Saturday, March 16, 2013
BBC rolling news coverage from 10pm the day Princess Diana died. Newscaster is Peter Sissons. Gives one a glimpse of how the tragedy was unfolding on that sad day: 31 August 1997.
The Princess's body is flown back to London having been collected in Paris by Prince Charles and Diana's two sisters Sarah and Jane. They are greeted by Prime Minster Tony Blair and Defence Secretary George Robertson, who later became Secretary General of NATO. Kate Adie Reports from Paris and describes how Diana died and the efforts to save her.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, met some of the first Saudi Arabian female MPs during her visit to the kingdom.
Camilla greeted the female members of the Saudi parliament, or Consultative Assembly, at the lavishly decorated Majlis Ash Shura building, saying: “Beneath all those pretty smiles there are a lot of very powerful women here.”
The Duchess was later joined by the Prince of Wales as they were given a tour of the gold encrusted parliament building, in Riyadh.
Hanan Al Ahmadi, one of the female MPs, told the Duchess her visit was an endorsement of the work they were doing as women politicians in what has been a traditionally male dominated society.
She said: “We have been waiting for this for a very long time. It is an emotional and very proud moment for us and carries a great deal of responsibility. You coming here to meet us is an endorsement of what is happening here.”
The Duchess replied: “I am so impressed. You are all so clever and well-educated and are blazing such a trail.” » | Patrick Sawer | Saturday, March 16, 2013
DIE PRESSE: Die „Grand Old Party“ war noch nie so unbeliebt wie heute. Ihre neuen Hoffnungsträger Rubio, Ryan und Paul eint nur die Abneigung gegen das alte Parteiestablishment.
Washington. Hier ist die gute Nachricht für die republikanische Partei: Heute bekennen sich 24 Prozent der Amerikaner als Republikaner – genau so viele wie vor 30 Jahren, als Ronald Reagan im Weißen Haus amtierte.
Und hier ist die schlechte Nachricht: Noch nie in ihrer Geschichte war die „Grand Old Party“ beim Rest der Bürger so unbeliebt wie heute. 62 Prozent der Amerikaner erklärten neulich in einer Umfrage des Pew Research Center, dass die Republikaner den Bezug zu den Menschen verloren haben. 52 Prozent finden sie zu extrem. Und was besonders schwer wiegt: 58 Prozent der unabhängigen Wähler lehnen die Partei ab. Doch das sind genau die Menschen in der Mitte, die man ansprechen muss, wenn man Wahlen gewinnen will. Nur jeder dritte Amerikaner hat heute eine gute Meinung von den Republikanern: so wenige wie noch nie. » | Oliver Grimm, Korrespondent der Presse | Freitag, 15. März 2013
Deux ans après les premières manifestations à Deraa, FRANCE 24 vous propose un documentaire inédit consacré aux origines du conflit en Syrie. Pourquoi, après deux ans de guerre et plus de 70 000 morts, le pays est-il toujours à feu et à sang ?
Avec les équipes de France 24 et nos grands reporters aux 4 coins du monde, découvrez des reportages grand format sur des sujets d'actualité internationale.
Avec les équipes de FRANCE 24 et nos grands reporters aux quatre coins du monde, des reportages grand format sur des sujets d'actualité internationale décryptés par leurs auteurs en plateau à l'issue de leur diffusion. Emission présentée par Antoine Cormery.
L’EXPRESS.fr: Selon le Los Angeles Times, la CIA est actuellement en train de recueillir des renseignements sur des islamistes radicaux en Syrie. L'objectif: les liquider par des frappes de drones, affirme le quotidien.
La CIA recueille actuellement des renseignements sur des islamistes radicaux en Syrie en vue de les liquider ultérieurement par des frappes de drones, rapporte vendredi soir le Los Angeles Times. Citant d'actuels et d'anciens responsables américains, ayant gardé l'anonymat, le quotidien indique que le president Barack Obama n'a pas encore autorisé des attaques de drones en Syrie, mais que le service de contre-terrorisme de la CIA y a récemment affecté plusieurs agents à la surveillance de militants extrémistes. » | Par LEXPRESS.fr | samedi 16 mars 2013
THE INDEPENDENT: The Prince isn't expected to raise the issue of human rights with his hosts. Perhaps he should, wonders Jerome Taylor
They were led out at dawn today, one by one, to the public killing grounds. The Seven Saudi Arabian men had been sentenced to death following what human rights groups and the UN said were deeply flawed trials conducted under Sharia law. Some of them were juveniles when they were charged with being part of a gang of thieves in the Saudi town of Abha. But that didn’t save them from the firing squad.
A few hours later, just over 1,000 miles to the north, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were visiting the victims of another brutal Middle Eastern dictatorship. At a refugee camp in northern Jordan they met some of the one million people who have had to flee the death and destruction now enveloping Bashar al-Assad’s Syria. Charles described the scene he saw as an “unbelievable and heartbreaking situation” while Camilla hailed the “strength of spirit” shown by the women she encountered.
But anyone expecting the Royal couple to show equivalent sympathy for the victims of Saudi Arabia’s authoritarianism when they visit the Kingdom on Friday as part of their Middle Eastern tour will be disappointed. Human rights are off the agenda. Instead, according to the press release put out by Clarence House, the themes of the visit are “military collaboration, opportunities for women in society, inter-faith dialogue, education and environmental sustainability”.
For the struggling human rights activists and reformists in the Kingdom, visits from the US and Britain are a consistent source of disappointment. While London and Washington berate Moscow for its ongoing support of the Assad regime, they rarely if ever go public with criticisms of the Al Sauds – their closest ally in the Gulf. Last week, both the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and the Attorney General, Eric Holder, returned from separate trips to the Kingdom. Between their visits, the Saudi regime was emboldened enough to press ahead with the jailing of Mohammed Fahd al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamed – two of the country’s most prominent non-violent reform advocates. In the few days between the US delegations and Prince Charles’ arrival, the King also found time to reject clemency for the Abha Seven, despite documented evidence that confessions were extracted under torture, that the men were not appointed adequate legal representation and that most of them were juveniles when they committed their alleged crimes.
Although the Prince is officially apolitical, human rights advocates have expressed dismay that while he is happy to talk about Britain’s military and commercial links to Saudi Arabia, he avoids topics such as the highest execution rates per capita in the world or something as fundamental as a woman’s right to drive. » | Jerome Taylor | Wednesday, March 13, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis has thanked thousands of journalists who covered his election as pontiff this week during an audience in the Vatican.
The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, dressed in white vestments, was greeted by applause and cheers of "Viva il Papa" when he entered the Paul VI Hall.
He spoke from a broad stage, flanked by Swiss Guards in ceremonial uniform. The new Pope called for "a poor Church for the poor", saying he chose his papal name because St Francis of Assisi was "a man of poverty and a man of peace".
The special audience was being billed by the Vatican as part of the greater openness that has characterised the first days in office of the former Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first pope from Latin America.
The 76-year-old pontiff has displayed an informal style that contrasts sharply with that of his more academic predecessor Benedict XVI.
Under the simple slogan of "walk, build, confess" and speaking in a folksy Italian, he has urged Catholic leaders to shun worldly glories and lead a spiritual renewal in the Church that will reach "the ends of the earth".
The son of an Italian emigrant railway worker, he has warned them that without action the Church could end up becoming a "castle of sand" and just a charity with no spiritual foundation. » | Nick Squires, Vatican City, and agencies | Saturday, March 16, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
THE INDEPENDENT: Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites
The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion expansion.
Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.
The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba – the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.
The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.
Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in the founder of Islam’s life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the sport where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night. » | Jerome Taylor | Friday, March 15, 2013
RELIGION NEWS SERVICE: A recent story about Prince Charles learning Arabic in order to undertake a deeper study of the Qur’an has created a lot of hubbub in the British media.
The story has raised rumors yet again about the heir to the British throne’s deep fascination with Islam.
A decade ago, Islamophobes were already filled with dread that Prince Charles might have already converted to Islam.
So what is behind this attraction to Islam? What about Islam is proving so appealing to Prince Charles himself? To answer that question, let us listen to some of what he has to say.
Charles approaches Islam not primarily through the lens of security threats and international crises, but rather as a body of spiritual teachings.
He states:
The Islamic world is the custodian of one of the greatest treasures of accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge available to humanity.
Much of his attractions to Islam actually comes from the insights of the Qur’an that come to identify the natural cosmos as a site where God is revealed and experienced: There is a profound truth in that seemingly simple, old saying of the nomads — that “the best of all Mosques is Nature herself.” » | Omid Safi | Friday, March 15, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has publicly clashed with the new Pope over the Argentine pontiff’s claim that Britain “usurped” the Falkland Islands.
Pope Francis, who is a former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has previously described the disputed territory as belonging to “the homeland” of Argentina.
However, the Prime Minister told him he should “respect” the islanders’ referendum vote for the Falklands to remain British.
Mr Cameron even dared to make a joke at the expense of the Vatican’s ancient election processes.
“The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear,” he said.
His comments, at a press conference at the European Council summit in Brussels, follow the islanders’ referendum that delivered an overwhelming majority in favour of the Falklands remaining a UK overseas territory. » | Tim Ross, Brussels | Friday, March 15, 2013
My comment:
For Cameron to talk like this shows that he is a boy in a man's world. To talk about "white smoke over The Falklands" in the same breath as white smoke emanating from the Vatican on the selection of a new pope is immature at best and stupid at worst. It just goes to show what a secularist Cameron really is. Each and every time Cameron opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it. This time is no exception. Cameron is an embarrassment. – © Mark
This comment also appears here
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: A year ago, a SPIEGEL editor met a Salafist in Hannover. Following several meetings in Germany, he traveled with him to his new home in Egypt. But he could not have anticipated the danger he would encounter there.
It's still dark in Alexandria, and I can hear the Salafist breathing in the dark. He is tiptoeing across the room.
The man approaching my bed picked me up from the airport yesterday. His name is Dennis Rathkamp, and he is a 24-year-old auto mechanic who used to play guitar in his church confirmation class. He moved to Egypt a few weeks ago to learn how to become a good Muslim.
On this morning, my body is lying between Rathkamp and Mecca. He drops to his knees and lowers his forehead to the floor. It's 6:30 a.m., time for early prayers. I hear Rathkamp moving his lips silently. He promised me he would try to be quiet while praying.
I am lying in this bed in a stranger's apartment because I am searching for an answer to the question of what drives the Salafists, a group of people who are feared in Germany. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence agency, estimates that 60 German Salafists emigrated to Egypt last year. Many chose the city of Alexandria as their new home, and they now live in the Mandara neighborhood in the north of the city.
Rathkamp says that he moved to Alexandria because he wants to learn the language of his prophet -- and because he could no longer endure the discrimination in Germany.
I met him when he was handing out Korans in the northern German city of Hannover last spring. I asked him if he would take me to his mosque, because I wanted to learn more about Islam. I accompanied him to Friday prayers many times after that. We drank tea together and had long conversations. Afterwards, he would drive me to the train station and give me pamphlets explaining women's role in Islam to take home to my girlfriend. » | Takis Würger | Friday, March 15, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A senior Iranian cleric has accused Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of "heresy" after saying Hugo Chavez would be resurrected with the 12th imam.
Ayatollah Ahmed Janati, the hardline chief of the Guardians Council, told worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran: "Those comments on Chavez's return with Christ were heresy."
Janati was referring to comments by Ahmadinejad on March 6 in which he called Chavez a "martyr" who would "return, along with the righteous Jesus and the perfect human."
The last was an allusion to Shia Islam's 12th imam that Iran's majority faith believes will return with Christ to bring peace and justice to the world.
Janati said Iran's clergy had been "upset" by the remarks.
"Should people say whatever comes to mind? I wish (Ahmadinejad) had spent a few days in a seminary before discussing such issues," he said.
"Chavez was a populist and anti-American. His political agenda was completely acceptable. But he was not a Muslim," Janati added. » | Source: AFP | Friday, March 15, 2013
Journeyman Pictures: The Crescent and the Cross »
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A father accidentally overhead his son agonising over whether he should come out, but spared him the embarrassment by writing a heartfelt letter saying he loved him no matter what.
Nate and his boyfriend Mike were discussing whether the former should tell his father he was gay, something that had clearly been troubling him.
But his father spared him the worry with a simple yet to the point letter.
The father tells his son he has known that he was gay since he was six, but has loved him ever since he was born. » | Harry Alsop | Friday, March 15, 2013
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