Burma: Gemeinsam für Demokratie

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die amerikanische Außeministerin Hillary Clinton war sichtlich bewegt, als sie Aung San Suu Kyi die Hand schütteln durfte – noch dazu an dem Ort, wo die Friedensnobelpreisträgerin in Hausarrest saß.

So hatte man das Seehaus der „Lady“, diesen fast ikonographischen Ort der Unterdrückung, noch nie gesehen. Im sonst verwaisten Garten saßen Dutzende Journalisten auf herbeigeschafften Möbeln und warteten auf das ungewöhnliche Paar. Als Aung San Suu Kyi und ihr hoher Gast aus Amerika, Außenministerin Clinton, auf die Terrasse traten, stürzten Kameraleute und Fotografen auf Stühle und Tische, um den historischen Moment einzufangen. Nichts erzählt mehr über die neue Lage in Burma als das Bild vom ungestörten Zusammentreffen dieser Frauen. » | Jochen Buchsteiner, Jakarta | Freitag 02. Dezember 2011

Große Nachfrage nach Guttenberg-Buch

Zehn Wahrheiten über Guttenberg

Queen's 'Tears' over Duke of Edinburgh's 'Brutal' Behaviour
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Queen was reduced to tears by the Duke of Edinburgh’s “brutal” behaviour towards her when she refused to take his surname of Mountbatten, according to a new biography.

Sally Bedell Smith even suggests that the ten-year delay between the births of the Princess Royal and the Duke of York was the result of “Philip’s anger over the Queen’s rejection of his family name”.

Her book, Elizabeth the Queen, to be published in January, details the Duke’s deep-rooted irritation over the monarch’s decision to accept the advice of the then prime minister, Winston Churchill, by keeping the family name Windsor.

The Duke had wanted the Royal family to be known as the House of Mountbatten when the Queen came to the throne in 1952, and complained to friends that: “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children. I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba.”

Earl Mountbatten, the Duke’s uncle and mentor, believed the “delay” in the couple having any more children after the Princess Royal was a result of the Duke’s anger over the question of the family name. » | Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Friday, December 02, 2011

Euro Doomed from Start, Says Jacques Delors

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The euro project was flawed from the start and the current generation of European leaders has failed to address its fundamental problems, Jacques Delors, the architect of the single currency, declares today.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Jacques Delors, the former president of the European Commission, claims that errors made when the euro was created had effectively doomed the single currency to the current debt crisis. He also accuses today’s leaders of doing “too little, too late,” to support the single currency.

The 86-year-old Frenchman’s intervention comes the day after France and Germany took another step towards the creation of a full “fiscal union” within the European Union and David Cameron insisted that Britain must remain a major player in Europe. Mr Delors, who led the commission from 1985 to 1995, played a central role in the process that led to the creation of the euro in 1999. In his first British newspaper interview for almost a decade, he says that the debt crisis reflects a threat to Europe’s global role and even basic Western democratic values.

Mr Delors claims that the current crisis stems from “a fault in execution” by the political leaders who oversaw the euro in its early days. Leaders chose to turn a blind eye to the fundamental weaknesses and imbalances of member states’ economies, he says. “The finance ministers did not want to see anything disagreeable which they would be forced to deal with,” he says.

The euro came into existence without strong central powers to stop members running up unsustainable debts, an omission that led to the current crisis. Now that the excessive borrowing of countries such as Greece and Italy has brought the eurozone to the brink of disaster, Mr Delors insists that all European countries must share the blame for the crisis. “Everyone must examine their consciences,” he says. » | James Kirkup, Deputy Political Editor | Friday, December 02, 2011

La France rappelle à son tour son ambassadeur à Téhéran

LE FIGARO: La France a décidé de «rappeler en consultation» son ambassadeur à Téhéran après le saccage, mercredi, de l'ambassade britannique. Plusieurs pays européens ont pris la même mesure par solidarité.

Paris va «rappeler en consultation» son ambassadeur en Iran et a indiqué au chargé d'affaires iranien en France ses «plus fermes condamnations» après le saccage, mardi, de l'ambassade britannique à Téhéran. Il s'agit d'une «violation flagrante et inacceptable de la convention de Vienne sur les relations diplomatiques», a souligné le porte-parole du Quai d'Orsay, Bernard Valero, dans un communiqué.

Mercredi, le chargé d'affaires iranien a été reçu par le directeur de cabinet d'Alain Juppé, qui lui a exprimé la réprobation de la France et «rappelé les autorités iraniennes à leurs obligations», selon le communiqué du ministère des Affaires étrangères. Le représentant français en Iran, Bruno Foucher, va regagner temporairement Paris, une manière de signifier aux dirigeants iraniens un fort mécontentement.

L'attaque menée lundi contre la représentation britannique a déclenché un véritable mouvemement de solidarité dans les capitales européennes. Londres a immédiatement fermé son ambassade et donné quarante-huit heures aux diplomates iraniens pour quitter le Royaume-Uni. Mercredi, l'Allemagne, la Suède et les Pays-Bas ont annoncé le rappel de leur ambassadeur. L'Italie a indiqué qu'elle envisageait la fermeture de son ambassade. » | Par Alain Barluet | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

The Annual 'War on Christmas' Shows How a Faith that Once United America Now Divides It

TELEGRAPH BLOGS – TIM STANLEY: Fox News has declared war on the “War on Christmas”. This happens every year: one crazy liberal tries to outlaw use of the word “Christmas” and Fox announces the coming of the Anti-Christ. The furore can sound cynical and shrill, but it illustrates how culturally divided the USA has become.

This year, Christmas has been stolen by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee. Chafee is one of those rare old birds, a liberal Republican. And Republican liberals are the worst kind of liberals because they think they’ve got something to prove. In a display of tolerance that no one asked for, Chafee renamed the 17-foot blue spruce tree in his statehouse “the holiday tree”. Fox News was indignant. Anchor Steve Doocy pointed out that the holiday tree was bought on a Christmas tree farm. Not only that, but it looks an awful lot like a Christmas tree and it was erected in celebration of … Christmas. So why rename it? Doocy put a phone number up on screen and urged viewers to call Chafee to complain. “Give him a little surprise,” he said. “It’s just an hour and three minutes until the governor's office opens.” Read on and comment » | Tim Stanley | Friday, December 02, 2011

Saudis Fear There Will Be ‘No More Virgins’ and People Will Turn Gay If Female Drive Ban Is Lifted

MAIL ONLINE: Repealing a ban on women drivers in Saudi Arabia would result in ‘no more virgins’, the country’s religious council has warned.

A ‘scientific’ report claims relaxing the ban would also see more Saudis - both men and women - turn to homosexuality and pornography.

The startling conclusions were drawn by Muslim scholars at the Majlis al-Ifta’ al-A’ala, Saudi Arabia’s highest religious council, working in conjunction with Kamal Subhi, a former professor at the King Fahd University.

Their report assessed the possible impact of repealing the ban in Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world where women are not allowed behind the wheel.

It was delivered to all 150 members of the Shura Council, the country’s legislative body.

The report warns that allowing women to drive would ‘provoke a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce’. Read on and comment » | Mail Foreign Service | Thursday, December 01, 2011

Poor Saudi Arabia! Poor benighted Saudi Arabia! The Saudis are simply incapable of lifting themselves out of the dark ages, aren’t they? I wonder why? – © Mark

Nicolas Sarkozy: 'To Defend the Euro Is to Defend Europe'
Speaking to an audience of several thousand on Europe and the financial crisis, the French president called for a new treaty to re-found Europe and save the euro. Sarkozy said France would unite with Germany, as both nations lie at the very heart of Europe, and pull together for the good of the entire continent

Church of Scotland Rejects Proposals to Legalise Gay Marriage

THE GUARDIAN: Church responds to Scottish government's reform plan by saying same-sex marriage undermines society

The Church of Scotland has rejected proposals to legalise marriage for gay men and lesbians, claiming the Scottish government's proposals undermine society and the meaning of marriage.

The church, the most influential within Scotland, has added its weight to a growing backlash against same-sex marriage by religious groups. It claimed that allowing gay marriages contradicted the fundamental and historical basis of the institution.

Its intervention is a further blow to Alex Salmond's government, and follows the launch on Wednesday outside the Scottish parliament of a new multi-faith campaign against the reform called Scotland for Marriage led by Scotland's most senior Catholic, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, and a senior Church of Scotland figure, Ann Allen.

The Catholic church, many senior Muslim figures and evangelical churches have now formally opposed the proposal, while a grouping of smaller churches, including liberal Jewish groups, Quakers, the Pagan Federation and Unitarians, have supported the measure.

Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister and Scottish health secretary, said, however, that her government was likely to press on with the reforms. She said ministers still "tended towards their initial view" that the changes were needed.

The Scottish National party attempted to placate its critics by again insisting that no church or minister would be forced by law to conduct a gay marriage against their will or conscience. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent | Thursday, December 01, 2011

Police Investigate Links between Neo-Nazi Group and Far-right Party
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Police in Germany are investigating links between a neo-Nazi group that murdered nine Turkish and Greek immigrants, and a far-right party with representatives in two state assemblies.

Germany has more than 400 police and prosecutors looking into how the "National Socialist Underground" could have stayed undetected until last month, when two members were found dead in a burnt-out mobile home and a third handed herself in to police.

The head of Germany's crime squad, Joerg Ziercke, said the arrest this week of a 35-year-old man in Jena in east Germany where the cell was based indicated a link to the anti-immigrant National Democratic Party (NPD). » | Thursday, December 01, 2011

Frankreich: Schärfere Ausländerpolitik
Nicolas Sarkozy will die Zahl der legalen Einwanderer reduzieren. Möglicherweise ist das eine Taktik, um bei den Präsidentschaftswahlen im Frühling die Rechtsaussen-Partei «Front National» auszubremsen.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn: 'Uninhibited Sex Life' Ruined My Career

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dominique Strauss-Kahn has laid bare his despair at how his “weak flesh” ruined his political career for a "stupid" moment of “pleasure” with an hotel maid, in an official biography released Thursday.

Providing his first public account of what took place in his New York hotel suite on May 14, the former International Monetary Fund chief is quoted as saying: “Nothing would have happened if I hadn’t had this consensual, but stupid relationship with Nafissatou Diallo. That day, I opened the door to all the other affairs.”

The ensuing sex scandal cost the 62-year old his job and his chance of being the next French president. Beforehand, he was runaway favourite to beat the incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.

In his only previous media interview since returning to France after sexual assault charges were dropped, Mr Strauss-Kahn had only acknowledged committing a “moral fault”.

But in The DSK Affairs: the Counter Investigation, the 62-year old expresses remorse at how he threw it all away for a moment of “pleasure” in Sofitel suite 2806.

“I could have been in a position to be president,” he is quoted as saying. “Now, I’m no longer in that position.” » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, December 01, 2011

Russia Today Live

Biassed Viewpoint: Iranian Quest for casus belli

Read the Russia Today article »

The Republicans' Farcical Candidates: A Club of Liars, Demagogues and Ignoramuses

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The US Republican race is dominated by ignorance, lies and scandals. The current crop of candidates have shown such a basic lack of knowledge that they make George W. Bush look like Einstein. The Grand Old Party is ruining the entire country's reputation.

Africa is a country. In Libya, the Taliban reigns. Muslims are terrorists; most immigrants are criminal; all Occupy protesters are dirty. And women who feel sexually harassed -- well, they shouldn't make such a big deal about it.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the US Republicans. Or rather, to the twisted world of what they call their presidential campaigns. For months now, they've been traipsing around the country with their traveling circus, from one debate to the next, one scandal to another, putting themselves forward for what's still the most powerful job in the world.

As it turns out, there are no limits to how far they will stoop.

It's true that on the road to the White House all sorts of things can happen, and usually do. No campaign can avoid its share of slip-ups, blunders and embarrassments. Yet this time around, it's just not that funny anymore. In fact, it's utterly horrifying.

It's horrifying because these eight so-called, would-be candidates are eagerly ruining not only their own reputations and that of their party, the party of Lincoln lore. Worse: They're ruining the reputation of the United States.

'Freakshow'

They lie. They cheat. They exaggerate. They bluster. They say one idiotic, ignorant, outrageous thing after another. They've shown such stark lack of knowledge -- political, economic, geographic, historical -- that they make George W. Bush look like Einstein and even cause their fellow Republicans to cringe. » | A Commentary by Marc Pitzke | Thursday, December 01, 2011

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Michele Bachmanns Phantom-Botschaft: Tea-Party-Frau Michele Bachmann wollte wohl Entschlossenheit demonstrieren - und machte sich zum Gespött: Wenn sie Präsidentin wäre, sagte die Bewerberin der Republikaner, würde sie die US-Botschaft in Iran schließen. Allein: Eine diplomatische Vertretung gibt es dort schon seit 1980 nicht mehr. » | ffr | Donnerstag 01. Dezember 2011

Ben Ali condamné à cinq ans de prison
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le président tunisien déchu Zine El Abidine Ben Ali a été condamné par contumace à cinq ans de prison par la justice militaire de son pays, a indiqué mercredi une source judiciaire.

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali a été notamment reconnu coupable pour des actes de torture.

Dans ce premier procès devant le Tribunal militaire permanent de première instance de Tunis, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali était jugé pour l’arrestation et la torture d’officiers de l’armée accusés de coup d’Etat contre son régime dans l’affaire dite «Baraket Essahel», dont les faits remontent à 1991. » | AFP | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Bundesanwaltschaft ermittelt: Iran plant angeblich Anschläge in Deutschland
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die deutschen Sicherheitsbehörden verdächtigen Iran, Attentate auf amerikanische Militärflugplätze in Deutschland zu planen. Die Bundesanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen des Verdachtes der Agententätigkeit gegen einen Deutschen.

Die deutschen Sicherheitsbehörden verdächtigen Iran, im Falle eines Angriffs der Vereinigten Staaten Anschläge auf amerikanische Militärflugplätze in Deutschland zu planen. General-bundesanwalt Harald Range bestätigte am Donnerstag in Karlsruhe ein entsprechendes Ermittlungsverfahren. Eine unmittelbare Gefahr bestehe allerdings nicht, sagte der Präsident des Bundeskriminalamtes (BKA), Jörg Ziercke. » | Quelle: dpa | Donnerstag 01. Dezember 2011

Mogadishu Suicide Bomber Attacks Somalia Government Compound
A suicide bomb attack on a government compound in Mogadishu killed four government soldiers, narrowly missing the senior army commander. A wave of roadside bombings have hit Mogadishu this week, killing at least seven people, in incidents that police and residents have blamed on al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabaab militants

Iran's Mullahs Come Out Fighting

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The storming of the British embassy in Tehran and William Hague’s closure of the Iranian mission in London brings to an end the fruitless diplomatic reconciliation instigated by the last Labour government.

For the beleaguered group of diplomats holed up in the British Embassy compound in Tehran and surrounded by a baying mob of Iranian protesters, it was, as one of their colleagues phlegmatically remarked yesterday, “a very hairy few hours”.

The embassy staff had been forewarned that trouble was brewing. All Tuesday morning, pro-government Farsi websites had posted comments calling for protesters to gather in Bobby Sands Street. This is the name that the road leading to the British Embassy was given by the ayatollahs when they last squared up to Britain, over the Salman Rushdie affair in 1989.

The original aim of the protest was to commemorate the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist, one of three killed in the past two years on the streets of Tehran. But with relations between Britain and Iran entering one of their periodic crises, the bloggers argued that there was no better way to mark the scientist’s death than to focus their ire on the embassy compound in central Tehran.

Britain has a long and undistinguished history of intrigue in Iranian affairs, dating from the 19th century when British gunboats regularly shelled Persian ports to persuade the Shah to toe the line. More recently, in 1953, British intelligence masterminded the plot to overthrow Mohammed Mossadegh – arguably Iran’s last democratically elected prime minister – after he sought to nationalise the British-owned Anglo-Iranian oil company.

Given this history of skulduggery, it is hardly surprising that most Iranians believe Britain is involved in the carefully coordinated campaign of assassinations, bombings and acts of computer sabotage that are clearly designed to disrupt Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons. In the most recent incident, a mysterious explosion appears to have caused significant damage to the uranium enrichment complex at Isfahan, a vital feature of Iran’s nuclear programme. Read on and comment » | Con Coughlin | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Blair’s Government Tried to Get Oxford Place for Saif Gaddafi
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Blair government tried to secure a place at Oxford University for Saif al-Islam, the son of Muammar Gaddafi.

A senior Foreign Office official contacted the university in 2002 as part of efforts to establish better relations with the Libyan regime, according to a report.

“It was made clear that the FCO would appreciate help in this case since Libya was opened up to the West again,” Professor Valpy FitzGerald said in the report. The request came two years before Mr Blair’s deal in the desert, which formally reopened diplomatic links.

The approach was disclosed by an inquiry, carried out by Lord Woolf, the former Lord Chief Justice, into the “disastrous” relationship that subsequently developed between Gaddafi’s Libya and the London School of Economics. Continue reading and comment » | Graeme Paton, Education Editor | Wednesday, November 30. 2011

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Warning over 'Excessively Strict' Discipline in UK Madrassas

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Children attending some UK Islamic schools are being subjected to physical beatings as teachers use loopholes to get around a ban on corporal punishment, according to new research.

Several madrassas – religious schools often run by mosques – use “excessively strict approaches to discipline” to keep children in line, it was revealed.

Researchers said the imposition of hard-line rules on behaviour instilled a sense of “spiritual fear” in young people, marking them out from mainstream schools.

The study, by the Institute for Public Policy Research, found a number of examples of madrassas actually employing corporal punishment.

A ban on physical beatings, including the cane, was introduced in the 1980s.

But the legislation does not cover “supplementary schools”, including many madrassas, where lessons are taught for fewer than 12.5 hours per week.

Labour pledged to close the loophole after an independent review of child safety raised concerns over the practice in early 2010, but the policy has never been enacted.

The latest study – Inside Madrassas – also found around one-in-10 institutions did not subject staff to criminal records checks, adding that this was likely to be a significant underestimate as it failed to include less formal schools not covered by the research. » | Graeme Paton, Education Editor | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

LSE Attacked over 'Disastrous' Ties to Gaddafi's Libya
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A catalogue of failures by senior dons allowed one of Britain’s top universities to establish a “disastrous” relationship with Gaddafi’s Libya, according to a damning report.

The London School of Economics built up increasingly extensive ties to the regime over almost a decade after admitting Muammar Gaddafi's most high-profile son, Saif al-Islam, in 2002.

In a series of blunders, the university allowed Saif Gaddafi to start a PhD despite concerns over his academic ability and accepted a £1.5m donation from his personal charity with limited inquiries into the source of the cash.

Its links to the regime were so extensive that at one point the university was even nicknamed the “Libyan School of Economics”, it was revealed.

The inquiry – carried out by Lord Woolf, the former Lord Chief Justice – found that the relationship was allowed to grow “unchecked and to a degree unnoticed until their effect was overwhelming” when the Gaddafi regime started to crumble this year. Muammar Gaddafi was eventually killed by rebels in October and his son was captured in mid-November.

In a damning conclusion, the report said: “The mistakes and errors of judgment go beyond those that could be expected from an institute of the LSE's distinction." » | Graeme Paton, Education Editor | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Former US Marine Sues BAE for Mocking Military Service
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A former US Marine who was given the nation's highest award for valour is suing British defence giant BAE Systems alleging that a manager mocked his military service and blocked his efforts to get a job with another company.

Sergeant Dakota Meyer, who worked briefly this year for BAE Systems OASYS based in the US, claims the manager called him mentally unstable and suggeste [sic] BAE Systems warns of 'significant uncertainty' in US defence spending [d] he had a drink problem, thereby costing him a new job.

Sgt Meyer received the Medal of Honour from President Barack Obama in September, two years after saving 36 lives during a six-hour ambush in Afghanistan. He was the third living recipient of the award for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan.

At the age of 21 he defied orders from his commanders, charging five times in a Humvee into heavy gunfire and providing cover for his team, allowing many to escape. He killed at least eight Taliban.

In a defamation case filed in Texas, Sgt Meyer said he became dismayed in April upon learning that weapons systems including optical scopes were being sold to Pakistan.

He sent an email to supervisors saying: "We are simply taking the best gear, the best technology on the market to date and giving it to guys that are known to stab us in the back." » | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My comment:

What can we expect of BAE Systems? Isn't it a schlucky operation? Won't it £$%^ on anyone in its way to turn a profit? – © Mark

This comment also appears here.

Britain On Brink of Severing Diplomatic Ties with Iran
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain came close to severing diplomatic ties with Iran when the Government ordered the closure of the Islamic Republic's embassy in London and gave its staff 48 hours to leave.


Read article and comment here | David Blair, Chief Foreign Correspondent | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Jeremy Clarkson: 'Execute' Public Sector Workers, Says BBC Top Gear Host
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The BBC has apologised after Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, called for public sector workers to be "executed", during a live television interview.

In a series of gaffes live on the corporation’s popular The One Show, the 51 year-old suggested that public sectors workers should be shot in front of their families.

The veteran television presenter and newspaper columnist, whose show is broadcast on BBC Two, also complained about being delayed by people throwing themselves in front of trains.

The public broadcaster issued a swift on-air apology, saying he sometimes overstepped the mark in his quest for "comic" value.

The BBC disclosed that it had received complaints about the comments but could not provide exact numbers.

During his interview, Clarkson was asked what he would do with strikers, he replied: "I would have them all shot". » | Andrew Hough | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Ginger White: Herman Cain ‘Would Be a Bad President’
BBC: Herman Cain would not make a good president, says Ginger White, the woman who said she had a 13-year affair with the Republican White House hopeful.

Speaking to ABC News, Ms White also referred to her relationship with Mr Cain as "very casual".

The former pizza firm executive has denied the affair, calling Ms White a "troubled Atlanta businesswoman".

The candidate has said he is "reassessing" his campaign in light of the new allegations.

Ms White, 46, said on Wednesday that her mobile phone records show interactions with Mr Cain as late as November, although their relationship ended eight months ago when he began running for president.

"It was a very casual affair. Am I proud to admit to that? No I'm not," Ms White told ABC.
Mr Cain has not denied he was friends with Ms White, or that he helped her financially, but has denied they had any sexual relationship.

Mr Cain, a former head of the National Restaurant Association, wrote to supporters on Tuesday: "I have helped many friends and acquaintances throughout the years... Ms White has made it apparent that she was abusing the friendship." (+ video) » | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The Tolerant Dictator: Syria's Christians Side with Assad Out of Fear

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Many of Syria's 2.5 million Christians are supporting President Bashar Assad amidst ongoing protests in the country. They prefer a brutal dictator who guarantees the rights of religious minorities to the uncertain future that Assad's departure would bring. The president is exploiting their fears of Islamists for his own ends.

The rebellion against him was just a few days old when Syrian dictator Bashar Assad summoned his country's Christian leaders to the presidential palace in northwestern Damascus. Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius came. He is 78 years old and critically ill, but still a powerful figure. Bishops and archbishops representing Catholics, Armenians, Aramaeans and Assyrians were also present. In total, there were a dozen religious leaders, representing around 2.5 million Syrian Christians.

The message they received from their head of state was short and simple: Either support me, or your churches will burn.

It seemed Assad, himself a member of the Alawis, a branch of Shia Islam, didn't want to assume that Syria's Christians would continue to remain aloof from politics. Sensing that not only his authority but perhaps his very survival was at stake, he resorted to the same means his father, Hafez Assad, once used to maintain power: pressure and violence.

The Arab League has suspended Syria's membership, isolating the country internationally. Damascus missed last Friday's deadline for Assad to stop the bloodshed and allow a commission of observers into the country. The League had allowed a brief extension, but on Sunday imposed harsh economic sanctions on the country. On Wednesday, Turkey also introduced its own economic sanctions on Syria. » | Bastian Berbner | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Bundesverwaltungsgericht: Muslim darf in Schule nicht beten
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Ein 18 Jahre alter Muslim darf an seiner Schule nicht gen Mekka beten. In dem mehrjährigen Streit entschied das Bundesverwaltungsgericht, der Junge müsse die Einschränkung seiner Glaubensfreiheit hinnehmen. Sonst sei der Schulfrieden gestört.

Ein junger Muslim aus Berlin darf an seiner Schule nicht demonstrativ gen Mekka beten. Nach mehrjährigem Streit wies das Bundesverwaltungsgericht in Leipzig am Mittwoch die Klage des 18 Jahre alten Schülers zurück. Der Gymnasiast müsse die Einschränkung seiner Glaubensfreiheit hinnehmen, weil durch die öffentlichen Ritualgebete der Schulfrieden gestört werde, urteilte der 6. Senat. » | Quelle: dpa | Mittwoch 30. November 2011

Britain Expels Iranian Diplomats and Closes Tehran Embassy
THE GUARDIAN: William Hague says diplomats must leave UK within 48 hours, saying storming of British embassy in Iran had backing of regime

The foreign secretary, William Hague has ordered the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from the UK and announced that the UK is closing its embassy in Tehran, saying that the storming of the mission on Tuesday had the backing of the regime.

Hague said Iranian diplomats would have to leave Britain within 48 hours, and that all British embassy staff in Tehran had now left Iran. » | Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Anders Behring Breivik Was Insane Five Years Ago, Mother Says

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anders Behring Breivik showed signs of paranoid delusions as early as 2006, his mother Wenche Behring has confessed in a tearful interview with forensic psychiatrists.

"He must have been insane, he became so different," she is quoted as saying in the psychiatric evaluation submitted to the Oslo court on Tuesday, which has been leaked to Norway's Verdens Gang newspaper.

"It is hard to believe that these things happened. It's still hard to believe."

Shortly after the 32-year-old moved back in with her that year, he began to behave erratically, she told Torgeir Husby and Synne Soerheim, the two psychiatrists who carried out the interviews.

Mrs Behring described how her son became obsessively interested in politics and history.
"He was totally beyond reason and believed all the nonsense he said," she said.

Breivik told the two psychiatrists that his mother was his "Achilles' heel", and said that he hoped she would not attend his trial.

"I just hope that my mother is not there," he told them. "She is the only one who can make me emotionally unstable. She is my Achilles' heel." Read on and comment » | Richard Orange, Malmö | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My comment:

I am not a psychiatrist. I am not even a psychologist. But it seems to me that there is zilch evidence that this man is/was insane. There is evidence aplenty that he is/was evil. But insane? I don't think so!

It seems to me that he was obsessive about one particular fact: the fact that Western governments, Norway's included, have allowed far too many immigrants into the West for big business' desire for cheap labour, paying scant regard to the wishes of the people, paying scant regard to the long-term consequences of their policies and actions, and paying scant regard to the fact that wherever Islam has been allowed to put down roots, it has eventually taken over. Spain is the only example of a country which has been able to reverse the Islamisation of the country; but that took five hundred bloody years to achieve.

Anders Behring Breivik was obviously very aware of what was going on. Unfortunately, in his case, his knowledge was backed up by evil intent. But there really seems little evidence of insanity. Could an insane person really, truly have been the mastermind behind such an operation to massacre so many people? It's beyond my comprehension, I'm afraid. It seems to me that this is a convenient way for the authorities to brush the problem under the carpet.

There is one aspect to this heinous crime which I fail to understand: If he was so concerned about mass immigration, especially of Muslims, why did he decide to massacre innocent people who were his own countrymen? What did he hope to achieve? (Perhaps someone would be kind enough to explain this to me.)

It seems to me that this man should be severely punished for his egregious crime. But to put him into psychiatric care is to let him off the hook. Norway must have gone soft on crime, that's all I can say. – © Mark

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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anders Behring Breivik regrets loss of 'Great Nordic Nose': Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a bomb blast and gun rampage last July, has told psychiatrists of his regret at the loss of his “great Nordic nose”. Torgeir Husby and Synne Soerheim, the forensic psychiatrists who on Tuesday submitted their evaluation of Mr Breivik to the Olso court, said he displayed an unusual sensitivity about his appearance, complaining if he was forced to attend meetings unshaven. ¶ Mr Breivik told them that he regretted plastic surgery he had received, aged 20, to slim his nose. ¶ “I took away the cartilage. In retrospect, I have seen it as a mistake. I had a great Nordic nose, while the one I have now is not original,” he told them. » | Richard Orange, Malmö | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Gaddafi and Me: Professor Explains Why LSE Took Cash from Libyan Tyrant’s Son
THE INDEPENDENT: The man who helped to elicit a £1.5m donation from Saif al-Islam’s foundation tells his side of the story

A description of how Saif Gaddafi changed into a "frightened" man as the Libyan revolution approached is given today by his informal academic adviser from the London School of Economics.

Professor David Held, professor of political science at the LSE, is expected to face criticism – along with the university hierarchy – when the long-awaited inquiry into its links with the Libyan regime is published today.

In the first interview he has given about the saga – he spoke to reporters from the LSE's student newspaper, The Beaver – Professor Held acknowledges that he knew at the time that a £1.5m donation to the university from the Gaddafi charity would be "controversial". He says that, with hindsight, his behaviour could "give rise to a perception it was mistaken".

The professor also speaks of student Saif Gaddafi as a "young man who was struggling to make sense of the world, struggling to think about issues which obviously were not easy for him to think about".

He adds: "After four years or so, I found him to be much like an American liberal. He used to say there is nothing wrong with American democracy promotion in the Middle East – I'd be horrified by that statement – because Arabs should promote democracy themselves." » | Nicola Alexander, Alex Haigh, Richard Garner | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Anti-American Sentiment Grows in Pakistan
The lethal air strike on two military outposts near the Afghanistan border at the weekend heightened anti-American sentiment and is testing diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Washington.

Herman Cain to Reassess Presidential Plans
Political analysts in Iowa start to dismiss Herman Cain as a factor in the state's presidential caucuses, in the aftermath of an Atlanta woman's claim that she had a 13-year extramarital affair with Cain. Neil King has details on The News Hub.

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Oslo ferme son ambassade à Téhéran
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La Norvège a fermé sa représentation diplomatique en Iran après l’attaque de la mission diplomatique britannique par des manifestants islamistes.

Le royaume scandinave est le premier pays à annoncer la fermeture de sa chancellerie dans le sillage de l’attaque de la représentation britannique.

Le personnel diplomatique norvégien se trouve toujours à Téhéran et aucune décision d’évacuation n’a encore été prise, a déclaré Hilde Steinfeld, une porte-parole du ministère norvégien des Affaires étrangères. » | AFP | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Législatives en Egypte: les Frères musulmans seraient en tête
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Selon les premières estimations rapportées par la presse égyptienne, les islamistes arrivent largement en tête des élections législatives historiques qui se sont terminées mardi.

L’influent mouvement des Frères musulmans arrive en tête au premier tour des législatives historiques clôturé mardi, selon des premières estimations rapportées mercredi par la presse. Les résultats officiels de la première phase sont attendus dans la journée de mercredi.

«Les islamistes et les libéraux en tête, recul des anciens partis», titrait le quotidien gouvernemental «Al Ahram», au lendemain de deux jours de vote marqués par une participation sans précédent pour les premières législatives organisées après la chute du président Hosni Moubarak en février.

La façade politique des Frères musulmans, «le Parti de la liberté et de la justice (PLJ) et le parti salafiste Al Nour (fondamentaliste musulman) viennent en tête dans six gouvernorats», des neuf concernés dans le premier tour devançant le Bloc égyptien, une coalition de partis laïques, selon le journal. » | ATS/AFP | mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Gaddafi's Daughter Urges the Overthrow of Libya's Government
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The daughter Muammar Gaddafi has urged the Libyan people to rise up and overthrow the transitional government which toppled her father's regime.

In an audio message broadcast on Syria's al-Rai television station, Aisha Gaddafi called for a revolt against Libya's new rulers, a government that she said "arrived with the planes of Nato."

"My father has not left, he is always among us," she said, following the traditional 40-day mourning period after his death. "Don't forget the orders of your father urging you to continue fighting, even if you no longer hear his voice." » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Aisha Gaddafi, Daughter Of Former Libya Leader, Calls For Overthrow Of New Rulers: ALGIERS, Algeria — Moammar Gadhafi's daughter urged Libyans on Tuesday to overthrow their new rulers, possibly violating the terms of her exile in Algeria. » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Iceland Votes to Recognize Palestine
YNET NEWS: Iceland 'first Western European country to take this step,' FM boasts; Abbas reaffirms statehood bid

Iceland's parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of recognizing the Palestinian territories as an independent state, the first Western European country to do so according Iceland's foreign minister.

The vote paves the way for formal recognition by the small north Atlantic island, which led the way in recognizing the independence of the three Baltic States after the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991.

"Iceland is the first Western European country to take this step," Foreign Minister Ossur Skarphedinsson told Icelandic state broadcaster RUV. "I now have the formal authority to declare our recognition of Palestine." » | News agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Hague Says Iran Will Face 'Serious Consequences' Over Embassy Attack
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign secretary says Tehran breached Vienna convention in failing to protect diplomatic mission

William Hague has warned Iran it faces "serious consequences" over the attack on the British embassy in Tehran.

Hundreds of protesters surged onto two compounds this afternoon, putting the safety of staff at risk and causing "extensive damage" to property, the foreign secretary said.

"Clearly there will be other, further, and serious consequences. I will make a statement updating parliament on this tomorrow [Wednesday]."

Iranian police protected Britain's ambassador and some staff earlier from a large crowd outside, Hague said.

He added: "There has been a confusing situation at times as to the whereabouts of certain staff. I wouldn't use the term hostage. Clearly there have been situations where the Iranian police have intervened to try to ensure the safety of our staff.

"We are grateful for that but this situation should never have been allowed to arise in the first place." » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan and agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British relations with Iran sink to lowest in decades as Tehran embassies are stormed: Britain’s relations with Iran were plunged into their worst crisis in decades after protesters [stormed] two British embassy compounds in Tehran, ransacked offices and forced diplomatic staff to seek refuge in secure rooms. ¶ The most extraordinary scenes came at Britain’s embassy near Tehran’s central bazaar, where riot police simply stood by as demonstrators broke into the main building and tore down pictures of The Queen, looted sensitive documents, smashed windows and even threw petrol bombs. ¶ Chanting “death to England”, the protesters - many of them organised by a student branch of the pro-regime Basiji militia - burned the British flag and set a car on fire in protest at sanctions imposed last week on the Iranian banking system. ¶ Diplomats were forced to seek refuge in a secure room behind reinforced doors and windows, from where they managed to use secure communications to alert London. According to one report, six embassy staff had to be rescued by police after being held hostage by the protesters for several hours. » | Damien McElroy, Amad Vahdat | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Norway Massacre: Breivik Declared Insane

BBC: Psychiatrists assessing self-confessed Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik have concluded that he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

They believe he was in a psychotic state both during and after the twin attacks on 22 July that led to the deaths of 77 people and injured 151.

Their report must still be reviewed by a panel of forensic psychiatrists.

Breivik will still be tried in April but it seems likely he will be placed in psychiatric care rather than prison.

Breivik admits carrying out the attacks but has pleaded not guilty to charges, arguing that that the attacks were atrocious but necessary for his campaign to defend Europe against a Muslim invasion. (+ video) » | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

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Le roi du Maroc nomme un islamiste modéré comme Premier ministre

LIBÉRATION: Le roi Mohammed VI du Maroc a nommé mardi comme Premier ministre Abdelilah Benkirane, le chef du parti Justice et développement (PJD, islamiste modéré) dont la formation fait sa première entrée dans un gouvernement.

«Le Roi Mohammed VI a reçu mardi en début d’après-midi à Midelt (centre), Abdelilah Benkirane, secrétaire général du PJD, et l’a nommé chef du gouvernement, conformément aux dispositions de la nouvelle Constitution. Il l’a également chargé de former le nouveau gouvernement», indique un communiqué du palais.

Le PJD qui a obtenu 107 des 395 sièges lors des élections législatives anticipées du 25 novembre va pour la première fois diriger un gouvernement de coalition, sous le contrôle du roi, comme le veut la constitution.

Un journaliste sur place a précisé à l’AFP que M. Benkirane (57 ans) a prêté serment devant le roi lors d’une brève cérémonie.

Né à Rabat dans un quartier populaire, M. Benkirane, qui est membre du Conseil supérieur de l’enseignement, est marié et père de six enfants. » | AFP | mardi 29 novembre 2011

Michael Jackson's Doctor Conrad Murray Sentenced to Four Years for Involuntary Manslaughter
Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death, was jailed for four years with a judge describing him as a “disgrace to the medical profession”.

Read article here | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Iran: Demonstranten stürmen britische Einrichtungen

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: In Teheran haben mehrere hundert Demonstranten auf das Gelände der britischen Botschaft gestürmt. Sie rissen die britische Flagge herunter, warfen Steine und verwüsteten Büros. Bereitschafts-polizisten standen während des Angriffs teilnahmslos daneben.

Iranische Demonstranten haben am Dienstag in Teheran auf das Gelände der britischen Botschaft gestürmt. Laut unbestätigten Agenturberichten griffen sie auch eine zweite britische Vertretung im Stadtgebiet an. Wie die Nachrichtenagentur Irna meldet, befinden sich auf dem zweiten Gelände im Norden der iranischen Hauptstadt Gästehäuser für britische Diplomaten sowie deutsche, britische und französische Schulen.

Am Vormittag waren mehr als 20 Demonstranten in das Botschaftsgebäude eingedrungen. Sie rissen die britische Flagge herunter und verwüsteten Büros, wie ein AFP-Reporter berichtete.

Das iranische Staatsfernsehen zeigte, wie Demonstranten Fensterscheiben mit Steinen einwarfen. Ein Demonstrant war zu sehen, wie er mit einem Porträt von Queen Elizabeth II. die Mauer des Gebäudes hinaufkletterte. Die iranische Bereitschaftspolizisten standen während des Angriffs teilnahmslos daneben. » | Quelle: hcr. mit AFP | Dienstag 29. November 2011

Related here and here

Iranian Students Storm British Embassy in Tehran

Read USA Today article here | Douglas Stanglin, USA Today | Tuesday, November 29, 2011
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Iranian TV Shows Protesters Storming British Embassy in Tehran
Following Tehran's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with the UK after the imposition of fresh sanctions, Iranian protesters have broken into the grounds of the British Embassy in the capital.

Read short article here | Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Follow live coverage of the situation here
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A Capital Transforms, for Better and for Worse
THE NEW YORK TIMES: TRIPOLI, Libya — Tripoli is no longer the capital of a police state. But what it has become, in just a matter of weeks, can be both exhilarating and disturbing.

Hashish dealers are openly hawking their wares in the center of the city, Martyrs’ Square, known as Green Square before Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was overthrown. Drivers run red lights without giving it a thought, while political demonstrations snarl traffic. Irregular militia members who have replaced the hated Tripoli police in many neighborhoods are still showing poor discipline with their weapons, firing them accidentally or into the air all too frequently.

Tripoli is a vibrant city of nearly two million people with a bustling port, and it is graced by Roman ruins and old fortification walls built by the Ottomans and other conquerors. But while it has gone through other abrupt changes over the centuries, what is happening these days was unthinkable only weeks ago when Colonel Qaddafi tried to control even the smallest details of daily life.

Tinted windows were prohibited on cars; now, drivers everywhere are pasting dark green tinted plastic on their windows to keep out the searing sun but also as a sign of their new liberty. Fruit and vegetable vendors were restricted from selling their wares on most streets; now, throngs of them are out selling bananas and oranges beneath highway overpasses and on the sides of traffic circles, helping them feed their families but also worsening congestion.

English was largely prohibited from public signs by Colonel Qaddafi. Now, English signs have sprung up almost everywhere around town, even though few Libyans understand what they say. The signs are another expression of liberation, as well as the country’s readiness to open itself to the outer world. » | Clifford Krauss | Monday, November 28, 2011

Tehran Protesters Storm British Embassy
THE NEW YORK TIMES: LONDON — In the latest sign of deteriorating relations with the West, around 20 Iranian protesters entered the British Embassy compound in Tehran chanting “death to England,” tearing down a British flag and ransacking offices, news reports said.

The episode came a day after Iranenacted legislation on Monday to downgrade relations with Britain, in retaliation for intensified sanctions imposed by Western nations last week to punish the Iranians for their suspect nuclear development program. Britain promised to respond “robustly.”

The British Foreign Office in London said it was “aware of the reports” from Tehran about its embassy on Tuesday, but declined to comment further.

The Associated Press indentified [sic] the intruders as hard-line Iranian students, who were said to have burst into the building and thrown documents from windows. They also chanted: “The Embassy of Britain should be taken over.”

The episode was shown live on Iranian state television. The invaders threw stones at windows, and one was seen climbing over the highwall around the compound with an apparently looted portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. While some reports said the protesters clashed with riot police, other accounts said the authorities did nothing to prevent the attack. Read on and comment » | Alan Cowell and Rick Gladstone | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Anders Behring Breivik 'Not Accountable for Attacks'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Psychiatrists have found that Anders Behring Breivik was insane at the time of the crime.

The finding by the two forensic psychiatrists will help determine whether Breivik is sentenced to prison or psychiatric care. Prosecutor Svein Holden says the report shows Breivik was "psychotic" during the attack.

If that assessment is upheld by the court then Breivik cannot be sentenced to prison for the attacks.

"The conclusion is ... is that he is insane," Holden told a news conference. "He lives in his own delusional universe and his thoughts and acts are governed by this universe." Read on and comment » | Barney Henderson | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Bahrain Medics Face New Charges of Supplying Weapons to Protesters

THE GUARDIAN: Prosecutors claim guns, swords, knives and chains produced in court are proof despite findings of independent inquiry

Bahraini medical staff accused of trying to overthrow the government of the Gulf state earlier this year, and who had hoped charges against them might now be dropped, faced new accusations in a court hearing.

Twenty staff from the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama had thought their ordeal might be ending on Monday after the release of last week's report detailing human rights abuses by Bahrain's security forces during the Pearl revolution in February.

The report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) found allegations that the medics "assisted the demonstrators by supplying them with weapons" to be unfounded.

But prosecutors produced guns, swords, knives and chains and claimed this was proof against the doctors, nurses, and paramedics. These weapons had not been presented previously – and led to an incredulous response in court. "It was really hilarious," one of them, Dr Nada Dhaif, [see photo] told BBC Radio 5. "The government has missed the chance that anyone will take this seriously." » | Staff and agencies | Monday, November 28, 2011

Four Million Newspaper Pages Go Online
THE INDEPENDENT: Four million newspaper pages have been put online as part of a massive history project.

The British Newspaper Archive website includes pages from more than 200 different papers from across the UK and Ireland with first hand accounts of events including the wedding of Victoria and Albert and the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Ed King, the British Library's Head of Newspapers, said it opened up the collection "as never before".

He said: "Rather than having to view the items on site at the Library, turning each page, people across the UK and around the world will be able to explore for themselves the goldmine of stories and information contained in these pages - and the ability to search across millions of articles will yield results for each user, that might previously have been the work of weeks or months, in a matter of seconds and the click of a mouse." » | Robert Dex | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Queen Victoria’s funeral »

Stalin's Daughter Who Defected to US Dies at 85

THE GUARDIAN: Svetlana Peters, who denounced communism after the cold war, has died after living out her remaining years in seclusion

Josef Stalin's daughter, who denounced communism after defecting during the cold war, has died in the US after living out her remaining years there in seclusion.

Svetlana Peters, whose quest to find her own identity saw the only daughter and last surviving child of the dictator take on three names, had described her father as "a moral and spiritual monster" after the CIA helped her to escape the Soviet Union in 1967 which caused a diplomatic furore.

Born Svetlana Stalina, she adopted her mother's last name, Alliluyeva, following her father's death in 1953. But she ended her life as Lana Peters – the identity she adopted after claiming political asylum in the US.

After living many years in the public eye, she spent her final days in seclusion. She died of colon cancer on 22 November in Richland County, South Carolina, it emerged. She was 85.

Frequently moving countries, sampling religions from Hinduism to Christian science, the four-times married Peters lived a life which could grace the pages of any novel, and saw her tales inside the Soviet Union earn her two best-selling autobiographies. » | Staff and agencies | Tuesday, November 29, 2011