Settlers Spray Inflammatory Graffiti on Mosque
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: HEBRON, West Bank: Jewish settlers on Thursday spray-painted graffiti on a mosque slurring the Prophet Muhammad and defaced a Muslim cemetery, Israeli military officials said, threatening to worsen tensions in this volatile West Bank city.

Israeli security forces quickly removed the graffiti and were cleaning the cemetery, the army said.

The mosque stands next to a building that has become a flashpoint for tensions between settlers and Palestinians. Settlers say they bought the building from a Palestinian, but the Palestinian denies the claim.

Settlers inside the building have ignored an order from Israel's Supreme Court to leave while the ownership dispute is settled. Israel's defense minister has pledged to evict them within 30 days if they don't leave voluntarily.

Hebron is divided into Israeli and Palestinian-controlled sections. About 500 settlers live in guarded enclaves in the city's center among 170,000 Palestinians. >>> AP | November 20, 2008

TIMESONLINE: Jewish Settlers Daub 'Muhammad is a pig' on Palestinian Mosque

An escalating stand-off between the Israeli Army and a group of extremist Jewish settlers encamped illegally in a Palestinian town took a sinister turn today after radicals desecrated a Muslim cemetery and mosque and attacked soldiers.

Israel's military, which is trying to force the settlers to leave the property in Hebron, said it had removed the graffiti "Muhammad is a pig" from a local mosque and had cleared the cemetery, in which gravestones were sprayed by radicals with Stars of David.

The wave of vandalism is part of a campaign of violence and disorder by nine settler families, who make up some of the most extreme hard-right-wingers in Israel.

They have promised to use force against local Palestinian residents and soldiers trying to enforce an Israeli court order demanding their departure from a house they have occupied in the town, which is densely populated by Palestinians.

The settlers believe they have a biblical right to settle anywhere in the West Bank, and bitterly oppose Israel's negotiations to give up large swaths of the occupied territory in exchange for a Palestinian state and a permanent peace settlement. Currently, about 500 settlers live in guarded enclaves in Hebron's city centre among 170,000 Palestinians.

The Israeli Army stepped back from its original plan to forcibly evacuate the settlers yesterday, fearing extreme violence. Instead, Ehud Barak, the Defence Minister, has pledged to force their removal within 30 days.

Amid a wave of vandalism perpetrated by settlers yesterday in the aftermath of the court decision, a group of men was seen gathering near a mosque, daubing abusive graffiti on it.

Mouatassem Daana, a Palestinian resident, said that he saw settlers gathered near the mosque building “writing demeaning graffiti on the wall of the mosque insulting the Prophet Muhammad” and breaking windows. Later, the cemetery was also vandalised. >>> David Byers | November 20, 2008

BBC: Security Increase in Tense Hebron

Israel has increased security in the West Bank city of Hebron ahead of a Jewish pilgrimage there.

This comes at a time of increased tension in Hebron, where hundreds of Jewish settlers live in the heart of the Palestinian city.

A number of them are currently defying an Israeli high court order to leave a building in the centre of the Palestinian city.

On Wednesday, a mosque and Muslim cemetery were defaced by settlers.

Israeli troops later painted over the offensive graffiti. A soldier was injured in scuffles with settlers, the army said. >>> | November 21, 2008

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Iran Blocks Access to More than Five Million Websites
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran has blocked access to more than five million internet sites, whose content is mostly perceived as immoral and anti-social, a judiciary official was has said.

"The enemies seek to assault our religious identity by exploiting the internet," Abdolsamad Khoram Abadi, an adviser to Iran's prosecutor general, was quoted by Kargozaran newspaper as saying.

The internet "inflicts social, political, economic and moral damage, which is worrying," he said, adding that "social vice caused by the internet is more than that by the satellite network," Mehr news agency reported.

With about 21 million users, the internet is widely popular in Iran, which information ministry officials say ranks among the top 20 user countries.

In recent years, internet service providers have been told to block access to political, human rights and women's sites and weblogs expressing dissent or deemed to be pornographic and anti-Islamic.

The ban has also targeted such popular social networking sites as Facebook and YouTube, as well as news sites.

Iran's reformist press was hit by a massive crackdown in 2000, and many journalists turned to blogging after their publications were shut down.

The closures have continued under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, elected in 2005, and targeted newspapers and other media, including websites and news agencies, of all political persuasions. [Source: The Telegraph] | November 19, 2008

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Al-Qaeda Vows to Hurt Obama's US
BBC: The second-in-command of Islamic militant network al-Qaeda has called on Muslims to harm "criminal" America.

In a message purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaeda deputy accused US President-elect Barack Obama of betraying his Muslim roots.

He likened him to a "house slave" - who had chosen to align himself with the "enemies" of Islam.

Mr Obama has said stamping out al-Qaeda "once and for all" will be a top priority during his administration.

On Sunday, he said capturing or killing Osama Bin Laden was "critical" to US security.

He has also promised to bolster the US presence in Afghanistan - a policy that would fail, said the al-Qaeda deputy.

The US said the message did not signal any increased threat against America.

This is undoubtedly a message aimed at sustaining anti-American sentiment among Muslims in the face of Barack Obama's election, says the BBC's defence correspondent Rob Watson.

But it is a risky approach, our correspondent says.

Barack Obama is hugely popular world-wide and his colour and background make him a much tougher target to attack than President George W Bush in the eyes of a global audience, he says.

'Trespassing crusader'

Zawahiri, an Egyptian by birth, is often referred to as Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man and the chief ideologue of al-Qaeda.

The audio message, which ran with photographic stills and some video footage, appeared on militant websites.

Mr Obama's election did not mean that US policy towards the Muslim world had changed, Ayman al-Zawahiri said, according to the 11-minute message.

He warned Mr Obama of failure if he followed the policies of the Bush administration.

The change of leadership in the US did not mean that America should be perceived differently, he added.

"America, the criminal, trespassing crusader, continues to be the same as ever, so we must continue to harm it in order for it to come to its senses," he said.

Zawahiri also criticised Mr Obama - whose father is Muslim - for betraying the Islamic world.

"You were born to a Muslim father, but you chose to stand in the ranks of the enemies of the Muslims, and pray the prayer of the Jews, although you claim to be Christian, in order to climb the rungs of leadership in America," he said.

Mr Obama was not an "honourable black American" like Malcolm X, he said, but an "abeed al-beit" - a word that translates as house slave but was rendered "house negro" in the message's English subtitles. >>> | November 19, 2008

Listen to BBC audio: A clip from al-Qaeda's message >>>
CNN: Al Qaeda Leader Mocks Obama in Web Posting

Al Qaeda's No. 2 leader is heard in a Web posting Wednesday warning President-elect Barack Obama that "a heavy legacy of failure and crimes awaits" him.

In the message, purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the speaker criticized Obama's foreign policy positions on Afghanistan and Israel and ridiculed the president-elect's worldview, comparing him unfavorably to Malcolm X, the fiery African-American Muslim activist from the 1950s and 1960s.

The posting, an 11 minute and 23 second audio message in Arabic with subtitles in English, appeared on the Web on Wednesday. Its authenticity cannot yet be confirmed.

It shows a graphic with the words "The departure of Bush and the arrival of Obama." That graphic also contains a still image of Malcolm X on a Muslim prayer rug in a mosque; images of Obama, wearing a Jewish skullcap, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and a picture of al-Zawahiri.

There are also archival videos in the message, including clips of speeches from Malcolm X.

"You have reached the position of president, and a heavy legacy of failure and crimes awaits you. A failure in Iraq to which you have admitted, and a failure in Afghanistan to which the commanders of your army have admitted," the message said.

The speaker also said Obama's plan to pull troops from Iraq and send them to Afghanistan "is a policy which was destined for failure before it was born."

"If you still want to be stubborn about America's failure in Afghanistan, then remember the fate of Bush and Pervez Musharraf, and the fate of the Soviets and British before them," the message said. "And be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them."

The message said Obama appears "to be captive to the same criminal American mentality towards the world and towards the Muslims." The speaker cited Muslims' ire toward Obama's support of Israel.

The message said Obama represents the "direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X.

The speaker also said Obama, former and current secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, and "your likes" fit Malcolm X's description of "house slaves."

The English translation of the message used the term "House Negroes," Malcolm X's term for blacks who were subservient to whites.

Laura Mansfield, a terrorism analyst, said this wouldn't be the first time al-Zawahiri used the Arabic term "abayd al bayt," which literally translates as slaves or servants of the house. >>> | November 19, 2008

NZZ Online: Kaida droht Barack Obama: Geplante Truppenaufstockung in Afghanistan «zum Scheitern verurteilt»

Die Nummer zwei des Terrornetzwerkes Kaida, Aiman as-Sawahiri, hat den künftigen amerikanischen Präsidenten Barack Obama davor gewarnt, weitere Truppen nach Afghanistan zu entsenden. Ein solches Vorhaben sei «zum Scheitern verurteilt», sagte Sawahiri in einer Mitteilung.

(sda/afp) Obamas Vorhaben, amerikanische Soldaten aus dem Irak nach Afghanistan zu verlegen, sei «zum Scheitern verurteilt», sagte Sawahiri in einer im Internet veröffentlichten Audiobotschaft, die am Mittwoch von der auf die Beobachtung islamistischer Websites spezialisierte SITE Intelligence Group veröffentlicht wurde.
Wenn Obama sich weiterhin weigere, das «Versagen der USA» in Afghanistan anzuerkennen, solle er sich an das Schicksal des scheidenden Präsidenten Bush, Pakistans zurückgetretenen Staatschef Pervez Musharraf sowie die Niederlagen Grossbritanniens und der Sowjetunion in Afghanistan erinnern. >>> | 19. Novemebr 2008

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le numéro 2 d'Al-Qaida traite Obama d'"esclave noir" au service des Blancs

DUBAI | Le numéro 2 d'Al-Qaida, Ayman Zawahiri, a traité le président élu des Etats-Unis, Barack Obama, d'"esclave noir" au service des Blancs, dans un message diffusé mercredi sur l'internet.

Dans sa première intervention depuis la victoire de Barack Obama le mois dernier, l'adjoint égyptien d'Oussama Ben Laden traite le premier Noir élu président et d'autres Noirs occupant ou ayant occupé d'importantes fonctions aux Etats-Unis, "d'esclaves noirs domestiques" qui vivaient dans la maison de leurs maîtres blancs.

"Ce que Malcom X disait au sujet des esclaves employés de maison s'applique à vous et à des gens comme vous", a dit Zawahiri mentionnant l'ancien secrétaire d'Etat Colin Powell et son successeur Condoleezza Rice.

Le message présente une photo de Malcolm X, un militant musulman noir américain qui fut assassiné en 1965.

"Vous représentez l'opposé de Noirs américains honorables comme Malcom X", ajoute Zawahiri, alors que l'on entend en fond sonore des discours du militant américain sur les droits de l'homme et l'égalité. >>> AFP | 19.11.2008

REUTERS: Qaeda Scorns Obama with Racial Slur

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda's deputy leader accused Barack Obama of betraying his race and his father's Muslim heritage on Wednesday and urged more attacks, as the group tried to counter the incoming U.S. president's global popularity.

Osama bin Laden's second-in-command Ayman al Zawahri attacked Obama as a "house Negro," a racially-charged term used by 1960s black American Muslim leader Malcolm X to describe black slaves loyal to white masters.

"You represent the direct opposite of honorable black Americans like ... Malcolm X," Zawahri said in an 11-minute recording publicized on the Internet on Wednesday. It was al Qaeda's first high-level commentary on Obama's election on November 4. Bin Laden could also release a message on Obama within the next two weeks or so, one analyst said.

Zawahri criticized Obama's support for Israel and plans to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, where he said they were destined to fail. He urged Islamist fighters to keep striking a "criminal" United States until it withdraws from Muslim lands.

The recording was distributed on a videotape that carried pictures of Obama at the Western Wall in Jerusalem and Malcom X, flanking Zawahri in the center. >>> By Randall Mikkelsen | November 20, 2008

FOX NEWS:
TRANSCRIPT: English Translation of Zawahiri Message >>> | Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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Saudis Label Pirates 'Terrorists' after $100m Loss
TIMESONLINE: The Saudi Royal Family condemned Somali pirates as terrorists today after losing $100 million worth of oil in an audacious heist that saw bandits seize a supertanker in the Arabian Sea.

The Sirius Star, which was carrying two million barrels of oil, a quarter of the Kingdom's daily output, was captured with its multi-national crew, including two Britons, 450 miles off the coast of Kenya on Sunday.

The hijack was the biggest ever act of piracy in the perilous shipping lanes off the east coast of Africa. Vela International, the ship’s owners, said today that the crew were safe and that their response team was awaiting further contact with the gang.

The furious Saudi foreign minister said the banditry was akin to terrorism and demanded an international crackdown on the pirates.

Prince Saud Al-Faisal said: “Piracy, like terrorism, is a disease which is against everybody, and everybody must address it together.

“This outrageous act by the pirates, I think, will only reinforce the resolve of the countries of the Red Sea and internationally to fight piracy,”

The prince suggested that several nations in the Red Sea region were willing to form a coalition to combat the ascendency of pirates in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters. >>> Nico Hines and Catherine Philp | November 18, 2008


THE TELEGRAPH:
Somali Pirates Demand $25 Million Ransom in 10 Days >>> By Tim Butcher, Middle East Correspondent | November 20, 2008

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Obama will beim Klimaschutz vorangehen: Künftiger amerikanischer Präsident verspricht Kurswechsel seines Landes
Foto von Obama dank der Neuen Zürcher Zeiting
NZZ Online: Der künftige amerikanische Präsident Barack Obama will beim Klimaschutz eine Kursänderung seines Landes. Er hat sich per Videobotschaft in eine Konferenz in Los Angeles eingeschaltet und eine Führungsrolle der USA angekündigt.

(ap/sda) Der künftige amerikanische Präsident Barack Obama hat eine führende Rolle seiner Regierung im Kampf gegen den Klimawandel angekündigt. «Meine Präsidentschaft markiert ein neues Kapitel der amerikanischen Führungsrolle», sagte Obama in einer Videobotschaft an die Teilnehmer einer Klimaschutzkonferenz in Los Angeles. Eine Leugnung sei keine annehmbare Antwort auf die Erderwärmung, sagte Obama weiter. >>> | 18. November 2008

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300,000 Foreigners Wrongly Allowed into UK Every Year
THE TELEGRAPH: Millions of illegal immigrants could be in the UK after a visa watchdog revealed 300,000 people are allowed in every year who should not be.

In a staggering admission, Linda Costelloe-Baker, who monitors visa refusals, told MPs around 15 per cent of short-term visas are wrongly approved because it is easier to let them in than reject applications.

She said officials were "under pressure" to issue visas rather than reject them to help hit productivity targets.

It means hundreds of thousands of people arriving in the UK each year who should not be here.

And if they are a potential risk then it means they are more likely to overstay the visa and slip under the radar as an illegal immigrant.

The Government has previously estimated there could be as many as 570,000 illegal immigrants here but with so many visas being incorrectly issued over the years, that figure could now run in to the millions.

Ms Costelloe-Baker, the independent monitor for entry clearance refusals, told the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee officials considering visa applications found it much easier to approve than reject them because it was a "much faster" process.

"I don't think there has been adequate scrutiny of decisions to issue," she said. "I think there is pressure to issue visas because it helps people hit their productivity targets."

Committee member and Tory MP David Davies asked if it was reasonable to assume that 15 per cent of approval notices were "incorrectly approved".

"I think that's a reasonable supposition," Ms Costelloe-Baker said.

He continued: "I'm trying to make an assumption here which is reasonable based on the evidence and that is that a large number of visa applications have been incorrectly approved in the country where they were requested."

She said: "I think that's a reasonable assumption."

Nearly two million visas are approved each year, giving foreign nationals the right to come to the UK for six months.

Embassies and consulates examine 2.4 million applications each year from tourists, businessmen and people visiting relatives to check if they intend to leave after their visa expires, that they have enough money to live in the country and are not looking for a job, she said. Around 80 per cent are approved. >>> By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor | November 18, 2008

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BNP Fury as ENTIRE Membership List of 10,000 Is Leaked onto Internet and Party Threatens Legal Action
MAIL Online: The entire British National Party membership list - including the names of children - has been posted on the internet.

Among more than 10,000 activists listed are a serving police officer, members of the Armed Forces, an actor, leading businessmen and former civil servants.

It shows just how deep the message of the far-Right organisation has penetrated the British political psyche.

And the leak caused huge alarm in companies and public bodies across the country as they searched the list for employees.

Internet chat sites, meanwhile, were awash with messages from members whose names, addresses, ages and other 'relevant' information had appeared, as they feared for their jobs.

One online comment read: 'I'm on the list, I could be chucked out of the Army. What is going on?'

Another blamed BNP leader Nick Griffin.

It said: 'The membership should demand Griffin stand down over this breach. He has put thousands of members at risk, and proved unfit to lead.'

Mr Griffin was last night said to have reported the incident to police, claiming a breach of the Human Rights Act. >>> By Michael Lea | November 18, 2008

BBC: Police and Teachers on BNP List

Serving and former police officers, teachers and soldiers are listed as members of the British National Party in a leaked document published online.

The list, which dates from 2007, has the names, addresses, jobs and phone numbers of more than 10,000 people.

Since 2004, police officers have been banned from being members of the anti-immigration party.

The party's leader, Nick Griffin, said the leak was "a disgraceful act of treachery" by former members.

In a statement on the BNP website, Mr Griffin said he had lodged a complaint with Dyfed-Powys Police on the grounds that the publication breached human rights and data protection laws.

He told the BBC's Today programme the party would be using the Human Rights Act to try to protect the identities of its members, despite the BNP being against the European legislation. >>> | November 19, 2008

Listen to BBC audio: Nick Griffin on the Today programme >>>
TIMESONLINE: Policeman on Merseyside Is First Victim of BNP List Leak

A male police officer in Merseyside is the first alleged BNP member to face consequences at his job after the far-Right party's full membership list was leaked online.

Police called in independent investigators today after the officer's name, occupation and contact details were listed among more than 12,000 BNP supporters on an internet blog posted on Sunday night.

A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said it is waiting for official referral of the complaint about the Merseyside officer.

Police are banned from becoming members of the BNP because it would damage race relations, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

“Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited," said Acpo’s workforce development spokesman, Peter Fahy.

“This is because such membership would be incompatible with our duty to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act and would damage the confidence of minority communities. >>> Jenny Booth | November 19, 2008

MAIL Online: Radio DJ Fired after BNP Teachers, Police and Lawyers Are Exposed in Membership List Leak

Soldiers, police officers, teachers and doctors were in fear of losing their jobs today after the entire membership list of the BNP was posted on the internet.

More than 10,000 members of the far-Right organisation are listed, including a serving police officer, a vicar, members of the Armed Forces, an actor, leading businessmen and former civil servants. Many children are also named.

Today a DJ was dropped and a police officer was facing investigation for his alleged membership as alarmed bosses started to scour the list for employees' names.

Talksport radio said it would 'no longer use' DJ Rod Lucas who covered late night shifts for the station earlier this year.

Mr Lucas's name was published along with his address and contact numbers. His profession was given as 'media: radio/tv production'.
Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commissions is awaiting an official referral of a complaint made about a male officer at Merseyside who was also listed. >>> By Michael Lea and Nicola Boden | November 19, 2008

THE INDEPENDENT: Union: 'Ban Teachers Who Are BNP Supporters'

Union calls for action after far-right party's 12,000 members are listed online

The wide array of jobs held by BNP supporters – exposed in a leaked internal document – brought demands last night for a ban on BNP membership in public sector professions.

The disclosure of the membership list, containing 12,000 names, phone numbers and addresses, prompted an investigation into the activities of a Merseyside police officer and a presenter's departure from a talk radio station. Several people named on the list denied ever having been members of the far-right organisation and called police after receiving death threats.

A 25-year-old model from London said she had been listed after signing a petition against the building of a super mosque. "I didn't know the petition was organised by them and have had nothing to do with them since. I don't know anything about politics."

The list contained the names of 15 teachers, four nurses, 16 members of the armed forces, civil servants, a police officer and even a member of the Royal household.

Merseyside Police said it was investigating PC Steve Bettley for "an alleged association with the party".

Paul Murray, a storesman at Windsor Castle, denied having any involvement with the party but admitted that he and his wife were once invited to a BNP social event, which they did not attend. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said that Mr Murray, who used to live in the Royal Mews within the palace grounds, would not lose his job.

Membership of the BNP is forbidden under the contract that police and prison officers sign but supporters are allowed to take other public sector posts if they do not discuss their views.

Doctors, nurses and teachers are permitted to join the party provided that their views do not interfere with their professional conduct. But under new legislation, trade unions could win the right to expel members of the BNP if their opinions are judged to be incompatible with those of the union. >>> By Nigel Morris, Terri Judd and Chris Green | November 20, 2008


MAIL Online:
Eight Al Qaeda Fanatics Working for the Police (But They Don't Dare Sack Them) >>> Bt Stephen Wright | July 7, 2008

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Bush telefoniert mit Ghadhafi: Historisches Gespräch - Staatschefs sprechen über Entschädigung für Terroropfer
Foto von Bush dank der Neuen Zürcher Zeitung
NZZ Online: Der amerikanische Präsident George W. Bush hat mit dem libyschen Staatschef Muammar Ghadhafi telefoniert. Dies gilt als weiteres Zeichen für die verbesserten Beziehungen zu dem langjährigen Erzfeind der USA.

(sda/dpa) Wie ein Sprecher des Weissen Hauses mitteilte, standen die jüngsten Entschädigungszahlungen Libyens für Terrorismusopfer im Mittelpunkt des Telefonats. Gemäss der «Washington Post» war es offenbar das erste Mal überhaupt, dass ein amerikanischer Präsident mit Ghadhafi sprach, der sein Land seit 1969 regiert.

Die amerikanische Aussenministerin Condoleezza Rice wollte zudem am Dienstag in Washington mit dem Sohn des Staatschefs, Saif al-Islam Ghadhafi, zusammentreffen. Er hält sich privat in der Stadt auf. >>> | 18. November 2008

VOICE OF AMERICA: Gadhafi's Son Meets Senior US Officials

A son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi met senior Bush administration officials Tuesday in another sign of improved U.S.-Libyan relations. Saif al-Islam Gadhafi sees Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi holds no official position in the Libyan government, but he has been a diplomatic trouble-shooter and heads a family charitable foundation. 



His high-level talks in Washington reflect a continued warming in a relationship that was openly hostile, until Libya renounced terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in 2003.



The son of the Libyan leader met Tuesday with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch, who brokered a recent agreement settling remaining compensation claims from 1980s acts of terrorism attributed to Libya.



State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the younger Gadhafi will also see White House officials and members of Congress before his Thursday meeting with Rice.



The claims settlement last month cleared the final obstacle to the full normalization of relations, though the Gadhafi government remains under criticism for human rights abuses and political curbs. >>> By David Gollust | November 18, 2008

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White Indigenous British People to Become Minority within 70 Years
BNP: White British people are set to become a minority in this country within 50 or 60 years, if current levels of immigration are left unchecked, an analysis of the latest official figures show.

Immigrants — mainly from the Third World — have boosted the population by 1.8 million since Labour came to power, and left unchecked, will guarantee that this country’s population will reach 70 million by 2031. >>> BNP News | November 18, 2008

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Addiction Service to Help Doctors
BBC: Doctors and dentists who have an addiction or other health problems often leave it late to seek help because they fear being recognised or worry about putting their career in jeopardy.

But the launch of a specialist service on Monday may help push them to seek the treatment they need.

The government-funded project expects to see 500 cases a year.

It's already been getting inquiries before the formal launch.

The idea of specialised help was proposed by the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, some years ago.

But it gained momentum after inquiries into the serial killer GP, Harold Shipman, and other doctors who've mistreated patients.

GP-run

The service - named the Practitioner Health Programme - is based in a normal GP practice, near a busy transport hub in central London.

However, doctors and dentists who turn up here won't have to linger in the waiting area as confidentiality is a key priority.

The consulting room is more like a psychiatrist's study, with comfortable chairs and a coffee table.

There is no computer sitting between the doctor and patient, and no examination couch.

Addiction to drink or drugs is expected to be a common concern.

By the time health professionals acknowledge that they need help, they're likely to be highly distressed - so up to two hours are set aside for an initial assessment. >>> By Jane Dreaper, BBC News health correspondent | November 18, 2008

BBC: Intoxication 'Rife among Doctors'

The British Medical Association has called for action over alcohol and drug abuse among medics after a BBC survey showed the problem was widespread.

BBC One's Real Story found over the last 10 years 750 hospital staff in England had been disciplined over alcohol and drug-related incidents.

The BMA estimates one in 15 medics have a problem with drugs or alcohol at some point in their life-time.

Ethics Committee chairman Michael Wilks said the profession was in denial. >>> | June 13, 2008

Listen to BBC audio: Addiction help service to help doctors >>>
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Growing Numbers Convert to Islam in PNG [Papua New Guinea]
ABC News (Australia): In Papua New Guinea a growing number of people are now choosing to pray at a mosque rather than a church.

PNG is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people turning their backs on Christianity and converting to Islam.

"A lot of Papua New Guineans are converting to Islam not because they don't like the other religion. It's just they've become, they feel comfortable in there," said Khalid, an Imam who received his training in Malaysia.

"The practice of Islam is much easier than the other religions. In the religion of Islam you are your own preacher. You learn how to pray.

"God is not only in the mosque, it's everywhere. So if I don't come into the mosque, the house of prayer, I can pray under the trees, in the house, anywhere."

Papua New Guineans began converting to Islam in the early 1980s, and there are now more than 4,000 followers with recent reports of entire villages converting at the same time.

Many are drawn to Islam because of the similarities the religion has with Melanesian customs, says Isa Teine, the general secretary for PNG's Islamic Society.

"When we greet people we hug them. This is Islam. We don't shake hands and leave them, so most of our cultures are Islamic," she said.

"Polygamy - this is Islam. Islam encourages four wives. Before Islam came in, people already had two, three, four wives. This is Islam.

"So when the religion came in and said, 'oh we have to do this, our Islamic culture, we have to do this and that', people fit in easily. So it's very easy for Papua New Guineans to embrace Islam.

"Once the religion itself spread I tell you, I'm just predicting in 20, 30 years' time, all Papua New Guinea will submit to Islam." >>> | November 17, 2008

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Brigitte Gabriel: Hate Preaching in Mosques

Hat tip: Robert Spencer

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Government Seen Helping Islamic Finance
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic banking is set to rise from its modest 2 percent share of bank assets as the government encourages growth and Muslims overcome their suspicion, sharia lender Gatehouse Bank said on Tuesday.

Islamic finance, which rejects interest-based lending and speculation in favour of profit and loss sharing between venture partners, has been in Britain since the 1970s, but only a small number of Muslims have embraced it.

In recent years, Britain has been viewed as the European leader in providing Islamic financial services, aiming to serve both domestic Muslim markets as well as tapping into the vast wealth of Gulf investors.

"The government is very keen on social inclusion and economic inclusion and it feels that still there are areas of the UK where there's not enough economic inclusion," Gatehouse Chairman Richard Thomas told reporters on the sidelines of an Islamic finance forum in Malaysia.

"So they feel that if they open up alternative finance such as Islamic finance then that will allow people to be included in the British economy in a way they weren't before."

He did not give estimates for the Islamic finance industry's growth.

Britain intends to issue its own sovereign sharia-compliant sukuk debt in a rolling programme worth around 2 billion pounds, although it has said legal barriers still remain and it will make a final decision later. >>> Reuters (Reporting by Liau Y-Sing) | Novemebr 18, 2008

THE GUARDIAN: Standardisation Moves to Help Sharia Finance-scholar

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Efforts to standardise the reading of the sharia will not stifle the Islamic finance sector, a leading sharia scholar said on Tuesday, dismissing concerns that the industry risks being smothered by too much regulation.

A lack of standardisation in Islamic finance contracts is one of the biggest complaints among bankers in the $1 trillion industry, but there are also worries that a growing effort to harmonise across the globe could create a one-size-fits all approach in structuring deals.

"In Islamic law we encourage debate, research, scholarship and it is an ongoing process which cannot be stopped by anybody," Sheikh Nizam Yaquby, a highly regarded scholar, told reporters on the sidelines of an Islamic finance forum.

"However, for the purpose of standardisation, it is important to have certain prudential rules and basic contracts especially repetitive ones to be accepted among a group."

Sharia scholars are experts in Islamic law and international finance. They are seen as the industry's gatekeepers as they sit on the Islamic boards of institutions and rule on whether or not proposed products are sharia compliant.

Islamic law is open to diverse interpretations, resulting in some financing structures that aren't accepted by all Islamic markets.

An Islamic finance structure called bai bithaman ajil that is popular in Malaysia, for example, is not accepted by Middle East markets as Islamic.

Under bai bithaman ajil, a bank purchases an asset for its customer and sells it to him at a profit, with the sum to be repaid in instalments.

Recent attempts to harmonise industry standards include a plan by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association to launch standards next year for over-the-counter sharia-compliant derivative contracts. >>> Reuters, Tuesday November 18 2008

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Türkei: Erdogan gesteht Iran indirekt Recht auf Kernwaffen zu
DIE PRESSE: „Diejenigen, die dem Iran verbieten, Atomwaffen herzustellen, sollten ebenfalls keine Kernwaffen besitzen.“ Erdogans Äußerungen stellen einen Wandel der offiziellen Haltung Ankaras dar.

ISTANBUL/TEHERAN (keet.). Wenn etwas der türkischen Regierung derzeit vorzüglich von der Hand geht, dann ist es die Außenpolitik. Doch am Wochenende patzte ausgerechnet der Chef, und das auch noch in der sensiblen Frage der iranischen Atompolitik. In einer Rede vor der angesehenen Brookings Institution, einem den Demokraten nahestehenden Think Tank der USA, sagte Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan: „Diejenigen, die dem Iran verbieten, Atomwaffen herzustellen, sollten ebenfalls keine Kernwaffen besitzen.“ Da die Nuklearmächte ihre Waffen aber nicht gleich verschrotten werden, heißt das, dass auch der Iran das Recht auf Atomwaffen haben soll. >>> | 17. November 2008

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Les talibans menacent la France
LE FIGARO: Dans une vidéo, qui contient une revendication de l'embuscade dans laquelle dix soldats français ont été tués, un chef taliban menace Paris.

Si les Français ne se retirent pas d'Afghanistan, « ils entendront notre réponse à Paris ». Telle est la menace lancée par les talibans dans un enregistrement vidéo diffusé lundi par la chaine de TV arabe al-Arabiya. >>> L.S. (lefigaro.fr) avec agences | 18.11.2008

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With All Due Respect, Your Highness, If You Become King - Please Put a Royal Sock in It!
MAIL Online: The Prince of Wales's 60th birthday has been greeted with polite applause. Most of the country seems to have forgiven him for the tragedy of Diana, recognising that it is no more sensible to apportion blame for the failure of a royal marriage than for any other.

But one headline sounded alarm bells: 'Charles will speak out as king.'

Beneath those words Jonathan Dimbleby, the Prince's friend and biographer, wrote: 'There are discreet moves afoot to redefine the future role of the sovereign so that it would allow King Charles III to speak out on matters of national and international importance.'

Dimbleby went on to suggest that Charles seeks to fill a role not dissimilar to that of recent Irish or German presidents, politically non-partisan, but still activist.

It is unlikely the author and broadcaster would have floated such an idea without authorisation, indeed encouragement, from the heir to the throne. Yet if this is so, and if the Prince persists with such ambitions, his reign is likely to be one of the shortest on record.

Hereditary monarchy is a bizarre survival. Most nations disposed of their kings and queens, often amid bloody revolutions, during the great international upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries.

In Britain, most hereditary peers have been expelled from the House of Lords, meaning that the Crown stands isolated as the only constitutional institution in which possession passes from generation to generation, simply in accordance with who happens to be born the son of whom.

In our quirky British way, the arrangement suits us pretty well. Only a small minority of republicans seriously wants to change the system, to risk finding ourselves instead with a president Thatcher or Blair - or for that matter David Beckham or Jamie Oliver.

Yet it seems mistaken thus to assume that our monarchy is so secure that a new incumbent could take liberties at the controls with the erratic enthusiasm which has characterised the Prince of Wales's career.

The Queen's huge success - and such her reign has surely been - is based upon the exercise of lifelong, steely self-discipline. Never once has she allowed herself to express an opinion about any aspect of her people's governance or affairs.

We can guess what she thinks about all sorts of things. She is almost certainly a conservative with a small 'c'. But we do not know this. And how grateful we should be that it is so.

Never has she provided any political or social faction with evidence to claim her as its own. She is Queen of all the British people, because she has given no one cause to think of her as a critic or foe. >>> Max Hastings | November 18, 2008

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Hisbollah ehrt Selbstmordattentäter mit Ausstellung
Foto dank der Welt
Seit den 80er Jahren schickt die libanesische Hisbollah Selbstmordtattentäter in alle Welt. Jetzt feiert sie ihre "Prinzen des Sieges" mit einer Ausstellung. Die Attentäter werden als Märtyrer dargestellt. Mit demTodeskult bezweckt die Schiiten-Miliz vor allem eines: Die Pflege des eigenen Mythos.

Eine Reihe von Porträtfotos zieht sich die Wand entlang. Die Rahmen sind mit bunten Kunstblumen geschmückt. Blasse junge Männer mit ernsten Augen blicken daraus hervor. Das Foto von Ahmad Qassir hängt ganz vorn. Er war 17 Jahre alt, als er am 11. November 1982 in der südlibanesischen Stadt Tyrus ein Auto voller Sprengstoff in das Hauptquartier der israelischen Armee steuerte und damit sich selbst und 76 Soldaten tötete. Es war der erste islamistische Selbstmordanschlag gegen Israel.

Die libanesische Hisbollahbewegung hat nun in Tyrus die Ausstellung „Prinzen des Sieges“ eröffnet, um ihre „Märtyrer“ zu ehren. Die Schiitenmiliz begann in den 80er-Jahren damit, Selbstmordattentate einzusetzen. Ihr werden Anschläge gegen die US-Botschaft, gegen US-Marines und französische Fallschirmjäger im Libanon zur Last gelegt. Auch im Ausland, etwa in Paris oder Buenos Aires, soll die Hisbollah Anschläge – oft gegen jüdische Ziele – verübt haben. Ihr Rückhalt in einem Teil der libanesischen Bevölkerung speist sich aber vor allem daraus, Israels Armee im Libanon in einen zermürbenden Kleinkrieg verwickelt zu haben, der im Jahr 2000 zum Abzug Israels führte.

Eine zierliche junge Frau mit gemustertem Kopftuch schreitet die Bildergalerie ab. Der Saum ihres schwarzen Mantels schleift über den Linoleumfußboden. „Das Märtyrertum ist die edelste Form des Todes. Gemäß unserer Religion gelangt ein Märtyrer direkt in den Himmel“, erklärt die 18-jährige Heba Qassir. Sie ist die Nichte von Ahmad Qassir. Auch die Schülerin selbst würde am liebsten Selbstmordattentäterin werden, doch die Hisbollah setzt keine Frauen ein; Heba Qassir zuckt die Schultern: „Also gehe ich eben studieren.“ >>> Von Gabriela M Keller | 18. November 2008

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Islam to Emerge as the New World Order: Scholar
THE PENINSULA: DOHA: Islam will function as a catalyst in shaping up the future world. It is going to be the ultimate answer to Communism and Capitalism, said prominent Indian Islamic Scholar T K Abdullah

Addressing a public meeting organised by Indian Islamic Association Qatar (IIAQ), Abdullah, a noted orator from the southern Indian State of Kerala said Islam will soon emerge as a major threat to Capitalism.

“Be it against Islam or in favour of it, Islam is the most widely debated issue in the contemporary world; and it is going to be the ultimate answer to the world’s problems. Islam will emerge as new world order blurring the boundaries of East and West”, he said. Quoting prominent Islamic scholars, Abdulla recalled how these visionaries had predicted the collapse of Communism decades before its fall in erstwhile Soviet Russia and East Europe. Now, it is Islam versus Capitalism. The foundation of capitalism has already been shaken. The whole system is struggling for its survival; and in the shaping up of new world order, Islam will certainly play a major role, he said.

T Arifali, Ameer, Jamaate Islami, Kerala wanted the authorities in India to expose the real hands behind the recent series blasts in country.

Khalid Fakhroo, Head of Media and Public Relations, Qatar Charity; Mitab Al Waleed, Director, Guest Center; V T Abdullakkoya, President, Indian Islamic Association, Abdurehman Al Sayed and Abdurehman Purakkadu were among others who spoke. The full-day convention witnessed a huge participation of over 3000 pre-registered delegates in the morning session. [Source: The Pensinsula] | November 15, 2008

Hat tip: Always On Watch, Always On Watch

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Summit Shows Times Have Changed
BBC: The G20 summit in Washington was a striking event first of all for who was there.

Global economic meetings used to mean the G7 and then the G8.

It was a rich-country affair with Russia invited in during in the 1990s - but that was to tackle international political issues, not for the sake of a contribution to the economic discussions.

How times have changed. A global economic problem needed a presence from developing country leaders.

The G20 was already up and running as a forum for finance ministers with the big developing economies as members - China, India, Russia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and others.

And so they came to Washington, as countries hit by the developed world's financial crisis and, in some cases, as countries that might be able to help fix it.

Co-ordinated response

The communique issued after the summit is not on its own going to change the world.

The political machinery of the global economy is not going to be turned upside down, although those big developing countries at the summit are beginning to get a tentative grip on the levers. >>> By Andrew Walker, BBC News, Washington | November 16, 2008

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French 'Virgin' Ruling Reversed
BBC: A French court of appeal has overruled the decision to annul the marriage of two Muslims because the bride had lied about being a virgin.

They are now effectively married again - even though both partners said they accepted the original judgement.

That verdict had caused emotional debate and outrage among some feminists, who said it amounted to a "fatwa" against women's liberty.

But the husband's lawyers said the case had nothing to do with religion.

They argued that the wife had breached the wedding contract, and tricked her husband into marriage.

Under the French civil code, a marriage can be annulled if a spouse has lied about an "essential quality" of the relationship. >>> | November 17, 2008

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Pirates Capture Saudi Oil Tanker
BBC: Pirates have captured a giant Saudi-owned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean off the Kenyan coast.

The tanker was seized 450 nautical miles south-east of the port of Mombasa, a US Navy spokesman said.

Twenty five crew are said to be aboard the Sirius Star, including members from Croatia, the UK, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi TV report, which the US Navy and the ship's owner did not confirm, says the vessel has since been freed.

The report on the Al Arabyia channel quoted an unnamed "official" Saudi source.

A BBC correspondent in Mombasa reports that this is the third tanker to have been hijacked in the region.

It is also the largest vessel so far to come under attack by pirates in the area, the US Navy told the BBC.

The location is unusual and the capture marks a fundamental shift in tactics, the navy added.

Attacks on shipping off the Horn of Africa and Kenya by pirates, who are mostly Somali, prompted foreign navies to send warships to the area this year. >>> | November 17, 2008

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Immigrants in France Assert Their Own Culture as Their Numbers Increase
Photo courtesy of Google Images
BNP*: North African immigrants in France who were given French names have started to change their names back to Arabic versions in an assertion of their increasing numbers and power in that country.

Requests from immigrants’ children for name changes back into Arabic are mounting in the French courts and worrying a state that lays store on melding a single national culture.

This is a superb example of how immigrant communities do not assimilate but, once their numbers reach large enough amounts, assert their own culture and change the nature of the nation in which they have settled. >>> BNP News | November 15, 2008

*Please note that this posting should NOT be construed as an endorsement of the BNP. This website neither supports any British political party nor is it in any way connected to any of them.

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Barack Obama: US Must Capture or Kill Osama bin Laden
TIMESONLINE: Catching or killing Osama bin Laden will be one of the key targets of Barack Obama's administration as it is "critical" to American national security, the US president-elect confirmed last night.

In his first televised interview since his historic election, Mr Obama made good on his rhetoric from the campaign trail that the hunt for bin Laden would remain top priority for the US.

He told CBS that "it is a top priority for us to stamp out Al-Qaeda once and for all" and that killing or capturing the group’s mastermind Osama bin Laden was "critical" to the US.

"Particularly in light of the problems that we’re having in Afghanistan, which has continued to worsen. We’ve got to shore up those efforts," the President-elect said.

Mr Obama also revealed that he is taking very seriously the threat of a major terrorist attack on America in the next few weeks, after warnings from both sides of the Atlantic that terrorists would step up the activity during the transition period during and after the dying days of the Bush presidency.

"I think it’s important to get a national security team in place because transition periods are potentially times of vulnerability to a terrorist attack. We want to make sure that there is as seamless a transition on national security as possible," he said.

The Bush Administration has been defined largely by the 9/11 attacks, which came within a year of his taking office, and President Bush has repeatedly described the acute vulnerability of the US during a transition. >>> Jenny Booth | November 17, 2008

BBC: Obama 'to Rebuild Moral Stature'

US President-elect Barack Obama has promised to rebuild his country's "moral stature in the world".

In his first television interview since the election, Mr Obama told CBS he would pull troops out of Iraq, shore up Afghanistan, and close Guantanamo Bay.

"I'm going to make sure that we don't torture," he said of the prison camp.

Mr Obama also promised to do "whatever it takes" to stabilise the US economy, including rescuing the struggling auto industry and assisting homeowners.

On Saturday, he said the US was facing "the greatest economic challenge of our time" and urged Congress to help with "at least a down-payment on a rescue plan that will create jobs".

His advisers later said he would support the co-ordinated response to the global financial crisis agreed by the G20 on Saturday. >>> | November 17, 2008

Watch BBC video: Obama ‘will close Guantanamo >>>
LE FIGARO: Obama veut sortir l'Amérique de la crise à tout prix

Invité de l'émission «60 minutes» sur CBS dimanche, le nouveau président américain a souligné l'importance de la lutte contre la récession, quitte à laisser s'aggraver le déficit budgétaire.

Un subtil mélange de questions politiques et personnelles. Voilà comment résumer la première interview télévisée de Barack Obama depuis son élection à la tête des Etats-Unis, le 4 novembre. Escorté de sa femme et future First Lady Michelle, «Mr. président Obama» est apparu dimanche dans l'émission «60 minutes» sur la chaîne CBS, où il a confirmé des promesses de campagne, abordé le sujet brûlant de la crise et distillé des anecdotes sur sa vie familiale.

«J'ai dit plusieurs fois que je voulais fermer Guantanamo, et je vais m'y tenir», a assuré avec vigueur Barack Obama. Cette fermeture et l'arrêt de la torture, a-t-il ajouté, «font partie d'un effort pour permettre à l'Amérique de retrouver son rang sur le plan moral». Le centre de détention de Guantanamo, ouvert en 2002 sur une base navale américaine située à Cuba, retient aujourd'hui 255 détenus sur les 800 qui y sont passés. A plusieurs reprises pendant sa campagne, le prochain président américain avait promis de fermer ce symbole des excès de «la guerre contre le terrorisme» menée par George W. Bush. >>> Ophélie Wallaert (lefigaro.fr) avec agences | 17.11.2008

WIENER ZEITUNG: Obama will Rezession abwenden

Ankurbelung der Wirtschaft wichtiger als Staatsdefizit.

Das Budgetdefizit der USA bereitet dem künftigen Präsidenten Barack Obama keine so große Sorge wie die Gefahr einer Rezession. Letztere müsse unbedingt vermieden werden, während die Verschuldung vorerst keine so hohe Priorität genießen könne, sagte der demokratische Politiker am Sonntag dem Sender CBS in seinem ersten Fernsehinterview seit seinem Wahlsieg. So sei noch nicht genug unternommen worden, um die in Not geratenen Eigenheimbesitzer vor einer Zwangsräumung zu schützen.

Unter den Wirtschaftsexperten beider Parteien im Kongress bilde sich ein Konsens heraus, dass zur Abwendung einer schweren Rezession teure Maßnahmen nötig seien, sagte Obama. "Der Konsens ist, dass wir tun müssen, was immer nötig ist, um diese Wirtschaft wieder zum Laufen zu bringen."

Einige Analysten hatten das Staatsdefizit der USA als Ursache für die derzeitige Finanzkrise bezeichnet. Obama erklärte jedoch, die Amerikaner sollten sich darüber in den kommenden zwei Jahren keine so großen Gedanken machen. Wichtiger sei es, die Wirtschaft zu stabilisieren, das Vertrauen der Verbraucher wiederherzustellen und Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen. >>> Von WZ Online | 17. November 2008

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Russia 'Pinning Hopes on Obama'
Photo of Medvedev courtesy of the BBC
BBC: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said he hopes US President-elect Barack Obama will help rebuild the strained relations between their two countries.

In a speech in Washington, Mr Medvedev said that a new US administration might be able to address what he described as a lack of "necessary mutual trust".

He said he wanted to meet Mr Obama soon after he takes office in January.

The Russian leader also indicated that Russia might accept a compromise over a planned US missile shield in Europe.

Two weeks ago, he said Moscow would neutralise the possible deployment by the US of a tracking radar in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland by stationing short-range missiles in its western enclave of Kaliningrad.

The US insists the shield is incapable of threatening Russia and is designed solely to guard against missile attacks by "rogue states". >>> | November 16, 2008

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Iran Forging Ties to Latin America
HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Bush policy of ignoring region must be reversed

Iran, the ultimate mischief maker with global reach, astounding patience, a shameless marriage to mayhem and terrorism and interests in opposition to those of the United States, is making major diplomatic inroads under Washington's nose.

It's amazing, really. Iran, after all, is regarded by much of the world as an outlaw country. Sanctions are in place on its military-industrial complex, and international loan guarantees are virtually impossible to come by.

The Iranian economy is in tatters. Even while $100-barrel-plus oil was enriching producers in the region, Iran's low-tech, outdated industry was barely profiting. In fact, 6 percent of the country's gasoline is imported.

Nevertheless, over the past year, Iran has worked diligently to expand relations with a host of Latin American countries, many of which have populist leaders who harbor a strong distrust of the United States and are looking for a powerful friend to help them rebuff Washington's influence.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, for instance, has held up his close ties with Iran as an example of what his revolution can do for the region. He has much to show for it, including an Iranian ammunition factory, a car assembly plant, a cement factory and other such examples of Iranian involvement. And just to make sure the U.S. can't interfere (as it has in the past), Iran Air initiated direct air service between Tehran, Damascus and Caracas. >>> By John Kiriakou Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle | November 15, 2008

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New Muslim TV Channel to Be Launched in SA
THE TIMES (South Africa): An international Islamic-focused satellite TV channel that aims to give non-Muslims a better understanding of the faith will be launched in South Africa early next year.

The UK-based Islam Channel, which beams to European, Middle Eastern and north African countries, will be broadcast locally on DStv from February.

With its headquarters in central London, Islam Channel provides alternative news, current affairs and entertainment programming from an Islamic perspective.

Broadcast in English, it first took to the air in 2004. It be available on a basic bouquet in South Africa.

CEO Mohamed Ali said the channel acted as an “interface between Muslims and non-Muslims”.

“We decided to come to South Africa because there is a Muslim community here and we are an English-speaking channel that targets English-speaking nations,” said Ali. >>> Suthentira Govender | November 16, 2008

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Farrakhan Breaks His Silence on Obama in Interview with Al Jazeera
THE DAILY VOICE: After months of silence, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has finally spoken out about Barack Obama's election as president.

In a televised interview with Al Jazeera, Farrakhan said he purposefully stayed away from the campaign and avoided endorsing Obama for fear that any support he expressed might be used against the Illinois senator.

Although Obama renounced Farrakhan's support of him during the primary campaign, Farrakhan said this week that he wasn't bothered by it. "I did not mind," he said, "because I understand the bigger picture."

"I decided that if I wanted to help Barack Obama I needed to be quiet and not be drawn into the controversy," Farrakhan told Al Jazeera, and he blamed Fox News and others for trying to draw him into a controversy with Obama.

Despite his silence during the campaign, Farrakhan lavished praise on the newly elected president. "I believe he can help change America's domestic policy and help America change her foreign policy," Farrakhan said. >>> Staff Reporter | Posted November 15, 2008

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Moroccan Muslims Object to Wine Fair
UPI: CASABLANCA, Morocco -- Muslim scholars in Morocco have raised objections to an international fair for wine producers in the city of Casablanca.

The fair, hosted by the Elbertec group, began Thursday with more than 40 wineries from around the world participating, al-Arabiya reported Friday.

Mohamed Zahl, a founding member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, said the fair is "a provocation for Muslims and an affront to their religion."

"Morocco is an Islamic fortress targeted by those who want to tamper with the taboos of Muslims," he said. >>> | November 14, 2008

Hat tip: Robert Spencer

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Barack Obama's Election Spurs Race Crimes around the USA
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: A bigoted backlash against President-elect Barack Obama, America's first black leader, threatens to snuff out the post-election glow of racial progress and harmony.

Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting "Assassinate Obama." Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars - have highlighted that stubborn racism that remains in America.

Police across the country are logging an upsurge in hate crimes.

From California in the West to Maine in the East, a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack, have been recorded

There have been "hundreds" of incidents since the election, many more than usual, said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes.

One was in Snellville, Georgia, where Denene Millner said a boy on the school bus told her 9-year-old daughter the day after the election: "I hope Obama gets assassinated." That night, someone trashed her sister-in-law's front lawn, mangled the Obama lawn signs, and left two pizza boxes filled with human feces outside the front door, Millner said.

She described her emotions as a combination of anger and fear.

"It definitely makes you look a little different at the people who you live with, and makes you wonder what they're capable of and what they're really thinking."

Potosaid he believes there is "a large subset of white people in this country who feel that they are losing everything they know, that the country their forefathers built has somehow been stolen from them."

Change in whatever form does not come easy, and a black president is "the most profound change in the field of race this country has experienced since the Civil War," said William Ferris, senior associate director of the Center for the Study of the American South at the University of North Carolina. "It's shaking the foundations on which the country has existed for centuries." >>> | November 16, 2008

THE SUNDAY TIMES: Conservative Backlash Begins against Barack Obama

Barack Obama's election may have been met with celebrations around the world, but for some Americans his honeymoon is over before he has even taken office.

Disgruntled conservatives are making plans to oppose his every move over the next four years, and - patricularly in some parts of the South - emotions are running high, sometimes spilling over into outright hostility.

Any hope that partisan rancour might ease after Mr Obama's historic election victory have been rapidly dispelled - not least in Georgia, where a bitter new Senate election battle is under way. Elsewhere, wrangles over continuing knife-edge Senate recounts in Minnesota and Alaska have ensured that the divisions in the run-up to the election persist.

Under Georgia law, a senator must win at least 50 per cent of the vote, but a third party candidate prevented Saxby Chambliss, the Republican incumbent, from doing so on election day and forced a run-off vote.

Republicans have begun running advertisements urging voters to back Senator Chambliss in the run-off vote against his Democrat opponent Jim Martin on Dec 2, warning that a Democratic victory could hand Mr Obama a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, giving his party almost unfettered power.

With emotions running high, Republican Congressman Paul Brown denounced Mr Obama as a Marxist, and compared his plans for a national service corps - to help out in natural disasters - to the formation of the Nazi brownshirts.

"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany," he said. "We can't be lulled into complacency... Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler, what I'm saying is there is the potential of going down that road."

Conservative displeasure at the president-elect is not confined to Georgia. A Roman Catholic priest in South Carolina told his parishioners not to seek Holy Communion if they voted for Mr Obama, because supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil" as the President-elect backs abortion rights.

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman of St Mary's Catholic Church, Greenville, sent parishioners a letter telling them that they must first do penance for their vote. >>> By Tim Shipman in Washington | November 16, 2008

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: White Rage: The Rednecks Out to Kill Obama

"We have changing demographics, and the Census Bureau projection that whites will lose their majority status in America by 2040. We have the tanking economy, and now... a black man in the White House. This makes some Americans feel they are losing their world – the sense that the country their forefathers built is slipping away from them." - Mark Potok, one of America’s leading researchers

When millions watched Barack Obama give his history-making victory speech in Grant Park on election night, one thing stood out starkly – the bulletproof screen surrounding him. But just how serious is the threat of assassination to the President-elect?

Shawn Adolf and his cousin Tharin Gartrell fancied that 28 August, 2008 would be a good day for the next president of the United States to die. They had the guns – Gartrell was later caught with a Ruger Model M77 Mark II bolt-action rifle with an attached scope and bipod, and a Remington Model 721, also with a scope. They were believers in a radical white supremacist ideology that gave them the motivation they needed to risk their own lives, if necessary, to prevent a black man from entering the Oval Office. (Or, as a friend reported Adolf as saying: "No nigger should ever live in the White House.") >>> By Andrew Gumbel | November 16, 2008

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Depuis l'élection d'Obama, les incidents racistes explosent

AUGMENTATION | Les incidents racistes sont en forte hausse aux Etats-Unis depuis l'élection de Barack Obama à la Maison blanche. Observateurs et universitaires mettent en garde contre un «retour de bâton» au sein d'une partie de la communauté blanche.

En Pennsylvanie (est), un couple mixte a découvert une croix brûlée sur son perron. En Californie (sud-ouest), des voitures ont été maculées de croix gammées et de slogans racistes comme «retournez en Afrique». Des mannequins pendus ont été retrouvés sur une île du Maine (nord-est), tandis que dans l'Idaho (nord-ouest), des élèves ont chanté «tuez Obama»: autant d'exemples parmi «des centaines et des centaines» de cas, selon Mark Potok, directeur du «Southern Poverty Law Center» basé dans l'Alabama (sud). >>> AFP | 19.11.2008

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Dubya and Abdullah by Gaslight!
Here we go again! The Prez and the King of Saudi Arabia enjoying a quiet stroll together hand-in-hand. How sweet! Who said we are experiencing a clash of civilizations? Photo courtesy of Die Presse
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Egypt Halts Doctor Visas to Saudi
BBC: The Egyptian government says it has placed a ban on Egyptian doctors going to work in Saudi Arabia in the wake of two medics being sentenced to jail.

Rauf Amin Mohammad al-Arabi, who had worked for the royal family for 20 years, was sentenced to 15 years in jail and 1,500 lashes.

He and Shawky Abd-Rabbu were convicted of prescribing morphine to a princess - who then became a drug addict.

His wife has pleaded for leniency, saying the lashes will kill him.

The Egyptian authorities say the ban on new work permits will not affect doctors already in Saudi Arabia.

Arabi is said to have prescribed morphine to the woman after she sustained injuries in a riding accident.

Some reports claim the princess had already been prescribed the drugs in the US and had specified the medication she wanted, BBC Cairo correspondent Christian Fraser says.

The sister of Abd-Rabbu said her brother was coerced into making false confessions and the Saudi authorities had threatened to imprison his wife who is also working in the kingdom.

Seventy of the lashes were reportedly administered last week, with 70 next week. >>> | November 13, 2008

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Tariq Ramadan: “Islam Is a European Religion”
Tariq, you’re talking rubbish! Islam is NOT a European religion. Islam was born in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. What’s European about that? - ©Mark


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Anglican Church Lacks Leadership, Say Bishops
THE TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has failed to provide leadership in the Anglican Church's war over homosexuality, according to two of his bishops.

In a speech to conservative evangelicals, who debated proposals for a new "church within a church", the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali said that there has been a lack of discipline.

Traditionalists have been upset that the Episcopal Church escaped punishment despite consecrating Gene Robinson as Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop.

The Bishop of Rochester told clergy that the new movement was equivalent to the Reformation in the sixteenth century, which led to the establishment of the Church of England.

He said that the Church has become too "wishy-washy" and urged evangelicals to stand against the liberal agenda.

"No Church can be effective without discipline," said Dr Nazir-Ali.

"That is what this situation is about. We are warned in the Bible about false teaching and persistent immorality.

"We are living at a time when the Church must be counter-cultural and strong. If we're not clear what we're about we haven't got a hope."

He added: "Whenever the Church has become worldly or faithless, it has been reformed.

"Now we need another movement to keep the Church faithful. I want to keep orthodox Anglicans together."

While the bishop did not name Dr Rowan Williams, delegates at the conference said that his message was a clear criticism on the archbishop's handling of the crisis. >>> By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | November 15, 2008

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