HT: Always On Watch >>>
Saturday, September 04, 2010
MSN INDIA: Islamabad, (PTI) A Pakistani minister wants US President Barack Obama to offer Eid prayers at Ground Zero in New York and become the "Amir-ul-Momineen" or Caliph of Muslims.
Minister of State for Industries Ayatullah Durrani, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan People's Party, said the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festival, expected to be observed on September 11, would be a "golden opportunity" for Obama to offer Eid prayers and declare himself the leader of all Muslims.
"In this way, all the problems of the Muslim world would be solved," Durrani told The Nation newspaper.
Durrani, a former member of the Pakistan Ideological Council, contended that the Muslim world is in "dire need" of a Caliph and occupying this distinguished slot would provide Obama "exemplary titles" like "Mullah Barack Hussain Obama" or "Allama Obama".
He said: "The time is approaching fast. Barack Hussain Obama must act now. This is a golden opportunity, Muslims badly need it." Obama's elevation to the Islamic Caliphate would be the "key to success, he claimed but did not offer any explanation for his remarks.
''Ground Zero'' is the former site of the fallen twin towers of the World Trade Center. [Source: MSN India] | Thursday, September 02, 2010
HT: Always On Watch >>>
THE TELEGRAPH: A state of emergency has been declared after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch, destroying hundreds of buildings.
Police sealed off the centre of New Zealand's second largest city because of the danger from falling masonry during a series of strong aftershocks.
Eighty extra police officers were drafted in Auckland to help enforce a 7pm to 7am curfew.
Army units were also being sent in to assist with relief work.
As night fell on scenes of devastation, fears were mounting of health risks from fractured sewage pipes and residents were warned to boil drinking water.
A fire erupted in the shattered central city and firefighters racing to tackle it were hampered by a lack of water pressure caused by burst mains.
Earlier, isolated cases of looting were reported but police quickly responded by increasing their presence around city centre shops.
Christchurch Hospital was inundated with casualties, mainly cuts and fractures, although at least two people were in a serious condition.
One was a man in his 50s who was hit by a falling chimney, while another man was badly cut by glass.
Ten people were admitted with suspected heart attacks triggered by shock.
No deaths were reported, which John Key, the Prime Minister, described as "a miracle". >>> Paul Chapman, in Wellington | Saturday, September 04, 2010
TVNZ – Watch video: Prime Minister John Key reacts to the Christchurch earthquake >>>
To The Guardian photo gallery >>> | Saturday, September 04, 2010
Curfew declared in New Zealand >>>
THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has had shoes and eggs thrown at him as he attended his first book signing in Dublin.
The missiles, which were thrown by anti-war protesters, did not hit Mr Blair as he arrived at a bookshop in Irish Republic at about 10.30am.
Activists clashed with Gardai as they tried to push down a security barrier outside the Eason store.
Campaigners, who turned out in the pouring rain, were chanting: "Hey hey Tony hey, how many kids have you killed today?"
They also shouted: "Tony Blair war criminal" and "blood on your hands". >>> Michael Howie | Saturday, September 04, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: It has already been panned by the critics and lampooned by his political opponents but now Tony Blair’s controversial autobiography has become the target of a mischievous internet campaign.Hundreds of people have joined a group on the social networking site Facebook calling for his memoirs, entitled, A Journey, to be placed in the crime section of all bookstores.
The group urges shoppers to surreptitiously move all copies of the book, which was released on Wednesday, in protest at the former Prime Minister’s record on Iraq.
A number of bookstores have already reported finding Mr Blair’s book in “inappropriate sections” including fantasy and true crime.
The Facebook group called “Subversively move Tony Blair's memoirs to the crime section in book shops" claims it wants to “make bookshops think twice about where they categorise our generation’s greatest war criminal”. >>> Martin Evans | Saturday, September 04, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair's memoirs: a strange book by a gifted man – Tony Blair's memoirs are unlike those of any previous prime minister, not least because of the space devoted to settling scores with his arch rival. But they fail to tell the whole story, says Simon Heffer. >>> Simon Heffer | Thursday, September 02, 2010
Friday, September 03, 2010
THE GUARDIAN: The internet giant's New York headquarters have fallen prey to a city-wide outbreak of bed bugs
They are reddish-brown, smaller than an apple seed, have a taste for human blood and when they bite they itch like hell. And now the onward march of the common bedbug has extended into cyberspace.
The search engine giant Google confirmed today that its 9th Avenue offices in Manhattan have been infested with the bugs. Parts of the headquarters, a futuristic space renowned for having a Lego room and scooters for staff to move around, have been found to be harbouring the parasites, prompting the wags at Gawker media group to wonder whether its possible for them to spread via the internet.
Google is the latest victim of an epidemic that has been rampaging through New York over the summer and has the city that normally prides itself on its permanent state of cool in a veritable panic: the blood suckers have wreaked havoc everywhere from the Empire State building to hospital wards, the prosecutor's office in Brooklyn and Time Warner's Manhattan headquarters. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, September 03, 2010Related material here and here
LE MONDE: Feiz Muhammad, un prédicateur islamiste radical, a lancé un appel en vue du meurtre de Geert Wilders, le leader populiste du Parti pour la liberté (PVV) aux Pays-Bas. Les services antiterroristes néerlandais (AIVD) sont en possession de l'enregistrement d'un message posté sur un site djihadiste par cette figure connue de la mouvance radicale. Etabli en Australie, Feiz Muhammad répondait aux questions de jeune radicaux néerlandais, explique, vendredi 3 septembre, le site Web du quotidien De Telegraaf, où le message peut être consulté.
Dans cette intervention, M. Wilders est accusé d'insulter le prophète et de se moquer de l'islam. Dès lors, il convient de "le tuer" et de "le décapiter", indique le prédicateur. Informé par De Telegraaf, M. Wilders s'est dit "choqué". Il a eu, jeudi soir, un entretien avec le coordinateur néerlandais de la lutte antiterroriste, Erik Akerboom, auquel il reproche de ne pas l'avoir immédiatement informé de cette affaire. >>> Jean-Pierre Stroobants, Bruxelles, correspondant | Vendredi 03 Septembre 2010
LE MONDE: Aux Pays-Bas, Geert Wilders irrite en se prononçant contre la mosquée de Ground Zero >>> Jean-Pierre Stroobants, Bruxelles, correspondant | Lundi 09 Août 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Geert Wilders, the maverick Dutch politician, denounced a Australian Muslim leader’s call for his beheading for denigrating Islam.
Mr Wilders, who lives under perpetual death threat and is the country’s most heavily guarded politician, demanded assurance from the country’s Interior Ministry that the message was been treated seriously.
“This is really terrible news and a very serious threat, unfortunately,” Mr Wilders said.“I will ask for clarification from the Dutch minister of interior/justice why the secret service and anti-terrorism unit NCTb have not informed me before and what the consequences will be for me.”
Sydney-born Feiz Muhammad posted a speech on an Internet site in which he condemned Mr Wilders as “this Satan, this devil, this politician in Holland” and called on his followers to “chop off his head” because Wilders “denigrated” Islam. >>> | Friday, September 03, 2010
FINANCIAL TIMES: Wilders pulls out as Dutch talks fail: Geert Wilders, the anti-Islamic Dutch politician, ruled himself out of a government role on Friday as the latest attempt to form a ruling coalition in the Netherlands collapsed. >>> Michael Steen in Amsterdam | Friday, September 03, 2010
Bullshit from ‘The Financial Times’ on Islam and Immigration >>>
Which British prime minister inspires confidence? Which British prime minister has offered us true leadership? Under whose leadership would you feel secure? Fact is that we are under attack by Al-Qaeda and radical Islam. Radical Islam is out to destroy the West. I’m sure that OBL and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are quaking in their leather thongs observing David Cameron kissing his new born child so tenderly on the steps of Number 10.
Of course, it is normal for a father to kiss and love his baby. But is such a show of tender affection on the steps of Number 10 really necessary in these dangerous times? David Cameron is obviously such a new man. I wonder if he does the vacuuming between cabinet sessions. All he needs is a ‘pinnie’! – © Mark
THE TELEGRAPH: Germany's Bundesbank has agreed to sack board member Thilo Sarrazin, whose comments stereotyping Jews and Muslims have drawn outrage.The Bundesbank said in a statement that its six-member board "unanimously agreed" to ask Christian Wulff, the German President, to remove Mr Sarrazin, 65, from his post. It said the bank's corporate governance commissioner "unreservedly supports" the decision.
Mr Wulff's office said he had received the request from the Bundesbank and was considering it. It did not say when he was expected to make a decision.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and several members of her government have indicated they would like Mr Sarrazin to go, amid fears that his comments were damaging to the central bank's reputation.
Following the Bundesbank's announcement, a government spokesman signalled Mrs Merkel's satisfaction with the move. >>> | Friday, September 03, 2010
Related articles here
MAIL ONLINE: 'Servants sometimes need a slap - and we don't let ours out of the house': Council worker provokes storm with outrageous Twitter comments >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Friday, September 03, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has predicted the failure of the Middle East talks and the removal of "the Zionist regime from the world scene".
The hardline leader told the annual Palestinian solidarity day rally in Tehran that a popular revolt by the people of the Middle East would extinguish the Jewish homeland even if the governments reach a peace agreement.
"If the leaders of the region do not have the guts, then the people of the region are capable of removing the Zionist regime from the world scene," he said.
In response the pro-government crowd chanted "Death to America. Death to Israel."
President Ahmadinejad said that direct peace talks which Western-backed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas relaunched with Israel in Washington on Thursday after a 20-month hiatus were "doomed" to fail.
"What do they want to negotiate about? Who are they representing? What are they going to talk about?" the Iranian president said of the Palestinian leadership.
"Who gave them the right to sell piece of Palestinian land? The people of Palestine and the people of the region will not allow them to sell even an inch of Palestinian soil to the enemy.
"The negotiations are stillborn and doomed." >>> Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Friday, September 03, 2010
NZZ ONLINE: In Iran haben Hunderttausende Regimeanhänger gegen die Wiederaufnahme der Nahost-Friedensgespräche protestiert. Die iranische Führung forderte dabei einen Abzug Israels aus den Palästinensergebieten.
Präsident Mahmud Ahmadinejad sagte bei den traditionellen Al-Kuds-Kundgebungen, die Entscheidung über einen zukünftigen Palästinenserstaat werde allein von den Palästinensern getroffen «und nicht in Washington, London oder Paris». «Widerstand ist der einzige Weg zur Rettung der Palästinenser.»
Die vom amerikanischen Präsident Barack Obama initiierten ersten Nahost-Friedensgespräche seit knapp zwei Jahren machten nur Sinn, wenn die Israelis aus den besetzten Palästinensergebieten abrückten. «Aber wichtiger ist, dass das zionistische Regime ohnehin zum Untergang verdammt ist», sagte Ahmadinejad in der Teheraner Universität.
Die Demonstrationen in Teheran wurden von strengen Sicherheitsmassnahmen begleitet. Sicherheitskräfte und Polizisten waren im Einsatz, um erneute Proteste gegen die Regierung und Präsident Ahmadinejad zu verhindern. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> sda/dpa/Reuters | Freitag, 03. September 2010
Thursday, September 02, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: The leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority concluded their first direct talks in nearly two years by agreeing to meet personally every two weeks in a bid to cement a peace deal in the Middle East within a year.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, held what was described as a "long and productive discussion" in which they concurred that they would start striving for a draft treaty.
George Mitchell, the US special envoy to the Middle East, said a "framework agreement" would include all the "core issues", such as Jewish settlements and the status of Jerusalem that have divided the two sides for so long.
He said the two leaders decided that the "logical next step was to begin agreeing a framework to establish the fundamental compromises to flesh out and complete a treaty".
"Both expressed an intent to approach negotiations in good faith and with a seriousness of purpose," he said, reporting on closed door meetings that followed a public ceremony at the US State Department. >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Tuesday, September 02, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Winston Churchill ordered the assassination of Benito Mussolini as part of a plot to destroy potentially compromising secret letters he had sent the Italian dictator, a leading French historian has suggested.Pierre Milza, an expert on fascist Italy, theorizes that the wartime prime minister may have wanted Mussolini dead to prevent the letters, in which Churchill expressed his admiration for his Italian counterpart before the outbreak of the Second World War, coming to light.
“There is no doubt, judging by his public declarations back in the 1920s and early 1930s, that Churchill was a fan of Mussolini. Roosevelt too,” Mr Milza said.
“Churchill even once said: 'Fascism has rendered a service to the entire world... If I were Italian, I am sure I would have been with you entirely’.
“But that was understandable in 1927, as then a fascist did not mean a friend of Hitler and accomplice to genocide. But when you are head of state and legitimate war hero of the British people, you don’t really want all that put up in lights.” >>> Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, September 02, 2010
THE GUARDIAN: Bundesbank to ask German president to dismiss Thilo Sarrazin over comments on country's Muslim population
Germany's central bank has taken the unprecedented decision to sack one of its board members after he repeatedly expressed criticism of the country's Muslim population and made other comments that were considered racist.
The decision followed an extraordinary meeting held by the Bundesbank's president, Axel Weber, and the board's four other members. They will now ask the German president to carry out the dismissal of Thilo Sarrazin, according to the rules of the bank.
President Christian Wulff has already signalled he is ready to support Sarrazin's dismissal, saying his remarks may have damaged Germany's international reputation. >>> Kate Connolly in Berlin | Thursday, September 02, 2010
WELT ONLINE: Die Bundesbank will Thilo Sarrazin loswerden – und die deutsche Politik atmet auf. Jetzt ist Bundespräsident Christian Wulff am Zug.
Thilo Sarrazins Karriere bei der Deutschen Bundesbank ist beendet. Der Vorstand der Notenbank beschloss einstimmig, beim Bundespräsidenten die Abberufung von Sarrazin als Mitglied des Vorstands zu beantragen. Als Grund wird die Bundesbank nach Informationen von WELT ONLINE ins Feld führen, dass Sarrazin keine „Mäßigung im Amt“ an den Tag legte.
Zum ersten Mal in ihrer Geschichte beruft die Bundesbank einen Vorstand ab. Damit zog die Notenbank die Konsequenzen aus der Debatte über Sarrazins umstrittene Äußerungen der jüngsten Zeit. In einem am Montag erschienenen Buch hatte Sarrazin über die angeblich mangelnde Integrationsfähigkeit von Migranten geschrieben, außerdem sprach er von einem angeblichen Gen, das Juden kennzeichne. Über die Abberufung entscheidet Bundespräsident Christian Wulff, der am Abend eine Entlassung bereits prüfte.
Die Bundesbank hatte am Dienstag Sarrazin in einer Anhörung ein Ultimatum gesetzt: Entweder er trete bis Ende der Woche zurück, oder die Bundesbank werde beim Bundespräsidenten um seine Abberufung bitten. Da Sarrazin sich anscheinend weigerte, freiwillig aus dem Amt auszuscheiden, griff die Bundesbank nun zum härtesten aller möglichen Mittel. >>> Von Martin Greive | Donnerstag, 02. September 2010
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: FRANCFORT | Le banquier Thilo Sarrazin a soulevé la polémique en tenant des propos pour le moins provocateurs sur l'intégration des musulmans en Allemagne.
Le directoire de la Bundesbank, la banque centrale allemande, a demandé jeudi "à l’unanimité" l’éviction de l’un de ses membres, Thilo Sarrazin, pour des propos jugés racistes et antisémites.
La décision finale de limoger Sarrazin, arrivé au directoire de la "Buba" en 2009 et dont le mandat s’achève en 2014, revient désormais au président fédéral, Christian Wulff. Celui-ci a annoncé dans un communiqué qu’il allait "examiner" la requête de la Bundesbank.
C’est la première fois qu’une telle procédure est engagée par cette institution prestigieuse en Allemagne, créée en 1958 et très jalouse de son indépendance.
M. Wulff avait jugé mercredi soir qu’il fallait éviter "que la discussion ne nuise à l’Allemagne, notamment sur le plan international".
De son côté la chancelière Angela Merkel, qui n’a aucun pouvoir d’intervention sur la Bundesbank, a fait part de son "grand respect" pour la décision prise par les banquiers centraux.
Auparavant le président de la Banque centrale européenne (BCE), Jean-Claude Trichet, s’était dit "consterné" par les thèses défendues par Sarrazin.
La Bundesbank était déjà intervenue l’an dernier en le privant d’une grande partie de ses prérogatives après des propos controversés sur les étrangers.
"L’affaire Sarrazin" fait grand bruit en Allemagne depuis la publication d’un livre pamphlet "L’Allemagne court à sa perte" dans lequel le banquier central, membre du Parti social-démocrate (SPD), dénonce l’absence de volonté d’intégration des musulmans en Allemagne. >>> AFP | Jeudi 02 Septembre 2010
NZZ ONLINE: Die Deutsche Bundesbank will das umstrittene Vorstands-mitglied Thilo Sarrazin aus dem Amt entfernen lassen. Dies habe der Vorstand einstimmig beschlossen.
Die Deutsche Bundesbank hat in einem bisher einmaligen Schritt die Konsequenzen aus den umstritten Äusserungen ihres Vorstands-mitglieds Thilo Sarrazin gezogen und seine Abberufung beantragt. Der Beschluss sei einstimmig erfolgt, teilte der Vorstand in Frankfurt mit.
Bundespräsident Christian Wulff muss dem noch zustimmen, er will sich noch äussern. Ausserdem wurde Sarrazin mit sofortiger Wirkung der Geschäftsbereich entzogen. Derart drastische Massnahmen hat es in der Geschichte der Bank noch nie gegeben.
Keine Begründung
Eine Begründung lieferte die Bundesbank in ihrer Pressemitteilung über den geplanten Rauswurf nicht. Mitgeteilt wurde lediglich noch, dass der Corporate Governance-Beauftragte der Bundesbank, Uwe Schneider, diesen Antrag uneingeschränkt unterstütze. Das wiederum deutete darauf hin, dass sich die Bundesbank in ihrem Abberufungsantrag auf einen schweren Verhaltensfehler Sarrazins berufen wird.
Vor Ablauf ihrer Amtszeit können die Vorstandsmitglieder nach geltendem Recht nur abberufen werden, wenn sie die Voraussetzungen zur Ausübung ihrer Tätigkeit nicht mehr erfüllen: etwa etwa [sic] bei schwerer Krankheit oder bei einer schweren Verfehlung. >>> ddp | Donnerstag, 02. September 2010
Related material here, here, and here
Ein ehrlicher Mann sagt was er glaubt! – Ein Mann liebt sein Vaterland, und die Abschaffung seines Landes sieht er im voraus. Er schreibt ein Buch, um seine Ideen zu schildern, als Warnung. Und schon hat der Dreck den Lüfter getroffen!
Anscheinend darf man in Deutschland nicht mehr die Wahrheit sagen. In einer gesunden Demokratie sollte es einem möglich sein, Äußerungen zu machen, die äußerst unbequem sind. Wenn dies einem nicht möglich ist, dann ist die Demokratie nicht nur am Sterben, sondern schon tod!
Für diesen Mann, tut es mir wirklich leid. Ich bin sicher er hat es gut gemeint. Ich werde sicher sein Buch lesen. Bis dahin, muß ich es beurteilen von was ich in den Zeitungen gelesen habe. Es scheint mir, daß er ein ganz gutes, provokatives, wenn auch unangenehmes Buch geschrieben hat. In seiner Einsamkeit, sollte man diesem mutigen Mann zustehen.
Haben diese Leute wirklich dieses Buch gelesen, oder sind sie zu diesem enttäuschenden Schluß gekommen nur von Hörensagen?
Traurige Zeiten. – © Mark [Diesen Kommentar kann man auch hier lesen.]
MAIL ONLINE: More than 50 leading Muslim groups have decried the hostile 'anti-Islamic' atmosphere they say is gripping America today.Tension in New York over plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero are rising, especially as the ninth anniversary of 9/11 approaches.
But leaders of the Majlis Ash-Shura of Metropolitan New York, an Islamic leadership council that represents a broad spectrum of Muslims in the city, said the sentiment is growing beyond the mosque plans.
'The bigger issue and the broader issue is the issue of ethnic and religious hatred being spread by groups trying to stop the building of mosques and Islamic institutions across the country,' said Imam Al Amin Abdul Latif, president of the Majlis Ash-Shura.
He spoke at a demonstration on the steps of City Hall in New York today.
The group cited a suspicious fire that damaged construction equipment at the site of a future mosque in Tennessee that is being investigated by the FBI.
They also pointed to the successful opposition to the proposed conversion of a property owned by a Catholic Church into a mosque and community center on Staten Island, a New York City borough off the southern tip of Manhattan. Continue reading and comment >>> Mail Foreign Service | Thursday, September 02, 2010
WELT ONLINE: Die Karriere des Bundesbankers Thilo Sarrazins neigt sich offenkundig dem Ende zu. Zum ersten Mal meldete sich auch der Bundespräsident zu Wort.
Die Tage von Thilo Sarrazin im Vorstand der Bundesbank sind angeblich gezählt. Die Führung der Notenbank ließ nach einer Krisensitzung am Mittwoch zwar die Zukunft ihres umstrittenen Vorstandsmitglieds offen. Nach Informationen der „Berliner Zeitung“ sprach sich der Vorstand aber bereits intern für die Trennung von Sarrazin aus, der wegen seiner Thesen zur Integration von Zuwanderern in der Kritik steht. Es gehe nur noch darum, wie man Sarrazins Chancen bei einer Klage gegen den Rauswurf minimieren könne, berichtet das Blatt.
Ein Bundesbanksprecher hatte am Mittwoch erklärt, mit einer Entscheidung sei frühestens an diesem Donnerstag zu rechnen.Sarrazin könnte auf Antrag des Bundesbank-Vorstands vom Bundespräsidenten abberufen werden. Bundespräsident Christian Wulff sagte dem Nachrichtensender N24: „Ich glaube, dass jetzt der Vorstand der Deutschen Bundesbank schon einiges tun kann, damit die Diskussion Deutschland nicht schadet – vor allem auch international.“ >>> | Donnerstag, 02. September 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: The international community has to be prepared to take military action against Iran if the regime develops a nuclear weapon, Tony Blair has said in an interview to promote his memoirs, A Journey.
He said it was ''wholly unacceptable'' for Tehran to seek a nuclear weapons capability and insisted there could be ''no alternative'' to military force ''if they continue to develop nuclear weapons''. >>> | Wednesday, September 01, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Mahmoud Abbas his “partner in peace,” urging the Palestinian leader to join him in forging a “historic compromise” to end decades of conflict.
Speaking ahead of a dinner at the White House, Mr Netanyahu said: “Our goal is to forge a secure and durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We do not seek a brief interlude between two wars. We do not seek a temporary respite between outbursts of terror.”
The speech from Mr Netanyahu laid out his vision of a different, better future for the two nations, but also spelt out Israel’s fears for yet another peace move gone sour.
“We left Lebanon, we got terror. We left Gaza, we got terror. We want to ensure that territory we concede will not be turned into a third Iranian-sponsored terror enclave aimed at the heart of Israel,” he said.
“That is why a defensible peace requires security arrangements that can withstand the test of time and the many challenges that are sure to confront us.” >>> | Thursday, September 02, 2010
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