Obama the Imperialist
THE TELEGRAPH: Several thousand right-wing Israelis have massed in central Jerusalem to denounce a Jewish construction freeze in the West Bank and brand Barack Obama an imperialist.

In their biggest show of force since a moratorium on new residential building was announced late last month, some 3,000 settlers and their sympathizers gathered outside the residence of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

But it was the American president Barack Obama, seen by many settlers as ultimately responsible for the 10-month construction slowdown, who was as much in the sights of the demonstrators.

In scenes reminiscent of protests in the Arab world during the administration of George W Bush, they castigated Mr Obama as an imperialist from the same mould as his predecessor.

"Obama is continuing Middle East Imperialism," read one banner, "Was hoping for change - Got the same old imperialist," another.

Despite falling domestic approval ratings, Mr Obama remains the subject of much adulation abroad. But there is little evidence of such sentiment in Israel, where less than 10 per cent of the population claims to trust him, according to opinion polls.

The American president has become the focus of right-wing revulsion in Israel ever since he called for a freeze to Jewish settler construction earlier this year, even though he has since appeared to soften his stance.

The demonstrators at the rally had no doubt that Mr Obama was the real cause of the settlers' woes. Right-wing Israelis protest against West Bank settlement freeze >>> Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem | Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Christian Hoteliers Cleared of Insulting Muslimah
MAIL ONLINE: Christian hoteliers accused of insulting a Muslim guest for wearing the hijab and berating her for her beliefs were dramatically cleared this afternoon.

Benjamin and Sharon Vogelenzang denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words which were religiously aggravated against white British Muslim convert Ericka Tazi, 60.

District Judge Richard Clancy, who heard the case in the absence of a jury, told the couple that religion and politics was the 'tinderbox which set the whole thing alight and it would appear because of strongly entrenched positions that is what has happened here'.

Explaining his reasons for dismissing the case, he said Mrs Tazi's claim that she was verbally attacked by the couple for up to an hour had not been borne out by other prosecution witnesses, who suggested that any discussions lasted around seven minutes.

Judge Clancy also highlighted Mrs Tazi's use of language. When describing how she was provoked by the couple about her hijab she used words to the effect of: 'Would you prefer it if I got my tits out?'

He said: 'I mention this because when I read that together with what she said about 'them taking the piss' it doesn't quite form the same religious view that was put to me on the stand'. 'Freedom of speech' victory as Christian hoteliers are CLEARED of insulting Muslim woman as judge slams her evidence >>> | Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Related:

Christian Hotel Manager in Court Accused of Asking Hijab-wearing Guest: 'Are You a Terrorist and a Murderer?' >>> | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Aggressive Atheism

Islam, Music and the Struggle over the Human Soul
BELFAST TELEGRAPH: I heard them in a narrow street in north Tehran, not one of the rich villa-lined avenues we associate with the Iranian middle classes but a tired thoroughfare of overheated plane trees and shabby, two-storey offices in grey concrete.

The sound was of a scratched record, a 78-rpm rather than a 33-and-a-third, and when I turned to my driver, he assured me there must be some morning party up the road with an old gramophone. But I used to play the violin, and I didn't believe him. And sure enough, down the street came the troubadours.

Yes, real live troubadours in the real live Islamic Republic, two of them, hacking at a violin and beating on a “zarb” drum, the work of the classical Persian musicians, a combination — for a westerner — of gypsy and nursery melodies, a sudden revelation of 14th and 15th century music in a regime which aspires to the purity of the 8th. Habibullah Zendegani introduced himself very quietly and said he was only 26 but had been playing for 15 years.

Beside him, Ramezan Souratipour banged away happily on the drum under his arm, one of a thousand little drummers in Iran — he is 32, but a diminutive figure — whose fingers dab three to a second to Zandegani's violin.

But I am old enough to remember Ruhollah Khomeini banning Mozart and Haydn. So how do the Revolutionary Guards, praetorians of the Ayatollah's spirituality in President Ahmedinejad's oh-so-chaste republic, react to these ghosts of culture past?

“I play music to earn money,” Zandegani replies, a little shiftily I think. “We earn maybe $40 or $50 a day.”

In theory, all music must pass Iran's censorship authorities; a female singer, for example, is not allowed to sing solo lest her lone voice be too arousing for male listeners.

But music and Islam have a dodgy relationship. In Saudi Universities the most sanctimonious of students have assaulted music enthusiasts; when a professor at King Saud University, Hamzah Muzeini, condemned this brutality in the daily Al-Watan newspaper, he was convicted by a Sharia court — a ruling later overturned by King Abdullah. Yet according to journalist Rabah al-Quwai'i, some sheikhs encourage youths to burn instruments and books in public. >>> Robert Fisk | Monday, December 07, 2009

Liliane Bettencourt continuera à gérer seule son argent
Liliane Bettencourt et sa fille, Françoise. Crédits photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Un juge des tutelles a rejeté la demande de protection judiciaire demandée par la fille de la milliardaire.

Le juge des tutelles de Neuilly-sur-Seine a refusé d'ouvrir une procédure de protection judiciaire visant Liliane Bettencourt, comme le lui demandait sa fille, révèle mercredi le Point.fr . Une information confirmée par l'avocat de la fille, Me Olivier Metzner.

Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers, fille unique de l'héritière et actionnaire principale de L'Oréal, avait saisi la semaine dernière le juge, en parallèle de la procédure engagée au pénal contre l'artiste François-Marie Banier. Elle l'accuse d'avoir abusé de la faiblesse de sa mère pour bénéficier de dons approchant le milliard d'euros. Il aurait, estime-t-elle, profité de sa mère, diminuée par «une affection neurologique».

La demande de protection judiciaire aurait pu aboutir à la mise sous tutelle de Liliane Bettencourt. Selon le Point.fr, le magistrat l'a rejetée en raison de l'absence de certificat médical de Liliane Bettencourt attestant de ce problème neurologique. L'ancienne dirigeante du groupe, contre toute attente, a en effet refusé de se soumettre à un examen médical. Le 13 mai 2008, pourtant, elle avait formellement accepté de s'y plier, afin de prouver qu'elle n'avait pas été «abusé» dans cette affaire et qu'elle avait bien toute sa tête. «Une femme libre et lucide» >>> Flore Galaud (lefigaro.fr) | Mercredi 09 Décembre 2009

«C'est mon premier devoir de fille»
LE FIGARO: Le Figaro s'est procuré la lettre que Françoise Bettencourt a fait porter à sa mère, Liliane, mercredi matin.

La fille de Lilianne Bettencourt, héritière du groupe l'Oréal, a saisi un juge des tutelles d'une demande de «protection judiciaire» de sa mère. Cette décision pourrait aboutir à son placement sous tutelle. Mardi, Françoise Bettencourt a fait déposer une lettre manuscrite d'une page au domicile de sa mère, à Neuilly. En voici le texte :

«Ma chère maman, aussi triste et douloureux que ce soit pour toi et pour moi, je tiens à t'écrire ces quelques mots. Au delà de la femme admirable (...) que tu es, qui a su accompagner le développement de cette belle entreprise fondée par ton père, tu es pour moi et avant tout ma maman. À entendre tous les témoignages qui me sont parvenus, je sais dans quelle situation d'isolement et d'emprise on t'a placée. On a voulu te faire rompre avec ta famille et t'éloigner de tous ceux, amis, employés, qui dans ton entourage étaient considérés comme “gênants”. Tout cela et ta santé, bien sûr, m'obligent à réagir, à ne pas me résoudre à fermer les yeux et à laisser les choses en l'état. C'est mon premier devoir de fille, je le pense profondément. J'ai déjà essayé en engageant il y a bientôt deux ans la procédure qui te contrarie tant mais cela n'a hélas pas suffit. C'est pourquoi je pense n'avoir d'autre choix, aujourd'hui, que de solliciter du juge civil ta protection. >>> | Jeudi 03 Décembre 2009

LE FIGARO: Les dons généreux de Liliane Bettencourt >>> Cyrille Louis | Vendredi 04 Décembre 2009

Le juge des tutelles refuse d'ouvrir une procédure visant à placer Liliane Bettencourt sous "protection judiciaire"
Crédits photo : LePoint.fr
LEPOINT.fr: Le juge des tutelles du tribunal d'instance de Neuilly a refusé d'ouvrir une procédure visant à placer Liliane Bettencourt sous "protection judiciaire", comme le lui avait demandé sa fille, Françoise Meyers-Bettencourt, la semaine dernière. >>> Par Hervé Gattegno | Mercredi 09 Décembre 2009

Writer-photographer Francois-Marie Banier Faces Charges over €1bn 'Gifts'
TIMES ONLINE: A Parisian photographer and friend of celebrities was sent for trial today on charges of manipulating France's richest woman into giving him gifts worth nearly €1bn.

Judges approved a private action against Francois-Marie Banier, 62, who has been at centre of a mother-daughter feud over the fortune of Liliane Bettencourt, 87, heiress to the L'Oreal cosmetics empire.

Mr Banier, a flamboyant socialite and friend of celebrities since the 1960s, is accused by Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers, 56, Mrs Bettencourt's only child, of fleecing her mother during two decades of close friendship. The gifts he received included paintings by Picasso, Mondrian and Matisse.

Ms Bettencourt inherited her fortune — currently estimated at €10 billion (£9 billion) — from her father, Eugène Schueller, who founded the L’Oréal cosmetics company in 1909.

After a police investigation last year, the case was dropped but Ms Bettencourt-Meyers sought a private prosecution on charges of abusing a frail person, an offence which carries a possible three-year prison term. Her lawyers argued at a hearing yesterday that she was mentally impaired.

"Should a daughter ... who sees her mother in decline, under the power of a predator remain silent and do nothing?" Olivier Metzner, the daughter’s lawyer, asked the judges at Nanterre, in western Paris. "Mr Banier considers pain to be a merchandise," he added.

The case, with its airing of family secrets and supporting cast of celebrities including President Sarkozy, has appalled the discreet world of France’s super-rich. Ms Bettencourt-Meyers is accusing the Paris establishment of trying to stifle an affair which they find embarrassing. The judges over-ruled a request from the prosecutor in court yesterday to dismiss the case.

The photographer, whose past close friends included Salvador Dali, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin, confirmed this week that he received the gifts, in cash, life insurance policies and paintings. "These are gifts, which I refused for a long time," he told Le Monde. >>> Charles Bremner and Alexandra Mauviel | Friday, December 11, 2009

Liens en relation avec l’article / Related / Verwandt:

THE TELEGRAPH: Because He Ain’t Worth It! >>>

THE INDEPENDENT: L'Oréal Heiress Gives €1bn to Photographer 'Because He's Worth It' >>> | Monday, December 15, 2008

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Weiblich und milliardenschwer - die reichsten Frauen der Welt >>> Von Alexandra Sillgitt | Samstag, 08. März 2008

Antigay Ugandan Law Disastrous for NGOs
ADVOCATE.COM: A bill calling for death sentences in multiple scenarios for gays and lesbians in Uganda will create a chilling effect for on-the-ground charities and aid groups seeking to effectively curb HIV infection.

“Just by recognizing gay rights, our organization could be accused of promoting homosexuality, and our staff could risk being imprisoned for three years.” 


This I was recently told by a contact whose charity works in Uganda. Desperately worried about whether the group will be able to continue with its important work, the source asked me not to identify the charity, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on sexual and reproductive rights that operates a program in this landlocked, East African country. Yet the group’s work is both more important and in greater danger than ever.



Under the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill rearing its twisted head in Uganda—one that calls for the death penalty for acts of “aggravated homosexuality—any corporate body, business, association, or non-governmental organization risks being stripped of its license to practice in the country. Directors risk seven-year prison sentences if they are involved in the so-called “promotion” or funding that “in any way abets homosexuality and related practices.” In a country with nearly one million people living with HIV, Uganda’s parliament is about to criminalize the very organizations that are there to help. And it may further criminalize a group of people who are already criminals in the eyes of the law. 



But the NGOs would be affected by more than just the “promotion” clause. Under the proposed bill, anyone not reporting a known breach of the law within 24 hours faces a three-year sentence. Anyone with HIV engaging in gay sex, or having sex with someone under 18, or who is a serial offender (surely most gay people would, by their nature, be serial offenders) could be executed. >>> | Thursday, December 03, 2009

Uganda plant Todesstrafe für Schwule
Bild: Die Presse
DIE PRESSE: Empörung über Gesetzentwurf im ostafrikanischen Staat Uganda. Der Entwurf beinhaltet die Todesstrafe für HIV-infizierte aktive Homosexuelle und auf homosexuelle Handlungen stünde lebenslange Haft.

Manchem Schwulen in Uganda könnte die Todesstrafe drohen. Angehörige und Freunde müssten mit sieben Jahren Gefängnis rechnen, wenn sie sie nicht verpetzen. Vermieter hätten Haftstrafen zu befürchten, wenn sie Homosexuellen Wohnraum vermieten. Das sieht ein Gesetzentwurf vor, der derzeit in Uganda erörtert wird und international zunehmend Empörung auslöst.



Bürgerrechtler sehen darin eine Anstachelung zum Schwulenhass und eine Gefahr für die Bemühungen zur Aids-Bekämpfung. Für sie steht der Entwurf im Rahmen einer heftigen Gegenreaktion in ganz Afrika darauf, dass sich Homosexuelle nicht mehr verstecken wollen. "Das ist eine Frage des Sichtbarwerdens", glaubt David Cato, der zum Aktivisten wurde, nachdem man ihn vier Mal zusammengeschlagen und zwei Mal festgenommen, als Lehrer hinausgeworfen und in der Presse geoutet hatte. "Wenn wir offen auftreten und unsere Rechte einfordern, machen sie Gesetze gegen uns." >>> Ag./AP/Katharine Houreld und Godfrey Olukya | Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2009

The Rachel Maddow Show: Maddow Takes on Ex-Gay Movement

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ADVOCATE.COM: Maddow Takes on Ex-Gay Movement: In her continuing series “Uganda Be Kidding Me,” MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Tuesday night interviewed Richard Cohen of the ex-gay group the International Healing Center. >>> Advocate.com Editors | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

WIKIPEDIA: Rachel Maddow >>>

Ireland Moves Toward Gay Marriage as Church Influence Wanes
FORTH: Civil partnership likely to be approved but many want marriage

Despite being rocked by strikes, scandals and financial collapse, Ireland’s social transformation continues unabated. Thursday December 3 saw the latest rupture from the past as the Republic of Ireland became the latest country to begin the process of affording recognition to same-sex couples. Dáil Éireann, Ireland’s parliament, read and debated the Civil Partnership Bill 2009 introduced by Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern.

The Bill would, if passed, grant same-sex couples rights in relation to domestic violence, residential tenancies, succession, refugee law, pensions, medical care, access to state benefits and immigration.

Opposition to the Bill was muted. Minister Ahern has told his colleagues, Fianna Fáil lawmakers, concerned about the Civil Partnership Bill that he is ruling out a “freedom of conscience” amendment that would allow any organisations run people offended by homosexuality, such as Church halls and wedding photographers, to consider same-sex couples unmarried.

The Bill’s passage into law this month is virtually assured because of strong backing by opposition parties. However, reaction to the Bill from gay rights organisations has been mixed. >>> | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

US to Spend $3bn Compensating Native Americans
THE TELEGRAPH: The Barack Obama administration has offered to spend $3 billion (£1.8bn) to settle a long-running lawsuit with native American tribes that claim they were swindled out of billions of dollars in royalties for oil, gas, grazing and other leases dating back more than a century.

If cleared by Congress and the courts, the settlement would be the largest Indian claim ever approved against the US government – exceeding the combined total of all previous settlements of Indian claims.

President Obama said an agreement on the case, known as Cobell v. Salazar, was an important step to reconcile decades of acrimony between Indian tribes and the federal government.

"As a candidate, I heard from many in Indian Country that the Cobell suit remained a stain on the nation-to-nation relationship I value so much," the president said in a written statement. "I pledged my commitment to resolving this issue, and I am proud that my administration has taken this step today."

Under an agreement reached with tribes, the Interior Department would distribute $1.4 billion to more than 300,000 native American tribe members to compensate them for historical accounting claims, and to resolve future claims.

The government also would spend $2 billion to buy back and consolidate tribal land broken up in previous generations. The scheme would allow individual tribe members to obtain cash payments for land interests divided among numerous family members and return the land to tribal control.

The settlement would give every tribe member with an Interior Department account an immediate check for $1,000, with additional payments to be determined later under a complicated formula that takes into account a variety of factors.

Many tribe members also would receive payments for parcels of land that are held in some cases by up to 100 family members, in an effort to consolidate tribal land and make it more useful and easier to manage. >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Major Indian Tribes in the United States >>>

Les moments tendres de la politique! Sealed with a Loving Kiss!
THE TELEGRAPH: David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, greeted his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner in a decidedly Continental fashion on Tuesday in Brussels before an EU General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting.

David Miliband greets his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner. (Hillary, eat your heart out!) Photo: The Telegraph
What began with a firm handshake ended in a familiar kiss with the French foreign minister, as Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign affairs minister, looked on.

The affectionate greeting came just three days after Mr Miliband's body language suggested that the special relationship was continuing to flourish between the US and Britain. David Miliband greets Bernard Kouchner with a kiss >>> | Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Afghanistan: Stanley McChrystal Says Osama bin Laden Must Be Killed to Ensure al-Qaeda Defeat
THE TELEGRAPH: Osama bin Laden must be captured or killed if al-Qaeda is ever going to be defeated, the top US commander in Afghanistan has said.

Gen Stanley McChrystal said bin Laden had become an "iconic figure" among terrorists.

He said President Barack Obama's deployment of 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan meant success was possible.

But he said the mission was "undeniably difficult" and the next 18 months would be crucial.

"I don't think that we can finally defeat al Qaeda until he's captured or killed," Gen McChrystal told a Senate committee.

At the same time, he cautioned that killing or capturing the Saudi-born leader of the group that mounted the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States would not by itself dismantle al-Qaeda. >>> | Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Sommet de Copenhague : L’OPEP joue des billions
LE TEMPS: Les pays exportateurs de pétrole ont beaucoup à perdre dans la bataille du climat. Ils revendiquent une aide financière des pays industrialisés pour compenser la chute de leurs revenus si la Conférence de Copenhague atteignait ses objectifs

C’était joué d’avance. Le chef de la délégation saoudienne à la Conférence de Copenhague, Mohammed al-Sabban, a profité de l’affaire des e-mails controversés de l’université britannique d’East Anglia pour remettre en cause le réchauffement climatique. «Le niveau de confiance est affecté, a-t-il déclaré lundi, au premier jour du sommet. Le Climategate va clairement influencer la nature de ce en quoi nous pouvons croire […] et les orientations qui seront prises dans les jours qui viennent.»

L’Arabie saoudite et, derrière elle, l’Organisation des pays producteurs de pétrole (OPEP) se sentent menacées par la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique depuis qu’elle s’est dessinée, en 1992, au Sommet de la Terre de Rio. Elles craignent qu’une mobilisation mondiale contre les gaz à effet de serre n’exerce une double pression à la baisse sur le pétrole, leur principale source de revenus: pression sur la demande et pression sur le prix. >>> Etienne Dubuis | Mercredi 09 Décembre 2009

Religionsfreiheit: Das schwere Los der Christen im Islam
WELT ONLINE: Eine Woche nach dem Volksentscheid gegen den Bau neuer Minarette dauert die Diskussion über die Entscheidung an. Muslimische Staaten werfen der Schweiz eine schwere Verletzung der Religionsfreiheit vor. Doch sie selbst unterdrücken ihre christlichen Minderheiten aufs schärfste.

Die islamische Welt zeigt sich wieder einmal schockiert. Ob Mohammed-Karikaturen, Regensburger Papst-Rede oder jetzt das Minarett-Verbot in der Schweiz: Religiös motivierte Empörungskampagnen sind jederzeit abrufbar. Das türkische Außenministerium reagierte am vergangenen Dienstag umgehend und warf den Schweizern vor, mit dem Volksentscheid Menschenrechte und grundlegende Freiheiten verletzt zu haben.

Der türkische Staatspräsident Abdullah Gül legte nach und geißelte die Minarett-Entscheidung als eine „Schande für die Schweizer“. Die Abstimmung zeige, wie sehr „die Islamophobie in der westlichen Welt um sich greift“. Für Ministerpräsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan ist das Referendum gar Ausdruck einer „zunehmenden rassistischen und faschistischen Haltung in Europa“.

Religions- und Meinungsfreiheit seien Grundrechte der Menschheit, die nicht zur Abstimmung gestellt werden dürften, sagte Erdogan im türkischen Parlament. Wie ernst soll man solch drastische Äußerungen eines Politikers nehmen, der ein Land regiert, in dem die Leugnung des türkischen Völkermordes an den christlichen Armeniern Staatsdoktrin ist? Und das bis heute religiösen Minderheiten die freie Religionsausübung verwehrt? >>> Von Heimo Schwilk | Samstag, 05. Dezember 2009

Nach Minarettverbot: Schweizer Rechtspopulisten planen nächsten Coup
WELT ONLINE: "Wenn man in der Schweiz lebt, sollte man sich anpassen." Das sagt der Bürgermeister von Seehof. In seinem Ort haben 96 Prozent für das Minarettverbot gestimmt. Das Referendum bewegt die Politik in der Schweiz nachhaltig. Oberwasser haben die Rechtspopulisten. Sie denken über die nächsten Maßnahmen nach. >>> Von Elisalex Henckel | Dienstag, 08. Dezember 2009

Minarets suisses : premiers appels à annuler le vote
Manifestation contre les résultats du vote, le 1er décembre à Lausanne. Crédits photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Un avocat a décidé de saisir la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme.

Et si on annulait la votation ? Complètement déboussolée après le succès de l'initiative antiminarets, approuvée le 29 novembre par plus de 57 % des votants, la classe politique suisse étudie toutes les pistes : faut-il saisir la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme, comme le souhaitent les Verts, soutenus par Daniel Cohn-Bendit, ou bien lancer une «contre-initiative», comme le proposent les radicaux ? Deux plaintes ont déjà été déposées au Tribunal fédéral. L'avocat Antoine Boesch, qui se dit soutenu par des clients de tous horizons et de toutes confessions, a, pour sa part, décidé de saisir la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme. Quant au Club helvétique, composé d'une vingtaine d'intellectuels, de juristes et de responsables politiques, il suggère de remplacer l'interdiction des minarets dans la Constitution par une «disposition sur la tolérance» . >>> Stéphane Kovacs | Mardi 08 Décembre 2009

Christian Hotel Manager in Court Accused of Asking Hijab-wearing Guest: 'Are You a Terrorist and a Murderer?'
MAIL ONLINE: Two Christian hoteliers went on trial yesterday accused of insulting a Muslim convert by branding Mohammed a 'warlord' and telling her she was living in 'bondage'.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang allegedly asked 60-year-old guest Ericka Tazi if she was a terrorist and a murderer after she came down to breakfast wearing an Islamic headscarf.

The white, British-born grandmother, who was staying at the couple's hotel while undergoing medical treatment, told a court the pair had shouted abuse at her, leaving her shocked and traumatised.

However the couple's barrister challenged her account, suggesting she had worn Islamic dress to provoke the Vogelenzangs and that they merely engaged in a legitimate discussion about their faiths.

The couple, who run The Bounty House 
Hotel in Aintree, Liverpool, both deny the unusual charge of committing a religiously aggravated public order offence, which carries a maximum fine of £5,000.

Christians gathered outside Liverpool magistrates' court to support the couple.

Mrs Tazi, who suffers from the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia, spent a month at the hotel earlier this year while attending a course of therapy at a nearby hospital.

The former Roman Catholic from Warrington, who converted to Islam last year, gave evidence after swearing an oath to Allah and kissing the Koran. >>> | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Record Level of British Population Is Foreign-born
THE TELEGRAPH: More than one in 10 people living in Britain today were born abroad, a record level, new figures show.

The proportion of the population who are foreign-born has almost doubled in the past two decades to 11 per cent, or 6.7million people.

One of the key factors behind Britain’s population increase has been the flow of migrant workers from Poland, Lithuania and six other Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004.

At the same time, the percentage of children being born to foreign mothers has also reached new levels, reported Jil Matheson, the national statistician.

The Office for National Statistics figures showed that in 2008 some 11 per cent of the population were born abroad, up from around 8 per cent in 2001 and 6.7 per cent in 1991. Figures are not available for 1997 when Labour came to power but, based on trends, is likely to have been just over 7 per cent.

Britain’s population is on course to pass 70 million in around two decades, Ms Matheson warned. She said projections based on past demographic trends suggest a 17 per cent increase in population over the next 25 years to hit 71.6 million by 2033. >>> Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Because He Ain’t Worth It!
THE TELEGRAPH: A French judge will examine whether Europe's richest woman, the elderly heiress to the L'Oreal cosmetics fortune, should be stripped of the right to manage her own affairs after she showered gifts worth almost $1.5 billion on a friend.

Liliane Bettencourt, 87, says she was in full possession of her wits when she lavished cash, artworks and life insurance on photographer and socialite Francois-Marie Banier, 62, but her daughter disagrees and has taken her objections to the courts.

Lawyer Olivier Metzner, who represents the daughter, said that he had launched a civil procedure to try and have Mrs Bettencourt declared irresponsible and placed under the authority of a court-designated tutor.

The move is in addition to a separate criminal case in which the daughter, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers, is pressing charges against Mr Banier, accusing him of taking advantage of an old lady's weakness to extort staggering sums from her.

"We have already taken action against the predator. Now we are taking action to protect my client's mother, to show that she is nothing more than a victim," said Mr Metzner. L'Oreal heiress facing scrutiny over $1.5bn gifts to male friend >>> | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Sarkozy nimmt Schweizer Stimmbürger in Schutz: Frankreichs Präsident fordert von allen Religionen Verzicht auf Provokationen
NZZ ONLINE: Frankreichs Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy hat nach der Schweizer Volksabstimmung über Minarette zur Zurückhaltung bei der Ausübung jeglicher Religion aufgerufen. Er rief Muslime und andere Religionsgemeinschaften zum Verzicht auf «jede Provokation» auf.

Jeder müsse «seinen Kult mit der demütigen Diskretion ausüben», die die Achtung der Andersdenkenden bezeuge, erklärte Sarkozy in einem vorab veröffentlichten Beitrag für die französische Zeitung «Le Monde» vom Mittwoch.

Sarkozy verteidigte darin auch die Schweizer Bevölkerung: Es sei «verblüffend», welche «übertriebene und zuweilen karikaturenhafte Reaktionen» die Entscheidung zu den Minaretten «in bestimmten Bereichen der Medien und Politik» ausgelöst hätten.

Verstehen statt «Irrationaler Argwohn»

Dahinter stehe aus seiner Sicht auch ein «irrationaler Argwohn» gegenüber Volksabstimmungen. «Anstatt das Schweizer Volk endgültig zu verurteilen, sollten wir auch verstehen, was es ausdrücken wollte und was so viele Völker in Europa fühlen, darunter das französische Volk.»

Europa sei tolerant. Aber seine Völker wollten nicht, «dass ihr Lebensrahmen, ihre Denkweise und ihre sozialen Beziehungen entstellt werden». >>> sda/dpa/afp | Dienstag, 08. Dezember 2009

Point de view – Nicolas Sarkozy : "Respecter ceux qui arrivent, respecter ceux qui accueillent"
LE MONDE: Dans une tribune publiée par Le Monde, dans son édition datée du 9 décembre, Nicolas Sarkozy, s'exprime pour la première fois publiquement après le référendum en Suisse sur les minarets. Le président de la République rappelle les valeurs de tolérance et d'ouverture de la France et appelle au respect mutuel entre "ceux qui arrivent" et "ceux qui accueillent".

Par référendum, le peuple suisse vient de se prononcer contre la construction de nouveaux minarets sur son territoire. Cette décision peut légitimement susciter bien des interrogations. Le référendum impose de répondre à la question posée par oui ou par non. Peut-on répondre par oui ou par non à une question aussi compliquée, qui touche à des choses aussi profondes ? Je suis convaincu que l'on ne peut que susciter des malentendus douloureux, un sentiment d'injustice, blesser les âmes en apportant une réponse aussi tranchée à un problème qui doit pouvoir être résolu au cas par cas dans le respect des convictions et des croyances de chacun.

Mais comment ne pas être stupéfait par la réaction que cette décision a suscitée dans certains milieux médiatiques et politiques de notre propre pays ? Réactions excessives, parfois caricaturales, à l'égard du peuple suisse, dont la démocratie, plus ancienne que la nôtre, a ses règles et ses traditions, qui sont celles d'une démocratie directe où le peuple a l'habitude de prendre la parole et de décider par lui-même ?

Derrière la violence de ces prises de position se cache en réalité une méfiance viscérale pour tout ce qui vient du peuple. La référence au peuple, c'est déjà, pour certains, le commencement du populisme. Mais c'est en devenant sourd aux cris du peuple, indifférent à ses difficultés, à ses sentiments, à ses aspirations, que l'on nourrit le populisme. Ce mépris du peuple, car c'est une forme de mépris, finit toujours mal. Comment s'étonner du succès des extrêmes quand on ne prend pas en compte la souffrance des électeurs ?

Ce qui vient de se passer me rappelle comment fut accueilli le rejet de la Constitution européenne en 2005. Je me souviens des paroles parfois blessantes qui ont été proférées contre cette majorité de Français qui avait choisi de dire non. C'était opposer irréductiblement la France du oui à celle du non, ouvrir une fracture qui, si elle avait dû se creuser davantage, n'aurait jamais permis à la France de reprendre sa place en Europe.

Pour réconcilier la France du oui et celle du non, il fallait d'abord essayer de comprendre ce qu'avaient voulu exprimer les Français. Il fallait admettre que cette majorité ne s'était pas égarée, mais qu'elle avait, comme la majorité des Irlandais ou la majorité des Néerlandais, exprimé ce qu'elle ressentait et rejeté en toute connaissance de cause une Europe dont elle ne voulait plus parce qu'elle donnait le sentiment d'être de plus en plus indifférente aux aspirations des peuples.

Ne pouvant changer les peuples, il fallait changer d'Europe. La France du non a commencé à se réconcilier avec celle du oui à partir du moment où, au lieu de la juger, on a cherché à la comprendre. C'est alors que, dépassant ce qui la divisait, la France a pu prendre la tête du combat pour changer l'Europe. >>> LeMonde.fr | Mardi 08 Décembre 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy: Muslims Must Be Discreet about Faith
TIMES ONLINE: Nicolas Sarkozy stoked the debate over immigration today with a warning to Muslims to practise their religion discreetly or face rejection by moderate Islam in France.

The President voiced sympathy for Swiss voters who opted last week to ban minarets as he tried to reassert himself in a debate over national identity which he launched last month but that has since spiralled out of his control.

Over the past week, Mr Sarkozy had appeared to retreat from his original comments following a backlash over the way that they were being used against immigrants, particularly Muslims.

But in a column for Le Monde, Mr Sarkozy returned to his theme and said that the result of the Swiss referendum showed how important it was for France to define its identity.

"Instead of condemning the Swiss out of hand, we should try to understand what they meant to express and what so many people in Europe feel, including people in France," he wrote. "Nothing would be worse than denial."

Mr Sarkozy called for tolerance and underlined France's respect for all faiths, but his message was intended primarily to reassure those who are unhappy about what they see as a threatening Muslim presence in the country.

"Christians, Jews, Muslims, all believers regardless of their faith, must refrain from ostentation and provocation and ... practice their religion in humble discretion," Mr Sarkozy wrote.

Addressing himself to Muslims, he wrote that anything that could appear as a challenge to France's Christian heritage and republican values would "doom to failure" a moderate Islam in France.

In taking this line, Mr Sarkozy implicitly rejected attacks from the Left, the intellectual world and some senior figures in his own Gaullist camp over what they see as a ploy that stigmatises immigrants. Al hamdu lillah for Nicolas! >>> Charles Bremner in Paris | Tuesday, December 08, 2009


France : Les musulmans de France priés de respecter la laïcité
LE TEMPS: Le président français Nicolas Sarkozy, a affirmé mardi que la France devait pouvoir accepter, «au cas par cas», la construction de nouveaux minarets. Il appelle les musulmans à continuer de respecter le caractère laïc du pays et ses racines chrétiennes

Dix jours après la votation suisse sur les minarets, Nicolas Sarkozy a pour la première fois, dans les colonnes du quotidien Le Monde, réagit sur le résultat helvétique. Celui-ci avait provoqué une onde de choc dans toute l’Europe, ainsi qu’en France, où la classe politique débat actuellement sur la question de l’identité nationale.

«Peut-on répondre par oui ou par non à une question aussi compliquée, qui touche à des choses aussi profondes?», s’interroge Nicolas Sarkozy. «Je suis convaincu que l’on ne peut que susciter des malentendus douloureux […] en apportant une réponse aussi tranchée à un problème qui doit pouvoir être résolu au cas par cas dans le respect des convictions et des croyances de chacun», explique-t-il.

Le président français rend cependant hommage à la démocratie suisse, «plus ancienne que la nôtre», et stigmatise «les réactions excessives, parfois caricaturales» que le vote a provoquées en France. Question sensible >>> AFP | Mardi 08 Décembre 2009

THE GUARDIAN: Sarkozy defends Switzerland minaret ban: President calls for France's Muslims to practice a 'discreet' form of the religion >>> Ian Traynor, Europe editor | Tuesday, December 08, 2009

LE TEMPS: Revue de presse – Sarkozy, l’ami de la Suisse : Le président de la République recadre le débat français sur l’identité nationale en s’appuyant sur la votation contre les minarets. Question d’exprimer son empathie envers les peuples inquiets >>> Olivier Perrin | Mercredi 09 Décembre 2009

Islamic Fundamentalism: Honour Killings Up by 40%
MAIL ONLINE: Police have seen 'honour' crime surge by 40 per cent due to rising fundamentalism, new figures show.

Honour-based violence, including crimes like murder, rape and kidnap has rocketed in London during the past year.

Reported instances of intimidation and attempts at forced marriage have also increased by 60 per cent.

A report into the scale of the problem by Scotland Yard found there were 161 honour-based incidents recorded in 2007-8, of which 93 were criminal offences.

But in 2008/9 the number of incidents had risen to 256, with 132 being criminal offences.

The latest figures indicate that the trend is continuing, with 211 incidents reported in the last six months until October, of which 129 were offences - more than double the number in the same period last year.

Police define honour crimes as offences motivated by a desire to protect the honour of a family or community.

Diana Nammi, of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation, said the group is now dealing with four times more complaints relating to honour than two years ago.

She said: 'More women are coming forward. They are becoming more aware of their rights in the UK, that there is help available and they feel confident enough to report matters to the police.

'But I also think cases and violence are increasing.

'One reason is the rise in fundamentalism. The problem is increasing in communities around the UK.

'We are seeing a rise not only in honour killings, but also in female genital mutilation and polygamy.' Honour crime up by 40% due to rising fundamentalism >>> Rebecca Camber | Monday, December 07, 2009

Battered Not Beaten: Iranian Opposition Plays the Long Game
TIMES ONLINE: The Iranian opposition is brave and inspiring. Its members repeatedly risk their limbs, lives and liberty by taking to the streets in defiance of the regime and its ruthless security forces. They do so despite six months of arrests, beatings, torture and show trials that have resulted in death penalties and years of incarceration. But are they achieving anything?

The demonstrations are smaller than they were. The grip of the security forces has never looked seriously threatened. Western governments, preoccupied with the nuclear issue, appear to have accepted President Ahmadinejad’s re-election and written off the "green" movement.

Opposition activists are not discouraged, however. They insist they are playing a long game the goal of which is gradually to win over the provinces, the small towns, members of the basij volunteer militia; to eat away at whatever support the regime still has until eventually it topples.

They scribble anti-government slogans on banknotes, daub graffiti on walls, disseminate information on e-mail trees to counter the propadanga of the state-controlled media. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mr Ahmadinejad’s election rival, has likened the regime’s attempts at censorship to stopping a flood with barbed wire. >>> Martin Fletcher | Monday, December 07, 2009

Tehran Univeristy Demonstration for Students Day


Manifestation sous haute tension à Téhéran
Les manifestants de l'opposition ont une nouvelle fois défilé lundi à Téhéran pour contester la réélection en juin dernier du président Ahmadinejad. Crédits photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Des milliers de manifestants de l'opposition ont défilé lundi dans la capitale iranienne pour protester une nouvelle fois contre la réélection du président Ahmadinejad. Des mouvements rapidement réprimés par les forces de l'ordre.

Nouvelle poussée de violences dans les rues de Téhéran. La police, déployée en force lundi dans la capitale iranienne, a utilisé des gaz lacrymogènes pour disperser les milliers de manifestants de l'opposition venus protester contre le président Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, en marge de la «journée de l'étudiant». Cette dernière commémore chaque année la mort de trois étudiants lors d'une manifestation anti-américaine en décembre 1953. Et donne lieu, depuis les années 1990, à des rassemblements en faveur des réformes. Les étudiants, fer de lance de l'actuel mouvement d'opposition né au lendemain de la réélection contestée d'Ahmadinejad en juin dernier, ont ainsi profité de cette journée pour manifester.

Selon un témoin, les affrontements entre les forces de l'ordre et les manifestants ont eu lieu sur l'avenue Enghelab, qui longe l'université de Téhéran, elle-même encerclée par des policiers anti-émeute et des gardes révolutionnaires. >>> Le Figaro.fr (avec agences) | Lundi 07 Décembre 2009

Proteste in Iran: Polizei knüppelt in Teheran
ZEIT ONLINE: In Iran demonstrieren Regimegegner, Sicherheitskräfte setzen Schlagstöcke und Tränengas ein, die Universität ist umstellt. Anlass der Unruhe ist der sogenannte Studententag.

Im Zentrum Teherans ist die Polizei mit Gewalt gegen Demonstranten der Opposition vorgegangen. "Die Polizei setzt Schlagstöcke ein, um die Demonstranten zu zerstreuen", sagte ein Augenzeuge der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. Auch Tränengas kam zum Einsatz. "Die Leute skandieren Parolen gegen die Regierung." Die Zusammenstöße ereigneten sich demnach auf dem Platz Ferdowsi. Zuvor hatte die Polizei die Universität von Teheran umstellt, um Proteste der Opposition zu verhindern. >>> Zeit Online, Reuters, dpa | Montag, 07. Dezember 2009

Krawalle in Griechenland: Athen kommt nicht zur Ruhe
ZEIT ONLINE: Die Proteste in Athen und in anderen griechischen Städten gehen weiter: Auch am Montag kam es zu Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Jugendlichen und Polizei.

Auch an diesem Tag hat es erneut Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Jugendlichen und Polizisten in Griechenland gegeben. Bild: Zeit Online
In Griechenland ist es am Montag bei Protesten von Tausenden Schülern und Studenten erneut zu Krawallen gekommen. In der Hauptstadt Athen ging die Polizei mit Tränengas gegen Steine werfende Randalierer vor, wie das Fernsehen berichtete. Rund 300 Vermummte hatten sich unter die zunächst friedliche Demonstration von mehr als 4000 Schülern und Studenten gemischt, die gegen die "Polizeiwillkür" protestierten.

Die Ausschreitungen waren jedoch weniger hart als noch in den vergangenen zwei Tagen. Die Polizei hatte das historische Rektoratsgebäude im Zentrum Athens weiträumig abgesperrt. Dort hatten am Vortag Vermummte schwere Schäden angerichtet und den Rektor der Universität Athen am Kopf verletzt. >>> Zeit Online, dpa | Montag, 07. Dezember 2009

Iranian Police Shoot at Unarmed Protesters During Tehran Demonstrations
THE TELEGRAPH: Iranian police fired tear gas and live bullets as they fought back thousands of unarmed protesters on the streets of Tehran.

There were bloody clashes as young people launched a fresh wave of anti-government protests on the country's official Students Day.

Police used warning shots, baton charges and gas but failed to stop rallies, sit-ins and campus marches across the capital.

Universities in several cities, including Tehran's top seats of learning, were sealed off as guards checked identity cards of people trying to join the student demonstrations.

Earlier in the day, the authorities detained 23 members of a protest group of grieving mothers. They included the mother of Neda Agha-Soltan, known as the "Angel of Freedom", who was shot by pro-government militia at the height of demonstrations against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in June.

Hajar Rostami-Motlaq has enraged the authorities by condemning pro-government students who accused British agents of killing Miss Soltan.

She was later released but friends expressed concern for other members of the protest group, Mourning Mothers of Iran, who were rounded up at a weekly protest in Tehran's Laleh Park.

Supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi chanted "Death to the dictator" and "Do not be scared. We are all together", according to witnesses at the rallies on university campuses. >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Monday, December 07, 2009

Iranian Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi Gets British Human Rights Award
Dr Ebadi considers the award to be an attack against Iran's suppression of activism. Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: An Iranian Nobel laureate will accept an award from a Government-financed human rights organisation in a move that is likely to ramp up the the Islamic Republic’s “propaganda” machine against the UK and further strain relations between the two countries.

The Times has learnt that Shirin Ebadi — the first Muslim women to win the Nobel Peace Prize for championing human rights and campaigning for democracy in Iran — will be presented with the award today by an organisation which annually receives £1.6 million, the bulk of its budget, from the Department of International Development (DFID).

International Services, a York-based development agency which helps disadvantaged people in places such as the Middle East and claims to be “non-political”, will present Dr Ebadi with the Award for Global Defence of Human Rights.

This comes after Dr Ebadi, 62, who has spent the past six months away from Iran attacking the regime’s alleged human rights abuses and electoral fraud, recently had her 2003 Nobel peace medal confiscated by the Iranian Government and her bank account frozen on the claim that she owes £250,000 in tax. >>> Richard Kerbaj | Monday, December 07, 2009

Stand By Our Courageous Students for 16 Azar or Dec 7

Iranische Polizei geht gegen Demonstranten vor: Berichterstattung in Teheran durch ausländische Medien verboten
NZZ ONLINE: In der Teheraner Innenstadt ist die Polizei am Montag gegen Demonstranten der Opposition vorgegangen. Zuvor hat sie die Universität von Teheran umstellt, um dort Proteste zu verhindern.

Im Zentrum Teherans ist die Polizei am Montag gegen Demonstranten der Opposition vorgegangen. «Die Polizei setzt Schlagstöcke ein, um die Demonstranten zu zerstreuen», sagte ein Augenzeuge der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. «Die Leute skandieren Parolen gegen die Regierung.» Die Zusammenstösse ereigneten sich offenbar auf dem Platz Ferdowsi. Viele Geschäfte in der Umgebung der Teheraner Universität bleiben am Montag geschlossen. >>> sda/ap/Reuters | Montag, 07. Dezember 2009

TIMES ONLINE: Students clash with riot police as protests erupt on Iranian campuses: Violence erupted in Tehran today as thousands of students and opposition activists staged fresh protests against the Government.

Riot police using teargas and batons charged demonstrators in two of the capital’s main squares. Security forces flooded the streets and sealed off universities. They were reported to be firing in the air and bringing in water cannon, but they failed to prevent students demonstrating on campuses across Tehran and in other Iranian cities. >>> Martin Fletcher | Monday, December 07, 2009

Helmut Schmidt, Alt-Bundeskanzler: Erfahrungen und Einsichten
NZZ Video anschauen >>> | Montag, 07. Dezember 2009

World Leaders Photographed 'Up Close and Personal'
BBC: A photographer has attempted to capture world leaders, including Barack Obama and Robert Mugabe, in a more personal light.

Platon is a staff photographer for the New Yorker magazine, who set out to photograph world leaders for a project called "Portraits of Power" in September 2009.

He set up a tiny studio off the floor of the General Assembly and did his best to bring as many world leaders as possible in front of his lens.

The results, he says, shows leaders 'up close and personal'. Watch video >>> | Thursday, December 03, 2009

Les minarets à travers le Monde
L’EXPRESS.fr: Galerie de photos >>> | Vendredi 04 Décembre 2009

U.S. Sees Homegrown Muslim Extremism as Rising Threat
LOS ANGELES TIMES: This may have been the most dangerous year since 9/11, anti-terrorism experts say.

Reporting from Washington - The Obama administration, grappling with a spate of recent Islamic terrorism cases on U.S. soil, has concluded that the country confronts a rising threat from homegrown extremism.

Anti-terrorism officials and experts see signs of accelerated radicalization among American Muslims, driven by a wave of English-language online propaganda and reflected in aspiring fighters' trips to hot spots such as Pakistan and Somalia.

Europe had been the front line, the target of successive attacks and major plots, while the U.S. remained relatively calm. But the number, variety and scale of recent U.S. cases suggest 2009 has been the most dangerous year domestically since 2001, anti-terrorism experts said:

* There were major arrests of Americans accused of plotting with Al Qaeda and its allies, including an Afghan American charged in a New York bomb plot described as the most serious threat in this country since the Sept. 11 attacks.

* Authorities tracked other extremism suspects joining foreign networks, including Somali Americans going to the battlegrounds of their ancestral homeland and an Albanian American from Brooklyn who was arrested in Kosovo.

* The FBI rounded up homegrown terrorism suspects in Dallas, Detroit and Raleigh, N.C., saying that it had broken up plots targeting a synagogue, government buildings and military facilities.

Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued her strongest public comments yet on the homegrown threat.

"We've seen an increased number of arrests here in the U.S. of individuals suspected of plotting terrorist attacks, or supporting terror groups abroad such as Al Qaeda," Napolitano said in a speech in New York. "Home-based terrorism is here. And, like violent extremism abroad, it will be part of the threat picture that we must now confront."

Officials acknowledged that her tone had changed, though they said terrorism has been her focus since becoming Homeland Security chief.

In some of the 2009 cases, extremist leanings are suspected but motives are not known.

Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan -- accused of killing 13 people in a Ft. Hood, Texas, shooting rampage last month -- has apparently suffered emotional problems. But in interviews, officials and experts have also raised his Muslim beliefs as an alleged motive.

A previous attack on the U.S. military, a shooting in June by an American convert who killed a soldier and wounded another at an Arkansas recruiting center, was apparently a case of a lone wolf radicalized in Yemen, according to Homeland Security officials.

"You are seeing the full spectrum of the threats you face in terrorism," former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said.

"Radicalization is clearly happening in the U.S.," said Mitchell Silber, director of analysis for the Intelligence Division of the New York Police Department. "In years past, you couldn't say that about the U.S. You could say it about Europe." >>> Sebastian Rotella | Monday, December 07, 2009

Turkey's Moves towards Iran Concerning United States
THE TELEGRAPH: Turkey's attempts to develop a strategic partnership with Iran are causing concern in America and are likely to dominate talks between its leader and President Barack Obama during a US visit that starts today.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is likely to discuss his country's strategic partnership with Iran during his US visit . Photograph: The Telegraph
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has introduced a "good neighbours" foreign policy that has tilted the axis of Ankara's diplomacy in the direction of Iran, Russia and bordering states.

Turkish frustration with a series of setbacks for its bid to join the European Union triggered a search for a foreign policy that reflect its historical interests in the Middle East, Caucasus and Islamic world.

Foreign intelligence officials sounded an alarm over Turkish manoeuvring closer to Iran, which has undermined the international campaign to isolate the Islamic regime. In particular it has allowed key members of the Islamic regime to move large sums of money – up to $10 million per day – into the global financial system.

Turkey has become a prized outlet for Iranian transactions since a tight regime of sanctions cut off Iranian banks from international finance.

Turkey was one of a handful of countries that refused to support a reprimand imposed on Iran over its failure to declare secret nuclear facility last month. Iranian activists have complained that the regime's agents can operate with impunity in a country that was once a safe haven for those fleeing persecution. >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Monday, December 07, 2009

Iran’s Students Prepare for Battle as Regime Imposes Students’ Day Crackdown
Photo: Times ONline
TIMES ONLINE: December 7 is traditionally the date when the Iranian Government stages rallies to commemorate the deaths of three student demonstrators killed by the Shah’s security forces in 1953. The tables have now turned. Today the security forces will attempt to crush student demonstrations against its own brutality and repression.

On campuses across Iran, students outraged by the regime’s alleged theft of the presidential election in June, and the subsequent suppression of the opposition, will attempt to hijack the state-sponsored Students’ Day rallies — just as they did last month’s commemoration of the US embassy siege and the annual Palestinian solidarity rallies in September. The regime cannot cancel these events without losing face, but it is doing its utmost to stop today’s protests.

Yesterday security forces began to seal off campuses in Tehran and warned nearby householders not to open their doors to protesters or let anyone take pictures from their roofs. The regime has cut internet services to hamper the opposition’s preparations, and banned journalists employed by foreign news organisations from working on the streets. Dozens of student leaders are understood to have been arrested. >>> Martin Fletcher | Monday, December 07, 2009

US Air Force Recruiters End Ban on Tattoos on Saluting Arm
THE GUARDIAN: Military chiefs overturn rule on arm tattoos after 26 US air force recruits are barred from basic training

Military chiefs have scrapped a ban on tattoos decorating the saluting arm of recruits joining the US air force, following a backlash among heavily inked young Americans signing up for duty.

The air force recruiting service instituted a policy on 25 November prohibiting tattoos below the elbow on the right arm of recruits, citing "military image". The service did not want tattoos to be visible when its airmen salute.

Within a week, the rule meant that 26 recruits were turned away from basic training, causing confusion among 17,000 people due to join the service under a delayed entry program, which allows for a hiatus of up to 12 months between signing up and reporting for duty.

By the end of last week, military bosses had relented. In a statement to the in-house Air Force Times, the recruiting service's commander, Brigadier General Alfred Stewart, said that "regrettably", recruits had been caught in the middle of the change. He said: "At this time, recruiting service is revising guidance recently sent to the field." >>> Andrew Clark in New York | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Spain Apologises for Jailing Homosexual in the 1970s
THE TELEGRAPH: Spain has apologised to a man jailed for being homosexual in the 1970s under a law introduced by General Francisco Franco.

Antoni Ruiz, 50, has become the first Spaniard to receive official recognition of his suffering more than three decades after he was imprisoned for his sexual orientation.

An estimated 5,000 men served prison sentences during the dictatorship of Gen Franco when homosexuality was made illegal but Mr Ruiz was one of the few sentenced for the crime following the death of the dictator in November 1975.

In 1976, at the age of 17, Mr Ruiz, from Valencia, told family members that he was gay. At the time homosexuality was still banned and when his parents confided in a Catholic monk, he denounced their son to the authorities.

He was sentenced to three months in prison and was then banished from his home town for a further year.

Mr Ruiz, who heads an association for former prisoners, received a formal letter of apology from Spain's justice minister last week and an offer of financial compensation amounting to 4,000 euros (£3,600). >>> Fiona Govan in Madrid | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Baghdad's Night Life Falls Foul of Religious Right
THE GUARDIAN: Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki accused of colluding with fundamentalists to shut down night clubs

Dancers perform for an all-male clientele in one of the clubs that reopened as security improved in Baghdad. Photograph: The Guardian
The raids came just before midnight a week ago. At the start of Eid al-Adha, the four holiest days on the Islamic calendar, hundreds of Iraqi police and soldiers stormed each of Baghdad's 300 or so nightclubs. Officers from the most elite units stood outside as soldiers slapped owners' faces, scattered their patrons and dancing girls, ripped down posters advertising upcoming acts, and ordered alcohol removed from the shelves.

They left many of the clubs with a warning – any owner who tried to reopen would be thrown into prison, along with his staff.

The official reason for the mass raids is that none of the premises had licences. The reality is that a year-long renaissance in Baghdad's nightlife may be over, as this increasingly conservative city takes on a hardline religious identity. Bohemian Baghdad did not last long.

"They treated us like terrorists," said Sinan Kamal, a chef at the Jetar nightclub in east Baghdad, displaying both a licence and weekly receipts for fees collected by the Tourism Ministry. "They sat us on the ground and made us put our heads between our legs. They slapped us and were impolite with the girls. They were behaving like religious police."

Until last week nightlife was a growth story in Baghdad – once renowned as a city of 1,001 vices. "You can forget about a fair few of those now," said Kamal. "Dancing clubs are gone, so are singers and bars. Welcome to the new Iraq." For the large numbers of Baghdadis who believed an older Iraq was on its way back, the raids, and what they signify, are a bitter disappointment.

As security forces gradually won back the streets over the past year, areas of the capital that had long ago been hubs of entertainment were restored to their former decadent glory. Throughout the summer, garish shop fronts along the riverside suburb of Abu Nuwas and a nearby strip known as Sadoon Street were teeming with men and youths queueing for clubs touting dancing girls and whisky. Many of the clubs also doubled as brothels – a factor readily overlooked by Baghdad council and the Iraqi government, which were both apparently keen to breathe new nightlife – with all its trappings – back into the city's war-ravaged streets. >>> Martin Chulov, Baghdad | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Swiss Minaret Ban Reversal Vote in Pipeline
elECONOMISTA.es | GLOBAL: ZURICH - Swiss liberals are considering a new referendum to overturn the ban on building new minarets in the country, Sunday papers reported, as Libya's Muamar Gaddafi warned the ban played into the hands of terrorists.

Club Helvetique, a group of over 20 Swiss intellectuals, will draw up an action plan to overturn the ban, which has drawn widespread criticism abroad and prompted hundreds of people to take to the streets this weekend in Zurich, Basel and Berne.

"A new initiative is the most democratic way of achieving this," constitutional lawyer Joerg Mueller told Sonntag.

Voters adopted the ban in a referendum a week ago, defying the government and parliament which had warned the right-wing initiative violated the Swiss constitution, freedom of religion and a cherished tradition of tolerance.

Two complaints questioning the legality of ban had already been handed to Switzerland's Federal Court, Sonntag said.
Libya leader Gaddafi said the ban had done a great favour to al Qaeda militants, who would use it to attract recruits in a holy war against Europe, news agency SDA reported.

"The activists are now saying: 'we told you that they are our enemies...join al Qaeda and declare jihad on Europe'." >>> Reuters | Sunday, December 06, 2009

«Die Schluckfähigkeit stösst an Grenzen» : Mit Bundespräsident Merz auf der Suche nach den Ursachen
NZZ am SONNTAG: Bundespräsident Merz möchte wissen, warum das Ja zum Minarettverbot zustande gekommen ist. Im Interview mit der «NZZ am Sonntag» sagt er, er könne das wachsende Unbehagen gegenüber Ausländern nachvollziehen. Manche Schweizer fühlten sich im eigenen Land bedrängt.

«Ein Baureglement gegen eine Religion – das kann nicht funktionieren.» Bundespräsident Hans-Rudolf Merz in seinem Amtssitz «Bernerhof». (Bern, 4. Dezember 2009) Bild: NZZ am SONNTAG
NZZ am Sonntag: Sie sagten vor den Medien, Sie wollten den saudischen König anrufen. Was werden Sie ihm sagen?

Hans-Rudolf Merz: Ich kenne ihn, ich kenne Saudiarabien. Und ich habe ein aufgeschlossenes Verhältnis zu muslimischen Staaten. Ich werde dem König unsere demokratischen Verfahren erklären. Verstehen Sie mich nicht falsch: Wir müssen uns nicht entschuldigen, wir müssen informieren. Ich hatte auch schon ein Gespräch mit dem österreichischen Bundespräsidenten Heinz Fischer.

Hat er Sie angerufen?

Ja. Ich freue mich, dass er sich für unser System interessiert. Auch unseren Nachbarn ist es nicht in allen Details bekannt.

Was hat Herrn Fischer denn beschäftigt?

Die Initiative interessiert im Ausland nicht zuletzt auch deshalb, weil dort ähnliche Fragen auftauchen wie bei uns und weil sich dort zum Teil gleiches Unbehagen manifestiert.

Hätte man die Initiative für ungültig erklären müssen? Man liess das Volk im Glauben, es könne frei abstimmen, und jetzt heisst es, es müsse juristisch geklärt werden, ob das Minarettverbot überhaupt durchsetzbar sei.

Diese Frage ist berechtigt. Heute prüft das Parlament die Gültigkeit von Volksinitiativen. Verstösst eine Initiative gegen zwingendes Völkerrecht, ist sie ungültig und darf nicht zur Abstimmung gebracht werden. Nur: Ob es sich um zwingendes Völkerrecht handelt, ist nicht immer einfach zu beurteilen. Vielleicht sind gewisse Fragen neu zu klären: Braucht es ein anderes Organ für die Vorprüfung? Soll man gar nicht mehr prüfen – nach dem Motto: Volkes Stimme ist Gottes Stimme?

Ist das für Sie eine Option?

Nein. Allein schon der Begriff «Volk» wurde immer wieder missbraucht. Eine Gültigkeitsprüfung ist nötig. Zu überlegen ist jetzt allenfalls neu, wie intensiv eine Initiative vorgeprüft wird und wer das tun soll. Das ist aber nicht die erste Frage, die sich nach der Abstimmung stellt.

Was ist die erste Frage?

Ich möchte wissen, warum dieses Ergebnis zustande gekommen ist. Die Frage der Zuwanderung hat dabei sicher eine Rolle gespielt. Max Frisch sagte einst: «Man rief Arbeitskräfte, und es kamen Menschen.» Mit den Menschen kommen auch Werte, Religionen, Traditionen. Die steigende Zahl von Andersdenkenden provoziert Fragen: Werden sie uns einschränken, unterwandern, eines Tages sogar beherrschen? Das Unbehagen wächst – und mit ihm das Bedürfnis, zu sagen: Bis hierher und nicht weiter. >>> Interview: Heidi Gmür, Markus Häfliger | Sonntag, 06. Dezember 2009

La Suisse dialoguera, mais ne s’excusera pas
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: MINARETS | Le Conseil fédéral va prendre langue avec la communauté musulmane de Suisse et avec les Etats étrangers pour «expliquer le vote de dimanche».

Pour le Conseil fédéral, l’heure est au dialogue. Cinq jours après la décision du peuple suisse d’interdire l’érection de minarets, Hans-Rudolf Merz a annoncé hier après-midi qu’Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf allait «dans le courant du mois» s’entre­tenir avec la communauté musulmane de Suisse.
Les autorités fédérales vont aussi engager le dialogue avec l’étranger, et particulièrement les pays musulmans. Elles s’efforceront de faire comprendre que le vote n’était pas dirigé contre les musulmans, leur culture et leur religion, mais très spécifiquement contre la construction de minarets. «Nous allons leur expliquer cette décision qui correspond aux standards démocratiques suisses. Mais nous n’allons pas présenter d’excuses», a déclaré le président de la Confédération. A titre personnel, il a annoncé qu’il allait téléphoner au roi d’Arabie saoudite, rencontré le printemps dernier. >>> Frédéric Ravussin (Berne) | Samedi 05 Décembre 2009

Riots Break Out in Athens
THE TELEGRAPH: Clashes broke out during a march to commemorate the first anniversary of the police shooting of a teenager, whose death sparked massive riots.

Police fired tear gas at youths throwing rocks and firecrackers in central Athens, as several thousand demonstrators gathered to mark the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos.

About 3,000 mostly students, anarchists and leftists began a march to parliament on Sunday and more protests were expected on Monday. An evening memorial service was planned in the Exarchia district, where the teenager was shot dead.

Violence also broke out in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, where youths threw petrol bombs at police and smashed the storefront of a Starbucks cafe. >>> Julian Kossoff | Sunday, December 06, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: Violence flares in Athens on anniversary of teenager's death >>> John Carr, Athens | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Minarets : Appel à la fondation d’un parti islamique en Suisse
LE TEMPS: Gasmi Slaheddine, président de la Ligue des Musulmans au Tessin, propose de fonder un parti islamique. Il a lancé dimanche un appel aux 350’000 musulmans de Suisse dans les colonnes de l’hebdomadaire tessinois «Il Caffé»

«Pour défendre notre foi et la liberté de culte, nous devons fonder un parti islamique en Suisse», déclare le président de la Ligue musulmane fondée en 2005 et basée à Lugano. «L’heure est venue de défendre nos droits, les droits d’une minorité qui sont bafoués», estime-t-il.

«Le peuple suisse a été trompé et a eu peur, mais cette votation a aussi souligné le déclin de la démocratie et a créé une rupture entre la Suisse et le monde musulman», assure M. Slaheddine. Foi islamique menacée[.] >>> ATS | Dimanche 06 Décembre 2009

“Dobbiamo fondare un partito
islamico in Svizzera”
IL CAFFÈ: Osannata dalle destre populiste di tutta Europa, criticata, invece, duramente da capi di governo, dai Paesi islamici e dalla comunità internazionale. Una gragnuola di condanne che sta aprendo un’altra crepa nell’immagine già incrinata della Svizzera nel mondo. A pochi mesi dagli attacchi dell’Ocse sul segreto bancario, dai guai in America di Ubs e col braccio di ferro, tutt’ora in corso, con l’Italia sullo scudo fiscale di Tremonti, per la Confederazione col voto di domenica scorsa sul divieto di costruire minareti, si è aperto un altro pericoloso fronte di crisi, che sta inquietando non poco il Consiglio federale. E dal Ticino Gasmi Slaheddine, presidente della Lega dei musulmani, lancia un appello ai fedeli islamici della Svizzera: “Se vogliamo difendere la nostra fede e la libertà di culto, dobbiamo fondare un nostro partito”. >>> Libero D'Agostino | Domenica 06 dicembre 2009

Gaddafi nennt Schweiz "Mafia der Welt"
SUEDOSTSCHWEIZ AM SONNTAG: Laut dem libyschen Machthaber Muammar al-Gaddafi hat das Schweizer Volk mit dem Minarett-Verbot "der Al-Kaida einen grossen Gefallen getan". Die Abstimmung habe den Terroristen ein "Argument" geliefert, um Europa anzugreifen, zitierte ihn die libysche Nachrichtenagentur Jana.

Tripolis. – Die Schweizer "geben vor, Al-Kaida und den Terrorismus zu bekämpfen, dabei haben sie ihnen eben einen grossen Gefallen getan", sagte der Staatschef am Rande eines Festaktes an der Fakultät für religiöse Wissenschaften in Zliten, rund 160 Kilometer östlich von Tripolis.

Mit dem Entscheid habe die Schweiz Al-Kaida ein "sehr starkes Argument" geliefert, um Europa anzugreifen, sagte Gaddafi weiter. "Die Aktivisten sagen nun: Wir haben euch gewarnt, dass sie unsere Feinde sind [...]. Schaut, was sie in Europa machen. Schliesst euch Al-Kaida an und ruft den Dschihad gegen Europa aus."

Nach Ansicht Gaddafis, dessen Land das Abstimmungsergebnis bereits als rassistischen Entscheid qualifizierte, liefert das Minarett-Verbot auch den muslimischen Ländern einen Grund, den Bau von Kirchen zu verbieten.

Die Schweiz sei die "Mafia der Welt" und es habe bereits "einen Boykott-Aufruf" gegen die Eidgenossenschaft gegeben. Präzisiert hat Gaddafi diesen allerdings nicht. Laut Gaddafi tut Schweiz mit Minarett-Verbot Al-Kaida Gefallen >>> sda | Sonntag, 06. Dezember 2009

FPÖ-Seminar: "Islam ist böse, Muslime hassen uns"
DIE PRESSE: Das Freiheitliche Bildungsinstitut veranstaltet ein Islam-Seminar mit umstrittenen Inhalten. "Der Islam ist feindselig. Der Koran ist böse", sagt eine Seminar-Leiterin. "News" berichtet und klagt wegen Verhetzung.

Das freiheitliche Bildungsinstitut veranstaltet offenbar Islam-Seminare mit sehr umstrittenen Inhalten. Das berichtet die Info-Illustrierte "News" und titelt mit "Straches Hass-Schule". Eine "News"-Redakteurin hat sich bei einem solchen Seminar eingeschleust und berichtet nun darüber.

"Muslime vergewaltigen wegen Religion"

Als Vortragende diente dabei unter anderem Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff. Sie war im Kabinett von Wolfgang Schüssel (ÖVP) und später an mehreren Botschaften im arabischen Raum tätig. Sie doziert in der vom FPÖ-Bildungsinstitut organisierten Veranstaltung laut "News" unter anderem folgendes: "Der Islam ist feindselig. Der Koran ist böse. Muslime hassen uns und befinden sich im Dauerkrieg mit uns."

Weiters soll Sabaditsch-Wolff in der dreiteiligen Vortragsreihe gemeint haben: "Wenn Kardinäle Kinder vergewaltigen, machen sie das trotz der Religion. Muslime vergewaltigen Kinder wegen der Religion." "News" hat eigenen Angaben zu Folge Anzeige bei der Staatsanwaltschaft Wien wegen Verhetzung erstattet. FP rechnet mit mehr Anmeldungen >>> APA | Mittwoch, 25. November 2009

"I Want to Preserve Europe and Its Democratic and Secular Values": Austrian Freedom Fighter Charged with "Hate Speech"
JIHAD WATCH: Free Speech Death Watch Alert: "Interview with Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff," by S.M. Steinitz for profil (Austria's equivalent to "Time" magazine and "Der Spiegel"):
"I Am Against Dialogue"

A criminal complaint is being filed against Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff for "hate speech" under Austrian law, essentially the same thing that Susanne Winter was convicted of early this year.

Elisabeth gave a presentation about Islam at an FPÖ-organized seminar, and said some of the usual things that anti-jihad advocates say when they talk about Islam. A left-wing magazine, which had planted someone in the audience, caused charges to be brought against her at the same time as they publicized it in their magazine.

Elisabeth held the controversial Islam Seminar at the FPÖ-political academy. Charges of defamation of a religious group have been filed against the daughter of a diplomat. This is her only interview in which she explains her views.

Mrs. Sabaditsch-Wolff, are you afraid of Muslims?

No, I am afraid of political Islam, which is massively gaining influence in Europe. That is what I am against.

What is your goal?

I want to preserve Europe and its democratic and secular values. What bothers you about the Islamic way of life? >>> Robert Spencer | Saturday, December 05, 2009