Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Blasts Israel in Sermon
TIMES ONLINE: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blasted arch-foe Israel, Western powers and foreign media networks in a sermon marking the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr earlier today.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the final say in all Iran's national issues, said a "Zionist cancer" was gnawing into the lives of Islamic nations.

The annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally held across Iran on Friday, he said, was a "day of loud and clear shouts" against this "deadly cancer of Zionism which is gnawing into the lives of the Islamic nations".

The all-powerful cleric added that the "deadly cancer was spreading through the invading hands of the occupiers and arrogant powers."

His anti-Israel remarks came two days after the Quds Day rally during which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had also slammed Israel and reiterated his controversial belief that the Holocaust was a "myth." >>> | Sunday, September 20, 2009

It’s Time to Adopt the Euro
Staying out of the Eurozone is costing the average Brit dear. The value of the pound sterling continues to decline and decline. The pundits are now already talking of parity with the euro. This is happening because of mismanagement of our economy and mismanagement of our currency.

Gordon Brown is guilty of the mismanagement of both the economy and the currency; but he is not alone. Successive governments since World War II have allowed the value of the pound sterling to halve approximately every ten years. That means to say that what one could buy for ten shillings in 1940, one would have had to pay a pound for in 1950, two pounds in 1960, four pounds in 1970, eight pounds in 1980, sixteen pounds in 1990, thirty-two pounds in 2000, and in 2010, it will cost one a staggering sixty-four pounds.

This rule holds for so many goods and services. If you don’t believe me, ask your grandmother what she paid for goods and services back in ‘the old days’, and compare prices today. Do some research on prices inbetween. You’ll find that the rule works a treat. I should be surprised if your conclusion will not be the same as mine: namely, that the value of our beloved pound sterling has halved approximately every ten years. Interestingly, in 1961/62, there were eight US dollars to the pound, and twelve Swiss francs. How many are there now? As of writing this, the pound is worth 1.62650 US dollars, and 1.68912 CHF, or Swiss francs. (Verify these figures here.) So if this is allowed to go on, we shall all be using the currency of a banana republic in just a few years. The pound sterling is becoming worthless!

I, for one, would prefer the euro, for the euro is proving itself to be a strong currency. I would like to handle such a currency on a day-to-day basis. I would have more faith in it than I have in the pound. The British authorities cannot be trusted to manage our currency; otherwise, they would not have allowed it to go to the wall as they have.

To all the sentimental people, I say this: We can’t afford to be sentimental; there is no room for sentiment in business. And to all those naysayers who worry about our sovereignty, I say this: We lost our sovereignty when we entered the European Union. That happened long ago. That train has already left the station. It’s time to catch the next train. The one that leads to the Eurozone!

Bring on the euro, I say. I can’t wait! – © Mark Alexander

All Rights Reserved

Japan’s Death Penalty Effectively Scrapped with Arrival of Keiko Chiba
TIMES ONLINE: Capital punishment has been unofficially scrapped in Japan with the appointment of a left-wing justice minister who is an outspoken opponent of the country’s controversial system of secret executions.

Keiko Chiba, 61, a lawyer and former member of the Japan Socialist Party, has the final say in signing execution orders for the country’s 102 death-row inmates. Although she has declined to say explicitly whether or not she will authorise them, her 20-year record as an active death penalty abolitionist means that hangings will be put on hold after surging in the past three years.

“A moratorium is important, but also important is a public debate, and she has called for that too,” said Makoto Teranaka, executive director of Amnesty International Japan.

Japan is the only industrialised democracy, apart from the United States, to maintain capital punishment. Campaigners opposed to the death penalty also say that it is carried out in a manner designed to avoid public scrutiny.

Once final appeals have been exhausted, death-row inmates can meet only their lawyers and immediate family members. Hangings are usually carried out during parliamentary holidays to prevent the subject from being raised in parliament. The condemned prisoner is told of his imminent execution only a few hours before it is carried out. His family are informed afterwards, when they are invited to collect his remains. >>> Richard Lloyd Parry | Saturday, September 19, 2009

Pound 'Will Fall to Parity with Euro'
THE TELEGRAPH: Sterling weakened yesterday to close at just over 90p to the euro for the first time in four months, amid renewed concern over the state of the British banking system.

The low came as currency experts predicted the pound would fall further and reach parity with the euro within the first three months of 2010. One euro was worth as much as 90.36p, the highest level close since May 11. A year ago a euro would only buy 79p.

Confidence about the UK currency was eroded when issues surrounding Lloyds Banking Group's participation in the asset protection scheme once again put the spotlight on Britain's financial system, highlighting the problems that remain.

The pound was also significantly weaker against the dollar, closing down almost two and a half cents at $1.6291.

Currency strategists at BNP Paribas suggested sterling's weakness was not just a short-term blip because sterling would be dragged down by ongoing loose monetary conditions in the UK, relative to the eurozone.

"Sterling is likely be the underperformer among the majors, despite a favourable global financial market environment, as the UK domestic picture is set to deteriorate, with the fiscal/monetary policy mix in particular working against sterling," they said in a note. >>> Angela Monaghan | Friday, September 18, 2009

THE TELEGRAPH:
With pound heading for euro parity, Brown's legacy will become clear >>> Damian Reece | Friday, September 18, 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy encore visé par des lettres anonymes
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: FRANCE | Six nouvelles lettres destinées à des personnalités politiques, dont le président français ont été interceptées. Elles contenaient chacune une balle.

Depuis fin 2008, une trentaine de lettres de menaces ont été envoyées à des personnalités françaises dont Nicolas Sakozy. Photo : Tribune de Genève
Selon le site du journal régional français, six nouvelles lettres contenant des balles ont été envoyées à des personnalités françaises dont le président français, le minsitre des Affaires étrangères Bernard Kouchner et le minsitre de la Culture Frédéric Mitterand.

Depuis fin 2008, c'est donc une trentaine de lettres de menaces, parfois accompagnées d'une balle et postées dans le Midi, qui ont été adressées par une mystérieuse «cellule 34» à des ministres ou personnalités de droite, dont Nicolas Sarkozy. >>> L.P. | Vendredi 18 Septembre 2009

Courage in Iran
TIMES ONLINE – Leading Article: President Ahmadinejad must be greeted by protests when he attends the UN next week. We must show the courageous people of Iran that they do not protest alone

The thousands of Iranians who took to the streets yesterday to protest against the fraudulent re-election of President Ahmadinejad and the growing repression throughout Iran showed extraordinary courage. The police, the Basij militias and the Revolutionary Guards have been given a free hand by the Government and by Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, the Supreme Leader, to crack down on anyone daring to stand up to the new dictatorship. The result has been appalling.

Hundreds of people have been seized on the streets, thrown into prison and subjected to brutal and arbitrary torture. Students, women, even random passers-by have been beaten, had their limbs broken and their nails pulled out. Most disgustingly, protesters, especially the young men, have been repeatedly raped — a cynical and deliberate humiliation that undercuts Iran’s claims to champion public morality and Muslim values.

It was especially brave of the demonstrators to take to the streets yesterday, a major political occasion for the Government when it flaunts its anti-Israeli credentials by commemorating Quds (Jerusalem) Day. Mr Ahmadinejad set the tone with a gratuitously provocative and mendacious denial of the Holocaust, calling it a pretext for the occupation of Arab land and asserting that Israel was created on “false and mythical claims”. His ravings are hardly surprising and are wholly in keeping with previous attempts to provoke the West and curry support among Islamist extremists. The protesters were all the more courageous therefore in undercutting this chicanery by publicly mocking the regime’s support for militants in Gaza and Lebanon and insisting that “our life is for Iran”. They must have known the likely terrible cost of their courage. >>> | Saturday, September 19, 2009

Mon quartier, ma monnaie
LE MONDE: Les Anglais ne veulent pas entendre parler de l'euro. Pas question d'abandonner cette livre sterling si chère à leur coeur et qu'ils jugent si fondamentale pour leur identité. Mais l'on dirait qu'elle ne leur suffit plus totalement. En moins d'une semaine, deux nouvelles devises sont apparues outre-Manche. Le "Brixton pound" (B£) verra officiellement le jour jeudi 17 septembre au soir. La "Stroud pound" est née le 12 septembre.

Dans les deux cas, il s'agit d'une monnaie purement locale, que les consommateurs ne peuvent utiliser que dans un périmètre réduit, le quartier de Brixton au sud de Londres pour la première, la ville de Stroud dans le Gloucestershire pour l'autre. En 2007, Totnes dans le Devon avait ouvert la voie, suivie, en septembre 2008, de Lewes dans l'est de l'Essex.

La Banque d'Angleterre regarde sans doute avec un certain mépris ces expériences qui fleurissent ici ou là. Car ces "devises locales", comme les appellent les économistes, ne font que cohabiter avec l'indétrônable sterling. Elles n'ont rien d'une monnaie au sens traditionnel du terme. Elles en ont l'apparence - elles se présentent sous la forme de billets - mais la comparaison s'arrête là. Elles n'ont aucune valeur sur le marché des changes, et n'existent pas à l'extérieur des frontières dans lesquelles elles ont vu le jour. Elles sont un simple instrument d'échange au sein d'une communauté, qui permet une sorte de troc version papier. Et personne n'est obligé de les adopter.

"Nous avons imprimé 40 000 billets, de un, cinq, dix et vingt B£", ce qui représente plus de 100 000 livres (112 000 euros), explique Tim Nichols, qui a géré l'affaire à Brixton pour le compte de l'association environnementale Transition Town, à l'origine du projet. >>> Reportage LeMonde.fr | Jeudi 17 Septembre 2009

Les Républicains fustigent
la «naïveté» d'Obama
Photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: John McCain a donné le ton en qualifiant de « grave erreur » la décision prise par le président américain d'abandonner le bouclier antimissile.

C'EST par un concert de protestations que le camp républicain a accueilli vendredi la décision du président Barack Obama d'abandonner le projet de défense antimissile que son prédécesseur avait prévu d'installer en Europe de l'Est pour se prémunir contre une éventuelle menace iranienne. Parmi les premiers à s'indigner, le sénateur John McCain, ancien rival de Barack Obama et numéro un du parti conservateur à la commission des forces armées, a notamment tonné contre « une grave erreur » : « Elle remet en question la sécurité et l'en­gagement diplomatique des États-Unis envers la Pologne et la République tchèque et risque de saper la perception du leadership américain » chez ses alliés est-europé­ens.

Le chef de la minorité républicaine du Sénat, Mitch McConnell, a jugé à courte vue et nuisible de « tourner le dos à nos alliés dans la guerre contre le terrorisme », tandis que le numéro deux du Sénat, Jon Kyl, expliquait que cette initiative laisse les États-Unis « vulnérables à la menace grandissante des missiles de longue portée ».

Dans l'ensemble, les conservateurs accusent l'Administration Obama de sous-estimer la menace iranienne et de faire des concessions à l'Iran et la Russie, deux pays jugés agressifs, au détriment de ses vrais alliés. «Carterisation» >>> Laure Mandeville, correspondante du Figaro à Washington | Vendredi 18 Septembre 2009

Lord Myners: Bankers Still Paid 'Far Too Much'
THE TELEGRAPH: Lord Myners, the City minister, has launched an extraordinary attack on unrepentant bankers and their “unacceptable” bonuses.

Lord Myners is a former City fund manager. Photo: The Telegraph
Bank chiefs have failed to show “contrition or humility” over their role in the global financial crisis and are still paid “far too much,” the minister said.

Even though the Government is the majority shareholder in several major banks, Lord Myners attacked “inadequate stewardship by the owners of the business” and accused owners of failing to control bankers’ pay.

Gordon Brown and his ministers have repeatedly promised to curb excessive pay in the City, but in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Lord Myners said bankers continue to enjoy “unacceptable” pay deals because of the “poor policing” of City firms.

“I think the top cadres in the banking industry are [still] paid far, far too much,” Lord Myners said. “They are over-rewarded for the skills they have, and the reason this is allowed to continue is inadequate stewardship by the owners of the business.”

After bailing out the British banking sector, the Government owns around 70 per cent of RBS and 43 per cent of Lloyds Banking Group. The state also owns Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley.

Stephen Hester, the Treasury-appointed chief executive of RBS, has a £9.6 million contract which has been criticised by opposition parties and trade unions. Other financiers at the state-controlled bank have also received large pay deals.

It emerged last month that RBS has paid multimillion-pound “golden hellos” to senior bankers. One, Antonio Polverino, has been guaranteed a £7 million payment for a year's work. >>> Mary Riddell and James Kirkup | Friday, September 18, 2009

British Police Training Libyan Force 'Insult to Memory of Pc Yvonne Fletcher'
THE TELEGRAPH: British police officers have been secretly training members of Libya's force despite the country's refusal to hand over the killer of Pc Yvonne Fletcher.

Pc Fletcher was shot dead outside the Libyan embassy in 1984. Photo: The Telegraph
The training programme, which was approved by Jacqui Smith when she was home secretary, began shortly after Tony Blair met the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in 2007. It has been described as an "insult to the memory of Yvonne Fletcher" and a "stab in the back" for officers.

The disclosure came days after the Police Federation accused the Government of "selling its soul for trade deals" with Libya after allegedly agreeing that the gunman who shot Pc Fletcher outside the Libyan embassy 25 years ago would not be tried in Britain.

It was understood that Pc Fletcher's own force, the Metropolitan Police, was among those thought to have sent officers to Libya, along with at least one officer from Northern Ireland, where dozens of civilians were killed by IRA bombs made with Libyan-supplied Semtex.

The police training scheme was organised by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) following a request from the Foreign Office, the British embassy in Tripoli and the Home Office. It involves British officers training their Libyan counterparts in leadership and forensic techniques.

Paul McKeever, the chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, described the Foreign Office as "naïve and insensitive" in setting up the scheme.

"This will anger and disgust rank and file officers who believe Libya should be more proactive in securing the arrest of Pc Fletcher's killer," he said. "This one-way traffic, where we do all the giving and they just take, must stop." >>> Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor | Friday, September 18, 2009

Aux Pays-Bas, un député propose une taxe sur le voile
LE FIGARO: Le populiste Geert Wilders, connu pour ses idées islamophobes, estime que cette taxe permettrait «enfin de récupérer un peu d'argent de la part de l'islam». La plupart des députés se sont offusqués de cette idée.

En période de vote du budget, toutes les idées sont bonnes pour remplir les caisses de l'État… Le chef du Parti néerlandais pour la liberté, le populiste Geert Wilders, vient de proposer la création d'un nouvel «impôt sur le voile». Cette «taxe sur les chiffons sur la tête», selon l'expression du député controversé, connu pour ses idées islamophobes, serait de 1.000 euros par an.

«Celles qui veulent porter le hidjab (voile islamique) devront d'abord en obtenir le permis», a lancé Wilders, qui espère ainsi «démotiver» les musulmanes. «Si cette taxe était introduite, nous récupérerions enfin un peu d'argent de la part de l'islam», a-t-il déclaré, ajoutant que «les mosquées, les voiles islamiques et les hommes à barbe en djellabas polluent les rues des Pays-Bas».

Le produit de cette «taxe» serait affecté à des «programmes d'émancipation des femmes» ou à des refuges pour femmes battues. La plupart des députés se sont offusqués de l'idée. «Vous voulez introduire une police du vice, comme en Iran, s'est exclamée Femke Halsema, présidente des Verts. Honte à vous !» [Source: Le Figaro] S. K. | Vendredi 18 Septembre 2009

Related: DUTCH NEWS.nl:
Anger at Wilders’ Headscarf Tax >>> © DutchNews.nl | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Proche-Orient : Colonies: Mitchell échoue
leJDD.fr: L'émissaire américain au Proche-Orient, George Mitchell, n'est pas parvenu à rapprocher les points de vues israélien et palestinien sur le dossier des colonies juives de Cisjordanie, en dépit de multiples navettes diplomatiques.

L'émissaire de Barack Obama, George Mitchell, et Benjamin Netanyahou vendredi à Jérusalem. Crédits photo : leJDD.fr
A l'issue de son dernier entretien avec le Premier ministre Benjamin Netanyahou, à Jérusalem, un membre du gouvernement israélien a jugé possible de geler les constructions dans les implantations juives plus de six mois mais pas pendant un an comme souhaité par l'administration américaine. "Israël acceptera d'étendre ce gel au-delà de six mois, peut-être neuf mois, mais moins d'un an", a déclaré à la presse ce responsable ayant requis l'anonymat.

"La visite de Mitchell s'est achevée sans accord", a quant à lui conclu Saëb Erekat, principal négociateur palestinien, après une nouvelle visite de l'ancien sénateur américain à Ramallah, où il a rencontré le président de l'Autorité palestinienne Mahmoud Abbas. George Mitchell a ensuite repris la route de Jérusalem pour une dernière entrevue avec le chef du gouvernement israélien, avant de regagner Washington au terme d'une semaine de tractations. Contre la montre >>> Alain Kuras-Armand (avec Reuters), leJDD.fr | Vendredi 18 Septembre 2009

Muslim Men Can Force Their Wives To Have Sex And Hit / Beat Them If They Are Disobedient

British Tourists Warned Over India Terror Plot
SKY NEWS: British tourists travelling to India have been warned to be on their guard amid reports of a terrorist plot against Westerners.

Pakistani militants are planning a wave of strikes at tourist sites including Delhi, Mumbai and Goa in the south, according to reports.

The Foreign Office updated its travel advice - advising travellers to be extra vigilant on days of national significance including Diwali on October 17.

The level of threat remains unchanged at "high".

The warning follows news that Israel has warned its citizens to avoid the country completely.

According to Israeli media - including the country's Channel Two - intelligence sources believe al Qaeda operatives are planning to target Western and Jewish tourists.

The plots are said to be styled on the attacks in Mumbai last November when 10 gunmen went on the rampage.

Mumbai's anti-terrorism force said they had been liaising with Israel over the intelligence. >>> | Friday, September 18, 2009

Clashes in Tehran as Opposition Defies Regime Warnings
TIMES ONLINE: Supporters of the opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi fought running battles with riot police and hardliners on the streets of Tehran today as tens of thousands joined the first protests against President Ahmadinejad for two months.

The demonstrators defied warnings of a "decisive" crackdown from the elite Revolutionary Guard to mount the protest during the annual al-Quds rally, a mass display of solidarity with the Palestinians that is one of the set pieces of the Islamic regime.

Mr Mousavi himself was forced to abandon his own plans to join in the rally after an angry mob shouting "Death to the hypocrite Mousavi" attacked his car.

Another leading reformist, the former president Mohammad Khatami, was also roughed up on the streets of Tehran and had to leave after his robe was ripped and his turban fell to the ground. >>> Philippe Naughton | Friday, September 18, 2009

Iranian President Raises Stakes Against Israel
REUTERS: TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad raised the stakes against Israel on Friday and called the Holocaust a lie, just as world powers try to decide how to deal with the nuclear ambitions of an Iran in political turmoil.

"The pretext (Holocaust) for the creation of the Zionist regime (Israel) is false ... It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim," he told worshippers at Tehran University at the end of an annual anti-Israel "Qods (Jerusalem) Day" rally.

"Confronting the Zionist regime is a national and religious duty."

Ahmadinejad's anti-Western comments on the Holocaust have caused international outcry and isolated Iran, which is at loggerheads with the West over its nuclear program.

The hard-line president warned leaders of Western-allied Arab and Muslim countries about dealing with Israel.

"This regime (Israel) will not last long. Do not tie your fate to it ... This regime has no future. Its life has come to an end," he said in a speech broadcast live on state radio.

Britain was swift in condemning Ahmadinejad's remarks, calling them "abhorrent as well as ignorant."

"It is very important that the world community stands up against this tide of abuse. This outburst is not worthy of the leader of Iran," Foreign Secretary David Miliband said. >>> Parisa Hafezi and Firouz Sedarat | Friday, September 18, 2009

«Keine Kompensationsgeschäfte mit den USA» : Der russische Präsident Medwedew im NZZ-Interview
NZZ ONLINE: Der russische Präsident Dmitri Medwedew begrüsst die Ankündigung von US-Präsident Obama, auf eine Raketenabwehr in Osteuropa zu verzichten. Medwedew dämpft aber die Erwartungen, Moskau sei im Gegenzug in anderen Fragen wie Iran zu Konzessionen an Washington bereit. Er sagte, es gebe keine einfachen Kompromisse und Kompensationsgeschäfte.

Der russische Präsident Dmitri Medwedew beim Interview in der Residenz Maiendorf. Bild: Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Die USA haben entschieden, auf das Raketenabwehrsystem in Ostmitteleuropa zu verzichten. Wie reagieren Sie darauf?

Das Signal ist sehr gut. Es zeigt, dass unsere amerikanischen Partner zumindest bereit sind, sich Positionen der russischen Seite anzuhören, und dass sie bereit sind, Entscheidungen zu treffen, die auf eine Beruhigung der Lage ausgerichtet sind. Ich glaube nicht, dass von der Raketenabwehr in Europa irgendjemand profitiert hätte, ausser einer Gruppe von Politikern, die diese Entscheidung vorangetrieben hat, und die Unternehmen, welche die Abwehrraketen und den Radar liefern. Die Lage in Europa hätte sich dadurch in keiner Weise verbessert, die Beziehungen zwischen Russland und den USA und leider in der Folge auch zwischen Russland und Europa hätten sich spürbar verschlechtert. Deshalb waren wir von Anfang an gegen diese Idee. Und wenn diese nun in dieser Form nicht realisiert wird, ist das sehr gut für Europa und für die russisch-amerikanischen Beziehungen.

Würde Russland dann auch in anderen Feldern auf die USA zugehen?

Mit Barack Obama möchten wir wirklich neue Beziehungen aufbauen. Sehr wichtig ist dabei, dass wir eine ähnliche Ausbildung genossen haben. Wir sind erwachsene Leute, und das heisst, dass wir nicht die eine Entscheidung von einer andern abhängig machen. Aber natürlich wird in der Politik auch nach Punkten abgerechnet. Wenn sich unsere Partner unsere Besorgnis anhören, werden wir ihrer Besorgnis aufmerksamer begegnen. Das bedeutet aber keine einfachen Kompromisse und Kompensationsgeschäfte. Aber wenn man uns zuhört, ist das ein offensichtliches Zeichen dafür, dass wir aufmerksam unseren amerikanischen Partnern zuhören sollten. >>> Interview: Markus Ackeret und Gerald Hosp | Freitag, 18. September 2009

Das vollständige Interview mit Präsident Medwedew erscheint in der Printausgabe der NZZ vom 19. September

An dem Gespräch waren auch das Schweizer Fernsehen und «Le Matin Dimanche» beteiligt.

Vor der Bundestagswahl: Al-Qaida droht Deutschland mit Terroranschlägen
WELT ONLINE: Es sind die bislang schärfsten Drohungen des Terrornetzwerks al-Qaida gegen Deutschland: Wenn die Bundestagswahl nicht zu einem Abzug der Bundeswehr aus Afghanistan führe, werde es zu einem lang andauernden Konflikt in Deutschland kommen. Die Sicherheitsbehörden sprechen von "erhöhter Gefährdungslage".

Eine Woche vor der Bundestagswahl droht al-Qaida Deutschland mit massiven Terroranschlägen. In einer neuen Video-Botschaft warnt der Deutsch-Marokkaner Bekkay Harrach vor einem lang andauernden Konflikt, sollten die deutschen Soldaten nicht aus Afghanistan abgezogen werden.

Harrach zählt als einziger Deutscher zur Planungsebene von al-Qaida. Er hatte sich bereits zweimal mit Videobotschaften an die Deutschen gewandt. Im Januar 2009 sprach er von einem „Rettungspaket“ für Deutschland, im Februar äußerte er sich zum Thema Islam und Finanzkrise. Das Video stammt von der zu al-Qaida gehörenden „Al-Fajr Media“.

Sollten die Deutsche ihre Parteien bei der Wahl nicht zu einem Abzug aus Afghanistan zwingen, dann werde es nach den Wahlen "ein böses Erwachen" geben, sagt Harrach in dem Video, das WELT ONLINE vorliegt. "Entscheidet sich das deutsche Volk jedoch für eine Fortsetzung des Krieges, dann hat es sein eigenes Urteil gefällt und obendrein noch der ganzen Welt demonstriert, dass in einer Demokratie die Zivilisten dennoch nicht unschuldig sind." >>> Von

MSNBC: Ahmadinejad Interviewed

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

France Adopts Law Facilitating Islamic Bonds

REUTERS – INDIA: PARIS - The French parliament passed a law on Thursday which will facilitate the issuance of Islamic bonds despite opposition from leftist parties.

The adoption of the law, which was voted in by the Senate, or upper house of parliament, on June 9 modifies the legal framework for what is known as "fiducie", the French equivalent of trust in the United Kingdom.

In theory, this should facilitate the issuance of Islamic bonds, also known as "sukuk", although the government has been working on an alternative tool for issuing such debt, which could involve further legal measures.

The move is part of France's two-year drive to create a new European hub for Islamic finance, whose value globally is estimated at $1 trillion.

The ruling UMP party and the New Centre voted for the law while opposition came from the Socialist Party and other left-leaning groups, highlighting resistance from some quarters in France to altering the law in a way that could be seen to affect secular traditions.

"We are introducing Islamic law into the French legal framework," said Henri Emmanuelli from the Socialist Party. "This deeply shocks us, it is unacceptable," he said. Some experts hope that France… >>> Additional reporting by Cecilia Valente in London; Reporting by Emile Picy; Editing by Ruth Pitchford | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Smokers Are Now New York's Most Discriminated Minority
Michael Rubens Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg was born in 1942. His estimated net worth is $16 billion (Forbes). He is of Russo-Polish descent. He is said to be an ex-chainsmoker; and this probably explains why he likes harassing people about their smoking habit. He was the Mayor of New York City who introduced the smoking ban in enclosed spaces there. His new crusade is to ban smoking in open spaces such as parks and playgrounds.

Some would consider this man to be a pesky, self-satisfied pip-squeak, his fortune notwithstanding. In any case, he would do well to go away and enjoy his money and leave others alone to have their own fun. Life is too short for bores like this. By the way, is this man short by any chance? – © Mark

THE GUARDIAN: Mayor Bloomberg is extending the New York smoking ban to outdoor public spaces, so London will probably follow suit in a year or two

Maybe the ferocity against Barack Obama in America is generated less by the colour of his skin than by the fact that he still has the odd cigarette. He has always been splendidly honest about this. Unlike Bill Clinton, who lied about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, the current president refuses to lie about his smoking (which many may regard as a more grievous offence than a sexual misdemeanour). Even after signing into law a new anti-smoking measure, he confessed to having "sometimes fallen off the wagon" in his struggle to quit.

To say this in the current American climate is brave; for the country seems to be moving inexorably towards prohibition. By admitting to being even an occasional smoker, Obama identifies himself with an minority that is now more likely to suffer discrimination than any ethnic minority group. The Mayor of New York, a former smoker himself, has even encouraged the harassment of smokers by saying that giving them "a not particularly nice look" when passing them in the street has shown that "social pressure really does work".

New Yorkers light up in the street because they are mostly forbidden to do so indoors; but even their right to smoke in the open air is under threat. The city's health commissioner, Thomas Farley, has said that he wants to ban smoking in New York's 1,700 parks and playgrounds, and on its 14 miles of beaches – a first step, one would guess, towards banning it everywhere. The mayor seems to have been taken by surprise by Dr Farley's plan, but he did not rule it out. He said that he wanted first "to see if smoking in parks has a negative impact on people's health", which is just about as verifiable as the existence of God. As he campaigns for re-election, however, he probably just wants to see what the popular reaction is, for he himself is as much an anti-smoking fanatic as Adolf Hitler and King James I of England before him. >>> Alexander Chancellor | Friday, September 18, 2009

Other articles by Alexander Chancellor here

Related:
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE:
New York songe à bannir la clope de ses parcs et places de jeux >>> Jean-Cosme Delaloye, New York | Jeudi 17 Septembre 2009

Lockerbie Bomber Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi Releases Appeal Dossier
TIMES ONLINE: The Lockerbie bomber today released the papers that he believes would have secured his release on appeal.

In an act of revenge on the Scottish legal system Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi published the 300-page dossier which challenges key planks of the prosecution case against him.

The papers detail how his identification as the man who purchased clothing found wrapped around the bomb that caused the explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 was flawed. The evidence by Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci was crucial to the Libyan's conviction.

It also argues there was insufficient evidence to prove the date of the purchase and questions the prosecution's claim that the bomb was planted at Luqa airport in Malta.

Al-Megrahi said in a statement: “I have returned to Tripoli with my unjust conviction still in place.

“As a result of the abandonment of my appeal, I have been deprived of the opportunity to clear my name through the formal appeal process.

“I have vowed to continue my attempts to clear my name.” >>> Charlene Sweeney | Friday, September 18, 2009

Extract: Khatami Attacked, Ahmadinejad Denies the Holocaust
YNET NEWS: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech at Tehran University, hinting once again that the Holocaust never took place.

According to him, "If the Holocaust was planned by the West, why won't you allow any research on the Holocaust? The Holocaust has turned into a black box and they won't let anyone open it and examine it… If this is such an important event, why won't you let us reveal the reality to the entire world?"

'Zionists greatest criminals in history'

Ahmadinejad reiterated his past "proposal", to have the Jews immigrate to other country. "Why don't they immigrate to Canada or the United States? They can go live in other countries. The Palestinian people don’t have to pay for your crime. What is the Palestinians' sin?

"The Zionists are the greatest criminals in history. Resisting the Zionists is a national duty and a religious commandment and a human duty. The Zionist regime is a tree with rotten roots," Ahmadinejad said.

He added, "It's clear that this fake regime was established for colonialist goals, and there is no logic behind its establishment." The crowd responded by chanting, "Death to Israel." [Source: YnetNews] Dudi Cohen and Reuters | Friday, September 18, 2009

BBC – Auschwitz: The Final Solution
Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



Part 5:

Danish Interview (with Translation): Naser Khader Interviewed by Flemming Rose

HT: Flemming Rose Interviews Naser Khader >>> Baron Bodissey | Sunday, March 29, 2009

New Protests in Iran (September 18, 2009)


THE GUARDIAN:
New Protests in iran >>> Matthew Weaver | Friday, September 18, 2009

Quds Day in Tehran


THE INDEPENDENT:
Iran security forces 'clash with protesters' >>> Reuters | Friday, September 18, 2009

L'enfance perdue des Yéménites
L’EXPRESS.fr: Le décès d'une fillette de 12 ans pendant son accouchement, au Yémen, rappelle que de terribles traditions sont toujours appliquées dans ce pays, où près de 50% des filles sont mariées avant 15 ans.

A 12 ans, les enfants vont à l'école, dessinent, jouent avec leur copains et apprennent leurs leçons. Ils n'ont pas trop d'inquiétudes.

La petite Fawzia Abdallah Youssef, elle, n'a pas eu cette chance: elle est décédée d'une hémorragie survenue alors qu'elle accouchait, dans un hôpital de la province de Hajja, au nord de Sanaa, la capitale de Yémen. La petite est morte peu après son arrivée à l'hôpital, et l'enfant est mort-né.

Le Yémen n'est malheureusement pas le seul pays où les filles subissent des traditions aussi violentes. On compte aussi l'Arabie saoudite, l'Egypte et l'Afghanistan. Crédits photo : L’Express

Selon l'Organisation yéménite pour la protection de l'enfance (Seyaj), Fawzia "avait été retirée de l'école et mariée de force à onze ans par sa famille qui vit dans le besoin". Son père souffrait d'insuffisance rénale.

"Le cas de Fawzia illustre le drame de celles que nous appelons "les fiancées de la mort", des fillettes de moins de 15 ans que l'on marie de force le plus souvent pour des raisons économiques", a déclaré le directeur de Siyaj, Ahmad al-Qourashi. >>> Par Nathalie Kantt | Lundi 14 Septembre 2009

Unnötiger Triumph für den Kreml
NZZ ONLINE: Kommentar zu Obamas Verzicht auf die Raketenabwehr in Ostmitteleuropa

Noch bleibt undurchsichtig, was genau zur Schubladisierung der amerikanischen Pläne für eine Raketenabwehr in Ostmitteleuropa geführt hat und ob Präsident Obama im Gegenzug etwas dafür in Russland herausgeholt hat. Sicher aber ist, dass diese Entscheidung eine markanten Änderung des amerikanischen Kurses bedeutet.

In der Regierungszeit von Obamas Vorgänger Bush hatten die Vereinigten Staaten die Entwicklung der Technologie zur Zerstörung gegnerischer Interkontinentalraketen ausserhalb der Erdatmosphäre noch mit aller Kraft vorangetrieben. Was in den achtziger Jahren als Idee à la «Star Wars» belächelt worden war, ist in der Zwischenzeit der technischen Reife recht nahe gekommen. 2004 nahmen die USA in Alaska ihre erste Abfangraketen-Basis in Betrieb; sie war Amerikas Antwort auf die Entwicklung nordkoreanischer Raketen mit immer längeren Reichweiten.

Die falschen Signale

Die Abwehrbasis in Polen und die dazugehörige Radarstation in Tschechien wurden analog dazu als Vorkehrungen gegen das islamistische Regime in Teheran projektiert. Angesichts der Fortschritte, die Iran beim Raketenbau und auf dem Weg zur Atombombe gemacht hat, erscheint die damalige Entscheidung auch heute noch als korrekt. Obama hat sich denn auch nicht völlig davon losgesagt, sondern nur eine Warteschlaufe angeordnet. Falls die iranische Bedrohung im nächsten Jahrzehnt akut wird, wie manche Geheimdienste annehmen, so wird kein amerikanischer Präsident – ob Demokrat oder Republikaner – zögern, die Raketenabwehrpläne wieder hervorzuholen. >>> Von Andreas Rüesch | Donnerstag, 17. September 2009

Beschneidung: So brutal werden Frauen verstümmelt
WELT ONLINE: Mehrere Millionen Mädchen in Afrika und Asien müssen jedes Jahr die Beschneidung ihrer Genitalien ertragen. Oft leiden sie danach ein Leben lang. Eine neue Kampagne fordert nun, dass Patenschafts-Organisationen stärker gegen die grausige Praxis vorgehen. Doch die sehen die Sache etwas anders.

Fatous kleine Tochter sitzt auf ihrem Schoß. Sie weint und quengelt, denn sie bekommt gerade Zähne. In Fatous Heimatland würde der Anderthalbjährigen bald ein größerer Schmerz bevorstehen. Im Senegal würden dem Mädchen mit den winzigen Zöpfchen wahrscheinlich bald die äußeren Geschlechtsorgane ganz oder teilweise abgeschnitten werden.

Der Schmerz dabei ist das einzige, woran sich ihre Mutter Fatou noch erinnert. Sie weiß nicht, wie alt sie war, als sie mit den anderen Mädchen aus ihrem Dorf in den Busch ging, wo das Ritual feierlich an ihnen vollzogen wurde. Nur dieser unglaubliche Schmerz ist ihr so heiß in Erinnerung, als sei der Tag ihrer Verstümmelung gar nicht lange her.

Heute sitzt die 26 Jahre alte Fatou in einem Café am Berliner Landwehrkanal. Der Senegal ist weit weg. Den Zorn darüber, dass noch jeden Tag Mädchen in ihrer Heimat ihr Schicksal teilen müssen, hat Fatou mit nach Deutschland gebracht. „Als ich 17 war habe ich in meinem Dorf ein totes Baby gesehen. Es starb an den Folgen der Verstümmelung, wahrscheinlich ist es verblutet“, erzählt Fatou, „Ich konnte nicht mehr aufhören, an dieses kleine Mädchen zu denken. Das konnte doch einfach nicht richtig sein, was wir da taten.“

Mittlerweile ist Fatou als "Sister Fa" in ihrer westafrikanischen Heimat eine gefeierte Rap-Musikerin. Sie bricht Tabus, denn sie singt auch über die Genitalverstümmelung. Und sie redet darüber, dass all die Entwicklungshelfer in ihrem Land nichts bewirken. Deshalb macht Fatou in Deutschland bei einer neuen Kampagne mit, die seit heute mangelnden Schutz von Mädchen in Patenkind-Programmen anprangert.

Der Name ist sperrig, das Anliegen aber klar: Das „Bündnis zum Schutz von Mädchen vor Genitalverstümmelung in Patenkind-Programmen deutscher Entwicklungshilfe“ ist eine Taskforce aus Menschenrechtlern und Künstlern. Ihr Vorwurf ist gewaltig, greift er doch das gute Gewissen des deutschen Bürgertums an – Patenkind-Organisationen, allen voran "Plan", "World Vision" und die Kindernothilfe. Sie dulden, so der Vorwurf, dass hunderttausende Mädchen in ihren Programmen der Genitalverstümmelung ausgesetzt sind, obwohl sie damit werben, das Leben der Mädchen „nachhaltig zu verbessern“ (so ein Werbespruch der Organisation "Plan"). >>> Von Christina Brüning | Donnerstag, 17. September 2009

Etre officier et gay, ce n’est plus un tabou
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: ARMÉE SUISSE | Les homosexuels s’affichent dans la grande muette, avec le soutien du haut commandement. Une évolution qui doit tout à un club d’officiers influents.

«L’armée est un milieu souvent homophobe», reconnaît Beat Steinmann (52 ans), colonel EMG de milice. Quand on parle d’homosexualité dans les casernes, c’est surtout pour faire de l’humour graveleux. «Les choses vont changer, même si ça doit prendre du temps», jure Beat Steinmann.


Conseiller en business chez Ruag Electronics, le Bernois témoigne de son homosexualité dans le dernier numéro d’Intra, magazine des employés de la Défense. La publication ne provoque pas que de l’enthousiasme en Suisse romande. «Je n’avais jamais vu un haut gradé confier publiquement qu’il est gay», s’étonne un adjudant vaudois. «Dans l’armée, celui qui avoue son homosexualité est encore un drôle de spécimen, reconnaît Beat Steinmann. C’est encore un sujet tabou pour de nombreuses personnes, voire une source d’irritation pour certains.»



La révolution cette année

Beat Steinmann a créé en 2005 l’association des QueerOfficers (queer signifie homosexuel en argot américain). Avec pour mission de briser un tabou dans la grande muette, et de venir en aide aux homosexuels qui seraient discriminés. Le mouvement compte 75 officiers, hommes et femmes, essentiellement alémaniques. «Nous réfléchissons à l’étendre aux sous-officiers et aux soldats.» Certains gradés au plus haut niveau seraient sympathisants, mais sans être affiliés.


La vraie révolution est en marche depuis cette année: un concept de respect de toutes les minorités, raciales, religieuses ou sexuelles, déjà appliqué dans de grandes boîtes comme Novartis ou Credit Suisse. Les Queer ont su convaincre André Blattmann, chef de l’armée, en lui parlant de «gestion des risques». L’armée n’est pas à l’abri de gros problèmes de discrimination, donc «il vaut mieux prendre les devants plutôt que d’attendre qu’une mine n’explose». Concrètement, l’armée impose maintenant des cours de sensibilisation à ses cadres. La plus gayfriendly >>> Patrick Chuard | Vendredi 18 Septembre 2009

Aceh Govt. Refuses to Sign Stoning By-law
THE JAKARTA POST: The Aceh provincial government will not sign the controversial Islamic bylaw allowing adulterers to be stoned to death, an official said.

Hamid Zein, the head of the legal bureau of the Aceh governor’s office, said Thursday that the administration has firmly rejected the bylaw passed by the legislative council on Monday.

“As long as the executive and legislative bodies do not settle differences in the application of [capital punishment by] stoning, the Aceh government will not sign the bylaw,” Hamid said.

In the deliberation he said government representatives had repeatedly stated objections to the inclusion of the stoning penalty for adulterers in the Islamic criminal code (jinayat). Aceh is the country’s only province with special provisions allowing it to have Islamic sharia-based laws.

However, following initial endorsement of the bylaw, Home Minister Mardiyanto said the government would file a review to the Supreme Court, saying it was “detrimental” to Acehnese and would “frighten” visitors and investors, as well as possibly not respecting the [national] constitution.

His statement signaled the first time the central government had intervened in the issuance of rules and legislation by the Aceh administration and council.

The National Commission on Violence against Women has gone further, calling for a judicial review of the 2006 law on Aceh’s governance that provided its authority to issue sharia-based laws, saying that the bylaw was contrary to human rights.

Governor Irwandi Yusuf on Thursday declined to comment. >>> Hotli Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post , Bandah Aceh | Friday, September 18, 2009

Halal Food: Cut-throat Competition
THE ECONOMIST: Feeding Europe’s Muslims is a growing business

JUST before the beginning of Ramadan, the month-long Muslim fast which ends this weekend, an unusual advertisement appeared on French television. Panzani, a pasta-maker, was touting its Zakia line of halal ready-meals. In a secular nation it seemed like “a little revolution”, as Le Parisien, a newspaper, put it. The French can presumably take it in their stride. The trade in halal food is growing fast, and is likely to continue to do so.

Big food producers have long catered to Muslims, a market worth some $630 billion globally according to KasehDia, a consulting company that specialises in the trade. Nestlé has produced halal goods since the 1980s; 75 of its 456 factories now have a halal certification. But only recently have big European shops followed suit. Carrefour, the world’s second-largest retailer, launched a new range of products just in time for Ramadan. Casino, a French supermarket chain, has a halal line, and British outfits Tesco and Sainsbury’s carry halal products. KFC, an American fast-food chain, is conducting a trial of halal food in eight of its British restaurants. All its French ones are already halal certified.

The main reason for growth is demographic. Although many European countries do not tally Muslims or any other religious group (estimates in France range from 4m to 7m) it is clear that Muslim populations have grown quickly as a result of immigration and higher birth rates. Many of the people who sought asylum in Western Europe in the first half of this decade were Muslims from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohammad were all among the 100 most popular baby boys’ names in England and Wales last year. >>> | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Halal Focus >>>

The Gay Sons of Allah: Wave of Homophobia Sweeps the Muslim World
To identify anyone trying to use homosexuality as an excuse to get out of military service, army doctors ask to see photos or videos showing the recruits engaging in sex with a man. And they have to be in the "passive" role. In Turkey being in the active role is considered manly enough not to be proof of homosexuality.

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In most Islamic countries, gay men and women are ostracized, persecuted and in some cases even murdered. Repressive regimes are often fanning the flames of hatred in a bid to outdo Islamists when it comes to spreading "moral panic."

Bearded men kidnapped him in the center of Baghdad, threw him into a dark hole, chained him down, urinated on him, and beat him with an iron pipe. But the worst moment for Hisham, 40, came on the fourth day of his ordeal when the kidnappers called his family. He was terrified they would tell his mother that he is gay and that this was the reason they had kidnapped him. If they did he would never be able to see his family again. The shame would be unbearable for them.

"Do what you want to me, but don't tell them," he screamed.

Instead of humiliating him in the eyes of his family, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $50,000 (€33,000), a huge sum for the average Iraqi family. His parents had to go into debt and sell off all of their son's possessions in order to raise the money required to secure his freedom. Shortly after they received the ransom the kidnappers threw Hisham out of their car somewhere in the northern part of Baghdad. They decided not to shoot him and let him go. But they sent him on his way with a warning: "This is your last chance. If we ever see you again, we'll kill you."

That was four months ago. Hisham has since moved to Lebanon. He told his family that he had decided to flee the violence and terror in Baghdad and that he had found work in Beirut. Needless to say he didn't disclose the fact that he is unable to live in Iraq because of the death squads who are out hunting for "effeminate-looking" men.

In Baghdad a new series of murders began early this year, perpetrated against men suspected of being gay. Often they are raped, their genitals cut off, and their anuses sealed with glue. Their bodies are left at landfills or dumped in the streets. The non-profit organization Human Rights Watch, which has documented many of these crimes, has spoken of a systematic campaign of violence involving hundreds of murders.

Restoring 'Religious Morals'

A video clip showing men dancing with each other at a party in Baghdad in the summer of 2008 is thought to have triggered this string of kidnappings, rapes, and murders. Thousands of people have seen it on the Internet and on their cell phones. Islamic religious leaders began ranting about the growing presence of a "third sex" which American soldiers were said to have brought in with them. The followers of radical Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, in particular, felt the need to take action aimed at restoring "religious morals."

In their stronghold, the part of Baghdad known as Sadr City, black-clad militiamen patrol the streets, on the lookout for anyone whose "unmanly appearance" or behavior would make it possible to identify them as being homosexual. Often enough long hair, tight-fitting t-shirts and trousers, or a certain way of walking were a death sentence for the persons in question. But it's not just the Mahdi army who has been hunting down and killing gay men. Other groups such as Sunni militias close to al-Qaida and the Iraqi security services are also known to be involved.

Homosexuals in Iraq may be faced with an exceptionally dangerous situation but they are ostracized almost everywhere in the Muslim world. Gay rights organizations estimate that more than 100,000 gay men and women are currently being discriminated against and threatened in Muslim countries. Thousands of them commit suicide, end up in prison, or go into hiding.

Egypts Starts to Clamp Down

More than 30 Islamic countries have laws on the books that prohibit homosexuality and make it a criminal offense. In most cases punishment ranges from floggings to life imprisonment. In Mauritania, Bangladesh, Yemen, parts of Nigeria and Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iran convicted homosexuals can also be sentenced to death. >>> Juliane von Mittelstaedt and Daniel Steinvorth | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Burka Ban Proposal Dropped: The governing Conservative Party has dropped its proposal for a ban on the burka
POLITIKEN: A controversial proposal fielded by the governing Danish Conservative Party to ban the Muslim burka and niqab in the public space has been dropped after Justice Ministry officials have studied the idea.

”The Justice Ministry officials have said that in their view, the proposal raises important issues in relation to the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Constitution,” says Justice Minister Brian Mikkelsen (Cons).

”It’s obvious that neither I, nor a party such as the Conservative People’s Party, can support a proposal that raises that sort of legal issue,” says Mikkelsen.

Controversy

Controversy arose on the issue after the Conservative Party’s new integration spokesman announced in August that the party, which is the junior minority coalition party, wanted to introduce a total ban on Muslim burkas or niqabs in the public space.

“We don’t want to see burkas in Denmark. We simply can’t accept that some of our citizens walk around with their faces covered,” MP Naser Khader (Cons) said at the time. >>> Edited by Julian Isherwood | Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Racism Card
TOWNHALL.COM: When Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, some suggested that race played a factor in his success. People "wanted" to elect a black man president because of our history of slavery and the denial of civil rights for so many years to African-Americans. It is never "racism" to vote for someone because he is black. It is only racism to oppose the policies of a black Democrat.

As the president's approval ratings fall and rise and fall again, some of his supporters in journalism and politics are returning to days of old when the label "racist" could end any discussion and force the accused either into stunned silence, or groveling repentance. I suspect the tactic won't work this time because Obama supporters will have difficulty explaining how a mostly white country could elect a black man president last November and ten months later become a racist majority.

Racism has always been a one-way street for the Left. When Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court, some liberals called him a "handkerchief head negro" and an "Uncle Tom." According to liberal doctrine, black people can never be racist because they are members of a victim class created by white liberals as a kind of modern plantation to keep blacks voting for liberal Democrats. >>> Cal Thomas | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Laying Down Sharia Law
HOTELIER MIDDLE EAST: Consumer demand for sharia-compliant hotels is strong, but confusion surrounding the term means many brands are reluctant to commit. Louise Birchall seeks to clarify what it takes to comply.

Two-to-three years ago ‘sharia’ was the buzz word repeated by ambitious, international hotel chains intent on tapping into the rich, intraregional Arab tourism market by offering a unique and traditional Arabic experience.



Eager to differentiate themselves, hotel brands witnessed the success of sharia-compliant banking and investment systems compared to conventional institutions and saw an opportunity to apply the concept to hospitality.

This trend, coupled with an increasing amount of government funding and private money being injected into sharia-compliant developments stirred the interest of hotel investors.

However, today only a handful of the talked-about sharia hotel developments have materialised and experts attribute a lack of progress on the hotel front to the confusion surrounding the term ‘sharia’.

Dubai-based Almulla Hospitality recently unveiled plans for a sharia-compliant brand comprising 30 hotels, but there has been no news of its development and similarly Dubai-based Shaza Hotels’ alcohol-free luxury hotel joint venture with Kempinski Hotels and Guidance Financial Group has yet to open the first of its 30 hotels scheduled to launch in the Middle East over the next 10 years.

Defining sharia 


“The terminology ‘sharia compliant’ is mixed up in the sense a lot of people confuse the term and their practices. For a hotel to be fully sharia compliant, it would need a team of religious advisors on board and it really has to go the whole way,” says V. Five Continents Hospitality Group CEO and founder Richard Abou Jaoude.

The Abu Dhabi-based hotel operator’s portfolio of sharia-compliant properties has grown from two to 14 in the Middle East and North Africa since the company entered the market in 2006.

“It was boom time and we realised we were competing with the top guns of the industry and the first thing that came to mind was how to be different, what is missing in the regional hotel market and how can we make a quick return on investment,” says Jaoude.

At that time few companies had approached the sharia niche and V. Five Continents hoped it could differentiate itself with a three- to four-star plus brand. It also had the backing of international brands such as Ramada and timeshare in companies such as Kerzner.

Finding a niche


According to Jaoude, the brand concept proposed by V. Five Continents was to be an “entirely new one”. The concept encompasses the major parts of sharia, including no alcohol, and other aspects such as no smoking, ‘green’ measures in the building and landscaping, and the promotion of wellness. >>> Louise Birchall | Wednesday, September 16, 2009

In Malay-Muslim Heartland, Caning Wins Support
REUTERS: KOTA BHARU, Malaysia - The end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan this weekend could see Islamic authorities in Malaysia carry out the country's first caning sentence on a woman, a punishment that is fast gaining support.

Although the penalty has been condemned by rights groups and is being reviewed by an Islamic appeal court, it is endorsed by conservative Muslims whose influence is on the rise in this multi-racial, Southeast Asian country of 27 million people.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was caught drinking beer in a hotel and faces six strokes of the cane.

There are concerns the caning could damage Malaysia's image at a time when it is liberalizing its economy to attract more foreign investment. But for many people in Kelantan, a poor rural state, it is more important to see justice done.

"Her punishment is not severe, it will educate people. It will be a good lesson especially after Ramadan," said Runaidah Abdul Hamid, a housewife, as she bought vegetables to prepare for the breaking of the fast during Ramadan.

"Kartika will become more Muslim," said Rahayu Nizam Nawi, a vegetable seller in northern Kelantan's capital, Khota Bharu.
Kartika said she accepts the six strokes of the cane and has called for the sentence despite moves by the government, including Prime Minister Najib Razak, to review the punishment.

Malaysia practices a dual-track legal system, with Islamic criminal and family laws applicable only to Muslims, running alongside civil laws. If Kartika is caned, she will be fully clothed. "CITY OF ISLAM" >>> Niluksi Koswanage and Razak Ahmad, Editing by David Chance and Jonathon Burch | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Anger at Wilders' Headscarf Tax
DUTCH NEWS.nl: PVV leader Geert Wilders irritated MPs from all parties during Wednesday's debate on the budget by calling for the introduction of a tax on Muslim headscarves, Trouw reports on Thursday.

It is time 'to clean up our streets,' the anti-immigration party leader said. 'This is pollution of public spaces. Let us do something about this symbol of oppression.'

The proceeds of the €1,000 headscarf licence would go to homes for battered women, he said. 'We have had enough of headscarves.'

Liberal democrat leader Alexander Pechtold asked himself if Wilders was serious while GroenLinks leader Femke Halsema said his speech was 'vulgar'.

And Socialist Party leader Agnes Kant asked Wilders if he also planned to tax Jewish skull-caps or headscarves worn by Christian women in the countryside. [Source: DutchNews.nl] © DutchNews.nl | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Caribbean Blue: Enya

New York Fashion Week: Oscar de la Renta
And not a burqah, abayah, or hijab is in sight! – Mark


THE TELEGRAPH:
New York Fashion Week: Hilary Alexander reviews the Oscar de la Renta spring/summer 2010 collection from New York Fashion Week. >>> Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director at New York Fashion Week | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Anger in Europe as Barack Obama 'Scraps Missile Defence Shield'
THE TELEGRAPH: Reports that US President Barack Obama is to scrap plans to deploy a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic have provoked anger in Europe.

Mr Obama, who is due to meet the Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev next week in New York, says he wants better ties with Russia . Photo: The Telegraph
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is to shelve the plan, which was first mooted by the Bush administration and has been a source of friction with Russia ever since.

The move would be a cause of celebration in Moscow but of real concern to Eastern European countries which have looked to Washington for support against their former imperial master Russia. The US has said the shield is to guard against attacks by rogue states, such as Iran.

The former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said: "This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence. It puts us in a position wherein we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that's a certain threat."

The Polish deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Kremer, said that Warsaw had heard from different sources there were "serious chances" the anti-missile system would not be deployed.

Russian officials said they did not want to immediately comment on media reports that cited unidentified US officials. >>> | Thursday, September 17, 2009

U.S. Shelves Nuclear-Missile Shield: Czech Interim Prime Minister Gets Midnight Call
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: WASHINGTON -- The White House will shelve Bush administration plans to build a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move likely to cheer Moscow and roil the security debate in Europe.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed Thursday that a "major adjustment" is planned and said the decision was made to better protect U.S. forces and allies in Europe from Iranian missile attacks.

The U.S. is basing its move on a determination that Iran's long-range missile program hasn't progressed as rapidly as previously estimated, reducing the threat to the continental U.S. and major European capitals, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The findings, expected to be completed as early as next week following a 60-day review ordered by President Barack Obama, would be a major reversal from the Bush administration, which pushed aggressively to begin construction of the Eastern European system before leaving office in January.

Mr. Obama is expected to make a public announcement later today.

Russia on Thursday welcomed the news, but said it saw no reason to offer concessions in return. At one point earlier this year, Russia President Dmitry Medvedev threatened last November to station tactical Iskander missiles on Poland's border if the U.S. system was deployed. >>> Peter Spiegel | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Iran: Liebe und Sex im Gottesstaat
Ich habe das Kondom heruntergeschluckt, bevor wir zusammen geschlafen haben
ZEIT ONLINE: Lily will vor der Ehe noch viel erleben. Hossein hält mit seiner Freundin nur heimlich Händchen. Ilias Freundin will in Iran nicht versauern. Vier Frauen und drei Männer erzählen von der Liebe.

Ein Paar flirtet im Laleh Park in Teheran. Bild: Zeit Online
"Hast Du schon mal einen Jungen geküsst?", fragt Reza. Reza ist Anfang 30, genau wie ich. Er meint die Frage ernst. Reza lebt in Iran. Dem Land, in dem vorehelicher Sex mit Peitschenhieben bestraft wird, Seitensprünge mit Steinigung. 



Reza und ich essen Chorem-e-Sabzi, Spinat mit Fleisch, und sind beim Thema Liebe angelangt. Reza erzählt, dass er noch nie ein Mädchen geküsst hat. 



Drei Tage später bittet mich Reza nach dem Mittagsgebet zum Gespräch. Er hat Papier, Stifte und eine Schreibunterlage dabei. Er sitzt mir in der Hotellobby, in der er arbeitet, gegenüber wie ein Zinnsoldat und stellt Fragen: Möchtest Du Kinder? Um welche Werte geht’s Dir im Leben? Er notiert meine Antworten. Klack Klack, spielt er mit seinem Kugelschreiber, dann holt er Luft und fragt: "Willst Du mich heiraten?" 



Liebe heißt Eshgh auf Persisch. Eshgh ist nicht immer einfach in Iran. Vier Frauen und drei Männer erzählen von Affären, Liebeskummer und Liebesglück im Gottesstaat.

Fatemeh (w), 32, verheiratet

Ich lebe in einem Dorf im Süden des Landes und arbeite in einer Apotheke. Einmal kam ein Mädchen in unseren Laden. Sie weinte und sagte, dass sie schwanger sei, obwohl sie ein Kondom benutzt habe. "Habt ihr es richtig angewendet?", fragte ich. "Ich habe das Kondom heruntergeschluckt, bevor wir zusammen geschlafen haben", antwortete das Mädchen. 
Ich bin oft fassungslos, wie wenig iranische Jugendliche über Verhütung wissen. Wobei es mir selber nicht anders ging. In Iran gibt es keinen Aufklärungsunterricht in der Schule. Meine Familie ist zwar westlich eingestellt, trotzdem haben meine Eltern mit mir nie über Sex gesprochen. Erst als ich geheiratet habe, musste ich mit meinem Mann einen Hochzeitskurs besuchen. Das ist Pflicht für angehende Eheleute. Dort habe ich erfahren, dass die Frau einen Orgasmus haben kann. Vorher dachte ich, das wäre ein Privileg des Mannes. 



Ilia (m), 30, noch in einer Beziehung

Meine Freundin Romisa und ich sind seit sechs Jahren ein Paar. Romisa ist toll. Meine Traumfrau. Natürlich tauschen wir Zärtlichkeiten aus. Wir küssen uns, übernachten auch beieinander. Miteinander geschlafen haben wir noch nicht. Wir wollten damit bis zur Ehe warten. Jetzt ist die Hochzeit aber geplatzt. Romisa wandert nach Kanada aus, morgen geht ihr Flieger. Sie will nicht in Iran versauern, einem Land, in dem Ahmadineschad wieder zum Präsidenten gewählt worden ist, sagt sie. Ich verstehe das. Wir haben oft darüber gesprochen, irgendwo neu anzufangen. Aber ich kann nicht weg. Meine Mutter braucht mich. Außerdem hält mich mein Job. Vielleicht bin ich auch einfach zu feige, um Romisa zu folgen. Männer weinen nicht, heißt eine iranische Redewendung. Ich heule seit zwei Tagen. Lily (w), 24, Single >>> Von Carola Hoffmeister | Donnerstag, 17. September 2009

Transsexuelle in Iran: Roxana fällt auf
ZEIT ONLINE: Geschlechtsumwandlungen sind in Iran erlaubt, während auf Homosexualität die Todesstrafe steht. Das Leben eines Transsexuellen ist in der islamischen Republik trotzdem nicht leicht

"Kommt her!" ruft Roxana einem Touristenpärchen aus Deutschland hinterher, das an einem kleinen Kebab-Laden im Zentrum von Teheran vorbeischlendert. Die 25-jährige winkt das Paar mit einer Puderquaste in der Hand zu sich heran. Roxana fällt auf wie ein Paradiesvogel unter Raben. Ihr Gesicht ist geschminkt wie das einer japanischen Geisha. Einen bonbonfarbenem Kussmund und grelle Rotkäppchenwangen hat sie sich gemalt. In ihrem Pony glitzert silbernes Haarspray.

Roxana tritt aus dem Laden heraus in die gleißende Sonne. Dreht sich vor den Touristen wie eine Eisprinzessin. Ihr Glockenrock mit bunten Troddeln am Saum schwingt um ihren Körper. "Ihr seid die ersten Menschen, die sich für mich interessieren", sagt sie, klimpert mit den fliegenbeinlangen Wimpern und nimmt die Hand der Ausländerin, als suche sie eine Verbündete.

Roxana ist ein Sheboy, ein Mädchenjunge. In einem Land, in dem sich Frauen verschleiern müssen und laut Verfassung halb so viel Wert sind wie ein Mann, hat sie sich umoperieren lassen. Vom Mann zur Frau.

Jährlich wechseln ungefähr 450 Iraner das Geschlecht. Nur in Thailand sind diese Zahlen höher. Roxana hieß früher Arash. Nun steht Roxana in ihrem Ausweis. Ein altpersisches Wort für Morgenröte. Roxana mag ihren Namen. Er klingt nach Neuanfang und Aufbruch, sagt sie und ihre Stimme überschlägt sich vor Aufregung.

Roxana und die Touristen betreten den Schnellimbiss. Vier Männer, die bereits bestellt haben, bilden eine Traube um Roxana und die Touristen. Zwei schwarz verschleierte Frauen tuscheln. Roxana zupft ihr Kopftuch mit pink lackierten Fingernägeln zurecht und lacht, als ein Teenager in Jeans ein Handyfoto macht. Roxana liebt es, im Mittelpunkt zu stehen. Meistens jedoch meiden sie die Menschen. Ein Mann drängt sich mit seinen Einkäufen an ihr vorbei, rempelt sie versehentlich an. "Ich hätte Angst, mich mit einem Sheboy zu unterhalten", sagt der Mann leise. 
Roxanas Freund Said ist ebenfalls in dem Imbiss. Er beobachtet das Geschehen von seinem Platz am Fenster aus. Der 59-jährige Anwalt wirkt mit weit aufgeknöpftem Hemd, Nadelsteifenanzug und übergroßer Gucci-Sonnenbrille in der Elvis-Tolle exzentrisch. Als er hört, dass der Fremde Angst vor Roxana hat, seufzt er: "Typisch. Viele befürchteten, dass sie sich nur verkleidet. Dass sie biologisch ein Mann ist, keine Frau. Dann wäre sie ein Transvestit, vielleicht schwul", sagt er. Homosexualität ist in Iran verboten und wird mit dem Tode bestraft. >>> Von Carola Hoffmeister | Freitag, 07. Juli 2009

Homophober Pop: Absagen wäre das Mindeste
ZEIT ONLINE: In seinen Songtexten ruft der Dancehall-Musiker Elephant Man zum Mord an Homosexuellen auf. Ende des Monats will er Konzerte in Deutschland geben. Nun regt sich Protest.

Elephant Man: ein homophober Clown aus Jamaika. Bild: Zeit Online
"Queers must be killed! Take them by surprise", singt O'Neil Bryant aus Jamaika. Er tritt als Elephant Man mit bunt gefärbten Haaren zu schweißtreibenden Dancehall-Rhythmen auf. Sein Hass sitzt offenbar tief. In mehreren Liedern fordert er dazu auf, schwule Männer mit einem Maschinengewehr zu töten und "die Missgeburten zu verbrennen". Zwei seiner Alben wurden bereits indiziert. Insgesamt sechs Konzerte hat der homophobe Musiker Ende September in Europa geplant. Zwei davon in Deutschland, eines in Düsseldorf und eines in Mainz-Kastel.

"Wir meinen, dass hierzulande kein Interpret auftreten darf, der zu Mordtaten an Schwulen und Lesben aufruft", sagt der Lesben- und Schwulenverband Deutschland (LSVD). In einem offenen Brief forderte der LSVD die Klubbetreiber auf, die Konzerte abzusagen. "Strafbar machen sich in diesem Fall auch die Veranstalter", erklärte LSVD-Geschäftsführer Klaus Jetz. Man habe wegen des offensichtlichen Aufrufes zu Straftaten auch den Staatsschutz eingeschaltet. >>> | Dienstag, 15. September 2009

Dieser Text ist dem ZEIT-Blog Störungsmelder entnommen, das sich mit Rechtsextremismus beschäftigt

The American Way of Death
TIMES ONLINE – Leading Article: A botched execution in Ohio should quicken the end of capital punishment

America is the only big democracy — apart, occasionally, from Japan — that still carries out capital punishment. The botched attempted execution in Ohio this week of a murderer should prompt America to join the rest of the developed world in consigning judicial killing to history. There is inadequate evidence that it acts as a deterrent, it ignores the risk of miscarriages of justice and allows no room for repentance or correction. But above all it is a barbarity that stains civilised society.

There is no question but that the crime committed by Romell Broom was vile. He was sentenced to die for the rape and murder in 1984 of a 14-year-old girl. But his execution on Tuesday was halted when technicians failed, after a two-hour-long search, to find a vein sturdy enough to deliver the three-drug lethal injection.

A one-week reprieve granted by the Governor of Ohio may well be extended indefinitely, partly because it is half a century since any inmate was subjected to more than one execution, and partly because some justices of the US Supreme Court have now begun to wonder if botched lethal injections might not violate the eighth amendment ban on “cruel and unusual punishment”. Last year the court upheld the use of lethal injections. But Justice John Paul Stevens, while concurring, said that imposing the death penalty represented “the pointless and needless extinction of life with only marginal contributions to any discernible social or public purposes”. Other justices are believed to share this view.

When Texas became the first US state to introduce lethal injections in 1982, they were thought more humane than the electric chair, gas or hanging. It is time that they went the same way. [Source: Times Online / Comment here] Leading Article | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Queen Mother on 'Abhorrent' Diana, Princess of Wales
THE TELEGRAPH: The late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, reacted with "utter abhorrence" to Diana, Princess of Wales's decision to "wash the dirty linen in public" by disclosing details of the breakdown of her marriage.

An official biography published today describes how Queen Elizabeth was "deeply shocked" when it emerged that Princess Diana had collaborated with Andrew Morton on the book Diana: Her True Story, which caused a sensation when it was published 17 years ago.

She was also dismayed by the Prince of Wales's decision to discuss his private life with the broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby for a TV programme in which he admitted he had been unfaithful.

Queen Elizabeth revealed her thoughts about her grandson's divorce in a series of previously unpublished interviews with Sir Eric Anderson, the former Provost of Eton College, which were made available to the biographer William Shawcross.

"It is always a mistake to talk about your marriage," she told Mr Anderson, who spent a total of 20 hours interviewing her.

Details of Queen Elizabeth's thoughts on the Royal divorce are contained in Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: The Official Biography, which was commissioned by the Queen.

In 1992, Andrew Morton's book disclosed that the Princess of Wales had attempted suicide on at least five occasions in the 1980s, suffered from bulimia and felt rejected both by Prince Charles and other members of the Royal family, including the Queen.

At the time of its publication, it was rumoured that the Princess herself had helped Mr Morton with the book, and after her death in 1997 Mr Morton confirmed that the Princess had indeed been the main source, and had even checked the proofs of the book for accuracy.

In 1995 the Princess recorded a Panorama interview in which she talked about the Prince of Wales's affair with the then Camilla Parker Bowles, saying: "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

Mr Shawcross notes: "(Queen Elizabeth) had been sympathetic to both the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of York over the enormous pressures they faced from the media. But the washing of dirty linen in public was utterly abhorrent to Queen Elizabeth. >>> Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Thursday, September 17, 2009