France needs to cast off the shackles of its socialist past and ‘go for it’

Image courtesy of THE ECONOMIST

After a quarter-century of drift Nicolas Sarkozy offers the best hope of reform
THE ECONOMIST: NO FRENCH presidential election in 50 years has looked as unpredictable as this year's, the first round of which takes place on April 22nd. This is so even though the leader in every opinion poll so far has been Nicolas Sarkozy, the candidate of the ruling centre-right UMP party. His support may be overestimated, just as that of the far-right Jean-Marie Le Pen may be underestimated. The rise of the centrist François Bayrou, who at one point almost overtook the Socialist Ségolène Royal, has muddied the electoral arithmetic. And with only ten days to go, more than two in five voters are undecided.

This election matters. France is the euro zone's second-biggest member and home to ten of Europe's 50 biggest companies. But it is deeply troubled. It has the slowest-growing large economy in Europe, a state that soaks up half of GDP, the fastest-rising public debt in western Europe over the past ten years and, above all, entrenched high unemployment. Over the past 25 years French GDP per person has declined from seventh-highest in the world to 17th. The smouldering mood of the suburbs (banlieues), home to many jobless youths from ethnic minorities, blazed into riots in 2005 and lay behind new trouble that flared recently at a Paris railway station. The disenchantment of voters is reflected not only in opinion polls but also in their rejection of the European Union constitution in 2005. Tellingly, they have not re-elected an incumbent government for a quarter-century. France’s chance (Cont’d)

BBC: French voter's viewpoint

Le Figaro: The Economist vote Nicholas Sarkozy

Mark Alexander

Schweizer irakischer Abstammung läuft mit Sturmgewehr tobend herum
Täter schoss in Baden wahllos um sich - Ein Toter und vier Personen verletzt
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Ein Amokschütze hat am Donnerstagabend in Baden einen 71-jährigen Mann erschossen und vier weitere Personen verletzt. Beim Täter handelt es sich um einen 26-jährigen Schweizer irakischer Abstammung. Er wurde nach der Tat verhaftet.

Der Amokläufer war kurz vor 21 Uhr 45 mit einem Sturmgewehr 90 auf dem Parkplatz des Hotels «Kappelerhof/La Cappella» aufgetaucht, wie Urs Winzenried, Chef der Aargauer Kriminalpolizei, am Freitag vor den Medien sagte. Wortlos habe der 26-Jährige das Feuer auf zwei Jugendliche eröffnet, die an einem Tisch vor der Bar sassen. Die Gewehrkugeln trafen die beiden 15- und 16-jährigen Jugendlichen. Sie hatten zusammen mit ihren Eltern das Restaurant besucht. Trotz ihrer Verletzungen konnten sie ins Innere des Restaurants flüchten. Amoklauf mit Armee-Sturmgewehr (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Tough, revolutionary words from Berezovsky
London exile Berezovsky says force necessary to bring down President Putin

Photo courtesy of Google Images

THE GUARDIAN: The Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has told the Guardian he is plotting the violent overthrow of President Putin from his base in Britain after forging close contacts with members of Russia's ruling elite.

In comments which appear calculated to enrage the Kremlin, and which will further inflame relations between London and Moscow, the multimillionaire claimed he was already bankrolling people close to the president who are conspiring to mount a palace coup.

"We need to use force to change this regime," he said. "It isn't possible to change this regime through democratic means. There can be no change without force, pressure." Asked if he was effectively fomenting a revolution, he said: "You are absolutely correct." I am plotting a new Russian revolution (Cont’d)

GUARDIAN AUDIO: Berezovsky on change in Russia

THE GUARDIAN: Berezovsky on his personal safety

BBC: Russia probes Berezovsky 'plot'

BBC VIDEO: Russia probes 'Putin plot'

NZZ: Beresovsky widerspricht sich selbst

LE FIGARO: Manifestation sous haute tension à Moscou

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Hundreds held in Moscow anti-Putin protests

Mark Alexander

The Bush Legacy: Loss of Confidence in the Dollar
THE TELEGRAPH/Money: The euro has reached an all-time high against the yen and surged to $1.35 against the dollar, setting the stage for a battle between French politicians and the European Central Bank for control of the currency.

Jean-Claude Trichet, the ECB's president, gave a virtual guarantee that interest rates would be raised again to 4pc in June, narrowing the yield gap with the US. "I would not say today anything aimed at changing expectations for the month of June," he said.

Global currencies are going through a major realignment as Europe takes over as the engine of world growth and the US starts to trip, setting off an exodus from dollar assets. Super-euro may spark a currency war while French battle the ECB by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

Mark Alexander

The death of neoconservatism?
TIMESONLINE/Comment: Every now and then an intellectual movement, a school of social, economic or political thought, jumps the cultural barrier that divides the arid squabbling of university senior common rooms from the saloon bar brawling of everyday political discussion.

In the 1970s it was monetarism that made the switch into the mainstream. An economic theory, rooted in orthodox neoclassical explanations about the causes of inflation, was suddenly as familiar a subject to TV viewers and newspaper readers as changes in the cast of MASH.

Since its complexities were too great to comprehend, most commentators did the safe thing and simply looked at the identities of its principal advocates. These seemed to be readily identifiable right-wing villains, so in the demotic demonology of the day monetarism became shorthand for greedy, heartless conservatives.

In the first years of the 21st century, history will recall that it was neoconservatism that played the role of most despised and least understood intellectual theory. For years it languished in the obscurity of certain US universities and think-tanks.

Though its adherents were important protagonists in the Cold War, it never really got much of a public airing as a theoretical system of its own.

It took, improbably, the arrival of George Bush in the White House and September 11, 2001, to catapult it into the public consciousness. When Mr Bush cited its most simplified tenet — that the US should seek to promote liberal democracy around the world — as a key case for invading Iraq, neoconservatism was suddenly everywhere. It was, to its many critics, a unified ideology that justified military adventurism, sanctioned torture and promoted aggressive Zionism.

Almost as suddenly as it emerged from obscurity, neoconservatism seems to have collapsed. As the misery in Iraq has deepened, as President Bush and the Republican Party have stumbled deeper into the mire, and as Britain and Europe seem eager to move quickly towards a kind of social democratic system that seeks an all-encompassing multicultural accommodation, the neocons look routed. The neocons have been routed. But they are not all wrong (Cont’d) by Gerard Baker

Mark Alexander

Auch Europa steht in Gefahr
Nach den Anschlägen in Algerien und Marokko stellten die Urheber klar, worum es ihnen eigentlich geht. Die erklärten „Vasallen“ Usama Bin Ladins bezichtigten sich nicht nur der jüngsten Verbrechen ihrer Selbstmordattentäter in Nordafrika. Sie nannten auch abermals ihr eigentliches Ziel: „Die Befreiung der islamischen Erde von Jerusalem bis nach Al Ándalus.“

Fünf Jahre nach den Anschlägen in Casablanca, drei Jahre nach den Madrider Zugattentaten und zwei Jahre nach den Anschlägen von London fühlt sich die Terrororganisation „Al Qaida im islamischen Maghreb“ offenbar stark genug, die offene Auseinandersetzung mit den Regierungen in Algerien, Marokko und Tunesien zu suchen. Gleichzeitig droht sie in Europa besonders Spanien und Frankreich, wo ihre Mitglieder offenbar schon aktiv sind. Die „Vasallen“ Bin Ladins bedrohen auch Europa Von Leo Wieland

Mark Alexander

Fragile Iran
In the following excerpt from Alireza Jafarzadeh’s book on Iran entitled, The Iran Threat: President Ahmadinejad and the Coming Nuclear Crisis, we are given the following insights into Ahmadinejad’s fragile Iran:

”The Iranian regime’s ability to create chaos in Iraq, fund and train terrorists throughout the Middle East, and defiantly proceed with its nuclear enrichment program can easily be interpreted as signs of the Iranian regime’s strength. That is exactly what the leaders in Tehran want the world to think. But in reality, these actions, including Ahmadinejad’s bravado and grandstanding, provide a smoke-screen for a regime that is struggling to survive.

In spite of Iran’s oil wealth, the economy is in shambles; the most conservative estimates rank inflation in the double digits, and one out of every four Iranians living below the poverty line. One of Iran’s own economic organizations estimated 52 percent unemployment among the 15-29 age group for 2006. Others believe the numbers are much higher. Strikes are rampant in state-run businesses, from bus companies to soda factories, where workers go for months without pay or benefits. The ruling mullahs monopolize huge segments of the economy through ownership of massive, unregulated 'philanthropic' organizations (bonyads) that form a bloated and corrupt system. The younger generation, which comprises the vast majority of the population, is fed up with all the restrictions imposed upon them and the increasing crackdown on the press and personal liberties. Civic unrest forces the government to expend enormous resources to put down the thousands of demonstrations that erupt every year before the situation gets out of hand. Iran’s leaders realize that the domestic situation is a time bomb that could explode any day, and they attempt to hide that weakness and vulnerability behind “success” abroad. The regime’s defiance of the IAEA and the West regarding the nuclear program is just one attempt to try to build up Tehran’s image, while repressing the population that seeks to drive them out of power.

Understanding the realities of Iran’s domestic situation, any state that attempts to negotiate with Tehran while perceiving Iran as a strong, rich, and stable nation is operating under a fallacy. Tehran has never been more vulnerable. The leaders’ greatest fear is that the organized opposition will continue to gain more visibility and international support. Far from leading a young, loyal nation toward prosperity and stability, Tehran is facing down an inevitable showdown with its own people.”

Buy this extraordinarily detailed book here: The Iran Threat: President Ahmadinejad and the Coming Nuclear Crisis

Mark Alexander

Bosnia gets tough with jihadists

Photo of ‘foreign fighters’ courtesy of the BBC

BBC: Bosnia-Hercegovina has stripped almost 400 people of citizenship as part of an investigation into foreign fighters who settled in the country after the war.

Bosnian media sees the investigation as a part of a drive against terrorism requested by the US.

Bosnia's government says those involved came from Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan and Russia. Bosnia tackles ‘foreign fighters’ by Nicholas Walton

Mark Alexander

The Myth of Madrassah Reform in Pakistan
KASHMIR HERALD: Five years after General Pervez Musharraf promised sweeping reforms to ensure that Pakistani religious schools are not used any further to propagate extremist Islam; the country’s traditional madrassa system continues to operate freely as the key breeding ground for radical Islamist ideology as well as the recruitment centre for terrorist networks.

The madrassa reform campaign launched by General Musharraf in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in January 2002 has largely failed and hardly a few cosmetic changes could be introduced in the existing madrassa system. The federal government’s plan for madrassa reform is a classic example of the one-step forward two-steps backwards approach. Musharraf’s rhetoric to modernise the religious schools has met with little success mainly due to a lack of political will to enforce any of the much-trumpeted policy decisions that were supposed to be taken by his administration to reform the madrassas by bringing them into the educational mainstream. Subsequently, signs of Talibanisation are quite evident in all parts of Pakistan, especially in the heart of the federal capital where hardline religious leaders and hundreds of men and women activists from local madrassas continue to challenge the writ of the government by trying to force their brand of Islamic justice.

The March 30 raid by a group of burqa-clad madrassa students on a brothel in Islamabad and subsequent hostage taking of the alleged brothel owner was the second provocation by the Jamia Hafsa girl students in a short span of three months. Since January 2007, other than this incident, the violent students have occupied a children’s library adjacent to their madrassa after the Capital Development Authority began demolition of two mosques that were constructed on state land without permission. Several hundred girls of the Jamia Hafsa armed with bamboo sticks and weapons seized the only library in the federal capital, chiefly meant for children and refused to vacate it until the government reconstructed the mosques. At one stage the government did start reconstruction but the girls upped the ante and made extraneous demands including enforcement of Shariah laws in the country. Madrassa Reforms - The Great Myth (Cont’d) by Amir Mir

Mark Alexander

The story of the conversion of the Avenging Apostate
This moving story is in SIX parts, so be sure to read them all. To read the next part, click on the link at the bottom of each piece.

"The following post is my testimony on how I converted out of the death-cult of Islam into Christianity. It was a very long journey which I undertook just to find the truth and I am happy that finally I did. I wanted to share this testimony publicly because I want people to know what Islam’s true colors are and to show what it's like being born in a Moslem family in Saudi Arabia. I feel I have a duty to do so too. I want to show how the horrors of Islam change people’s lives, break relationships and destroy homes—these are the experiences that might not be fully understood in the west. I hope my testimony helps save lives both spiritually and physically and in the meantime I hope I don’t get caught in Islam’s deadly embrace. You will know why I say that once you read this." - From a Jihadist to a Human

Mark Alexander

Researcher claims Jews smarter than Gentiles
Dr Charles Murray claims Jews' IQ 7-15 higher than gentiles; 'just look at Nobel Prize recipients and do the math'

Jews' average IQ score is seven to 15 points higher than gentiles and they are exceptionally accomplished, claims the British social theorist Dr Charles Murray.

"Jewish genius", Murray says, is a topic so sensitive that Jews rarely address it. Writing in Commentary, a neoconservative journal, Murray argues that anti-Semitism has succeeded in blurring the connection, but the Jews' accomplishments are scientifically based. Murray said he regards himself as a Scotsman who came to Britain from Iowa and therefore is not afraid to broach and elaborate on the findings in his research. British researcher claims 'Jews smarter, it's genetic'

Mark Alexander

Shari’ah law: What lies behind it?
Shari’ah is the detailed code of conduct of the faithful, or the canons comprising ways and modes of worship. Remember that Islam asks the faithful to live a life of obedience and submission to their Lord, Allah.

Shari’ah also sets the standards of morals and life and laws, laws which allow this, or proscribe that. This is the judgement between right and wrong. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final prophet of Allah, and they believe that the final codified law, as-Shari'ah, is the body of law which is applicable for all of mankind and for all time.

The sources of Shari’ah are the Qur’an and Ahadith, or ‘the sayings of the prophet Muhammad'. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is a divine revelation. Further, they believe that the Qur’an is made up of the literal and actual words of Allah. Ahadith, or ‘the sayings of the prophet Muhammad’, are made up of instructions issued by Muhammad, or the memoirs of Muhammad’s conduct and behaviour. They are preserved by those who were present in his company, or by those who were handed down this guidance by the first witnesses. The collections of Ahadith were made by Malik, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah. These are the Ahadith which are considered to be the most authentic.

Fiqh, or detailed law derived from the Qur’an and Ahadith, may be broken down into four major schools of thought. They are: Fiqh Hanafi, Fiqh Maliki, Fiqh Shafi’i, and Fiqh Hanbali. These four schools took final shape within two hundred years after the death of the prophet. All four schools of thought are considered to be correct and true, regardless of which school of thought a Muslim belongs to. It’s all a matter of interpretation.

Fiqh deals with observable conduct and the fulfilment of the obligations of Islam to the letter of the law. Tasawwuf, by contrast, deals with the spirit of a Muslim’s conduct. Tasawwuf, in its true sense, is an intense love of Allah and Muhammad. The love of both requires strict obedience to Allah and Muhammad’s commands as written in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, or the way of the prophet of Allah.

People can be divided into two types: those who go astray wilfully; and those who go astray out of ignorance. As-Shari’ah, or the Sharia, meets the need of separating these two types of people.

As-Shari’ah forbids all that is ‘harmful’ to man and ordains all that is useful to him.

The scheme of life which Islam envisions consists of a set of rights and obligations. Muslims are asked to live up to these. These rights and obligations are as follows:

1. The rights of Allah: the primary right being that man should have faith in him and in him alone; and that man should accept his guidance (Hidayah) and seek his pleasure with heart, mind, and soul. Further, man should obey Allah, honestly and unreservedly; and he must worship him, and him alone.

2. One's own rights: The Shari’ah forbids those things which are injurious to man’s physical, mental, or moral existence.

3. Other men’s rights: Other people’s rights should not be violated. Hence, adultery, fornication and unnatural sexual pleasures have been strictly forbidden.

a. To preserve morality, the free co-mingling of the sexes has been forbidden. Further, man has been asked to lower his gaze when he comes into contact with women.
b. ‘Proper’ dress should always be worn. A man should not expose any part of his body between his knees and his navel. A woman should expose no part of her body other than her hands and her face. Except, that is, to her husband. This is a religious duty for every woman.
c. Islam does not approve of pastimes, entertainments, or recreations which stimulate the senses. They are a waste of time, money, and energy, and they destroy morality in society.
d. Believers are required to avoid mutual hostility in order to safeguard the unity and solidarity of the Ummah.
e. Muslims must seek out knowledge and science for the common good, but Muslims are forbidden from aping the mode of living of the non-Muslim.

4. The rights of all creatures: Each animal has its own rights, as do vegetables.

The law of Islam, as-Shari’ah, is eternal. It is said not to be based on the customs or the traditions of any particular people, and nor is it meant for a particular time in the history of the world; rather, it is one body of laws for man for all time, in the same way that Muslims believe that Islam is the universal religion for man for all time, the religion is for an eternity.

[Source: Abul A'la Mawdudi: Towards Understanding Islam]

©Mark Alexander

Ayn Rand on Ayn Rand
Since I started my weblog, I have been introduced to the philosophy of Ayn Rand. One of the books she wrote is Atlas Shrugged. Her philosophy of life is Objectivism, of which she is the originator.

I am NOT an Objectivist and nor, to my knowledge, are many Brits. I therefore thought it would be interesting to explore Ayn Rand's ideas with you today.

Objectivism, as I understand it, is a philosophy of life diametrically-opposed to Christianity, Islam, or any other faith.

Because of the growing influence of Islam in the West, and because the West seems to be ‘going astray’ and seems incapable of finding the strength to compete with that competing 'religion', I thought it would be very interesting and useful to explore and discuss Ayn Rand’s body of ideas on this forum.

I would be very interested to read your comments on the following three interviews which took place in the USA in 1959. Ayn Rand, a Russian immigrant to the US, is interviewed by Mike Wallace. I think you will find these interviews enlightening and interesting, even if you might disagree with the ideas expressed therein.

These interviews are in ‘black and white’. You will sometimes lose Ayn Rand from focus because of the haze of smoke billowing from Mike Wallace’s mouth. Please be tolerant. This was 1959, not 2007! (How interviewing styles have changed!)

The Mike Wallace Interview (1959)

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



©Mark Alexander

Yet more evidence the West is losing its way: Schoolchildren can no longer be controlled
The answer, according to the government: Give the disruptive little darlings prizes! Baloney!

THE TELEGRAPH: Difficult and disruptive pupils should be praised and given prizes to encourage them to behave, Government guidance said yesterday.

A system of rewards - including good news postcards home, special privileges or prizes - is the best way to encourage troublemakers to behave, says the document on keeping order in class.

It urges schools to adopt a more positive approach that it suggests will help improve relations with parents "tired" of receiving letters about children's poor behaviour.

But the Department for Education document is likely to cause alarm among teachers, who have called for tough action to clamp down on increasingly violent pupils. Disruptive pupils 'should be given prizes’ by Liz Lightfoot and Graeme Paton

Mark Alexander

More evidence that the West is losing its way: Now we don’t know what the perfect wife is. Little wonder that Western civilisation is in trouble
Being a perfect parent is now deemed more important than being a good spouse. Our correspondent tries to define what makes the ideal partner

The millionaire founder of Kwik-Fit, Sir Tom Farmer, was recently asked to give his best piece of advice for becoming a business success. His answer was simple: find a good wife. “I know it sounds romanticised but it’s true,” he said. “The most important person in my life has been my wife.”

Undoubtedly, many people will find this sentiment romantic. A good many more might be confused. What exactly does a good wife mean these days? Is it someone who stays at home to raise the children, or who shares the financial burden by going out to work? A high-earning glass-ceiling breaker or a yummy mummy who keeps a well-stocked fridge? In February the Office for National Statistics told us that the number of couples choosing to marry has dropped to its lowest for 111 years, and divorce rates remain high. “Good” wives and husbands are apparently thin on the ground. The Good Wife’s Guide, published by Housekeeping Monthly in the 1950s, advised women to put a ribbon in their hair as they served their husbands’ evening meal — a suggestion that most modern women would deem to be insulting — while a 1958 edition of Housewife magazine invited them to take part in a “How good a wife are you?” quiz. Yet the guide at least set out exactly what was expected of wives. As the author Marilyn Yalom says in her book A History of the Wife: “To be a wife today, when there are few prescriptions or proscriptions, is a truly creative endeavour.”

Some experts believe that as modern life becomes more demanding, what defines a good partner has not only become obscured but has been pushed down the pecking order. So much emphasis is now placed on being a Good Parent that being a Good Spouse comes a poor third after a) the children and b) the job. Marital conversation is reduced to “Have you got the juice?” “Yes, have you got the wipes?” The advice given by her mother to Jerry Hall that to keep a man a woman must be a maid in the living room, a cook in the kitchen and a whore in the bedroom seems ever more quaint now that housework is increasingly outsourced, food is fast and marriages become increasingly sexless (witness the emergence of books for the sexless marriage with titles such as Okay, So I Don’t Have a Headache, I’m Not in the Mood and For Women Only, which lists techniques that wives use to avoid sex). Has the race to raise the brightest child, get him/ her into the best school, ferry him/her around to the highest number of improving activities actually put marriage under strain?

Val Sampson, an author and a couples counsellor, has launched relightmyfire.org, a website dedicated to helping couples to find their passion again and make each other a priority. She says: “I see a lot of people who have lost sight of fact they are a couple and see each other only as Mum and Dad. Women in particular get a lot of affection energy from a child. They turn to the child for cuddling, touch and sensual needs. They become almost absorbed by the child. It is like a grenade exploding in a marriage.” In search of the good wife by Carol Midgley

Mark Alexander

Swiss find allure of Middle Eastern money just too attractive to resist: Switzerland decides to sell out to the mighty Mid-East petro-buck!

Photo courtesy of the BBC

BBC: The elegant Swiss ski resorts of St Moritz, Verbier and Klosters dominate many winter holiday brochures - but little Andermatt plans to rival them in future.

One of the Middle East's biggest hotel groups is on course to transform Andermatt into a luxury resort, complete with a golf course and a pool with its own sandy beach. Egyptian tycoon plans alpine oasis by Imogen Foulkes

Mark Alexander

Naïve fools!

Photo of the Roman Catholic Bishop, Rt Rev Tom Burns, courtesy of THE TELEGRAPH

THE TELEGRAPH: The Roman Catholic bishop who oversees the armed forces has provoked fury by praising the Iranian leadership for its "forgiveness" and "act of mercy" in freeing the 15 British sailors and marines last week.

The Bishop of the Forces, the Rt Rev Tom Burns, said that the religious beliefs of the Iranians had played a large part in their decision to release the hostages after holding them for more than two weeks.

His words were echoed by a leading Anglican figure, the Right Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, who said Iran had acted within the "moral and spiritual tradition of their country" and contrasted this with Britain's "free-floating attitudes".

Bishop Burns, who ministers to the 40,000 Catholics and their families who are members of the armed forces, said the decision to release the captives had demonstrated "faith in a forgiving God".

But his comments were angrily denounced yesterday by politicians and soldiers as "naive" and "wishful thinking" for failing to recognise the illegality of Teheran's actions. Fury as bishops back Iran

Mark Alexander

Dennis Prager on the decline of the UK
FREE REPUBLIC: It is painful to see the decline of Great Britain.

Greatness in individuals is rare; in countries it is almost unique. And Great Britain was great.

It used to be said that "The sun never sets on the British empire." That is how vast Britain's influence was. And that influence, on balance, was far more positive than negative. Ask the Indians -- or the Americans, for that matter. The British colonies learned about individual rights, parliamentary government, civil service and courts of justice, to name of few of the benefits that the British brought with them. Were it not for British involvement, India might still have sati (burning wives on the funeral pyre of their husband), would have no unifying language, and probably no parliamentary democracy or other institutions and values that have made that country a democratic giant, now on its way to becoming an economic one as well. But today, the sun not only literally sets on an extinct British empire; it is figuratively setting on Britain itself.

Two recent examples provide evidence:

One is the way Britain handled the recent act of war against it by Iran. Everything about the British reaction revealed a civilization in decline. Britain Was Once Great Britain by Dennis Prager

Mark Alexander

So what is the West prepared to do about this?
TIMESONLINE: President Ahmadinejad announced yesterday that Iran had defied the United Nations and started “industrial-scale” production of enriched uranium. He promised to defend the nuclear programme “to the end” as school bells rang out in celebration of a “national day of nuclear energy”. The Government also sent millions of text messages congratulating its citizens.

In Tehran, about 200 students formed a human chain at the Atomic Energy Organisation while chanting “death to America” and “death to Britain”. They later burnt the flags of both countries. The scenes drew swift condemnation from Washington where Sean McCormack, the State Department spokesman, said neither the UN Security Council nor the international nuclear watchdog “believe Iran’s assurances that their programme is peaceful in nature”. ‘We’re ready to create enriched uranium on an industrial scale’: With a show of national celebration, Ahmadinejad says Iran will press ahead with its nuclear ambitions

Ahmadinejad: Iran has joined the club of nuclear nations

Iran marks ‘National Nuclear Day’

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Iran outlines nuclear status

Iran beschleunigt Atomprogram: Teheran meldet Fähigkeit zur Urananreicherung in grossem Massstab

Iran der Atombombe ein Stück näher

Iran kann selbst nuklearen Brennstoff herstellen

Mark Alexander

"Nicolas Sarkozy is the only man who can save France… Many in France have forgotten what it means to work, and we need someone to remind us”, says winemaker
BBC: The vines on the rolling hills around Chateauneuf-du-Pape are still bare as Baptiste Grangeon walks up the perfectly straight rows.

He inspects each one, tying some tidily with twine to ensure the vines grow straight and strong.

The 28-year-old is the third generation of his family to tend the valuable family vineyards, which produce up to 100,000 bottles a year.

But, he says with a sigh, doing business in France is getting harder every year, amid a tangle of bureaucracy, red tape and high taxes. Sarkozy puts wine country in ferment by Caroline Wyatt

Mark Alexander

The electorate doesn’t trust Blair
THE OBSERVER: A remarkable picture of the way Tony Blair has lost the faith of British voters over his 10 years in power is revealed today by a comprehensive study of public attitudes towards the Prime Minister.

As Blair prepares to leave office, the poll of more than 2,000 adults shows that people believe the country is a more dangerous, less happy, less pleasant place to live. There was a negative response to nearly all of more than 40 questions the public was asked about trust in politics, how they felt about their own lives and whether public services had got better. Britain delivers damning verdict on Blair’s 10 years by Gaby Hinsliff

Mark Alexander

Now, the sailors can sell their stories!
BBC: The 15 Royal Navy personnel held captive by Iran are to be allowed to sell their stories to the media. Iranian captives can sell stories

Taking the dignity out of our military

We showed weakness and will pay the price

Buoyant Teheran warns of further kidnappings

Iran laughs at Easter ‘gift’ of humiliation

"As a former Anglophile, I am truly ashamed and saddened by the actions of the British Navy and its sailors. There is NO EXCUSE for a serviceman to put his own safety as his top-priority. The statements made by the sailors even after their release reveal nothing but cowardice. It is evident that the great nation, the once-proud land of knights, crusaders, an empire on whose borders the sun never set, then of Churchill, is truly dead. In its place is a feminized, neutered, quivering nation of children living in fear of their Islamic overlords, those inside as well as outside its borders. I thank God Hitler arrived in the '40's, when England still had men who knew the meaning of duty, honor, and sacrifice." - Michael Delaney, Pasadena, Texas, USA [Source: TIMESONLINE]

Mark Alexander

HAPPY EASTER! HAPPY PASSOVER!
He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. - Matthew 28, 6

Image courtesy of THE TIMES

I should like to wish all my Christian visitors a VERY HAPPY and BLESSED EASTER. Further, I'd like to wish all those who will be celebrating Passover, a HAPPY and BLESSED PASSOVER. Peace and joy to one and all!

BBC: Pope decries slaughter in Iraq in his Easter message

Papst feiert Ostermesse in Rom: «Der Friede und die Freude des auferstandenen Herrn sei mit Euch!»

WELTONLINE: An seinem 80. Geburtstag, dem übernächsten Montag, veröffentlicht Papst Benedikt XVI. sein neues Buch: "Jesus von Nazareth. Von der Taufe im Jordan bis zur Verklärung". Es ist eine zärtliche Liebeserklärung an den Sohn Gottes und zugleich ein Mahnung an die Versöhnbarkeit von Glaube und Vernunft. Das neue Buch des Papstes: Zärtliche Worte für Jesus

Mark Alexander

Iran seeks goodwill from the UK
BBC: Iran's ambassador to London has said Britain should respond "in a positive way" to the release of the 15 Royal Navy personnel held for 13 days.

Rasoul Movahedian said that Iran wanted help to release five Iranians held by the US in Iraq, and to ease fears over its nuclear programme.

He told the Financial Times: "If [the British] want to be helpful and use their influence we will welcome that." Iran seeks goodwill over captives

WATCH BBC VIDEO: UK navy crew start leave

Mark Alexander

Pay attention to the signals! Iran doesn’t mix them!
THE JERUSALEM POST: The footage of the British hostages thanking Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his hospitality and forgiveness, like the footage of Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi covering her head in a scarf while on a visit to Damascus, was enough to make you sick.
Must we lose this war?

On Tuesday, US President George W. Bush had some clear thoughts on Pelosi's visit. Bush said, "Going to Syria sends mixed signals - signals in the region and, of course, mixed signals to President [Bashar] Assad... Photo opportunities and/or meetings with President Assad lead the Assad government to believe they're part of the mainstream of the international community when, in fact, they're a state sponsor of terror; when, in fact, they're helping expedite - or at least not stopping - the movement of foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq; when, in fact, they have done little to nothing to rein in militant Hamas and Hizbullah; and when, in fact, they destabilize the Lebanese democracy." Iran doesn’t mix signals by Caroline Glick

Mark Alexander

Canada gets tough on terrorism
BBC: The first person to be charged under Canada's anti-terrorism act has lost his attempt to challenge the law over its constitutionality.

Mohammed Momin Khawaja, a Canadian citizen, was arrested in March 2004 in a joint UK-Canadian operation and was accused of planning to attack the UK.

He argued that the new law was unconstitutional following a ruling by a provincial judge.

But the Supreme Court of Canada decided not to hear Mr Khawaja's appeal. Canadian’s terror appeal denied

Mark Alexander

A round-up of news and views on the freed captives
The 15 Royal Navy sailors and marines held in Iran for almost two weeks have spoken of their happiness at being back in the UK and reunited with relatives. Freed crew ‘delighted to be home’

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Freed navy crew back in UK

TIMESONLINE: Iran captives ‘freed’ after costume drama

TIMESONLINE: Commentary: Hang on. We’re taking the soft approach towards Iran? … the lessons of dealing with an erratic state

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Es gab keine Abmachung: Blair weist nach Rückkehr der Soldaten aus Iran Spekulationen zurück

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Kommentar: Ahmadinejads wendiger Gnadenakt

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Iran: „Wir haben eine Entschuldigung erhalten“

WELTONLINE: PR-Sieg für Teherans "Osterhasen"

Mark Alexander

No prizes for guessing which religion was behind this!
THE TELEGRAPH: A British student at Yale has had to surrender his passport and could face the loss of his visa after being charged with arson and criminal mischief for setting fire to an American flag.

Farhad Anklesaria, 19, and two other students, Hyder Akbar, 23, an Afghan-born American, and Nikolaos Angelopolos, 19, a Greek, were arrested at 3am on Tuesday morning. Brit student arrested for burning US flag

Mark Alexander

Blair says no deal done with Iran
BBC: Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted no deal was done to free 15 Royal Navy crew members, as they arrived at Heathrow after being held in Iran.

They were released "without any deal, without any negotiation, without any side agreement of any nature," he said. ’No deal done with Iran’ – Blair

WATCH BBC VIDEO: UK ‘must stand firm on Iran’

Mark Alexander

Do we need new laws, or do we need more decisive action?
TIMESONLINE: The Government could use Asbos in a fresh effort to tackle extremist preachers and other "radicalisers", the Attorney General announced today.

According to new guidance drawn up by Lord Goldsmith, extremists who preach hate and violence should be made to "face the full force of the law", with more efforts to prosecute them under existing legislation and to use Anti Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) to prevent them holding meetings and leading young people astray. New measures to tackle extremist preachers

Mark Alexander

Controversy in Greece

Photo courtesy of the BBC

BBC: Controversy is raging in Greece over a new school history book, which critics say is designed to improve relations with Greece's ancient rival, Turkey.

Leading opposition is the Orthodox church, which says the book waters down the severity of Turkish brutality towards Greece over the centuries. Greek Church attacks history book

Mark Alexander

Barrack Obama has been compared to Jesus!
Has the world gone crazy, or has the world gone crazy? My good friend, Mustang of Social Sense fame kindly alerted me to this video, a video which is in very bad taste! Do watch it and see what you think. WATCH VIDEO HERE: Comparing Barrack Obama with Jesus!

Mark Alexander

Britain eats humble pie; sailors eat humble pie
"I'd like to say that myself and my whole team are very grateful for your forgiveness. I'd like to thank yourself and the Iranian people... Thank you very much, sir." - Unidentified member of team

BBC: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf are free to leave.

He repeated Iran's view that the British sailors and marines "invaded" Iranian waters, but said they were being released as a "gift" to Britain.

He said they would be taken to Tehran airport and flown home within hours.

Downing Street welcomed news of the release, while Iranian state media said the British crew members "shouted for joy" on hearing the news.

Television pictures showed the Iranian president smiling and chatting with the crew.

He joked to one: "How are you? So you came on a mandatory vacation?"

The Britons were wearing suits, rather than the military uniform and tracksuits they wore in previous pictures. The one female crew member, Faye Turney, wore a blue headscarf and jacket.

An unidentified crew member said: "I'd like to say that myself and my whole team are very grateful for your forgiveness. I'd like to thank yourself and the Iranian people... Thank you very much, sir."

Mr Ahmadinejad responded in Farsi: "You are welcome." Iranians release British sailors

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Ahmadinejad message to the UK

WATCH BBC VIDEO: British navy crew freed by Iran

NZZ: Ahmadinejad begnadigt gefangene britische Soldaten: Iranische Präsident gibt sich grosszügig

Mark Alexander

There are 'good hair days' and 'bad hair days'
Could this, perchance, be a damn good example of what we mean by a peroxide blond?

Photo of Mr Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for Henley-on-Thames and Conservative spokesman for higher education, courtesy of THE TELEGRAPH

Mark Alexander

Life is just a bowl of cherries! Or, in the case of Prince Charles, one big fancy dress party!

Ridiculous:



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Photos courtesy of THE TELEGRAPH

Mark Alexander