Revelations in BAE Saudi Case Prompt Inquiry Call
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A senior MP has demanded a parliamentary inquiry into Britain’s £43 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia after a leaked US diplomatic cable disclosed the full case against BAE Systems, the defence contractor.

The Serious Fraud Office dropped the investigation in December 2006, after intense diplomatic pressure from the Saudis. BAE was fined by US authorities last year after it admitted a relatively minor charge of making false statements. It faced no action in Britain over the Saudi allegations and until now the full details of the case have been kept secret.

However, a US cable given to the WikiLeaks website and obtained by The Daily Telegraph discloses the strength of the investigators’ case. Written four months after the collapse of the investigation, it shows the SFO had evidence that:

:: BAE paid £73 million to a Saudi prince who had “influence” over the Al-Yamamah defence contract and that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe another “very senior Saudi official” received payments;

:: The contractor was being covertly investigated by the SFO for carrying out a “potential fraud” against a government department;

:: BAE allegedly circumvented anti-bribery laws by making “substantial payments” to overseas agents employed by the Saudi government;

:: Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, then British ambassador in Riyadh and now a BAE Systems’ director, “had a profound effect” on the decision by Robert Wardle, then SFO director, to end the investigation.

It also details outrage among Britain’s allies who questioned claims that the case was being dropped on grounds of “national security”.

Last night, Sir Menzies Campbell, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for a Commons investigation.

“This leak tells us how strong a case was available,” he said. “If the information in this document had been before Parliament and the British public, there is no way that the Labour government could have influenced the termination of the investigation.

“The particular issue which will cause a great deal of annoyance is the fact there was prima facie evidence that a government department had been subjected to fraud. If prosecution is no longer possible, it is open to the Commons’ business innovation and skills committee to conduct a full investigation.” >>> Christopher Hope, and Steven Swinford | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Inside Story - Gaddafi: Losing the Battle for Arab Opinion
The foreign ministers of the six Arab Gulf states met on Thursday in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the ongoing crisis in Libya. They say that the existing Libyan regime is illegitimate and contact should be initiated with the Libyan rebels' national council. The foreign ministers have also urged the Arab League to take the necessary measures to stop the bloodshed in Libya. The Arab Gulf Council countries have already backed a no fly zone over Libya earlier this week. So has Muammar Gaddafi lost another diplomatic battle?

Japan Fears Nuclear Plant Meltdown
Blast reported at nuclear plant as safety panel worries that reactor can no longer cool radioactive substances

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Japanese nuclear authorities say there is a possibility that nuclear fuel rods at a reactor in Fukushima prefecture may be melting. >>> Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Nuclear Expert Peter Hayes Discusses Possible Scenarios for the Quake-hit Nuclear Plants

Related material here, here, and here

Gaddafi's Iron Fist Won't Help Him Keep a Grip on a Divided Nation
THE INDEPENDENT: It has been a week of military reversals for the rebels, but their spirit remains unbroken, reports Donald Macintyre in Tripoli

The walls across the street from the Murad Aga mosque in Tajura were freshly whitewashed to cover up the anti-regime graffiti that has been repeatedly scrawled on them in the last three weeks.

Before the mid-morning Friday prayers, the streets of this easterly working class suburb 10 miles from the centre of the Libyan capital were eerily quiet, with just a few customers passing through the two general stores that were open. On the surface at least, there was hardly a sign that it had been here two weeks ago that residents were fired on – with an unknown number of deaths – when they tried to march towards the city centre to demand the end of the regime.

This felt very much like a district in lockdown, one about which the regime was now so confident that they had not even bothered to maintain the earlier military checkpoints and tanks on the main road in. "But some of them are here in civilian clothes," said a 20- year-old resident, adding that the regime had given AK 47s to hand-picked civilians here "to fire on the people" after the crisis began.

The resident, who gave his name, but which it would be unwise to use, added: "Ninety-five percent of the people don't like Gaddafi, but they can't do anything. They don't have any weapons." Many of the district's inhabitants, he said, came from a tribe originating from Benghazi. "They saw what was happening there, and they wanted to do the same here." He added: "We should not talk on the street. You don't know who is watching."

He would be proved right in every salient detail; less than five minutes later, plain clothes security police arrived, told us we had no business to be there, and ordered us to leave the neighbourhood immediately, herding us peremptorily into a minibus they had summoned for the purpose. After we were safely out of the way, according to a Tajura Libyan now living abroad but in touch with residents, tear gas was again used to quell a repeat of the protests. Continue reading and comment >>> Donald Macintyre in Tripoli | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Gulf Regimes: The Real Game - Saudi Arabia
THE JERUSALEM POST: Rival forces are attempting to make use of the sudden eruption of popular unrest for their own preexisting purposes.

From a strategic point of view, the Iran-led regional axis has until now emerged as a net earner from the “Arab Spring” of 2011. In Egypt and Tunisia, two stable, pro-Western Arab regimes have fallen, giving way to ambiguous and potentially chaotic situations in those countries.

Among the countries of the “resistance axis,” meanwhile, protests have been brutally suppressed or stillborn, at least for the moment.

Attention is now turning to the vital Persian Gulf area. Bahrain is in the midst of an uprising by the country’s majority Shi’ite population. But the main question is whether instability will spread to Saudi Arabia – the key US ally in the area, and in many ways the linchpin of US regional strategy.

Here, Tehran stands to play a more active role than that of lucky bystander. The Gulf area is the central focus of Iranian ambition. It wishes to fulfill a long-standing strategic ambition of emerging as the dominant power in this area. The breakdown of order in Saudi Arabia would offer it a major opportunity to advance this cause.

Iran lacks conventional military ability and real economic power. It is adept, however, at turning political chaos into gain. The regime has developed tools and practices for political warfare which have so far delivered it domination of Lebanon, a competing franchise in Palestinian nationalism and key influence in Iraq.

If the Gulf regimes fail to effectively navigate the current unrest, Iran is fair set to begin to apply these practices in this area. The potential implications are enormous. The rulers of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are aware of the risk, and are energetically trying to keep these areas closed to Iranian political-military subversion.

Bahrain is the test case. Here, the Iranians are best placed to make gains. The population of this tiny kingdom is 70 percent Shi’ite. The ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family has failed to address the socioeconomic needs and demands of this section of the population. The kingdom is currently roiled by a Shi’ite uprising. A formerly London-based cleric with Iranian connections, Hassan Mushaima, recently returned to take part.

Bahrain is small but vital. It is the base of the US Fifth Fleet, which ensures the security of the Gulf states in the face of a conventional military threat. Still, the real game is in Saudi Arabia. >>> Jonathan Spyer | Friday, March 11, 2011

Day of Rage in Saudi Arabia: How Much Change Can the Gulf Expect?
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Regime change may not come swiftly to Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, where protesters have called for a 'Day of Rage' today, but a revolution of a different sort is taking place.

Cairo; and Muscat, Oman – From Saudi Arabia’s “Day of Rage” today to an explosion of free speech in Oman, Arab unrest is making ever-larger waves in the oil-rich Gulf region.

Most of the protesters in these Gulf nations are seeking reform, not the overthrow of the royal ruling families. But citizens’ willingness to express their discontent – even after their leaders have made unprecedented concessions – signals what may be the beginning of the end for the monarchies’ strategy of buying compliance with generous social welfare benefits.

“We’re told they’re stable regimes that manage to buy off protests,” says Toby Jones, a Middle East historian at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “But they’re characterized by deep disillusionment, and disappointment, about the nature of the political system.... There was always a simmering level of frustration, and that’s going to be there five years from now, 10 years from now, just like it has been.”

Regime change may not come swiftly to the Gulf, as it did to Tunisia and Egypt, but the newfound boldness to press for more rights is a revolution in its own right in countries where people have long been subdued by fear. A free-speech revolution >>> Kristen Chick, Correspondent, Jackie Spinner, Correspondent | Friday, March 11, 2011

Saudi Arabian Security Forces Quell 'Day of Rage' Protests
THE GUARDIAN: Heavy police presence and official warnings deter protests in Riyadh and result in small demonstrations in eastern provinces

Saudi security forces came out in strength in Riyadh on a "day of rage" organised by pro-democracy campaigners who managed only small demonstrations in the eastern provinces.

Expectations that the unrest sweeping the Arab world in the last few weeks would spread to its most conservative kingdom appeared to have been dashed by pre-emptive security measures and stern official warnings against any protests.

Far larger demonstrations rocked Yemen, where tens of thousands of pro and anti-government protesters took to the streets as President Ali Abdullah Saleh struggled to maintain his grip.

Clashes broke out in the nearby island state of Bahrain, where Shia protesters were confronted by riot police guarding the royal court in Manama. Demonstrations were also held in Kuwait by stateless people demanding their rights.

The calm in the Saudi capital may have been achieved partly by an incident on Thursday in the eastern city of al-Qatif, where police shot and wounded at least two protesters. Unconfirmed reports described trouble there again.

Protesters rallied in Hofuf, close to the eastern Ghawar oil field and major refinery installations. The city has seen scattered protests by Shias who complain of discrimination by the Sunni majority.

Saudi sources also reported marches involving hundreds of people in al-Ahsa and Awwamiya near al-Qatif.

Security in Riyadh was high-profile and intense, with helicopters hovering overhead and police checks on cars and individuals heading for mosques, where protests were expected after prayers. >>> Ian Black, Middle East editor | Friday, March 12, 2011

Prince Andrew Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Trade Trip
THE GUARDIAN: Buckingham Palace says trip 'postponed' because of safety concerns rather than cancelled in light of revelations

Prince Andrew has pulled out of a proposed trip to Saudi Arabia after almost three weeks of damaging revelations about his personal integrity and links with corrupt and repressive regimes.

The Duke of York was due to travel next week to boost defence contracts in his role as Britain's trade envoy.

Buckingham Palace denied the trip was cancelled in light of the allegations, saying simply that the trip had been "postponed" because of safety concerns.

"The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Trade and Investment and the palace have agreed to postpone the visit given the current circumstances in the region," the palace said.

"Any suggestion that this had anything to do with recent UK media coverage is absolutely not the case." >>> Rowenna Davis | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Related/Verbunden >>>

Japan Earthquake: Nuclear Disaster Feared after Power Plant 'Explosion'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Japan is battling to avoid a nuclear disaster after an explosion at a power plant in the aftermath of the country’s biggest earthquake and a devastating tsunami.

The AFP agency reported that a blast was heard and white smoke seen billowing into the air at one of two power plants which the Japanese government had placed under a state of emergency. Several workers were reported to have been injured.

Prime minister Naoto Kan had warned that a radiation leak might occur at one of the reactors at the Daiichi facility at Fukushima, 150 miles north of Tokyo, after Friday's 8.9-magnitude quake.

The reports of an explosion followed aftershocks and came as a huge humanitarian operation got under way.

By Saturday morning at least 1,300 people were feared dead and international rescue teams began to arrive[.]

The reactor’s cooling system failed after the earthquake struck off the Pacific coast, triggering a 33ft tsunami. Pressure in the reactor was continuing to rise after repeated efforts to return power to the cooling systems failed. Radiation inside the plant soared to 1,000 times its normal level, officials said, triggering evacuation orders for residents.

Before the explosion workers had vented off steam in a bid to relieve pressure on the worst-hit reactor.

A second atomic plant in the earthquake-hit area was also experiencing reactor cooling problems. Workers were battling to cool and stabilise the cores of three reactors at the nearby Daini facility.

It was unclear to what extent the reactors’ external structures had been damaged, adding to uncertainty over the scale of any possible leak, and officials and scientists offered conflicting verdicts on the severity to public health. (+ video) >>> Gordon Rayner, Peter Foster, Martin Evans and Jacqui Goddard | Friday, March 11, 2011

Libya: David Cameron Warns that International Community Cannot 'Stand By'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has warned that the international community cannot "stand by" after the Gaddafi regime yesterday unleashed a "barbaric war" against rebels and the EU rejected his plan for a no-fly zone to protect civilians.

During a six hour Brussels summit, an angry Prime Minister fought to persuade other EU leaders to send clear message threatening military action on the same day that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi unleashed air strikes and launched a massive military offensive against Libyan rebels.

"We are witnessing, what can only be called, barbaric acts with Gaddafi brutally suppressing a popular rising led by his own people," he said.

"Things may be getting worse not better on the ground. The truth is this: Gaddafi is still on the rampage, waging war on this people."

But Mr Cameron faced strong opposition to a Nato imposed no-fly zone led by Germany, which had the support of Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign minister and British peer.

EU leaders rejected British demands for a clear declaration that supported "continued planning with Nato allies to be ready to provide support for all possible contingencies as the situation evolves, including a no-fly zone".

In a serious setback for Mr Cameron, who was the first world leader to raise the prospect of Western military intervention in Libya, the EU agreed vague wording that "in order to protect the civilian population, member states will examine all necessary options".

Dismissing the traditional Brussels focus on summit communiqués and the subtleties of diplomatic language, the Mr Cameron pledged that Britain would not stand by as the Libyan people were slaughtered. >>> Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Friday, March 11, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya: Gaddafi's jets break bodies but not the rebels' spirit – It started with the boom, boom, boom of decrepit anti-aircraft guns shooting wildly into the open blue sky. Then came the screeching engines of an invisible warplane, hurtling towards the rebel position. >>> Rob Crilly, Ras Lanuf and Richard Spencer in Tajoura | Saturday, March 12, 2011

In the Mubarak Era: Muslim Brotherhood - Egypt

BBC Newsnight: Douglas Murray on the Muslim Brotherhood

Earthquake Shakes MPs in Japan's Parliament
Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, and MPs feel the 8.8 magnitude quake during a session of parliament in Tokyo. Media office workers are also seen reacting to the earthquake

Japan's 8.9 Magnitude Earthquake Triggers Tsunami
TV pictures show a vast wall of water carrying debris and even fires across a large swathe of coastal farmland near the north-east Japanese city of Sendai, which has a population of 1 million

Related >>>

Denmark to Swap Stamps for Texts
BBC: People stuck for a stamp in Denmark will soon be able to send a text message to pay the postage on a letter.

From 1 April, the Danish post office is introducing The Mobile Postage service that does away with stamps for standard sized letters.

Instead, people will send a text to the post office and get back a code they write on the envelope.

Sweden's post office said it was also considering introducing the service and is planning trials. >>> | Friday, March 11, 2011

Libyan Rebel Talks to Al Jazeera
As fighting continues in the oil-refining town of Ras Lanuf, an anti-Gaddafi rebel fighter speaks to Al Jazeera from just outside the city. In a phonecall with Al Jazeera’s Doha studio, he describes the scene of a counter attack by rebel troops, as an oil storage facility burns after it was targeted by airstrikes.

Gaddafi Pushes Back against Rebels
Forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have renewed their assault against opposition fighters in Libya. As the military accelerates its onslaught, the rebels appear to be losing their grip over several cities that they had earlier taken control of. In Az Zawiyah, near the capital Tripoli, rebels say they still control the city centre, but fierce clashes have been reported. In Brega, a key oil and gas hub, fighters have reported multiple airstrikes by government forces. The hospital there is attending to many of the wounded. In Ras Lanuf, another oil town, government forces are pushing hard - showering the city with rockets and tank shells - and forcing the rebels to retreat 15 kilometres to the east. Al Jazeera's Omar Al Saleh reports

Polizei löst Proteste in Saudi-Arabien auf

Verbunden hier, hier, hier, hier, und hier

Gaddafi-Sohn kündigt große Militäraktion an

Im Königshaus hängt der Haussegen schief

Verbunden/Related >>>

Europa fürchtet Libyens Zusammenbruch

FAZ.NET: EU fordert „unverzüglichen Rücktritt“ Gaddafis: Auf dem Sondergipfel zu Libyen haben sich die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU nach Angaben von Diplomaten darauf geeinigt, den unverzüglichen Rücktritt Gaddafis zu fordern. Zuvor hatte der französische Präsident Sarkozy erklärt, Frankreich und Großbritannien seien zu „defensiven“ Militäraktionen bereit. >>> FAZ.NET mit tos. | Freitag, 11. März 2011

Séisme - La France prête à venir en aide au Japon
LE POINT: Nicolas Sarkozy a écrit au Premier ministre nippon pour lui faire part de son émotion face au violent séisme qui a frappé l'archipel.

Le président Nicolas Sarkozy a affirmé, vendredi, "le soutien et la solidarité" de la France au Japon, touché par un très fort séisme, se disant prêt à "répondre à toutes les éventuelles sollicitations que le Japon voudrait lui adresser pour faire face à cette tragédie". Continuez à lire et ajouter un commentaire >>> Source AFP | Vendredi 11 Mars 2011

Liens et vidéos en relation avec l’article >>>

Hundreds Protest in Eastern Saudi Arabia
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of al-Ahsa [or Al-Hasa] Friday.

About 500 protesters, mainly Shiite Muslims who make up a large part of the population of the region, demonstrated in the oil-rich eastern province. They called for the release of prisoners held without charges, according to Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb, president of Human Rights First Society.

There was no gunfire or clashes with police in the area, Mr. al-Mugaiteeb said.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, Friday prayers ended calmly, as none of the protests activists had called for materialized by mid-afternoon local-time. >>> Summer Said | Friday, March 11, 2011

Saudi Braces for Protests amid Sweeping Arab Unrest
AHRAM ONLINE: Saudi Arabia's Day of Rage due today following a reportedly bloody crackdown on protesters

Oil kingpin Saudi Arabia braced Friday for protests calling for political and economic reforms a day after witnesses said police shot and wounded three Shia demonstrators.

Online activists using the Facebook and Twitter have called for a "Day of Rage" and a "Saudi March 11 revolution" demanding a fully elected parliament and ruler in this conservative Islamic monarchy.

Security was strongly beefed up in the capital Riyadh in the early hours of Friday, after the interior ministry issued a stern reminder any kind of protest was illegal and unrest would not be tolerated.

Tensions rose late Thursday when security forces shot and wounded three Shia protesters in the city of Al-Qateef in Eastern Province, according to witnesses.

A royal official said Friday police responded to shooting from a man in the crowd, who was wounded by return fire and remains in custody. He did not confirm if any other people were injured.

The demonstrators were calling for the release of nine Shia prisoners who have been in jail for 14 years without trial, a witness told AFP. >>> AFP | Friday, March 11, 2011

RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY: Saudi Arabia Braces For Friday Protests, Particularly In Shi'ite East: As opposition organizers in Saudi Arabia surreptitiously used the Internet to call fellow citizens out for a "Day of Rage" on March 11, there was no way of knowing how many would heed the call. >>> Charles Recknagel | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hawaii Orders Evacuations in Tsunami Threat
REUTERS: Hawaii ordered evacuations from coastal areas due to the threat of a tidal wave set off by Friday's earthquake in Japan as a tsunami warning was extended to the whole of the Pacific basin, except mainland United States and Canada.

Authorities also ordered evacuation from low-lying areas on the U.S. island territory of Guam in the western Pacific, where residents there were urged to move at least 50 feet above sea level and 100 feet inland.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the warning extended from Mexico down the Pacific coast of South America.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned that the tsunami is currently higher than some Pacific islands which it could wash over.

The quake off Japan's northeast coast was the biggest in 140 years and triggered tsunami waves of up to 10 meters (30 feet) that swept across farmland, sweeping away homes, crops, vehicles and triggering fires. >>> Suzanne Roig and Jorene Barut | HONOLULU | Friday, March 11, 2011

Widespread Tsunami Warning Issued after Japan Quake
REUTERS: A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific basin except mainland United States and Canada following a huge earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The warning includes Hawaii and extends from Mexico down to South American countries on the Pacific, the center said.

Among the countries for which a tsunami warning is in effect are: Russia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

Australia and New Zealand, which had been on an initial warning list, were later removed. The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre confirmed there was no tsunami threat. >>> Andrew Marshall | SINGAPORE | Friday, March 11, 2011

Related >>>

Squatters Seize Gaddafi London Mansion
Mar 10 - Squatters vow to occupy the multi-million dollar home of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son until the property's assets are returned to the Libyan people. Maryam Ishani reports

Emotions High at Radical Islam Hearing
Mar 10 - In what is arguably the most high-profile Congressional hearing this year, the House Homeland Security Committee launched a day-long session into the threat posed by radical Islam in America. Jon Decker reports

Islam Hearing Stirs Debate
Mar 9 - The House Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Congressman Peter King, will be looking into the the threat posed by radical Islam in the United States. Jon Decker reports

Related >>>

Heavy Fighting in Eastern Libya
Mar 10 - Rebels and government controlled forces continue heavy artillery fighting in eastern Libya, information and facts difficult to verify. Julie Noce, Reports

Mood of Revolt in Tunisian Town
The 2008 rebellion in Tunisia's phosphate-rich Gafsa region was a warning of the uprising which eventually toppled Ben Ali's regime.
The earlier revolt in Gafsa, a town in the centre of the country, was brutally crushed by police, and news of what happened faced tough censorship.
But even after the Tunisian uprising, many in Gafsa feel removed from events.
Al Jazeera's Nazanine Moshiri reports thatlittle in their lives has changed, and rebellion still hangs in the air

Al Jazeera's Metereologist Explains Japan Quake
Steff Gaulter gives insights on why Japan is prone to earthquakes

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN: Massive quake unleashes tsunami on Japan: TOKYO - One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit Japan Friday, unleashing a 10-metre high tsunami that tossed ships inland and sparked fears that destructive waves could hit across the Pacific Ocean. >>> AFP | Friday, March 11, 2011

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Opinion: Why Saudi Arabia Is Stable amid the Mideast Unrest
THE WASHINGTON POST: Uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt have toppled their regimes. Unrest continues in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Algeria and Oman. Yet the host of the world's largest energy reserves and the birthplace of Islam, Saudi Arabia, remains conspicuously quiet.

Saudi Arabia shares some characteristics that have been causes for unrest - such as high unemployment among its youth and public-sector corruption - but the kingdom has strengths its neighbors lack. Its strong economy and weak opposition are clear. Less understood in the West is another critical element: a nationalism that has been fostered by and is strongly linked to the monarchy. These qualities make it highly unlikely that the unrest in other Arab countries will spread to the kingdom.

Economically, Saudi Arabia is able to fund projects that satisfy the needs of its growing population. Record revenue from energy exports has been invested in infrastructure and social services. It has spent tens of billions the past several years on universities and other schools, hospitals, rail lines and housing developments. An additional $29.5 billion in financial benefits to poorer Saudis - including help for the unemployed - was recently announced, as were raises for public servants and efforts to mitigate inflationary pressures. Last year, the salaries of all soldiers and military officers were increased.

Although Saudi Arabia has amassed more than $500 billion in foreign reserves during the reign of King Abdullah - a measure widely seen as representative of the government's fiscal responsibility - the kingdom still faces economic challenges. By world standards, Saudi Arabia is wealthy; the global poverty line is $1.25 per day. All Saudis receive housing assistance and free health care and education; per capita income is about $18,500. Yet many Saudis feel that this standard of living is not commensurate with a country so rich in resources. To address embarrassment and unhappiness, the government launched a national strategy a few years ago to combat poverty, aiming to reduce the number of those living below the poverty level ($1,015 per month) from 13.3 percent in 2010 to 2.2 percent in 2020. Another initiative is on track to help the 1.63 percent of Saudis living in "extreme poverty" (less than $450 per month) by the end of this year. >>> Nawaf Obaid | Friday, March 11, 2011

U.S. to Send Aid Team to Eastern Libya; Clinton to Meet Rebel Representatives
THE WASHINGTON POST: The White House announced Thursday that it will send a government aid team into rebel-held parts of Libya and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she will meet next week with representatives of the transition council, moves that edged the Obama administration closer to the formal Libyan opposition.

But the administration stopped far short of recognizing the council as Libya's legitimate government and continued to wrestle with how to achieve its goals of pushing Moammar Gaddafi from power while ensuring that something better far replaces him.

The White House rejected criticism from some lawmakers that its response has been too slow to fast-moving events on the ground. On Thursday, Gaddafi loyalists routed opposition fighters from Ras Lanuf, a strategic oil port the rebels had held for a week, and said they had retaken the town of Zawiyah, 27 miles west of Tripoli.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam triumphantly proclaimed to a crowd in the capital that forces loyal to his father would continue to reverse the rebels' gains. "Hear it now. I have only two words for our brothers and sisters in the east: We're coming," he said. >>> Karen DeYoung and Edward Cody, Washington Post Staff Writers | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Japan Earthquake Unleashes Tsunami
At least eight people killed as tsunami causes major damage after 8.9-magnitude quake strikes off the coast

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Eight people have been confirmed killed after a massive 8.9-magnitude quake hit northeast Japan, causing a four-metre tsunami along parts of the country's coastline. >>> Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies | Friday, March 11, 2011
Related >>>

Ancient Christian Site Opens in UAE
The only known pre-Islamic Christian site at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, located at Sir Bani Yas Island, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, has opened to tourists for the first time. A Christian church is the latest attraction in this conservative Muslim nation. Christian monasteries have already been discovered in nearby Saudi Arabia, though rarely publicised due to reluctance to embrace pre-Islamic religions in the region. Al Jazeera's Dan Nolan reports

Brace for $200 Oil If Unrest Hits Saudi Arabia
Commentary: Riyadh pulls the strings on global markets’ next act
MARKET WATCH: SEATTLE — Strong markets are supposed to rise along a wall of worry. This one was rising very nicely amid plenty of worries until investors caught a whiff of the idea that Saudi Arabia could fall victim to the unrest enveloping the Middle East.

So now stocks are slipping and crawling. It’s all about the optics. If you can see a problem, then you can ignore it. But if you aren’t sure what you see, paralysis ensues.

Any real threat that the Fahd monarchy and Sunni hegemony in Saudi Arabia could possibly come under attack would spark more than a worry. It would be thunder, lightning, a hurricane, a tornado, a tidal wave and earthquake all rolled up in one sand-colored bombshell.

No one really cares about Libya, after all. The two sides there can blast each other to kingdom come for all that most investors in London, Paris, Frankfurt and Wall Street care. Sure, there’s a decent amount of oil at stake at Bayda, Benghazi & Beyond, but concerns about the region begin and end at Saudi borders. >>> Jon Markman, MarketWatch | Thursday, March 10, 2011

PM Report: Saudi Police Open Fire at Protesters
Saudi police fired rubber bullets Thursday to disperse at least 200 Shiite protesters in Qatif, a town in the oil-rich Eastern Province, according to local human rights activists. Summer Said has details from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Related >>>

Signs of Dissent Becoming More Visible among Saudi Arabian Youths
THE WASHINGTON POST: JIDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - It is 9 p.m. on a Monday, and the Jasur bookstore cafe in Jiddah's chic Hamra district is hopping. Upstairs, Saudi men and women pack a poetry reading, while downstairs a book club discusses Malcolm Gladwell's bestseller, "Blink." Nearby, a team of young comic writers is hashing out the latest in a series of YouTube episodes that satirize Saudi politics and society.

"Don't get me wrong," Hasan Eid, the editor of a poetry anthology, reads from a new collection. "I love my country to death. But what I see every day makes me sigh under my breath."

With some Saudi men in jeans, others in traditional thobes, and women in black abayas, the emergence of the trendy literary scene is nothing short of groundbreaking in this conservative kingdom, where the mixing of sexes is largely prohibited and movie theaters are banned.

A growing frustration with Saudi political and social behaviors has been visible throughout the kingdom in recent weeks, as measured in budding protests, bolder blog posts and petitions asking King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to loosen up his rule.

But the discontent is particularly palpable among the young and educated in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia's historically most progressive city, which has long been at odds with the more religiously conservative capital, Riyadh. The new cafe has become a hub for young intellectuals to share ideas as the Middle East undergoes the most sweeping period of change in their lifetimes.

Inspired by their counterparts in Tunisia, Egypt and other parts of the Arab world, Jiddah's 20-somethings are ablaze on Facebook, blogs and Twitter, tweeting away on iPhones and BlackBerrys about government corruption and the need for political reform, while organizing social gatherings such as those at the bookstore that have long been taboo. >>> Janine Zacaria, Washington Post Foreign Service | Friday, March 11, 2011

Stripped Naked Every Night, Bradley Manning Tells of Prison Ordeal
THE GUARDIAN: US soldier held on suspicion of leaking state secrets speaks out for first time about experience

'Stripping me of all of my clothing is without justification'

Bradley Manning, the US soldier being held in solitary confinement on suspicion of having released state secrets to WikiLeaks, has spoken out for the first time about what he claims is his punitive and unlawful treatment in military prison.

In an 11-page legal letter released by his lawyer, David Coombs, Manning sets out in his own words how he has been "left to languish under the unduly harsh conditions of max [security] custody" ever since he was brought from Kuwait to the military brig of Quantico marine base in Virginia in July last year. He describes how he was put on suicide watch in January, how he is currently being stripped naked every night, and how he is in general terms being subjected to what he calls "unlawful pre-trial punishment".

It is the first time Manning has spoken publicly about his treatment, having previously only been heard through the intermediaries of his lawyer and a friend. Details that have emerged up to now have inspired the UN to launch an inquiry into whether the conditions amount to torture, and have led to protests to the US government from Amnesty International.

The most graphic passage of the letter is Manning's description of how he was placed on suicide watch for three days from 18 January. "I was stripped of all clothing with the exception of my underwear. My prescription eyeglasses were taken away from me and I was forced to sit in essential blindness." >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, March 11, 2011

Bradley Manning: 'Stripping Me of All of My Clothing Is Without Justification'
THE GUARDIAN: Alleged WikiLeaks source cites demeaning routines and says he was 'punitively' placed on suicide watch

Since the beginning of this month, Bradley Manning has been stripped naked every night and made to parade in front of his officers and guards in the nude. It started on 2 March when Manning was informed that his attempt to have his harsh treatment in prison ameliorated had been unsuccessful. This is an edited version of his description of what happened next:

Understandably frustrated by this decision after enduring over seven months of unduly harsh confinement conditions, I asked the brig operations officer, MSG Papakie, what I needed to do in order to be downgraded from maximum custody and prevention of injury status. MSG Papakie responded by telling me that there was nothing I could do to downgrade my detainee status and that the brig simply considered me a risk of self-harm.

Out of frustration, I responded that the PoI restrictions were absurd and sarcastically told him if I really wanted to harm myself, that I could conceivably do so with the elastic waistband of my underwear or with my flip-flops.

Later that same day, I was told that I would be stripped naked at night due to something that I had said to MSG Papakie. Shocked, I replied that I hadn't said anything. I had just pointed out the absurdity of my current confinement conditions.

Without consulting any brig mental health provider, chief warrant officer Denise Barnes used my sarcastic comment as justification to increase the restrictions imposed upon me under the guise of being concerned that I was a suicide risk. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, March 11, 2011

Saudi Police Fire in Air to Disperse Protest
REUTERS: Shots were heard near the protest by around 200 Shi'ites in the town of Qatif in Eastern Province, home to some of the world's largest oil fields and a large Shi'ite minority.

The clampdown was a sign that the Saudi government was serious about enforcing a ban on protests called for Friday by Internet activists emboldened by protests that toppled the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia before spreading to the Gulf.

"There was firing, it was sporadic," one witness said, adding that the sound of gunfire was interspersed with the noise from stun grenades.

A spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry said police fired over the heads of the crowd after they attacked a police officer who was documenting the protest, and said two protesters and a police officer were injured. >>> Ulf Laessing and Cynthia Johnston RIYADH | Thursday, March 10, 2011

REUTERS: U.S. says aware of reports of shots in Saudi Arabia: The White House said on Thursday it was aware of reports that shots had been fired during a protest in Saudi Arabia and that the United States would continue to monitor that situation. >>> WASHINGTON | Thursday, March 10, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Saudi police open fire on pro-democracy protesters: Government officials had warned strong action would be taken against protests calling for democratic reforms >>> Staff and agencies | Thursday, March 10, 2011

THE AUSTRALIAN: Dow tumbles below 12,000 mark after Saudi police fired on protesters >>> Brendan Conway | Dow Jones Newswires | Friday, March 11, 2011

BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: Bahrain Urgently Recruits More Mercenaries Amidst Political Crisis: Bahrain is continuing to hire hundreds of former soldiers from Pakistan to serve in its National Guard, even as pro-democracy protesters in Bahrain demand an end to the government’s controversial practice of recruiting foreigners in to the security forces. >>> | Friday, March 11, 2011

Libya Defies International Pressure

Massive Quake Hits Japan

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tsunami hits Japan after 8.8 magnitude earthquake: An earthquake measuring 8.8 struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo, causing "many injuries", major tsunami damage and at least one fire. >>> | Friday, March 11, 2011

Sack the Duke of York as Trade Envoy, Says Former Ambassador
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Exclusive: The Duke of York should be sacked as trade envoy “as soon as possible” because he is doing “serious damage” to the Royal family and to Britain, a former ambassador has told ministers.

Stephen Day, a former head of the Foreign Office’s Middle East section, took the highly unusual step of writing to three Whitehall departments, making an impassioned plea for the Government to end the Duke’s “embarrassing” activities.

Mr Day, whose letter has been obtained by The Daily Telegraph, said the Duke was the “worst person” to deploy in countries such as Qatar, where his presence was seen as “crass”.

He also alleged that the Duke had held a “worrying” private meeting with Col Gaddafi three years ago at the home of Sakher el-Materi, the son-in-law of the recently ousted Tunisian president, and described by Mr Day as “the worst of all the crooks in the presidential family”.

In another development, The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the Duke could be asked to give evidence in two separate legal cases involving his friend Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile.

The latest disclosures will increase pressure on the Duke to resign as Britain’s special representative for trade and investment, following weeks of controversy over his relationships with Mr Epstein and a host of other business contacts. The Duke has faced questions over his friendships with billionaires and politicians in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Libya and Turkmenistan. >>> Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Thursday, March 10, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Stephen Day's letter: Royal envoys are 'crass and insulting' – Here is a full transcript of the letter in which Stephen Day, a former ambassador, urges ministers to sack the Duke of York as trade envoy. >>> | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Prestige of EU and Nato Will Be Lost If Gaddafi Clings to Power, Says Sir John Major
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The “prestige” of the international community will be lost if Colonel Gaddafi is allowed to cling to power in Libya, Sir John Major has warned.

Unless Gaddafi is toppled, he will inflict “bloody reprisals” on the Libyan people, the former prime minister said. Other Middle Eastern leaders would also be encouraged to continue to repress their people.

He spoke as Western leaders continued to debate their response to the growing violence in Libya, where Col Gaddafi’s forces were yesterday making significant gains against opposition groups.

Sir John also backed William Hague as a “superb” foreign secretary, amid continued Conservative criticisms of his performance in the job.

Sir John speaks frequently to David Cameron, advising the Prime Minister on issues including the Middle East, where he travels frequently on business.

European Union and Nato leaders will meet today to continue discussing their response to the Libyan crisis, but there is still no sign of an international consensus on military action. >>> James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Thursday, March 10, 2011

If something isn’t done about Gaddafi soon, it will be too late. The opportunity to topple this despicable dictator will have been lost. President Barack Hussein Obama is showing no leadership in this thorny issue. Isn't he a typical academic? Quite unable to make up his mind because he is able to see the problem from each and every angle. So, he ends up dithering instead of taking decisive action. This, of course, is a very dangerous strategy (or lack of one). If Gaddafi is allowed to cling to power, and it looks as though he probably will cling to power given today’s advances, he will terrorize his own people and, as retribution, will probably resume terrorizing the world, too. We only have to think of Lockerbie for a graphic example of such a nightmare scenario. – © Mark

Gaddafi Takes Key Towns as Nato Squabbles over Libya Action
THE GUARDIAN: • Rebels retreat from Ras Lanuf and Zawiya
 • Regime warns of full-scale military action 
• Nato in paralysis as US blocks no-fly zone 
• Navy chief says Britain ready to send more ships

The Gaddafi regime has issued a defiant warning that the "time for action" had arrived as a sustained military assault forced the defeat of Libyan rebels in the strategically important town of Zawiya and their retreat from Ras Lanuf.

Amid squabbling among EU and Nato leaders on the eve of an emergency European summit on Libya in Brussels, Muammar Gaddafi's son said that a new offensive would be launched within days.

"It's time for liberation. It's time for action," Saif al-Islam told Reuters after the defeat of opposition forces in the town of Zawiya, 30 miles from Tripoli, and the rout of rebels in the town of Ras Lanuf. He added: "We are moving now."

The tough rhetoric from the Gaddafi regime – and its apparent success on the ground against the rebels – set the scene for a difficult emergency EU summit where leaders are expected to clash on the military and diplomatic response to the gravest crisis on their doorstep since the collapse of Yugoslavia. Fears among Libyan opposition groups that they will be defeated by the time Europe and the US agree on a course of action were heightened when:

• Nato was left paralysed as the US joined Germany in blocking the imposition of a no-fly zone supported by Britain and France. Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, said at a meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels that contingency planning for a no-fly zone would continue, before adding "that's the extent of it". >>> Peter Beaumont in Tripoli, Ian Traynor in Brussels and Nicholas Watt | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Pro-Gaddafi Forces Strike Rebel Heartland
Mar 10 - Libyan army fires on rebel positions between Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad, towns near important oil terminals. Maryam Ishani reports

Without Intervention, Gaddafi Will Triumph in Libya
THE SPECTATOR: The tragic truth is that in Libya Colonel Gaddafi appears to be on the way to regaining control. As the US director of national intelligence said today The tragic truth is that in Libya Colonel Gaddafi appears to be on the way to regaining control. As the US director of national intelligence said today, the regime’s superior military strength makes it likely that “over longer term, that the regime will prevail." Realistically, the only way to stop this from happening is through intervention of some sort—with the most plausible option still a no-fly zone which would deny the regime air superiority. Without this, the regime’s all out-war tactics—as declared by Saif Gaddafi today—will prevail. >>> James Forsyth | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Saif al-Islam Says Gaddafi 'Will Never Surrender' Libya – “Libya Is Not Mickey Mouse!”
BBC: Col Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, has said that he will "never ever surrender" to rebels he described as terrorists.

He also confirmed that three Dutch soldiers seized last month during a failed attempt to evacuate two civilians by navy helicopter would be freed.

Saif al-Islam also said that Libya is "united and so strong", and would reject any intervention by Nato.

Nato defence ministers met to discuss military options in the Libyan conflict, which has raged since mid-February when opponents to Col Gaddafi's 41-year rule seized many towns in eastern Libya. Watch BBC video >>> | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Rep. Ellison: Muslims ‘Are Us’

Hearing on ‘Radicalized’ Muslims

Aufstand in Libyen: EU beschließt neue Sanktionen gegen Gaddafi
FAZ.NET: Der Rat der EU hat neue Sanktionen gegen Gaddafi beschlossen, darunter das Einfrieren des Vermögens von fünf libyschen Finanzunternehmen. Die Zeitung „Le Monde“ berichtet, der französische Präsident Sarkozy wolle der EU am Freitag gezielte Luftangriffe auf Libyen vorschlagen.

Die EU hat am Donnerstag ihre Sanktionen gegen Libyen verschärft und nun auch das Vermögen des libyschen Staatsfonds und mehrerer Banken des Landes in Europa eingefroren. „Es soll kein frisches Geld mehr in die Hände der Diktatorenfamilie fließen“, sagte Außenminister Westerwelle in Brüssel. Das Bundeswirtschaftsministerium gab bekannt, dass in Deutschland schon am Mittwoch die Guthaben von vier der betroffenen Institutionen vorab eingefroren worden war, um zu verhindern, dass Geld vor Inkrafttreten der Sanktionen abgezogen wird. >>> FAZ.NET mit nbu./mic./rüb. | Jeudi 10. März 2011

Kadhafi menace de révéler un "grave secret" sur Sarkozy
LE MONDE: Le régime libyen a affirmé jeudi 10 mars, via son agence officielle, que la révélation d'un "grave secret" allait entraîner la chute du président français Nicolas Sarkozy, peu après la reconnaissance par Paris du Conseil national de transition comme représentant du peuple libyen. L'agence officielle libyenne Jana a annoncé avoir "appris qu'un grave secret va entraîner la chute de Sarkozy, voire son jugement en lien avec le financement de sa campagne électorale".

Cette annonce, reprise par la télévision officielle, est survenue peu après la reconnaissance par Paris du Conseil national de transition (CNT) libyen, qui réunit l'opposition au régime du colonel Mouammar Kadhafi, comme le seul "représentant légitime du peuple libyen" et sa décision d'envoyer prochainement un ambassadeur à Benghazi.

En outre, un responsable du ministère des affaires étrangères libyen a menacé de rompre tout lien diplomatique avec la France en raison de la reconnaissance par Paris du CNT. "La Libye va réfléchir à rompre ses relations avec la France en raison d'informations circulant sur l'intervention dommageable de la France dans les affaires intérieures libyennes", a dit ce diplomate à l'agence Jana. >>> LEMONDE.FR avec AFP | Jeudi 10 Mars 2011

Maroc : Mohammed VI annonce "une réforme constitutionnelle globale"
LE MONDE: Le roi du Maroc, Mohammed VI, a annoncé une "réforme constitutionnelle globale", qui sera suivie d'un référendum, dans un discours à la nation prononcé mercredi 9 mars, le premier après les manifestations du 20 février au Maroc.

"Nous avons décidé d'entreprendre une réforme constitutionnelle globale", a déclaré le souverain, soulignant son "engagement ferme à donner une forte impulsion à la dynamique réformatrice profonde (...) en cours". "Le projet de la nouvelle constitution" sera "soumis au référendum populaire" et entrera "en vigueur après son approbation", a précisé le souverain. Le roi a également annoncé la prochaine formation d'une commission ad hoc pour la "révision de la Constitution", réformée pour la dernière fois en 1996 et dont la présidence sera confiée au constitutionnaliste marocain Abdeltif Menouni. >>> LEMONDE.FR avec AFP | Mercredi 09 Mars 2011

Verbunden >>>

Al-Qaeda Behind Libyan Unrest – Libya’s Foreign Minister, Exclusive to RT

Riz Khan - Rising Anti-Muslim Rhetoric?
Sheikh Hamza Yusuf examines the congressional hearing on the so-called radicalisation of American Muslims

Islam 'Show Trial' Open[s] in US Congress
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Al Qaeda is targeting Muslim Americans for recruits to terrorism and the community must do more to combat Islamic radicalisation, a U.S. lawmaker said on Thursday as he opened hearings that have been criticised as a witch hunt.

Peter King, the chairman of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee who called the hearings, has accused the Muslim community of refusing to co-operate with law enforcement and charged that preaching in some U.S. mosques was leading to radicalisation.

"To combat this threat, moderate leadership must emerge from the Muslim community," Mr King said. "Today, we must be fully aware that home-grown radicalisation is part of al Qaeda's strategy to continue attacking the United States."

Mr King denied accusations that the hearings were "radical or un-American" and said there was no comparison between the threat by al Qaeda and neo-Nazis, environmental extremists and other "isolated madmen."

The New York congressman has been criticised by religious and civil rights leaders as going on a witch hunt for focusing on a single community, but he has defended the hearings, citing the open attempts by al Qaeda militants to recruit its members to launch attacks. >>> | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Mohamed ElBaradei to Run for Egyptian Presidency
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egypt's reformist Mohamed ElBaradei announced on Wednesday that he planned to run for president in an election expected to be held this year.

It was the first time that Mr ElBaradei, who won the Nobel peace prize in 2005, has explicitly announced he would run for president after President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown by an 18-day popular uprising last month.

"When the door of presidential nominations opens, I intend to nominate myself," Mr ElBaradei said on a live talk show on privately-owned ONTV channel.

Mr ElBaradei, 68, also said that he would vote against constitutional amendments in a referendum set for March 19, adding that a new constitution must be drawn instead.

"I will not vote for these constitutional amendments, I will vote against these amendments," he said.

"The current constitution fell. It would be an insult to the revolution if we decided to retrieve this constitution," Mr ElBaradei said, calling instead for "a new constitution, a presidential vote and then parliamentary vote". >>> | Thursday, March 10, 2011