South Tyrol's Identity Crisis: Italian, German, Austrian...?

BBC: Nestled in the mountains of the Alps, it's Italy's richest province, and has been part of the country for almost 100 years - but some in South Tyrol just don't feel fully Italian.

A few years ago I had to ring up the War Graves Association in South Tyrol.

An Alpine glacier near the Austrian-Italian border was melting and had revealed the bodies of three soldiers, killed in the bloody mountain battles of the World War I.

The phone was answered by a man who spoke German with a strong Tyrolean accent.

"Were these soldiers from the Austrian army or the Italian army?" I asked.

"They were part of the Austrian army," he said.

"And where were they found?" I asked.

"In the Ortler Alps," he replied. "It used to be Austria, but now it is Italy - unfortunately."

South Tyrol, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was annexed to Italy in 1919, at the end of the World War I. The Italians wanted to have control of the Alps, south of the Brenner Pass.

Many people here are native German speakers. And a few of them, like the man from the War Graves Association, are still not reconciled to the fact that the province has been part of Italy for almost a century.

In the 1920s and 30s, the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini encouraged Italians from the south to settle in the region.

German was widely banned, in schools, in courts and in public offices, and place names were "Italianised".

It all contributed to what one local author described to me as the "longstanding hostility" between the two language groups. » | Bethany Bell, BBC News, Bolzano, Italy | Saturday, December 08, 2012

Meeting the Ultra-nationalist Skinheads of Russia

BBC: For several months, opposition protests in Russia have given liberal anti-Putin Russians an opportunity to make their feelings heard. However, it is not just liberals who have been out on the streets but other groups too, including far-right nationalists

Over the years I have met some pretty hardened Russian men on my travels. Muscular guys, able to handle their drink, and most importantly - fond of a joke.

But rather like the ice in a Siberian winter, there are those who take a far colder, harsher view on life.

They call themselves skinheads - although shaven heads are no longer mandatory.

In recent years skinheads have been held responsible for many of the far right attacks on immigrants across Russia. Many of the perpetrators have been locked up. Some have since been freed.

Maxim is one such former convict. We meet in the garden of a Moscow burger restaurant. We sit not far from the sizzle of beef on a grill, surrounded by the yelping and chanting of children, hyperactive after sugary drinks.

It was not, perhaps, the most appropriate place to meet a notorious ultra-nationalist, one who has done time for incitement of racial hatred. Especially one whose nickname, Tesak, means machete.

Munching on his burger, he made it clear to me that he was angry, fearful and by the looks of his two young, well-built henchmen, possibly quite dangerous.

"I think immigrants should be housed in separate workers' villages," he told me. He went on to explain how he felt they were sponging off society and putting Russian women in danger of attack.

Then he got out his knife. » | Tom Esslemont, BBC News, Russia | Saturday, September 01, 2012

Hugo Chavez Names Successor after Cancer Relapse
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: After 14 years in power, the seemingly indefatigable Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced a relapse of his cancer and designated vice president Nicolas Maduro as his heir apparent.

In what appeared like a presentation of his final will, the president indicated he would like Maduro to take over the reins of power in a post-Chavez period, urging Venezuelans to vote for him in the next presidential elections.

"You choose Maduro as president of the republic," said Chavez told the nation. "I am asking you this from all my heart."

The 58-year-old leftist firebrand is popular with the long-neglected Venezuelan poor for his oil-funded health and education programs but blamed by his critics for rising crime, corruption and inflation.

A charismatic orator, Chavez was weakened after being diagnosed with cancer last year. The operations and chemotherapy left him bald-headed for a while and he gained weight.

Inspired by Cuba's Fidel Castro, he is a self-sufficient revolutionary, controlling the Western Hemisphere's largest oil reserves and one of the most important foreign sources of crude for the United States.

But Chavez embraced many US enemies over the years, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

He once famously called former president George W Bush "the devil." At first he was warmer toward current President Barack Obama, but Chavez soon returned to type and started portraying the United States again as an evil imperialist power. » | AFP | Sunday, December 09, 2012

Syrie : Bachar el-Assad testerait des offres d'asile

LE FIGARO: Le quotidien israélien Haaretz affirme que le Venezuela, Cuba et l'Équateur ont été sollicités par un proche du dictateur syrien.

Face à la menace croissante de ses opposants armés qui se rassemblent autour de Damas, Bachar el-Assad se préoccuperait de trouver une terre d'asile, écrit le quotidien israélien Haaretz. Selon le journal, son vice-ministre des Affaires étrangères, Fayçal Meqdad, aurait remis des lettres classées secret-défense aux dirigeants de Cuba, du Venezuela et de l'Équateur, durant la visite qu'il a effectuée la semaine dernière dans ces trois pays.

Un porte-parole du gouvernement vénézuélien a affirmé que la missive de Bachar el-Assad portait sur «les relations personnelles entre les deux présidents». À Caracas, qui a livré du pétrole et du gaz à Damas, Hugo Chavez reste un soutien d'Assad, malgré la sanglante répression que Damas mène contre les insurgés depuis plus de vingt mois (au moins 40.000 morts). » | Par Georges Malbrunot | vendredi 07 décembre 2012

Exclusive: Jihad Jane’s First Interview - Reuters Investigates
Colleen LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, explains why she became a Muslim and how she was radicalized online. (December 5, 2012)

Alcohol Smuggling - Iran
Fine wines. French cognacs. Scottish whiskies. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, all alcoholic tastes are catered for. We join the Kurdish smugglers keeping Iran's drinkers well lubricated.

Iran's Hedonistic Youth
Banned from normal teenage pastimes and strictly segregated from the opposite sex, Iranian students have found another way of getting their kicks -- taking drugs like ecstasy.

"All my friends take these pills", states 21 year old Maran. "We've even created a new expression for it. We say 'tonight, we're going to blow ourselves up". At a university rock concert, pills are readily available. Students may be strictly segregated and forced to remain seated at all times but even that isn't going to stop them partying. "We do it because pleasure is a foreign word in this society", states Goldis. "The mullahs want us to mourn endlessly". Another escape they have is skiing. The mountains are packed with people looking to escape the restraints of daily life. "Up here I feel like I'm in another country", states Sannaz. "Boys and girls can meet much more easily -- it's a good place to find a boyfriend".

Morsi Fans the Flames of Hatred in Egypt
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi addressed his nation on Thursday night. But instead of striking a conciliatory tone aimed at calming the tense situation in his country, he continued to toe the Muslim Brotherhood line. More violence is almost sure to be the result, and Morsi himself shoulders the blame.

In the end, Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi took all of 35 minutes for his nationally televised speech Thursday night. And his intention was clear. During the entire day leading up to the appearance, Morsi's advisors had repeatedly explained that the president wanted to explain himself and his policies to the people of Egypt and to inject calm into what has become the most severe crisis since the revolution against his predecessor Hosni Mubarak.

And it was certainly entertaining. Originally, the palace had announced that the speech would take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, but then the "Address to the Great Egyptian Nation" kept getting pushed back until finally, at 10:30 p.m., Morsi turned up on national television in front of an Egyptian flag.

He need not have made the effort. The Islamist president didn't accomplish a single one of his goals with his address, nor did he really try. Instead, his flowery rhetoric served merely to further deepen the deep divide between his supporters and the political opposition from the youth movement, the left-leaning and secular parties and even the judiciary. » | Matthias Gebauer in Cairo | Friday, December 07, 2012

Pat Condell: Ha Ha Islamophobia

Biggest UK Mosque: Newham Council Rejects Plans
BBC: A plan to build the UK's biggest mosque in Stratford, east London, has been rejected by councillors.

Thousands of supporters gathered outside Newham Council's town hall ahead of the decision.

The huge mosque would have been four times the capacity of St Paul's Cathedral with room for almost 10,000 worshippers.

The Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat has been trying for 10 years to build a mosque in Newham.

Supporters outside the town hall, some of whom had come from Birmingham and Bradford, held signs reading: "15 years of waiting. Not a day more. Vote yes to the Riverine Centre". (+ video) » | Wednesday, December 15, 2012

Elle tue son fils qui n'arrivait pas à mémoriser le Coran
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Une mère de famille a été reconnue coupable mercredi au Royaume-Uni du meurtre de son fils de sept ans qu'elle avait frappé à mort sous prétexte qu'il ne parvenait pas à mémoriser le Coran.

S. E., 33 ans, diplômée de mathématiques en Inde, traitait son fils comme un "chien", le frappant avec un bâton quand il ne réussissait pas à mémoriser des versets du Coran, selon les compte-rendus du tribunal de Cardiff au Pays de Galles.

Elle a été reconnue mercredi coupable de meurtre et d'entrave à la justice. Elle sera fixée sur sa peine début 2013.

La police avait initialement pensé que le petit garçon avait été tué dans un incendie qui avait éclaté dans la maison familiale en juillet 2010 à Cardiff, au Pays de Galles. Mais des analyses ont ensuite révélé que l'enfant était décédé avant le début du sinistre. » | afp/Newsnet | mercredi 05 décembre 2012

Supporting Islam and Australia

THE AUSTRALIAN: THE Muslim activists behind the controversial billboards proclaiming Jesus was a "prophet of Islam" have launched a TV campaign to show the world their religion is about "peace and respect".

Called "I'm Muslim and proud", the $30,000 commercials - airing on Foxtel and SBS - aim to repair the religion's image in Australia. » | Bruce McDougall | The Daily Telegraph | Thursday, December 06, 2012

ITU Dubai: Internet Regulation in Focus
Internet giant Google says web freedom could be curbed by a UN regulatory body meeting in Dubai. The International Telecommunication Union has been imposing controls for more than five decades. Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports.

Ingraham's Angle: Ambassador Anna Wintour?
Does reports that Pres. Obama is considering Vogue editor in chief for ambassadorship show the title can be bought and paid for?

Morsi Leaves through Back Door as Egypt Protesters Surround Palace
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egypt's presidential palace was encircled by anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters in a violent demonstration in Cairo, as the constitutional crisis caused by Mohammed Morsi's assumption of unchallengeable powers showed no sign of abating.


Mr Morsi was forced to leave the palace through a back door as up to 100,000 people moved in to surround it on all sides. Some stones were thrown, one hitting the rear car in the president’s convoy.

Ignoring volleys of tear gas, the protesters burst through first one then a second line of police set in the way to reach the palace, which was the site of the final act in the overthrow of former dictator Hosni Mubarak last year.

Then, as on Tuesday, demonstrators chanted: "The people want the downfall of the regime".

There were also protests in towns and cities all over the country, including places previously unaffected. Nineteen people were injured when offices of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political front, came under attack in the Nileside city of Minya. » | Richard Spencer, and Magdy Samaan in Cairo | Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Just for a Laugh
A devout Arab Muslim entered a black cab in London . He curtly asked the cabbie to turn off the radio because as decreed by his religious teaching, he must not listen to music because in the time of the prophet there was no music, especially Western music which is the music of the infidel. The cab driver politely switched off the radio, stopped the cab and opened the door. The Arab Muslim asked him, "What are you doing? "The cabbie answered, "In the time of the prophet there were no taxis, so get out and wait for a camel!" [Source: JokeBook*EU]

Britain Summons Israeli Ambassador In Protest Over Settlements

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain summoned the Israeli ambassador and considered withdrawing its own envoy from Tel Aviv on Monday in protest over plans for another 3,000 settler homes on occupied Palestinian land.

If London were to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations, this would be an unprecedented step.

The diplomatic row follows last Friday’s announcement by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. He promised that his government would respond to the Palestinian decision to seek upgraded status at the United Nations by adding 3,000 new homes to Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

In addition, Israel would also begin the planning process to build in a highly sensitive area known as “E1”. This cuts off East Jerusalem – which the Palestinians claim as their future capital – from the rest of the West Bank. It also divides the northern and southern halves of the West Bank, potentially depriving any future Palestinian state of territorial contiguity.

British and French diplomats saw this decision as a calculated rebuff by Mr Netanyahu, particularly as both countries had supported the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, where eight days of air strikes and rocket barrages claimed 166 Palestinian and six Israeli lives last month.

After Mr Netanyahu’s announcement, Matthew Gould, the British ambassador to Israel, and his French counterpart, Christophe Bigot, are understood to have held a “very tough” telephone conversation with Rafi Barak, the director general of Israel’s foreign ministry. They urged a reversal of Israel’s decision. » | Robert Tait in Jerusalem and David Blair | Monday, December 03, 2012

Duchess of Cambridge Is Pregnant

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James's Palace announced today.

The Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, is understood to have found out last month that she was pregnant, and had not intended to go public with the news until she was at least 12 weeks pregnant.

But after being admitted to hospital with a bout of acute morning sickness, the Duke and Duchess decided to make the announcement early to avoid any speculation about her condition.

Royal sources refused to say how many weeks pregnant the Duchess is, but confirmed she has not yet reached the 12-week stage.

The Duchess, 30, is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which means she needs to be given extra fluids and nutrition, and is likely to remain in hospital for several days. » | Monday, December 03, 2012

Ägypten: Verfassungsgericht stellt Arbeit ein
Das ägyptische Verfassungsgericht hat nach Demonstrationen von Islamisten seine Arbeit auf unbestimmte Zeit ausgesetzt. (2.12.2012)

Pro-Mursi-Demonstrationen in Kairo: Muslimbrüder stärken Präsidenten den Rücken
In Ägypten sind Islamisten zur Unterstützung von Präsident Mohammed Mursi auf die Straße gegangen. Vor der Kairoer Universität versammelten sich Tausende Anhänger des Staatschefs. (1.12.2012)