Thursday, October 27, 2011
Madrid/Tunis. Nett, gut erzogen, freundlich lächelnd. Der Sieger der ersten freien Wahl in Tunesien nach der Revolution entspricht nicht unbedingt dem finsteren Bild, das viele Europäer von einem Islamistenführer haben. Mit staatsmännischer Gelassenheit winkt Rachid Ghannouchi, Chef der islamischen Bewegung Ennahda (Wiedergeburt), vor seinem Hauptquartier in der Hauptstadt Tunis dem jubelnden Volk zu.
Auch seine Reden klingen nicht radikal, sondern sind durchsetzt mit Bekenntnissen zu Demokratie und Reformen. „Mein Traum ist es, Tunesien in ein Modell zu verwandeln, in dem Islam und Modernität zusammenspielen“, sagt der 70-jährige Geistliche und Philosophielehrer, Sohn eines Imams. „Wir leben nicht abgeschnitten von unserer Umwelt.“ Die Grundsätze der Demokratie „werden von Ennahda respektiert“. Auch wenn „islamische Werte“ der Politik als „Orientierungspunkte“ dienen sollen.
„Unsere Religion wird immer wieder als antidemokratisch bezeichnet, mit Gewalt und Terrorismus gleichgesetzt. Wir werden als Feinde der Kunst, der Schönheit, der Frauenrechte bezeichnet. Das ist falsch“, empört sich Ghannouchi. Es werde in Tunesien auch „keinen Kopftuchzwang“ oder sonstige Kleidungsvorschriften geben. „Wir sind gegen den Extremismus.“ » | Ralph Schulze | Mittwoch 26. Oktober 2011
Rod Tinson, whose Halloween play was due to be staged at Pendennis Castle in Falmouth, has accused English Heritage of trying to create a "Disneyfied" version of history by insisting on changes to his script.
The play featured scenes from different periods in the Tudor castle's history, including its role during the Second World War as a key coastal defence against German invasion of Britain.
Mr Tinson says the quango asked him to tone down parts of the script, including a young Jewish character expressing fears about his family in occupied Poland, over concerns that visitors would be "offended" by the material.
The playwright cancelled the play after refusing to make the requested changes. He said he could not understand why his script would be deemed offensive.
"They said it was inappropriate for an English Heritage audience. What version of history are they trying to illustrate at this place?" Mr Tinson added. Read on and comment » | Sarah Rainey | Thursday, October 27, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cripes, you could be talking balderdash and a growing number of people won’t know what you are talking about.
Such words are dying out because of the popularity of shortened text message-style terms, a survey suggests.
Researchers found a significant decrease in the use of words which our parents and grandparents would have uttered on an almost daily basis.
Bally, laggard, rambunctious, verily, felicitations and spiffing were among other words they claimed would confuse the text generation.
Researchers questioned 2,000 adults to mark the launch of Planet Word, a book which tells the story of language from the earliest grunts to Twitter and beyond. Read on and comment » | Thursday, October 27, 2011
My comment:
Good grammar is dying out along with the old words. How many people know the difference between 'who' and 'whom'? How many people know the difference between 'I' and 'me'? Moreover, how often do we hear people saying 'less' when the should be saying 'fewer'? The general standard of language today is saddening, sometimes even alarming. Added to this, to the young, adjectives often just mean swear words! – © Mark
This comment appears here too.
Sawiris says his new political party, the Free Egyptians, is backing the demonstration, although he won’t be attending, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in its December issue.
“I would love to go, but the problem is, my life is threatened,” he says.
The death threats started in late June after Sawiris, 57, posted an image on his Twitter account of Mickey Mouse in a beard and Minnie Mouse in a niqab, or full veil. The cartoon, sent to him by a Muslim friend after circulating in the blogosphere, was titled “Mickey and Minnie after …” -- meaning after Egypt’s November parliamentary elections, in which a September poll suggested Islamist parties would win the biggest share of the vote.
Sawiris thought it was funny. Muslims accused him of mocking their religion.
Sawiris, the founder of Orascom Telecom Holding SAE, apologized to his 139,000 Twitter followers, saying he meant no disrespect. That wasn’t enough to prevent a boycott of mobile phone company MobiNil, a joint venture between Orascom and France Telecom SA, which lost 800,000 subscribers in the months following the tweet. » | Stephanie Baker and Mahmoud Kassem | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
THE CHRISTIAN POST: Iran Pushes Islamic Literature Onto Christian Prisoners to Bring Further Charges Against Them
Iran’s court system is tightening its hold on Christian prisoners, pushing Islamic religious literature on them and transferring some to higher security prisons in an attempt to quell Christianity in the Middle Eastern country.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been informed that during Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s stay in prison, officials provided him with religious Islamic literature “allegedly as part of an official campaign to convert Christian prisoners.”
Nadarkhani has been in an Iranian prison since Oct. 2009, awaiting a verdict on charges of apostasy and evangelizing Muslims.
According to Dr. Khataza Gondwe, Team Leader for Africa and Middle East at CSW, Christian prisoners who receive such literature have been advised to practice caution when responding to official interrogation pertaining to it.
Gondwe told The Christian Post that if prisoners read the literature and respond when interrogated, it must be “done very carefully because [the prisoners] may be open to further charges,” including blasphemy against Islam. » | Katherine Weber | Christian Post Contributor | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
THE TRIPOLI POST: A senior National Transitional Council military official, has said that the second son of the former Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, 39-year-old Seif al-Islam, wants to turn himself in to the Hague war crimes court.
It seems that Seif, his father's heir apparent, who is reportedly travelling with his relative, former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, is fearing for his life after the capture of his father and his brother Muatassim that led to their death. Instead, fearing he might not be able to find a safe haven across an African border, sees a jail cell in a Dutch jail as his best option.
Both Libyans are indicted by the International Criminal Court, ICC, for crimes against humanity after their crackdown on the popular revolt the began mid-February. The NTC official, Abdel Majid Mlegta, is reported telling Reuters:“They are proposing a way to hand themselves over to The Hague,” [sic] » | Thursday, October 27, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bangkok residents fled the capital on Thursday after authorities called an emergency five-day holiday and urged people in flood-prone parts of the city to leave to avoid a massive deluge.
Flood waters were already seeping into central parts of Bangkok in the morning, with waters entering the Grand Palace, near the Chao Phraya river.
After days of preparing for the onslaught of water, many citizens abandoned their homes on Wednesday night and Thursday morning and were heading to safety in other areas, especially southern beach towns of Hua Hin, Phuket and Pattaya.
"We have learned that all of these destinations are packed with Thais who have moved from Bangkok," said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy chief Sansern Ngaorungsi.
He said domestic flights from the country's main air hub, Suvarnabhumi – which is still operating as normal – were also "very, very packed".
Televised footage showed crowded bus terminals in the capital as people sought to escape, while officials said Bangkok's main train station was also filling up and roads north and east out of the city were choked. » | Thursday, October 27, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Five people have been killed and another six are missing after storms and torrential rain caused extensive floods in northern Italy.
The worst affected region was Liguria, with at least two of the five World Heritage-listed 'Cinque Terre' coastal villages cut off as a result of roads being washed away.
The walking trails and picturesque fishing villages of the Cinque Terre attract hundreds of thousands of international tourists, but two of them – Vernazza and Monterosso – were severely affected as rivers of mud poured down from the hills behind them.
The mayor of Monterosso said the fishing village had all but been wiped out.
"Monterosso no longer exists," Angelo Betta told an Italian news agency.
Huge amounts of mud had swept through the tiny settlement, causing an "unimaginable disaster". » | Nick Squires, Rome | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah al-Senussi had concluded they were safer handing themselves in rather than remaining on the run in Libya, or trying to hide in a neighbouring country.
The Hague-based court issued arrest warrants for the two men and Col Gaddafi in June for their role in the bloody attempted suppression of the February 17 revolution.
A spokesman for the court said he had no information on any proposed deal or negotiations, however.
Diplomatic sources also said they had no information to suggest the claims were true.
"They are proposing a way to hand themselves over to The Hague," said Abdel Majid Mlegta, a senior military commander with the National Transitional Council (NTC). "They feel that it is not safe for them to stay where they are or to go anywhere." » | Ben Farmer, Tripoli | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The punch-up exposed the deep rifts within Italy over efforts to stimulate growth and tackle the country's €1.8 trillion (£1.56 trillion) public debt, as Silvio Berlusconi prepared to face a crucial European Union summit in Brussels.
The brawl broke out over sarcastic remarks made on television by Gianfranco Fini, the leader of the opposition Future and Liberty of Italy party, about the wife of Umberto Bossi, the leader of the devolutionist Northern League, whose support is crucial to the prime minister's political survival.
Mr Bossi has objected to plans to reform Italy's generous pension system, crippling the government's attempts to convince the EU that it is serious about embarking on serious structural reforms to kickstart the moribund economy.
In a television interview, Mr Fini claimed that Mr Bossi's opposition to a pensions overhaul was linked to the fact that his wife had retired on a generous state pension at the age of 39 from her job as a teacher.
Italy's complex and outdated pensions system allows some state employees to retire unusually early. » | Nick Squires in Rome | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Huneish Nasr last saw the boss he served for 30 years standing in the ruins of Sirte looking confused as all hell broke loose around them.
"Everything was exploding," said Nasr, Muammar Gaddafi's personal driver, recalling the moments before the deposed dictator was caught last week. "The revolutionaries were coming for us. He wasn't scared, but he didn't seem to know what to do. It was the only time I ever saw him like that."
Minutes later, euphoric rebels had ended Gaddafi's last stand, over-running the ruined quarter of his birthplace that had served as his final, ignominious refuge.
Nasr said he threw his hands up in surrender as gun-toting rebels approached. He was knocked to the ground with a rifle butt, which blackened his left eye. Gaddafi was being pulled from a drainpipe just before Nasr fell. He caught a final glimpse of his master being swarmed over by rebels. Then blows rained down on them both. » | Martin Chulov in Mosrata | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Qatar admits sending hundreds of troops to support Libya rebels: Qatari chief-of-staff reveals extent of involv[e]ment, saying troops were responsible for training, communications and strategy » | Ian Black in Tripoli | Wednesday, October 26, 2011
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – TIM STANLEY: Richard Dawkins is either a fool or a coward for refusing to debate William Lane Craig » | Tim Stanley | Friday, October 21, 2011
LE MATIN: La Corée du Nord continue de poser de poser une "menace sérieuse" pour la sécurité dans la péninsule coréenne, a estimé mercredi le secrétaire américain à la Défense Leon Panetta à son arrivée en Corée du Sud, au lendemain de pourparlers avec Pyongyang sur le nucléaire.
La Corée du Nord continue de poser une "menace sérieuse" pour la sécurité dans la péninsule coréenne, a estimé mercredi le secrétaire américain à la Défense Leon Panetta à son arrivée en Corée du Sud, au lendemain de pourparlers avec Pyongyang sur le nucléaire.
"La Corée du Nord continue de poser une menace sérieuse (...). Pyongyang continue de défier la communauté internationale alors qu'il développe ses armes nucléaires et ses capacités balistiques", écrit le chef du Pentagone dans une tribune dans le quotidien sud-coréen Chosun Ilbo. » | AFP | mercredi 26 octobre 2011
US-Präsident Barack Obama sieht den gewaltsamen Tod des früheren libyschen Machthabers Muammar al-Gaddafi als Warnung für alle Gewaltherrscher. „Man wünscht natürlich niemandem solch ein Ende, aber es sendet eine klare Botschaft an die Diktatoren rund um den Erdball“, sagte Obama bei einem Auftritt in der Show von Talkshow-Moderator Jay Leno.
Der Arabische Frühling habe Gaddafi eine Chance zu einem demokratischen Wandel gegeben. „Wir haben ihm jede Gelegenheit dazu gegeben, aber er wollte das nicht.“
Obama kritisierte jedoch die Art, wie der tote Diktator öffentlich zur Schau gestellt wurde. „Es gibt einen bestimmten Anstand, mit dem Tote behandelt werden müssen“, sagte er. » | dpa/ks | Mittwoch 26. Oktober 2011
WikiLeaks est sur la paille. Devenu la bête noire de Washington après la diffusion de câbles diplomatiques américains, le site spécialisé dans la divulgation de documents a été contraint lundi de «suspendre» ses activités faute de fonds.
Pour expliquer la mauvaise situation financière du site basé en Islande, son fondateur Julian Assange a pointé du doigt les géants bancaires Bank of America, Visa, MasterCard, Paypal et Western Union. Ceux-ci ont bloqué depuis fin 2010 les donations au site, qui ont chuté drastiquement. Les dons ont plongé de «plus de 100.000 dollars par mois» (72.000 euros), avant la décision de Visa et de MasterCard, à «6000 ou 7000 dollars» actuellement, a affirmé le porte-parole du site. Un «blocus financier arbitraire et illégal» qui «a détruit 95% de nos revenus», a affirmé Julian Assange. » | Par lefigaro.fr | mardi 25 octobre 2011
Amid the flashing of cameras, Sultan's sons and brothers carried his corpse, swathed in a brown shroud, on a bier through a throng of mourners in Riyadh's sprawling Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque for funeral prayers before burial.
The body of Sultan, who died of colon cancer in New York on Saturday, was flown back to Riyadh on Monday, accompanied by his younger brother and Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, who may now play a more prominent role in the conservative Islamic kingdom.
Among the mourners who went forward to greet King Abdullah after the prayer recital was Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, whose country is a regional rival of Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this month Tehran was accused of backing a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, soon after Riyadh had blamed armed protests among its Shi'ite minority on an unnamed foreign power – a coded reference to Iran.
The Royal Court said it would be open to accept condolences for three days from Tuesday. A U.S. delegation headed by Vice President Joe Biden is expected in Riyadh on Thursday. » | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Deputy Prime Minister said that, for as long as his Liberal Democrats were in government, there would be no move towards leaving the EU.
In an intervention described as “very unhelpful” by senior Conservatives, Mr Clegg also forced Downing Street to water down Mr Cameron’s promise to bring back British powers from Brussels.
On Monday, Mr Cameron was rocked by a rebellion of 81 Conservative MPs who demanded a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.
As the Prime Minister tried to calm the row with warm words about the rebels, Mr Clegg offered a string of provocative comments, scorning the demands of the Conservative backbenches.
“Eurosceptics need to be quite careful for what they wish for, because if they succeed – and they won’t succeed, as long as I’m in government – to push this country towards the exit sign, let’s be clear: that [what] will be damaged is British families, British businesses, British jobs,” said Mr Clegg. » | James Kirkup, Deputy Political Editor | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sitting resplendent on a throne-like chair King Michael I, 90, called for politicians to provide greater democracy and to restore the dignity of a country that has struggled to bring wealth and prosperity to all of its people since the overthrow of the despotic regime of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989.
The king had been afforded the rare privilege of addressing both houses of the Romanian parliament in honour of his 90th birthday.
"The time has come after 20 years to ... break for good with the bad habits of the past", said the king. Taking a swipe at the country's present ruling elite, often chided for apparent self-interest and corruption, he added in 2011 "demagogy, selfishness and attempts to cling to power" should not have their place in Romania.
"All united, we have to pursue our efforts in order to become once more respected and dignified", he said in a speech that won a standing ovation and shouts of "Long live the King!" from some MPs. » | Matthew Day | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Despite the biggest-ever Tory rebellion on Europe, David Cameron faced down a courageous attempt by backbenchers to give voters their first say on Britain’s membership of the EU since 1975.
MPs voted overwhelmingly against the Commons motion calling for a national poll on whether to cut or renegotiate Britain’s ties to Brussels.
The result was a bloody nose for the Prime Minister and a stark demonstration of the growing support at Westminster for a referendum.
Campaigners accused the Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs who united to kill the Commons motion of wilfully ignoring a huge surge of public support for a plebiscite. And they vowed that there will be no let-up in the drive to give the British people a say on our links with the EU. » | Macer Hall and Martyn Brown | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Hamburg/Rom - An Druck ist Italiens Ministerpräsident Silvio Berlusconi gewöhnt. Seit Jahren laufen Prozesse wegen Amtsmissbrauchs und Korruption gegen ihn, er hat sich schon durch 51 Vertrauensfragen in seiner Amtszeit gezittert. Doch wohl noch nie stand er so sehr unter Zugzwang wie in diesen Stunden.
Berlusconi weiß: Irgendetwas wird er Rest-Europa bis Mittwoch vorzeigen müssen. Die EUverlangt bis zum Euro-Gipfel von Berlusconi einen konkreten Plan, wie er sein Land aus Schuldenkrise und Wirtschaftsflaute herausführen will. Doch seine Koalition ist derart zerstritten, dass sie sich kaum auf umfassende Maßnahmen einigen kann.
Entsprechend nervös ist man in Rom: Der Premierminister deutet gegenüber einem Journalisten seinen Rücktritt an. Koalitionspartner Umberto Bossi, Chef der Lega Nord, sagt, die Regierung sei in großer Gefahr. Andere aus der Koalition sprechen bereits über Neuwahlen.
Einig ist sich Berlusconis Chaos-Koalition in diesen Tagen vor allem in einem Punkt: Schuld an der dramatischen Lage sind die Franzosen und die Deutschen. Am Wochenende hatten Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und Frankreichs Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy von Berlusconi klare Pläne bis zum Euro-Gipfel verlangt - und auf einer Pressekonferenz bei einer Frage zu ihrem Vertrauen in Berlusconi gelacht (ein Video der Szene findet sich hier). Nun fragt sich ganz Italien: Machen sich Merkel und Sarkozy über Berlusconi lustig - oder gar über die Italiener an sich? » | Von Fabian Reinbold | mit Material von dpa und Reuters | Dienstag 25. Oktober 2011
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La justice alsacienne a confirmé la relaxe de l'homme qui avait diffusé sur le web une vidéo où il brûlait un exemplaire du Coran. Il risquait 45'000 euros d'amende.
La cour d’appel de Colmar a confirmé mardi la relaxe d’un homme de 31 ans poursuivi pour avoir diffusé sur internet en octobre 2010 une vidéo où il brûlait un exemplaire du Coran et urinait sur le livre. Le ministère public avait requis en septembre trois mois de prison avec sursis et 1.000 euros d’amende, comme en première instance. » | AFP | mardi 25 octobre 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Two Western aid workers, from the US and Denmark, were kidnapped on Tuesday from a town in central Somalia where they were contracted to a landmine clearance programme.
The pair, a man and a woman, were abducted close to the airport in Galkayo, a town split between two different local authorities but north of territory controlled by al-Shabaab, Somalia’s Islamist insurgents.
A Somali colleague was taken hostage with them.
The three were working for the Danish Demining Group, an offshoot of the Danish Refugee Council, and had spent the day visiting projects in Galkayo’s south, local officials said.
It is the fourth abduction of Westerners by Somali gangs in the last six weeks, following kidnappings of British, French and Spanish women from northern Kenya. » | Mike Pflanz, Nairobi | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: A gay man killed in Cumnock, Ayrshire and then left at the side of the road with "horrific" injuries could have been the victim of a homophobic attack, it has emerged.
It's believed Stuart Walker, 28, was beaten and burned alive before he was left in the early hours of Saturday morning.
His charred remains were found by a member of the public at 5am on Saturday in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Detectives launched a murder inquiry on Sunday following the grim discovery, with streets in a nearby industrial estate sealed off as part of the ongoing investigation.
Strathclyde Police confirmed the body had scorch marks and the victim had suffered horrific injuries. » | Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Queen, who is in the middle of a 10-day trip to Australia, was said to be unconcerned by Ms Gillard's decision to bow and shake her hand instead of bending at the knee.
The prime minister's greeting incensed some quarters of the Australia media, and many monarchists, who accused Ms Gillard of offensive behaviour and embarrassing the nation.
However, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said the Queen was happy with Ms Gillard's choice.
"The person who is least concerned about protocol is the Queen, we've always said do what you feel comfortable with," she said.
"Absolutely no offence was taken at all – it's a storm in a royal teacup." In fact, the Queen had been "delighted" with the warm reception she has received so far on her visit, the spokesman said. Huge crowds turned out in Brisbane on Monday to wave and cheer the royal couple as they took a cruise up the Brisbane River. » | Bonnie Malkin, Canberra | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
PAKISTAN CHRISTIAN POST: Saudi Arabia continues to allow old men to marry young girls aged eight years old and upwards. The mantra by Muslims and converts to Islam[,] is that Islam equals morality and that Mohammed is a great role model[,] but [doesn’t] this depend[s] on your interpretation of a good role model? Therefore, with Saudi Arabia supporting Islamic Sharia law and believing that society should be based on what Mohammed did and stated in the Hadiths, it is clear that child marriage is sanctioned because Mohammed also married a child.
This reality is creating a problem for the Guardians of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. If this nation modernizes, then it may be seen to be pandering to Western morals and increasing the age of marriage will be challenged by conservative Sunni Islamic leaders in Saudi Arabia.
Ironically, the people who use the “Islamophobia card” are basically trying to prevent individuals speaking out against Islamic Sharia law. This is despite the fact that Islamic Sharia law and the Hadiths support pedophilia, killing homosexuals, killing apostates, chopping hands and feet off for petty crimes, stoning people to death for adultery, and other draconian laws. All these draconian measures are based on the life and sayings of Mohammed.
Therefore, if people are deemed to be “Islamophobic” for fighting against the brutal reality of many Islamic states which are based on hatred and supporting the abuse of children, apostates, homosexuals, and others; then in a world based on justice and morality the overwhelming majority of people should be deemed to be “Islamophobic.”
However, democratic nations, the mass media on a whole, international child advocates, and major institutions like the United Nations are not doing enough to fight against a legal system which clearly discriminates against non-Muslims and allows children to be married to old men.
More surprisingly is that major religious leaders, irrespective if they are Christian, Buddhist, or whatever, appear to be fearful of speaking out against this injustice. The political correct brigade and “trendy left” and “trendy liberals” appear to have “sold their soul” because if anyone speaks out against the brutal reality of Sharia Islamic law then they are deemed to be “Islamophobic.” » | Lee Jay Walker and Murad Makhmudov | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Der vom Internationalen Strafgerichtshof gesuchte Sohn des früheren libyschen Machthabers Muammar al-Ghadhafi, Saif al-Islam, will offenbar in Niger Zuflucht suchen. Ein ranghohes Mitglied der Tuareg sagte der Nachrichtenagentur AP, Saif al-Islam bewege sich auf die Grenze zu. Er werde von Tuareg geleitet, die zu den grössten Anhängern Ghadhafis zählten.
Er befinde sich an der Grenze zu Niger und Algerien und wolle mit Hilfe eines gefälschten Passes das Land verlassen, vermutete derweil ein Vertreter der libyschen Übergangsregierung am Montag. Ghadhafis früherer Geheimdienstchef Abdullah al-Senussi sei in die Pläne involviert. Die Region sei extrem schwierig zu überwachen und einzugrenzen. Deshalb sei es schwierig, die Flucht Saif al-Islams zu verhindern. » | kpn/sda | Dienstag 25. Oktober 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Deputy PM says prospect of wresting back powers from EU is 'tilting at windmills' after Cameron suffers backbench rebellion
Fresh differences between Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition partners have been exposed as the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, described the prospect of wresting back powers from Brussels as "tilting at windmills".
The education secretary, Michael Gove, had earlier sought to play down differences between the government and backbenchers after David Cameron suffered the largest postwar rebellion on Europe on Monday night, when 81 Conservative MPs supported a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
Gove insisted the policy differences between the government and rebels were exaggerated, and said the two sides were united in their determination to repatriate powers from the EU to Westminster[.]
Clegg, however, condemned the backbench rebellion, saying Britain should be leading, not leaving, Europe.
Recognising that reforms to the EU were necessary, he said: "You don't change Europe by launching some smash-and-grab dawn raid on Brussels. You do it by setting out the case for changes and then arguing the case with other countries.
"We can't do this on our own – we have to build alliances, we have to convince and persuade other countries, and that is what we look to do all the time."
Asked whether the British public could not be trusted with a vote on the country's relationship with Europe, Clegg replied: "I have always advocated a vote on Europe if there is a proposal on the table to transfer significant chunks of sovereignty and policy from our country to Brussels – but it's not on the table.
"We should stop tilting at windmills about threats and challenges which simply aren't there right now. Let's get on with the difficult job of working with our eurozone partners to fix the eurozone because, let's face it, unless you've got a strong, prosperous eurozone, you can't have a strong, prosperous United Kingdom." » | Hélène Mulholland, political reporter | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
IRISH EXAMINER: SALARY cuts and reduced working hours are affecting almost half of all households, with money matters now having overtaken the pursuit of personal happiness in lists of priorities, a study has found.
As the effect of the recession deepens, the 2011 Pfizer Health Index indicates the toll the austere times are taking on our health. Pointing to increased drinking and smoking and lower motivation for personal improvement, the survey finds seven out of 10 people are struggling to make ends meet. » | Catherine Shanahan | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Officials said earlier that the ousted Libyan leader would be buried in a secret desert grave, ending a wrangle over his rotting corpse that led many to fear for the country's governability.
Transitional government forces had put the body on show in a cold store in Misurata while they argued over what to do with it, until its decay forced them on Monday to end the display.
His son Mutassim is thought to have been buried in the same ceremony. A few relatives and officials were in attendance, according to a Misurata military council official.
Yesterday, the government bowed to international pressure and announced a commission to determine how Gaddafi died after he was cornered in a drain while trying to flee Sirte, his besieged home town. » | Ben Farmer, Tripoli and Barney Henderson | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prince of Wales 'praised Col Muammar Gaddafi in 2007 letter': The Prince of Wales was used to improve Britain's relationship with Muammar Gaddafi and praised the Libyan leader in a letter to him in 2007, according to reports. ¶ In his letter the Prince complimented Gaddafi for his work with Christians, Aids victims and the British Council. ¶ He wrote: "I just wanted to write to Your Excellency to say how heartened I am by the breadth of these developments." » | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
PARIS MATCH: Exclusif. Le dernier message de Kadhafi à l’Occident: C’est peut-être le dernier courrier adressé par Kadhafi au monde occidental : un appel au secours lancé à son ancien ami Silvio Berlusconi écrit le 5 août dernier. Dans un élan désespéré, le président de la Jamahiriya y rappelle le pacte d’amitié scellé moins de deux ans plus tôt entre l’Italie et la Libye et enjoint le président du Conseil italien à faire cesser les bombardements de l’Otan sur son pays. » | François de Labarre - Parismatch.com | lundi 24 octobre 2011
Comment:
Qadhafi has gone. Cameron was determined that he should go. He got his way. Now Islamism will take over instead. It's already happened in Tunisia, and the introduction of sharia law has already begun in Libya. Seif ul-Islam said that if his father were toppled, it would make way for exactly what the West didn't want: Islamism. And he was right.
This in no way means that either Col. Qadhafi or his son were desirable. They were not. But what has really been achieved in Libya? And what has the Arab Spring bought to north Africa? Soon, Europe will be encircled by Islamism to the south and east. There will be an islamist crescent, stretching from west to north-east. Some achievement! – © Mark
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The apparent victory by Nahda is certain to resonate throughout the region, especially in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood is expected to post a strong showing in parliamentary elections next month. Nahda’s ascent from banned organization to popular force indicates that an emerging political Islam may replace decades of rule by secular autocrats.
That prospect indicates that much of the Middle East and North Africa regard Islam and politics as indivisible, a dynamic that has upset liberals in battles over civil rights and what styles of governments will rise from the so-called Arab Spring. Nahda has consistently promised that it is committed to pluralism and tolerance but its opponents claim it masks a more conservative agenda. » | Monday, October 24, 2011
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Triumph der Islamisten alarmiert Diplomaten: Islamisten haben die ersten freien Wahlen Tunesiens gewonnen, in Libyen will der Übergangsrat die Scharia einführen. Westliche Diplomaten warnen vor einer Radikalisierung Nordafrikas, Liberale fürchten Kopftuchzwang und Alkoholverbot. Den Arabischen Frühling hatten sich viele anders vorgestellt. ¶ Tunis/Bengasi - Die Signalwirkung ist enorm: Die Wahlen in Tunesien sind die erste freie Abstimmung nach dem Arabischen Frühling - jener Protestwelle, die vor knapp einem Jahr eben dort ihren Anfang nahm. Nun zeichnet sich ein deutlicher Wahlerfolg der Islamisten ab. » | fab/heb/dpa/Reuters | Montag 24. Oktober 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Tory MPs support call for referendum on Britain's membership of the EU
David Cameron was warned that he faces four years of trench warfare with disgruntled backbenchers after he suffered the largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Conservative MPs supported a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
With a new opinion poll showing overwhelming support for a referendum, normally loyal backbenchers told Downing Street that Cameron will face further rebellions unless he takes a tough stance in EU treaty negotiations.
The warnings were issued as nearly half of Cameron's backbenchers defied a three-line whip and voted in favour of a motion calling for a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU on current terms, whether to leave or whether to renegotiate Britain's membership. » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Full list of MPs who voted against the EU referendum: A total of 81 Tory MPs rebelled against the government. In all, 79 Tory MPs voted in favour of an EU referendum while a further two were tellers for the rebels » | Patrick Wintour | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: The government will win the vote on a referendum on EU membership – but at what cost to the PM's leadership?
While Tory MP Steve Baker conducted his weekly surgery in High Wycombe on Friday, the phone rang constantly. "Lots of constituents got in touch, urging me to vote for a referendum on Europe," he said. "And members of my association did the same. It is the first time on any issue that I have had that kind of response."
As it turns out, they need not have bothered. Baker, a young MP who entered parliament only in 2010, is already a fully developed muscular Eurosceptic. He had decided days before that he would rebel in Monday's Commons vote on whether the people should be granted a referendum on UK membership of the European Union. "Personally I think reform of the EU is impractical and that we should come out," he said. "So I will be backing the motion."
Across the country, Tory MPs – many of whom are worried about retaining their seats after boundary changes – have been ordered by their constituents to do the same, or else.
At Westminster, however, the pressure on them has been to do precisely the opposite. David Cameron and his whips are making clear they expect Conservatives to vote against Monday's motion. Their argument is that the UK must help to shape a better, more economically successful Europe from within and that now, of all times, is not the moment for a noisy revival of Brussels-bashing. » | Toby Helm, political editor | Saturday, October 22, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
By demanding that the worst excesses of global capitalism be reined in, the Holy See echoed the message of protesters encamped outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, the indignados of Spain and the Occupy Wall Street movement in the US.
In a forthright statement, the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace called for an end to rampant speculation, the redistribution of wealth, greater ethics and the establishment of a "central world bank" to which national banks would have to cede power.
Such an authority would have "universal jurisdiction" over governments' economic strategies.
Existing financial situations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were outdated and no longer able to deal with the scale of the global financial crisis, which had exposed "selfishness, greed and the hoarding of goods on a grand scale".
The global financial system was riddled with injustice and failure to address that would lead to "growing hostility and even violence", which would undermine democracy. » | Nick Squires, in Rome | Monday, October 24, 2011
My comment:
Capitalism is failing; indeed it is ailing and totally failing. The Vatican is absolutely right to call it into question.
I never thought that I would see the day I would do so myself; but capitalism is a thoroughly discredited system. It's a system which Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher brought into disrepute with their ignorant, stupid deregulation of the banks and finance houses. Now, the best system that has ever been conceived by man stands before total annihilation and destruction. It is a travesty that in the States, for example, 50% of wealth is owned by 1% of the population. This is disgraceful! – © Mark
This comment appears here
A man charged in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States has pleaded not guilty in court in New York. » | Associated Press | Monday, October 24, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Closer integration between Euro members could “undermine” the European Union's free market rules, David Cameron has warned.
The Prime Minister will this week attend a special EU summit to discuss the eurozone crisis, and warn the 17 countries who use the single currency not to cut the other ten EU members out of major decisions.
Moves among euro countries towards closer co-ordination of economic policies and fiscal systems have fuelled fears of a two-speed Europe, where the EU is divided between a core of euro nations and a marginalised fringe of countries left outside the single currency.
Wednesday’s summit had originally been scheduled only for the 17 euro governments. But at a bad-tempered meeting on Sunday, Mr Cameron won an agreement for a meeting on Wednesday of all 27 EU members too.
Number 10 fears that the eurozone countries will integrate their policies ever more closely and start to operate as a “caucus” within the EU, making decisions without consulting non-euro members like Britain.
Those decisions could include protectionist measures like higher taxes on imports and tighter market regulations, which would hurt the single market, British officials fear. » | James Kirkup, Deputy Political Editor, and Andrew Hough | Monday, October 24, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama has admitted that he sometimes writes personal cheques to Americans who write him their tales of economic woe.
The US President told White House correspondent Eli Saslow that sometimes he felt drawing on his own bank account was all he could do for Americans struggling to pay their bills in the embattled American economy.
The revelation is made in Mr Saslow's new book "Ten Letters", about Mr Obama's correspondence with the American public.
"It's not something I should advertise, but it has happened," he was quoted as telling Mr Saslow in an excerpt from the book in The Washington Post.
Other times, he confessed, he had forwarded letters to government agencies or Cabinet secretaries with an attached handwritten note reading: "Can you please take care of this?" » | Monday, October 24, 2011
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