Chop Chop Square
THE WALRUS: Inside Saudi Arabia’s brutal justice system

A SLENDER SWORD — four feet of shining steel, curved at the end — hovers high above a kneeling figure shrouded in white. Only the kneeler’s neck is exposed. Sixty or so men watch from the edge of a granite courtyard, behind a patchy line of eight soldiers in tan uniforms. The man wielding the sword looms high, almost spectral, in a flowing white dishdasha and a red-checked headcloth. He is ready to swing but then steps back. He huddles with two police and the one person who can make this stop: the victim of the crime that’s being punished.

The huddle breaks, and the executioner retakes his position, left of the condemned. He sets his right leg forward and his left leg back, as if about to stretch his left calf. Sunlight flashes on the blade as he draws it above his head.

This is Saudi Arabia, one of the last places on earth where capital punishment is a public spectacle. Decapitation awaits murderers, but the death penalty also applies to many other crimes, such as armed robbery, rape, adultery, drug use and trafficking, and renouncing Islam. There’s a woman on death row now for witchcraft, and the charge is based partly on a man’s accusation that her spell made him impotent. Saudi Arabia executed some 1,750 convicts between 1985 and 2008, yet reliable information about the practice is scarce. In Riyadh, beheadings happen at 9 a.m. any given day of the week, and there is no advance notice. There is also no written penal code, so questions of illegality depend on the on-the-spot interpretations of police and judges.

What’s certain is that the Koran guides the justice system, with some laws passed to address areas the holy book does not. The Saudi interpretation of the Koran discourages all forms of evidence other than confessions and eyewitness accounts in capital trials, on the theory that doing otherwise would leave too much discretion to the judge. But at any time until the sword strikes, a victim’s family can pardon the condemned — usually for a cash settlement of at least two million riyals ($690,000 or so) from the convict or his family. >>> By Adam St. Patrick | Monday, May 18, 2009

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Downturn Draws a Veil Over Islam
THE NEW YORK TIMES: LONDON — Europe’s economic crisis has subordinated its other epochal problem — shaping a future life with Muslim immigrants and Islam — into a place where there’s a temptation to pretend it’s vanished.

There are no headlines around Europe these days like the front-page one in New York last weekend, reporting that minorities are hardest hit by real estate foreclosures in the city.

Here, instead, it’s low-level, reflexively standard stuff: a story or two, depending on a newspaper’s basic political take, pointing to encroachments on traditional national habit by Muslim immigrants, or suggesting the state may be over-responding (giving in, according to what you read) to demands for what’s often cast as their separate but equal status parallel to the mainstream.

One story last week was about a Muslim cook who said wearing plastic gloves and using tongs was not enough to protect him from the possibility of being splattered while preparing pork sausages for breakfast. Feeling discriminated against, he sued. Another reported Christians’ concern about the appointment of a Muslim, described as a “controversial” producer who commissioned documentaries with a pro-Islam bias, as chief of religious broadcasting at the BBC.

There are two facts below the surface here.

The first says that Europe is not paying much attention and certainly not talking about how its Great Recession is affecting the stability of the communities of vulnerable, largely unskilled Muslim immigrants who make up an increasing proportion of Europe’s cities.

Among Europe’s existential concerns, immigration does not come under the common policy control of the European Union. That frequently leaves individual countries hiding from neighbors’ problems concerning issues they can’t resolve themselves.

And it underpins a flight from solidarity, effective action, and often, Europe’s shared reality. Not ideal.

The second fact is that on the level of daily experience, an increasing number of white Europeans believe Muslim immigrants want integration with an asterisk — the asterisk providing an all-access pass to the welfare state, but with a mark-the-box list of opt-outs or variances from many of its obligations.

The predicament now is that as economic realities harshen, implying more stress and tension for (and emanating from) its newcomers, Europe seems no better prepared or certain about what needs to be done. >>> By John Vinocur | Monday, May 18, 2009

President Gul Slams EU States Opposed to Turkey's Accession Bid
HÜRRIYET: ISTANBUL - Efforts by some European countries to block Ankara's entry into the EU were "unacceptable," Turkish President Abdullah Gul said late on Sunday.

"There has been a unanimous decision (by the Europeans) to start negotiations with Turkey" on its accession to the European Union, Gul was quoted by AFP as telling reporters on the sidelines of an official trip to neighboring Syria.

"Any discussion on this is tantamount to violating the decisions taken by the EU and would mean that the decision to start negotiations with Turkey were not sincere, that the heads of state took a decision that did not reflect their intentions," he added.
"It would be unacceptable," Gul said, referring to France and Germany. >>> | Monday, May 18, 2009

Opinion – Gerald Warner: Barack Obama Preaches the Gospel of Abortion at Notre Shame
TELEGRAPH BLOGS: Sometimes something so gruesome is perpetrated in public life that the sick bag is an inadequate repository for one's involuntary reaction. Under the Blair regime this was an almost daily problem. Now, however, there is a practitioner of gorge-rising hypocrisy on the world stage so shameless he makes the Great Charlatan look like an amateur. His name is Barack Hussein Obama.

Yesterday, at the formerly Catholic University of Notre Dame, this snake-oil salesman carried the gospel of abortion into what should have been the most hostile territory on the face of the earth but which, thanks to the great apostasy known as the Second Vatican Council and the self-interest of Democrat-supporting pseudo-Catholics, was a favourable environment. To the rapturous applause of those who put establishment endorsement before the most basic human decencies, Obama preached his message of consensual infanticide.

"Part of the problem, of course" orated The One, "lies in the imperfections of man - our selfishness, our pride, our stubbornness, our acquisitiveness, our insecurities, our egos, all the cruelties large and small that those of us in the Christian tradition understand to be rooted in original sin." And the solution to so much human imperfection? Straightforward: take one eight-month-old baby, pierce its skull with a scalpel, vacuum out its brains until its skull collapses - and, hey, hope! Change we can believe in. Obama unapologetically reiterated his pro-abortion stance. >>> Gerald Warner | Monday, May 18, 2009

Turks Interviewed on EU for French State Television

Faces of Iran – Farid Farjad: Persian Girls – چهره های ایران

Beautiful Persia: Northern Iran

UAE Detains 'Torture Tape' Sheikh
NAME: Abu Dhabi prosecutors have detained a member of their own ruling family after a video was circulated apparently showing him torturing another man.

No reasons were given for the detention of Sheikh Issa al-Nahyan. Photo courtesy of the BBC
Public prosecutors say they also have begun criminal inquiries into Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan's actions on the tape.

The investigation is the first reported of a ruling family member in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Previously, Emirati officials had named Sheikh Issa as the man in the video but said the case was "resolved privately".

"The Public Prosecution Office has officially launched a criminal investigation into the events depicted on video and detained Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan pending the outcome of this investigation," the official news agency WAM reported on Monday.

"This is to ensure that all human rights obligations are met and enforced, that all national laws are applied equally and with transparency to all," WAM said, quoting a statement by the Judicial Department.

On 30 April, after initially dismissing accusations about the video, the Abu Dhabi authorities condemned the torture depicted in the tape and called an inquiry into the case.

The latest statement, issued on Monday, did not give reasons behind the change in approach, or the circumstances of the sheikh's detention. >>> | Tuesday, May 12, 2009

UAE Torture Recording Threatens to Derail Nuclear Deal with United States >>> \ Friday, May 1, 2009

Franco Was Monorchid
NAME: A new book claims the Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco, may have had more in common with Adolf Hitler than previously known - having one testicle.

Gen Franco ruled Spain following the civil war until his death in 1975. Photo credit: BBC
Much like the Nazi leader, Franco's loss stemmed from an injury he suffered in battle, his doctor's granddaughter told the historian Jose Maria Zavala.

Franco was wounded in the lower abdomen at El Biutz, near Ceuta, in June 1916.

Biographers have long speculated this affected the reproductive organs of the dictator, who ruled from 1939 to 1975.

However, he did have a daughter, Carmen Franco y Polo, in 1926.

Last year, documents came to light containing an account by a medic who treated Hitler during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Dr Johan Jambor told his priest that Hitler had been injured in the abdomen and had lost a testicle. He said the first question Hitler had asked him was: "Will I be able to have children?" Spain's Franco 'Had One Testicle' >>> | Monday, May 18, 2009

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger Rebels Lay Down Weapons
THE TELEGRAPH: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have declared an end to their fight against government forces after the army claimed victory in the 26-year conflict and said the last of civilians escaped from the war zone.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have been fighting for a separate ethnic homeland on the island, effectively surrendered when they said that their campaign had reached its "bitter end" and they would lay down their weapons after weeks spent trapped inside a tiny enclave on the north-east coast.

They appealed for safe passage for 2,000 fighters and their families still in the enclave, which had been reduced to less than a square kilometre, but the government in Colombo said that its forces would seize back "every inch of land" and were pressing on with their offensive.

As thousands of members of the Sinhalese majority celebrated in the streets of Colombo after President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed victory, his government claimed that the "last" of as many as 50,000 civilians had been freed from the territory after the army mounted a successful operation at the weekend which pinned down the rebels in a pincer movement and cut off possible escape from a stretch of beach. However thousands of civilians are believed to have died in recent weeks under heavy shelling.

There was also speculation about the fate of the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. It was reported on Sunday that his body might have been found - suggesting that he could have taken cyanide - but this was later dismissed.

In a statement released on the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website, the Tigers' head of international relations, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, said the group's leadership was sorry for the thousands of lives lost and that it could not have held out longer.

He appealed for "dignity and respect" for Tamil people and said the movement's decision to lay down its arms had been taken because it could no longer tolerate the growing number of civilian casualties. >>> By Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor | Monday, May 18, 2009

TIMESONLINE (BREAKING NEWS):
Tamil Tigers Supreme Commander Prabhakaran 'Shot Dead' >>> Robert Bosleigh in Colombo | Monday, May 18, 2009

Obama veut imposer à Israël
un Etat palestinien
LE FIGARO: Benyamin Nétanyahou est un allié bien incommode pour Barack Obama, qui le recevra lundi à la Maison-Blanche.

Les experts en relations internationales du Parti démocrate gardent un très mauvais souvenir du sommet Clinton-Nétanyahou de 1996, juste après que ce dernier fut arrivé au pouvoir en Israël pour la première fois. Nétanyahou, qui s'était prononcé trois ans plus tôt contre les accords d'Oslo, signés par Arafat et Rabin, et qui s'était félicité publiquement du soutien dont il bénéficiait au sein de la droite religieuse américaine, s'était permis de sermonner longuement le président américain sur la nature «réelle» des relations israélo-arabes. Une fois son visiteur parti, Bill Clinton, parrain des accords d'Oslo, avait laissé exploser sa colère devant ses conseillers.

Mais, cette fois, ce ne sera pas un Nétanyahou conquérant qui entrera dans le Bureau ovale. Car le premier ministre israélien sait que les beaux jours de l'Administration Bush, où l'Amérique passait tout à Israël, sont bel et bien terminés. Pour George W. Bush, le conflit israélo-palestinien n'était qu'une affaire périphérique dans le contexte d'un «Grand Moyen-Orient» qu'il convenait de démocratiser en commençant par l'Irak. Faire la paix en Palestine n'était donc pas une priorité pour Washington. Avec Obama, le contentieux israélo-palestinien est redevenu le sujet majeur de la politique moyen-orientale de l'Amérique. Pour le régler, le président a des idées qui ne sont pas celles du leader du Likoud. Obama soutient l'idée de deux États, l'un juif, l'autre arabe, vivant côte à côte sur le territoire de la Palestine mandataire. Nétanyahou se dit prêt à accroître les droits économiques des Palestiniens de Cisjordanie, mais il se refuse toujours à l'idée d'une souveraineté étatique palestinienne. Obama souhaite geler toutes les implantations de colonies israéliennes en Cisjordanie, pas Nétanyahou. Le nouveau gouvernement de Jérusalem souhaiterait qu'on règle d'abord le problème du nucléaire iranien et seulement ensuite le conflit israélo-palestinien. Obama préconise la séquence inverse. >>> Renaud Girard, envoyé spécial du Figaro à Washington | Lundi 18 Mai 2009

WELT ONLINE: Barack Obama fordert einen Palästinenser-Staat

Dem israelischen Ministerpräsidenten Benjamin Netanjahu weht bei seinem Antrittsbesuch in Washington ein kalter Wind ins Gesicht: US-Präsident Barack Obama drängt den Politiker zur Fortsetzung des Friedensprozesses und zu einer Zwei-Staaten-Lösung. Für Israel ist jedoch der Iran das zentrale Thema.

Zum Auftakt des Antrittsbesuchs des israelischen Ministerpräsidenten Benjamin Netanjahu in den USA hat sich die Kontroverse über das weitere Vorgehen im Nahen Osten vertieft.

Netanjahu ließ über enge Berater signalisieren, dass er die potenzielle atomare Bedrohung durch den Iran in den Mittelpunkt der Gespräche mit Präsident Barack Obama stellen wird. Obama wollte dagegen für einen Staat Palästina werben.



"Ich werde als Verbündeter Israels dafür eintreten, dass unsere Haltung eine Chance verdient hat und Sicherheit verspricht", sagte Obama dem Magazin "Newsweek".

Die Zwei-Staaten-Lösung biete nicht nur den USA mehr Sicherheit, sondern auch Israel, und damit sei sie anderen Optionen überlegen. Obama werde zudem seine Ablehnung des Baus jüdischer Siedlungen in besetzten Gebieten im Westjordanland bekräftigen, hieß es in Regierungskreisen.



Netanjahus nationaler Sicherheitsberater Usi Arad betonte dagegen am Sonntag nach der Ankunft in den USA: "So wie die Dinge geplant sind, wird sich Herr Netanjahu auf das Thema eines nuklearen Iran konzentrieren." >>> Reuters/fsl | Montag, 18. Mai 2009

BASLER ZEITUNG: Streicht Obama Israel die Privilegien zusammen?

Nach der Ära Bush hat sich das Verhältnis zwischen Israel und den USA abgekühlt. Barack Obama stützt nicht vorbehaltlos alle israelischen Positionen.

Bibi und ‘Bama. Bild dank der Basler Zeitung
In den letzten Jahren der Regierung unter George W. Bush gehörten israelische Politiker zu den regelmässigen Besuchern in Washington. Sie konnten dort stets mit einem freundschaftlichen Empfang rechnen und darauf zählen, dass israelische Positionen vorbehaltlos unterstützt würden. Seit dem Machtwechsel in Washington und der Einsetzung der neuen Regierung in Israel hat sich das Verhältnis abgekühlt. Die Regierung von Barak Obama hat mehrmals klargemacht, dass sie nicht willens sei, die israelische Politik kritiklos hinzunehmen.

Israel bangt um seine privilegierte Position und fürchtet, in den USA zu einem von vielen Partnern degradiert zu werden. Unvergessen ist die unglückliche Begegnung zwischen Netanyahu und US-Präsident Bill Clinton im Jahr 1996. Clinton soll sich damals über das als arrogant empfundene Auftreten von Netanyahu nachhaltig geärgert haben. «Keine Predigten, keine Lektionen, keine Peinlichkeiten», empfiehlt deshalb ein bekannter israelischer Kommentator jetzt dem Premier. >>> Basler Zeitung | Montag, 18. Mai 2009

Anti-abortion Protests Mar President Obama’s Degree Award
President Obama is congratulated by President of the University of Notre Dame, Reverend John Jenkins [during the Commencement Day ceremony]. Photo courtesy of TimesOnline
TIMESONLINE: President Obama made a controversial appearance at America’s foremost Catholic university yesterday, where angry protesters were arrested as they demonstrated against his support of abortion rights.

Mr Obama’s appearance at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana highlighted once again America’s deep divisions over abortion and stem-cell research. It also came at a time when Mr Obama is about to choose a new justice for the US Supreme Court — the forum that decides the constitutionality of such emotive religious and cultural issues.

Before he delivered the address for graduating students at least 25 people were arrested for trespass, while an aircraft flew overhead pulling an anti-abortion banner. Graphic images of aborted foetuses were paraded on roads near the campus in South Bend. Demonstrators were not only objecting to his appearance but also to the authorities awarding him an honorary degree*. >>> Time Reid | Monday, May 18, 2009

*Only a matter of days ago, the University of Arizona refused to give Obama an honorary doctorate, saying that he had not yet achieved enough.

THE GUARDIAN: Opposing Views on Abortion 'Irreconcilable', Says Barack Obama

Hundreds protest outside university during speech / Most Americans oppose terminations, poll shows

The impassioned views of America's opposing camps on abortion are "irreconcilable", Barack Obama conceded today in a contentious graduation speech at a leading Catholic university that was disrupted by hecklers, protests and arrests.

The president was drawn reluctantly into a confrontation with anti-abortion activists who opposed his end-of-term visit to Indiana's Notre Dame university, but he gave little ground in his support for women's rights to choose. He urged campaigners on both sides of the debate to avoid "demonising" each other.

"No matter how much we may want to fudge it – indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory – the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable," said Obama as he accepted an honorary law degree.

His address to 12,000 students, relatives and teachers at the university's sports arena was interrupted several times by hecklers, one of whom yelled "stop killing our children". Pausing while much of the audience booed the protester, Obama responded: "We're not going to shy away from things that are uncomfortable." >>> Andrew Clark in New York | Sunday, May 17, 2009

U.S Defence Secretary Used Quotes from Bible to Brief Bush on 'Mission from God' War
MAIL Online: Former U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld used 'biblical images' to deliver reports on the war in Iraq to President Bush.

With the former president known for his devout evangelical beliefs, bible passages were printed on the top secret briefs detailing the progress of the war in 2003, it has emerged.

The hand-delivered messages, which were leaked to GQ magazine by a source at the Pentagon, were said to portray the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein as being more like a ' crusade' than a modern day war.

One example had a U.S. Abrams tank in the desert and below it the biblical quote from Ephesians: 'Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.'

Another brief showed an image of Saddam under a quote from the First Epistle of Peter: 'It is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.'

The biblical remarks take on a greater significance as it is now known President Bush considered he was on a mission from God when he ordered the 2003 invasion. >>> By Mail Foreign Service | Sunday, May 17, 2009

M. le maire de Rotterdam
est marocain
Ahmed Aboutaleb, le 5 janvier 2009, lors de sa prise de fonctions à l'hôtel de ville de Rotterdam. Sa nomination sur fond de haines communautaristes a déclenché la polémique dans la cité portuaire. Photo grâce au Figaro

LE FIGARO: Fils d'un imam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, né au Maroc, vient d'être nommé à Rotterdam, premier maire musulman du premier port d'Europe, l'une des villes les plus cosmopolites du monde. «Plus néerlandais que certains Néerlandais», selon ses propres termes, ce travailliste n'hésite pasà fustiger «ceux qui n'acceptent pas les valeurs des Pays-Bas».

Dans la salle du conseil municipal trône le portrait de la reine Béatrix des Pays-Bas. Autour, sur les boiseries patinées, veillent ses ancêtres Juliana, Wilhelmine et Emma.En face, le maire s'appelle Ahmed.

À Rotterdam, certains ont eu «un choc» à l'annoncede la nomination * de ce travailliste, né au Maroc. Ahmed Aboutaleb, lui, demeure impassible : il «comprend les craintes» et prône «la confiance». Geert Wilders, ce député provocateur de droite, auteur d'un film contesté sur l'islam, aurait préféré qu'il soit «maire de Rabat» : «Nommer un Marocain maire de la deuxième ville du pays est aussi fou que de nommer un Néerlandais maire de La Mecque !» Pourtant, du Maroc, qu'il a quitté à 15 ans, Aboutaleb ne conserve pas grand-chose. S'il garde son passeport vert, c'est parce que, en vertu de loi marocaine, «on ne peut pas le rendre.» «Après 32 ans aux Pays-Bas, je suis plus néerlandais que certains Néerlandais, s'exclame-t-il. Tout ce que je pense et fais est néerlandais.»

Fils d'un imam, né en 1961 à Beni Sidel, une bourgade nichée dans les montagnes du Rif, Aboutaleb a laissé derrière lui «une petite maison sans électricité ni eau courante.» Il est loin son rêve d'enfant de devenir poète. Ingénieur de formation, il se retrouve journaliste, puis porte-parole ministériel. Sans s'être présenté devant les électeurs, ce membre du Parti travailliste (PvdA) devient, en janvier 2004, échevin (adjoint au maire) d'Amsterdam, en charge de l'enseignement et de la jeunesse. Quelques mois avant l'assassinat du cinéaste controversé Theo Van Gogh, poignardé et égorgé par un islamiste en pleine rue. Dans un discours devenu célèbre, à la mosquée Alkabir, au lendemain du drame, Ahmed Aboutaleb lance à ses coreligionnaires : «Arrêtez de vous prendre pour des victimes. Si vous ne voulez pas vous intégrer, partez !» Ses prises de position - il s'oppose au port de la burka, n'hésite pas à sanctionner les fraudeurs aux allocations sociales et trouve «drôles» plusieurs des caricatures danoises de Mahomet - lui vaudront des menaces de mort. «Ce collabo défend les intérêts des Blancs !», s'émeuvent des immigrés. Depuis, il vit sous protection rapprochée,tout comme Geert Wilders. >>> Stéphane Kovacs | Lundi 18 Mai 2009

Ökonom fordert Deutsche zum Kinderkriegen auf
NAME: Babypause statt Arbeitslosigkeit – diese Losung empfiehlt in der Krise der Präsident des Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle, Ulrich Blum. Durch die schlechte Wirtschaftslage werde die Erwerbstätigkeit sinken, meint Blum: "Warum nutzen wir dies nicht familienpolitisch, indem sich junge Paare den Kinderwunsch erfüllen?"

Die Geburtenzahl erreichte 2008 den zweitniedrigsten Stand nach Kriegsende. Nur 2006 wurden weniger Kinder geboren. Bild dank der Welt
Angesichts der immer schlechteren Lage auf dem Arbeitsmarkt hat der Präsident des Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH), Ulrich Blum, junge Familien zum Kinderkriegen aufgerufen.

Blum sagte der "Bild"-Zeitung: "In der Krise wird die Erwerbstätigkeit erheblich sinken. Warum nutzen wir dies nicht familienpolitisch, indem sich junge Paare jetzt den Kinderwunsch erfüllen?"



Blum erklärte, es müsse darum gehen, in der Krise ein Zukunftspaket zu schnüren. Der IWH-Präsident sprach sich in diesem Zusammenhang für mehr Unterstützung werdender Eltern durch den Staat aus. So müsse unter anderem der Kündigungsschutz für denjenigen Elternteil verbessert werden, der weiterhin einen Arbeitsplatz habe. >>> AP/dpa/fsl | Montag, 18. Mai 2009

Netanyahu’s Meeting with Obama Is Expected to Be Tense

Women Win Parliamentary Seats for First Time in Kuwait
Rola Dashti. Photo courtesy of CNN
CNN: Kuwait elected its first female lawmakers in the conservative Gulf state where men have dominated parliament for nearly five decades.

Four women won parliamentary seats in the general elections Saturday, the official Kuwait News Agency said.

Women were first granted the right to vote and run four years ago, but they failed to make inroads in the country's parliament in the past two elections.

Preliminary results released Sunday show that university instructor Aseel al-Awadhi and economist Rola Dashti were among four women who won seats.

The U.S.-educated Al-Awadhi has a doctorate and has been a member of Amnesty International, Kuwait News Agency said.
Dashti has worked as a consultant for several companies and chairs the Kuwait Economists Society, according to the news agency. >>> | Sunday, May 17, 2009

Spencer Talks Free Speech and Censorship on the Savage Nation

Turkey Protest over Alleged Coup Plot Draws 30,000
YNET NEWS: Turkish Authorities say at least 30,000 protesters gathered in downtown Ankara on Sunday to protest the arrests of university professors and other secularists accused of involvement in an alleged plot to topple the Islamic-rooted government.

Authorities recently charged more than 200 people as part of the investigation into the alleged secularist conspiracy to topple Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. Protesters, who are waving Turkish flags and carrying posters of late leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, chanting: "We are soldiers of Ataturk!" will later march to the mausoleum of Turkey's first secular leader. [Source: YNet News] AP | Sunday, May 17, 2009

Israeli Sheikhs: Zionism Failing, Islam on the Rise
ARUTZ SHEVA: The Israel-based Islamic Movement led 'Nakba Day' rallies on Friday to mourn the creation of the State of Israel. The rallies were accompanied by dire warnings regarding Israel's future, and bright predictions of success for Islamists.

"The sun of Zionism will set as the sun of an Islamic state rises,” predicted Sheikh Khamel Hatib, the second in command in the Islamic Movement's northern branch.

Hatib issued a thinly veiled warning to Israeli Jews, saying, “If there will be a future Nakba, it will be suffered by another people, not ours.” The Arabic term "Nakba,” meaning "catastrophe,: is used to refer to the creation of Israel and the flight of many Arab Muslims from the fledgling state.

Hatib also addressed young Israeli Muslims, telling them not to serve the country in any way, including non-military volunteer programs. “Do not fall into the trap of national service,” he said. >>> Maayana Miskin | Sunday, May 17, 2009

Walesa Expected in Ireland for Libertas Election Rally
IRISH TIMES: CAMPAIGN ADDRESS: SOLIDARITY CO-FOUNDER Lech Walesa is expected to address a Libertas European election event in Ireland in the coming days.

The former Polish president has been attacked as a “disgrace” at home for appearing at Libertas events in Rome and Madrid – for a reported fee of €100,000.

As the European election enters its final phase, Mr Walesa’s reported five-city tour is also likely to include an address in Warsaw. Any such appearance will be a controversial one for the Polish icon many of his countrymen have accused of selling out.

“Lech Walesa is a symbol of peaceful democratic changes in Poland and elsewhere in Europe, our ambassador in the world. And now this ambassador disgraces us,” wrote the influential Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, founded by former Polish dissidents in 1989.

At his second Libertas event, on Wednesday in Madrid, Mr Walesa said he agreed with the Libertas call for a more transparent Europe but that ratifying the Lisbon Treaty was the key to do so. “We must approve Lisbon so that we can change things from inside,” he said. >>> Derek Scally in Berlin | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Obama to Press Netanyahu on Two States, Settlements
REUTERS: Obama to push two-state solution to conflict / Common ground seen on Iran nuclear issue / Restarting Israeli-Syrian peace talks on agenda

WASHINGTON - Days before a White House summit, the Obama administration signaled on Saturday that the U.S. president would press Israel's new government to endorse Palestinian statehood and halt settlement expansion.

But senior U.S. officials downplayed prospects of a confrontation between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday as they grapple with rare differences between Washington and its close ally.

"The president does not believe it's going in a bad direction," one Obama aide told reporters when asked about the refusal so far by Netanyahu's right-leaning government to embrace a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.

Administration officials said Obama would push that principle, the cornerstone of U.S. Middle East policy for years, in his talks with Netanyahu, which are aimed at reviving the stalled peace process.

"Two states living side by side in peace and security -- my guess is they'll discuss that, and it's an issue they'll continue to work through," an official said. >>> Matt Spetalnick | Saturday, May 16, 2009

MPs' Expenses: Cash Secrets of MPs Who Tried to Stop You Seeing Their Expenses
THE TELEGRAPH: The full details of the taxpayer-funded expenses claimed by the MPs who battled to keep them secret can be disclosed for the first time.

Clockwise: David Maclean, Julian Lewis, David Clelland and Fraser Kemp. Photos courtesy of The Telegraph
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has established that backers of a Bill two years ago which aimed to exempt Parliament from the full force of the Freedom of Information Act have benefited from thousands of pounds paid under the second home expenses system.

Examples ranged from a former government whip who “bought out” his partner from her share of a London flat at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds, to a Tory grandee who spent thousands of pounds of public funds on his country estate before selling it.

A shadow minister claimed a £7,000 bedroom suite and a £2,200 television and “flipped” his second home, while a Labour election co-ordinator bought 16 bedsheets within the space of two months for a one-bedroom flat.

The MPs, who all backed the 2007 Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill introduced by David Maclean, the former Conservative chief whip, will face questions over their use of expenses and will come under pressure to return money.

Supporters of Mr Maclean’s Bill said they were acting to protect the confidentiality of constituents. Yet MPs opposing the Bill told the Commons repeatedly that its main impact would be to keep expenses secret. >>> By Patrick Hennessy and Melissa Kite | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Five Minutes with Richard Dawkins

Amsterdam Islam Congress Resounding Success
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Around 1,000 people attended the first National Islam Congress in Amsterdam today. The event was organised by the Institute of Islamic Studies in order to highlight Islam's diversity and promote dialogue. There were numerous discussions and workshops as well as lectures given by Islamic scholars from numerous countries including Saudi Arabia, United States, Great Britain and the Netherlands.

Participants, both Muslim and non-Muslim, discussed various issues including citizenship, the position of Muslim women, Sharia law and Salafism, a fundamentalist Sunni Muslim movement.

One of the speakers was the preacher Khalid Yassin; an earlier visit to the Netherlands was extremely controversial due to his radical ideas. Tarik Ramadan, a progressive Moslem known for his criticism of Islam, also gave a lecture.

Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders was also invited but the far-right MP refused the invitation saying, "never in 10 million years".

The Institute for Islamic Studies says today's congress was an overwhelming success and a follow-up will be organised. [Source: RNW] | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Vladimir Bukovsky: The European Union – The New Soviet Union?

Hat tip: The Destruction of Britain >>>

Beautiful Oman

Muscat: Capital of Oman

Rom setzt auf Härte gegen Immigranten
DIE PRESSE: Die Regierung hat die Gesetze gegen illegale Einwanderung verschärft. Flüchtlinge, die übers Meer kommen, werden schon auf hoher See abgefangen und zurückgeschickt. Das führt zu Protesten des UNHCR.

Rom. „Weil Europa uns alleingelassen hat“, so sagt Innenminister Roberto Maroni, greift Italien nun zur Selbsthilfe. Mit der Übergabe der ersten drei von sechs Küstenwachbooten an Libyen hat nun die Ära der italienisch-libyschen Seepatrouillen begonnen. Sie sollen Flüchtlingsboote spätestens in internationalen Gewässern abfangen und die Insassen nach Libyen zurücktransportieren.

Bereits in den vergangenen Wochen hatte Italien damit begonnen, mehr als 500 Flüchtlinge, die im Mittelmeer nahe der Insel Lampedusa aufgegriffen worden waren, umgehend nach Libyen zurückzuschicken. Das hatte zu Protesten des UN-Flüchtlingskommissariats UNHCR geführt: Es sei unrechtmäßig, Menschen noch vor jeglicher Prüfung eines Asylantrags abzuweisen. >>> Paul Kreiner | Freitag, 15. Mai 2009

Der letzte Kraftakt des Terminators
TAGES ANZEIGER: Der kalifornische Gouverneur Arnold Schwarzenegger kämpft um sein politisches Überleben. Das Volk entscheidet über sechs Vorlagen und damit auch über seine Zukunft.

2010 ist spätestens Schluss: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gouverneur von Kalifornien. Bild dank dem Tages Anzeiger
Ich freue mich, wieder hier in San Francisco zu sein», rief der Gouverneur in den vollen Saal des Hotels Fairmont. «Nach monatelangen Budgetverhandlungen freue ich mich, irgendwo zu sein. Diese Verhandlungen waren grauenhaft, schlimmer als der Dreh von ‹Hercules in New York›.» Arnold Schwarzenegger hatte die Lacher auf seiner Seite; die Anspielung auf seine Rolle des Mister Universe in seinem allerersten Film kam an. Es war einer der wenigen heiteren Momente für einen Gouverneur, der von seiner eigenen Partei völlig im Stich gelassen wird und dessen Popularitätskurve steil nach unten zeigt.

Am kommenden Dienstag entscheiden die Kalifornier, ob sie dem Gouverneur noch einmal eine Chance geben. Zur Abstimmung kommen sechs Vorlagen, um den an sich bankrotten Bundesstaat zu sanieren, darunter eine Ausgabenbremse sowie eine drastische Steuererhöhung, die kaum durchkommt. Umfragen zeigen, dass gar fünf der sechs Geschäfte auf der Kippe stehen. Der letzte Kraftakt des «Arnold Strong», der vor fünf Jahren angetreten war, den Staat von Grund auf zu reformieren und finanziell in Ordnung zu bringen, könnte misslingen. Dann hätte Schwarzenegger noch 18 Monate Zeit, einige der übrigen Reformvorhaben, namentlich eine Krankenversicherung für alle, unter Dach zu bringen. 2010 ist Ende: Wegen der Amtszeitbeschränkung muss er aufhören. >>> Von Walter Niederberger | Samstag, 16. Mai 2009

Massenarbeitslosigkeit und Armut: Proteste in ganz Europa
TAGES ANZEIGER: In europäischen Grossstädten sind Hunderttausende auf die Strasse gegangen – aus Angst vor Stellenabbau und Armut. In Berlin war auch eine Schweizer Rede zu hören.

Massenbewegung: Auch in Berlin zeigten die Menschen ihre Sorgen und forderten mehr Gerechtigkeit. Photo dank dem Tages Anzeiger
Die Menschen protestierten gegen den Sozial- und Stellenabbau, der wegen der Wirtschaftskrise immer mehr um sich greift. In Berlin versammelten sich am Samstag nach Angaben des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes (DGB) 100'000 Menschen; laut der Polizei waren es mehrere zehntausend. Unter dem europaweiten Motto «Fight the crisis – put people first» zogen die Demonstranten in zwei grossen Protestzügen durch die Innenstadt. >>> raa/sda | Samstag, 16. Mai 2009

THE TELEGRAPH: Europe in Deepest Recession Since War as Germany Suffers

German economic policy is "bankrupt", economists have said.

The declaration was made as it emerged that Europe's biggest economy has now suffered a worse "lost decade" than Japan and is deeper in recession than any other major economy.

On a day of dismal news for the European economy, official figures also showed that Italy, Austria, Spain and the Netherlands are facing their biggest combined slump in post-war history, sparking warnings about the potential for social unrest throughout Europe. >>> By Edmund Conway and Angela Monaghan | Friday, May 15, 2009

Cérémonie anti-homophobie à Paris
L’EXPRESS.fr: Une centaine d'homosexuel, bi- et transsexuels se sont rassemblés ce samedi à Paris à l'occasion de la 1ère cérémonie nationale en hommage aux victimes de l'homophobie.

Une centaine d'homosexuel(le)s, bi- et transsexuels ont participé ce samedi à Paris à la première cérémonie nationale en hommage aux victimes de l'homophobie.

A l'appel de l'association "Les Oubliés de la mémoire", de SOS Homophobie, et de l'IDAHO (International Day against Homophobia & Trans), les manifestants se sont regroupés au Square d'Ile-de-france et ont été sensibilisés à la lutte contre toutes formes de discriminations et de violences faites aux membres de leur communauté. Entre 10 000 et 15 000 personnes ont péri dans les camps de concentration en raison de leur orientation sexuelle.

Pour cette première cérémonie où l'Etat était représenté, des gerbes de fleurs avaient été déposées dans la crypte érigée en bas du square sur les berges de la Seine, où la Secrétaire d'Etat au droits de l'homme, Rama Yade, ainsi que certains élus de l'opposition sont venus se recueillir.

L'accent a été mis sur "la nécessité de lutter contre les tabous, contre les discriminations" à caractère homophobe et d'"éradiquer une certaine frilosité politique", a déclaré à l'AFP Jacques Lizé, président de SOS Homophobie. >>> Par LEXPRESS.fr avec AFP | Samedi 16 Mai 2009

Smuggling Alcohol to Iran

Unchaining Cheney
Dick Cheney. Photo credit: Townhall.com
TOWNHALL: Dick Cheney is unleashed! After eight years of being nearly invisible to the media, the former vice president has come forth bearing wrath. He is now a man on a mission, an angry messenger. Very simply, Cheney believes the Obama administration is putting the United States in danger by dismantling the Bush anti-terror programs.

And Cheney has one very large point. Since the sneak attack on September 11, 2001, America has not suffered another violent terrorist episode on its soil. That is not in dispute, and the former vice president believes tough interrogations and aggressive anti-terror moves were the cornerstones of the shield.

Cheney also has two big bullets in his rhetorical arsenal. First, the Obama administration recently released classified interrogation memos but did not release the follow-up reports detailing what was gleaned by water boarding and other rough stuff. Cheney wants those memos out.

And second, there is no doubt that Democrats like Nancy Pelosi knew all about water boarding and went along with the interrogation program because the CIA told them it was vitally important for national security.

So, believing the truth is on his side, Cheney has launched a one-man jihad against the Obama administration for canceling what he believes are life-protecting anti-terror strategies. >>> By Bill O’Reilly | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Britain Is Now the Savage Nation
TOWNHALL: American talk show host Michael Savage is banned from entering the United Kingdom. "You've got to be kidding!" was our first thought when we heard this news. But it's no joke. Michael Savage has strong opinions, but he is certainly no terrorist. Yet his name is lumped together with leaders of a Russian skinhead gang who are serving jail time for murdering 20 people, Hezbollah, Kashmiri terrorists, assorted Muslim and Jewish extremists plus a neo Nazi.

On the air for the past 15 years any talk host will undoubtedly make a few comments that offend people, but Savage has certainly never incited anyone to violence. Savage is very successful, reaching an audience of 8.25 million listeners each week. But all Americans should be outraged that the British government has placed him on their 'least wanted' list, banning him from entering the country. This is a blatant assault on freedom of speech.

Since 2005, the U.K. has been able to ban people who promote hatred, terrorist violence or serious criminal activity. On May 5, Britain's Home Office released the names of 16 of the 22 individuals who have been placed on the list since October of 2008. The report describes Savage as: "Controversial daily radio host. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence."

"This is someone who has fallen into the category of fomenting hatred, of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that it is actually likely to cause inter-community tension or even violence if that person were allowed into the country," said Home Secretary Jaqui Smith about Savage.

To place a successful talk host like Michael Savage on the same list as radical Muslim clerics, convicted criminals, and Russian skinheads is beyond outrageous. Yet we hear not a peep being said by the U.S. government and mainstream media in defense of Savage against this outrage. >>> By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown | Friday, May 15, 2009

Anti-capitalist Sentiment in Europe Grows Apace

Germany – Oskar Lafontaine: 'We Want to Overthrow Capitalism'

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, Left Party Chairman Oskar Lafontaine speaks about his party's chances in the upcoming elections, its alleged drift to the left and why Angela Merkel needs to work through certain aspects of her communist past. >>> | Thursday, May 14, 2009

BBC: France – Olivier Besancenot: French Rebel with a Cause

The young man dressed simply but smartly in a black shirt and jeans clutches a large microphone in one hand, while the other cuts the air, soars, jabs.

The impish grin has gone and he radiates passion and an air of seriousness - for all the world like the one member of a boy band who has the talent to go solo and live on beyond his good looks. (I owe my colleague John Lichfield, The Independent's superb Paris correspondent, for sparking the comparison.) Olivier Besancenot is the Robbie Williams of French Communism.

"Don't let them tell us that we are after utopia.

"It is" - and he spreads out the word to make a point about the economic crisis - "a pol-i-ti-cal choice: when there is a natural disaster, an earthquake or a war, the state declares a state of emergency. For us the social consequence of capitalism is a natural disaster". >>> Mark Mardell | Tuesday, May 12, 2009

India's Congress-Led Coalition Seen With Strong Lead
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Photo credit: The Wall Street Journal
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: NEW DELHI -- The India National Congress party and its allies appeared heading to a comfortable victory in India's national elections, with opposition parties conceding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would be in a position to form the next government.

Congress and its allies were far ahead in vote tallies and projections by a range of Indian news channels. Full results are expected in a few hours. The prospect of a return of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, which has ruled the country through an economic boom in the past five years, raised the likelihood that India would see a stable coalition government. That has been of crucial importance to companies and investors who are grappling with the impact of the global recession on the world's largest democracy. While India's economy has held up better than most, with growth projected at around 6% this year, it nonetheless has seen a downturn in several important sectors and mass layoffs in industries such as textile and diamond cutting.

The size of the UPA's expected victory was a major surprise. Exit polls from the voting, which has taken place since April 16, pointed to a close race between Congress and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads the National Democratic Alliance. >>> By Paul Beckett | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Festhalten an Guantánamo-Tribunalen: Obama erntet scharfe Kritik von Menschenrechtlern
WELT ONLINE: Internationale und US-amerikanische Menschenrechtsgruppen sind wütend auf Barack Obama. Mit scharfen Worten verurteilen sie die Entscheidung des US-Präsidenten, die Militärtribunale im Gefangenenlager Guantánamo auf Kuba wieder zuzulassen. Obama rücke auf gefährliche Weise von seinen Reformvorhaben ab, hieß es.

US-Präsident Barack Obama hat mit seiner Entscheidung zum Festhalten an den Militärtribunalen gegen Terrorverdächtige scharfe Kritik von Menschenrechtsorganisationen hervorgerufen. Es handle sich um eine „alarmierende Entwicklung, erklärte am Freitag das Zentrum für Verfassungsrechte in Washington, das sich seit Jahren um eine bessere Rechtsstellung der Gefangenen im US-Lager Guantánamo auf Kuba bemüht. Obama habe vor seiner Wahl die Hoffnung geweckt, mit den „gefährlichen Experimenten“ seines Amtsvorgängers George W. Bush zu brechen.

Das System der Militärtribunale sei „irreparabel fehlerhaft“, erklärte der Direktor von Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth. Indem die falsche Idee der Bush-Regierung wiederbelebt werde, rücke Obama auf gefährliche Weise von seinen eigenen Reformvorhaben ab.

Die American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) erklärte, die Militärtribunale zählten zu der „Politik der Folter, der illegalen Haft und der Verweigerung gerechter Prozesse“, die von der Regierung Bush verfolgt worden sei.

Amnesty International warf Obama vor, eines seiner zentralen Wahlversprechen gebrochen zu haben. Die Tribunale, die Obama selbst als enormen Fehler bezeichnet habe, müssten abgeschafft werden, forderte der Vertreter der Menschenrechtsorganisation, Rob Freer. >>> | Samstag, 16. Mai 2009

Vor dem Eurovision Song Contest: Moskau lässt Schwulen-Demo gewaltsam auflösen
WELT ONLINE: In Moskau hat die Polizei eine nicht genehmigte Kundgebung von Aktivisten für die Rechte von Homosexuellen brutal aufgelöst. Die Demonstranten wollten die Aufmerksamkeit aufgrund des Eurovision Song Contests nutzen, um die Menschenrechte für Schwule und Lesben einzufordern.

Bild dank der Welt
Die Moskauer Polizei hat vor dem Finale des Eurovision Song Contest eine Kundgebung von Homosexuellen gewaltsam aufgelöst. Teilweise im Würgegriff wurden am Samstag ein Dutzend Demonstranten aus Russland und Weißrussland vor der staatlichen Lomonossow-Universität abgeführt.

Die Demonstranten hatten bei der nicht genehmigten „Slavic Gay Parade“ Plakate entrollt, auf denen die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte für Schwule und Lesben gefordert wurde. Augenzeugen berichteten, dass Polizisten der Spezialeinheit OMON die Demonstranten jagten und sie in Gefängniswagen sperrten.

Auch der Vorsitzende des russischen Homosexuellen-Verbands, Nikolai Alexejew (31), wurde an Händen und Füßen in ein Polizei-Fahrzeug gezerrt. Die Geschehnisse wurden von zahlreichen Journalisten, darunter auch mehreren Fernsehteams, verfolgt. Die Polizei versuchte, die Medien mit Gewalt vom Ort der Auseinandersetzung zu vertreiben. Die festgenommenen Demonstranten beriefen sich immer wieder auf ihre Grundrechte. „Wir sind friedliche Menschen und wollen so leben wie andere auch“, rief eine Russin. >>> dpa/AFP/ks | Samstag, 16. Mai 2009

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La police interpelle une vingtaine de gays à Moscou

MANIFESTATION | Une vingtaine de personnes participaient à une manifestation en faveur des droits des homosexuels, quelques heures avant la finale du concours de l'Eurovision.

Une quinzaine de manifestants ont crié "L'homophobie est une honte pour la Russie!" et "Droits égaux pour tous", lors de leur rassemblement non autorisé, avant d'être emmenés par la police anti-émeute.

Une demi-douzaine ont été interpellés un peu plus tard, alors qu'ils cherchaient à parler avec des journalistes, selon un reporter de l'AFP sur place.

Nikolaï Alexeïev, fondateur du site internet GayRussia.ru et principal organisateur de la manifestation, programmée pour coïncider avec la finale de l'Eurovision, se trouvait parmi les manifestants interpellés, ainsi qu'un homme habillé en robe de mariée et un militant gay américain. [Source: TDG] AFP | Samedi 16 Mai 2009

Anger Mounts at Fate of Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo courtesy of TimesOnline
TIMESONLINE: There was a growing international outcry last night about the incarceration of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader, as more details emerged about the incident that led to her transfer to the country’s most notorious jail.

Ms Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, faces up to five years in Insein prison, a high-security institution which houses more than 2,000 political prisoners, after an American swam across a lake and sneaked into her house, where she was less than two weeks from completing a sentence of house arrest.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which rarely comments on its laureates, issued a statement saying that her detention in prison was totally unacceptable. Several governments, including Britain, the United States and Singapore, have also condemned Ms Suu Kyi’s treatment.

The wife of John Yettaw, the man who swam to Ms Suu Kyi’s home, said that he had done so once before, last year, but was prevented from seeing the Nobel laureate by her house staff. >>> James Bone | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Oman Navigates Between Iran and Arab Nations
Iranian smugglers operating last month at a port in Khasab, Oman, across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran. The smuggling is aided and taxed by officials in Oman. Photo credit: The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: MUSCAT, Oman — As Iran finds itself locked in an escalating cold war-style conflict with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, the quietly influential Sultanate of Oman has accelerated its cooperation with Tehran, nurturing an alliance that helps empower Iran while highlighting the deep divisions among Arab capitals.

Oman, a strategically vital, insistently pragmatic country, has refused overtures of its larger neighbors to pull away from Iran. Instead, it defied Egypt and Saudi Arabia by declining to join them in boycotting a summit meeting in Qatar in January that was held to support Hamas, the Iranian-backed militant group. The Iranian news agency Fars said that Oman and Iran were close to completing a security pact.

The close ties between Iran and Oman, and the reasons behind them, help explain the West’s failure to cripple Iran with trade sanctions, as well as the inability of Iran’s Arab opponents to build a unified opposition to its growing regional influence.

“For us, this is the expression of being realistic,” said Salim al-Mahruqi, a former Omani diplomat who had served in Washington. He now works for the Culture Ministry here in Muscat, the capital city.

“Iran is a big neighbor, and it is there to stay,” he said.

Oman, like Syria and Qatar, sees in Iran an important political and economic ally that is too powerful and too potentially dangerous to ignore, let alone antagonize. Even the United Arab Emirates, which is battling with Iranian leaders over the title to three Persian Gulf islands, has done little to stop billions of dollars in annual trade with Iran.

Rarely in the news, Oman has long been a pivotal behind-the-scenes player in the region. It is an absolute monarchy, led since 1970 by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has fostered a diplomatic approach that gives his nation the unique status of having close ties to both Iran and the United States.

Oman has at times served as a go-between for the two nations, and it has left open the possibility that the United States could use Omani military bases for staging operations in the region.

Unlike Syria and Qatar, which want larger regional roles, Oman is strictly focused on bolstering its domestic stability. Omanis continue the relationship with Iran because of historic ties, because they know it could easily overrun their nation, if it so chose, and because it has for generations been an important commercial partner. >>> By Michael Slackman* | Friday, May 15, 2009

*Mona el-Naggar contributed reporting from Oman.

The British Political Élite and Media Quake in Their Shoes as BNP Show Signs of Making Significant Breakthrough in Upcoming European Election
After years and years of unbridled greed, uncontrolled immigration, Islamization of the United Kingdom, and generally ignoring the wishes of the electorate, are we about to witness a spectacular first: The rise of the far-right in British politics?

Whilst this may be regrettable in many ways, the powers that be cannot say they weren’t warned. People of influence have ignored the wishes of the people for far, far too long. In short, they’ve treated the electorate with disdain and contempt. They have also had a ball. In many cases, on the back of the taxpayer. The ball, however, may soon be over. All good things come to an end. – ©Mark

THE TELEGRAPH: Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, is poised to become a key figure in the creation of a new far-right group in the European Parliament.

Leader of the British National Party Nick Griffin. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Fears are growing he will be at the centre of a wave of victories in next month's elections that would give nationalist parties a firm foothold in Europe.

Searchlight, the international anti-fascist magazine, has suggested they could pass the threshold of 25 MEPs from seven countries necessary to form a European Parliament grouping entitled to public funding worth up to £1 million per year.

Over the last year, Mr Griffin has strengthened links to extremist European groups to prepare the way for a far-right surge at euro elections next month.

High-level Labour sources have told The Daily Telegraph that a high abstention rate, fuelled by popular disgust over the Westminster MP expenses scandal, could lead to the election of at least four BNP MEPs, including Mr Griffin.

Should Mr Griffin be elected in the North West region with at least three colleagues from the North East, East Midlands and London, he would be among those competing to become the leader of Europe's far right.

Other extremist groups in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia are expected to make major gains during the elections after using the economic crisis to stir up resentment against Roma gipsy minorities.

The French National Front already has four MEPs led by Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was stripped of parliamentary privileges this year because he described Auschwitz as a "detail of history" during a debate in March.

A new political grouping would be eligible for £5 million of public funding over the next five year term of the European Union assembly enabling it to promote political links across Europe and publicise their cause with "information" and conferences.

Gordon Brown and other senior government members are afraid that public disenchantment with politicians and the economic crisis will lead to low turnout during the elections on June 4 and will open the door to the BNP and other far-right extremists across Europe.

"Their strategy is not just ideological but ruthlessly practical," said a spokesman for Searchlight. "If they are able to get group status with their colleagues then they will have access to millions of pounds in resources, paid by the taxpayer, to fund their campaigns." BNP Could Be at Heart of Far-right EU Group >>> By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Friday, May 15, 2009

Browsing and Cruising in Gay Damascus
THE MEDIA LINE: In a smoky Internet café tucked away on a Damascus side street, young Syrians sit in front of computer screens browsing websites and listening to the obligatory blend of Lebanese superstar Fairouz and Western pop music.

Huddled around some screens are groups of two or three men, gossiping over racy photos on Facebook, which have been accessed through a proxy that circumvents the national ban of the social networking website.

A few women wearing the hijab type quietly on MSN chat, giggling as they flirt online with the men society prevents them from socializing with in person.

This is a familiar scene throughout the Middle East.

Hidden from the casual eye, however, a different type of browsing is happening. In the back corner, a young man logs on to a gay social website searching for excitement of his own.

In a country known for its all-pervasive secret police, one would expect the gay community to be particularly fearful of persecution by the authorities. Technically, under Syrian law, sodomy is illegal and punishable by up to three years of incarceration. However, the law is rarely enforced.

In general, homosexual men do not describe feeling targeted or watched by the government any more than does the rest of the population.

Fadi,* a gay 22-year-old student at Damascus University, suggests that sexuality is rarely a cause for arrest in and of itself.

But gay men do worry that the information could be used against them if they were to commit a separate crime.

“What we are mostly afraid of is adding information to our file that could be used against us, or put us on special watch with the authorities,” he says.

Overall, however, Syria could be considered one of the region’s most gay-tolerant countries. Some websites targeting gay male travelers go so far as to describe Syria as a “gay paradise” – a blatant exaggeration, though perhaps not in comparison to the situation of gays in many neighboring Arab countries. >>> Marie Kelly | Thursday, May 14, 2009

* The names of all persons interviewed in this story have been changed for their security and privacy.

Turkish Immigrants Cement Islam in Germany

Pope Ends Trip with Mid-East Plea
'No more bloodshed, no more fighting, no more terrorism, no more war'
BBC: Pope Benedict XVI has finished his eight-day pilgrimage to the Middle East, calling for an end to fighting between Israel and the Palestinians.

At a farewell ceremony, attended by Israeli leaders, he called for "no more bloodshed, no more fighting".

He said the Holocaust "must never be forgotten or denied".
Israeli President Shimon Peres thanked him for his visit, calling it a "profound demonstration of the enduring dialogue" between Christians and Jews.

He particularly highlighted the Pope's statement about the Holocaust never being denied, saying it carried "substantive and special weight".

"It touched our hearts and minds."

The Pope, in reply, described the "powerful impressions" he had gathered during his visit.

Meeting Holocaust survivors at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem was "one of the most solemn moments" for him.

"Those deeply moving encounters brought back memories of my visit three years ago to the death camp at Auschwitz, where so many Jews - mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends - were brutally exterminated under a godless regime."

The "appalling chapter of history must never be forgotten or denied", he said. >>> | Friday, May 15, 2009

Fundamentalists Call for Kuwaiti Women to Boycott Elections
VOA: Kuwaiti voters go to the polls for their parliamentary elections Saturday. Some Kuwaiti Islamic fundamentalists are urging women candidates and voters not to participate in politics, saying it is anti-Islamic. But others are dismissing this claim, saying it is politically motivated. 



Aseel al-Awadi is running for a parliamentary seat. She is a university professor of philosophy at Kuwait University. She says it is time to see reform in Kuwait and no one is going to stop her from running for parliament. 



"I think women have to have a seat in parliament," she said. "It is about time that women have a role in politics in general. Practically speaking women should have representation in parliament, this is one reason. Another reason is [that] I am capable of doing something different in parliament given my credentials."



But some members of Kuwait's Islamic Salafi political party have called for a boycott of women candidates on the grounds that public offices are reserved only for men according to their interpretation of Islam. Walid al-Tabtabaei is a Salafi political member who is a candidate in the elections.

He says having women in positions of power goes against the teachings of Islam. 

He says they are opposed to women being a member of parliament for religious reasons because all the prophets are men not women for good reason and Islam says the burden for office is too great for women. >>> By Mandy Clark | Friday, May 15, 2009

Why the Silence about ‘Islam Day’?
THE DAILY SENTINEL: And just why, we can’t help but ask, is the ACLU not enjoying the sunny beaches of Hawaii at the moment? Or the Grand Junction atheists, for that matter?

They both could find, in our 50th state, a cause that makes prayer before Mesa County Commission meetings a matter of little consequence.

The Hawaii state Senate this week, with only a smattering of lawmakers objecting, passed a bill that proclaims Sept. 24, 2009, “Islam Day.” The bill, which aims to recognize “the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions” that Muslims have made to the world, has already passed the Hawaii House of Representatives and now only awaits the signature of the governor to be enacted into law.

No doubt Muslims have made contributions to the world. So have Christians, Jews, Buddhists and members of a lot of other religions. But they, unlike a few Muslims — and there are many more out there like them — didn’t kill more than 3,000 innocent Americans in 2001. We shouldn’t forget that, either.

The last time we checked, we could find no state that officially honors Christians, or Jews, or any other religion we can think of.

The United States has long been know for its tolerance. But tolerance should go only so far. Just ask the ACLU, or our local atheists, both groups that have fought long and hard for separation of church and state. Tolerance, for those groups, stops at the doors to public buildings.

We’ll forgive the local atheists. Hawaii, after all, is far outside their zone of influence, although we hope and expect that they would oppose the measure that is about to become law in Hawaii.

But the silence of the ACLU is perplexing.

It makes us wonder: Does the ACLU support separation of church and state, or simply separation of Christianity and state?
We think we know the answer. [Source: The Daily Sentinel] By The Daily Sentinel | Thursday, May 14, 2009