Sunday, May 01, 2011
AL-MASRY AL-YOUM: Minister of Interior Mansour al-Essawy made a surprise visit to Tora prison's hospital Saturday night, a senior security source said.The source told Egyptian news agency MENA that the minister checked all the hospital's departments to determine what renovations are required to prepare it for hosting Egypt's toppled president, Hosni Mubarak.
Following the investigation, Essawy convened with his assistant for the prison sector and Tora's chief to receive a detailed report on inmates' conditions.
Earlier in April, Egypt's attorney general ordered an investigation into the possibility of transferring Mubarak to the prison. » | MENA | Sunday, May 01, 2011
CNN: London -- A lot has changed since the 17th century, when Oliver Cromwell overthrew the monarchy -- violently turning England into a short-lived republic. Today, British republicans fight with ... street parties. » | George Webster and Leo Dawson for CNN | Saturday, April 30, 2011
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Britain celebrated the royal wedding of William and Kate with a grand patriotic spectacle. Friday's ceremony also sent out a message: With these two at the helm as the future king and queen of England, the monarchy will be less distant from its subjects in the years to come -- and also a little more human.
If you want to know just how important a particular event is to the Brits, you just have to look at the bets that the bookmakers are accepting. In the runup to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, you could, for example, bet that the bride or groom would drop the wedding ring during the ceremony in Westminster Abbey (something which did not happen), or that Kate would mix up the first names of her husband, like Diana before her (she did not), or that Prince Philip would fall asleep during the ceremony (fortunately he did not) or that the Queen would wear a yellow hat (which she did).
The British had been preparing for the royal wedding for weeks. Some had chosen the best place to observe the proceedings and had camped out on the sidewalk for days. Others chose to use the public holiday to hold royal-themed parties.
There were certainly enough attempts to make money out of the occasion. The high-end supermarket chain Waitrose, for example, had a royal couple made out of gingerbread on sale. Demand rapidly increased in the past few days, and hundreds of the gingerbread royals were sold.
The route that Kate and William traveled after the ceremony in their century-old coach had resembled a carnival scene for days. People were already camped out on Thursday evening to reserve the best places along the route. More and more arrived over the course of the evening, braving the cold. The sense of anticipation grew by the hour. Across the country, around 5,000 street parties were held in what was no less than an impressive patriotic spectacle.
The wedding was also a kind of national festival. The British were celebrating their royal family and their own Britishness. Early on Friday morning, hundreds had gathered at the Goring Hotel, where Kate Middleton spent her last night as an unmarried woman together with her parents and siblings. Spectators outside Westminster Abbey fought fiercely for the best seats. Some of them had left their homes or hotels at the crack of dawn to get a place in the front row, and were not willing to settle for less.
Even after the wedding, people continued celebrating -- some out of conviction, others simply because everyone else was doing so. The euphoria did not let up. » | Marco Evers, Barbara Hans and Carsten Volkery in London | Friday, April 29, 2011
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL PHOTO GALLERY: The Wedding of the Year »
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL PHOTO GALLERY: The Hats of Westminster »
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Papst Benedikt XVI. hat Johannes Paul II. selig gesprochen. Hunderttausende verfolgten in Rom die Messe. Derart viele, dass selbst Papst Innozenz XI. musste weichen. Oder gab es andere Gründe für dessen Umbettung?Zum Vatikan gehören Verschwörungsgeschichten. Gerade entsteht eine um den seligen Papst Innozenz XI. (1611-1689), der jetzt aus seiner Grabstätte in der Sebastiankapelle von Sankt Peter weichen musste. Am Wochenende soll an seiner statt Papst Johannes Paul II. (1920-2005) seine letzte Ruhe finden. Am Sonntag wird der Vorgänger von Benedikt XVI. seliggesprochen. Dafür wird sein Sarg aus den Grotten in die Basilika hinaufgebracht. Für die Pilger war es unten zu eng geworden. Zunächst waren Messen am Grab von Karol Wojtyla unweit des Petrusgrabes eine Ausnahme. Mittlerweile werden sie genau gestaffelt, denn fast 20.000 Menschen täglich wollen dem früheren Papst ihre Reverenz erweisen. » | Von Jörg Bremer, Rom | Sonntag, 01. Mai 2011
leJDD.fr: Professeur d’anglais de 35 ans, Amina Abdallah tient sur Internet l’un des rares blogs* en activité en Syrie. Extraits
On a reçu la visite des services de sécurité la nuit dernière: ils sont arrivés au petit matin. Tout le monde dormait. Le vacarme m’a réveillée et j’ai immédiatement compris ce qui se passait. Notre gardien s’est retrouvé nez à nez avec deux jeunes hommes, musclés, portant des vestes de cuir et fumant tous les deux. Je savais bien qu’un jour ou l’autre, nous allions recevoir ce genre de visites. Déjà, des amis ou des collègues y avaient eu droit. Alors, pourquoi pas moi? Je me suis habillée le plus vite possible, j’ai glissé mon passeport américain dans la poche de mon jean en gardant une main dessus, comme je l’aurais fait avec un talisman. J’ai chaussé mes lunettes et suis descendue au rez-de-chaussée. Mon père était déjà debout. Quand ils m’ont vu arriver, l’un des gars a dit:
"C’est elle!" - Moi?
- Oui, faut qu’on parle de certaines choses.
- Comme quoi?
Il a commencé à énumérer une longue liste de commentaires que j’avais postés sur mon blog en anglais et en arabe. » | Amina Abdallah, Le Journal du Dimanche | Samedi 30 Avril 2011
THE OBSERVER: Unrest in Syria has greater potential consequences than any other event in the Arab Spring so farAs decades-old dictatorial regimes crumbled around him in January, Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, denied that revolution would spread to his country. Balhermep, the Ba'athist concept of "the ruling of the people", would keep his country together.
But as demonstrations in towns and villages across Syria seemed only to be spreading last week, even as the regime intensified its crackdown, that notion appeared to be unravelling.
The international consequences of regime change in Syria are many and complex. The fallout will be particularly marked in Lebanon and Palestine, and there will also be impacts on the country's alliances with Iran, Turkey, and Iraq, and, perhaps most importantly, on its relationship with Israel.
Damascus's influence has always been strong in these areas. Syria is vital to Hezbollah, which leads a Lebanese coalition supporting Assad. Lebanon has no land borders except with Syria on the east and north, and with Israel to the south. To the west is the Mediterranean, swimming with battleships and an international force to prevent the smuggling of weapons. Hezbollah's links with Syria are, in turn, the linchpin of the alliance between Tehran and Damascus, for the party's first loyalty is to Iran and the supreme leader of its Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The fall of the Assad regime would mean the loss of Iran's only ally in the region and thus a weakening of the clerical regime. This could boost the enthusiasm of Iranian reformers, who have been sidelined and repressed since the disputed presidential elections in Iran in 2009. » | Zaki Chehab, The Observer | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE OBSERVER: From darling of the TV debates to villain of the tuition fees protests, the deputy PM Nick Clegg has had a year of extraordinarily mixed fortunes. Days before the crucial AV vote, he reflects on his punishing first year in office and opens up about life in the coalition, the impact on his family… and having a sneaky fag in the gardenWe are talking in his capacious Whitehall quarters with its fine view over St James's Park, and I pop a fairly obvious question: has he enjoyed the last year? Up until this point, Nick Clegg has been as candid, good-humoured and relaxed as it is reasonable to expect from a frontline politician under great pressure. In fact, he has been bouncy. But now the sun disappears behind the low cloud of wariness that scuds across his face. His reply is cagey: "I'm not sure whether to take up your invitation to provide a kind of enjoyment monitor."
He smells a trap. If he responds that it has been a thrill to be the first Liberal in many, many decades to be entitled deputy prime minister, then he will expose himself to the accusation that he is on a power frolic while thousands of voters are suffering the effects of spending cuts, tax rises and job losses. If he says that he hasn't enjoyed it, then he will feed the rumours that he has often been depressed by the onslaught on him.
In the end, though, he can't leave the question alone and comes back to it without prompting: "Enjoyment? Some parts more than others."
In the positive column: "Do I get up every morning and ask: am I doing the things that I believe in and am I doing them for the best possible motives? Yes. Unambiguously yes."
In the negative column, he has been pounded by "a barrage of criticism". It is not David Cameron who has been burnt in effigy by protesting students. It is not George Osborne who has had dog shit poured through his letterbox. It is not William Hague who gets sworn at when he takes to the streets of his constituency. For opponents of the coalition, it is Nick Clegg who is the magnet for loathing. That has got to be tough for a politician who liked it when he was liked.
Many politicians before him have travelled this trajectory from the fresh face enjoying the cheers of the crowd to the battle-bloodied leader who can no longer hope to be loved and must instead aim to gradually win respect for his resilience. Yes, it is a road well travelled. But rarely at such speed. A process that normally takes years – about six if you think of Tony Blair – has in the case of Clegg been compressed into months.
His very existence as deputy prime minister is a daily reminder to the Conservatives and their tribalist mouthpieces in the media that the Tories failed to achieve a clear election win, even against an opponent as unpopular as Gordon Brown. For many on the left, Clegg is the great betrayer who sold out when he contracted his shotgun marriage with David Cameron. » | Andrew Rawnsley | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Col Gaddafi's youngest son 'killed in Nato air strike': Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, the youngest son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed by a Nato air strike, the Libyan government said. » | Alastair Jamieson | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Muammar Gaddafi son killed by Nato air strike – Libyan government: Saif al-Arab and three of Muammar Gaddafi's grandsons killed, according to reports – but the Libyan leader was unharmed » | Tim Hill and agencies | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Nato air strike 'kills Gaddafi's son': If details verified, serious questions will be raised about who authorised missile attack that goes beyond UN Resolution 1973 » | David Randall | Sunday, May 01, 2011
Three suspected al-Qaeda members arrested in Germany were working on a bomb to target a crowded area.
The authorities in Germany were taking no chances with their new captives, flying them for their first court appearance under enormous security.
James Denselow, security analyst, discusses how the case in Germany underlines the difficulty in striking the balance between civil liberties and security with Al Jazeera's Felicity Barr.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
LA TIMES PHOTOGALLERY: Top hats at the royal wedding: There was an abundance of head adornment amid the displays of grace and elegance at the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. These are our top picks. Enjoy! » | Jerome Adamstein | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Guests at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s reception for their closest friends have described the “magical” night in Buckingham Palace after the wedding.Just as Prince William had pledged that his late mother should share “in all the fun and excitement” of his engagement by giving his bride the ring she once wore, so the sons of Diana, Princess of Wales made sure that she was not forgotten in the royal wedding celebrations.
Prince William and his best man, Prince Harry, both paid tribute to their mother in their speeches at the intimate evening reception on Friday night, telling their closest friends and family “how much she would have liked to have been here” as Prince William married Kate Middleton.
The emotional moments when both Princes remembered their late mother in their respective speeches followed an evening reception at Buckingham Palace, described by one guest as “the most magical party imaginable”.
There were fireworks, a live band led by the pop star Ellie Goulding, and the Palace’s magnificent Throne Room was transformed into a “massive nightclub”.
After a lunch-time reception at Buckingham Palace for 650 guests hosted by the Queen for the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, only the couple’s true inner circle - 300 of their most trusted friends and family - retired their homes or London hotels to rest and then change into their evening wear for the reception at the Palace, hosted by the Prince of Wales.
Prince William wore black-tie and was accompanied by his new bride - looking every inch the Princess in another flowing white satin dress, accessorised with a diamante detail at the waist and an angora bolero cardigan, again by the wedding dress designer Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen - as he emerged from Clarence House shortly after 7pm, before heading to the Palace with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. » | Roya Nikkhah, Royal Correspondent | Saturday, April 30, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prince William and his new wife have postponed their honeymoon abroad in a surprise last-minute announcement.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – the Prince and Kate Middleton's new titles – revealed they would not be immediately travelling overseas for the traditional post-wedding break, choosing instead to spend time at an undisclosed location in the UK before the Prince returns to work next week.
The sudden change, announced on Saturday, came despite aides having said consistently that the honeymoon would immediately follow the wedding, and Miss Middleton shopping for sundresses and bikinis last week.
There was speculation it may have been prompted by security concerns.
The couple were originally believed to have booked a honeymoon in Jordan, where the Duchess lived for two years as a child.
The trip was thought to have included visits to the Wadi-Rum desert and the ancient city of Petra.
However, potential security hazards surrounding the continuing unrest throughout the Middle East may have prompted them to rethink their plans. » | Roya Nikkhah, Royal Correspondent | Saturday, April 30, 2011
WGBH.ORG: England's Royal Wedding of 2011 for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge included stunning musical performances. Hear them on demand here.
THE GUARDIAN: McQueen's successor said designing Kate Middleton's dress had been the 'experience of a lifetime', but Sarah Burton is unlikely to try to cash in on her newfound fameThe long-rumoured yet never-quite-confirmed designer of Kate Middleton's wedding dress, Sarah Burton, took over as creative director of the Alexander McQueen label in May 2010, following its founder's suicide in February of that year. » | Imogen Fox | Saturday, April 30, 2011
LA TIMES PHOTOGALLERY: Kate’s royal wedding dress: After weeks of speculation that at times verged on the absurd, Kate Middleton emerged in a wedding gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The wedding gown was classic-looking, in silk gazar with long, intricate Chantilly lace sleeves and a V-shaped neckline, and it represents the grandest British fashion gesture the young royal could have made. » | Jerome Adamstein | Sunday, May 01, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands of excited pilgrims swarmed into central Rome on Saturday on the eve of a ceremony to mark late pope John Paul II's step towards sainthood, as the Vatican geared up for the show."I couldn't miss this, I had to be a part of such a historical moment. We've only just arrived but the atmosphere's great, it's really exciting," said Patricia Wocial, 48, who had come from Britain with her young daughters.
"It's their first pilgrimage and will certainly be an experience to remember," she added, as they stood among the crowds, gazing up at a vast poster of John Paul II hanging from the stone columns outside the Vatican.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are expected to descend on the Italian capital for Sunday's beatification, which will confer a "blessed" status on the charismatic pope, who died in 2005 after reigning for nearly 27 years.
In preparation, the late pope's coffin has been brought out of its resting place in a crypt under Saint Peter's basilica and a phial of John Paul's blood, taken from him during his illness, has been prepared as a relic for veneration.
At least 100,000 people are expected to attend a vigil on Saturday evening to hear those who were close to John Paul II speak. While some then head off to bed, others will take advantage of churches which are staying open all night. » | Saturday, April 30, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: For the armchair viewer, the day offered superb cameos and a sparkling star turn
If you had to pick a moment from the thousand moments, it would be her smiling face behind the mist of the veil with the tiara and earrings glinting through. It took Catherine Elizabeth Middleton three and a half minutes to walk down the aisle to marry her Prince. Three and a half minutes plus 10 years. Well, I think we can all agree it was worth the wait.
They may have called her a commoner, but she outclassed every one of them. Lovely as a poem, the bride conquered any doubting hearts when we realised that she has not yet perfected the royal screw-top hand movement. She still waves like a human – eager, excited, happy. Catherine was not alone in her thrill; there were two billion people who felt roughly the same way.
It could not have been a more perfect day. At 7.45am, the TV cameras were already out in force and the sky over London was pewter with the threat of rain. Two great British loves had come together in glorious union: a slap-up royal wedding and dodgy weather.
Forget Carole Middleton, for viewers up with the lark the nation's most important Carol was the BBC's weathergirl. With her customary gale-force good humour, Carol Kirkwood explained to Fearne Cotton that there was an easterly wind, which was making it cold, but there was still hope that the showers could be kept away from the Abbey for the Big Moment. Down in Whitehall, Suzanna Reid was taking the temperature: "It was feeling a little damper earlier, but it seems to have lifted. No umbrellas!" Frankly, a passing typhoon could not have dampened the spirits of the throng in Hyde Park who cheered for England every time they saw themselves on the giant screen. » | Allison Pearson | Saturday, April 30, 2011
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