Syria Experiences 'Good Friday Massacre'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Syria’s security forces stand accused of carrying out a “Good Friday massacre” of more than 50 protesters on one of the bloodiest days yet in the five-week uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.


Mr Assad responded to growing popular pressure by lifting Syria’s draconian 1962 emergency laws. But the president’s apparently conciliatory gesture failed to signal a softening of the regime’s determination to crush dissent.

Across the country, protesters spilling out of mosques were met with live ammunition, sometimes within minutes of Friday prayers ending.

In Damascus, the capital, and towns and cities to the east, west and south, every attempt to challenge the regime was met with the same remorseless vengeance.

By dusk, there were fatalities reported from nine separate demonstrations. Up to 54 people were killed, according to a Daily Telegraph tally of reports by Syrian activists, witnesses and doctors.

Even by the blood-soaked standards of the repression that has characterised the Syrian uprising - at least 220 people have died since protests first began on March 18th - this was killing on a different order of magnitude. » | Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent | Friday, April 22, 2011

Switzerland—More Than Just Mountains
Not only the mountains are beautiful in Switzerland. Swiss cities, too, offer all you could want for a relaxing and varied couple of days -- and nights. Historic sights, cutting-edge contemporary architecture, cosy cafes, buzzing nightlife, shopping in romantic alleyways, a rich and varied cultural life... And all so compact, that you can easily reach everything on foot.

Michael Jackson: You Are Not Alone

How Will Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress Measure Up to History?
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hilary Alexander * was given a preview of a lovingly restored and rarely seen collection of royal wedding dresses dating back to 1816.

In what was once the late Princess Margaret's apartments at Kensington Palace, the six wedding dresses, each one a fashion fairytale brimming with true stories of passion, power and politics, are bathed in the glow of concealed spotlights which capture the sheen of satin, and the twinkle of silver, still glistening after nearly 200 years.

Abiding love, love thwarted, love lost, and love ultimately denied; the deepest of all emotions are embedded in silken folds, painstaking stitches of Honiton lace, and tiny flowers of orange blossom and rose, fashioned from wax, embellishing the off-the-shoulder, 'Bertha' necklines. » | Hilary Alexander * | Friday, April 22, 2011

* We are NOT related.

TELEGRAPH PHOTO GALLERY: Royal wedding gowns in history »

Kate Middleton vor der Hochzeit: Das Prinzessinnen-Dorf
Bild: Stern.de
STERN.DE: Ein kleines Örtchen in England kann sich derzeit vor Touristen kaum retten: Bucklebury. Ein ganz normales Dorf? Aber nein! Hier reifte Kate Middleton zur Prinzessin heran. Von Cornelia Fuchs, London

Bucklebury in Berkshire wäre auch ohne das rote Ziegelhaus am Ende einer kleinen Privatstraße kein ganz normales Dorf. Vor dem Dorf-Pub steht zur Mittagszeit eine Armada aus Land Rovern, Jaguar und Porsche. Der einzige Laden im winzigen Zentrum des Dorfes verkauft teure Stoffe und patriotische Kissen und der kleine Metzger auf der gegenüberliegenden Straßen-Seite hat Strauß- und Krokodilfleisch im Angebot.

Doch im Land der Kiesauffahrten und Designer-Gummistiefel konnte von Normalität spätestens dann keine Rede mehr sein, seitdem hier die Verlobte von Prinz William wohnt. Tatsächlich verbringt Kate immer weniger Zeit im Haus ihrer Eltern, in das die 29-jährige nach Studienabschluss und von Paparazzi erschwerter kurzer Karriere in London wieder eingezogen war. Prinz William soll hier regelmäßig am Middletonschen Mittagstisch gesessen haben. Jetzt verbringt Kate sehr viel mehr Zeit in dem Bauernhaus auf der walisischen Insel Anglesey, wo Prinz William seine Zeit als Hubschrauber-Pilot des Rettungsdienstes verbringt. » | Von Cornelia Fuchs, London | Freitag, 22. April 2011

Die blutigen Osterrituale der Katholiken

Das grosse Gedränge der Gläubigen
TAGES ANZEIGER: Christen in aller Welt haben am Karfreitag der Kreuzigung und des Todes von Jesus gedacht. An die Altstadt von Jerusalem kamen in diesem Jahr besonders viele Gläubige – trotz des miserablen Wetters.

Erstmals seit Jahren regnete es in Jerusalem am Karfreitag heftig, und es war ungewöhnlich kalt für die Jahreszeit. Der traditionelle Kreuzweg in Jerusalem wurde von starken Gewittern mit Hagelschauern beeinträchtigt; trotzdem kamen nach Angaben von Kathpress rund 50'000 Gläubige in die Altstadt. Statt der üblichen grossen Holzkreuze trugen die Gläubigen Regenschirme und nur kleine Kreuze in der Hand. » | raa/sda | Freitag, 22 April 2011

Manifestation monstre au Yémen et violences dans l'est
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Au Yémen une manifestation monstre à Sanaa, nommée «vendredi de la dernière chance» demandait toujours le départ du président. Des heurts violents ont eu lieu dans l’est du pays.

Vingt soldats yéménites ont été tués ces dernières 24 heures dans des attaques attribuées à une tribu ainsi qu’à Al-Qaïda, selon des militaires. Sanaa, la capitale, a connu vendredi le plus gros rassemblement de manifestants depuis le début de la contestation.

La foule s’étendait sur environ quatre kilomètres au centre de Sanaa. La manifestation a pour nom «vendredi de la dernière chance». Les manifestants réclament toujours le départ immédiat du président Saleh. Des responsables du mouvement ont appelé à une grève générale samedi.

Des forces de l’armée et la police étaient déployées en nombre vendredi à Sanaa pour empêcher des heurts entre les partisans du président Saleh et les manifestants qui exigent sa démission.
M. Saleh s’est adressé à ses partisans. Il a répété qu’il ne lâcherait pas le pouvoir avant l’expiration de son mandat en 2013. » | ATS / REUTERS / AFP | Vendredi 22 Avril 2011

Vers une procédure pénale internationale contre Kadhafi ?
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L’ONG Avocats sans frontières (ASF) a enquêté auprès de victimes des forces du colonel Moummar Kadhafi. Elle évoque des "crimes contre l’humanité et crimes de guerre à grande échelle" dont elle va informer la Cour pénale internationale. [E]

Torture, exécutions sommaires, massacres, boucliers humains, utilisation de bombes à sous-munitions: les témoignages des violences infligées ces dernières semaines par le pouvoir libyen à la population sont multiples, estime l’avocat français Philippe Moriceau, vice-président d’ASF France.

A Benghazi et sa région, dans l’est de la Libye, les forces de Kadhafi avaient rapidement progressé mi-mars, jusqu’à entrer dans la ville de 700.000 habitants le 19 mars. Des dizaines de chars et des centaines de soldats loyalistes avaient tenu la cité 24 heures, avant d’être chassés par les bombardements aériens occidentaux et la contre-offensive rebelle. » | AFP | Vendredi 22 Avril 2011

Un Klimt volé par les nazis restitué
LE FIGARO: Le musée d'Art moderne de Salzbourg en Autriche doit rendre à un héritier canadien un tableau de l'artiste, spolié par les nazis.

Il aura fallu attendre 70 ans avant que Georges Jorisch récupère son dû. Petit-fils et unique héritier d' Amalie Redlich, une Autrichienne juive déportée en 1941 et décédée en camp de concentration, il a été reconnu comme étant l'unique propriétaire d'une oeuvre de Klimt, appartenant actuellement au musée d'Art moderne de Salzbourg. » | Par lefigaro.fr | Vendredi 22 Avril 2011

La détention de Moubarak prolongée de 15 jours
LE POINT: L'ancien raïs, soigné depuis le 12 avril à l'hôpital de Charm el-Cheikh, est visé par une enquête sur la répression des manifestations de janvier et février en Égypte.

Le procureur général d'Égypte a décidé de prolonger de 15 jours la détention de l'ancien président Hosni Moubarak, dans le cadre de l'enquête sur la répression des manifestations anti-régime en Égypte, a annoncé vendredi l'agence officielle Mena. » | Source AFP | Vendredi 22 Avril 2011

Roman Catholic Convert to Islam - The Deen Show

In Mönchengladbach haben Nazis Muslime angegriffen (März 6. 2011)

Verbunden »

Al Jazeera Correspondent Reports from Damascus
Rula Amin reports from Damascus, as anti-government protests rock the country

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Syria: 15 protesters killed in fresh clashes – At least 15 Syrian protesters have been killed during clashes with security forces, according to witnesses. » | Friday, April 22, 2011

"Islam ist kein Teil deutscher Kultur"
Rückendeckung für Innenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich: "Nur weil es Muslime in Deutschland gibt, ist der Islam kein Teil der deutschen Leitkultur", so Alexander Dobrindt, CSU-Generalsekretär

Pope Benedict Admits There Isn't a Full Answer to Suffering in Rare TV Interview
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Pope has spoken about the tsunami in Japan, conflict in Iraq, the civil war in Ivory Coast and victims of multiple sclerosis in an unprecedented television appearance due to be broadcast in Italy on Good Friday.

For the first time in the history of the papacy, Benedict XVI agreed to take part in a programme in which he took questions from ordinary Catholics.

More than 3,000 questions were submitted after the initiative was announced a month ago, of which seven were chosen and put to the 84-year-old pontiff.

One of the most moving was put by the parents of a 40 year old man who has suffered from multiple sclerosis since 1993 and has been in a vegetative state for the last two years. » | Nick Squires, in Rome | Friday, April 22, 2011

Related »

Hope and Change? A National Gloom Descends over Obama’s America
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – NILE GARDINER: You know things are really going badly for the White House when even The New York Times, the most powerful bastion of liberalism in America, is warning the president he is in serious trouble. Today’s New York Times/CBS News poll makes devastating reading for Barack Obama’s advisers, showing the nation’s mood at its lowest level for two years:

Americans are more pessimistic about the nation’s economic outlook and overall direction than they have been at any time since President Obama’s first two months in office, when the country was still officially ensnared in the Great Recession, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Amid rising gas prices, stubborn unemployment and a cacophonous debate in Washington over the federal government’s ability to meet its future obligations, the poll presents stark evidence that the slow, if unsteady, gains in public confidence earlier this year that a recovery was under way are now all but gone… Disapproval of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy has never been broader — at 57 percent of Americans — a warning sign as he begins to set his sights on re-election in 2012.

According to the poll, a staggering 70 percent of Americans believe the country is moving down the “wrong track”, nearly three times more than the number who believe it is heading in the “right direction” (26 percent). 39 percent believe the economy is getting worse, 16 points higher than the number who think it is getting better, and 59 percent disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the federal budget deficit. Read on and comment » | Nile Gardiner | Friday, April 22, 2011

Man hofft, daß aus der Vergangeheit gelernt wird

Verbunden »

Die Wahrheit über den Mordvesuch an Abu Adam und seine Familie

Verbunden »

Sven Lau - Stellungnahme zum Mordversuch auf ihn und seine Familie (6. März 2011)

Pope Benedict TV Show Makes History
THE GUARDIAN: Good Friday broadcast will make him the first pontiff to take part in a televised question-and-answer session

The Pope will take a small but significant step into the modern media age this afternoon when he becomes the first pontiff to take part in a televised question-and-answer session.

It will not, however, be a Today programme-style grilling on controversial issues for the Catholic church such as child abuse. The pre-recorded Good Friday broadcast will show Benedict XVI answering a small number of pre-selected questions about Jesus and the Christian thinking behind world events.

The 80-minute programme, In His Image – A Good Friday Special, on Italy's publicly owned RAI channel, will begin at 2.10pm local time (1.10pm BST) so it can be on TV at 3pm, the moment that Jesus is traditionally thought to have died on the cross, the Catholic news agency CNA said. » | Peter Walker | Friday, April 22, 2011

Barack Obama Racially Abused as Boy, Says Book on 'Beaten’ Mother
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama was subjected to racial abuse as a child in Indonesia and may have witnessed his mother being beaten by his stepfather, according to a new book about her troubled life.

Ann Dunham died at the age of 52 in 1995 before her son embarked on the career in politics that would lead him to the White House.

At the age of 18, the anthropologist married Barack Hussein Obama Snr, an African. She was already pregnant with a baby who would become the first black president of the US.

She later divorced and married Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian.

The forthcoming book, A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother, details her unconventional approach to the world, which led to turbulence in the lives of Mr Obama and his half-sister Maya but also extraordinary achievement on his part. Mr Obama has joked that his mother raised him to become a combination of Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Harry Belafonte.

In an interview with Janny Scott, the author, Mr Obama said that his mother was "resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks, persistent" and had made sure that her children knew they were loved.

"But despite all those strengths, she was not a well-organised person. And that disorganisation, you know, spilled over. Had it not been for my grandparents, I think, providing some sort of safety net financially, being able to take me and my sister on at certain spots, I think my mother would have had to make some different decisions. » | Toby Harnden, Washington | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Europe's Populists Build on Hostility to Brussels, Immigration and Islam
DEUTSCHE WELLE: Right-wing populist parties are on the rise across large swathes of Europe, as demonstrated in Finland this week. Bolstered by resentments over the EU, immigration and Islam, their leaders have seized the moment.

The success of the anti-immigration, euroskeptic True Finns in Sunday's elections may have proved a shock to Finland's political elite, but the signs were already there.

Populist right-wing parties across Europe have benefited from a growing resentment towards the European Union, Islam and immigration, meaning Timo Soini's True Finns are far from being alone.

Soini, whose party gained 39 seats in the 200-seat Finnish legislature, wants to reduce immigration and to oppose Finnish backing for EU bailout funds.

Across the Baltic, the like-minded Swedish Democrats garnered 5.7 percent of the vote in last September's vote, surpassing the 4 percent barrier and gaining parliamentary representation for the first time.

The party's success under young leader Jimmie Akesson meant the country's center-right and liberal coalition was forced to preside as a minority government. Despite having far-right roots, the Swedish Democrats have managed to adopt a more accessible, moderate image and have capitalized on growing resentment of immigration.

Over the border in Norway, the anti-immigrant Progress Party enjoyed its best-ever results in 2009, winning 23 percent of the vote. The party is seeking to widen its appeal by distancing itself from the more extremist views on immigration and focusing on more traditional left-right politics such as criticism of the welfare state.

Rounding out the Scandinavian countries, the Danish People's Party is building on what is now an established position within the country's parliament. It has been the third biggest party since 2001 and has garnered much support with its appeals against a perceived, creeping "Islamification" of Denmark. » | Author: Richard Connor (AFP, Reuters) | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Sharia Trumps Constitution in Michigan: Terry Jones Denied Permit to Rally, Could Face Arrest
FAVSTOCKS: Dearborn, Michigan has become a sharia enclave much like those populating many European countries. The city of Dearborn, Michigan denied a permit yesterday for Pastor Terry Jones' planned protest outside the Islamic Center of America on Good Friday. Islamic supremacists were handed a victory for their violent intimidation and threats.

What happened to freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of expression? Terry Jones is prohibited from rallying in Michigan for fear of Islamic violence. Is that how far down the sharia rabbit hole we have gone. Why is it anytime American law comes into conflict with Islamic law, it is American law that has to give way?

How dare they prohibit this march? Nazis marched in Skokie. Americans better stand up to this enforced sharia. The idea that Muslims in America would get violent because of Jones speaks volumes about Muslims in America, does it not? Why don't we don't see Muslims taking to the streets every time there is an honor killing, or church bombing, or act of jihad, jihad piracy, forced marriage, child slavery, — where are they? » | Atlas Shrugs | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Drones Can Be Used by Nato Forces in Libya, Says Obama
THE GUARDIAN: Senior Nato military commanders have been pressing for the unmanned US planes to strike Gaddafi forces in besieged Misrata

The White House has approved the use of missile-armed Predator drones to help Nato target Colonel Gaddafi's forces in Libya.

Coalition commanders have been privately urging the Americans to provide the specialist unmanned aircraft, which have become a favoured – if controversial – weapon in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Their ability to hone in on targets using powerful night-vision cameras is considered to be one way of helping rebels in the besieged city of Misrata, where a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in the last week.

The US defence secretary, Robert Gates, said Barack Obama had approved the use of the Predators which are armed with Hellfire missiles, signalling a marked growth in the US contribution to the Nato effort.

Gates told a Pentagon news conference that the Predator was an example of the unique US military capabilities that the president is willing to contribute while other countries enforce a no-fly zone. » | Nick Hopkins | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Christian Electrician Wins Cross Battle
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Christian electrician facing the sack over a religious symbol in his van has won his battle to keep the cross on display after his employer backed down, his union claimed last night.

Colin Atkinson, 64, was called to a disciplinary hearing after refusing demands to remove the small palm cross from the dashboard of his company van.

But Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) is understood to have told Mr Atkinson at a confidential meeting that he can continue to display his cross, after he received backing from senior members of the Church and leaders of other faiths.

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury had described the situation as "scandalous" and Mr Atkinson was also supported by Muslim, Sikh and Hindu leaders as well as Housing and Planning Minister Grant Shapps. Read on and comment » | Nick Collins | Friday, April 22, 2011

Easter Cancelled in Syria
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Good Friday and other Easter processions and festivals have been cancelled across Syria as street unrest boils over into violence.

The country's Christian population has been forced to abandon its usually colourful and exuberant commemorations because of the number of "martyrs" who have died and the "bad situation", a senior church official told The Daily Telegraph.

The whole country is braced for a wave of protests on Friday, despite an announcement that President Bashir al-Assad had signed a decree lifting the 48-year state of emergency, a key demand.

Government promises of reform combined with violence by armed plain-clothes security forces have only served to bolster the opposition, who are planning more demonstrations after regular Muslim Friday prayers.

But today these will clash with Good Friday services, which would normally see processions and public gatherings by Syria's Christian minority, estimated at between 1-2 million, or around five per cent of the population.

"We are not receiving official congratulations," Bishop Philoxenos Mattias, Assistant to the Syriac Orthodox Church Patriarchate in Damascus, the country's biggest Christian denomination, said.

"All of the Syrian churches have decided this together because of the bad situation and because of the martyrs who have died in recent days, out of respect for them." » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Thursday, April 21, 2011

A Subdued Easter in Syria
TERRASANTA: (Milan) – This year there will be no processions or public events of Christian festivities and identity. The very tense situation in Syria has compelled the Christian (Orthodox and Catholic) Patriarchs to forgo the exuberance and joy that have always accompanied Easter celebrations in Damascus, Aleppo and the other cities where the Christian minorities live. The decision has been taken due to “the present circumstances in the country” and to “honour the souls of the martyrs and innocent victims of the recent sad events.”. » | Lucia Balestrieri | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Koran-Burning Pastor Plans Michigan Mosque Protest
Apr 21, 2011 – Controversial pastor vows to hold Good Friday demonstration outside Dearborn Islamic Center even after city denied his permit

Bishop John Davies Shines Shoes at Swansea Market
BBC: The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon has run a shoe-shine service at Swansea market for Maundy Thursday.

The Thursday before Easter is acknowledged by Christians as the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

The Right Reverend John Davies said he hoped to symbolically show shoppers the church was there to serve the needs of others.

He was also collecting donations for his Lent appeal.

His good causes are three charities nominated by clerics as they have connections with the diocese.

Bishop Davies said: "It's been pretty busy. Lots of people about. I thoroughly enjoy something like this.

"Maundy Thursday is the day when the Christian church remembers the Last Supper and Jesus sharing that final meal with his disciples.

"Then, after the meal was over, washing their feet as a sign that he was there to serve the needs of others and not sit back and have others serve him. » | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Australia – Bilal Assad: ‘The Mercy of Prophet Muhammad’

The Mercy of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – Bilal Assad
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Radical Cleric Plans Royal Wedding Protest
SKY NEWS: The radical cleric Anjem Choudary has told Sky News his group is still planning a protest on the day of the Royal Wedding, despite being banned from demonstrating near Westminster Abbey.

It was revealed on Tuesday that the Metropolitan Police turned down a formal request by the group Muslims Against Crusades, saying they would not allow extremists to turn the occasion into a "nightmare".

But now the cleric has confirmed two of his group's supporters plan to meet police on Thursday to renew efforts to conduct a protest as close to the Royal procession route as possible.

Although senior officers denied permission for a demonstration near the Abbey, they have little in the way of powers to stop protests elsewhere in the capital. » | Mark White, home affairs correspondent | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Monarchie-kritische Briten
Rund ein Drittel der Briten ist Monarchie-kritisch eingestellt. Doch dies offen zu sagen, ist ein Tabu. Besonders jetzt vor der königlichen Hochzeit. «10vor10» hat Monarchie-Gegner getroffen

Ahmadinejad Grooms Chief-of-Staff to Take Over as Iran's President
THE GUARDIAN: Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei is controversial figure at odds with religious leaders, according to leaked embassy cable

A close ally of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who favours cultural openness and opposes greater clerical involvement in politics, is being groomed as a possible successor to the Iranian president when he steps down in two years time.

Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief-of-staff, is positioning himself as a candidate who will champion a nationalist rather than a theological narrative of Iran. Mashaei, whose daughter married Ahmadinejad's son, has become the most controversial political figure in Iran, provoking harsh criticism from the conservative establishment, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Hardliners close to Khamenei have accused Mashaei of compromising the Islamic Revolution and the principles of Islam by focusing on Persian history.

Mashaei infuriated conservatives in 2008 when he said that Iranians are "friends of all people in the world – even Israelis". He was also criticised for applauding at a ceremony in Turkey in which women performed a traditional dance. Women are not allowed to dance in Iran. » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Thursday, April 21, 2011

BBC: Islamic Finance 'In Double Digit Growth'

Problems Linger in Sidi Bouzid
It was the self-immolation of a young Tunisian man that sparked the uprising that has spread across the Arab world.



However, months after the revolution that brought down 23 years of authoritarian rule, the struggle there in Tunisia is far from over, as Al Jazeera's Nazanine Moshiri reports from Sidi Bouzid.



Mohamed Bouazizi's desperate gesture might have ignited the uprising. But it was years of state oppression - poverty and unemployment that really inspired people to protest -- President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is gone - but this remains one of the poorest parts of Tunisia.

Marine Le Pen 'Would Knock Nicolas Sarkozy Out of French Presidential Elections'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The leader of France's far-right National Front party would qualify for the second round of France's presidential elections at the expense of President Nicolas Sarkozy, a poll showed on Wednesday.

The poll results suggest the opposition Socialists would be well-placed to win the May 2012 run-off as the presence of Nation Front leader Marine Le Pen in a second round would likely trigger a massive vote for her opponent.

The survey by pollsters Harris Interactive found that IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a former Socialist finance minister, would comfortably win the first round if he decides to contest the elections.

Mr Strauss-Kahn scored 30 per cent approval, versus 21 per cent for National Front leader Ms Le Pen, while Mr Sarkozy came in third with 19 per cent, the poll showed. » | Thursday, April 21, 2011

6.3-Magnitude Quake Hits Japan as Evacuation Zone Sealed Off
TORONTO STAR: TOKYO — Japan said on Thursday it would ban anyone entering a 20-kilometre evacuation zone around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant north of Tokyo, weeks after the tsunami-wrecked facility began leaking radiation.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 hit eastern Japan on Thursday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

Tens of thousands of people left the zone after the March 11 quake smashed the Fukushima Dai-ichi power station, operated by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), but some have gone back to collect belongings as the utility struggles to contain the world’s most serious nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan, already facing criticism for his handling of the crisis, was publicly berated over his government’s slow response when he visited one evacuation centre in the devastated region. » | Reuters | Thursday, April 21, 2011

French Riot Police Threaten to Strike over Alcohol Ban
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: France's riot police have complained about being "treated like children" following a new ban on drinking alcohol while on duty.

The CRS (Republican Security Companies), which made its name quelling student demonstrators during nationwide disturbances in 1968, has always enjoyed a glass of beer or wine with its meals.

However, following photos of riot police drinking bottles of beer during Paris street protest, police chiefs have decided to put an end to the tradition.

They were wearing body armour and carrying weapons as they sipped from beer and wine bottles. Some were also smoking.

Didier Mangione, national secretary of the police union, said bosses were "trying to turn us into priests, but without the altar wine".

"Nobody should object to a small drink on jobs," he said. "CRS officers do not have any more or less alcohol problems than anybody else in society. They should be allowed to drink in moderation." » | Peter Allen in Paris | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Spotlight: Islamic Banking System
In times of financial crisis there is an alternative banking system, which has proved to be more stable, than the traditional, Western banking system. I mean - the Islamic banking. The financial systems in the Islamic countries, even in those, who were formerly Soviet republics - like Kazakhstan - are a real alternative, while the Russian business and science lacks necessary knowledge to adapt its finance to the severe conditions of the crisis.
We will be discussing this issue with our guests the Head of the Russian Islamic Committee Geidar Jemal and Financial analyst Sergey Aleksashenko

Finnish Pastor Defrocked for Speaking Out against Terrorists (April 14, 2011)

Finnish Priest Persecuted for Speaking Out against Terrorists

Gold Surges

How Sharia Compliant Financial Products Work

Riz Khan: A Cuban Evolution
Cuba's legendary leader Fidel Castro has taken his last bow as leader of the party he founded more than 50 years ago. Joining us on the Riz Khan Show to discuss Cuba's future are Richard Gott, British journalist and historian and Eric Hershberg, Director at the Centre for Latin American and Latino Studies at the American University in Washington DC.

Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Libya

Franco Frattini Talks to Al Jazeera
Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister, speaks to Al Jazeera's Barbara Serra about Italy's role in Libya and its support for the opposition rebels

Poverty Hits British Families
The British government hopes its tough spending cuts will save the country from the economic strife afflicting other European nations. But as Laurence Lee reports, the cuts are pushing more and more people into poverty

Archbishop of Canterbury Says Rich Should Help Poor
THE GUARDIAN: Rowan Williams sends Maundy Thursday plea to bankers, politicians and editors to assist communities in need

Bankers, politicians and newspaper editors should be legally required to spend a couple of hours every year working with the poor and needy to remind them of the purpose of their power and wealth, the archbishop of Canterbury has suggested.

He made the comments on Maundy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and when the British monarch honours deserving subjects.

In his contribution to BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot, Dr Rowan Williams asked: "What about having a new law that made all cabinet members and leaders of political parties, editors of national papers and the hundred most successful financiers in the UK spend a couple of hours every year serving dinners in a primary school on a council estate? » | Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Royal Wedding: Archbishop of Canterbury Asks Nation to Pray for William and Kate
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has asked the nation to pray for the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton as he said the pair would need support in coping with the 'full glare' of the public eye.


He said the couple ''knew what the cost of that might be'' and wished them ''courage and the clarity'' to live out their marriage.

With eight days to go until the royal wedding, the Archbishop, who is to marry the couple at Westminster Abbey, described them as ''deeply unpretentious people'' who were clear about what mattered about their wedding day.

In a video message filmed by Lambeth Palace, Rowan Williams said: ''William and Catherine are making this commitment very much in the public eye and they're sensible, realistic young people.

''They know what the cost of that might be. They've thought that through. And because of that they will need the support, the solidarity and the prayers of all those who are watching.''

He added: ''I want to wish William and Catherine every richest blessing in their life together. » | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Bahrain Escapes Censure by West as Crackdown on Protesters Intensifies
THE INDEPENDENT: Saudi troops' demolition of mosques stokes religious tensions

Bahraini government forces backed by Saudi Arabian troops are destroying mosques and places of worship of the Shia majority in the island kingdom in a move likely to exacerbate religious hatred across the Muslim world.

"So far they have destroyed seven Shia mosques and about 50 religious meeting houses," said Ali al-Aswad, an MP in the Bahraini parliament.

He said Saudi soldiers, part of the 1,000-strong contingent that entered Bahrain last month, had been seen by witnesses helping demolish Shia mosques and shrines in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Mohammed Sadiq, of the Justice for Bahrain organisation, said the most famous of the Shia shrines destroyed was that of a revered Bahraini Shia spiritual leader, Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri, who died in 2006. A photograph taken by activists and seen by The Independent shows the golden dome of the shrine lying on the ground and later being taken away on the back of a lorry. On the walls of Shia mosques that have been desecrated, graffiti has been scrawled praising the Sunni King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and insulting the Shia.

The attack on Shia places of worship has provoked a furious reaction among the 250 million Shia community, particularly in Iran and Iraq, where Shia are in a majority, and in Lebanon where they are the largest single community.

The Shia were already angry at the ferocious repression by Bahraini security forces of the pro-democracy movement, which had sought to be non-sectarian. After the monarchy had rejected meaningful reform, the wholly Sunni army and security forces started to crush the largely Shia protests on 15 and 16 March.

The harshness of the government repression is provoking allegations of hypocrisy against Washington, London and Paris. Their mild response to human rights abuses and the Saudi Arabian armed intervention in Bahrain is in stark contrast to their vocal concern for civilians in Libya. » | Patrick Cockburn in Cairo | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Europe Shuts Its Eyes to the Migrant Challenge
THE INDEPENDENT – LEADING ARTICLE: Europe is engaged in a repellent exercise in hand-washing over the fate of migrants fleeing North Africa. For six hours on Sunday, the French authorities blocked trains containing Tunisian refugees from crossing the Italian border. This was disgraceful behaviour from France and a blatant breach of the Schengen agreement, which guarantees free movement across continental Europe.

But Italy's conduct has been just as bad. The Italian government, desperate to see the 25,000 or so migrants who have arrived in the country from North Africa in recent months move on, has issued thousands of temporary residency permits, which allow the recipients to travel freely across Europe. They know that many of the refugees from Tunisia have relatives in the former colonial power, France, and will head in that direction given an opportunity. Both nations want to make these migrants someone else's problem.

What makes all this especially reprehensible is that France and Italy each bear a large measure of responsibility for the chaos in North Africa. The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, got very close to the Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, who has since turned viciously on his own people.

France was similarly friendly with the Tunisian regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali before it imploded, setting off a succession of Arab uprisings. If France and Italy had not supported repressive regimes in North Africa for so long, it is possible this crisis would never have reached such proportions. » | Leading article | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Verbunden »

Bahrain's Secret Terror
THE INDEPENDENT: Desperate emails speak of 'genocide' as doctors who have treated injured protesters are rounded up

The intimidation and detention of doctors treating dying and injured pro-democracy protesters in Bahrain is revealed today in a series of chilling emails obtained by The Independent.

At least 32 doctors, including surgeons, physicians, paediatricians and obstetricians, have been arrested and detained by Bahrain's police in the last month in a campaign of intimidation that runs directly counter to the Geneva Convention guaranteeing medical care to people wounded in conflict. Doctors around the world have expressed their shock and outrage.
One doctor, an intensive care specialist, was held after she was photographed weeping over a dead protester. Another was arrested in the theatre room while operating on a patient.

Many of the doctors, aged from 33 to 65, have been "disappeared" – held incommunicado or at undisclosed locations. Their families do not know where they are. Nurses, paramedics and ambulance staff have also been detained.
Emails between a Bahraini surgeon and a British colleague, seen by The Independent, describe in vivid detail the threat facing medical staff as they struggle to treat victims of the violence. They provide a glimpse of the terror and exhaustion suffered by the doctors and medical staff.

Bahraini government forces backed by Saudi Arabian troops have cracked down hard on demonstrators since the unrest began on 15 February – and the harshness of their response has now been extended to those treating the injured. » | Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Asylum Seekers Torch Australian Detention Centre in Night of Riots
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Angry and desperate asylum-seekers have torched an immigration detention centre in Sydney, burning nine buildings to the ground after Australian authorities denied some of their requests for refugee status.

During a night of rioting, security guards were attacked with fire extinguishers and pelted with roof tiles and timber in one of the most serious eruptions of violence among asylum-seekers in Australia, where the government's policy of indefinite detention is a sensitive political issue.

Riot police had to be called in to quell the protest after the centre's unarmed guards were forced to retreat in the face of the attacks.

About 100 asylum-seekers at the Villawood immigration detention centre, which houses many people whose requests for refuge have been rejected and are pending deportation, climbed onto roofs late at night and began setting fire to buildings.

By daybreak, the fires had been extinguished and the smouldering remains of buildings housing a laundry, kitchen and medical centre could be seen, but the authorities were still struggling to contain the situation within the centre. Police were trying to coax seven asylum seekers from the roof of one building. The group had erected a sign reading "we need help".

The protestors want a meeting with immigration officials, but a spokesman for the department said that would not happen.

Police have warned that the men who took part in the riot could face charges of criminal damage that could further dent their chances of being granted asylum.

But refugee rights groups have said the violence was an act of desperation by people who had been detained for almost two years. » | Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Paris offre une aide de 350 millions d'euros à la Tunisie
LE POINT: Le ministre des Affaires étrangères Alain Juppé est arrivé mercredi à Tunis pour relancer les relations franco-tunisiennes.

Le chef de la diplomatie française Alain Juppé est arrivé mercredi en Tunisie, avec en poche une aide de 350 millions d'euros, pour raccommoder une relation bilatérale mise à mal par plusieurs couacs français avant et depuis la chute du régime Ben Ali. "Le voyage que je fais aujourd'hui est très important pour moi. Je sais très bien qu'il a pu y avoir quelques retards ou quelques incompréhensions entre la France et la Tunisie. Je crois que tout cela est derrière nous", a déclaré Alain Juppé, au sortir d'un entretien avec le Premier ministre par intérim Béji Caïd Essebsi. » | Source AFP | Mercredi 20 Avril 2011

Libya: British Photographer Killed in Misurata
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tim Hetherington, a leading British photojournalist, has been killed while covering the fighting in the Libyan city of Misurata, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

Mr Hetherington, who had won a World Press Photo of the Year award for his coverage of Afghanistan and had also made prize-winning film documentaries, was said by friends and colleagues to have died from a mortar round while on the front line.

He was on assignment for the news agency Panos. » | Nick Collins | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Viewpoints – Converts to Islam: “Islam for the World”
Watch video here

Hosni Mubarak 'Complicit' in Demo Killings Says Judge
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egypt's ousted leader Hosni Mubarak was complicit in shootings of anti-regime protesters as he tried to face down a popular revolt, a member of an official commission said on Tuesday.

Judge Omar Marwan, the commission's secretary general, was speaking at a news conference after the release of its report's summary, which said 846 civilians died in the protests that led to Mr Mubarak's ouster in February.

Twenty-six policemen were also killed in the 18 days of unrest, the report said, adding that police used excessive force against demonstrators and shot at people trying to film the events from balconies and windows.

"What is confirmed is that Mubarak's permission (to use live fire on protesters) must be obtained. The shooting lasted for several days, and he did not hold accountable those who fired live rounds," Judge Marwan said.

"That confirms his involvement in responsibility," he said. » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Italy Risks Brain Drain Amid Tough Job Market

Dmitry Medvedev Dancing to American Boy

RUSSIA TODAY: Dancing Medvedev grooves internet »

Inside Story: US Funding Syrian Opposition?
Cables released by Wikileaks have revealed that the US has been financing the Syrian oppsition.

The reports claim the US State Department has given at least $6 million for anti-government programmes in Syria. The money was allegedly given to the Movement for Justice and Development, which is a Syrian opposition group based in London. Reformist satellite channel Barada TV is also said to have also received funding.



This all comes as 20,000 demonstrators gathered in Homs demanding Bashar al-Assad step down - a move his government claimed amounted to "armed insurrection".



Demonstrators claim troops loyal to al-Assad opened fire in an attempt to disperse the crowd forcibly. 



Inside Story, with presenter Dareen Abughaida, discusses with guests: Nadim Shehade, from the Middle East Programme at Chatham House; and Malik al-Abdeh, a memeber of the Syrian Movement for Justice and Development, also editor-in-chief of Barada TV.



This episode of Inside Story aired on Tuesday, April 19, 2011.

Prince Charles Becomes Longest-serving Heir Apparent
BBC: Prince Charles has become the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.

The previous record, of 59 years, two months and 13 days, was set by his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII, Clarence House said.

The Prince of Wales became heir apparent at the age of three when his mother, Princess Elizabeth, acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952.

Charles, now 62, was nine when he was given the title the Prince of Wales.

Edward VII was born the heir apparent on 9 November 1841 as his mother, Queen Victoria, was already on the throne.

He took over as King when she died on 22 January 1901.

The heir apparent, currently the eldest son of a sovereign (unless the monarch's children are all female), is the next in line to the throne and their right to succeed cannot be altered by the birth of another. » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Royal Wedding Is a Sitting Target for Terrorists
TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – CON COUGHLIN: I hate to sound a sour note on what otherwise promises to be a truly joyful occasion, but for those responsible for ensuring the Royal Wedding goes off without incident the event is proving to be something of a security nightmare.

The Government’s decision to ban a protest planned by Muslims Against Crusades has highlighted the fact that not everyone in this fair isle wishes the happy couple well.

But what about those of a more violent disposition, such as al-Qaeda and the IRA, that might seek to use the event to launch a “spectacular” terror attack? » | Con Coughlin | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ahmed Yasin - sufistischer Imam in Mönchengladbach spricht über Einladung Zum Paradies – EZP

EU Wants to Label Ritually Slaughtered Meat 'Slaughter without Stunning'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: New EU proposals have steered away from labelling meat from ritually slaughtered animals as Halal or Shechita to avoid causing religious offence, instead opting for the label of "meat from slaughter without stunning".

MEPs on the European Parliament's food safety committee have voted for the clear labels so consumers can see whether meat has been stunned or not before it has been slaughtered.

David Bowles, a spokesman for the RSPCA, welcomed the vote.

"We hope that all the countries in Europe will accept it," he said. "At the moment you can chose whether you want your eggs to be free range or cage-reared, but you don't know how the chickens were killed. We should be told whether our meat has been stunned or not before it has been killed because at the moment we could be eating it without knowing it."

The proposals are expected to be opposed by national governments who are concerned that the issue is too controversial to be included in EU food labelling regulations.

"This is too sensitive a social issue to be dealt with as an add on to food labelling rules," said a European diplomat.

Slaughter without stunning is legal under religious freedom laws in most EU countries despite animal welfare rules that generally ban it as leading to "unacceptable levels of suffering and pain".

It has become an issue because a small, but increasing, proportion of Muslim Halal and Jewish Shechita butchers cut the animals' throats while they are still conscious.

Jim Paice, the food and farming minister, has previously signalled that the Government could consider labelling on un-stunned meat as long it is treated as "a welfare issue not a religious one".

However, British officials have indicated that the government will not support the latest call from MEPs. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels and Harry Wallop Consumer Affairs Editor | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The EU vote on 'no-stun slaughter' meat: Should consumers know whether or not the animals that they’re eating were stunned before slaughter? I’m in no doubt about this: of course they should. Animal welfare is important, and consumers should have access to this fundamental information about the animal on their plates. » | Pete Wedderburn | Friday, April 15, 2011

Royal Wedding: Anti-monarchists Flock to London to Hold Rival Street Parties
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anti-monarchists from across Europe will descend on Britain on the day of the Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton and hold anti-Royal street parties.

Led by the British group Republic, campaigners from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain are due to come to London on April 29.

The group is planning to protst [sic] against the cost of raxpayers [sic] bankrolling European royal families.

Despite largely positive public reaction for the wedding, Republic campaign manager Graham Smith believes Britons are less excited about the day than the press coverage suggests.

"Most people in this country aren't that bothered about the royal family or the monarchy, they don't really care that much one way or the other," he said.

"When these big stories come up it then makes people think about it. It gives us opportunities to gain publicity and raise our profile." » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011