I Wed Aged FIVE… in the UK
Shocking story from a British town
THE SUN: DRESSED in a fancy new outfit, little Samina Shah thought she was getting ready for her birthday party.

Instead she was being married off — having just turned FIVE.

The Islamic ceremony effectively ended her childhood and paved the way for years of abuse.

Just as shockingly, this was not happening in a remote Third World village — but in a large town in the north of England.

Samina has decided to speak out after Britain’s Forced Marriage Unit revealed that last year the 1,468 cases they investigated included another girl of five.

There are thought to be another 6,500 cases that went unreported.

Samina — not her real name as she is too scared to be identified — told The Sun: “I was denied the right of childhood, play and innocence.

“When you are married at the age of five you no longer live like a normal child. I was deprived of my basic human rights. » | Anila Baig | Exclusive | Sunday, April 08, 2012

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: I was forced to marry at five » | Rebecca Seales | Sunday, April 08, 2012

Queen Invites Ruler of Bahrain's Bloody Regime to Her Jubilee Lunch at Windsor Castle Because 'It's Very Rude to Leave Anyone Off the List'

MAIL ONLINE: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's regime is accused of killing and torturing civilians during last year's pro-democracy demonstrations / The King of Bahrain is also set to attend a champagne dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace / Outcry expected from human rights campaigners and MPs / Pressure mounts for this month's Bahrain Formula 1 race to be cancelled after police using tear gas and live bullets shot a protester dead last week

The Queen has risked an international outcry by inviting the King of Bahrain to a Diamond Jubilee banquet despite widespread criticism of his bloody and repressive regime.

The English-educated Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is on the guest list for a lunch hosted by the Queen in May at Windsor Castle. He is also thought to be among those invited to a champagne dinner given by Prince Charles the same evening at Buckingham Palace.

The invitations will infuriate human rights campaigners and MPs angry at the Gulf state’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.

The country’s despotic rulers were accused of using brute force and torture to crush the protests last year, which saw more than 50 civilians killed and thousands arrested. The Bahrain royal family has direct control of the police, army and security services. Read on and comment » | Katie Nicholl and Jonathan Petre | Saturday, April -7, 2012

This Is a Government of Chums, Say Six Out of Ten in Damning New Poll

MAIL ONLINE: Nearly two out of three say entry to Mr Cameron’s elite inner circle depends on ‘who you know’ / Three out of ten said George Osborne was a 'snob' / Ratings of Boris Johnson show that it is possible to have a privileged background and still be popular

David Cameron is running a ‘Government of chums’ where ‘who you know’ matters more than ‘what you know’ – and he is becoming dangerously out of touch with voters as a result.

That is the finding of a new poll in the wake of the longest run of political and public-relations blunders by the Tories, many self-inflicted, since Mr Cameron became Prime Minister.

The hostile reaction to the ‘granny tax,’ the ‘pasty tax,’ the petrol panic and the Downing Street ‘donorgate’ scandal appears to have led to a growing feeling that Mr Cameron and his Ministers are elitist and remote.

The phrase ‘a Government of chums’ was first coined in a leader column in The Mail on Sunday last week, which asserted that ‘a small group of people from very similar backgrounds, who have known each other for years, are running the country mainly by talking to each other – and to nobody else’. Read on and comment » | Simon Walters | Saturday, April 07, 2012

What North Koreans Really Think of Kim Jong-un

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Secret telephone calls to North Korea reveal what citizens of the world's most secretive and dictatorial regimes really think about their new leader Kim Jong-un.

His elevation to leadership of one of the world's most secretive and dangerous regimes was the subject of speculation and rumour around the globe.

But now it has emerged that Kim Jong-un, the podgy 28-year-old who took the helm of North Korea after his father died last year is also the subject of clandestine gossip within his own insulated state.

In secret telephone conversations with activist groups based in democratic South Korea, residents of the North have revealed their own doubts about the man anointed as the Great Successor and Supreme Commander, despite all the revolutionary rhetoric with which they are bombarded.

"He is a four-star general aged 28," observed a trader, Im Seong-taek. "When did he do his time in the army to get those stars? It's nonsense."

A farmer in the far north of the country said: "He doesn't seem to be much use. A young person with his belly sticking out looks lazy."

Such comments are the fruits of a growing effort by South Koreans - often aided by defectors from the North who have made their way to Seoul, the capital of the South, by circuitous routes - to use gradually spreading mobile telephone technology to find out what North Koreans really think. » | Andrew Salmon, Seoul | Sunday, April 08, 2012

The names of all North Koreans in this report have been changed to protect their identities.

France Election 2012: Islam Takes Centre Stage in Battle for France
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Toulouse shooting, arrest of 30 Islamic radicals and expulsion of 10 more has all shone an uncomfortable light on France's Muslim community. But, as Harriet Alexander finds out, the politicians are revelling in the spotlight.

Mounia Bassnaoui is living on the edge. Since the 23-year-old decided a year ago to wear an Islamic veil, cloaking her body and head but leaving her face visible, she has been spat at, chased down the road and endured shouts of "al Qaeda!" from gangs of youths in her Paris neighbourhood.

She lost her job as a junior accountant with the government, owing to French regulations banning religious clothing in state buildings. And, despite being born in France to Moroccan parents, she feels she may have to leave the country for Holland or the UK.

"It's frightening at the moment," she said. "France is the worst place in Europe to be a Muslim, because the government is so against us. And if Nicolas Sarkozy is re-elected, it can only get worse."

But the sense of fear is, for many French voters, mutual. Last week French police launched the latest of a series of raids on suspected Islamic militants, detaining 10 people across the country in predawn arrests. Five Islamic fundamentalists were also kicked out of France or told not to return, and concerns over Islamic fundamentalism have made security one of the key talking points with two weeks to go in the presidential election campaign.

Supporters of Mr Sarkozy, battling for re-election, claim that he is being tough on dangerous radicals and protecting France. His opponents point out that stirring up fear of Islamic fundamentalists is a very convenient way of appearing as a strong, dynamic president.

And, ironically for a country which takes great pride in upholding secular values, the question of religion – specifically Islam – is taking awkward centre stage in the campaign in a way that would be unthinkable in Britain.

The three elements of immigration, security and Islamic fundamentalism are frequently spoken of in the same breath – and have always been a favoured topic for Mr Sarkozy, who made his name as interior minister by taking on the angry young men in the mainly Muslim suburbs of Paris during the 2005 riots.

In September, he decided to ban praying in the streets, after photos of Friday prayers spilling out onto the pavements were seized upon by far-Right candidate Marine Le Pen as evidence of a supposed Muslim takeover.

Early on in his presidential campaign this year, he decided that halal meat was "the issue that most preoccupies French voters", and promised to introduce a law enforcing the labelling of all meat killed in accordance with Islamic traditions.

And three weeks ago, when al-Qaeda admirer Mohamed Merah murdered seven people in a nine-day terrorist rampage through Toulouse, Mr Sarkozy was quick to return once again to his favoured themes of security, immigration and dangerous extremists. » | Harriet Alexander | Paris | Sunday, April 08, 2012

Happy Easter! Joyeuses Pâques! Frohe Ostern! Buona Pasqua! ¡Felices Pascuas! Pasg Hapus! Happy Passover! ! المسيح قام

May you all have a blessed and joyous Easter!

Mass Rally for Salafi Candidate in Egypt Poll
Thousands of people have demonstrated in support of the Egyptian Salafi leader Hazem Abu Ismail amid reports that he may not be allowed to participate in the upcoming presidential election. The ultra-conservative leader registered as a candidate a week ago, but there are allegations that his mother holds US citizenship which would disqualify him from running. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo.

England Bans Public Cigarette Sales
England has banned the display of cigarette packets in supermarkets and other large stores. The government says the ban will encourage those trying to give up the habit, but its opponents say that it is discriminatory. Al Jazeera's Rory Challands reports from London.

My comment:

The government is busy de-normalizing cigarette smoking; yet at the same time they do nothing about drug-taking. In fact, drug-taking appears to be becoming an ever more normal part of life for many. To me, this seems perverse.

I would say that they've got their work cut out if they want to rid society of this habit. All they are doing is driving it into the private sphere. But in so doing, they are making people that would otherwise be tolerant, less tolerant, because they keep hammering away at so-called dangers of second-hand smoke. (Where's the evidence?)

By segregating smokers like this, they are causing loneliness for many. These days, nobody wants you in their home if you smoke. And if you get invited, and you smoke, you have to go out into the garden to puff away. How demeaning that is! And how unwelcoming, too.

If the government ever succeeds in de-normalizing smoking, indeed if they succeed in banishing it, they will find that the habit will be replaced by something else. And that something else will probably be far more injurious to health than even smoking is. At least smoking kills slowly (in most cases). It does not bend the mind, or make people's behaviour odd.

I have to shake my head when I think how much this once tolerant nation has changed. My parents' generation were fine, upstanding citizens, who dressed well, spoke well, etc. Many of those people smoked, and sometimes a lot. But they were decent people: honourable, courteous, upstanding, welcoming, caring.

And today? What have we? Take a look around your local supermarket! Many might not smoke cigarettes, but take a look at the way they're dressed, listen to how they speak, listen to the foul language, observe the multiple tattoos and piercings on their bodies. How healthy is it to inject ink under the skin? And what is the government doing about that?

I don't have children, but if I did, I would much prefer that they be exposed to a little passive smoking than for their minds to be polluted by the excesses of the modern age.

Lastly, I should like to say that even though I am not in any way homophobic – far from it, actually – one really has to wonder the direction a society is taking when it will soon be legal for two men/women to marry, and walk down the street holding hands (and kissing?), yet it is already illegal for a man to light up in the public arena.

My poor father must be turning in his grave. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Polls Show British PM Cameron Losing Support
British voters are losing confidence in Prime Minister David Cameron to see them through the economic crisis, according to the latest opinion polls. The leader of the country's coalition government has staked his political reputation on reducing the UK's debt and reforming public finances. A series of blunders, however, has seen the government back-track on some of those measures. Al Jazeera's Harry Smith reports from London.

Australian Energy Company CEO Stands Down after Slew of Racist Remarks on Facebook

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Australian energy company has lost contracts and had its ties with a football club cut after its CEO made a slew of offensive remarks on Facebook about Aborigines, Asians, Jews, Muslims and women.

The comments were described by Julia Gillard, Australia's Prime Minister – who was herself the target of some remarks – as "very nasty". But the company boss, Ben Polis, denied he was "like a neo-Nazi racist", saying he once dated a half-Aboriginal woman and employed an Asian cleaner.

Mr Polis, 30, stood down from his position as chief executive of the company he founded, EnergyWatch, today after a meeting with the senior managers.

His comments were deemed "abhorrent" by the Aussie Rules football club, Melbourne Demons, which terminated its £1.3 million annual deal with the company, its major sponsor. A football club, Melbourne Victory, and a rugby club, Melbourne Rebels, also terminated their sponsorship deals. » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Thursday, April 05, 2012

New Dark Age Alert! Kuwaiti Preacher Sheik Nayef Hajjaj Al-Ajami: Allah Transformed the Jews, the "Scum of Mankind," into Apes and Pigs | Kuwait TV - November 25, 2011

Egyptian Author Sayyid Al-Qimni: We Have Tried Islamic Rule for 1,400 Years and It Has Failed | Al-Arabiya TV (Dubai/Saudi Arabia) - February 23, 2012

Egyptian Philosopher Murad Wahba: The Muslim Brotherhood and Wahhabism Have Made Us Develop "Antibodies" against the 21st Century | CBC TV (Egypt) - March 8, 2012

Qatari Attorney General Ali bin Fatis Al-Muri on the Justice System in Qatar: "If Fatima, Daughter of the Prophet, Had Stolen, I'd Have Chopped Off Her Hand" | Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - February 29, 2012

Algerian Cleric Ali Belhadj, Former Vice-President of the Islamic Salvation Front, Calls Sarkozy "Despicable" for Having Muhammed Merah Buried in France; French Citizen Tears Up His Passport, Calling Sarkozy a "Pig" and Justifying Merah's Actions (March 30, 2012)

David Ignatius: Obama’s Signal to Iran
THE WASHINGTON POST: President Obama has signaled Iran that the United States would accept an Iranian civilian nuclear program if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei can back up his recent public claim that his nation “will never pursue nuclear weapons.”

This verbal message was sent through Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who visited Khamenei last week. A few days before traveling to Iran, Erdogan had held a two-hour meeting with Obama in Seoul, in which they discussed what Erdogan would tell the ayatollah about the nuclear issue and Syria.

Obama advised Erdogan that the Iranians should realize that time is running out for a peaceful settlement and that Tehran should take advantage of the current window for negotiations. Obama didn’t specify whether Iran would be allowed to enrich uranium domestically as part of the civilian program the United States would endorse. That delicate issue evidently would be left for the negotiations that are supposed to start April 13, at a venue yet to be decided.

Erdogan is said to have replied that he would convey Obama’s views to Khamenei, and it’s believed he did so when he met the Iranian leader on Thursday. Erdogan also met President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other senior Iranian officials during his visit. Read on and comment » | David Ignatius | Opinion Writer | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Cardinal Keith O'Brien Urges Christians to 'Proudly' Wear Cross

BBC: Britain's most senior Roman Catholic Church cleric has called for Christians to wear a cross every day.

In his Easter Sunday sermon, Cardinal Keith O'Brien will tell worshippers to "wear proudly a symbol of the cross of Christ" each day of their lives.

The leader of the Church in Scotland, he will voice concern at the growing "marginalisation" of religion.

His comments come as a case is going to the European Court of Human Rights to allow employees to wear crosses.

In his Easter message, Cardinal O'Brien is expected to refer to remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 that Christians "need to be free to act in accordance with their own principles".

Former nurse Shirley Chaplin, from Exeter, and Nadia Eweida, from Twickenham, who worked with British Airways, are taking their call for all employees to be able to wear a cross at work to the European Court of Human Rights.

Both women lost their discrimination cases in 2010. Read on and comment » | Saturday, April 07, 2012

Wahl in Ägypten: Ehemaliger Mubarak-Vize will doch Präsident werden

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Erst vor wenigen Tagen hatte Omar Suleiman seine Kandidatur abgesagt, jetzt tritt der ehemalige Geheimdienstchef doch an: Der frühere Vize von Mubarak will Ägyptens Präsident werden. Zuvor hatten die Muslimbrüder überraschend einen eigenen Kandidaten aufgestellt.

Kairo - Kurz vor dem Ende der Anmeldefrist für die Kandidaten der ägyptischen Präsidentschaftswahl hat der ehemalige Geheimdienstchef Omar Suleiman seinen Hut doch in den Ring geworfen. Suleiman habe am Freitag einen entsprechenden Antrag eingereicht, berichtete die Zeitung "Al-Ahram".

Suleiman hatte seine Kandidatur erst vor wenigen Tagen abgesagt und dies mit fehlenden finanziellen und organisatorischen Mitteln begründet. Eine Demonstration von Hunderten von Anhängern vor seinem Haus habe ihn aber zum Umdenken gebracht, berichtete die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Mena. "Euer Aufruf war ein Befehl, und ich bin ein Soldat, der noch nie in seinem Leben einen Befehl verweigert hat", wird Suleiman zitiert. Er sei "tief berührt" von der Unterstützung seiner Anhänger und werde nun trotz der "Hindernisse und Schwierigkeiten" antreten. » | lgr/dpa/AFP | Freitag, 06. April 2012

Tunisia Chief Backs Conviction for Islam Insult
BOSTON GLOBE: TUNIS, Tunisia—Two men have been convicted and sentenced to prison in Tunisia for posting Facebook images of the Prophet Muhammad in a compromising position, a court decision that drew support Friday from the presidency of this once staunchly secular country.

Jaber Majeri and Ghazi Jribi were convicted on March 28 by a Tunisian court for "insulting the sacred" after they posted images of the prophet purportedly being intimate with one of his wives, Aisha. They were each sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and fined $800.

The verdict, which was made public Thursday, has been condemned by some as an attack on freedom of expression and a mark of the rising tide of religious conservatism in the country since a popular uprising ousted a dictator a year ago.

Since the fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, a moderate Islamist party Ennahda won elections in October but has promised not to enshrine Islamic law in the new constitution. That has put it at odds with a vocal minority of hardline Muslims known as Salafis.

Tunisian society has become polarized between those demanding more religion in public life and those who want to preserve secular traditions. » | Bouazza Ben Bouazza | Associated Press | Friday, April 06, 2012

Ghadhafi-Sohn Saif al-Islam in der Haft Gewalt ausgesetzt
NZZ ONLINE: Der Sohn des früheren libyschen Machthabers Ghadhafi, Saif al-Islam, ist in der Haft in Libyen körperlicher Gewalt ausgesetzt. Dies erklärte die Verteidigung am Internationalen Strafgerichtshof (ICC) am Donnerstag. » | sda/afp | Donnerstag, 05. April 2012

Papst bekräftigt Nein zu Priesterinnen und fordert Gehorsam
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Vatikan-Stadt - Papst Benedikt XVI. hat sein Nein zu Priesterinnen und zur Abkehr von Doktrinen der römisch-katholischen Kirche bekräftigt.

In der traditionellen Gründonnerstagsmesse forderte das Kirchenoberhaupt Gehorsam von Priestern und Laien ein, die bei der Ordination von Frauen und beim Zölibat gegen den Vatikan Stellung bezogen haben. Der Papst reagierte damit auf eine Gruppe katholischer Geistlicher in Österreich, die sich in einem "Aufruf zum Ungehorsam" über "endgültige Entscheidungen des kirchlichen Lehramts" hinwegsetze.

Der in diesem Monat 85 Jahre alt werdende Papst erinnerte an die Erklärung seines Vorgängers Johannes Paul II. von 1994, wonach der Ausschluss von Frauen vom Priesteramt Ausdruck des göttlichen Auftrags der Kirche sei. Im Jahr darauf hatte der heutige Papst als Chef der Vatikanischen Glaubenskongregation diese Position als unabänderlich bekräftigt. » | Reuters | Freitag, 06. April 2012

"Schwulenpropaganda" – Festnahmen in Russland
WELT ONLINE: Die russische Stadt St. Petersburg hat kürzlich ein Gesetz erlassen, das Aufklärung über Homosexualität verbietet. Jetzt gab es die ersten Festnahmen wegen eines Verstoßes dagegen.

Erstmals seit dem umstrittenen Verbot von "Schwulenpropaganda" im russischen St. Petersburg sind in der Touristenmetropole zwei Menschen wegen Verstoßes gegen das Gesetz festgenommen worden. » | dpa/smb | Freitag, 06. April 2012

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Cancer de la prostate : trois-quarts des Français de plus de 75 ans ont été dépistés entre 2008 et 2010
lePARISIEN.fr (LA PARISIENNE): Plus des trois-quarts des hommes âgés de plus de 75 ans ont réalisé au moins un dépistage, par dosage de l'antigène spécifique prostatique (PSA), du cancer de la prostate en France sur la période 2008-2010, selon une étude publiée jeudi 5 avril par l'Assurance maladie. Dans un rapport publié hier, mercredi 4 avril, la Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) a pourtant révélé que le dépistage systématique du cancer de la prostate ne présentait aucun intérêt, dans la population générale comme dans les populations à risque.

Le taux d'hommes de plus de 75 ans ayant réalisé au moins un dépistage du cancer de la prostate est plus élevé dans l'Hexagone que dans de nombreux autres pays (Etats-Unis, Royaume-Uni, Suède). » | Relaxnews | jeudi 05 avril 2012

La France rejette l'indépendance du Nord-Mali
EUROPE 1: La France rejette la déclaration d'indépendance du Nord-Mali proclamée par un groupe touareg, estimant qu'il n'est pas question de remettre en cause la souveraineté du Mali, a déclaré vendredi le ministre des Affaires étrangères Alain Juppé.

"La France est attachée à l'intégrité territoriale du Mali, il n'est pas question de remettre en cause la souveraineté de ce pays", a déclaré le ministre des Affaires étrangères Alain Juppé vendredi à Bordeaux. » | Par Europe1.fr avec AFP | vendredi 06 avril 2012

Half a Million Mac Computers ‘Infected with Malware’
BBC: More than half a million Apple computers have been infected with the Flashback Trojan, according to a Russian anti-virus firm.

Its report claims that about 600,000 Macs have installed the malware - potentially allowing them to be hijacked and used as a "botnet".

The firm, Dr Web, says that more than half that number are based in the US.

Apple has released a security update, but users who have not installed the patch remain exposed.

Flashback was first detected last September when anti-virus researchers flagged up software masquerading itself as a Flash Player update. Once downloaded it deactivated some of the computer's security software.

Later versions of the malware exploited weaknesses in the Java programming language to allow the code to be installed from bogus sites without the user's permission. » | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Syrian Refugees Flood Turkey

Read the article here | Ivan Watson, Kareem Khadder and Yesim Comert , CNN | Friday, April 06, 2012

Austerity Drives Up Suicide Rate in Debt-ridden Greece

Read the article here | Teo Kermeliotis, for CNN | Friday, April 06, 2012
Related »

Prince Friso's Family Thank Public for Support

MONSTERS & CRITICS: The Dutch royal family have expressed their thanks for the public support they have received following Prince Johan Friso's skiing accident.

The 43-year-old royal has been in a coma ever since he was trapped under the snow for 15 minutes while skiing off piste in Austria in February and his mother Queen Beatrix and wife Princess Mabel have now expressed their gratitude for the messages they have received.

In a statement, they said: 'Following Prince Friso's accident, we have received messages of sympathy and concern from all over the Netherlands and from beyond our borders.

'We and our family are deeply touched that so many people hold Friso in their hearts and share in our anxieties. All the encouraging words, expressions of hope, moving messages, prayers and flowers are a great support to us and give us courage in a very difficult period, full of uncertainty. Your sympathy means a great deal to us. Read on and comment » | Royal Watch News | Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Death in the Morning: How One Pensioner's Suicide Has Traumatised Greece
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Until Wednesday morning, Dimitris Christoulas, a respectable middle-class pensioner, was familiar only to the residents of the quiet Ampelokipous district of Athens where he had lived and worked hard for nearly 40 years.

All that changed at 8.45am, rush hour, when the 77-year-old former pharmacist and pillar of his shopkeeping community put a hand gun to his head and shot himself under a giant Cyprus tree on the central Syntagma Square.

He fell to the ground in front of the national parliament that many Greeks have come to blame for the corruption and mismanagement that has plunged their country into crisis, and lay there dead as shocked commuters looked on.

Yesterday, 24 hours after his suicide, the name Dimitris Christoulas is known to most in this troubled country.

"A martyr for Greece" declared the Eleftheros Typos newspaper. "Scream of desperation" said the headline in Avyi next to a picture of Edvard Munch's celebrated painting. Many press commentaries compared his death to the protest suicides that unleashed the Arab spring in Tunisia and across the Middle East last year.

To many – including neighbours in hi close community, he has become a hero.

"He did not rebel from his couch. He was a beautiful man, he will live on in history," said Pannayotta, a housewife in her late 50s, living on the same street as the pensioner.

The incendiary suicide note Mr Chritoulas left behind urging young Greeks to rise up has also struck a chord with millions of people who see their highly indebted nation's social fabric being torn apart by economic recession and externally imposed austerity measures.

"I cannot find any other form of struggle except a dignified end," he wrote. "I believe that young people with no future will one day take up and hang this country's traitors in arms in Syntagma Square just as the Italians hanged Mussolini in 1945." Read on and comment » | Bruno Waterfield | Athens | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Related »

Hugo Chavez Weeps and Calls on God to Spare His Life

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wept and asked God to spare his life during a pre-Easter Mass on Thursday after returning from his latest session of cancer treatment in Cuba.

Very little is known about the 57-year-old socialist leader's condition, including even what type of cancer he has. Chavez has undergone three operations in less than a year, and received two sessions of radiation treatment.

He says the latest surgery was successful, that he is recovering well and will be fit to win a new six-year term at an election in October. Yet big questions remain about his future, and on Thursday the strain appeared to show.

In a televised speech to the Catholic service in his home state of Barinas, Chavez cried and his voice broke as he eulogised Jesus, revolutionary fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevara and South American independence hero Simon Bolivar.

"Never forget that we are the children of giants ... I could not avoid some tears," the former soldier said, his parents and other relatives looking on from the church rows.

"Give me your crown, Jesus. Give me your cross, your thorns so that I may bleed. But give me life, because I have more to do for this country and these people. Do not take me yet," Chavez added, standing below an image of Jesus with the Crucifix. » | Friday, April 06, 2012

Barack Obama Accused of Bullying US Supreme Court over Controversial Healthcare Reforms

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama has come under fire from senior Republicans, courts and legal scholars for "bullying" the US Supreme Court by warning it against overturning his controversial healthcare reforms.

Mr Obama said earlier this week that the Court would be taking an "unprecedented, extraordinary step" if it struck down the law, which forces all Americans to buy private health insurance or face fines.

He noted that its "unelected" justices, whose sceptical questioning during hearings last week led experts to predict the law was doomed, would be rejecting the will of a "democratically-elected Congress".

The remarks prompted sharp responses from critics who accused the President of ignoring 200 years of US legal precedent despite having been a constitutional law professor before entering politics.

Nikki Haley, the Governor of South Carolina – one of 27 states suing the administration over "Obamacare"– accused him of "bullying the Supreme Court".

Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, said that Mr Obama had "crossed a dangerous line" with his comments, adding: "I would suggest the president back off." » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Islamist Commander Cuts Off Vandal's Hand in Timbuktu
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Islamist commander who seized control of Timbuktu this week has imposed a harsh regime of Sharia law on the city and led by example after cutting a man's hand off in public.

Ayad Ag Ghaly, leader of the faction of tribal Tuareg fighters that is allied to al-Qaeda, was reported to have carried out the sentence on an unnamed "vandal" in the heart of the ancient city.

Ousmane Halle, the mayor of Timbuktu, said almost all of the city's 300 Christians had fled after Ag Ghaly announced that Sharia law would be enforced.

He told local radio that women should be covered at all times, warned thieves they would have their hands cut off and adulterers they would be stoned.

His faction, named Ansar al-Din, and its al-Qaeda allies won control of the urban centres of northern Mali after a regional uprising in the wake of a military coup that deposed the country's elected government.

While another faction of the Tuareg rebellion, the National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad (MNLA) announced a ceasefire yesterday in response to international appeals, the extremists consolidated their grip on key cities. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, April 05, 2012

'Allah' Vodka Stirs Anger in Kazakhstan
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vodka branded with the Arabic word Allah has caused uproar in Kazakhstan, a predominantly Muslim country with a taste for alcohol picked up during the Soviet Union.

Allah, which means God, is written on the front of Baiterek vodka bottle caps. The bottles’ labels also suggest the vodka packs a sizeable kick with the slogan: “Allah’s strength is enough for everybody.”

While alcohol has generally played an important role in Christianity, it is forbidden in Islam and the bottles, which appeared in the eastern city of Semey, have angered religious Kazakhs.

“The only salvation for those who did this is to repent,” Bekzat Boranbai uly, an Imam in Semey, told the KTK television station.

“Allah is against alcohol and this is mockery.” » | James Kilner, Central Asia Correpsondent | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Allah Hits the Bottle »

‘Allah' vodka pulled from shelves after Muslims protest in Kazakhstan »

France Election 2012: Nicolas Sarkozy Promises to Protect France as He Unveils Manifesto

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to protect France from financial markets, terrorism, and uncontrolled immigration, arguing he is the best[-]placed candidate to defend the country against economic crises and globalisation.

Mr Sarkozy today unveiled a 32-point campaign platform for his second and final five-year term, much of which he has laid out previously in campaign speeches. The president also presented a 32-page letter to voters.

Speaking at the launch of his manifesto, he announced that France will seek to freeze its contirbution to the EU budget if Mr Sarkozy is re-elected.

"I announce to you that France will ask that its contribution to the EU budget be frozen, which will represent savings of around 600 million euros per year," he said.

In the letter, he focused on issues that he has been hammering away at for the past month, including cutting the number of immigrants to France by half, asking the European Union to demand more reciprocity in trade, and demanding that the unemployed seek job training. He repeated his goal to balance the budget by 2016, saying France would suffer the fate of southern European countries such as Spain if it's delayed. » | Source: Bloomberg | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Verwandt »

Sarkozy: François Hollande Would Destroy the French Economy within Two Days! »

L'expulsion d'imams relance la question de leur formation
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - L'expulsion par la France d'imams jugés radicaux pourrait relancer l'idée de créer en France un institut national chargé de leur formation afin d'enrayer l'influence de prédicateurs fondamentalistes issus de pays étrangers.

La question d'un "islam de France", prôné à intervalles réguliers tant par des responsables politiques que des membres de la communauté musulmane, se heurte jusqu'à présent à de profondes divergences et à l'influence présumée des bailleurs de fonds étrangers des formations existantes.

Contrairement à la religion catholique qui ordonne les prêtres ou les évêques, il n'existe en France aucune organisation ou structure qui décerne le titre d'imam.

Si les imams des mosquées doivent être acceptés par la communauté de fidèles et connaître suffisamment le Coran et les rites pour pouvoir diriger la prière, tout un chacun peut en théorie s'ériger en imam, au risque de laisser libre cours, dans des proportions certes marginales, à des dérives.

Paris a annoncé le 2 avril l'expulsion de trois imams, un Malien, un Turc et un Saoudien, considérés comme des islamistes radicaux, et décidé d'interdire la venue de quatre prédicateurs conviés au congrès de l'Union des organisations islamiques de France (UOIF) qui se tient à partir de vendredi près de Paris. » | Par Marine Pennetier | Reuters | jeudi 05 avril 2012

Insight: Overloaded Justice System Ties Italy in Knots
REUTERS.COM: Falsifying a one euro ($1.33) bus ticket in Italy is a criminal offence eligible for a full trial and two appeals that would cost the state many thousands of euros.

The U.S. Supreme Court reviews around 100 appeals per year. The number for Italy's top appeal court, serving a population a fifth the size? More than 80,000.

Italy has 40,000 lawyers specializing in supreme court cases. According to Valerio Spigarelli, head of Italy's top criminal lawyers body, the number in neighboring France, with a similar population, is 25. They are among 240,000 lawyers in Italy, compared to 54,000 in the country next door.

Statistics like this give a glimpse into a chaotic, byzantine legal system which not only reduces citizens to despair and has senior judges tearing out their hair, but acts as a serious disincentive to foreign companies planning to invest and a powerful brake on the euro zone's third economy.

Everything from a simple dispute among tenants of an apartment block to attempts by Prime Minister Mario Monti to revive Italy's stagnant economy are at the mercy of a system that can delay final judgment for many years. » | Barry Moody and Roberto Landucci | ROME | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Revealed: Education's Great Class Divide
THE INDEPENDENT: Teachers warn of 'toxic' effect of a socially segregated system

Schools are becoming increasingly segregated along class lines, teachers have warned – calling spending cuts and reforms that hit poor pupils the Coalition's "dirty little secret".

The poorest children are suffering most from the "toxic" effects of socially divided schools, according to the leader of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. "We have schools for the elite; schools for the middle class and schools for the working class," Mary Bousted said. "Too few schools have mixed intakes where children can learn those intangible life skills of aspiration, effort and persistence from one another."

Dr Bousted, who heads the most moderate of the three teachers' unions, added: "This Coalition Government's attack on poor children is a blight upon our conception of ourselves as a civilised society. They remind me of a former Prime Minister who said there was no such thing as society." » | Richard Garner | Thursday, April 05, 2012

News Channel or Propaganda Tool?
A look at why Russia Today often seems more interested in reviving the Cold War than reporting on real Russian stories.

The UK 'Snooping' Plan: Security vs. Privacy
Is the UK's new online surveillance plan an essential security tool or an unnecessary breach of personal freedoms?

Related »

Turkey Puts Former Military Ruler On Trial
Turkey's landmark trial of the two surviving leaders of a 1980 military takeover of the country has began at a court in Ankara, the capital. Ninety-four-year-old former general Kenan Evren, who went on to become president, and Tahsin Sahinkaya, 86, are charged with ousting the civilian government on September 12, 1980. Their actions led to large numbers of executions and arrests. Al Jazeera's Rob Matheson reports from Ankara.

Ottawa : interdit de fumer dehors... dans plusieurs lieux publics
RADIO-CANADA: Il est dorénavant interdit de fumer dans plusieurs lieux publics extérieurs, à Ottawa. Les modifications au règlement sans fumée de la Ville entrent en vigueur aujourd'hui.

Toutes les propriétés municipales, dont les parcs, les terrains de jeux, les plages, les terrains de sport et les stationnements extérieurs des édifices municipaux, sont incluses dans cette interdiction. De plus, les terrasses des bars et des restaurants deviennent des endroits non-fumeurs.

Selon Anne Meloche, agente de projet à la Santé publique d'Ottawa, la fumée secondaire est néfaste, peu importe où elle se trouve. » | lundi 02 avril 2012

Related »

Cigarette and Tobacco Displays Banned in Supermarkets
THE GUARDIAN: Tobacco will be kept out of sight as ban aimed at discouraging young people from smoking comes into force

Packets of cigarettes will disappear from the shelves of supermarkets in England on Friday and must stay hidden in closed cupboards, out of sight and – the government and campaigners hope – out of mind.

New legislation, aimed at reducing the temptation to smoke for children and young people, will require all large shops and supermarkets to scrap displays at the point of sale. Campaigners argue that these have become more visual, colourful and attractive as bans on other forms of advertising have closed down marketing opportunities for tobacco companies.

Cancer Research UK, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and others also say that displaying cigarettes alongside sweets normalises tobacco in the minds of children, making appear harmless and available.

The government agrees. Ministers say that removing tobacco from sight will help discourage young people from taking up smoking.

Newsagents and small stores can display cigarettes until 2015, giving them time to refit shelves and cabinets.

The ban has become a reality in the face of stiff opposition by Big Tobacco, which until December appeared intent on a legal challenge. Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco, British American Tobacco and Philip Morris argued that the ban was disproportionate, breached EC competition law and would encourage tobacco smuggling. But they dropped the case in January, saying that by the time it was heard the ban would be in place.

Hard lobbying has also come from corner shops, small stores and newsagents who say tobacco sales are crucial to their business. » | Sarah Boseley, health editor | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Carla Bruni Enjoys Jaunts on the Paris Metro in Disguise
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has become the latest Western president's wife to admit to going on secret jaunts in disguise, confessing to travelling round the Paris metro in a wig.

Under intense media scrutiny as her husband Nicolas Sarkozycampaigns for re-election, the French First Lady said she was a deft hand at dressing up to avoid the paparazzi.

Speaking to [Le] Nouvel Observateur magazine, she said: "Fame doesn't weigh me down, and anyway I disguise myself literally and figuratively.

"With a wig on, nobody recognises me in the metro," she said.

The plot clearly worked, she added as "recently, I had my handbag searched in the Musée de la Marine (Marine museum)" in Paris, where security guards failed to notice they were dealing with the French president's wife. » | Henry Samuel | Paris | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Lien en realtion avec l'article ici »

Doku – Libyen: Porträt, Muammar al-Gaddafi oder ‘Das libysche Paradox’, ARTE France

La charia, objectif numéro un du candidat des Frères musulmans
LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR: LE CAIRE (Reuters) - Le candidat des Frères musulmans à l'élection présidentielle égyptienne, Khairat al Chater, a déclaré qu'instaurer la charia (loi islamique) serait son objectif numéro un s'il remporte le scrutin en mai et juin.

Dans ses premières déclarations publiques depuis l'annonce surprise des Frères musulmans de présenter un candidat à ce scrutin, Chater s'est engagé également à réformer le ministère de l'Intérieur, qui a de longue date joué un rôle de premier plan dans la répression visant les milieux de l'opposition. » | Tamim Elyan, Eric Faye pour le service français | jeudi 05 avril 2012

Pa. Poll: Romney Opens Lead in Santorum's Backyard

USA TODAY: Fresh from his triple victories earlier this week, Mitt Romney has now opened a lead in Rick Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania.

The survey released today by Public Policy Polling shows Romney has a 42% to 37% lead among likely GOP primary voters -- a 17-point jump for the former Massachusetts governor in the last month. The Pennsylvania primary is April 24.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania congressman and senator, has dropped six points over the same period. The Pennsylvania poll shows Romney has made gains among evangelical voters, Tea Party supporters and voters who say they are "very conservative" -- three groups that have consistently supported Santorum. » | Catalina Camia | USA TODAY | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Argentina Condemns David Cameron's Remarks on Falkland Islands

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Argentina's government has condemned remarks by Prime Minister David Cameron over the Falkland Islands, stating they reflect "persistent glorification of colonialism".

Cameron made the statement on Monday, the 30th anniversary of Argentina's invasion of the Falklands, amid heightened tensions over Argentina's long-standing claim to the islands.

"We are rightly proud of the role Britain played in righting a profound wrong," Cameron said in his written statement. "Britain remains staunchly committed to upholding the right of the Falkland Islanders, and of the Falkland Islanders alone, to determine their own future."

The islanders overwhelmingly say they want to remain British.

But Argentina's Foreign Ministry said Cameron's comments reflect "persistent glorification of colonialism".

"To use the words of the prime minister, 'a profound wrong' is precisely to persist with colonialism," Argentina's government said in a statement. "That's the history of the United Kingdom, and millions of human beings around the world can still bear testament to that today." » | Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Un lycéen copte emprisonné pour insulte à l'islam
20 MINUTES: Un lycéen copte de 17 ans a été condamné mercredi à trois ans de prison pour avoir publié sur sa page Facebook des caricatures jugées offensantes pour l'islam et le Prophète à l'origine de violences intercommunautaires. Gamal Abdou Massoud était également accusé d'avoir distribué certaines de ces caricatures à des écoliers de son village situé près d'Assiout, en Moyenne-Egypte, où cohabitent une importante communauté copte et les anciens groupes islamistes armés. » | Avec Reuters | mercredi 04 avril 2012

La lutte contre l'islam radical s'invite dans la campagne
NORD ÉCLAIR: Avant-hier, mardi donc, treize islamistes ont été mis en examen pour association de malfaiteurs en vue de la préparation d'actes terroristes. Il y a peu, cinq imams étaient expulsés de France. Bref, en une petite poignée de journées - et suite aux événements tragiques de Toulouse et Montauban -, justice et police ont ouvert clairement le conflit avec ce que notre pays peut compter d'islamistes radicaux. Et on pourrait même aller plus loin, on a fait mieux en quelques jours que tout au long de ces derniers mois et pourquoi pas de ces dernières années.

Le pouvoir en place a-t-il tort de procéder à cette traque systématique et, visiblement du point de vue quantitatif, très efficace ? Mon Dieu ! Non ! Ce serait faire preuve de cécité et d'angélisme que de ne pas savoir que sur notre territoire sont proférés des discours soi-disant religieux en tout opposés aux valeurs républicaines. Ce serait ridicule de penser que notre pays serait à l'abri du danger que font peser sur la communauté nationale des groupes d'individus armés d'une telle haine à l'endroit des principes démocratiques et prêts à organiser, si l'occasion se présente ou si l'ordre leur est donné, des attentats terroristes au non du djihad. C'est pourquoi toute critique à l'encontre de ces actions semble a priori inutile. » | Edito | jeudi 05 avril 2012

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy : "À côté de Mme Pompidou, je suis Lady Gaga !"

LE POINT: La première dame défend l'action de son mari à la présidence de la République et se livre dans une interview au "Nouvel Observateur".

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy dénonce "la sempiternelle croisade anti-Sarkozy" d'une partie de la presse et défend l'action de son mari à la présidence de la République, tout en niant faire de la politique, dans une interview à paraître jeudi dans Le Nouvel Observateur. "Sur le terrain, je ne ressens pas d'agressivité, les gens semblent aimer Nicolas. L'anti-sarkozysme est un phénomène d'élite parisienne", affirme l'épouse du chef de l'État, qui souligne qu'elle l'accompagne dès qu'elle le peut dans ses déplacements de campagne. "Dans le cas de Nicolas, ce qui est bien fait est vite oublié, ou parfois littéralement zappé. Et ce qui l'est moins est éternellement ressassé", dit-elle en soulignant qu'elle ne voit pas la presse "s'acharner ainsi sur monsieur Hollande". » | Le Point.fr | jeudi 05 avril 2012

Mme Pompidou » (Français)

Mme Pompidou » (Anglais)

"Der Islam braucht einen Martin Luther"

PRO: Der Islam benötige "Vorbilder, die unbequeme Fragen stellen", ist die Integrationsexpertin der SPD Lale Akgün überzeugt. Ein Martin Luther im Islam wäre nicht schlecht, sagt die ehemalige Bundestagsabgeordnete, die sich einen "Aufstand der Kopftuchmädchen" wünscht.

"Ich möchte, dass sich die Frauen ihr Recht nehmen und nicht abwarten, dass sich irgendwann etwas ändert", sagte die Muslimin, die Referatsleiterin in der Staatskanzlei von Nordrhein-Westfalen ist, im Interview mit dem evangelischen Magazin "Chrismon". Entsprechend heißt ihr aktuelles Buch "Aufstand der Kopftuchmädchen" (Piper, 2011).

An Universitäten sei ein Kampf um Gleichberechtigung muslimischer Frauen bereits zu sehen, gibt sie zu verstehen. Doch wenn muslimische Frauen in die Öffentlichkeit gingen, hätten sie Angst. "Der Gesetzgeber und die Gesellschaft können eine Menge gegen die Angst tun. Sie können Rahmenbedingungen schaffen, die Unterdrückung nicht zulässt." Überlasse man das Zivilrecht den Imamen, würde ihr allein der Gedanke ein "kaltes Grausen" verursachen.

So verurteilt Akgün etwa den Vorschlag, islamische Schiedsgerichte in Deutschland einzurichten, als falsch. Dies hatte etwa der rheinland-pfälzische Justizminister Jochen Hartloff (SPD) vorgeschlagen. Die Politikerin erinnert daran, dass Mohammed Entscheidungen in und für seine Zeit getroffen habe. "Und wir müssen entscheiden, wie wir es heute machen." Das starre Festhalten an Traditionen habe zum einen etwas Beruhigendes, gibt sie zu, aber sie nennt es eine "Pseudosicherheit". Der Islam brauche einen Reformatoren wie Martin Luther, ist Akgün überzeugt. » | Von js | Dienstag, 03. April 2012

Whitney Houston Final Autopsy Results Revealed
THE GUARDIAN: Singer's drowning was caused by a combination of heart disease and cocaine use

The final autopsy report on Whitney Houston's death shows that the singer's body contained traces of cocaine, marijuana, the allergy medicine Benadryl, the muscle relaxant Flexeril and the anxiolyitc Xanax. When police arrived at her hotel room in Los Angeles on February 11, they also found an open bottle of champagne, prescription drug bottles, loose pills, and a small spoon with a "white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper". » | Guardian Music | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Related »

Violent Protests Erupt in Athens over Debt Suicide
Violent protests broke out in Athens last night after an elderly man committed suicide near to the country's Parliament building, claiming he was distraught at the prospect of "looking in the garbage to feed myself".

Read the article and comment here | Matthew Sparkes | Thursday, April 05, 2012
Related »

Islamists Impose Sharia in Mali's Timbuktu
TIMES UNION: BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's crisis deepened Wednesday, as officials in the fabled northern city of Timbuktu confirmed that the Islamic rebel faction that seized control of the town over the weekend has announced it will impose sharia law.

Rebels in the country's distant north have taken advantage of the power vacuum created last month when renegade soldiers in the capital of Bamako overthrew the nation's democratically elected leader. In the chaos that followed the March 21 coup, they advanced on strategic towns in the north, including the ancient city of Timbuktu, located over 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) from the capital.

The ethnic Tuareg rebels included a secular faction fighting for independence, and an Islamic wing, Ansar Dine, whose reclusive leader called a meeting of all the imams in the city on Tuesday to make his announcement.

"He had the meeting to make his message to the people known, that sharia law is now going to be applied," said the Mayor of Timbuktu Ousmane Halle, who was reached by telephone. "When there is a strongman in front of you, you listen to him. You can't react," he said, when asked what the reaction was of the imams of a historic town known for its religious pluralism and its moderate interpretation of Islam. "Things are going to heat up here. Our women are not going to wear the veil just like that," said the mayor.

Kader Kalil, the director of a communal radio station who was asked to cover the meeting and who later interviewed the Ansar Dine leader Iyad Ag Ghali, confirmed that sharia had been imposed.

He said in addition to the wearing of the veil, thieves will be punished by having their hands cut off and adulterers will be stoned to death. » | Rukmini Callimachi | Associated Press | Thursday, April 05, 2012

ICC Rejects Libya's Request Over Gaddafi Son Surrender
REUTERS.COM: The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday ordered Libya to immediately hand over for trial Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader, but Libya's new authorities said they still wanted to try him themselves.

The court in The Hague ordered Tripoli to "comply with its obligations to enforce the warrant of arrest" and surrender him into the court's custody without delay, rejecting a Libyan request to delay the handover.

The ICC says it has jurisdiction in the case and that a U.N. Security Council Resolution obliges Libya to cooperate. It has warned that Tripoli's failure to hand Saif al-Islam over could result in it being reported to the Council.

Along with human rights organizations, it harbors concerns about the fairness of Libya's new justice system.

Since the elder Gaddafi was killed after being captured alive by rebel fighters, competing militias have yet to lay down their arms and Western human rights organizations have accused them of carrying out numerous extra-judicial executions and other abuses, raising serious questions about the rule of law. » | Ivana Sekularac and Marie-Louise Gumuchian | AMSTERDAM / TRIPOLI | Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Tunis Reopens Ancient Islamic College to Counter Radicals

REUTERS.COM: Watched by residents of the old quarter of Tunis, a court official stepped forward and unlocked the huge wooden doors. From the gloom within, volunteers began to bring out stools and chairs that had gathered dust and cobwebs for half a century.

The school at Tunisia's 8th-century Zaitouna Mosque, one of the world's leading centers of Islamic learning, was closed by independence leader and secularist strongman Habib Bourguiba in 1964 as part of an effort to curb the influence of religion. Its ancient university was merged with the state's Tunis University.

The college reopened its ancient doors to students on Monday, part of a drive by religious scholars and activists to revive Zaitouna's moderate brand of Islam, which once dominated North Africa, and counter the spread of more radical views.

"The return of this religious educational beacon is very important in light of the increased religious extremism that we are living with," said Fathi al-Khamiri, who heads a pressure group that obtained a court order allowing the school to reopen.

"The aim is to restore Zaitouna's educational and religious role in Tunisia and North Africa in order to spread the principles of moderate religion."

Zaitouna once rivaled Egypt's Al Azhar as a centre of Islamic learning, and during the golden age of Islam generations of leading Islamic thinkers studied logic, philosophy, medicine and grammar as well as theology within its walls.

That rich tradition had already begun to atrophy by the time Bourguiba became president in the 1950s. In recent decades, radical religious ideas have spread across the Middle East, partly in response to a perceived attack on Islam by the West. » | Tarek Amara | Writing by Lin Noueihed; editing by Tim Pearce | Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Connecticut State Votes To Do Away With Death Penalty
CNN: The Connecticut Senate voted 20-16 early Thursday morning on a bill that would do away with the death penalty and make the state the fifth in five years to abolish capital punishment. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where it is also expected to pass.

Gov. Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, has vowed to sign the measure into law should it reach his desk, his office said.

"For everyone, it's a vote of conscience," said Senate President Donald Williams Jr., a Democrat who says he's long supported a repeal. "We have a majority of legislators in Connecticut in favor of this so that the energies of our criminal justice system can be focused in a more appropriate manner." » | David Ariosto | CNN | Thursday, April 05, 2012

Austerity Suicide: Greek Pensioner Shoots Himself in Athens

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A cash-strapped Greek pensioner who said he feared having to “scrounge for food” shot himself dead in Athens’ main square in the latest in a series of suicides and attempted suicides triggered by European austerity measures.

The death of the 77-year-old retired pharmacist in the Greek capital's Constitution Square caused an outpouring of anger and grief and came after similar incidents in Italy.

The pensioner, named locally as Dimitris Christoulas, shot himself with a handgun a few hundred yards from the Greek parliament, which has been the focus of numerous violent protests against tough austerity measures in recent months.

Witnesses said he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger after yelling: “I have debts, I can’t stand this anymore.”

A passer-by told Greek television the man said: “I don’t want to leave my debts to my children.”

A suicide note found in his coat pocket blamed politicians and the country’s acute financial crisis for driving him to take his life, police said.

The government had “annihilated any hope for my survival and I could not get any justice. I cannot find any other form of struggle except a dignified end before I have to start scrounging for food from rubbish bins,” the note said. » | Paul Anast, Athens and Nick Squires | Wednesday, April 04, 2012