Turkey Walks a Tightrope Between Russia and the West
SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Turkey was traditionally adept at maintaining good relations with both Russia and the West -- until the Georgian crisis came along. Now both sides are making demands on Turkey. Has the time come for Ankara to choose sides?

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, 62, is Russia's most flamboyant far-right politician and professes to be big friend of Turkey. "No one loves you the way I love you," the thick-set populist who speaks fluent Turkish, recently sang before a Turkish audience in Istanbul.

Zhirinovsky, a graduate of Oriental studies, visited Turkey for the first time in 1962 as a translator for the Soviet Union's State Committee for Exports. During his visit he was arrested for spreading "communist propaganda" and spent 17 days in jail. Later he wrote a pamphlet about his experiences and recommended that his country annex all Turkic countries because the Russian soldier "must clean his boots in the Indian Ocean."

Now Zhirinovsky's passion for the southern neighbor has been reignited once more. "Learn Russian, don't look to the West, look north," the troublemaker preaches during his regular visits to Turkey. "The EU doesn't want you, but we want you. We'll give you gas, you give us nuts!"

Russia is Turkey's Biggest Trading Partner

It's true that Turkey and Russia have moved closer to each other recently, and not just because of energy resources. Russia is the NATO member country's biggest trading partner. Turkey imports almost 70 percent of its gas requirements and 50 percent of its coal from Russia. On Turkey's riviera, in Antalya and Side, Russian tourists now outnumber Germans.

And whenever the Europeans criticize his government, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan grumbles that Turkey has an alternative and could align itself with another country. There's little doubt he's referring to Russia. Turkey Walks a Tightrope Between Russia and the West >>> By Daniel Steinvorth in Istanbul | September 12, 2008

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Papst: "Für viele ist Gott der große Unbekannte geworden"
DIE PRESSE: Papst Benedikt XVI. beklagt bei seinem Frankreich-Besuch die Gottlosigkeit in der modernen Welt. Kritiker warnen: "Der Laizismus in Frankreich ist in Gefahr".

Papst Benedikt XVI. hat die Gottlosigkeit in der modernen Welt beklagt. "Für viele ist Gott der große Unbekannte geworden", sagte der katholische Kirchenführer am Freitagabend vor etwa 700 Kulturschaffenden und Intellektuellen im Collège des Bernardins in Paris. 



"Eine rein positivistische Kultur, die die Frage nach Gott nur im persönlichen Bereich zulässt, wäre eine Kapitulation der Vernunft", erläuterte Benedikt. Die Suche nach Gott und die Bereitschaft, ihn zu hören, bleibe die Grundlage jeder wahren Kultur.

Es wäre fatal und würde unweigerlich den Fanatismus und die Willkür fördern, sollte die europäische Kultur heutzutage unter Freiheit das völlige Fehlen von Bindungen verstehen, warnte er zum Auftakt seines viertägigen Besuchs in Frankreich. Papst: "Für viele ist Gott der große Unbekannte geworden" >>> 12. September 2008

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Islam in Switzerland
SWITZERLAND.ISYOURS.COM: Switzerland, and Geneva in particular, is often associated with emirs and other sheiks who enjoy sumptuous palaces, stroll along the harbor in the shade of the fountain and buy out the luxury shops. True, these visitors from the Gulf do exist, and they are well-known and highly appreciated by our businesses, however the bulk of the Muslim population has little to do with them.

The second largest religion in Switzerland


In 1990, the Muslim population was 152,200, or 2.2% of the Switzerland’s resident population. A surprising development for those who know that in the early seventies, there were less than 20,000 Muslims living in Switzerland. Islam is now the second largest religion in Switzerland, after Christianity.

The Muslim community of Switzerland is comprised of several nationalities, within which there are different cultures, languages and ethno-cultural particularities. In 1990, the vast majority (4/5) of the Muslim community was represented by Turk nationals (65,000 people or 42.8%) and nationals of the former Yugoslavia (55,000 people or 30.4%). The Muslim community from North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) represented 4% of the overall community, while the Lebanese community represented 3.3%.

The Muslim population is spread out evenly across Switzerland, and mainly in big urban centers (73% of all Muslims). The largest number is found in the cantons of Zurich, Aargau, St Gallen and Bern. It is interesting to note that 76% of the Muslims are settled in German-speaking Switzerland, and 14% in French-speaking Switzerland, which corresponds closely to the resident population distribution. The Turk community is more concentrated in German-speaking Switzerland, while the bulk of the North African community lives in French-speaking Switzerland. Nationals of the former Yugoslavia are spread here and there throughout the country.

It can be affirmed that the number of Muslims is surely underestimated, since, during the 1990 census, 3.1% of foreigners (an exceptionally high proportion) did not answer the question on religious affiliation. As for more recent figures, we have to resort to estimates of the non-governmental agencies, such as, for example, the Islamic associations or organizations in Switzerland. According to these sources, the number of Muslims in Switzerland is currently estimated between 200,000 and 250,000 people (from 2.8 to 3.5% of the resident population). Islam in Switzerland >>>

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The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Italy)

The Prickly Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez at his prickly best! Photo courtesy of the BBC
BBC: A series of tit-for-tat expulsions has left the US without ambassadors in three Latin American countries.

Bolivia and Venezuela have expelled their US envoys, accusing Washington of trying to oust Bolivia's government.

Washington has responded by throwing out envoys from Bolivia and Venezuela and freezing the assets of three aides to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Meanwhile, Honduras has refused the credentials of a new US ambassador, postponing his appointment.

US officials said the actions of Venezuela and Bolivia showed their leaders' "weakness and desperation".

The BBC's Emilio San Pedro said relations between the US and Latin American opponents such as Mr Chavez had seemed to be on a holding pattern.

But the situation has changed in a matter of days, he says.

This week's arrival in Venezuela of two Russian bomber planes taking part in a military exercise is not thought to have helped the situation.

And with more joint military exercises in the pipeline, our correspondent says it could take a while for tensions to subside. Expulsions Stoke US-LatAm Dispute >>> | September 12, 2008

NZZ Online:
Auch Venezuela weist US-Botschafter aus: Chávez spricht von Solidarität mit Bolivien

Der venezolanische Präsident Chávez hat die Ausweisungen der Botschafter in Bolivien und den USA für einen eigenen Vorstoss genutzt. Venezuela hat ebenfalls den amerikanischen Botschafter ausgewiesen und beordert seinen Botschafter in den USA zurück. >>> | 12. September 2008

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Excellent Review of The Dawning of a New Dark Age
With many, many thanks to Judah of Judah’s Journal for this excellent review of my book.

This review is also to be found on the Barnes & Noble website and on Judah’s blog. (The links are given below.)

If anyone else who has read the book would like to send me a review to be placed up on this website, please send it to me at the following address: markalexander1 @ btinternet.com . - Mark

Accurate, authoritative and readable essays on the threat to western civilization of Islam
Mark's format, a collection of essays, makes this an extremely readable text that can be picked up and put down as opportunity allows, giving 'thinking time' between reads in order to fully process the knowledge and insights imparted here. Still too much is misunderstood about this aggressively invasive ideology which threatens to overwhelm and subvert our Western civilization. Since Islam seeks to progress an agenda of world-wide domination and universal submission of all to Allah, by the sword if necessary, we most certainly need to understand far more about it. Mark knows Islam intimately, and his writing is both perceptive and authoritative. He clearly outlines the dangers posed by Islam, describing the process of 'Islamicization' that is already happening, supporting his concerns with references (in context) to the Qur'an and to history, identifying the factors in our own civilzation that fosters erosion of our Judeo-Christian heritage and invites the incursion of Islam, and suggesting means by which this could be stopped and reversed. There is a great deal of information packed between the covers of this book and much food for serious thought. To some it will be a horror story, but as frightening as the subject may be, we are wise to have our eyes opened in order to recognize what is happening hopefully in time to help stop the situation from worsening. It may already be too late unless radical measures are put in place, but we all need to know and properly understand the real threat in order that something effective can be done about it. This is an absolute 'must read' for anyone who wishes to know the truth rather than be lulled into complacency by the 'taqiyya' (holy hypocrisy) of the Islamic clerics and apologists. If you have never read anything on this subject before, this is a good place to start. Likewise, it is also an essential read for those who do know the subject, the author becoming increasingly well known for his contributions to major websites devoted to the education of the web-savvy general population interested in knowing more about Islam. I have become well-read on this subject myself, and can testify that the author writes in accord with all else that I have read by other authors with impeccable and relevant credentials. I can recommend Mark's book to all who wish to be properly informed on this subject and, as the author puts it so well, the 'dawning of a new dark age' under Islam. - Judah, well read on this subject

This book review is also to be found here and here.

It Isn’t Racist to Want a Cap on Immigration
TIMES ONLINE: Our balanced migration policy is not ‘chuck 'em out'. It is essential for British society

The Church's response to immigration in recent years has drawn heavily upon the call to welcome and treat the stranger as if you have Christ in your midst. This is absolutely right, yet we also have to question whether the unprecedented levels of immigration that we are now seeing can truly contribute to the “common good” - another theme the churches have emphasised in their teaching on social justice.

The facts are simple. Immigration has tripled in the past ten years. The Government predicts that, over the next 25 years, immigration will add seven million to the population of England - seven times the present population of Birmingham.

For years it has been impossible to question the wisdom of large-scale immigration without being branded a “racist”. This lack of respect for others' views has suffocated healthy debate while providing grist for extremists. Many people ask: “Who is listening to our concerns?”

And it is easy to see why they are concerned. The British people are not racist. They know the benefits that migration has brought to our country down the centuries. But they see society changing before their eyes, like a film that has been speeded up. For example, 25 per cent of UK births are to women born abroad. There are at present 1,338 schools where at least 51 per cent of pupils do not have English as their first language. At a third of schools in Leicester and Blackburn, the majority of pupils do not have English as their first language.

Behind these facts is an unprecedented turnover of population. Last year alone about 600,000 people arrived in the UK while 400,000 left. With a turnover of a million people in one year, no wonder many people sense that the glue that binds our society together is weakening. It takes time for people of different cultures to get accustomed to each others' ways and, regrettably, not all newcomers are committed to integration. Some are not even sure about the democratic values that are the very foundation of our society. It Isn’t Racist to Want a Cap on Immigration >>> By Lord Carey of Clifton | September 10, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardcover – USA)

Next 9/11 Will Be in Britain, Warn Banned Muslim Extremists at Meeting with Exiled Cleric Bakri
Delicious Quote of the Day: ”These people put the mental into fundamental.” - Louise, London (Comment on the Mail Online)
MAIL Online: The next 9/11 will take place in Britain, members of a banned Muslim extremist group warned on the anniversary of the terror attacks.

The claim was made at a hate-filled meeting addressed via video link by exiled cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed.

Leaders of the Al Muhajiroun sect said Osama bin Laden had taught the Americans a ‘lesson’ seven years ago, but the ‘crusaders’ had not learned and the next ‘9/11 will take place in Britain, the next 7/7 [London bombings] could take place locally’.

Radical preacher Bakri told a 100-strong audience of supporters in Walthamstow, east London, last night that he believed the British government was trying to assassinate him and claimed to have foiled a bomb plot.

Technical difficulties meant much of his speech was inaudible, but his appearance was greeted by cheers of ‘faith’ and ‘god is great’ at the community centre.

Bakri’s right- hand man, Anjem Choudary, led the proceedings in person, under the auspices of a group called Association for Islamic Research.

The most incendiary speech was delivered by Saiful Islam, who lauded Bin Laden and al Qaeda for their ‘courage’ in retaliating against the ‘dictatorship and oppression’ of the West.

He said: ‘The blame of 9/11 belongs to no one but the American government. They are the terrorists.

'Sheikh Osama warned America numerous times, it was because of their own arrogance, because they thought they are a superpower and nobody could match them, that Sheikh Osama taught them a lesson - a lesson they still haven’t learned.’

Mr Islam, who is linked to an organisation called Salafi Youth for Islamic Propagation, warned that unless British and American troops were withdrawn from ‘Muslim lands’ they would be to blame for the consequences, saying the West would ‘never achieve security until our own [Muslim] lands achieve security’. Next 9/11 Will Be in Britain, Warn Banned Muslim Extremists at Meeting with Exiled Cleric Bakri >>> | September 12, 2008

MAIL Online:
'Have More Babies and Muslims Can Take Over the UK' Hate Fanatic Says, as Warning Comes that 'Next 9/11 Will Be in UK' >>> | September 13, 2008

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Bahrain: Teacher ‘Insulted Islam’
GULF DAILY NEWS: MANAMA: An American woman was referred to the court yesterday by the Public Prosecution after being charged with insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

The woman, who works as a teacher at a private university in Bahrain, was said to have been reported to the university management by a student, who claimed that she had shown them pictures depicting the Prophet Mohammed improperly dressed.

"The teacher was made to apologise to the students but was told to have insulted the girl who had reported her to the management instead," said a Public Prosecution spokesman. [Source: GULF DAILY NEWS] | September 12, 2008

ASSOCIATED PRESS:
Bahrain Charges US Teacher with Insulting Prophet >>> | September 12, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardcover – USA)

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Warns Poland over US Anti-missile Shield
THE TELEGRAPH: Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has told his Polish counterpart that Moscow regards a US anti-missile shield, which Poland has agreed to host, as a direct threat to Russian forces.

Speaking after meeting with Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, in Warsaw, Mr Lavrov, on his first visit to a Western capital since August's Georgian-Russian conflict, said: "Russia cannot fail to see the risks emerging as a result of US strategic forces coming closer to our borders."

Both Poland and the United States insist that the shield poses no threat to Russia, and is intended to protect the West from rouge [sic] states in the Middle East.

But although Mr Lavrov dismissed these claims, arguing the American system targeted Russia, he added that he was open to further discussion on the subject, and tried to ease his country's strained relations with Warsaw by saying that Poland itself posed no threat to his country.

His conciliatory words, which were matched by those of Mr Sikorski, came as marked change of tack from Russia, who has previously threatened to target nuclear weapons at its former Central-European vassal state as a response to Poland agreeing to host American interceptor missiles.

Mr Lavrov's stance and visit to Warsaw, which was in doubt following harsh Polish criticism of Russia's intervention in Georgia, have been interpreted as Moscow attempting to rebuild its war-damaged relations with Europe. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Warns Poland over US Anti-missile Shield >>> By Matthew Day in Warsaw | September 11, 2008

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Joseph Stiglitz*: America Counts Cost of Wars It Can’t Win
… most analysts agree that at least part of the rationale behind Russia's invasion of Georgia, reigniting fears of a new Cold War, was its confidence that, with America's armed forces preoccupied with two failing wars (and badly depleted because of a policy of not replacing military resources as fast as they are used up), there was little America could do in response. Russia's calculations proved correct. - Joseph Stiglitz

THE AGE / /Business Day: The war in Iraq has been an expensive lesson for the US Government.

THE Iraq war has been replaced by the declining economy as the most important issue in America's presidential election campaign, in part because Americans have come to believe that the tide has turned in Iraq: the troop "surge" has supposedly cowed the insurgents, bringing a decline in violence. The implications are clear: a show of power wins the day.

It is precisely this kind of macho reasoning that led America to war in Iraq in the first place. The war was meant to demonstrate the strategic power of military might. Instead, the war showed its limitations. Moreover, the war undermined America's real source of power — its moral authority. America Counts Cost of Wars It Can’t Win >>> By Joseph Stiglitz | September 10, 2008

* Joseph Stiglitz, professor of economics at Columbia University, and recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics, is co-author, with Linda Bilmes, of The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Costs of the Iraq Conflict.

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'Muslim Massacre' Computer Game Condemned
THE INDEPENDENT: A computer game in which players control an American soldier sent to "wipe out the Muslim race" has been condemned as offensive and tasteless by a British Muslim group.

The goal of Muslim Massacre, which can be downloaded for free on the internet, is to "ensure that no Muslim man or woman is left alive", according to the game's creator.

Players control an "American Hero" armed with a machine gun and rocket launcher who is parachuted into the Middle East.

Users progress through levels, first killing Arabs that appear on screen and later taking on Osama bin Laden, Mohammed and finally Allah.

The game's creator, a freelance programmer known as Sigvatr, described the game on the SomethingAwful.com website as "fun and funny".

In a "How you can help" section, he writes to visitors: "Don't whinge about how offensive and 'edgy' this is." 'Muslim Massacre' Computer Game Condemned >>> By Josie Clarke, PA Consumer Affairs Correspondent | Septemebr 11, 2008

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Pope Hopes to Use Visit to Loosen France's Secularism
CANADA.COM: LOURDES, France - Pope Benedict XVI, despite having little of his predecessor's charisma or popularity, arrives in France on Friday, hoping to inspire renewed interest in the Catholic Church in an adamantly secular and increasingly faithless country known as the church's oldest daughter.

His four-day visit begins with a meeting at the Elysee Palace with President Nicolas Sarkozy who, despite his status as a twice-divorced man, has spoken openly of loosening up France's strict rules that keep religion far from the public square.

That will be followed by several public events in Paris, capped by an outdoor celebration of mass Saturday afternoon, expected to draw more than 200,000.

He then flies to Lourdes to mark the 150th anniversary of apparitions of the Virgin Mary experienced by Bernadette Soubirous, a poor, sickly teen who experienced 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary that were eventually recognized by the Vatican.

"France is the oldest Christian nation in Europe, the most important country in Western Europe and, traditionally, a centre of Catholic thought and art," Pierre Bellemare, a professor and self-described "pope-watcher" at St. Paul's University in Ottawa, said in an interview Thursday.

"So, naturally, he would like to see Catholicism thrive and be more present there - free to express itself in public debates."

He said Benedict's ultimate hope would be that the French secular model, based in a 1905 law once so harshly enforced that priests were arrested for wearing their clerical clothing in public, move closer to the more "tolerant and open" American model. Pope Hopes to Use Visit to Loosen France's Secularism >>> Peter O'Neil, Europe Correspondent , Canwest News Service | September 11, 2008

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Vladimir Putin Warns UK, US over Relations
THE TELEGRAPH: Russia's relations with Britain will remain in deep freeze for as long as the UK harbours Russians violently opposed to the regime, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

In his first meeting with foreign journalists since military conflict erupted in Georgia, Mr Putin portrayed his country as embattled and encircled by an aggressive west, particularly the US and UK.

Mr Putin issued a plea to the US not to build a missile defence shield in Europe. "Our targeting will begin as soon as the missiles are deployed in these countries. Please do not do so. Please do not instigate again an arms race in Europe."

Mr Putin said the newly-installed president, Dmitry Medvedev, had taken all the decisions about sending in Russian forces into Georgia last month and then recognising South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

"What did you expect us to do? To defend ourselves with catapults? If an aggressor comes into your territory you would punch him in the face and be right to do so. Should we have wiped the bloody snot away and bowed our heads?"

Displaying in turns defiance and defensiveness, Mr Putin said that Russia had been four hours away from invading the Georgian capital Tblisi and deposing its pro-American leader, Mikheil Saakashvili. It refrained from doing so but now, Mr Putin said, it was up to the Georgian people.

The premier, until earlier this year the president and head of state, said his relations with George W. Bush had always been "really good" and "based on real respect". He regarded the American president as a man of "honour and integrity" and he treated him "better than some Americans do". Vladimir Putin Warns UK, US over Relations >>> By John Kampfner in Sochi, Russia | September 11, 2008

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No Victory in Iraq, Says Petraeus
General Petraeus on the Iraq campaign >>>
BBC: The outgoing commander of US troops in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has said that he will never declare victory there.

In a BBC interview, Gen Petraeus said that recent security gains were "not irreversible" and that the US still faced a "long struggle".

When asked if US troops could withdraw from Iraqi cities by the middle of next year, he said that would be "doable".

In his next job leading the US Central Command, Gen Petraeus will also oversee operations in Afghanistan.

He said "the trends in Afghanistan have not gone in the right direction... and that has to be addressed".

Afghanistan remained a "hugely important endeavour", he said.

Earlier this week, President George W Bush announced a cut of 8,000 US troops in Iraq by February - with some 4,500 being sent to Afghanistan. No Victory in Iraq, Says Petraeus >>> | September 11, 2008

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Tensions Mount in Bosnia over Gay Festival
THE MOSCOW NEWS WEEKLY: SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Posters condemning homosexuals have appeared in Sarajevo ahead of this month's first-ever gay festival in Bosnia, prompting an international organization to condemn what it called "attempts to incite violence.''

Two Muslim imams have been quoted as criticizing the timing of the five-day festival, which opens Sept. 24 and will occur during the holy month of Ramadan.

Islam prohibits homosexuality, and Sarajevo is at least 85 percent Muslim.

Neither the head of the Islamic Community in Bosnia, Mustafa Ceric, nor his institution has officially reacted to the festival, which will include films and art exhibitions. But two local imams in Bosnia have condemned it.

"We will not grab them by the neck on the street, but we have to say: This is immoral ... a promotion of ideas that are in violation with religion,'' Seid Smajkic, an imam from the southern city of Mostar, was quoted as saying in Friday's Dnevni Avaz, a daily newspaper.

Another local imam, Sulejman Bulgari, said on television Thursday night that the Quran forbids homosexuality and that the holy book is clear about that.

Neither imam was available for an interview on Friday, the Muslim day of worship.

Several posters have appeared in the streets of Sarajevo this week, saying "Death to Gays.'' Police quickly removed them. Tensions Mount in Bosnia over Gay Festival >>> | September 9, 2008

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Muslim Leaves Islam to Become Christian Pastor

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Father Zakaria Boutros: Muslim Clerics Leave Islam and Embrace Christ

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Ex-Muslim Christian, Simon Altaf, Speaks about True Islam

Part 2
Part 3
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Lest We Forget
Photo courtesy of Google Images
In memory of all the innocent people who perished needlessly on 9/11. R.I.P.
BBC: Commemorations of the seventh anniversary of 9/11 >>>

BBC: US Marks Seventh 9/11 Anniversary: US President George W Bush has led commemorations of the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which left nearly 3,000 people dead.

Moments of silence were held at the times four hijacked passenger planes hit the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

In Washington, Mr Bush dedicated a new memorial at the Department of Defense to 184 people killed there.

"The worst day in America's history saw some of the bravest acts," he said. >>> | September 11, 2008

Dispatches: Persecution of 3,000 Ex-Muslim Christians in UK – Part 1

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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Dutch to Ban Burkas When Picking Children Up from School
THE TELEGRAPH: The Dutch government is to extend a ban on the burka to all schools, a measure that includes a prohibition on Muslim mothers from picking their children while wearing face-covering Islamic dress.

Ronald Plasterk, the Dutch education minister, announced that the ban would apply to all schools, including private Muslim religious establishments, and their immediate surroundings.

Not only teachers, but parents and all visitors to schools, including suppliers making deliveries, will be forbidden the burka, even though only 100 women in the Netherlands, out of a population of 16.5 million, are estimated to wear it.

Legislation is expected to be agreed by the Dutch parliament next year.

Mr Plasterk has cited security concerns and the need for teachers and schoolchildren to be able to communicate properly with each other.

"It is important for children to learn that proper communication requires being able to look the other person in the eye," he said to Dutch MPs. Dutch to Ban Burkas When Picking Children Up from School >>> By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | September 9, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback – The Netherlands) >>>

Saudi Rewards Islamic Terrorists with Cushy ‘Cure’
GLOBE AND MAIL: Controversial Saudi rehab program aims to reform jihadists returning from U.S. prisons

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — He fought with Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora, lived with Abu Zubaydah in Peshawar and trained with Sheikh al-Libi in Afghanistan.

So when Khalid Al Hubayshi returned home to Saudi Arabia in 2006 after three hard years at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, he thought his punishment would continue.

Instead, he was treated to a private audience with the Prince, given a brand new Toyota Corolla and thousands of dollars in cash. The government helped him land a job at a state electrical company, financed his wedding and sponsored psychological counselling sessions aimed at dissolving any lingering jihadist tendencies.

Mr. Al Hubayshi, now 33, is one of the first graduates of a controversial Saudi program designed to rehabilitate hard-core militants who have begun to trickle back home after serving time in U.S. detention.

The soft approach of the jihadist rehabilitation program is remarkable in a country ruled strictly by sharia law, where justice can involve public beheading and amputation.

Prisoners are treated at the Hayar Care Center, a sprawling compound on the outskirts of Riyadh where perks include PlayStations, table tennis and art therapy.

"Locking them up is not the answer," Awad Alyame, a program co-ordinator, says. "We have to address the underlying problems that drove him to jihad in a positive way to lower the risk of reoffending."

The treatment appears to have worked for Mr. Al Hubayshi. Prisoner number 155 at Guantanamo's Camp Delta now lives the middle-class dream in Jeddah. Terrorists ‘Cured’ with Cash, Cars, and Counselling >>> By Sonia Verma | September 11, 2008

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Al Qaeda Declares Coptic Priest Zakaria Botros "One of the Most Wanted Infidels in the World"
JIHAD WATCH: And offers 60 million for his head. More on Islam's Public Enemy #1. "Exclusive: Al Qaeda targets leading Arab evangelist operating in the U.S. for preaching the Gospel to Muslims," by Joel C. Rosenberg for Flashtraffic, September 9 (thanks to Erick):

You have probably never heard of Father Zakaria Botros. But you need to know his story. He is far and away the most-watched and most-effective Arab-American evangelist focused on reaching the Muslim world, and by far the most controversial. The Rush Limbaugh of the Revivalists, he is funny, feisty, brilliant, opinionated, and provocative. But rather than preaching the gospel of conservatism, he is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And his enemies do not simply want to silence him. They want to assassinate him.

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Botros by phone from a secure, undisclosed location in the United States, where he now resides. He told me that he had just learned that an al Qaeda website had posted his photograph and named him one of the "most wanted" infidels in the world. The Radicals have even put a bounty on his head. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported the figure was as high as $60 million. Botros does not know for certain. But just to put that in context, the U.S. bounty on Osama bin Laden's head is "only" $25 million. Al Qaeda Declares Coptic Priest Zakaria Botros "One of the Most Wanted Infidels in the World" >>> By Raymond | September 10, 2008

Father Zakaria’s Web: Biblical Outreach Ministry >>>
Official Website: Arabic >>>

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”Coldest State, Hottest Governor”: Palinmania Hits America
Sarah Palin poses in Alaska for Vogue. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH:
Obamania makes way for Palinmania - US Election 2008: We've been through Obamamania. Now a new phenomenon is sweeping America – Palinmania. >>> By Toby Harnden in Lancaster, Pennsylvania | September 11, 2008

MAIL Online:
New Own Goal for Obama as Running Mate Joe Biden Admits: 'Hillary Might Have Been a Better Pick Than Me' >>> | September 11, 2008

NZZ Online:
Obama tut sich schwer mit Sarah Palin: US-Demokraten finden noch keine Antwort auf die neue Herausforderung

Der Wahlkampf in den USA macht derzeit den Eindruck, als würde Obama gegen Palin und nicht gegen McCain antreten. Die überraschende Herausforderung durch die republikanische Vize-Kandidatin hat die Demokraten kalt erwischt. Obamas Versuch, ähnlich effektvoll zurückzuschlagen, ist in kleinliche Streitereien ausgeartet. >>> 11. September 2008

LE FIGARO:
Chahuté par l'effet Palin, Obama sort les griffes >>> Par Philippe Gélie | 10.09.2008

LE FIGARO:
Sarah Palin n'exclut pas 
une guerre contre la Russie >>> Par Julie Connan | 12. 09. 2008

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Terrorists See Netherlands as Prime Target
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: The Netherlands and Dutch interests abroad have become key targets for international terrorist networks. This is mainly down to the film Fitna, made by right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

This conclusion emerges from the latest threat assessment by the National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism. It is based on information gleaned from a range of sources over the past few months.


Recent developments have raised the profile of the international threat to the Netherlands. The main reason appears be the film Fitna, which many Muslims see as deeply insulting and provocative, and which extremists see as warranting a violent response. Terrorists See Netherlands as a Prime Target >>> By Michael Blass | September 10, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback – The Netherlands) >>>

Obama Gets Himself into Trouble over Lipstick Jibe
Image courtesy of Google Images
Watch BBC video: Lipstick takes centre stage in American politics! >>>
10 things you might not have known about the “pitbull in lipstick”! >>>

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Political Correctness Is Stifling Creativity, Says Andrew Lloyd-Webber
THE TELEGRAPH: Andrew Lloyd-Webber has bemoaned the rise of political correctness in the arts, claiming some of his greatest musicals would never be written today for fear of offending minorities.

Together with Tim Rice, Lord Lloyd-Webber began his theatre career with two shows that drew on Christian tradition - Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Now theatreland's most successful composer, who is currently planning a new BBC talent search to find a Dorothy for a West End production of The Wizard of Oz, has spoken of his fears that political correctness is stifling creativity.

In an interview looking back on his triumphs, Lord Lloyd-Webber said: "I'm lucky to have had such a successful career. I'm actually lucky enough to have always done as I want.

"I look back at when I was younger and ask myself would I have written an opera with Tim Rice? So many people nowadays are obsessed with things offending people. Today people say you can't do this because it will offend that community, and then you can't say this because the Muslims will be offended by it and we'll end up being talked out of it. Talked out of ideas. Whereas when I was 20 I didn't think about those things - you could just do it."

Rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar was controversial in its day. Its 1971 Broadway debut was met with protests by Christian groups who believed it was blasphemous and Jewish organisations who alleged it was anti-Semitic. Andrew Lloyd-Webber Says Political Correctness Is Stifling Creativity >>> By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | September 9, 2008

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Appeals Court Backs MAC on Muslim Taxi Drivers
STAR TRIBUNE: Nine men who own or drive cabs at the airport and who refused to carry passengers with alcohol had appealed the license suspension.

Muslim cabbies who risk losing their taxi licenses if they refuse to carry passengers with alcohol from the airport won't get any help from the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission adopted an ordinance in March 2007 that suspends a driver's taxi license for 30 days for refusing to pick up a passenger for any reason at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The penalty for a second refusal is a two-year license suspension. Cabbies have a right to appeal a suspension, with the penalty stayed until an administrative hearing officer issues a decision.

Nine men who own or operate taxis at the airport had appealed a district judge's refusal to issue a temporary injunction blocking the commission from imposing the penalties. The men said their religious beliefs prohibit them from carrying alcohol. Appeals Court Backs MAC on Muslim Taxi Drivers >>> AP | September 10, 2008

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Dear, Oh Dear! Aren’t We in a Pickle with This Multi-Culti Thing? Now, Met Is Facing Race Bias Claim by Its Top Asian Woman
EVENING STANDARD: The most senior Muslim woman in the Met police is set to lodge a claim of race discrimination against her employers.

Yasmin Rehman, a director of diversity with the force, intends to file a claim with a London employment tribunal within days claiming she has been subjected to racist bullying and victimisation.

It is another blow to Scotland Yard, which has been rocked by a race row involving Commissioner Sir Ian Blair and his third in command Tarique Ghaffur.

Ms Rehman's post of Director of Partnerships and Diversity for Territorial Policing puts her at the equivalent level to a chief superintendent in terms of civilian staff at the Met.

She has sought advice from the Metropolitan Black Police Association, the same organisation which is backing Mr Ghaffur in his multi-million-pound claim. Met Is Facing Race Bias Claim by Its Top Asian Woman >>> By Amar Singh | September 10, 2008

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Iran Protests to the UN Over Israeli Minister’s ‘Kidnap Threat’ of Ahmadinejad
BBC: Iran has protested to the UN after an Israeli minister suggested his country could kidnap Iran's president over threats he has made against Israel.

Iran's UN ambassador called the remark "outrageous and vicious" and called on the UN Security Council to take action.
Israeli minister Rafi Eitan suggested President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could be kidnapped and brought to trial.

Mr Eitan, an ex-intelligence chief, was involved in the kidnap of leading Nazi Adolf Eichmann in Argentina in 1960.

In an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel, Mr Eitan suggested that such an operation could be staged to bring Mr Ahmadinejad before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The Iranian leader has made a number of threats against Israel, repeatedly predicting the state will soon disappear.

Mr Ahmadinejad also drew international rebuke by quoting the view of the late Iranian spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khomenei, that Israel was a tumour that needed to be erased from history. Iran Raps Israel ‘Kidnap Threat’ >>> | September 10, 2008

IRNA:
Iran Protests to UN Security Council Over Israeli Abduction Threat >>> | September 10, 2008

YNET NEWS:
Iran Demands UN Response to Israeli ‘Threats’ >>> Reuters | September 9, 2008

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Elizabeth Samson: Criminalizing Criticism of Islam
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: There are strange happenings in the world of international jurisprudence that do not bode well for the future of free speech. In an unprecedented case, a Jordanian court is prosecuting 12 Europeans in an extraterritorial attempt to silence the debate on radical Islam.

The prosecutor general in Amman charged the 12 with blasphemy, demeaning Islam and Muslim feelings, and slandering and insulting the prophet Muhammad in violation of the Jordanian Penal Code. The charges are especially unusual because the alleged violations were not committed on Jordanian soil.

Among the defendants is the Danish cartoonist whose alleged crime was to draw in 2005 one of the Muhammad illustrations that instigators then used to spark Muslim riots around the world. His co-defendants include 10 editors of Danish newspapers that published the images. The 12th accused man is Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, who supposedly broke Jordanian law by releasing on the Web his recent film, "Fitna," which tries to examine how the Quran inspires Islamic terrorism.

Jordan's attempt at criminalizing free speech beyond its own borders wouldn't be so serious if it were an isolated case. Unfortunately, it is part of a larger campaign to use the law and international forums to intimidate critics of militant Islam. For instance, in December the United Nations General Assembly passed the Resolution on Combating Defamation of Religions; the only religion mentioned by name was Islam. While such resolutions aren't legally binding, national governments sometimes cite them as justification for legislation or other actions.

More worrying, the U.N. Human Rights Council in June said it would refrain from condemning human-rights abuses related to "a particular religion." The ban applies to all religions, but it was prompted by Muslim countries that complained about linking Islamic law, Shariah, to such outrages as female genital mutilation and death by stoning for adulterers. This kind of self-censorship could prove dangerous for people suffering abuse, and it follows the council's March decision to have its expert on free speech investigate individuals and the media for negative comments about Islam.

Given this trend, it's worth taking a closer look at the Jordanian case. Opinion: Criminalizing Criticism of Islam >>> By Elizabeth Samson* | September 10, 2008

*Ms. Samson, an attorney specializing in international and constitutional law, will join the Hudson Institute this fall.

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Russland wiederholt seine Drohungen
NZZ Online: Russland hat seine Drohungen wegen des geplanten Raketenabwehrschildes in Polen und Tschechien wiederholt. Es könne nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass diese Einrichtungen als Ziel für russische Raketen dienten, hiess es von einem Kommandanten der Streitkräfte. Russland wiederholt seine Drohungen: Raketenabwehr der USA soll ins Visier genommen werden >>> | 10. September 2008

NZZ Online:
EU stellt sich schützend vor die Ukraine: Assoziierungsabkommen soll Russlands Machtgelüste zügeln: Frankreichs Präsident Sarkozy hat nach seiner Mission in Moskau ein weiteres heikles Treffen im Zusammenhang mit der Kaukasus-Krise. Der EU-Ratspräsident empfing den ukrainischen Staatschef Juschtschenko. Ein Assoziierungsabkommen soll Russland signalisieren, dass die «Integrität der Ukraine nicht verhandelbar» sei, wie Sarkozy sagte. >>> | 9. September 2008

NZZ Online:
Schweden überprüft seine Verteidigung erneut: Berücksichtigung des Kaukasus-Konflikts im neuen Strategiepapier >>> I. M. Stockholm | 9. September

NZZ Online:
Wenn Putins Panzer auf die Krim rollen würden: Die grosse Furcht der Ukrainer vor einem inszenierten Zwischenfall, den Russland als Vorwand nutzen könnte >>> Von Paul Flückiger, Sewastopol | 31. August 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Taschenbuch) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Gebundene Ausgabe) >>>

Gordon Brown's Endorsement Won't Win Barack Obama Votes
THE TELEGRAPH: For a man who prides himself on his encyclopaedic knowledge of American politics, Gordon Brown has made an incomprehensible schoolboy error with his article apparently endorsing Barack Obama’s candidacy.

It is hard to know where to start in assessing the ineptitude of its content and timing or the effect it will have on Anglo-American relations when the new president is sworn in on January 20th.

The first law of diplomacy is that you do not stick your fat foot into other country’s elections, least of all the US presidential contest, where the chap who wins can turn round and squash you, like Monty Python’s giant descending foot, if you get it wrong.

John McCain will, of course, be furious by the diplomatic slight. The Republican candidate has twice met with Mr Brown in the last year and always hits the Prime Minister’s talking points on the need for allies to have more say in the war on terror and the general excellence of the British armed forces. He deserved better than this.

Nor is the endorsement, particularly so ineptly delivered, of Gordon Brown something that will warm the increasingly cold feet of Barack Obama. The Democratic candidate has been panned at home for his grandstanding European tour. He won’t win over Appalachia with the news that Britain’s lame duck prime minister is rooting for him.

There is also a factual point. Despite Mr Brown’s words, it is far from clear that it is the “Democrats who are generating the ideas to help people through more difficult times.” If they have, the voters haven’t noticed. In fact, Mr Obama has proved quite unable to convince the electorate that he has the answers on the failing US economy. Otherwise he would have states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, the keys to the White House, in the bag. He does not.

And this is what makes the statement potentially so ruinous. It is a classic testament to Mr Brown’s tin ear and ham-fisted political touch that he has chosen to do this at a time when Obama’s standing has never been weaker in his battle with Mr McCain. The Republican leads for the first time in national polls. There is a good chance that Mr Obama will not be president. Gordon Brown's Endorsement Won't Win Barack Obama Votes >>> By Tim Shipman in Washington | September 10, 2008

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Former Nation of Islam Leader W. D. Mohammed Dies
ASSOCIATED PRESS: CHICAGO — Imam W.D. Mohammed, who succeeded his father as leader of the Nation of Islam but abandoned its teachings of black supremacy and moved thousands of its followers into mainstream Islam, died Tuesday. He was 74.

Sultan Muhammad confirmed his uncle's death, but did not immediately offer details. He said the family planned to issue a statement later in the day.

The Cook County Medical Examiner said 74-year-old Wallace Mohammed was pronounced dead Tuesday. Mohammed went by both Warith Deen Mohammed and Wallace Muhammad. An autopsy was planned for Wednesday. Former Nation of Islam Leader W. D. Mohammed Dies >>> By Sophia Tareen | September 10, 2008

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What Kind of "Effing" Crap Is Leading Us?
Photo of David Miliband courtesy of The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: Gordon Brown has triggered a potential row with John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, after apparently backing Barack Obama - breaking convention not to get involved in foreign elections.

The Prime Minister heaped praise on Mr Obama and the Democrats in a magazine article, saying they were "generating the ideas to help people through more difficult times."

Dealing with economic problems is the crucial battleground in the US elections and Mr Brown's comments were interpreted as backing the Democrat candidate. It sparked a flurry of activity among [?]

The Prime Minister's office and the British Embassy in Washington were last night involved in an embarrassing behind-the-scenes operation to try and limit the fallout from the incident. They were alerted after the highly influential Drudge Report website picked up the story, sparking a flurry of comment and analysis from election watchers in the US. Gordon Brown Triggers Row with John McCain by 'Backing' Barack Obama >>> By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor and Tom Leonard | September 9. 2008

THE TELEGRAPH: I have been told of an astonishing telephone conversation between David Miliband and his Russian counterpart, Sergi Lavrov in which the Foreign Secretary had to endure a four-letter word tirade.


Mr Miliband spoke to the Russian foreign minister - a veteran not known for diplomatic niceties - to express British unease at events in Georgia. It seems Mr Lavrov didn't like being lectured by young Miliband.

Such was the repeated use of the "F word" according to one insider who has seen the transcript, it was difficult to draft a readable note of the conversation.

One unconfirmed report suggested that Mr Lavrov said: "Who are you to f------ lecture me?"

He also asked Mr Miliband in equally blunt terms whether he knew anything of Russia's history?

One Whitehall insider told me: "It was effing this and effing that. It was not what you would call diplomatic language. It was rather shocking." David Miliband four-letter abuse from Russian foreign minister >>> By Andrew Porter | September 9, 2008

THE TELEGRAPH:
John McCain's Team Mocks Gordon Brown over Barack Obama Backing >>> By Jon Swaine | September 10, 2008

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Faith Schools ‘May Breed Terrorism’
Separate schools for Muslims not only ‘may’ breed terrorism, but WILL breed terrorism. Islam is a supremacist ‘religion’. To give Muslims the chance to indoctrinate their children is a sure road to Hell! (The road to Hell is paved with good intentions!) This is one of Tony Blair’s stupidest policies. With this policy, he showed us that he understood absolutely nothing about the nature of Islam. We should never forget that school is a starting point for cohesion in society. - ©Mark

EVENING STANDARD: Faith schools that encourage religious segregation are sowing the seeds of terrorism, a leading expert claimed.

Professor David Canter came to the conclusion after leading a pioneering study which involved speaking to convicted Islamic terrorists about their lives and beliefs.

His findings indicate that the common Western view of terrorism emerging from deprivation and conflict is wrong.

Spiritual belief and attachment to a particular social group provided the two most important pathways into the world of terror, said Prof Canter.

The research also showed that far from being ignorant "pawns" or mentally disturbed, most terrorists were educated and intelligent.

Strict faith schools steered students towards terrorism by instilling in them a sense of exclusive spiritual and social identity, Prof Canter argued.

The professor, director of the Centre for Investigative Psychology at the University of Liverpool, said: "I have to say, and this is a personal point of view, that issues like faith schools are terribly dangerous.

"Setting up these divisions based on faith and religion is the starting point for people thinking of themselves as separate and distinct and part of some out-group." Faith Schools ‘May Breed Terrorism’ >>> | September 9, 2008

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Blair Axes Race Accuser in Showdown
EVENING STANDARD: Police chief Tarique Ghaffur was personally stripped of his duties in a face to face meeting with Sir Ian Blair today.

Britain's most senior Asian officer was "temporarily relieved" of being in charge of the Olympics security and Central Operations at Scotland Yard. It came after Mr Ghaffur publicly accused Met boss Sir Ian of racism and of plotting to oust him during a televised press conference.

His accusations plunged the Met into the worst race row since the Macpherson report into the Stephen Lawrence case and led to further criticism of Sir Ian's leadership. In another development this afternoon, the Metropolitan Police Authority announced it had launched an investigation into 53-year-old Mr Ghaffur for "potential grounds for misconduct".

The MPA, which oversees the Met, said it would appoint a chief constable from another force to carry out the inquiry. Blair Axes Race Accuser in Showdown >>> By Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent | September 9, 2008

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’Review Mega-Mosque in Wake of Bomb Trial'
EVENING STANDARD: Ministers should review plans to build a "mega-mosque" in the East End in the wake of the airline bomb plot trial, the Tories urged today.

Shadow security minister Dame Pauline Neville-Jones said the case had shown that the group behind the mosque may have given cover to extremist activity.

Tablighi Jamaat, which describes itself an Islamic missionary organisation, is pushing for the mosque to be built next to the 2012 Olympics site in Stratford.

But the group was revealed in court as having links to some of the terror suspects, with several having passed through other mosques run by the group.

The organisation, which has 80 million followers worldwide, insists it is a peaceful, apolitical revivalist movement that promotes Islamic consciousness among individual Muslims.

But intelligence agencies have cautioned that its ability to radicalise young men could lead to jihadist terrorism. ’Review Mega=Mosque in Wake of Bomb Trial >>> By Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor | September 9, 2008

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Le séjour du pape en France suscite inquiétude et critiques des laïcs
LE MONDE: Les visites papales en France donnent traditionnellement lieu à des manifestations d'associations attachées à une stricte séparation des Eglises et de l'Etat. La venue de Benoît XVI, du 12 au 16 septembre, à Paris et à Lourdes, suscite les inquiétudes de divers mouvements laïques, d'associations de défense des droits des femmes et de syndicats.

La Fédération nationale de la libre pensée, présidée par l'ancien secrétaire général de Force ouvrière, Marc Blondel, s'insurge contre le financement public du séjour du pape en France. Chef spirituel des catholiques, le pape a aussi un statut de chef d'Etat (le Vatican), qui bénéficie, lors de ses déplacements à l'étranger, du protocole réservé aux responsables politiques par le ministère des affaires étrangères. Le séjour du pape en France suscite inquiétude et critiques des laïcs >>> LE MONDE | 09.09.08

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Our Hope, Our Children, Our Responsibility in Fighting Jihad
FAMILY SECURITY MATTERS: As children return to schools, we are reminded that they are our hope for the future, but they are also the target of Islamic supremacists around the world. We need to defend the future, hopes, and lives of these children, and assume the "grown-up" duty as responsible adults for defending them from the ideology of Islamic supremacism and Jihadist terrorism.

On September 1, 2004, 770 children were kidnapped by Jihadists in Russia in a small town of Beslan. It was a return to school for these children at Beslan School Number One; the event was celebrated as a "Day of Knowledge," and parents accompanied their children in the joyous return to school. After lining up for photographs to remember the day, children entered the school. So did Jihadists who rushed into Beslan School Number One, while the children were filing into classes. Many of the older children who saw the Jihadists were able to flee. Most of those left behind were the smallest, youngest children, including parents with their babies. Jihadists sought to lure back confused children, uncertain if they should flee, with candy.

Jihadists then forced 1,124 hostages into a small school gymnasium which was wired with explosives in the school's basketball hoop and a dozen other bombs in the Beslan school; they mined the school with grenades, home-made explosives, and landmines, keeping the most powerful bombs in the gym where the children were kidnapped. Some Jihadists also wore explosive suicide vests. They told the children that were going to die. In the small confined space, children suffered from heat and some were forced to strip naked from the heat. Without food and water for three days, some were forced to drink their own urine. The few male adults (including children's fathers) also captured by the Jihadists were forced to build fortifications in the school for the Jihadists; then they shot them and dumped their bodies out a school window. The Jihadists recorded a video of their atrocities (shown in the film "Three Days in September"), laughing and proud of what they had done. Our Hope, Our Children, Our Responsibility in Fighting Jihad >>> By Jeffrey Imm | September 9, 2008

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Catholics Welcome, Muslims Not
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: IT IS the tale of two schools. The Camden residents' group that fought a Muslim society's proposal for a school in rural Camden has welcomed a Catholic organisation's plans to build a school nearby because "Catholics are part of our community".

The president of the Camden/Macarthur Residents' Group, Emil Sremchevich, said the Catholic school plan "ticked all the right boxes", even though he is yet to see its development application.

"Catholics are part of our community so we should be supporting it on this basis alone. We have to welcome them," Mr Sremchevich told the Herald. "To become part of a community, you need to live in the community. You can't just turn up."

The Quranic Society said Mr Sremchevich's comments were racist but he rejected that tag. "Why is that racist? Why is it discriminatory? It's very simple: people like some things but don't like other things. Some of us like blondes, some of us like brunettes. Some of us like Fords, some of us like Holdens. Why is it xenophobic just because I want to make a choice? If I want to like some people and not like other people, that's the nature of the beast." Mr Sremchevich was among those who applauded a Camden Council decision in May to reject the Quranic Society's application to build a 1200-student school at Burragorang Road, Cawdor. The council said it was refused "on planning grounds" but one resident, Kate McCulloch, said Muslims would not fit into the Camden community. Catholics Welcome, Muslims Not >>> By Sunanda Creagh, Urban Affairs Reporter | September 9, 2008

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Iran Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Ease Polygamy
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: TEHRAN, Iran: An Iranian parliamentary committee rejected on Monday government amendments to a bill that would have allowed men to take additional wives without permission from their first wife — a proposal that angered women and the country's top judicial official.

Under Islam, a man can have up to four wives, and countries around the Mideast allow polygamy. However, Iran is one of the few — along with Syria and Tunisia — that require the consent of the first wife before a husband can take another. Still polygamy is rare in Iran, where most people frown on the practice. Iran Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Ease Polygamy >>> AP | September 9, 2008

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Aznar dément être le futur père du bébé de Rachida Dati
Photo de Rachida Dati grâce au Gala
COME4NEWS: Jose Maria Aznar l'ex-président du gouvernement espagnol repousse être le futur père biologique du futur bébé de Rachida Dati actuelle ministre française de la justice. Ces doutes ont commencé dès qu'un site web Marocain (lobservateur.ma) a publié un article d'où il écrit que selon des références sûres (sans les noter), Aznar est le père du l'embryon de Dati. De son côté, Aznar a annoncé lors d'une foire, qu'il n'a absolument rien avoir avec cela, et que ce que diffuse les médias n'a pas de preuves, et il indique aussi qu'il s'est fait un avocat et il est prêt pour déclarer contre n'importe quel média qui republie encore une fois ce genre de rumeurs sur lui. Dati de son côté, a refusé de donner le nom du vrai père biologique de son futur bébé, en disant qu'elle vit une vie personnelle très compliquée et qu'elle ne peut pas ajouter plus d'informations que cela à la presse. Elle ajoute aussi que sa situation de santé n'est pas stable vu qu'elle a 42 ans, et que donc elle doit se comporter avec beaucoup de douceur et de précautions envers son bébé et envers soi même. Elle confirmait aussi qu'elle attend avec impatience son accouchement, puisque c'est son premier bébé, en sachant comme elle dit qu'elle avait était enceinte plusieurs fois auparavant mais l'embryon meurt toujours avant d'arriver à l'étape de l'accouchement. [Source: COME4NEWS] | 09.09.2008

WELT ONLINE:
Frankreichs Justizministerin: Rachida Dati – Geheimnis um den Vater des Kindes: Frankreichs Justizministerin Rachida Dati ist schwanger. Von wem, verrät sie nicht. Die Grande Nation genießt das öffentliche Raten. Ist es ein ehemaliger Ministerpräsident? Oder gar ein Freund von Nicolas Sarkozy? Berichtet wird auch von einer Begegnung zwischen Carla Bruni und Dati – vor Sarkozys Bett.

Es ist keine Krankheit und schon gar kein Verbrechen. Rachida Dati, Frankreichs Justizministerin, hat recht. Seit sie auf dem ersten Ministerratstreffen nach den Ferien ihren Babybauch unter einem engen Oberteil zeigte, ist die Sache nun offiziell: Die Justizministerin ist schwanger. Prompt jubelte die People-Presse: „Rachida Dati verwirklicht ihren Traum: bald Mama!“ Das geht bekanntlich auch, ohne verheiratet zu sein oder einen festen Partner zu haben.

Sie, die demnächst 43 wird, formuliert seltsam verkorkst, sie habe „in ihrer Laufbahn als Frau so viele schmerzliche Erfahrungen hinsichtlich der Mutterschaft gemacht“, dass sie jetzt zwar noch „sehr vorsichtig, aber überglücklich“ sei. Sie will ein Kind, dringend. Im vergangenen Herbst hatte sie es in einem Buch gestanden: Nichts wünsche sie sich sehnlicher – und sie braucht dazu offensichtlich keinen Vater. >>> Von Martina Meister | 10. September 2008

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Nasrallah Heralds Signs of US Defeat in Region
IRNA: Leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said Monday night that all signs of US defeat are clear in the region given the firm intention of regional states to resist US plans.

"Experience of the past three decades, Iran's Islamic Revolution in particular, proved that US was not able to reach all its goals in the region," the prominent cleric said speaking in a teleconference with Iran's state television's channel 2 news program.

He added that emergence of regional resistance movements and uprising in the past three decades have proved that "US expansionist plans were damaged and Washington has failed to fulfill its dreams in the region." 


Asked how he had successfully gathered different Lebanese parties and religious minorities together in the name of Hezbollah movement, Nasrallah said "It is a common point among all who live in Lebanon that Israel is an occupier and criminal enemy." 


"Everyone in Lebanon believes that Israel is a common enemy of all Lebanese and it is easy to gather people together to confront a common enemy," he said.

He added that Hezbollah has special place for almost all Lebanese people and that minor disagreements, if any, could not damage its dignity and status. [Source: IRNA] | September 9, 2008

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