Barack Obama Opens the Door for 11 Million Illegal Immigrants to Stay in US
THE INDEPENDENT: President optimistic of progress as Republicans soften line

President Barack Obama travelled to Las Vegas to confirm his determination to make overhauling America’s bewildering immigration system a top priority for his second term in office, and opening a path to citizenship for the 11 million people already in the country illegally. » | David Usborne | Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Pakistanischer Atomphysiker: "Muslimische Gesellschaften sind kollektiv gescheitert"
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In islamischen Ländern rumort es, auch nach der Arabischen Revolution sind überall religiöse Kräfte auf dem Vormarsch. Der pakistanische Atomphysiker Pervez Hoodbhoy sieht ein "kollektives Scheitern" von muslimischen Gesellschaften. Im Gespräch mit SPIEGEL ONLINE erklärt er seine These.

Studentinnen und Studenten tanzen um Pervez Hoodbhoy herum. Sie tragen Roben und Doktorhüte, die jungen Frauen haben die Hüte einfach über ihre Kopftücher gestülpt. Gerade haben sie erfahren, dass sie ihre Prüfungen bestanden haben. Jetzt wollen sie sich mit Hoodbhoy fotografieren lassen. Ihrem berühmten Professor.

Pervez Hoodbhoy, 62, ist Nuklearphysiker an der Quaid-e-Azam-Universität in Pakistans Hauptstadt Islamabad. Hier lehrt er seit den siebziger Jahren. Er selbst hat an renommierten Hochschulen in den USA und in Europa studiert und auch unterrichtet. Für seine wissenschaftlichen Leistungen hat er Preise erhalten, und über die Physik ist er zu politischen Themen gekommen.

Zum Beispiel kritisiert er die nukleare Aufrüstung der Atommacht Pakistan und das Vordringen von Religion in wissenschaftliche, kulturelle und politische Bereiche. Mit dieser Haltung macht er sich Feinde in Pakistan, das so stolz auf seine Atombombe ist. Eine Privatuniversität in Lahore hat ihn gerade entlassen, für seine Arbeit in Islamabad wartet er seit Monaten auf seine Bezahlung.

Trotzdem habe er nie daran gedacht, Pakistan zu verlassen, sagt er. Hoodbhoy wurde als Muslim geboren, in eine ismailitische Familie. Von vielen verhasst, aber von manchen auch heimlich bewundert, will er sich nicht mundtot machen lassen. "Ich sage, was ich denke. Und ich begründe es", sagt er in seinem Büro, das er immer noch an der Hochschule hat, die ihn nicht mehr bezahlt. An den Wänden hängen Bilder von Japan nach der Zerstörung durch die Atombomben, auf dem Schreibtisch stapeln sich Bücher über Physik und Politik. Lesen Sie im Interview, warum Pervez Hoodbhoy der Religion so kritisch gegenübersteht und wie er die Zukunft von islamischen Gesellschaften sieht: » | Von Hasnain Kazim, Islamabad | Montag, 28. Januar 2013

Heikler Besuch bei Merkel: Kanzlerin stellt Mursi die Millionenfrage

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Krawalle erschüttern Ägypten, Dutzende Menschen sind umgekommen - dennoch besucht Präsident Mursi am Mittwoch wie geplant Berlin. Es geht nämlich um Geld, um viele Millionen, die Kairo dringend braucht. Doch dafür muss der Islamist Antworten auf einige Fragen geben.

Berlin - Man kann sich kaum einen Small Talk vorstellen zwischen Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und Ägyptens Präsident Mohammed Mursiam Mittwoch beim gemeinsamen Mittagessen. Zu viele und zu ernst sind die Fragen, die sich zwischen beiden aufdrängen.

Mursis erster Amtsbesuch in Deutschland hätte kaum zu einem schwierigeren Zeitpunkt stattfinden können. In drei ägyptischen Städten wurde der Notstand ausgerufen. Seit Donnerstag kamen rund 60 Menschen bei Krawallen ums Leben. Der Militärchef warnte am Dienstag vor einem Staatskollaps.

Eine eigentlich für Dienstag geplante Reise nach Äthiopien zum Treffen der Afrikanischen Union hat der Präsident abgesagt. Doch der Besuch in Deutschland ist für Mursi zu wichtig. Für Mursi steht viel Geld auf dem Spiel, das er dringend benötigt. Ägyptens Wirtschaft steckt in der Krise. Arbeitslosigkeit und Armut nehmen zu, der Vorrat an ausländischen Devisen schrumpft, das Haushaltsdefizit wächst. » | Von Raniah Salloum | Dienstag, 29. Januar 2013

Syrien: Asma al-Assad soll schwanger sein

SPIEGEL ONLINE: In Syrien tobt der Krieg - und Herrscher Baschar al-Assad freut sich angeblich über Familienzuwachs. Seine Frau Asma, die sich seit Monaten nicht mehr öffentlich gezeigt hat, erwartet laut einer libanesischen Zeitung ein Kind. Dies habe der mutmaßlich werdende Vater Besuchern verkündet.

Damaskus - Asma al-Assad, die Frau des syrischen Diktators Baschar al-Assad, soll schwanger sein. Dies berichtet die libanesische Zeitung "al-Akhbar". Sie berief sich dabei auf namentlich nicht genannte "Besucher", denen gegenüber Assad das kürzlich verkündet haben soll.

Das Ehepaar Assad hat bereits drei Kinder. Ob sie sich noch in Damaskus aufhalten, ist unklar. Mutter und Schwester des Diktators sollen sich inzwischen nach Dubai abgesetzt haben. Beide galten als enge Vertraute und wichtige Beraterinnen im inneren Kreis um Assad.

Was die politische Situation in Syrien angeht, habe sich Baschar al-Assad während des Treffens siegesgewiss gegeben, berichteten die Quellen weiter. Seit zwei Jahren kommt es in dem Land zu Protesten gegen Baschar al-Assad. Inzwischen hat er über weite Teile des Landes die Kontrolle verloren, es herrscht Bürgerkrieg. Möglicherweise wurden die Gerüchte um die Schwangerschaft auch gestreut, um die Abwesenheit Asma al-Assads in der Öffentlichkeit zu erklären und die Zuversicht des Diktators zu unterstreichen. » | ras | Dienstag, 29. Januar 2013

Saudi Women Allowed to Work for Intelligence Agency
AL AKHBAR ENGLISH: Saudi Arabia now allows women to join the gulf nation’s intelligence agency, media reported Tuesday.

According to Gulf News, Interior Minister Mohammad Bin Nayef Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud announced the decision to allow women to work for the General Directorate of Investigation (GDI) during a career event in Ottawa, Canada.

“The focus of the Saudi women at the directorate will be on social and humanitarian issues, communicating with the families of the prisoners and detainees, preparing social studies and engaging in management work,” Mohsin al-Shiani, the head of planning at the General Directorate of Investigation, told Saudi daily al-Watan.

Applicants will be chosen primarily from Saudis having studied abroad with solid language skills, and will undergo four months of training before working for the GDI, al-Shiani said. » | Al-Akhbar | Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Muslim Businessman Told to Remove Sign from Home Proclaiming Allah Is the Only God
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A millionaire Muslim businessman who has written a religious slogan on the side of his house has been told to remove it after it upset his neighbours.

Mahmood Ali, 54, fell out with residents and planners over the Arabic slogan which reads: "There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger".

He claims it is just a proclamation of his faith and he should be allowed to write whatever he wants in a free country.

But the council said it contravenes planning laws which are designed to stop people placing advertising hoardings on their homes.

The green sign, which is nearly 7ft wide and 2ft high, is across a first floor archway on his large detached house in a residential street.

It has divided neighbours and he will face a court hearing to decide whether the Islamic slogan is advertising just like a McDonalds or Marks and Spencer banner.

Mr Ali said: "The message is simply there to bless the house. "The symbols are not an advertisement in any sense of the word's use in daily life.

"I chose the sign's green colour to reflect the ambience of the property's character and its surroundings."

Mr Ali had the sign painted onto the side of his large eight-bedroom semi-detached home in Newport, South Wales. Read on and comment » | Richard Alleyne | Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Big Companies Urged to Publish Ethnic Breakdown of Their Workforce under Tory Plans to Woo Black and Asian Voters

MAIL ONLINE: Just 16% of ethnic minority voters supported Conservatives at last election / Cameron orders ministers to target non-whites with new policies

Companies would be encouraged to [to] publish details of how many ethnic minority workers they employ under Tory plans to increase their appeal to black and Asian voters.

David Cameron has also ordered ministers to come up with a shopping list of policies designed to appeal to minorities.

The move is part of efforts to improve the image of the Conservatives among non-white voters, amidst fears the party could be shut out of power by the increasing size of the ethnic minority population.

Despite the Tories' modernising drive over the past few years, many non-whites still appear to associate the party with racially charged speeches by figures such as Enoch Powell.

At the last election, just 16 per cent of ethnic minority voters supported the Conservatives, compared to 37 per cent of whites. Read on and comment » | Matt Chorley and Hugo Gye | Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Jubel in Mali: Timbuktu zurückerobert
29.01.2013 - Die Offensive französischer und malischer Truppen im Norden Malis hat offenbar Erfolg: Mit Timbuktu haben die Truppen eine weitere wichtige Stadt von den Rebellen zurückerobert.

'I Feel Like a Stranger Where I Live’

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As new figures show 'white flight' from cities is rising, one Londoner writes a provocative personal piece about how immigration has drastically changed the borough where she has lived for 17 years

"When you go swimming, it’s much healthier to keep your whole body completely covered, you know.” The Muslim lady behind the counter in my local pharmacy has recently started giving me advice like this. It’s kindly meant and I’m always glad to hear her views because she is one of the few people in west London where I live who talks to me.

The streets around Acton, which has been my home since 1996, have taken on a new identity. Most of the shops are now owned by Muslims and even the fish and chip shop and Indian takeaway are Halal. It seems that almost overnight it’s changed from Acton Vale into Acton Veil.

Of the 8.17 million people in London, one million are Muslim, with the majority of them young families. That is not, in reality, a great number. But because so many Muslims increasingly insist on emphasising their separateness, it feels as if they have taken over; my female neighbours flap past in full niqab, some so heavily veiled that I can’t see their eyes. I’ve made an effort to communicate by smiling deliberately at the ones I thought I was seeing out and about regularly, but this didn’t lead to conversation because they never look me in the face.

I recently went to the plainly named “Curtain Shop” and asked if they would put some up for me. Inside were a lot of elderly Muslim men. I was told that they don’t do that kind of work, and was back on the pavement within a few moments. I felt sure I had suffered discrimination and was bewildered as I had been there previously when the Muslim owners had been very friendly. Things have changed. I am living in a place where I am a stranger.

I was brought up in a village in Staffordshire, and although I have been in London for a quarter of a century I have kept the habit of chatting to shopkeepers and neighbours, despite it not being the done thing in metropolitan life. Nowadays, though, most of the tills in my local shops are manned by young Muslim men who mutter into their mobiles as they are serving. They have no interest in talking to me and rarely meet my gaze. I find this situation dismal. I miss banter, the hail fellow, well met chat about the weather, or what was on TV last night. » | Jane Kelly* | Tuesday, January 29, 2013

* Jane Kelly is consulting editor of the 'Salisbury Review’

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Abdicates in Favour of Son

THE GUARDIAN: Beatrix to relinquish crown at end of April after 33 years, leaving monarchy to Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the oldest reigning Dutch monarch, announced her abdication on Monday evening in a sudden move three days before her 75th birthday. After 33 years on the throne following her mother's abdication in 1980, Beatrix said she would relinquish the crown at the end of April, leaving the monarchy to Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander, the oldest of her three sons.

The queen went on national television and radio on Monday evening to announce the departure, having recorded the broadcast earlier in the day. The prime minister, Mark Rutte, delivered a statement on television shortly afterwards, with both stressing that the crown prince had been intensively prepared for the role of monarch.

"The queen was there for us in good times, but also in bad times. Her knowledge and compassion made her an icon of the Netherlands," Rutte said in his statement.

The popular 74-year-old has kept a relatively low profile, aspiring to an image of homely normality by, for example, riding her bike in The Hague. She is also said to be a member of the Bilderberg Group and is ranked among Europe's wealthiest royals. » | Ian Traynor, Europe editor | Monday, January 28, 2013


FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Übergabe nach dreiunddreißig Jahren: Nur drei Minuten brauchte Königin Beatrix, um ihrem Volk die eigene Abdankung nach 33 Jahren Regentschaft zu erklären. Auch im Abschied bleib sie sich treu, auf ihre Weise hat sie sich die Zuneigung der Niederländer erarbeitet. ¶ Dreiunddreißig Jahre wird Königin Beatrix die Niederlande regiert haben, wenn sie in drei Monaten zugunsten ihres Sohnes Prinz Willem-Alexander abdanken wird. Und nur drei Minuten hat sie benötigt, um diese Entscheidung dem Volk mitzuteilen. Ihrem Stil blieb Beatrix in der aufgezeichneten Ansprache treu: sachlich, stolz und doch demütig gegenüber dem Volk. » | Von Andreas Ross | Montag, 28. Januar 2013

Niederländische Monarchie: Königin Beatrix will abdanken

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die niederländische Königin Beatrix will sich am Montagabend überraschend an ihr Volk wenden. Das Königshaus kündigte eine Ansprache an, nannte aber keine Details. Niederländische Medien rechnen damit, dass die 74-Jährige zugunsten ihres Sohnes Willem-Alexander abdankt.

Amsterdam - Dankt die niederländische Königin Beatrix ab? Die Regentin will sich Montagabend überraschend an ihr Volk wenden. Dies teilte das Königshaus am späten Nachmittag mit. Details wurden nicht genannt.

Die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters verbreitete die Nachricht, dass die niederländische Königin abdanken will. Und auch der niederländische "Telegraaf" berichtete unter Berufung auf Palastkreise, die Regentin werde ankündigen, zugunsten ihres Sohnes Prinz Willem-Alexander abzudanken. Beatrix wird am Donnerstag 75 Jahre alt.

Der Palast Huis ten Bosch hat für 19 Uhr eine Pressekonferenz angekündigt. Die Ansprache werde über Radio und im Fernsehen übertragen. » | siu/ala/Reuters | Montag, 28. Januar 2013

An Islamic Response to 'Muslim Street Patrols'
This Friday sermon presents an Islamic response to the so called Muslim vigilantism being carried out by a minority of Muslims who claim to be implementing a 'shari'ah patrol' in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslims condemn behaviour of Islamic vigilantes: Vigilante gangs of Islamic extremists have been branded “complete bigots” by fellow Muslims. » | Monday, January 28, 2013

Marriage gay: Le baiser de deux députés enflamme la France

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Deux politiciens socialistes se sont embrassés dimanche en guise de soutien au mariage entre homosexuels. Plusieurs stars s'y sont mises aussi, comme lundi Anne Roumanoff.

Trois mois après le fameux «baiser de Marseille» devenu une photo culte des partisans du mariage gay, les députés socialistes français Yann Galut et Nicolas Bays, ceints de leur écharpe tricolore, se sont embrassés sur la bouche dimanche lors de la manifestation en faveur du mariage homosexuel, en qualifiant ce baiser de "bisou de solidarité" avec les homosexuels. » | Par Christine Talos avec AFP | Newsnet | lundi 28 janvier 2013

Immigration: Romanian or Bulgarian? You Won't Like It Here
THE GUARDIAN: Ministers consider launching negative ad campaign in two countries to persuade potential immigrants to stay away from UK

Please don't come to Britain – it rains and the jobs are scarce and low-paid. Ministers are considering launching a negative advertising campaign in Bulgaria and Romania to persuade potential immigrants to stay away from the UK.

The plan, which would focus on the downsides of British life, is one of a range of potential measures to stem immigration to Britain next year when curbs imposed on both country's citizens living and working in the UK will expire.

A report over the weekend quoted one minister saying that such a negative advert would "correct the impression that the streets here are paved with gold".

There was no word on how any advert might look or whether it would use the strategy of making Britain look as horrible as possible or try to encourage would-be migrants to wake up to the joys of their own countries whether Romania's Carpathian mountains or Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts. With governments around the world spending millions on hiring London-based consultants to undertake "reputation laundering" there would be a peculiar irony if Britain chose to trash its own image perhaps by highlighting winter flooding of homes or the carnage of a Saturday night A&E ward.

There are precedents. In 2007, Eurostar ran adverts in Belgium for its trains to London depicting a tattooed skinhead urinating into a china teacup. It remains unknown if any discussions have taken place over personalities who could carry off a similar exercise in anti-nation branding. » | Rajeev Syal | Sunday, January 27, 2013

My comment:

Showing videos of Muslim vigilantes in Whitechapel should probably be enough to frighten them away. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

La Turquie bannit le narguilé des lieux publics
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Une coutume ancestrale est morte ce dimanche en Turquie: les gens n’ont plus le droit de fumer le narguilé dans les lieux publics.

Cette fois, la marche forcée vers l’européanisation n’y est pour rien. La mesure anti-narguilé s'inscrit dans le cadre d'une nouvelle réglementation du gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc afin de lutter contre le tabagisme. Selon cette mesure, fumer le narguilé, la pipe à eau, dans les endroits publics est désormais proscrit, et les contrevenants encourent une amende, aux termes du décret gouvernemental publié dans le journal officiel.

En 2009, le gouvernement d'Ankara s'était attaqué au tabagisme, interdisant de fumer dans tous les lieux publics - bars, restaurants et cafés. Le narguilé avait été interdit aux mineurs de moins de 18 ans. » | ats/afp/Newsnet | dimanche 27 janvier 2013

Ontario Liberals Pick Province's First Woman Premier
REUTERS CANADA: TORONTO (Reuters) - Ontario's Liberals on Saturday chose a former Cabinet minister to become the province's first female premier and first openly gay leader of a Canadian province.

In her acceptance speech as the new provincial Liberal Party leader, Kathleen Wynne, 59, a former Ontario education minister, thanked her partner, Jane, for her support during a three-month campaign. Ontario was one of the first Canadian provinces to allow same-sex marriage.

Wynne's victory means Canada's four most powerful provinces will all be led by women. British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec already have female premiers. Women are also at the helm in the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the thinly populated Arctic territory of Nunavut. » | Claire Sibonney and Janet Guttsman | Saturday, January 26, 2013

Merkel: Germany Has ‘Everlasting Responsibility’ for the Holocaust

EUROPEAN JEWISH PRESS: BERLIN (EJP)---Germany has an “everlasting responsibility for the crimes of National Socialism, for the victims of World War II and, above all, for the Holocaust,” Merkel declared in a video message Saturday.

“And this must be made clear from generation to generation and it must be said with bravery and moral courage, every individual can make a contribution so that racism and anti-Semitism have no chance,” she said.

On January 30, Merkel will visit Berlin’s Topography of Terror Documentation Center, built on the foundations of the headquarters of the Secret State Police — the SS — and the Reich Security Main Office, which were destroyed during the war.

Exactly 80 years ago — on Jan. 30, 1933 — Hitler, leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, was sworn in as chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg.

In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI warned that "the memory of this immense tragedy, which above all struck so harshly the Jewish people, must represent for everyone a constant warning so that the horrors of the past are not repeated." » | EJP | Sunday, January 27, 2013

Holocaust Survivor Testimonies: Selection in Auschwitz

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Opera Depicting Atrocities in Austria Debuts
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: Many children who fell short of the Nazis’ Aryan ideal were killed alongside other ‘unworthy lives’

Thousands of children were murdered by the Nazis because they fell short of the Aryan ideal. Now, a hushed audience has gathered in Austria’s parliament to watch the world premiere of an opera depicting how the Nazis methodically killed mentally or physically deficient children at a Vienna hospital during the second world war.

The killings were part of a greater campaign that led to the deaths of about 75,000 people – homosexuals, disabled people, or others the Nazis called “unworthy lives” – and served as a prelude to the Holocaust.

Austrians played a huge role in these and other atrocities of the era – nearly 800 children were killed at Vienna’s Spiegelgrund psychiatric ward – and the premiere of the opera Spiegelgrund was the latest instalment of a national effort to atone for such acts in word and deed.

The timing was picked to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, which will be observed worldwide today, and the performance was streamed live on the internet for international audiences. But the parliamentary venue was chosen for a particularly Austrian reason: as a reminder of how the country’s politicians fomented the atmosphere of intolerance and authoritarianism that allowed Hitler’s troops to walk in in 1938, and a determination to not let history repeat itself. » | Associated press in Vienna | Sunday, January 27, 2013