Michele Bachmann Enters Fight for Republican Nomination

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, an outspoken Republican with close ties to the ultraconservative tea party movement, has announced that she is running for president, a candidacy that could further shake up the volatile fight for the party's nomination.

The first woman to enter the 2012 race, Mrs Bachmann announced her bid during a Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire, which holds nation's first presidential primary.

The third-term Minnesota congresswoman has been leaning heavily toward a run over the past few months, visiting early primary states, raising money and railing against President Barack Obama.

"Our country needs a leader who understands the hardships that people across America have been facing over the past few years, and who will do what it takes to renew the American dream. We must become a strong and proud America again, and I see clearly a better path to a brighter future," she said in a statement issued through her new campaign.

She brings high energy, charisma and proven fundraising ability to the Republican race to nominate a challenger to Mr Obama. She also is known for unyielding stances, biting commentary and high-profile gaffes.

Mrs Bachmann is attempting the rare leap from the US House of Representatives to the presidency. » | Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Navy Chief: Britain Cannot Keep Up Its Role in Libya Air War due to Cuts
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The British military intervention in Libya is unsustainable, the head of the Navy has said.

Adml Sir Mark Stanhope said the campaign would have been more effective without the Government's defence cuts.

The aircraft carrier and the Harrier jump-jets scrapped under last year's strategic defence review would have made the mission more effective, faster and cheaper, he said.

Sir Mark warned that the Navy would not be able to sustain its operations in Libya for another three months without making cuts elsewhere.

The First Sea Lord's comments will stir the debate over defence cuts that have left Britain without a working aircraft carrier and forced the Royal Navy's Harrier jump jets to be mothballed.

Highlighting military anger over the shrinking Armed Forces, another admiral warned that "comical" defence cuts would leave the Navy without enough ships to be effective. » | James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Monday, June 13, 2011

This PM is clueless. So is his Chancellor. Labour made one HUGE mess of things. Now this lot are trying to compete with the last shower.

To cut military spending at this dangerous time in our history is totally absurd. Cutting military spending when we are at war with militant Islam beggars belief. Then, to go into another country and get involved in a revolution is more incredible still. Just imagine if Qadhafi had decided to take us on if we had riots in the streets!

This Coalition talks about austerity, but then proceeds to squander billions in unnecessary military operations. And to add insult to injury, makes huge cutbacks at home at the same time as sending billions in overseas aid. Billions for this, and billions for that. Has Cameron never heard of the expression, Charity begins at home?

With all the U-turns that Cameron is having to make, and now this, he is really starting to prove that he is out of his depth there in Downing Street. He's behaving like the greenhorn he truly is.

How nice it would be to have a mature PM for a change. One with lots of experience in the university of life. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Syria: Hundreds Flee Scorched Earth Tactics of Assad Regime
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hundreds of men and boys took to the Syrian hills around the beleaguered town of Jisr al-Shughour, fleeing the scorched earth tactics of the Assad regime's tanks and militias.

More than 10,000 Syrians have fled the violent repression of opposition led by President Bashar al-Assad and his brother, Maher, the United Nations said.

But many more are playing a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the armies on both sides of the border as they seek refuge as well as food and supplies for their families.

Reports from the town of Jisr al-Shughour, which was recaptured by Syrian forces on Sunday, said 16 bodies had been found during the course of the day.

That suggested that government claims of the city having been taken over by "armed gangs" who fought a vicious rearguard action against the advancing army were an exaggeration.

Opposition spokesmen said hundreds of unarmed local men were rounded up and arrested during the operation, and those who tried to flee shot. » | Andrew Osborn, on the Syrian-Turkish border and Richard Spencer | Monday, June 13, 2011

The Changing Face of the Britain: BBC - White Men Converting to Islam

I Read the Koran Every Day, Says Former Prime Minister Tony Blair Who Claims It Keeps Him 'Faith-literate'

MAIL ONLINE: He was notoriously reluctant to discuss religion while Prime Minister, with his chief spin doctor Alastair Campbell famously commenting: ‘We don’t do God.’

But since leaving Downing Street in 2007, Tony Blair has become increasingly open about the importance of religion.

Mr Blair, who converted to Catholicism months after leaving Number 10, has now spoken of how he reads the Koran every day.

Reading the Islamic religion’s holy book - considered by Muslims to be the exact words of God - ensured he remained ‘faith-literate’, the former Labour leader said.

In an interview with the Observer magazine, published yesterday he said: ‘To be faith-literate is crucial in a globalised world, I believe.

‘I read the Qur’an [Koran] every day. Partly to understand some of the things happening in the world, but mainly just because it is immensely instructive.’

Mr Blair believes that a knowledge of the faith informs his current role as Middle East envoy for the Quartet of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia.

The former PM’s work, which has cost British taxpayers more than £2million, aims to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr Blair has previously praised the Muslim faith as ‘beautiful’ and said the Prophet Mohammed had been ‘an enormously civilizing force’.

In 2006 he said the Koran was a ‘reforming book, it is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance’. » | Ian Drury | Monday, June 13, 2011

Jordan Denies Attack on King's Motorcade
Jordanian government spokesman Taher Adwan on Monday denied reports of an attack on King Abdullah's motorcade while he was on an official tour in the southern city of Tafilah

US Man Admits He Is 'Syrian Gay Girl' Blogger
Human rights campaigners have reacted furiously after a US student based in Scotland unmasked himself as the author of the "Gay Girl in Damascus" blogs, which charted the security crackdown in Syria.

Tom MacMaster, a 40 year-old Edinburgh University masters student, admitted that he was "Amina Abdallah Arraf", who had described herself as a Syrian political blogger.

Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull reports.

Christchurch Jolted by Series of Quake Shocks
A series of powerful tremors have rattled the earthquake-prone city of Christchurch in New Zealand, destroying a building and sending boulders tumbling down hillsides. Al Jazeera's Bhanu Bhatnagar reports

Britain Can Do 'Nothing' to Prevent Argentina Retaking Falkland Islands

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The head of the Naval task force in the Falklands War has warned that defence cuts mean Britain can now do "precisely nothing" to prevent Argentina retaking the islands.

Admiral Sir John "Sandy" Woodward also said that America now had little interest in supporting Britain in any conflict as a stable Argentina was more important to the State Department.

In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, Adml Woodward said Washington was pushing for negotiations over sovereignty and "significantly the islands are already being called the Malvinas by the US".

With the end of the Cold War and emergence of Asian powers Nato and Britain were not as important to Washington which in 1982 played a significant part in providing satellite intelligence and missiles to British forces.

"We can no longer rely on the Pentagon to support us in helping the islanders in their wish to remain essentially British sovereign territory," he wrote.

If as is likely significant oil reserves are found around the islands then pressure from Argentina will be immense to share in the riches. » | Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Maajid Nawaz in a 'One-on-One' with Riz Khan
Maajid Nawaz (born in 1977) is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Quilliam, a government-funded think tank based in London which dedicates itself to challenge religious extremism and to promote pluralism. Nawaz also founded a counter-extremist social movement in Pakistan named Khudi. Formerly involved in the global Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) for almost 14 years, he was on the United Kingdom national leadership for HT and a founding member of HT in Denmark and Pakistan.

Nawaz eventually served four years in an Egyptian prison where he began changing his views until finally renouncing the Islamist ideology while remaining Muslim. Nowadays, he is a member of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom. Nawaz holds a Master degree in political theory from the London School of Economics.

Riz Khan (born in 1962) is a British television news reporter and international journalist at Al Jazeera English in Washington D.C. which he joined in 2005. He hosts the network's flagship programme Riz Khan, a daily, interactive global show and Riz Khan's One on One, a weekly profile show. Khan grew up in the then British colony of Aden in the former South Yemen. In 1993, he joined BBC and three years later CNN. Khan became widely known as a senior anchor and host of his own show, interviewing more heads of state and business personalities than any other global interactive news show presenter.

He left CNN in 2001 in order to found and run Colourblind Entertainment, an independent production company. Khan was educated in Great Britain and holds a postgraduate degree in radio journalism from the University of Portsmouth.


St. Gallen Symposium »

Islam, homosexualité et homophobie, vus par Tareq Oubrou
Interview de Tareq Oubrou, théologien et recteur de la mosquée de Bordeaux

SAPHIR NEWS: L’homosexualité et la transsexualité demeurent l’une des questions les plus sensibles pour les communautés religieuses dont beaucoup de leurs représentants cultuels préfèrent ignorer pour ne pas heurter des sensibilités. Tareq Oubrou est des rares théologiens musulmans en France qui ne s’interdit aucun débat. Avec plusieurs hommes de foi chrétiens et juifs, l’imam de Bordeaux a signé le 17 mars dernier l’appel des religions contre l’homophobie et la transphobie. Sa position se veut claire : bien que le dogme condamne moralement ces pratiques, hors de question d’attribuer les violences homophobes à l’islam et de considérer les homosexuels comme des apostats. Interview. » | Rédigé par Propos recueillis par Hanan Ben Rhouma | Samedi 29 Mai 2010

Le Liban se dote d'un nouveau gouvernement dominé par le Hezbollah

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le Premier ministre désigné au Liban Najib Mikati a annoncé lundi, après cinq mois de négociations ardues, un nouveau gouvernement de 30 ministres, dominé par le puissant Hezbollah chiite et ses alliés.

Le Premier ministre désigné au Liban Najib Mikati a annoncé lundi, après cinq mois de négociations ardues, un nouveau gouvernement de 30 ministres. Ce cabinet est dominé par le puissant Hezbollah chiite et ses alliés.

«Nous avons surmonté les obstacles et nous allons nous mettre tout de suite au travail», a affirmé Najib Mikati à la presse à l’issue de l’annonce de la formation du gouvernement.

Le Hezbollah et ses alliés, notamment le chrétien Michel Aoun, se sont taillés la part du lion avec 19 portefeuilles, dont la Justice et la Défense. Sur ces 19 postes, deux vont au Hezbollah et les 17 autres reviennent aux alliés.

Les onze portefeuilles restants ont été répartis entre les partisans du président de la République Michel Sleimane, de M. Mikati et du leader druze Walid Joumblatt, considérés comme «neutres». » | ATS/AFP | Lundi 13 Juin 2011

Giffords Releases Photos
June 12 - U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords releases new photos of herself on Facebook page as she continues to recover from a gunshot wound to her head. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

Syrian Forces Round Up Hundreds Near Northern Town
REUTERS: Syrian troops rounded up hundreds of people in a sweep through villages near Jisr al-Shughour on Monday, fleeing residents said, after President Bashar al-Assad's army retook the rebellious town.

Nearly 7,000 Syrians have already fled the region around Jisr al-Shughour, seeking sanctuary in neighboring Turkey, while thousands more are sheltering close to the frontier in rural areas just inside Syria, activists say.

Monday's wave of arrests followed an army assault on the northwestern town, with troops backed by helicopters and tanks regaining control one week after authorities said 120 security personnel were killed in fighting they blamed on "armed groups."

Some residents said the killings followed a mutiny, or a refusal by some troops to shoot protesters who had joined nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to Assad's rule.

Refugees from Jisr al-Shughour, sheltering on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey, said the military was combing villages to the east of the town and arresting hundreds of men between the ages of 18 and 40, in a pattern seen in other military crackdowns since the unrest started in March. » | Khaled Yacoub Oweis | AMMAN | Monday, June 13, 2011

Syrian Refugee Numbers Swelling
June 12 - Increasing numbers of Syrians flee to Turkey as more reports emerge of tanks storming another town overnight. Paul Chapman reports

King of Jordan Announces Elected Governments

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: King Abdullah of Jordan last night became the first Middle Eastern leader to hand over substantial power voluntarily since the start of the 'Arab Spring' as he announced the country would move to constitutional, elected government.

In a televised address, the king, who has faced repeated demonstrations this year but no uprising on the scale of those in Tunisia, Egypt or Syria, said that future governments would be "based on parliamentary majority and political party manifestos".

The king's move will be welcomed by his backers in the West, who have privately urged him to remain in step with public opinion and increase the pace of reform in the country. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Egypt's Military Clamp Down on Bloggers
Egypt's Ministry of Justice has suspended the investigation of two judges for speaking out against the country's military in an apparent victory for free speech activists.

But in recent weeks, journalists and bloggers have been increasingly questioned by the military for their criticism of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from Cairo.

Le pape plaide pour l'intégration des Roms

lePARISIEN.fr: «Dans l'Eglise, vous n'êtes pas à la marge, mais, sous certains aspects, vous êtes en son centre, en son cœur», a lancé samedi Benoît XVI à quelque 2 000 Roms réunis au Vatican. Le pape a invité l'Europe à empêcher que les peuples roms ne soient encore l'objet de «vexations», de «refus» et de «mépris» en rappelant l'extermination «barbare» et «trop peu reconnue» des gens du voyage sous le nazisme, au cours d'une rencontre historique.

Venus pour les deux tiers venus d'Italie, Roms et Tziganes étaient à Rome pour célébrer le 150e anniversaire de la naissance et le 75e anniversaire du «martyre» pendant la guerre civile espagnole du Tzigane Zeffirino Gimenez Malla, béatifié en 1997 par Jean Paul II. A cette occasion, le pape a eu l'idée de cette rencontre.

«Vous êtes un peuple, qui, dans les siècles passés, n'a pas vécu d'idéologies nationalistes, n'a pas aspiré à posséder une terre et à dominer d'autres gens. Vous êtes restés sans patrie et avez considéré idéalement le continent entier comme votre maison», a dit le souverain pontife.

«L'Europe, qui abaisse ses frontières et considère comme richesse la diversité des peuples et des cultures, vous offre de nouvelles possibilités», a-t-il plaidé. Pour une bonne intégration, une «collaboration effective et loyale» est nécessaire, afin que «vos familles s'insèrent dignement dans le tissu civil européen». Il leur a recommandé de «rechercher toujours la justice, la légalité» et a insisté sur le désir des jeunes Roms d'être scolarisés tôt. » | Samedi 11 Juin 2011

La France condamne fermement la répression brutale en Syrie
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - La France a condamné fermement dimanche la poursuite "de plus en plus brutale de la répression en Syrie", y compris avec l'utilisation d'armes lourdes comme à Djisr al Choughour.

"Cette situation inacceptable, qui alourdit encore le bilan des victimes civiles en Syrie, crée une menace pour la stabilité régionale. Elle doit cesser", a déclaré Bernard Valero, porte-parole du ministère des Affaires étrangères. » | Gérard Bon, édité par Pierre Sérisier | Dimanche 12 Juin 2011

Democrats Urge Weiner to Resign, New Photos Emerge
REUTERS: New lewd photos emerged of Representative Anthony Weiner on Sunday as Democratic party leaders renewed calls for him to resign over an Internet sex scandal that prompted him to seek a leave and treatment.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said party leaders including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi decided to make a coordinated push for Weiner to step down once it was clear he did not intend to do so.

"At the end of the day a member of Congress makes their own decision and that's certainly going to be up to Anthony Weiner," Wasserman Schultz said on NBC's "Meet the Press".

"But we have made clear that he needs to resign, he needs to focus on getting his own personal issues in order, focus on his family and do the right thing for his constituents." » | Deborah Charles | WASHINGTON | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Rep. Weiner Seeks Treatment; Leave of Absence
June 11 - U.S. lawmaker Weiner seeks treatment and leave of absence after sex scandal. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

Sternstunde Religion vom 12.06.2011

Syrien: Armee rückt in nordsyrische Stadt ein
Die grosse Offensive gegen Regierungskritiker im Norden Syriens geht weiter. Das staatliche syrische Fernsehen bestätigt, dass die Armee mit tausenden Soldaten in die Stadt Dschisr al-Schugur eingerückt sei

Türkei – Wahl: Einschätzungen von SFR-Korrespondent Werner Van Gent
Die Türkei hat ein neues Parlament gewählt. Erste Wahlresultate bestätigen den erwarteten Sieg der islamisch-konservativen Partei AKP von Ministerpräsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Nach Auszählung von 90 Prozent der Stimmen gewinnt sie 50,7 Prozent und 326 von 550 Parlamentssitzen

Sabbatical ab Sommer: Guttenberg will Deutschland verlassen

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Nach seinem tiefen Sturz wegen der Plagiatsaffäre wird Ex-Bundes-verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg aktiv. Laut SPIEGEL-Informationen bereitet er einen mehrjährigen Auslands-aufenthalt vor, um seine Karriere zu über-denken - losgehen soll es schon diesen Sommer.

Nicht zu hören, nicht zu sehen: Seit seinem Rücktritt als Bundesverteidigungsminister am 1. März hat sich Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg völlig aus der Öffentlichkeit zurückgezogen. Seine weiteren politischen Ämter gab er in Schriftform auf, nur seine Frau Stephanie trat bei der Präsentation eines neuen Buches über Kindesmissbrauch kurz öffentlich auf. Selbst als die Universität Bayreuth harsch mit ihm und den Plagiaten in seiner Doktorarbeit abrechnete, äußerte sich Guttenberg nicht.

Er hat allen Grund zur Vorsicht: In Deutschland läuft gegen die einstige große Politikhoffnung der CSU noch immer ein Ermittlungsverfahren wegen nicht gewerbsmäßiger Urheberrechtsverletzung aufgrund der vielen nicht gekennzeichneten Zitate in seiner Promotionsschrift. Nun erfuhr der SPIEGEL, dass Guttenberg noch dieses Jahr mit seiner Familie dauerhaft ins Ausland ziehen möchte. Mindestens zwei Jahre solle diese Auszeit dauern, kündigte der Ex-Minister gegenüber mehreren Vertrauten an und schloss für die Zeit danach eine Rückkehr in die Politik nicht aus. In Gesprächen und E-Mails sprach Guttenberg von einem "Sabbatical" nach seinem Rückzug aus der Bundespolitik. » | Von Matthias Gebauer und Gregor Peter Schmitz, Berlin und Washington | Freitag 10. Juni 2011

Saudi Arabia Orders Men Out of Women’s Clothing
THE MEDIA LINE: New rules say only females can sell women’s apparel

For Fatma Qaroub, a 28-year-old personal trainer from the Saudi commercial capital of Jedda, buying lingerie has been an embarrassing affair. Every time she went shopping, she would encounter male vendors who would ask her about her measurements, her preferred style and whether she was married or single.

Qaroub was fed-up. So she started a Facebook page titled "Enough embarrassment," which quickly garnered 11,000 supporters. Other women initiated campaigns to boycott Saudi women’s clothing shops that employed men only.

It seems that the pressure has finally borne fruit. King Abdullah issued a list of decrees pertaining to employment in the kingdom a week ago. Among them, an order to "feminize" women's clothing shops in Saudi Arabia within the month. Males employees are out and, because the sexes are forbidden to mix at the workplace, they will be replaced by women.

"This is a very important decision for women," Qaroub told The Media Line. "Female unemployment was the main reason for my campaign, but also the unnecessary shame women face."

An-ultra conservative kingdom governed by the orthodox Wahhabi stream of Sunni Islam, Saudi Arabia imposes strict gender segregation in the public sphere. But the kingdom is also under pressure to create jobs for Saudis, especially for women who are increasingly educated and demanding opportunities outside their traditional place in the home. » | David E. Miller | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Syrien: Syrische Panzer stürmen Dschisr al-Schogur

ZEIT ONLINE: Assads Soldaten haben Dschisr al-Schogur besetzt und sollen wahllos Menschen erschossen haben. Der UN-Sicherheitsrat kann sich trotzdem nicht auf eine Resolution einigen.

Nach einwöchiger Belagerung haben syrische Armeeeinheiten mit Panzern und Hubschraubern die eingekesselte Stadt Dschisr al-Schogur gestürmt, zuvor hatten sie den Ort stundenlang bombardiert. Die Stadt gilt als ein Brennpunkt der Proteste gegen den syrischen Präsidenten Baschar al-Assad und war seit Tagen von der Armee eingekesselt. Soldaten hätten mit Maschinengewehren um sich geschossen, dabei seien Zivilisten und Flüchtlinge getötet worden, sagten Augenzeugen.

Das staatliche Fernsehen in Syrien berichtete, beim Einrücken in Dschisr al-Schogur seien zwei Angehörige "bewaffneter Gruppen" getötet und zahlreiche weitere festgenommen worden. Oppositionelle dagegen sprachen von sehr viel mehr Toten und Verletzten und davon, dass rund 200 Panzer an dem Angriff beteiligt waren. » | Zeit Online, Reuters, AFP | Sonntag 12. Juni 2011

Liliane Bettencourt confie: ma fille est «un peu dérangée»
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: BISBILLES ENTRE MILLIARDAIRES | Liliane Bettencourt estime, dans un entretien au "Journal du Dimanche", que sa fille Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers est quelqu’un d’"un peu dérangé".

C'est une déclaration pour le moins cassante que livre dimanche la richissime Liliane Bettencourt dans le Journal Du Dimanche (JDD). Elle estime, dans un entretien à l'hebdomadaire français, que sa fille, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers, est quelqu’un d’"un peu dérangé".

Alors que les hostilités ont repris entre la milliardaire et sa fille, Liliane Bettencourt explique au JDD avoir refusé de la recevoir jeudi dernier car "c’est fatiguant de recevoir quelqu’un qui est psychiquement un peu dérangé".

Elle explique en outre que sa "fille n’est pas heureuse", qu’elle "est très changeante" et qu’elle "aurait besoin de se confier à un psy compte tenu de ses problèmes psy". "C’est peut-être méchant de dire cela, mais si cette jeune personne voyait un psy en qui elle aurait confiance et qui l’inciterait à sortir d’elle-même, peut-être serait-elle plus heureuse", ajoute-t-elle. » | AFP | Dimanche 12 Juin 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: L'Oreal [sic] heiress Liliane Bettencourt brands her daughter 'disturbed': Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress to the L'Oreal [sic] cosmetics empire, has branded her estranged daughter mentally disturbed, as their battle re-erupted over the family billions, entangled in political scandals. » | Sunday, June 12, 2011

A Bahreïn, une poétesse condamnée à un an de prison pour un poème dissident
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Ayat al Kurmouzi a été arrêtée après avoir récité un poème moquant le roi Hamad ben Issa al Khalifa et réclamant son abdication. La justice bahreïnie la condamne à un an de prison.

La justice bahreïnie a condamné dimanche une poétesse chiite de 20 ans à un an de prison pour avoir pris part à des manifestations contre la monarchie sunnite au pouvoir, a-t-on appris auprès d’un proche.

Ayat al Kurmouzi a été arrêtée après avoir récité un poème moquant le roi Hamad ben Issa al Khalifa et réclamant son abdication, durant les manifestations de la majorité chiite qui ont ébranlé le royaume du Golfe en février et mars derniers. » | AFP | Dimanche 12 Juin 2011

One on One - Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi
The ruler of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates offers an insight into the experiences that shaped him for rule

Jacques Chirac Will Not Vote for Nicolas Sarkozy

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Jacques Chirac stuck the knife into his successor Nicolas Sarkozy, by quipping he would vote for the prospective Socialist candidate François Hollande over his fellow conservative in next year's elections.

Mr Chirac, 78, has broken his self-imposed silence on the French president, who succeeded him in June 2007, twice in the past week.

Mr Chirac branded his onetime protégé "nervous", "impetuous" and untrustworthy in his memoirs, saying he did not share the same "vision of France" as Mr Sarkozy, widely expected to run for a second term.

He meanwhile heaped praise on Mr Hollande, currently frontrunner in a contest to obtain the Socialist Party's backing for the election next April, saying he had the stuff of a true "statesman".

Mr Chirac made his latest outburst while alongside Mr Hollande during a tour of the museum housing his many presidential gifts in the south-central Corrèze region of France.

Both men have their electoral roots in the region, where Mr Hollande is currently MP. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Muslims Call for Action against Hate Crimes

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Islamophobic attacks have been on the rise, with an increase in assaults, vandalised mosques and desecrated graves

Britain's largest mainstream Muslim organisation will today call for "robust action" to combat Islamophobic attacks amid fears of growing violence and under-reporting of hate crimes.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) will challenge the "ethnic profiling" of members of its community, claiming that minorities are 42 times more likely to be targeted under the Terrorism Act.

MCB secretary-general Farooq Murad will tell the council's AGM in Birmingham that there must be more monitoring of anti-Muslim crimes in response to incidents including violent assaults, death threats and the desecration of graves. He will also complain that not enough is being done to encourage communities to report crimes to the police.

The calls, supported by leading academics, a counter-terrorist think-tank and Muslim groups, come as the Metropolitan Police confirmed a total of 762 Islamophobic offences in London since April 2009, including 333 in 2010/11 and 57 since this April. A spokesman said the Met was aware of "significant" under-reporting of hate crime, and acknowledged "missed opportunities" to keep victims safe.

Despite rising concerns about the impact of hate crime on all communities, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said that data on such offences are not collated centrally as this would be an "overly bureaucratic process for local forces". Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris, who leads the police on hate crime, was unavailable for comment.

In his speech, Mr Murad is expected to warn that attacks are increasing. "Islamophobic attacks, on persons and properties, are committed by a tiny minority, but the number of incidents is increasing. Robust action is necessary and this means we must have a systematic manner of recording, monitoring and analysing such attacks. Only a small number of police forces record anti-Muslim hate crimes." » | Andrew McCorkell | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Spies in Schools to Hunt Fanatics

THE SUNDAY EXPRESS: EXPERTS in Islamic extremism have been drafted in by Education Secretary Michael Gove to identify dangerous radicals in schools.

The counter-intelligence advisers, who worked for many years at the Home Office, have the most detailed knowledge of terror networks around the globe and their affiliates in the UK. They will work with a new Government unit to prevent extremism and will hunt down Muslim radicals hijacking learning and grooming school pupils from primary level onwards to create the terrorists of the future.

Intelligence sources have become aware that extremists are increasingly using schools and after-school clubs to brainwash children against the West.

Mr Gove said: “The due diligence unit will monitor applications for new schools and arrangements in existing schools so there’s no risk of extremism taking hold.

“We want to help local authorities and others deal either with governors trying to hijack a school or extremists setting up free schools. Whether it’s religious extremism or political extremism, that power will be there.” » | Hilary Douglas | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sarah Palin Snub by Margaret Thatcher Aides Infuriates US Rightwing

THE GUARDIAN: Rush Limbaugh joins supporters accusing Thatcher's circle of disgracing former PM with 'Palin is nuts' comment

A firestorm on the US right has erupted after the Guardian reported thatSarah Palin will be denied a meeting with Lady Thatcher on the grounds that it would be "belittling" for her to meet the darling of the Tea Party movement.

Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio host, devoted the opening section of his radio show to denouncing the "preposterous" Guardian report, as Palin supporters accused Thatcher's circle of disgracing the former prime minister.

The US conservative right reacted furiously after the Guardian reported that Thatcher's aides had decided it would be inappropriate for her to meet Palin, who is planning to visit London next month en route to Sudan. Palin has been touring US historical sites (an excursion that saw her slip up this week on the subject of Paul Revere, the American patriot who made a famous "midnight ride" to warn of approaching British forces).

One Thatcher ally told the Guardian: "Lady Thatcher will not be seeing Sarah Palin. That would be belittling for Margaret. Sarah Palin is nuts." » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Thursday, June 09, 2011

Syrian from Jisr al-Shughur Talks to Al Jazeera
A resident of the northern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughur gives his account of events there as the military launches operations in the area and thousands flee to Turkey

Bahrain Police Tear Gas Unarmed Protesters
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Video purported to show Bahrain security forces firing tear gas at unarmed civilians has been posted online.


Read the short article here

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Campaign for Dismantling of Israel

Knocking on Bilderberg’s Closed Doors

Suvretta House, St. Moritz, Switzerland » [D]

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'Muslims Won't Win Against the West'
Immigration tensions are rising in Germany following Chancellor Angela Merkel's statement that multiculturalism has failed in the country. Udo Ulfkotte, a noted German journalist and author, known for his severe criticism of Islam, shared with RT his view on what is behind the integration dispute and where it may lead. "What I believe is there is a place for Muslim in this world and for their culture, they have a place to live in," Ulfkotte told RT. "And there is a place for European and Western culture to live in. What I don't believe is they will live peacefully together. We have a clash not only of civilizations and religions, we have a clash of ideologies, like we had a clash between communism and capitalism. Now we have a clash because Islam is also an ideology. I believe that Islam is not going to win a battle."

Listening Post - Pakistan: The Most Dangerous Place to Report From
On Listening Post this week: Another journalist is murdered in Pakistan and the primary suspect is not an extremist group. It is the security forces. And sexism on Italian TV

London's Rich Sell as Foreign Money Pours In

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain's rich and famous are moving out of central London's most up-market districts and being replaced by wealthy overseas buyers, according to new research.

Savills, the estate agent, says £3.7bn of foreign money is pouring into the prime London housing market every year and especially into areas such as Mayfair, Kensington, Notting Hill and Chelsea.

The demand is leading to UK owners selling their homes and moving to outer London, creating a "champagne tower effect" with the distribution of wealth in the capital.

Savills' report, called World in London and published on Friday, says British sellers of homes in central London have outnumbered British buyers by 30pc this year, compared with 5pc in 2008. Meanwhile, foreign buyers have outnumbered foreign sellers by 58pc in 2011, up from 23pc in 2008.

The market is being boosted by the weakness of sterling and the perception of London as a safe haven amid political and economic uncertainty.

Yolande Barnes, head of residential research at Savills, said: "We anticipate that London will continue to attract overseas buyers in the foreseeable future, especially with the eyes of the world on the London Olympics next year. "The diversity of economies from which these buyers originate and of their motivations for purchase, mean that there will nearly always be an overseas market for London property for as long as London remains a major global city." » | Graham Ruddick | Saturday, June 11, 2011

My comment;

Successive British governments have been absolutely stupid to allow this to happen. This is the United Kingdom; London is our capital. Therefore, the indigenous population should be able to buy a home in these prime locations if they have the means. But by allowing all these super-rich oligarchs—many of whom are rich through ill-gotten gains—to come to London to buy upscale properties means that British people cannot compete. And this in our capital where so many British people need to live to conduct their affairs.

Why are our politicians so stupid? Why are they so craven? Why do they go weak at the knees as soon as billions are mentioned, losing all rational thought?

I have lived in Switzerland, and I know how that superior political system works. I can tell you this: The Swiss look after their own, first and foremost. Rich foreigners are welcome to buy property in Switzerland, but only in certain designated areas. All properties are not open to foreign ownership. In particular, in cities such as Zürich, where commerce is of great importance, and Swiss people have to be able to afford to live within commutable distance of their places of work, foreigners are generally disallowed from purchasing homes at all.

Why are the Swiss so sensible and considerate of their people's needs, whereas our politicians, regardless of the hue of the party, are so greedy, inconsiderate, and idiotic? – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Inside Story - Does Turkey Need a New Constitution?
On Sunday, Turkey will go to the polls to elect a new parliament and government. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, is expected to win and continue its rule for a third consecutive term - a first in Turkey's history. But this election is less about who is going to win and more about whether the party that does win, will secure a big enough majority to amend the constitution. The AKP needs between 330 to 367 seats in the National Assembly. If the party does secure the super majority, it will not need the support of any other party to approve the new constitution. But why does Turkey need a new constitution? And can the governing party obtain the majority required to allow it to unilaterally write it? Inside Story discusses.

US Calls on Syria to End 'Outrageous' Violence

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The United States has toughened its stance on Syria, calling for an "immediate end to brutality and violence" and warning President Bashar al-Assad he is leading his nation on a "dangerous path."

White House spokesman Jay Carney issued a statement after Syrian forces killed at least 25 people in nationwide democracy protests and helicopters, tanks and troops opened fire on protesters in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour.

"The United States strongly condemns the Syrian government's outrageous use of violence across Syria today and particularly in the northwestern region," he said.

"There must be an immediate end to the brutality and violence."

The statement contained a clear sign of Washington's growing impatience over Syria after top officials had repeatedly called for Assad to embrace reform or get out of the way – but stopped short of demanding his departure.

"Earlier this week, we urged the Syrian government to exercise maximum restraint and not to respond to its own reported losses through additional civilian casualties," Mr Carney added. "The Syrian government is leading Syria on a dangerous path. » | Alastair Jamieson | Saturday, June 11, 2011

Mikhail Khodorkovsy 'To Be Moved to Undisclosed Prison'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Mikhail Khodorkovsy, the former head of the Yukos oil company, is to be moved from a Moscow jail to an undisclosed prison colony, his lawyers have said.

Authorities at Moscow’s Matrosskaya Tishina prison informed the jailed oligarch’s wife of the forthcoming transfer yesterday morning, Vadim Klyugvant told Russian media.

Neither Khodorkovsky’s wife nor his lawyers have been able to seen [sic] him, even though prisoners are entitled to a family visit before being transferred, Mr Klyugvant said.

“Right now the spouse intends to exercise this right,” he told the Interfax news agency. » | Roland Oliphant, Moscow | Friday, June 10, 2011

Syria: Eyewitness Account of Violence in Jisr al-Shughour

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Syrian helicopters, tanks and troops opened fire on protesters in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour. Here one resident, Hassan, tells his story.

The situation is very difficult. They came and started to destroy our houses - all the houses where we were living are destroyed. They used tanks.

We are now at the Turkish border, in the mountains, near the border town of Güvecci. There are 3,000 families on the border now.

We, our children and families, we are all together. I am 20 years old and I have three children.

If they attack here, we will cross the border. They are in the city (Jisr al-Shughour) now, and they didn’t come after us.

We don’t have milk for the babies. From the Turkish jandarma (gendarmerie, the Turkish forces guarding the border) we will get milk. Everybody is sick, there is no milk for the babies.

Trouble started a long time ago, but today is the worst. » | As told to Piotr Zalewski, Antakya | Saturday, June 11, 2011

Christian Sacked after Abortion Leaflet Row

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Christian mental health worker has been sacked after passing colleagues a booklet warning of the physical and psychological damage some women suffer after an abortion.

Margaret Forrester discussed the booklet with family planning staff at the health centre where she worked because she felt that the NHS was failing to give patients information about the risks and other options to terminating a pregnancy.

But after a six-month disciplinary process, during which Ms Forrester had to fight her own case and became ill, she was found guilty of “gross professional misconduct” and fired.

She has spoken out over the “scandal” of the pro-abortion culture in the medical profession and claimed that Christians were “an easy target” for “politically correct” bureaucrats in the NHS.

“The NHS has a pro-abortion stance which comes from a secular religion. It is a belief system which is aggressively anti-Christian,” she said. » | Tim Ross, Religious Affairs Editor | Friday, June 10, 2011

New York Maids Demand to Be Heard as They Dish the Dirt on Hotel Life

THE GUARDIAN: The Dominique Strauss-Kahn case casts a spotlight on workers who face abuse, lechery and filth

The life of a hotel maid is not an easy one, with naked men flaunting their wares, verbal abuse, lecherous suggestions and personal hygiene standards that would shame a chimp. But thanks to Dominique Strauss-Kahn, things may be about to improve.

There are more than 10,000 hotel maids – or room attendants as they prefer to be called – in New York City. An invisible army of cleaners working for $24 (£15) an hour (if they have a union job), they rarely hit the headlines.

But their work was thrust into the spotlight after the alleged attack by theformer head of the International Monetary Fund on one of their number in room 2806 of the Times Square Sofitel last month.

Politicians are calling for security checks, more cases of abuse are coming out into the open and the voices of the maids themselves are being heard.

This week, as Strauss-Kahn, hand in hand with his millionaire wife, made his way to court to plead not guilty to the charges against him, a group of maids chanted "shame, shame" to make the news around the world.

They intend to be there again when the trial begins but, in the meantime, they hope their employers and customers are learning something about what it means to be a maid in Manhattan. » | Dominic Rushe in New York | Friday, June 10, 2011

Prinz Philip – ein Leben im Schatten der Queen
Er ist der Mann an der Seite der Königin von England. Doch meist steht der Gatte der Queen einige Schritte hinter dem Staatsoberhaupt des Vereinigten Königreiches. Heute feierte Prinz Philip seinen 85. Geburtstag [vor 5 Jahren]. Ein Porträt

Prinz Philip und sein 90. Geburtstag
Er gilt als einer der grössten Charmeure des europäischen Hochadels und ist bekannt für seinen bissigen Humor. Prinz Philip, Ehemann der Queen, wird am Freitag 90 Jahre alt. Seinen Job als Prinzgemahl macht er seit fast 60 Jahren


Dieses Video ist zum Teil in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch).

Syria Unrest: Renewed Clashed ‘Leave 28 Dead’
BBC: At least 28 people have been killed in fresh clashes in Syria between security forces and protesters, activists say.

They say tanks and helicopter gunships opened fire on crowds in the northern town of Maarat al-Numan, leaving several protesters dead.

The violence came as government forces moved on the nearby town of Jisr al-Shughour where the government said 120 security personnel had been killed.

Hundreds of civilians have fled north into Turkey to escape the assault.

Opposition activists told the BBC that the army was adopting a "scorched earth policy" around Jisr al-Shughour, with helicopter gunships and tanks firing into the town as advancing troops bulldozed homes and torched crops and fields.

The Syrian government has not commented on the claim.

Anti-government activists said about 15 people died in the northern province of Idlib, most of them in in Maarat al-Numan where tanks and helicopters fired on protesters.

Correspondents say it is the first reported use of air power to quell protests in Syria's three-month uprising. (+video) » | Friday, June 10, 2011

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Arabische Revolten: Syrien feuert in Grenzstadt auf Demonstranten
ZEIT ONLINE: Das Regime demonstriert Stärke: An der Grenze zur Türkei schoss syrisches Militär auf Wehrlose. Landesweit trotzten Zehntausende Demonstranten dem Druck der Regierung.

Die syrische Armee ist in der Stadt Dschisrasch Schugur, an der Grenze zur Türkei, mit Gewalt gegen Regimegegner vorgegangen. Laut Augenzeugen fuhren Dutzende Militärfahrzeuge durch umliegende Dörfer und schossen auf Demonstranten. Dabei sei ein Mann getötet worden, der sich dem Konvoi in den Weg gestellt habe.

Der Einsatz in der Stadt ziele darauf ab, "bewaffnete Banden" festzunehmen und sei "auf Wunsch der Bevölkerung" begonnen worden, berichtete das Fernsehen. Die Bewohner der Stadt befürchteten seit Tagen eine Vergeltungsaktion der Armee, nachdem vor einer Woche angeblich 120 Polizisten durch Rebellen ermordet worden waren. Aktivisten und Oppositionelle hatten das zurückgewiesen und gesagt, es habe eine Meuterei bei der Polizei gegeben, weil Sicherheitskräfte nicht auf Demonstranten hätten schießen wollen.

Eindeutige Informationen aus dem Land sind kaum zu bekommen, die wesentlichsten Quellen sind Augenzeugen, online veröffentlichte Videos wie eine nicht verifizierte Aufnahme von Misshandlungen oder Vertreter von Menschenrechtsgruppen. Für ausländische Journalisten ist das Land offiziell gesperrt. » | ZEIT ONLINE, dpa, AFP, Reuters | Freitag 10. Juni 2011

Syrians Rejoice Regime-end Rumour
Syrians in a refugee camp on the Syria-Turkey border celebrated, after a rumour circulated that President Bashar al-Assad had stepped down.

People waved and gathered in a victory lap around the camp, before finding out the rumour was false.

Turkey has since covered the fence seperating the two countries with blue plastic sheets to block visibility of the goings-on in the camp.

Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Yayladagi, in Turkey - on the perimeter of the Syrian refugee camp.

En Irak, Tarek Aziz demande au pouvoir son exécution

LE FIGARO: Condamné à être pendu, l'ancien ministre de Saddam Hussein, très affaibli, ne veut pas mourir en prison.

Âgé de 75 ans, l'ancien ministre des Affaires étrangères de Saddam Hussein souhaite que le gouvernement irakien mette fin à son calvaire. «Mon père ne peut plus bouger ni parler et éprouve de sérieuses difficultés à s'alimenter», explique Ziad, le fils de Tarek Aziz, joint par téléphone à Amman. La famille, qui fait part de ses préoccupations, s'indigne du silence des autorités irakiennes. «Il y a deux semaines, ma mère et ma sœur sont venues à Bagdad pour lui rendre visite, sans succès. Le vice-ministre de la Justice ne répond d'ailleurs plus à nos appels téléphoniques», poursuit l'homme à la voix inquiète.

Plus de trois mois après la confirmation en appel de la peine de mort par pendaison, l'ancien chef de la diplomatie irakienne lance une supplique à la hauteur de son désespoir. L'homme dont l'état de santé se serait sérieusement dégradé ces dernières semaines demande désormais son exécution immédiate, ou sa libération afin d'avoir accès aux soins nécessaires. Une requête maintes fois présentée par les proches de Tarek Aziz. Victime de deux crises cardiaques l'année dernière, il a fait part de son refus de mourir en prison. La demande a cependant toujours été rejetée par le gouvernement chiite de Nouri al-Maliki, bien décidé à effacer toute trace du régime dictatorial. » | Par Fatma Kizilboga | Jeudi 09 Juin 2011

Queen Makes Duke of Edinburgh Head of the Navy as 90th Birthday Gift
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Queen sprang a 90th birthday surprise on the Duke of Edinburgh yesterday by making him Lord High Admiral, the titular head of the Royal Navy.

Her Majesty has held the title herself since a re-organisation of the Navy in 1964, but decided to bestow it on her husband as a gift to mark his landmark birthday and to show her gratitude for his unstinting support during 59 years as her consort.

A royal insider said the Duke was “really, really touched” by the honour, which the Queen told him about during a private birthday lunch for two at Buckingham Palace.

“The Duke’s great passion in life was the Royal Navy,” said the insider, “so this it’s just the most amazing gift for the Queen to have given him. It was a complete surprise and he only found out about it when the Queen told him during their lunch.”

The title is a particularly fitting gift for the Duke, who served with the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets during the Second World War, and will be seen as a recognition by the Queen of the sacrifice her husband made by giving up his Naval career to be her full-time consort when she became monarch in 1952. » | Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Friday, June 10, 2011

Prince Philip Gets Honorary Appointment to Top of Canadian Forces
VANCOUVER SUN: OTTAWA — To commemorate Prince Philip's 90th birthday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday that the Duke of Edinburgh had been appointed to the top ranks of the Canadian Forces.

Prince Philip was appointed as an honorary admiral and general, marking the first time the high ranks have been granted on an honorary basis.

"I am delighted that His Royal Highness has accepted this honour from Canada in recognition of his significant contribution to our national life," Harper said in a statement. "His unwavering support of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and his commitment to the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as to many other fields of endeavour in this country, are worthy of our highest recognition and deepest gratitude."

With the most recent appointments, Prince Philip becomes an admiral in maritime command and a general in land forces and air command. He is allowed to wear the ranks on all three uniforms of the Canadian Forces. » | POSTMEDIA NEWS | Friday, June 10, 2011

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