Un ex-évêque canadien plaide coupable de pornographie infantile
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: ÉGLISE | Un ex-évêque catholique canadien de 70 ans poursuivi pour importation et possession de pornographie infantile a plaidé coupable mercredi à Ottawa, a rapporté la chaîne de télévision publique Radio-Canada.

Raymond Lahey, à l’époque évêque du diocèse d’Antigonish en Nouvelle-Ecosse, avait été trahi en septembre 2009, lors d’un contrôle à l’aéroport d’Ottawa, par ses voyages à l’étranger, dans des pays où l’on trouve de la pornographie infantile, et une hésitation concernant son ordinateur.

Un contrôle détaillé a permis de découvrir dans la mémoire de l’ordinateur et sur d’autres unités de stockage de nombreuses images de garçons, dont certains âgés entre huit et dix ans, selon les estimations de la police. » | AFP | Mercredi 04 Mai 2011

Empire - The Long Search for Osama bin Laden

Libyan Leaders Face Arrest On War Crimes Charges
THE GUARDIAN: Gaddafi regime systematically opened fire on peaceful protests, says International Criminal Court prosecutor

The Gaddafi regime committed war crimes against Libyan pro-democracy demonstrations, opening fire "systematically" on peaceful protesters, according to a report issued by the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), who will seek arrest warrants against Muammar Gaddafi and two other senior members of his regime later this month.

Addressing the UN security council in New York, the prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said he will ask judges at the court in The Hague for three warrants. He has not named his suspects but in his report to the UN security council on Wednesdayhe said they were the people who gave the orders for the alleged atrocities. The Guardian has learned from well-informed sources that Gaddafi will top the list, and that his brother-in-law and intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi, is also likely to be included.

Other names in the frame include the leader's second oldest son Saif al-Islam and Mahmoud Al-Baghdadi, in effect, the nation's prime minister.

"It is indeed a characteristic of the situation in Libya that massive crimes are reportedly committed upon instruction of a few persons who control the organisations that execute the orders," Moreno-Ocampo said. He added that the arrests were a manner of urgency. » | Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Inside Story: US-Pak Relations After Bin Laden's Death
The killing of Osama bin Laden by US forces on Pakistani soil, has further inflamed tensions between the two nations. Just what impact will this have on the two countries? And will the US ever trust Pakistan in its war against al-Qaeda?

French as a Mother-Tongue in Medieval England
The Norman Conquest of 1066 by William the Conqueror marks the beginning of an era of French influence in England[1]. However, despite logical reasoning, French did not become either the official or unofficial language of England. William was not combining the lands of Normandy and England, and had no wish to replace language or culture. Latin and English were used for most documents and formal proclamations by William, and the English legal system was renewed, not replaced. After all, William was claiming legitimacy to his succession. Nevertheless, the upper class was almost completely taken over by (French speaking) Normans, and although the system was English, many of the legal proceedings and documents were in French.

It is important to know that there were various dialects of French being spoken on the continent at this time and throughout the middle ages. Norman French was distinct from Parisian or Continental French, and, with time, the French spoken in England by the Norman landed gentry became distinct. Scholars refer to the particular dialect of French as spoken by England-dwelling native French speakers as Anglo-Norman or Anglo-French.

One interesting question is how long these aristocrats kept Anglo-Norman as their mother-tongue. William’s wish to preserve English as the national language was successful and no doubt is directly (though not solely) responsible for the inhabitants of England speaking English to this day. Additionally, despite taking over the upper class and the legal system, the Norman descendants speaking Anglo-Norman were still completely outnumbered by the masses of English speakers in every other class. Modern scholars estimate that the initial migration of Normans into England after the Conquest was no more than 20,000 people including the army, a number that was roughly 1.3% of England’s population (Berndt 1965, quoted in Kibbee 1991). So how long did it take for the native Anglo-Norman speakers to give up their language in favour of English? » | Jacquie Heys | Copyright 2001

The Domination of French in England
The Norman Conquest. Toward the close of the Old English period an event occurred which had a greater effect on the English language than any other in the course of its history. This event was the Norman Conquest in 1066. What the language would have been like if William the Conqueror had not succeeded in making good his claim to the English throne can only be a matter of conjecture. It would probably have pursued much the same course as the other Germanic languages, retaining perhaps more of its inflections and preserving a preponderantly Germanic vocabulary..., and incorporating words from other languages much less freely. In particular it would have lacked the greater part of that enormous number of French words which today make English seem, on the side of vocabulary, almost as much a Romance as a Germanic language. The Norman Conquest changed the whole course of the English language. An event of such far-reaching consequences must be considered in some detail. » | Albert C. Baugh & Thomas Cable

Pippa, l'autre star du mariage de Kate Middleton et William
VOILA.fr: Dans le sillage du fastueux mariage de Kate Middleton avec le prince William, une femme a polarisé l'attention : Pippa Middleton. La ravissante demoiselle d'honneur a presque volé la vedette à sa soeur, le jour de ses noces princières. 



En portant la traîne de son aînée devant l'abbbaye de Westminster le vendredi 29 avril, Pippa a conquis le Royaume Uni et bien plus. Elle est devenue en peu de temps une véritable star du web. Sculpturale dans sa robe fourreau ivoire, signée Sarah Bruton [sic] pour Alexander Mc Queen, la jeune femme de 27 ans a fait l'unanimité avec cette tenue qui épousait parfaitement ses formes. Continuez à lire et ajouter un commentaire » | Mercredi 04 Mai 2011

Libyan Rebels to Receive £1.8 billion Trust Fund
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya's opposition is to get access to a special $3 billion (£1.8 billion) trust fund established by its Western backers to finance the breakaway regions fighting Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The Libya Contact Group will seek to unfreeze Libyan state assets to replenish the rebels' coffers through the initiative at a meeting in Rome.

That would include allowing the rebels to sell oil from territory under their control, but there are legal questions over who exactly owns the oil, given that Gaddafi is still in power.

There are also legal issues over whether assets owned by the regime and seized abroad could be given to the Libyan leader's opponents.

The rebels' National Transitional Council has said it urgently needs supplies of food and medicine as well as salaries for state employees.

The council said that without urgent funds from the West, the rebel leadership will face food shortages within three to four weeks and a humanitarian crisis. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead: Christians Should Pray for His Soul, Cardinal Claims
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Roman Catholic cardinal has said Christians should pray for the soul of Osama bin Laden despite the atrocities he perpetrated.

"I have prayed for the soul of Osama bin Laden. We have to pray for him just like we pray for the victims of Sept 11. It's what Jesus teaches Christians," Albert Vanhoye, 87, a French cardinal, told an Italian newspaper, Il Messaggero on Wednesday.

"Jesus obliges us to forgive our enemies. The 'Our Father' that we recite every day says that. "Does it not say 'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us'?" "It's not possible to accept this prayer while holding on to rancour and cultivating hatred against our enemies," said the cardinal, in response to the news that bin Laden had been killed in a US commando raid in Pakistan.

"We are all sinners and we all need Christ's forgiveness," he said. It would have been better for the Americans to have captured bin Laden alive so that he could be put on trial, he added.

Vanhoye, a Jesuit priest, was made a cardinal in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of his scholarly work on the Bible.

The Vatican warned on Monday that no Christian should celebrate the death of the al Qaeda leader. » | Nick Squires | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Obama Poll Ratings Soar as Pakistanis Burn American Flags
DAILY EXPRESS: PRESIDENT Barack Obama basked in the glory of higher poll ratings today as Americans applauded their leader for the death of Osama Bin Laden.

The President's approval ratings climbed to 56 percent, a 9-point improvement since last month, following the news of Osama Bin Laden's death.

According to the polls by The Washington Post/Pew Research Center and USA Today/Gallup Poll, the President's ratings had dramatically improved since the news broke.

The higher ratings come as Al Qaeda supporters in Pakistan burnt flags in protest to the actions of the US special forces.

Hundreds of people marched through Multan, Pakistan burning U.S. flags and waving placards as they warned the terrorist's death could produce many more radical figures to take his place.

It comes after crowds of weeping mourners were pictured offering funeral prayers for the Al Qaeda mastermind widely blamed for thousands of deaths at 9/11. Continue reading and comment » | Emily Fox for express.co.uk | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Queen 'Appalled' by US Storm Deaths
THE INDEPENDENT: The Queen has expressed "deep sympathy" for the families and friends of people killed in the storms that have hit Alabama and the southern United States.

In a message to US president Barack Obama, released by Buckingham Palace, the Queen said: "I have been appalled and saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life caused by the terrible storms that have hit Alabama and the south of the United States.

"Please pass on my deep sympathy to the families and friends of all those who have been killed and to all those who have been affected."

The Queen's message comes after the storms last week flattened homes in a stretch from Mississippi to Virginia. » | PA | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Al Jazeera Frames - Spring Movements

Al Jazeera Speaks to Robert Wirsing, Professor of International Politics

Russia Welcomes Bin Laden's Death
Russia has welcomed the news of Osama bin Laden's death.

The Kremlin says the White House informed them of the operation before the official statement by US President Barack Obama.

Russian security forces say they have established long standing links between Al Qaida and insurgents in the troubled North Caucasus.

Al Jazeera'a Neave Barker reports from Moscow.

Al Jazeera Speaks to Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch

Peter Bouckaert »

Al Jazeera Live

Bin Laden's Will Says His Children Must Not Join Al-Qaida
THE GUARDIAN: Newspaper prints will that says wives should not remarry and states his regret at neglect of children due to 'devotion to jihad'

Osama Bin Laden's last wish, according to a document purported to be his will, was that his wives not remarry after his death and his children not join al-Qaida.

Al-Anbaa, a Kuwaiti newspaper, reported on Tuesday that the will, marked "private and confidential" was dated 14 December 2001, three months after the 9/11 attacks, when US forces were hunting him in Afghanistan.

The four-page document, written on a computer and signed by "your brother Abu Abdullah Osama Muhammad Bin Laden," predicts that he would die by the "treachery" of those around him. Al-Anbaa does not reveal how or when it obtained the will or whether it was able to authenticate it. Al-Majallah [عربي], a Saudi-owned Arabic magazine, published a similar document in 2002 but it was dismissed as a fraud by a pro-jihadi website. » | Ian Black, Middle East editor | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Osama bin Laden Killing Prompts US-Pakistan War of Words
THE GUARDIAN: Pakistan says raid on Bin Laden's house was 'unauthorised' while CIA director defends decision not to inform Islamabad

The war of words between Pakistan and the US in the wake of Osama bin Laden's killing has intensified, with senior officials on both sides trading barbs that underline their mutual mistrust, and the White House reversing its position on key details of the raid.

In Islamabad the Pakistani foreign ministry issued a hard-worded statement condemning the raid on Bin Laden's house as an "unauthorised unilateral action", and warned that this would not be tolerated in future.

In Washington, the CIA chief, Leon Panetta, said Pakistan was not informed of the assault on Abbottabad, a military garrison town, because US officials feared the al-Qaida leader could have been warned.

"It was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardise the mission. They might alert the targets," he told Time.

Pakistan's foreign secretary, Salman Bashir, described the American attitude as "disquieting", asserting that Pakistan had played a key role in the fight against Islamist militancy.

"Most of these things that have happened in terms of global anti-terror, Pakistan has played a pivotal role," he said. "So it's a little disquieting when we have comments like this." » | Declan Walsh in Abbottabad | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Michelle Boogies to Beyoncé
It's not every day the First Lady of the United States is seen dancing to Beyoncé, but Michelle Obama made a surprise visit to the Alice Deal Middle School in Washington yesterday as part of her Let’s Move! campaign to curb childhood obesity
Watch The Daily Telegraph video, Michelle Obama dances to Beyoncé here | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

People Flock to Bin Laden's Abbottabad Compound
The house where Osama bin Laden was killed is fast becoming a tourist destination.

Hundreds of people have gone to the compound where the Al Qaeda leader is thought to have lived for the past 5 years.

Al Jazeera's Imtiaz Tyab reports from Abbottabad in Pakistan.

Indonesia Braces for Reprisal Attacks
Questions remain about how Osama bin Laden was killed, but the impact of his death on Al Qaeda inspired groups is already being evaluated.

Indonesia's government has been fighting its own battle against such groups for years.

And as Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen reports from Jakarta, it is unlikely much will change.

White House Confirms Al Qaeda Chief Not Armed
The revelation that bin Laden was not armed when he was shot dead has prompted questions about whether the US actually set out to kill him.

Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports from Washington.

Pakistan Faces Pressure to Explain Bin Laden's Presence

Pakistan and Osama bin Laden: How the West Was Conned
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The ISI and its covert support of Islamist terrorism must be confronted

In December 1979, at the end of a meeting in which Pakistan decided to embark on a United States-backed, Saudi Arabia-funded secret war that could well have ended in its annihilation by the Soviet Union, the military dictator who ruled Pakistan offered his spymaster a Zen-like maxim. "The water in Afghanistan," Gen Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq told Lt Gen Akhtar Abdul Rehman Khan, the director general of the Inter Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), "must boil at the right temperature."

Ever since 9/11, the ISI has been seeking to keep the jihad inside Afghanistan and Pakistan warm, nurturing allies it gave birth to in the years after that meeting, while also joining the West's war against terror – the source of billions of dollars in aid and military patronage.

But Osama bin Laden's killing may mark the point where the water boiled over – destroying Pakistan's relationship with the West, and setting off a chain of events no one can predict.

Irrespective of whether bin Laden was being sheltered by the ISI or merely succeeded in evading its ineffectual counter-terrorism efforts, the challenge for Western policymakers is stark: it has become clear the ISI isn't willing or able to act against jihadists operating from its soil. Even though it is unwise to underestimate the incompetence of south Asia's under-funded, ill-trained police and intelligence services, it is hard to imagine that Pakistan's spies did not investigate just who was building a $1 million fortified complex a few hundred yards from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul – a potential target for Pakistani jihadists who have claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers. Bin Laden's neighbours have said the house was protected by closed-circuit cameras; that neighbours were never allowed in; that the rubbish was disposed of by burning – all of which ought to have attracted the attention of even the most indolent spies. Continue reading and comment » | Praveen Swami | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

My comment:

Western politicians refuse to accept the true nature of Islam. No self-respecting Muslim is going to show loyalty to an infidel over a believer. It's just not going to happen. When are the powers-that-be going to learn the lesson?

And Cameron's recent gift of £650million to Pakistan for educational aid was about as dumb as it gets. Who on earth did he think was going to benefit from that? Certainly not children in regular schools. Children in madrasahs, maybe; corrupt politicians, certainly.

And what about all the other gazillions Pakistan has been given in aid? Let's face it: They're taking us for fools! – Mark

This comment also appears here

Osama bin Laden Dead: The Mysterious Khan Family Who Were 'Good Neighbours'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Exclusive: Nobody could fault them. The Khans were good neighbours, always polite, and more than a cut above the rest, reports Peter Oborne.

They spoke perfect Pashtu - the language of Pakistan’s unruly tribal areas - in a cultivated, urban accent. They were careful to pay their bills on time and popular with local shop keepers.

Women and children came and went, travelling mostly in a red Suzuki van. The family were well off, telling locals that they had made their money trading gold.

Certainly, they were reclusive. The imposing house in Abbottabad had high walls and was fortified by barbed wire. They never handed out their phone numbers. There were no telephones in the house, and no internet.

When school children playing cricket knocked balls into their compound they were never allowed in to find them instead the Khan’s would pay them 100 rupees - approximately 70p - as compensation.

But nobody made anything of it. Neighbours simply assumed that the head of the household - who called himself Arshad Khan, like many other Pakistan businessmen, have made some powerful enemies in his road to riches.

Now they know that the secret the “Khans” were hiding was Osama bin Laden and that “Mr Khan” was in all likelihood one of his most trusted couriers, Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti.

Local residents yesterday spoke of an apparently friendly family whose determination to protect their privacy was now suddenly understandable. Continue reading and comment » | Peter Oborne | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

My comment:

The imposing house in Abbottabad had high walls...

I have heard OBL's house described as "an imposing house" and "a mansion." I don't get it! It looks like no mansion I've ever seen before! In fact, it looks ugly, unimposing, unimpressive, and ramshackle. Views taken of the inside resemble what I would imagine a slum to be like. It certainly wasn't grand, and nor was it comfortable. In fact, it looks like 'the house that Jack built'! I'm sure he could have afforded much better.

As for the neighbours not recognising him – that's hard to swallow. OBL had very distinctive features. One couldn't mistake him a mile off.

The whole story sounds very fishy to me. – Mark

This comment also appears here

British Muslims Are Breathing a Sigh of Relief
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Osama Bin Laden's death could signal the end of an extreme and harmful distortion of Islam

It took the world's sole hyperpower almost a decade to corner its nemesis, and hold Osama bin Laden to account. The death of al-Qaeda's charismatic founder will not signal an immediate end to his notorious creation, which has transmuted itself into locally operated franchises in strategic parts of the Islamic world. Nor will there be any perceptible diminution of violence and bloodshed in the short term: indeed, the manner of his death, and the fact that he was buried at sea, even though he died on land, will only inflame al-Qaeda's sympathisers, and serve to cement bin Laden's iconic status in the eyes of his supporters.

Yet bin Laden's departure will have far-reaching consequences, both in Muslim countries and for Muslims within the West. Most importantly, it will stall al-Qaeda's recruitment drive. Ever since its creation, the organisation was shrouded in a deliberately cultivated aura of divine invincibility, as it combated and often thwarted the soldiers and intelligence services of the United States. Now that their leader is no more, his forlorn followers will assert that he is a martyr – but they can no longer claim that he enjoys God's protection. » | Taj Hargey | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Bin Laden’s death changes NOTHING about the NATURE of ISLAM. – © Mark

Bin Laden Death a 'Strike at the Heart' of Terrorism, Says Cameron
THE INDEPENDENT: The death of Osama bin Laden was a "strike at the heart" of international terrorism, David Cameron told MPs.

He hoped the news would bring a "sense of justice being served" to families of the victims of the atrocities carried out by al-Qa'ida.

But in a Commons statement the Prime Minister warned: "While bin Laden is gone, the threat of al-Qa'ida remains."

Al-Qa'ida and affiliates in Yemen and the Maghreb could launch an operation to demonstrate their continued ability to operate.

Or a "lone wolf" radical could launch a solo attack, he warned.

"We must be more vigilant than ever, and we must maintain that vigilance for some time to come." » | David Hughes and Emily Ashton, PA | Tuesday, April 03, 2011

Vereinigte Staaten: Der Unmut über Pakistan wächst
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Nach der Tötung Usama Bin Ladins wächst in Amerika der Unmut darüber, dass der Al-Qaida-Führer offenkundig jahrelang unbehelligt in Pakistan leben konnte. Das Weiße Haus teilte derweil mit, dass Bin Ladin nicht bewaffnet war, als er getötet wurde.

Usama Bin Ladin war nach Angaben des Weißen Hauses nicht bewaffnet, als er von einer amerikanischen Spezialeinheit getötet wurde. Er habe sich aber auf andere Weise gewehrt, sagte Sprecher Jay Carney am Dienstag in Washington, ohne Einzelheiten zu nennen. Das Weiße Haus hat noch nicht entschieden, ob Fotos von der Leiche des Terroristenchefs Osama bin Laden veröffentlicht werden sollen. Sprecher Jay Carney sagte am Dienstag, die Bilder seien zweifellos „grausig“. Vor diesem Hintergrund werde geprüft, ob es nötig sei, sie zu veröffentlichen. Bin Laden soll zwei Mal in den Kopf getroffen worden sein, einmal direkt über dem linken Auge. » | F.A.Z. | Dienstag, 03. Mai 2011

Tories Won’t Make Radical Change with Majority, Harper Vows
THE GLOBE & MAIL: Stephen Harper said he’s taking a no-surprises approach to majority government rather than contemplating any radical shifts in policy now that he has control of the Commons.

The Conservatives won a solid majority on May 2, winning 167 ridings, which gives Mr. Harper a healthy margin over the required 155 seats needed for a majority.

The Prime Minister said he believes Canadians expect the Tories to hew to the platform they campaigned on – and to continue governing the way they did during a half decade of minority government.

“We got that mandate because of the way we have governed, because of our record,” he said during a press conference in Calgary.

“Canadians expect us to continue to move forward in the same way, to be true to the platform we’ve run on and be true to the kind of values and policies we’ve laid out before them,” the Prime Minister said.

Opposition parties including the Liberals had warned Mr. Harper would tack to the right upon election and his rivals had tried to spook voters with the warning he’s slash health care.

The re-elected Prime Minister, however, said he’s not going to spring things on Canadians – shying away from the idea of allowing a bigger tier of private health care to develop in Canada.

“One thing I’ve learned in this business is that surprises are generally not well received by the public and so we intend to move forward with what Canadians understand about us and I think what they’re more and more comfortable with.” » | Steven Chase | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Verbunden »

“New Saudi Law Tells Media, ‘Shut Up’”
CROSSROADS ARABIA: “With a series of new Royal Decrees, Saudi Arabia has taken an amazing step backward from free speech. Directly and indirectly, the newly-amended Press & Publications Law now criminalizes, well, just about anything. Sedition? Check. Lèse majesté? Check. ‘Anything affecting the reputation or dignity’ of anyone? Check. ‘Propagating division between citizens? Check.

That doesn’t leave much to talk about, does it? Maybe the weather is uncontroversial. But if the weather causes floods and people die as a result, this law would prevent talking about who is responsible for the lack of preparation: that would clearly be ‘divisive’. How about sports? No… criticizing a goalie’s poor performance will surely annoy him, his friends, family, and supporters.

Saudi Gazette has the more complete coverage of the announcement made through the Saudi Press Agency. It notes that the law pertains not just to Saudi newspapers, but also to online media, including those of Saudis writing outside the Kingdom.

This is truly both breathtaking in its scope and its stupidity. One does not protect the dignity of people by calling in the cudgel of law, with its power to confiscate newspapers, close their offices, find [sic] them heavily, and banning future writings. All that does is push criticism underground while falsely creating a sense that everything is quiet. As I said in an earlier piece, Arab governments have already lost the battle to control media, both professional and personal. They cannot put the genie of the Internet back in the bottle, nor close it down.” » | Saturday, April 30, 2011

Daniel Barenboim Brings 'Solace and Pleasure' to Gaza with Mozart Concert
THE GUARDIAN: Israeli conductor voices support for non-violence and Palestinian state during performance for schoolchildren and NGO workers

The orchestra arrived with the impact of a presidential motorcade, in armoured cars, with sirens wailing and flanked by dozens of armed men.

It was an unusual overture to a rendition of Mozart. But then, the arrival in Gaza of Daniel Barenboim, the world-famous Israeli conductor and his Orchestra for Gaza – featuring musicians from Paris, Milan, Berlin and Vienna - to play for an audience of schoolchildren and NGO workers was itself far from usual.

The orchestra set off from Berlin on Monday, stopped at Vienna and then landed at El Arish, close to the Egyptian side of the Gaza Strip, on a plane chartered by Barenboim himself.

As an Israeli citizen it is illegal for Barenboim to enter Gaza without a permit, and, as if that wasn't enough, the recent murder of an Italian peace activist and fears that pro-Osama bin Laden groups in Gaza might seek revenge on western targets meant that the UN security team was on high alert.

Barenboim has previously played in Ramallah and holds an honorary Palestinian passport, and is widely praised for his attempts to reach out across the divide. In Israel, meanwhile, he has been attacked for promoting the work of Wagner.

He told his audience on Tuesday that the people of Gaza "have been blockaded for many years and this blockade has affected all of your lives."

The aim of his orchestra, he said, was to bring "solace and pleasure" through music to the people of Gaza and to let them know that people all over the world care for them. » | Conal Urquhart | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The Devil Wears Prada, But the Church Wears Armani
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The devil may wear Prada but the Roman Catholic Church has opted for Armani.

Giorgio Armani has designed vestments for a bishop for the inauguration of a new church on the tiny Mediterranean island of Pantelleria, where the designer has a holiday hideaway perched on top of a cliff.

Wearing a mitre and holding his staff, Monsignor Domenico Mogavero, the bishop of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily, showed off his new liturgical robes during a thanksgiving Mass in the courtyard of the new church this week.

The 76-year-old designer, Italy's fourth richest man with an estimated fortune of £4.2 billion, decorated the pale green robe with embroidered symbols of the island, including starfish, shells and olive sprigs.

Armani has strong links to the island, an extinct volcano which lies between Sicily and the coast of Tunisia, its name deriving from the Arabic Bent el-Riah, or daughter of the winds.

He has been holidaying there for nearly 40 years and in 2006 was made an honorary citizen.

"It's not about trying to be fashionable," said the bishop. "It was an initiative aimed at involving a fashion designer who loves Pantelleria and to capitalise on his originality in the service of faith and ultimately of God. Read on and comment » | Nick Squires | Tuesday, April 03, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Italian bishop turns heads with Giorgio Armani vestments: 'This is about wearing something beautiful to give glory to God,' says Bishop Domenico Mogavero » | Tom Kington in Rome | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead: Wife Was Shot in the Leg, Not Killed
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The White House last night changed key elements of its account of Osama bin Laden's death, admitting that the al-Qaeda leader was not armed and that his wife was neither killed nor used as a human shield as senior aides had previously claimed.

Correcting the previous version of events, Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, said that "some of the information came in piece by piece and is being reviewed and updated and elaborated on".

He then said that two al-Qaeda couriers were killed on the first floor of the main, three-storey building where bin Laden lived. In addition, a woman was killed "in the crossfire" on the ground floor.

When the US Navy SEAL assaulters reached the second floor, a woman, later identified as one of bin Laden's wife, "rushed" a SEAL and was "shot in the leg but not killed". He confirmed that bin Laded was "not armed".

The assault team, with bin Laden's body, then departed by helicopter to the USS Karl Vinson in the northern Arabian Sea.

Mr Carney said that the White House was still "making an evaluation" about whether to release "gruesome" photographs of bin Laden's corpse, adding that there were "sensitivities here in terms of the appropriateness".

The pictures of bin Laden are understood to show him with a gaping wound across above [sic] both eyes. » | Toby Harnden, Washington | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Saudi Arabia
REUTERS: May 3 - The world's No. 1 oil exporter faces the twin challenges of creating jobs for a young population at a time of unrest in the Arab world, and pursuing economic reforms with a royal succession looming.

The stability of Saudi Arabia is of global importance since the kingdom sits on more than a fifth of oil reserves, is home to the biggest Arab stock market, is a major owner of dollar assets and acts as a regional linchpin of U.S. security policy.

King Abdullah, who is around 87, unveiled $93 billion in social handouts in March, on top of another $37 billion announced less than a month earlier.

But this apparent effort to insulate the kingdom from Arab popular protests sweeping the region has not stopped activists, including liberals, Shi'ites and Islamists, calling in petitions for more political freedom. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with no elected parliament.

Riyadh has not seen the kind of mass uprisings that have shaken the Arab world this year, but Shi'ites in the kingdom's oil-producing east have staged a number of protests.

Almost no Saudis in Riyadh answered a Facebook call for protests on March 11 in the face of a massive security presence.

Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the Al Saud family for 79 years, with influence from clerics following the austere Wahhabi school of Islam, and many oppose the very reforms the king has started.

However, slowing down reforms to modernise education might affect government plans to create jobs -- unemployment last year reached 10 percent.

And with around 70 percent of Saudi Arabia's almost 19 million people under the age of 30, the pressure to find them gainful employment is huge. » | RIYADH | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Sultan Expects Big Inflow of Tourists to Kingdom’s Resorts
ARAB NEWS: JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s participation in international forums such as the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai would boost the flow of tourists to the Kingdom, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).

In a statement after visiting the Kingdom’s pavilion at the exhibition, he said Saudi Arabia is replete with tourist attractions including historical sites such as Madain Saleh and Diriya.

He emphasized the need to present Saudi Arabia as a major tourist destination in the region to Gulf citizens in order to encourage them to spend their vacations in the Kingdom’s tourist resorts.

“SCTA intends to organize a variety of attractive programs and activities to woo Saudis as well as GCC citizens to spend their holidays in the Kingdom,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.

He said Saudi tourism would not be limited to Haj and Umrah as new investment projects would enhance tourist facilities and attractions in the Kingdom.

“Forums like the Arabian Travel Market will enable SCTA to make use of the experiences of Arab countries in promoting tourism,” the prince said. » | P.K. Abdul Ghafour | Arab News | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Bahrain to Charge Doctors over Protester Deaths
REUTERS AFRICA: MANAMA - Bahrain said on Tuesday it would charge a number of medical workers with causing the death of two demonstrators, broadening a crackdown on the opposition in the wake of protests that shook the Gulf island kingdom.

Human rights groups say Sunni-led Bahrain has targeted doctors and medical staff who aided mostly-Shi'ite protesters during anti-government demonstrations it crushed in March. It brought in troops from Sunni-led Gulf Arab neighbours who feared potential interference from non-Arab Shi'ite power Iran.

Justice Minister Khaled bin Ali al-Khalifa told reporters 47 medical staff would face charges, including about two dozen doctors. Not all would be prosecuted for causing the protesters deaths, but he did not say how many would face such charges.

He said the two protesters died because staff inflicted additional wounds on them or gave unneeded treatments.
"The medical profession was strongly abused during this period," he said.

The U.S.-based rights group Physicians for Human Rights that sent a fact-finding mission into Bahrain last month rejected the government's account of events.

"The results of our findings were pointing to a wholly different conclusion," the group's Deputy Director Richard Sollom told Reuters. » | Frederik Richter | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Une fashionista est née
GALA.fr: Après avoir enflammé le cœur de milliers de jeunes hommes, et attiré l’œil du dragueur invétéré Son Altesse Royale le Prince Consort Philip dans sa tenue de demoiselle d’honneur signée Alexander McQueen, Pippa Middleton ne s’est pas arrêtée là...

Philippa n’a rien à envier à sa sœur la Duchesse de Cambridge: elle possède une plastique tout aussi avantageuse, un sourire aussi éclatant, et une chevelure aussi jolie… Et l’attention qu’on lui porte est égale! C’est tout juste si elle ne lui a pas volé la vedette à son propre mariage, notamment grâce à ses fesses remarquables, sacrées «plus beau derrière de l’événement» par plus de 176 000 personnes sur Facebook! » | Marion Buiatti | Mardi 03 Mai 2011

Switzerland Identifies $1bn Worth of Dictators' Assets
THE GUARDIAN: Three-year freeze for Swiss bank assets of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, Egypt's Hosni Murbarak and Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

The Swiss government says it has identified potential assets to be frozen worth 830m Swiss francs (nearly $1bn or £600m) belonging to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the ousted presidents of Egypt and Tunisia.

Swiss president and foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, speaking in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, said the assets include 360m Swiss francs that may belong to Gaddafi or his entourage.

She said Switzerland had also linked 410m Swiss francs to the former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, and 60m Swiss francs to Tunisia's deposed autocrat, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Switzerland has ordered banks and other financial institutions to freeze possible assets belonging to the three men and their key supporters to prevent the funds from being secretly withdrawn. The Swiss government has said Tunisia and Egypt have already started legal proceedings to claim the assets.

The government added that neither country has yet provided the necessary evidence of possible criminal wrongdoing involving the money. » | Associated Press in Geneva | Tuesday, April 03, 2011

Schweizer Halbbruder von Osama Bin Laden
Yeslam Binladin. Seit 28 Jahren lebt der Halbbruder des Terroristen Osama bin Laden in Genf. Seit vergangenem Mai besitzt er einen Schweizerpass. Doch seit den Angriffen vom 11. September ist Yeslam Binladin immer wieder neuen Verdächtigungen ausgesetzt über mögliche Verbindungen zu Osama bin Laden. Zum ersten Mal gab er dem Fernsehen ein Interview -und distanziert sich von seinem Halbbruder
Das Schweizer Fernsehen Video hier abspielen

Dans la résidence de Ben Laden
La pièce, qui ressemble à une chambre, est maculée de sang. Ce serait ici qu’Oussama Ben Laden aurait été tué

Konservative siegen bei Neuwahlen

Islamisten protestieren nach Tod bin Ladens

Merkel gratuliert den USA

Al-Qaeda: The Next Generation
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As America celebrates the death of its greatest foe, a younger cadre is ready to direct jihad against the West – including one whose real name no one knows.

["]History," wrote Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden's mentor, "does not write its lines except with blood… Glory does not build its lofty edifice except with skulls; honour and respect cannot be established except on a foundation of cripples and corpses." Osama bin Laden has become one of those corpses. But even as America celebrates the death of the man who more than any other came to represent evil in our time, there is little reason for jubilation.

The stark truth is this: a decade after 9/11, the jihadist movement is more powerful than at any time in the past. Bin Laden himself, the scholar C. Christine Fair has noted, has emerged as a "kind of Che Guevara of the jihadist movement" – an inspirational icon who could fire the imagination of young recruits. Bin Laden's death – or, to the faithful, his martyrdom – might prove to be his last service for his macabre cause.

In 2001, on the eve of 9/11, al-Qaeda had a core of just less than 200 cadre – 120 of them in a crack fighting unit. Perhaps 1,000 men had graduated from its Afghan training camps, but they were riven by ideological dissension. Now, jihadist groups that associate themselves with al-Qaeda's project are asserting influence from eastern China and central Asia to the furthest reaches of North Africa. The war against terror has thus seen al-Qaeda flower, not die. Continue reading and comment » | Praveen Swami |
Monday, April 02, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead: Code Name Geronimo
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As President Barack Obama and his team sat on tenterhooks in the Situation Room, the CIA director Leon Panetta broke the silence with the memorable words: "We have a visual on Geronimo."

It was the first confirmation that Osama bin Laden, who had been given the 19th Century Apache leader's name as a code word, was definitely in the compound in Pakistan.

Shortly afterwards, a Navy Seal halfway across the world sent the message "Geronimo EKIA" – meaning enemy killed in action – which was relayed to a jubilant White House Situation Room.

US President Barack Obama watched events unfold sitting in the thousands of miles away from the al-Qaeda leader's compound in Abbottabad. » | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Carla Bruni 'Pregnant with Twins'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Carla Bruni is pregnant with twins at the age of 43, according to the latest reports.

The former supermodel has been at the centre of frenzied media speculation this week that she is expecting her first child with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Now glossy showbiz magazine Voici claims that she is expecting twins in October.

The claims come after Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy – who is also said to have given up smoking – herself hinted she and her 56-year-old husband were expecting a baby.

When asked directly if she was pregnant in an interview on Monday, she replied teasingly that she would "remain tight-lipped about that to protect something".

Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy was asked by one of six readers of Le Parisien newspaper invited to the Elysee [sic] Palace to interview her: "Are you expecting a baby?"

She answered: "If you'll allow me, I'd rather not answer these questions about my family. » | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Inside Story - The End of Osama bin Laden

German Muslims Welcome Bin Laden's Death

Al Jazeera Speaks to Ana Murison, Global Jihad Analyst

US Muslims Hope for New Start
Muslim American groups have welcomed the news of Bin Laden's killing.

After September 11, 2001, many Muslims claimed they were treated with suspicion and endured increased discrimination in the United States.

Al Jazeera's Monica Villamizar has more.

Bahrain Protests: 'Ex-Shia MPs Detained' Amid Crackdown
BBC: Bahrain has arrested two former members of parliament from the main Shia opposition party, al-Wefaq, members of the group say.

The arrest of Matar Matar and Jawad Fairuz is the latest step in Bahrain's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

The Sunni rulers declared martial law in March to crush the protests led by the country's Shia majority, who are demanding greater political rights.

Since then, hundreds of people have been detained. Four have died in jail.

The unrest in Bahrain started on 14 February, when protesters - emboldened by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt - took to the streets urging democratic reform. Some have called for the overthrow of the monarchy.

About 30 people, including four policemen, were killed during weeks of unrest, until the ruling al-Khalifa family called in troops from other Sunni-ruled Gulf neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, to put down the protests. » | Tuesday, April 03, 2011

Inside Story - Al-Qaeda Decapitated?

Prinzenhochzeit: „Ich hoffe, wir haben ihren Geschmack getroffen“
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Nach der Trauung gab es bei der Königin köstliche Häppchen, aber keinen Pimm's: Hochzeitsgast Philipp Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg, der Großneffe der Queen, erzählt, was die Fernsehkameras nicht filmten.

Philipp Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg, wie begann für Sie der große Tag?

Ganz entspannt. Wir haben uns ins Taxi gesetzt und sind ganz früh in der Westminster Abbey gewesen. Die Stadt war erstaunlich leer, zumindest die Straßen, auf denen wir gefahren sind.

Dann gab es aber bestimmt strenge Sicherheitsvorkehrungen?

Es gab schon Schleusen und einen Metalldetektor. Und es war auch ein bisschen wie am Flughafen. Wir wurden kontrolliert, nachdem wir unsere Zulassungskarte vorgezeigt hatten. Die Karten hatten unterschiedliche Farben, je nachdem, wo man saß. Unsere Karte war orange. Aber weil wir so früh da waren, ging das alles ganz schnell.

Saßen Sie mit der Königsfamilie zusammen hinter der Chorschranke und damit nahe am Altar?

Ja. Wir hatten ganz wunderbare Plätze. Meine Frau und ich saßen direkt hinter der königlichen Familie - vielleicht neun Meter vom Altar entfernt. William und sein Trauzeuge Harry waren ja auch schon früh in der Kirche und sind zweimal direkt an uns vorbeigelaufen in die Sakristei. » | F.A.S. | Die Fragen stellte Peter-Philipp Schmitt | Dienstag, 03. Mai 2011

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Philipp Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg: Der Hochzeitsgast von der Jagst – Philipp Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg ist zur Prinzenhochzeit geladen - als einer von wenigen Deutschen. Der Grund: Einer seiner Vorfahren war mit einer der Schwestern von Philip Mountbatten verheiratet, dem Großvater des Bräutigams. » | Von Peter-Philipp Schmitt, Langenburg | Donnerstag, 28. April 2011

WIKI: Philipp zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg »

WIKI: Hohenlohe (Adelsgeschlecht) »

WIKI: Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg »

WIKI – Français: Philipp zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg »

WIKI: Langenburg »

WIKI: Schloss Langenburg »

L’icône de la terreur
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: PORTRAIT | Oussama ben Laden personnifiait le terrorisme islamique depuis les attentats du 11/9/2001.

Je le veux mort ou vif!» En lâchant cette phrase en septembre 2001, quelques jours après les attentats contre les tours jumelles du World Trade Center à New York et contre le Pentagone à Washington, le président des Etats-Unis George W. Bush a hissé Oussama ben Laden au rang de nouvel ennemi suprême de l’Occident.

Le «financier de l’extrémisme islamique», qui figurait déjà depuis 1998 en tête de liste des «criminels les plus recherchés» du FBI mais restait peu connu du grand public, est alors devenu l’incarnation du terrorisme dans le monde entier. Sa traque a déclenché, quelques semaines plus tard, l’invasion militaire de l’Afghanistan, alors dirigé par les talibans, alliés du chef du réseau Al-Qaida. Et l’épouvantail Ben Laden a même été agité pour préparer l’opinion publique des Etats-Unis dans le but d’attaquer l’Irak en 2003 et faire tomber un Saddam Hussein accusé par Washington d’avoir des liens – pourtant très improbables – avec le milliardaire saoudien.

La jeunesse



Né à Riyad en 1957, Oussama – prénom arabe se référant au lion – serait le 17e enfant d’une fratrie de 52 frères et sœurs. Mais les Ben Laden ne sont pas n’importe quelle famille nombreuse. Bien que né au Yémen, le père, Muhammad, a créé un véritable empire de la construction en Arabie saoudite, en devenant un proche de la famille régnante. L’entreprise familiale a notamment été mandatée pour reconstruire la mosquée al-Aqsa de Jérusalem – incendiée par un chrétien en 1969 – et pour rénover celles de La Mecque et de Médine, soit les trois plus hauts lieux saints de l’islam.

Au cours des années 70, le jeune Oussama étudie le génie civil à l’Université du roi Abdul Aziz de Jeddah. Elevé dans la tradition wahhabite – la branche la plus rigoriste de l’islam – il commence à fréquenter les courants islamistes les plus radicaux. L’année 1979 sera charnière: un accord de paix est signé sous l’égide des Etats-Unis entre l’Egypte et Israël, la révolution islamique chasse le shah d’Iran et les Soviétiques envahissent l’Afghanistan. » | Gustavo Kuhn | Mardi 03 Mai 2011

Is Gaddafi Plotting Chemical Assault Against Libyan Rebels? Troops Seen Wearing Gas Masks
MAIL ONLINE: Fears that Colonel Gaddafi is planning to use chemical weapons against rebels grew yesterday when forces loyal to the Libyan tyrant were seen wearing gas masks.

After giving rebels in the besieged city of Misrata until midnight tonight to surrender or face the ‘fires from Hell’, Gaddafi’s troops were yesterday seen wearing the masks for the first time since the uprising against his rule began seven weeks ago.

The chilling development prompted rebel fighters in Misrata, which is surrounded on three sides by Gaddafi’s forces, to radio for immediate supplies of their own protective masks to be shipped from Benghazi, their stronghold in the East.

With more than 1,000 dead in Misrata after fierce pounding by Gaddafi’s forces, the prospect of a chemical attack has sent a new wave of fear and panic through the city, with civilians also desperately trying to find gas masks.

A doctor, who asked not to be named, said sources inside Gaddafi’s regime had warned him to flee with his family by yesterday – before the dictator takes revenge against the people of Misrata when the deadline expires. » | Andrew Malone | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The Death of Bin Laden: Robert Fisk: Was He Betrayed? Of Course. Pakistan Knew Bin Laden's Hiding Place All Along
THE INDEPENDENT: A middle-aged nonentity, a political failure outstripped by history – by the millions of Arabs demanding freedom and democracy in the Middle East – died in Pakistan yesterday. And then the world went mad.

Fresh from providing us with a copy of his birth certificate, the American President turned up in the middle of the night to provide us with a live-time death certificate for Osama bin Laden, killed in a town named after a major in the army of the old British Empire. A single shot to the head, we were told. But the body's secret flight to Afghanistan, an equally secret burial at sea? The weird and creepy disposal of the body – no shrines, please – was almost as creepy as the man and his vicious organisation.

The Americans were drunk with joy. David Cameron thought it "a massive step forward". India described it as a "victorious milestone". "A resounding triumph," Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted. But after 3,000 American dead on 9/11, countless more in the Middle East, up to half a million Muslims dead in Iraq and Afghanistan and 10 years trying to find Bin Laden, pray let us have no more "resounding triumphs". Revenge attacks? Perhaps they will come, by the little groupuscules in the West, who have no direct contact with al-Qa'ida. Be sure, someone is already dreaming up a "Brigade of the Martyr Osama bin Laden". Maybe in Afghanistan, among the Taliban.

But the mass revolutions in the Arab world over the past four months mean that al-Qa'ida was already politically dead. Bin Laden told the world – indeed, he told me personally – that he wanted to destroy the pro-Western regimes in the Arab world, the dictatorships of the Mubaraks and the Ben Alis. He wanted to create a new Islamic Caliphate. But these past few months, millions of Arab Muslims rose up and were prepared for their own martyrdom – not for Islam but for freedom and liberty and democracy. Bin Laden didn't get rid of the tyrants. The people did. And they didn't want a caliph. » | Robert Fisk | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
Complete coverage of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

Libya: 2,000 Gaddafi Supporters Attend Funeral of Son
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Some 2,000 of Col Muammar Gaddafi's supporters turned out for the funeral of the Libyan leader's youngest son, as the regime intensified its attack on the besieged city of Misurata.

In the capital, Tripoli, a crowd of more than 1,000 people attended the funeral of Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, the leader's second youngest son, who was killed in an allied air strike on Saturday night.

Col Gaddafi himself did not attend, but two of his other sons, Saif al-Islam, who has the highest profile and was seen as his father's intended successor, and Hannibal were both seen in the crowd.

Some mourners fired weapons into the air. Others chanted "revenge for the martyrs" and carried placards reading "We are all with Gaddafi's Libya", according to news organisations.

The body, covered in a green cloth and with a wreath was delivered to the Al-Hani Cemetery in a black ambulance.

Three of Saif al-Arab's children, identified by the authorities as being a child each of Hannibal, their oldest brother, Mohammed, and their sister Aisha, were also buried. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Monday, May 02, 2011

Related »

Front Pages Report the Death of Osama bin Laden
DAILY TELEGRAPH PICTURE GALLERIES: US front pages » | Front pages from around the world »

Fr Lombardi's Response to Killing of Bin Laden
VATICAN RADIO: Vatican Press Office Director Fr Federico Lombardi’s response to journalists’ questions on the killing of Osama bin Laden:

Osama bin Laden - as we all know – was gravely responsible for promoting division and hatred between peoples, causing the death of countless innocent lives, and of exploiting religions to this end.

Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of each and every one of us before God and before man, and hopes and commits himself so that no event be an opportunity for further growth of hatred, but for peace. [Source: Vatican Radio] | Monday, May 02, 2011

Robert Fisk on Bin Laden Death
Robert Fisk, British author and journalist for the Independent, speaks on al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's death during a US raid on his mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Fisk has interviewed Bin Laden three times in person

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