed” in the search for short-term profits.

Mr King expresses regret for not sounding a louder warning over his concerns before the last banking crisis.

The Governor’s remarks are a warning to George Osborne, the Chancellor, as a government commission considers whether to force high street banks to sell off their investment banking arms. Continue reading and comment >>> Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor | Friday, March 04, 2011

Web Extra: For the Love of the Leader - Libya
Moammar Gadhafi and the female bodyguards who protect the "Mad Dog" of Tripoli are interviewed. Produced by Jane Kokan, freelance reporter and documentary producer based in Vancouver

Libyan Ambassador to U.S. Speaks Out on Conflict
Mar 4, 2011 – Ambassador Ali Aujali on 'Studio B'

Inside Story - Muammar Gaddafi: Fighting for Survival?
Protests in Libya continue to be met with harsh violence and the death toll has now topped 1,000. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is warning Muammar Gaddafi, the country's leader, that he will be held criminally responsible for his regime's reaction to the protests that have been taking place since February 15. It took only five days for Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC's chief prosecutor, to confirm that there was sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation. And for the first time in the court's history, the probe is being actively supported by the US and other long-standing critics of the ICC, including China and Russia. The investigation is seen as a way to pressure Gaddafi loyalists to defect, thus weakening the war against the rebels. But is ICC involvement an incentive for the Libyan leader to respect human rights or will he simply fight harder for his political survival so as to avoid prosecution?

LSE Head Quits Over Libya Links
Organisations with links to the Libyan regime have come increasingly under the spotlight. In the UK, Sir Howard Davies , the head of the prestigious London School of Economics has resigned after disclosures the university accepted multi-million dollar donations from former student Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader.
Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports

Related >>>

Oman Protesters Call for Reform
Hundreds of protesters rallied across Oman on Friday, demanding political reform and better working conditions.

Rival demonstrations also took place in support of Oman's ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

In the industrial city of Sohar, protestors called for an end to corruption and higher wages.

Libyans Face Down Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi may be fighting hard to regain control of Libya, but people in the eastern city of Benghazi say they will not give up their aspirations to wrest the country from his grip.

From religious leaders to people on the street, they say they are keeping up the fight.

Yet the price Libyans are paying for their uprising is high and the death toll is rising every day, even in this revolutionary stronghold.

With Gaddafi unlikely to step down willingly, people in Benghazi told Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley that they hope the international community will intervene.

Funerals Held for Libyan Rebels
Hundreds of mourners bury victims of clashes between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces as opposition fighters regroup

Saudis Mobilise Thousands of Troops to Quell Growing Revolt
THE INDEPENDENT: Saudi Arabia was yesterday drafting up to 10,000 security personnel into its north-eastern Shia Muslim provinces, clogging the highways into Dammam and other cities with busloads of troops in fear of next week's "day of rage" by what is now called the "Hunayn Revolution".

Saudi Arabia's worst nightmare – the arrival of the new Arab awakening of rebellion and insurrection in the kingdom – is now casting its long shadow over the House of Saud. Provoked by the Shia majority uprising in the neighbouring Sunni-dominated island of Bahrain, where protesters are calling for the overthrow of the ruling al-Khalifa family, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is widely reported to have told the Bahraini authorities that if they do not crush their Shia revolt, his own forces will.

The opposition is expecting at least 20,000 Saudis to gather in Riyadh and in the Shia Muslim provinces of the north-east of the country in six days, to demand an end to corruption and, if necessary, the overthrow of the House of Saud. Saudi security forces have deployed troops and armed police across the Qatif area – where most of Saudi Arabia's Shia Muslims live – and yesterday would-be protesters circulated photographs of armoured vehicles and buses of the state-security police on a highway near the port city of Dammam.

Although desperate to avoid any outside news of the extent of the protests spreading, Saudi security officials have known for more than a month that the revolt of Shia Muslims in the tiny island of Bahrain was expected to spread to Saudi Arabia. Within the Saudi kingdom, thousands of emails and Facebook messages have encouraged Saudi Sunni Muslims to join the planned demonstrations across the "conservative" and highly corrupt kingdom. They suggest – and this idea is clearly co-ordinated – that during confrontations with armed police or the army next Friday, Saudi women should be placed among the front ranks of the protesters to dissuade the Saudi security forces from opening fire. >>> Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Saudi Arabia Drafts in Up To 10,000 troops Ahead of Protests
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi Arabia is drafting in up to 10,000 security forces to the north eastern Muslim Shia provinces ahead of mass protests planned next week.

Desperate to avoid mass uprisings against the House of Saud, security forces have deployed in huge numbers across the region.

King Abdullah is also reported to have told neighbouring Bahrain that if they do not put down their own ongoing Shia revolt, his own forces will.

In response to the massive mobilisation, protesters are planning to place women on the front ranks to discourage Saudi forces from firing on them. >>> | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Britain Seizes Libya-bound Ship Carrying £100m Cash
THE INDEPENDENT: A cargo ship carrying £100m worth of Libyan currency destined for Colonel Gaddafi's regime was escorted into a British port and the money seized after officials warned the vessel's owners that the cash was the subject of United Nations sanctions.

The Sloman Provider, which had abandoned its journey to the Libyan capital Tripoli because of the ongoing violence, was accompanied into the Essex port of Harwich on Wednesday by a UK Border Agency vessel, and containers holding the bank notes were taken under guard to a secure location. >>> Cahal Milmo, Chief Reporter | Saturday, March 05, 2011

DAILY EXPRESS: >>> David Pilditch | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Prince Andrew Hosted Tunisian Dictator's Son-in-law at Palace
THE GUARDIAN: Sakher el-Materi, son-in-law of deposed president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, attended lunch just months before uprising

The government's special trade representative, Prince Andrew, entertained a leading member of the deposed Tunisian dictatorship at Buckingham Palace just three months before the regime collapsed, the Guardian has learned.

Sakher el-Materi, the 29-year-old son-in-law of Tunisia's deposed president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, attended a lunch given for him by the Duke of York. They were joined by more than a dozen executives from British multinationals hoping to win business in Tunisia. Materi has since fled the north African country and is under investigation for money laundering.

The meeting took place as part of the duke's government-appointed role to help broker deals for British businesses overseas, and its emergence will intensify calls for him to step down because of his contacts with controversial figures in the Middle East.

He met Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli on government trade business in November 2008 and lunched with his cabinet chief, Bashir Saleh, in London in July 2009 after giving a seminar at St James's Palace for the dictator's £5bn Libya Africa Investment Portfolio, which Bashir chairs. >>> Robert Booth | Friday, March 04, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Prince Andrew's relations with Tunisian dictator's son-in-law in spotlight: Andrew's role as government's special trade representative is controversial – but to some in government he is secret weapon >>> Robert Booth | Friday, March 04, 2011

Wales Votes 'Yes' to More Devolved Powers
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The vote in the Welsh referendum for more legislative powers has been described as a historic day in the nation's history by first minister Carwyn Jones.

A total of 517,132 people voted in favour compared to 297,380 against.

The result gives Wales powers to pass its own laws in its 20 devolved areas - like Scotland and Northern Ireland - without the approval of Westminster.

Mr Jones said: ''This is a historic day for Wales. It is a clear and concise Yes vote across whole of Wales from the coast to the border.''

Twenty-one out of 22 constituencies in Wales voted in favour of gaining primary law-making powers - with the only No vote coming from Monmouthshire.

Welsh national party Plaid Cymru, which is in a coalition government with Labour, expressed delight at the win. >>> | Friday, March 04, 2011

Related >>>

Fissures au sommet du clan Kadhafi
Saïf Al-Islam, fils de la deuxième épouse du chef d'Etat libyen. Photo : Paris Match
PARIS MATCH: Entre le chef d’Etat libyen Mouammar Kadhafi et son fils Saïf Al-Islam les tensions s’accumulent, explique Zidan Mohammed, universitaire proche du pouvoir de Tripoli. Interview exclusive.

Docteur en sciences politiques de l’université Paris V, Zidan Mohammed est actuellement directeur du Centre des études diplomatiques, à Janzour, au Nord-Ouest de la Libye, à 12 kilomètres de Tripoli. Toujours en poste au ministère des Affaires étrangères, il explique les raisons de la décomposition du régime du Guide...

Quel est l’entourage de Kadhafi ? 
Il y a autour de lui une ancienne garde composée de militaires, notamment les plus gradés qui ont profité du système pour s’enrichir avec leurs familles sur le dos de la population, des technocrates et des affairistes peu qualifiés qui contrôlent une bonne partie de l’administration. A cela, il faut ajouter les membres des “Communautés Révolutionnaires” que le peuple, dans sa majorité, déteste depuis longtemps et qui ne font rien pour attirer la sympathie. Cette ancienne garde s’était organisée pour mener une guerre silencieuse contre les réformes de Saïf Al-Islam, le fils du Guide, en corrompant les nouveaux responsables et en barrant la route aux jeunes diplômés comme moi. Le poste de directeur de section France au ministère des Affaires Étrangères, dont j’assume la responsabilité, ne sert à rien car j’occupe d’anciennes toilettes comme bureau et je ne dispose d’aucun collaborateur!

Quel est le rôle de Saïf Al-Islam, le fils de la deuxième épouse de Kadhafi ? 
Ayant passé ces dernières années en Occident, en Autriche et en Angleterre, Saïf Al-Islam a montré une méconnaissance flagrante de la société libyenne. Il a ouvert une discussion avec les opposants politiques, mal perçue à l’intérieur du pays par les partisans du régime. Ces pourparlers avec les groupes salafistes, qui avaient promis d’abandonner la lutte armée en échange de la libération de tous les prisonniers islamistes, ont été un échec. C’est ce qu’on a appelé chez nous l’opération “Les Vagues de Liberté”, dont les derniers bénéficiaires ont pu quitter leurs cellules le 18 février, soit deux jours après la première manifestation ! Ils sont même parvenus à créer deux “émirats”, à Derna et à Al-Baida, dans l’Est du pays. >>> Interview Pascal Meynadier, Parismatch.com | Vendredi 04 Mars 2011

Huge Explosion at Weapons Depot in Benghazi

Fighting Rages in Libya's East
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: At least 30 civilians killed after Gaddafi loyalists try to retake rebel-held town of Az Zawiyah, witnesses say.

At least 30 civilians have been killed after security forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader, attempted to retake the rebel-held town of Az Zawiyah, near the capital Tripoli, that has for days been defying his rule, witnesses have said.



The rebellion in Az Zawiyah - the closest rebel-held territory to the capital and also the site of an oil refinery - has been an embarassment to the Libyan authorities who are trying to show they control at least the west of the country.



Eastern regions of the country, around the city of Benghazi, have already fallen out of Gaddafi's control after a popular revolt against his four decades of rule.

At least nine people have been killed and 10 others injured outside an ammunition depot near Benghazi. There are conflicting reports about the cause of Friday's blast.



Hospital sources said it was triggered when people went into the storage facility to collect weapons, however, others blamed pro-Gaddafi forces for the blast. 



In Az Zawiyah, Mohamed, a resident of the town, told the Reuters news agency: "I have been to hospital less than 15 minutes ago. Dozens were killed and more were wounded."

"We have counted 30 dead civilians. The hospital was full. They could not find space for the casualties. >>> Al Jazeera and agencies | Friday, March 04, 2011

Disgrâce de Kadhafi: des personnalités occidentales dans l’embarras
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Nombre de personnalités et institutions occidentales sont plongées dans l’embarras après la mise en lumière de leurs relations privilégiées avec le clan Kadhafi.

Nombre de personnalités et institutions dans le monde occidental sont plongées dans l’embarras après la révélation au grand jour de leurs relations avec le régime de Mouammar Kadhafi, en butte à une révolte populaire dans son pays et à la réprobation internationale.

La prestigieuse London School of Economics (LSE) vient ainsi de payer au prix fort les liens qu’elle entretenait depuis plusieurs années avec la famille du chef de l’Etat libyen, dont le fils, Seif al-Islam, est diplômé de cette université. Rattrapé par le scandale, son directeur a démissionné jeudi soir.

En ligne de mire notamment: une dotation de 1,5 million de livres, dont 300.000 (350.000 euros) ont déjà été versées, faite à cet établissement d’excellence par la fondation dirigée par le cadet des fils Kadhafi.

S’y ajoute une série de contrats, dont une mission menée par le directeur de l’établissement, pour contribuer à la modernisation des institutions financières libyennes. Sans compter des soupçons de plagiat pesant sur la thèse de philosophie soutenue par Seif al-Islam et consacrée au "rôle de la société civile dans la démocratisation des institutions de gouvernance internationale". >>> Rédaction Online | Vendredi 04 Mars 2011

Newt Gingrich will US-Präsident werden
DIE PRESSE: Der renommierte Republikaner Newt Gingrich bereitet seine Präsidentschaftsbewerbung vor. Andere potenzielle republikanische Bewerber halten sich noch zurück. Sarah Palin werden geringe Chancen eingeräumt.

In den Vereinigten Staaten zeichnet sich der offizielle Startschuss zum Präsidentschaftswahlkampf 2012 ab. Als erster namhafter Republikaner leitete der frühere Präsident des Abgeordnetenhauses, Newt Gingrich, erste Schritte zu seiner Bewerbung ein. Gingrich will nun konkret erkunden, wie groß seine Erfolgschancen sind und ob er auch finanziell einen schlagkräftigen Wahlkampf auf die Beine stellen könnte, wie er auf einer Pressekonferenz am Donnerstag in Atlanta (Georgia) mitteilte. Zweiter Schritt wäre dann die offizielle Einsetzung eines "Erkundungsausschusses". >>> Ag. | Freitag, 04. März 2011