Iran : Khamenei appelle à l'unité islamique contre la "tumeur cancéreuse Israël"
LE POINT: Le guide suprême iranien, l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a appelé à l'unité des pays islamiques contre Israël qu'il a qualifié de "tumeur cancéreuse", a rapporté jeudi la télévision d'État.

"Les gouvernements islamiques doivent défendre l'unité des musulmans et leurs droits, en particulier contre la tumeur cancéreuse Israël et ceux qui soutiennent" l'État hébreu, a déclaré le numéro un iranien dans un discours devant les hauts responsables iraniens à l'occasion de l'anniversaire de la naissance du prophète Mahomet. Il a ajouté que "malheureusement l'unité du monde islamique est affectée par les complots américains et britanniques qui veulent créer des divisions entre chiites et sunnites". >>> AFP | Jeudi 04 Mars 2010

Gay Marriage Law Comes into Effect in Mexico City
BBC: A law allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry comes into effect on Thursday in Mexico City.

The law, which was passed by the city's local assembly in December, gives gay people full marital rights, including the right to adopt.

Several gay couples are now expected to register to get married as early as next week.

Mexico City is one of the first capitals in Latin America to fully recognise gay marriages.

Judith Vazquez and partner Lol-kin Castaneda hope to become one of the first couples to marry under the new law.

"It's the end of our fight and the beginning of life in freedom in Mexico City," Ms Vazquez told the BBC.

"This is a great, historic moment for the whole of society in Mexico City," added Ms Castaneda. >>> | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Slowakei macht "Heimatliebe" zur gesetzlichen Pflicht
DIE PRESSE: Das "Gesetz zur Unterstützung der Heimatliebe" soll den slowakischen Patriotismus fördern. Politische Sitzungen und nationale Sportveranstaltungen müssen etwa künftig mit der Hymne beginnen.

Die Slowakei hat "Heimatliebe" zur gesetzlich vorgeschriebenen Pflicht gemacht. Das "Gesetz zur Unterstützung der Heimatliebe" soll in der Bevölkerung Patriotismus und Identifikation mit dem eigenen Staat fördern. Dennoch stieß das vom Parlament verabschiedete Gesetz am Mittwoch auf Kritik von Medien und Opposition. 



Das Gesetz, das am 1. April in Kraft tritt, schreibt vor, dass künftig alle Sitzungen von Parlamenten und Regierungen vom nationalen Abgeordnetenhaus bis hin zu kleinsten Gemeindevertretungen und sogar öffentlichen Bürgerversammlungen mit dem Absingen der Nationalhymne beginnen sollen. Auch alle von nationalen Verbänden organisierten Sportveranstaltungen müssen mit der Hymne beginnen. >>> APA | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

North Korean Man Executed for Calling a Friend in South Korea on Mobile Phone
MAIL ONLINE: A North Korean man has been executed by firing squad for calling a friend in South Korea on his mobile phone.

The brutal communist regime, which is technically at war with South Korea, has warned its 24 million population that any contact with the nation south of its borders is a crime punishable by life in prison or death.

News of those who have been caught and punished for making contact with the south rarely leaks out - because anyone disclosing information about punishment also risks imprisonment.

But a radio station in Seoul, South Korea, said it had learned that a man identified only as Jung has been executed after security officials raided his home and found a Chinese-manufactured mobile phone.

He was taken away and subjected to extreme torture, when he confessed that he had told a defector friend in South Korea about the harsh living conditions in the communist state.

He revealed that he had given his friend details of how people were struggling to live and had also passed on information about the price of rice. >>> Richard Shears | Thursday, March 04, 2010

KRONE.at: Ein nordkoreanischer Fabrikarbeiter ist nach Informationen eines südkoreanischen Radiosenders öffentlich hingerichtet worden, weil er mit seinem Handy Informationen ins Ausland weitergegeben haben soll. Dem Mann sei vorgeworfen worden, den Preis für Reis und andere Informationen über die Lebensbedingungen an einen Freund verraten zu haben, der vor Jahren nach Südkorea geflohen sei, berichtete das "Offene Radio für Nordkorea" am Donnerstag. Reis-Preise verraten: Nordkorea richtet telefonierenden "Verräter" hin >>> | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

Geert Wilders, the next Dutch prime minister? Photograph: NRC Handelsblad International
Geert Wilders Is Major Winner in Dutch Polls
NRC HANDELSBLAD INTERNATIONAL: Dutch anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders scored major gains in local elections on Wednesday, making him a serious challenger for power in the June national election, preliminary results showed.

In the first test of public opinion since the collapse of prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende's coalition government last month, Wilders's populist Party for Freedom (PVV) led in the city of Almere and was second in The Hague, the only two municipalities where Wilders chose to compete.

The fall of the Dutch cabinet and the upcoming campaign for parliamentary elections overshadowed Wednesday's municipal elections. The actual results for the nearly 400 municipal councils hardly seemed to matter. All interest was focused on the implications for the upcoming parliamentary race.

If voters had elected a new parliament on Wednesday, the PVV would have won between 24 and 27 seats in the 150 seat parliament. In one poll, it would be the largest single party.

That would make it tough for Balkenende's Christian democratic CDA to forge a strong coalition without Wilders. Months of talks between parties, and the resulting policy vacuum, could threaten a fragile economic recovery and cast doubt on the scope of planned budget cuts. Dutch coalition governments are usually made up of two or three parties, but polls show the next coalition will likely need four or more parties to reach a majority in parliament.

The popularity of Wilders, who compares Islam to fascism and the Koran to Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf, has dented the image of the Netherlands as a country that has often portrayed itself in the past as a bastion of tolerance.

"The leftist elite still believes in multi-culturalism, coddling criminals, a European super-state and high taxes," Wilders told cheering supporters at a rally in Almere after polling ended on Wednesday. "But the rest of the Netherlands thinks differently. That silent majority now has a voice." >>> ANP, NRC, Reuters | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Major Victory for Geert Wilders in European Elections

Dette de la Grèce: et si elle vendait ses îles?
Quelle folie! – Mark
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: PROPOSITION | Des députés allemands ont appelé la Grèce à vendre des îles pour aider à financer sa dette.

Photo: Tribune de Genève
Le quotidien populaire allemand Bild révèle cette information jeudi, qu'il résume l’idée en ces termes: "On vous donne du fric, vous nous donnez Corfou".

"L’Etat grec doit renoncer à sa participation dans des sociétés, et vendre des propriétés foncières, comme par exemple des îles inhabitées", a affirmé au journal le député libéral Frank Schäffler, du parti FDP au pouvoir. >>> AFP | Jeudi 04 Mars 2010

Greece Should Sell Islands to Keep Bankruptcy at Bay, Say German MPs
What a stupid idea! Really dumb! – Mark
THE GUARDIAN: Fire sale of Greek islands, Acropolis and Parthenon suggested / Greek public reacts with outrage and boycotts German goods

Josef Schlarmann told Bild newspaper that Greece should consider selling its uninhabited islands for debt redemption. Photograph: The Guardian
Greece must consider a fire sale of land, historic buildings and art works to cut its debts, two rightwing German politicians said today in a newspaper interview that is bound to exacerbate tensions between Athens and Berlin.

Alongside austerity measures such as cuts to public sector pay and a freeze on state pensions, why not sell a few uninhabited islands or ancient artefacts, asked Josef Schlarmann, a senior member of Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, and Frank Schaeffler, a finance policy expert in the Free Democrats.

The Acropolis and the Parthenon could also fall under the hammer, along with temptingly idyllic Aegean islands still under state ownership, in a rush to keep bankruptcy at bay.

"Those in insolvency have to sell everything they have to pay their creditors," Schlarmann told Bild newspaper. "Greece owns buildings, companies and uninhabited islands, which could all be used for debt redemption." >>> Phillip Inman and Helena Smith | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Verkauft doch eure Inseln, ihr Pleite-Griechen ... UND DIE AKROPOLIS GLEICH MIT!
Welch eine Dummheit! – Mark
BILD.de: Jetzt machen die Griechen ernst, um ihr Land vor dem Bankrott zu retten, ohne auf EU-Hilfe angewiesen zu sein!

Gestern beschloss die Regierung in Athen: Die Mehrwertsteuer rauf (von 19 auf 21%), Alkohol, Luxusgüter und Tabak teurer, die Bezüge von Staatsdienern, Rentnern, Studenten gekürzt.

4,8 Mrd. Euro soll das Sparprogramm bringen – aber bei Staatsschulden von mehr als 300 Mrd. Euro ist das nicht mal ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein ...

Was kann die Griechen dann noch retten?

Auch wenn es vielleicht verrückt klingt: Wenn wir den Griechen doch noch mit Milliarden Euro aushelfen müssen, sollten sie dafür auch etwas hergeben – z. B. ein paar ihrer wunderschönen Inseln. Motto: Ihr kriegt Kohle. Wir kriegen Korfu.

Tatsächlich ist es der größte Schatz der Griechen: 3054 Inseln, nur 87 davon bewohnt.

Und einen Markt gibt es! Derzeit bietet z. B. das Hamburger Maklerbüro Vladi Private Islands eine unbewohnte griechische Insel an – Verhandlungsbasis: 45 Mio. Euro.

Ob die Kanzlerin morgen mit ihrem Amtskollegen Papandreou bei dessen Berlin-Besuch die Insel-Frage anschneidet ...?

Der Koalitionspartner rät dazu. FDP-Finanzexperte Frank Schäffler zu BILD: „Die Kanzlerin darf keinen Rechtsbruch begehen, darf Griechenland keine Hilfen versprechen. Der griechische Staat muss sich radikal von Beteiligungen an Firmen trennen und auch Grundbesitz, z. B. unbewohnte Inseln, verkaufen.“

CDU-Mittelstandschef Josef Schlarmann: „Ein Bankrotteur muss alles, was er hat, zu Geld machen – um seine Gläubiger zu bedienen. Griechenland besitzt Gebäude, Firmen und unbewohnte Inseln, die für die Schuldentilgung eingesetzt werden können.“ >>> jan/pro/rok | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

Congratulations Geert! Dutch Anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders Makes Strong Showing in Local Polls
THE TELEGRAPH: Geert Wilders, the radical anti-Muslim Dutch politician, was celebrating a symbolic breakthrough on Thursday as his party won control of its first municipality in a show of strength ahead of June's general election.

Geert Wilders. Photograph: The Telegraph
Mr Wilders's far-Right Party for Freedom (PVV) made a strong showing in local polls held Wednesday, while the traditionally strong Christian Democratic (CDA) and Labour (PvdA) parties lost support, early results showed.

The PVV came first and second in the only two of 394 municipalities it contested.

It was the strongest party with 21.6 per cent of the vote in Almere, a city of 187,000 people near the capital Amsterdam previously won by the PvdA, and came second in the seat of government, The Hague - the Netherlands' third largest city with 442,000 residents.

"What is possible in The Hague and Almere is possible all over the country," said Mr Wilders, who is awaiting a hate speech trial for calling Islam a fascist religion and likening the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf. >>> | Thursday, March 04, 2010

German Islamist Fanatics Jailed for Planning '2nd September 11'
THE TELEGRAPH: Four Muslim fanatics who planned "bloodbaths" at US targets in Germany in an attempt to create a "second September 11" have been jailed.

(clockwise from top left) Daniel Schneider, Fritz Gelowicz, Adem Yilmaz and Atilla Selek. Photographs: The Telegraph
Fritz Gelowicz, the ring leader, got 12 years, his German sidekick Daniel Schneider - both converts to Islam - 11 years while two accomplices were sentenced to five years each for their roles in a plot to detonate explosives 100 times more powerful than those used in the London Underground bombings of July 2005.

The four men, known as the "Sauerland Cell" after the tourist region where they stockpiled massive amounts of chemicals for the bombs, were jailed at the end of a nine-month trial.

In a rare move, prosecutors allowed them to plea-bargain their guilt in return for what the defendants hoped would be far shorter sentences.

In closing speeches top prosecutor Volker Brinkmann said the gang "had planned a mass murder unrivalled in Germany. They acted out of blind hatred for American soldiers," he said.

"It is terrible to think they enjoyed the concept of terror attacks that would have killed at least 150 soldiers as well as women and children.

"They appointed themselves masters over life and death." >>> Allan Hall, in Berlin | Thursday, March 04, 2010

TIMES ONLINE: Muslim radicals jailed for up to 12 years for planning Frankfurt terror attack >>> Roger Boyes, Berlin | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Stampede for Free Clothes at Hindu Temple in India Kills At Least 63
TIMES ONLINE: A stampede at a Hindu temple in northern India killed at least 63 people today – mostly women and children – as thousands of devotees rushed to receive free clothes and food.

Local officials said another 44 people were injured in the crush at a temple compound in Kunda, a small town 110 miles (177km) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of the poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Thousands of farmers and villagers had gathered at the temple at noon to mark the anniversary of the death of the wife of Kripalu Maharaj, a local religious leader, according to local police.

They appeared to have panicked after the temple’s wooden gate collapsed. >>> Jeremy Page, Delhi | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Schweiz sei «rassistisch»: Arabische Liga stellt sich hinter Libyen
BASLER ZEITUNG: Im Streit zwischen Libyen und der Schweiz erhält Tripolis Unterstützung von 17 Staaten des arabischen Raums.

Da baut sich etwas auf gegen die Schweiz: Staatsführer der arabischen Liga an einem Gipfel vom letzten Jahr. Bild: Basler Zeitung
Die Schweiz habe sich «rassistisch» verhalten, indem sie mehr als 150 ranghohe Libyer zu unerwünschten Personen im Schengen-Raum erklärt habe, heisst es in der gemeinsamen Erklärung. Die Europäische Union solle die von der Schweiz angefertigte Liste zurückweisen. Minister von 17 der insgesamt 22 Mitgliedstaaten der Arabischen Liga hätten das Dokument unterzeichnet, berichtete die italienische Nachrichtenagentur Ansa am Donnerstag.

Erst gestern hatte Libyens Staatsführer Muamar al-Ghadhafi ein Wirtschaftsembargo gegen die Schweiz verhängt. Er begründete den Schritt mit der diplomatischen Krise zwischen den beiden Staaten. Libyen werde Medikamente, medizinische Geräte und Industriegeräte, die das Land bisher aus der Schweiz bezogen habe, aus anderen Ländern importieren, hielt Baayou weiter fest. Zum heiligen Krieg aufgerufen >>> cpm/sda | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

Wer bleiben will, muss eine Landessprache büffeln
BASLER ZEITUNG: Der Nationalrat will, dass Kenntnisse einer Landessprache zur Voraussetzung für eine Niederlassungsbewilligung werden.

Integration fängt mit dem Lernen der Landessprache an. Bild: Basler Zeitung
«Nur wer einer Landessprache mächtig ist, kann sich auch integrieren und zu einem friedlichen Zusammenleben der Kulturen etwas beitragen», sagt Nationalrat Lukas Reimann. Daraus folgert der SVP-Mann: «Wer keine ausreichenden Sprachkenntnisse hat, darf in der Schweiz auch keine Niederlassungsbewilligung erhalten.» >>> Von Pascal Schwendener | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

Die traditionelle Familie ist ein Auslaufmodell: Immer mehr Mütter sind erwerbstätig
NZZ ONLINE: Immer mehr Mütter gehen einer entlöhnten Erwerbsarbeit nach. Dies gilt sowohl für alleinerziehende Mütter wie auch für Frauen in einer Partnerschaft. Die Bereitschaft von Männern, ihr Pensum zu reduzieren, ist noch gering. >>> ubl. | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

Miss Me yet? Is the Last Laugh on Dubya?
MAIL ONLINE: With a big smile, being applauded by friends and supporters George 'Dubya' Bush last night stepped up to receive an award honouring him as a Texan.

'I love Texas, and I love the history of Texas, and I love the stories of Texas,' the rejuvenated former president, 63, said after accepting the History-Making Texan Award.

On receiving hers, his wife, Laura, added: 'I accept this award on behalf of all Texas women, all the cowgirls and all the ones who make history.'

Bush's demeanour, as he enjoys his retirement after two terms of leading the U.S., strongly contrasts with that of 48-year-old Barack Obama who took over from him last year and has appeared tired and haggard in recent weeks.

His health care reforms are bogged down in partisan politics, his national security strategy has come under increasing criticism and there is growing anger over the bailout given to Wall Street as families continue to struggle in the fragile economic climate. Is George 'Dubya' having the last laugh? Bush basks in acclaim of supporters as pressure builds on Obama after Texas vote >>> | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Income Tax
Tax is for the little people >>> | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Heiliger Krieg! Guerre sainte! Holy War! Wirtschaftsembargo gegen die Schweiz ist Anfang des Jihad
TAGES ANZEIGER: Nach versöhnlichen Worten kommt ein neuer Racheakt aus Libyen: Ghadhafi stellt jeglichen Handel mit der Schweiz ein. Wie am Abend bekannt wurde, ist dies für ihn der Anfang des Heiligen Kriegs.

Das Verwirrspiel in der Affäre Gaddafi geht weiter. Nachdem Libyens Aussenminister am Mittwochnachmittag eine Lösung der Krise in Aussicht gestellt hatte, verschärfte sich die Situation am Abend: Libyen verhängte ein totales Wirtschaftsembargo gegen die Schweiz.

Der nordafrikanische Staat begründet den Schritt mit der diplomatischen Krise zwischen den beiden Staaten. Das sagte der Sprecher der libyschen Regierung, Mohamed Baayou, der Nachrichtenagentur AFP.

Ankündigung wahr gemacht

Libyen werde ausserdem Medikamente, medizinische Geräte und Industriegeräte, die das Land bisher aus der Schweiz bezogen habe, aus anderen Ländern importieren, hielt Baayou weiter fest.

Gemäss der libyschen Nachrichtenagentur Jana ist das Embargo eine Antwort auf den Jihad-Aufruf von Staatschef Muammar al-Ghadhfi. Der libysche Staatschef hatte vergangene Woche wegen des Minarett- Verbots zum heiligen Krieg gegen die Schweiz aufgerufen.

Das Eidgenössische Departement für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA) wollte am Mittwochabend keinen Kommentar zur neusten Entwicklung der diplomatischen Krise abgegen. >>> oku/sda | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Obama’s Got More Flabbing to Do. This Time Down Under: Obama to Address Federal Parliament
Photo: The Sydney Morning Herald
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: US President Barack Obama will address a joint sitting of Federal Parliament on March 23 when he makes his first presidential visit to Australia.

Leader of the House Anthony Albanese said Mr Obama's speech to the joint sitting would be the only business that day. However, Parliament would sit the previous day.

He said this visit would generate a great deal of interest.

"We will be honoured by his presence in Canberra on that day," he said. >>> AAP | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Clergy Could Be Sued If They Refuse to Carry Out ‘Gay Marriages’, Traditionalists Fear
THE TELEGRAPH: Clergy could be sued if they refuse to carry out “gay marriages” in church, leading figures have warned.

Traditionalist bishops and peers fear that vicars could be taken to court and accused of discrimination if they turn down requests to hold civil partnerships on religious premises.

Their concerns have been raised following a landmark vote by peers that will allow the ceremonies for same-sex couples to be held in places of worship for the first time.

It is also feared that the changes would blur the line further between marriage - which churches say must be between a man and a woman - and civil partnerships.

It comes after a Government drive to outlaw bias against minority groups such as homosexuals in the Equality Bill. >>> Martin Beckford and Heidi Blake | Wednesday, 03. March 2010

Nana Mouskouri - Ta pedia tou Pirea - Los niños del Pireo - Never on Sunday


Nana Mouskouri & Julio Iglesias - Se que volverás


Nana Mouskouri - The Power Of Love


Nana Mouskouri: Ximeroni


Related:

Greek Singer Nana Mouskouri Offers Her Pension to Help End Debt Crisis >>> | Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Aufruf in London: Islamgelehrter geißelt den Terror der Islamisten
WELT ONLINE: Der in Pakistan lehrende Scheich Dr. Muhamad Tahir ul-Qadri spricht eine Fatwa gegen islamistische Selbstmordattentäter und Terroristen aus. Angeregt zu diesem "Rechtsgutachten" wurde ul-Qadri durch die Serie blutiger Anschläge, von denen Pakistan in letzter Zeit heimgesucht worden ist.

Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri ist gebürtiger Pakistani. Die schwierige Lage in seinem Heimatland haben ihn nun zu seinen Äußerungen veranlasst. Foto: Welt Online
Eine der international bekanntesten Autoritäten der Islam-Forschung, der in Pakistan lehrende Scheich Dr. Muhamad Tahir ul-Qadri, hat in London eine Fatwa ausgesprochen gegen Selbstmordattentäter und Terroristen, die ihre Taten mit Hinweis auf den Islam zu rechtfertigen suchen. Basis der Fatwa ist seine 600-Seiten lange, in Urdu verfasste Quellen-Studie, die ul-Qadri, 58, gestern persönlich vorstellte, zusammen mit einer englischsprachigen Zusammenfassung.

„Ich spreche nicht anders als der Prophet“, deklarierte der Gelehrte, „diese Leute werden die Hunde der Hölle sein. Es gibt keinen islamischen Terrorismus – wer Terrorismus propagiert, ist kein Moslem, er stellt sich vielmehr außerhalb der islamischen weltweiten Umma und wird damit ein Ungläubiger.“ >>> Von Thomas Kielinger | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Dutch Anti-immigration Party Gains Ground in Vote
ASSOCIATED PRESS: AMSTERDAM — Early returns in Dutch local elections showed an anti-immigrant, anti-Islam party making big gains in a result seen as a possible foreshadowing of national elections in June.

"We're going to take the Netherlands back from the leftist elite, that coddles criminals and supports Islamization," said Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders early Thursday.

Wednesday's voting in 394 cities in theory elects city councils to deal with matters such as parking fees and taxes on dog ownership. But with national elections slated for June 9, Dutch media and politicians are treating the event as a dress rehearsal.

The Freedom Party was leading handily with half the votes counted in the medium-sized city of Almere, around 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Amsterdam.

Voting was conducted with paper and pencil, and full results won't be certified until Friday. >>> Toby Sterling, AP | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Greece Braces For Tough Times

Venezuela, Spain in Tiff: Chavez Thumbs His Nose at Spain

Farage Refuses to Apologise Over 'Damp Rag' Remarks
BBC: UKIP MEP Nigel Farage has been asked to apologise for remarks he made about the President of the European Council.

Mr Farage described Herman van Rompuy, the former Belgian prime minister, as a "damp rag" and "a low-grade bank clerk".

The Parliament is asking for an apology but Mr Farage has said he will not comply. Watch video here >>> | Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Couples Claim Washington's First Gay Marriage Licence
BBC: More than 120 gay couples have received marriage licences in the US capital, Washington DC.

The District of Columbia became the sixth US jurisdiction to allow same-sex unions after the Supreme Court threw out a last-minute legal challenge.

Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont also issue same-sex licences.

Many queued for hours outside Washington's marriage bureau to be among the first to get their licences.

The BBC's Madeleine Morris, in Washington, says that the couples were motivated both by a desire to marry as soon as they could, and a fear that further legal challenges could overturn the decision to allow same-sex marriages. >>> | Thursday, March 04, 2010

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: LOI | Cette loi fait de la capitale fédérale le sixième endroit du pays à autoriser le mariage gay.

Les couples homosexuels peuvent depuis ce mercredi s’inscrire pour se marier à Washington, au lendemain du rejet par la Cour Suprême fédérale d’un appel contre la légalisation du mariage gay dans la capitale américaine. Adoptée en décembre dernier par le conseil de district de Columbia et jugée constitutionnelle mardi, cette loi fait de la capitale fédérale le sixième endroit du pays à autoriser le mariage gay. >>> AP | Mercredi 03 Mars 2010

Guardian Viewpoint: All Eyes On Far-right Geert Wilders as Dutch Go to the Polls
THE GUARDIAN: Anti-Muslim populist hopes to establish Freedom party at local government level for first time as general election looms

Photo: The Guardian
The Dutch went to the polls today to elect local authorities in a ballot seen as a gauge of the national mood and the strength of the far right, 10 days after the government collapsed and three months before national elections.

With almost 400 local authorities being elected, the focus was on only two, the votes in the capital The Hague and the central town of Almere, because of the campaign by the anti-Muslim populist Geert Wilders to establish his Freedom party in local government for the first time.

Wilders, who likens the Qur'an to Hitler's Mein Kampf and wants Muslim immigrants deported, is bidding fair to win the general election in June, with the latest opinion polls giving him 27 of the 150 seats in The Netherlands' highly fragmented political scene.

The maverick rightwinger is expected at the House of Lords on Friday on an invitation from the UK Independence Party for a screening of his incendiary anti-Islamic film, Fitna, after the Home Office barred him from entering Britain last year, a ban that was rescinded.

Today the town halls in The Hague and Almere were under heavy security because of the tension fanned by the Freedom party campaign. In both towns and elsewhere scores of men and women turned up to vote wearing headscarves, in an ironic protest against Wilders's demand for a tax on Muslim headgear and for the wearing of headscarves to be banned in all public buildings.

His Freedom party is running for only two local authorities because of a lack of resources and candidates.

While local elections in Holland are usually a subdued affair focused on issues such as cycle paths and rubbish collection, today's poll was dominated by immigration and Afghanistan. >>> Ian Traynor, Europe editor | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Sing Along with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

The Split Within: Two Years On Since Kosovo Declared Independence

Barack Obama: I'll Steamroll Health Reforms Through Congress
Here Obama goes again, wagging his finger as though only he could know what is good for American people. Big daddy knows best. So you listen to me, children!

How do the American people put up with this arrogance? Doesn’t Obama realise that he is supposed to be leading a democracy? Obama seems to have so little political experience. The fact that he came to high office as an empty suit is more and more evident with each passing day.

America’s health system does indeed need reforming, but the baby should not be thrown out with the bathwater; rather, the system needs to be controlled better, and it needs a lot of tweaking into shape. But a European healthcare system – a national health care system as there is in Britain or France – probably would not go down well in America. It would probably not sit well with the psyche of the American people, the people living in the ‘land of the free’.

I often wonder whether Obama understands his compatriots very well; he certainly indicates that he is ignorant of their character and ways. In a few words, he doesn’t seem to understand what makes his fellow countrymen tick.

If he rams this legislation through Congress, he will pay a very high price for his folly in future elections. It will ensure that his presidency will be nothing longer than one term. – © Mark

TIMES ONLINE: President Obama declared for the first time today that he is prepared to steamroll his troubled health reform legislation through Congress with only Democratic support, a move Republicans denounced as the “nuclear option”.

Signalling that his patience had now snapped after a year-long fight over health reform, Mr Obama laid the ground for Democrats in Congress to muscle the Bill through using a high-risk legislative maneuvre known as reconciliation, which overrides a Republican filibuster.

Although he did not use the word “reconciliation”, Mr Obama made clear that is the uncompromising route he now intends to take with his top domestic priority. White House aides and top Democrats on Capitol Hill have also stated in recent days that, in the face of unanimous Republican opposition, the legislation will now be forced through.

By using reconciliation, Democrats can get the health reform package through the Senate with a simple majority, rather than needing the Bill to pass the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a Republican filibuster. Mr Obama’s party ceded their 60-stong majority in the upper chamber after losing the late Edward Kennedy’s Massachusetts seat in January.

That shock defeat was in large part due to growing public hostility to Mr Obama’s health reforms, which many see as too expensive at a time of exploding deficits. Forcing the Bill through Congress is, therefore, a high-risk strategy that Republicans vowed to exploit.

In a speech from the White House, Mr Obama conceded the risks involved. “I don’t know how this plays politically, but I know it's right”, he said. >>> Tim Reid, Washington | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Multiple Suicide Bombers Strike Iraq

Carla Bruni Raises Eyebrows with Figure-hugging Dress
THE TELEGRAPH: It is not an obvious choice of dress for a first lady at a state dinner but then not all first ladies have Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's advantages.

The wife of Nicolas Sarkozy selected a figure hugging Roland Mouret dress that left only a very little to the imagination as she arrived with her husband at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

And while many may not have got away with it, Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy carried off the outfit, which she teamed with Christian Louboutin heels, with grace.

The dinner was held in honour of Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian President, and his wife Svetlana, who have been on a three-day visit to France. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy arrives at state dinner in figure-hugging dress >>> | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Carla Bruni wears RM by the designer Roland Mouret: Carla loved the French designer's creation so much, that she has ordered three more of his designs. >>> Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director at Paris Fashion Week | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

KRONE.at: Da hilft kein geboxter Unschuldsblick: Fotos beweisen eindeutig, dass Frankreichs "First Lady" Carla Sarkozy-Bruni beim Staatsempfang ihres Mannes für den russischen Präsidenten Medwedew ohne Büstenhalter als BH-lose Gastgeberin dagestanden ist. Aber Madame! Carla Sarkozy-Bruni ohne BH beim Staatsempfang >>> | Donnerstag, 04. März 2010

«Ob andere uns glauben, spielt keine Rolle» : Islamkritiker Geert Wilders über Freiheit und westliche Werte
NZZ ONLINE: Die niederländischen Lokalwahlen werden als Gradmesser für die Popularität des Rechtspopulisten Geert Wilders und von dessen Partei für die Freiheit (PVV) betrachtet. Der Brüsseler NZZ-Korrespondent Peter Winkler hat mit Wilders gesprochen.

Herr Wilders, Sie haben mit Ihren Aussagen zum Islam einigen Aufruhr ausgelöst. Gegen Sie läuft auch ein Gerichtsverfahren wegen Diskriminierung, Beleidigung einer Gruppe und Anstachelung zu Hass. Worum geht es für Sie?

Es geht um Freiheit. Das ist auch der Grund, warum ich meiner Partei den Namen «Partei für die Freiheit» gegeben habe. Ich glaube, es ist nicht nur unser Recht, sondern unsere Pflicht, für die Freiheit zu kämpfen. Ich glaube, dass der Islam – nicht Muslime, das möchte ich betonen, ich habe nichts gegen Menschen – als Ideologie eine Bedrohung für unseren Rechtsstaat, unsere Demokratie und unsere Freiheit ist. Darum geht es, dafür kämpfe ich, und deshalb bin ich auch vor Gericht.

Freiheit, alles zu sagen?
Wenn man für die Freiheit kämpft, ist es dann egal, was man sagt?

Nein, natürlich gibt es Grenzen. Ich glaube sehr an die Freiheit, an so etwas wie das First Amendment in der amerikanischen Verfassung, und es wäre schön, wenn dieses auch nach Europa exportiert würde. Aber selbst dann muss man Leute bestrafen, die zu Gewalt aufrufen oder Andere diskriminieren, wie zum Beispiel Ladenbesitzer, die sagen: Christen oder Juden oder Muslime sind nicht erwünscht. Man soll sagen können, was man denkt, aber nicht: «Tötet diesen Mann!»

Es gibt diese rote Linie, aber darüber hinaus, davon bin ich überzeugt, sollte man nicht mehr viel verbieten. Die Leute sollten sich verteidigen können. Wenn wir als Politiker nicht zu Gewalt aufrufen oder diskriminieren, sollte die Diskussion im Parlament geführt werden, nicht vor Gericht. Das Gericht sollte kein Korrekturmechanismus sein für Dinge, die man nicht hören will oder mit denen man nicht einverstanden ist. >>> Interview: win. | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Das gesamte Interview mit Geert Wilders lesen Sie morgen im Auslandteil der NZZ.

La Russie négocie avec la France l'achat de 4 navires de guerre
lePARISIEN.fr: Nicolas Sarkozy a affirmé que «la France et la Russie» avaient débuté lundi des «négociations exclusives» pour l'achat par Moscou de quatre navires de guerre français, lors d'une conférence de presse conjointe à Paris avec le président russe Dmitri Medvedev. Il s'agit de quatre BPC (bâtiments de projection et de commandement) Mistral. >>> leparisien.fr | Lundi 01 Mars 2010

Nucléaire iranien : accord de Moscou sur le principe de sanctions
lePARISIEN.fr: Le président russe Dmitri Medvedev a marqué lundi à Paris son accord pour de nouvelles sanctions contre l'Iran, à condition qu'elles n'aient pas de conséquences humanitaires pour la population iranienne. «La Russie est prête, avec nos autres partenaires, à réfléchir à l'introduction de sanctions», a-t-il déclaré à l'issue d'un entretien avec son homologue Nicolas Sarkozy.

«Nos appels (à l'Iran) pour travailler à un programme nucléaire pacifique sous le contrôle de la communauté internationale n'ont pas porté leurs fruits jusqu'à présent», a regretté le président russe. «Malheureusement, ces derniers temps, nous n'avons pas beaucoup avancé. Au contraire, la situation s'est détériorée», a-t-il jugé.
 >>> leparisien.fr avec l’AFP | Lundi 01 Mars 2010

La guerre économique! Economic Warfare! Wirtschafts-Krieg! Affaire Libyenne : La Libye décide un embargo économique «total» sur la Suisse
Mouammar Kadhafi. Photo: Le Temps
LE TEMPS: La Libye a décidé d’imposer un embargo économique «total» sur la Suisse dans la foulée de la crise diplomatique entre les deux pays, a déclaré mercredi à l’AFP le porte-parole du gouvernement libyen, Mohamed Baayou

«La Libye a décidé d’imposer un embargo total sur tous les échanges économiques et commerciaux avec la Suisse», a indiqué M. Baayou.

Elle a décidé par ailleurs d’»adopter d’autres alternatives en ce qui concerne les médicaments et les équipements médicaux et industriels» suisses importés par Tripoli, a-t-il précisé. >>> AFP | Mercredi 03 Mars 2010

«Totales Wirtschaftsembargo» gegen die Schweiz: Neues Manöver Ghadhafis
NZZ ONLINE: Libyen verhängt ein totales Wirtschaftsembargo gegen die Schweiz. Der nordafrikanische Staat begründet den Schritt mit der diplomatischen Krise zwischen den beiden Staaten. Das sagte ein Sprecher der libyschen Regierung am Mittwoch der Nachrichtenagentur AFP.

Libyen werde Medikamente, medizinische Geräte und Industriegeräte, die das Land bisher aus der Schweiz bezogen habe, aus anderen Ländern importieren, hielt Baayou fest. >>> sda | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Libya Imposes Economic Embargo on Switzerland
AL ARABIYA: Libya has decided to impose a "total" economic embargo on Switzerland, government spokesman Mohammed Baayou said on Wednesday, after Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi declared holy war on Bern.



"Libya has decided to impose a total embargo on all economic and commercial exchanges with Switzerland," Baayou said.



The country will "adopt alternative (sources) for medicines and medical and industrial equipment" imported from Switzerland, he added.

The announcement comes just hours after Libya protested against a U.S. State Department official poking fun at Ghaddafi after he called for jihad against Switzerland in an ongoing diplomatic spat with that country. >>> Tripoli, Agencies | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

WELT ONLINE: Libyen will den Streit mit der Schweiz jetzt auch auf wirtschaftlicher Ebene austragen und hat einen Handelsboykott verkündet. Ohnehin sind die Geschäfte zwischen den Ländern bereits um mehr als die Hälfte zurückgegangen. Unter anderem stehen Arzneimittel und medizinische Geräte auf der Embargo-Liste.

Gegen die Schweiz werde ein vollständiges Wirtschafts- und Handelsembargo verhängt, sagte ein Regierungssprecher. Der Handel zwischen beiden Ländern ist wegen der seit mehr als anderthalb Jahren andauernden Krise bereits um mehr als die Hälfte zurückgegangen.

Unter anderem sollten Arzneimittel und medizinische Geräte künftig anderswo beschafft werden, sagte Regierungssprecher Mohammed Baaju. Die Schweizer Exporte nach Libyen beliefen sich im vergangenen Jahr auf 156 Millionen Schweizer Franken und fielen damit um fast 45 Prozent geringer aus als noch im Vorjahr. Verglichen mit einem Exportvolumen von insgesamt 180 Milliarden Schweizer Franken ist das Geschäft mit Libyen eher gering. Libyen verkaufte 2009 Waren im Wert von 718 Millionen Franken an die Eidgenossen, dies bedeutete gegenüber dem Vorjahr ein Minus von über 78 Prozent.

Die Beziehungen zwischen Libyen und der Schweiz gelten als zerrüttet, seit im Juli 2008 ein Sohn des libyschen Machthabers Muammar el Gaddafi in Genf vorübergehend festgenommen wurde. Tripolis zog seitdem seine Bankguthaben aus der Schweiz ab, verwies Schweizer Unternehmen des Landes und kündigte einen Lieferstopp für Erdöl an. Libyen verhängt Embargo gegen die Schweiz >>> AFP/cl | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Taliban Network of 156 Caves Discovered in Pakistan Mountains
THE TELEGRAPH: A complex network of 156 caves used by the Taliban and al-Qaeda has been discovered by the Pakistan army dug into rocky mountains close to the Afghan border.

Photo: The Telegraph
The tunnels, which are thought to have been created over five to seven years, were carved into sheer rock within view of the snow-capped peaks of eastern Afghanistan.

The network was found during an offensive against Islamist militants in the country's semi-autonomous tribal areas in which 75 militants were killed. >>> | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Boy Develops Fish Scales at 14 Months Old
THE TELEGRAPH: This 14-month-old boy born without pores in his skin has baffled medics by developing fish scales.

Doctors believe Song Sheng, of Jinhu, eastern China, may be suffering from a rare genetic condition that means his body cannot cool itself.

Song Sheng - called fish boy by locals - began developing scales within days of his birth caused by his lack of pores. >>> | Monday, March 01, 2010

To make a donation to help Song Sheng click here.

Muslim Americans Arrested in Pakistan

Greece on the Brink: Anatomy of a Debt Crisis

Europe's Original Sin: National Leaders Ignored Greece's Soaring Debt for Years
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Europeans are blaming financial transactions arranged by Wall Street for bringing Greece to the brink of needing a bailout. But a close look at the country's finances over the nearly 10 years since it adopted the euro shows not only that Greece was the principal author of its debt problems, but also that fellow European governments repeatedly turned a blind eye to its flouting of rules.

Though the European Commission and the U.S. Federal Reserve are examining a controversial 2001 swap arranged with Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Greece's own budget moves, in clear breach of European Union rules, dwarfed the effect of such deals.

Predicaments of the sort Greece is facing—years of overspending, leaving bond investors worried the country can't pay back its debts—weren't supposed to happen in the euro zone. Early on, countries made a pact aimed at preventing a free-spending state from undermining the common currency. The pact required countries adopting the euro to limit annual budget deficits to 3% of gross domestic product, and total government debt to 60% of GDP.

But an examination of budget reports to the EU shows Greece hasn't met the deficit rule in any year except 2006. It has never been within 30 percentage points of the debt ceiling. >>> Charles Forelle and Stephen Fiddler | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Obituary: Winston Churchill
THE TELEGRAPH: Winston Churchill, who died today aged 69, never quite managed in 27 years as a Conservative MP to shrug off the burdens of having had the wartime leader as his grandfather and the ebullient, self-destructive Randolph Churchill for a father.

Winston Churchill in front of a portrait of his grandfather. Photograph: The Telegraph
Faced with the choice of emulating Sir Winston or pursuing a career outside politics, he opted for the former, proved competent if mercurial, but lacked the exceptional flair to establish himself in his own right.

Churchill was at a disadvantage not only through his legacy but because his preoccupation with it led some to consider him bumptious; alone of more than 650 MPs, he insisted on signing Commons motions without using his Christian name.

He caused a furore in 1995 when he negotiated the payment to the Churchill family of £12.5 million in National Lottery funds for his grandfather’s personal papers to remain at Churchill College, Cambridge, rather than be sold abroad, himself retaining the copyright for 20 years. It had not been widely appreciated, even among historians, that the papers were eligible for sale as the family had already received £393,000 for them in 1946.

There were suggestions that Churchill needed the cash to offset his losses as a “name” at Lloyds, to finance his divorce from his first wife or even to bail out his mother, Pamela Harriman, who had almost exhausted the £100 million railroad fortune of her final husband. The Churchill trustees insisted first that he would only receive some of the investment income, then said they would consider a request to fund the divorce.

Randolph Churchill had observed of his son: “His name is such a disadvantage”, but young Winston saw both sides: “A famous name can be terrible if you are lousy, but if you are any good, it helps.” It may have seen him bullied at school, but later it did secure him the best tables at restaurants. It did not always carry weight, however; when after the Gulf War he introduced himself to a squaddie in the desert, he received the reply: “Yes, and I’m Rommel.” >>> | Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Kiddoms!
Excuse me, but shouldn’t boys of twelve be playing with their friend Willy instead of playing with their own willy? – © Mark

MAIL ONLINE: Extra small condoms for boys as young as 12 are going on sale in Switzerland after a sexual health group campaign.

Called the Hotshot, the condom has been produced after government research showed 12 to 14-year-olds did not use sufficient protection when having sex.

The study, conducted on behalf of the Federal Commission for Children and Youth, interviewed 1,480 people aged between 10 and 20.

It found more 12 to 14-year-old were having sex, in comparison with the 1990s.

Nancy Bodmer, who led the research at the Centre for Development and Personality Psychology at Basel University, said: 'The result that shocked us concerned young boys who display apparently risky behaviour.

'They have more of a tendency not to protect themselves. They do not have a very developed sexual knowledge. Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as 12 >>> Alexandra Williams | Wesnesday, March 03, 2010

Suisse – Affaire Kadhafi : Le dénouement serait proche
20MINUTES.ch: Le dénouement est proche dans la crise qui oppose la Libye et la Suisse, a assuré mardi le chef de la diplomatie libyenne Moussa Koussa.

«Nous sommes proches d'une solution en ce qui concerne la crise avec la Suisse, même si cette dernière a la grande responsabilité de ne pas avoir mis en oeuvre jusqu'à présent ce qui a été convenu entre nos deux pays afin de résoudre» notre différend, a déclaré Moussa Koussa en marge d'une réunion du Congrès général du peuple (le pouvoir législatif libyen), à Syrte.

Cette rencontre a eu lieu mardi à l'occasion du 33e anniversaire de la proclamation de la Grande Jamahiriyya, le régime populaire et socialiste mis en place par Mouammar Kadhafi en 1977, huit ans après son accession au pouvoir. >>> ats | Mercredi 03 Mars 2010

Affaire Kadhafi : La famille de Max Göldi lance un appel à Kadhafi
20MINUTES.ch: La famille du Suisse emprisonné en Libye Max Göldi a lancé un appel pressant au chef de l'Etat libyen Mouamar Kadhafi.

Une demande de grâce doit être déposée en fin de semaine par l'avocat libyen de l'otage helvétique.

Moritz, le frère de Max Göldi, a déclaré mardi soir lors de l'émission «10vor10» de la télévision alémanique SF, qu'au nom de sa mère et de toute la famille, il avait appelé la famille Kadhafi «à faire tout ce qui était en leur pouvoir pour que la demande de recours en grâce soit entendue». >>> ats | Mercredi 03 Mars 2010

Chodorkowski: «Russland schaufelt sich sein eigenes Grab»
20MINUTEN.ch: Der russische Strafvollzug «legitimiert Gewalt» und sei von «Schweinehunden» durchsetzt, schreibt der inhaftierte Ex-Ölmanager Michail Chodorkowski in einem Zeitungsartikel.

Ungeachtet der Reformversprechen von Kremlchef Dmitri Medwedew herrschen in Russlands Justiz aus Sicht Chodorkowskis weiter Gewalt und Willkür. «Das verbrecherische Fliessband der Justiz zerstört jedes Jahr die Würde und das Schicksal tausender Menschen und produziert damit eine gewaltige Menge, die es hasst», schrieb der Kremlkritiker und einstige Chef des zerschlagenen Ölkonzerns Yukos in einem Beitrag für die Zeitung «Nesawissimaja Gaseta» vom Mittwoch. >>> sda | Mittwoch, 03. März 2010

Liechtenstein sieht braun: Neonazis mit Schafsköpfen und Brandbomben
20MINUTEN.ch: Im Fürstentum Liechtenstein ist die heile Welt aus den Fugen geraten. Rechstextreme Kreise gehen immer offener auf Ausländer los. Regierungsvertreter sehen «rechtsextreme Einstellungen bis tief in die Mitte der Gesellschaft in Liechtenstein».

Am letzten Freitag wurde ein Kebap-Bistro in Nendeln kurz vor der Eröffnung durch Molotow-Cocktails verwüstet. Es handelt sich um den zweiten Anschlag mit einfach herstellbaren Brandsätzen im gleichen Ort innert dreier Monate.

Ende November 2009 hatten Unbekannte Molotow-Cocktails gegen zwei Wohnhäuser in Nendeln geworfen. Hausbewohner konnten die Flammen löschen, bevor grösserer Schaden entstand.

Ein weiterer Anschlag ereignete sich vergangenen September in Triesen: Unbekannte sprengten den Briefkasten einer liechtensteinischen Familie und deponierten vor den Trümmern einen abgeschnittenen Schafskopf.

In allen Fällen fand die Polizei keine Hinweise auf die Täterschaft, wie Sprecherin Tina Enz der Nachrichtenagentur SDA sagte. Daher könne man weder eine Verbindung zwischen den drei Fällen noch eine zu rechtsextremen Kreisen bestätigen. Unverkennbare rassistische Tendenz >>> sda | Mittwoch 03 März 2010

Anti-dhimmitude! Muslim Woman Barred from Flight After Refusing Body Scan
THE TELEGRAPH: A Muslim woman is thought to have become the first passenger to be stopped from boarding a flight after refusing to go through a full body scanner for religious reasons.

The passenger was at Manchester Airport for a flight to Islamabad when she was selected at random to pass through the security screen.

She was warned she would not be allowed to board the Pakistan International Airlines flight if she did not comply with the request but she decided to forfeit her ticket.

Her female travelling companion also left the airport after she cited ''medical reasons'' for not wanting to go through the scanner.

More than 15,000 people have already passed through the £80,000 Rapiscan machine at the airport's Terminal 2. The Government introduced the scanner at Heathrow and Manchester airports last month.

Security staff use the X-ray machine to check for any concealed weapons or explosives but it has attracted criticism for also showing clear outlines of passengers' genitals. Civil liberties campaigners have criticised the scanners as an invasion of privacy.

Sources at Manchester Airport said the flight to Pakistan about two weeks ago was busy and that no other passengers objected when chosen to go through the full body scanner after check-in. >>> | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Poppycock from The Times in the Best Neville Chamberlain Tradition! Blond bombshell Geert Wilders Returns to Britain, Looking for a Fight
Geert Wilders. Photo: Times Online
My oh my, Geert Wilders really does seem to have got you rattled, Mr Macintyre.

But let’s get some facts straight. Geert Wilders is not “far-right” just because he states truths that you, Mr Macintyre, don’t want to hear. This is clearly a case of shooting the messenger, and one of trying to shoot him down with ad hominem attacks. Geert Wilders is merely pointing out the dangers of the growth of Islam in his country. The Channel 4 documentary, Dispatches, entitled 'Britain's Islamic Republic', testifies to the validity of what Mr Wilders says.

In a free society, we should be allowed to hear and say things which may not be popular. It’s called ‘free speech’, remember? It’s what our ancestors died for.

So if Muslims don’t want to hear what Mr Wilders has to say, then it’s just too bad. We so-called infidels don’t want to hear half the nonsense and abuse that Muslims come out with either, but nobody has the courage to shut them up. By the way, Mr Macintyre, it’s Muslims who are trying to kill us, not the other way round. Your logic seems to be warped and twisted. – © Mark

TIMES ONLINE: Boyish, topped with a bouffant mane of bleached blond hair, cheerful and cherubic, Geert Wilders is the unlikely new face of the far Right in Europe. But appearances are deceptive. The leader of the Dutch anti-immigration Freedom Party has emerged as one of the most divisive politicians in Europe, the purveyor of a virulent brand of anti-Islamic rhetoric that calls for a tax on Islamic headscarves and a ban on the Koran, which he likens to Mein Kampf.

Mr Wilders is facing trial in a Dutch court for “inciting hatred”. Last year he was banned from Britain and turned away at Heathrow when he arrived here planning to show his short film, an incendiary anti-Islamic diatribe that the Dutch Prime Minister described as serving “no purpose other than to offend”.

On Friday, after successfully appealing against the Home Office ban, Mr Wilders will return to Britain at the invitation of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to show his controversial film to an invited audience at the House of Lords. The English Defence League is expected to demonstrate in his support and Muslim groups are all but certain to mount protests.

To his enemies, the 46-year-old Dutchman is an old-fashioned racist demagogue in a new suit; a bottle-blond bigot. To his growing ranks of supporters he is a champion of free speech, a bulwark against what he calls “the Islamic invasion of Holland”. He may be dismissed by some as a crank but he is an increasingly powerful and popular one. On February 20 the Dutch centrist coalition Government collapsed, deeply divided over keeping troops in Afghanistan, paving the way for a general election in June in which the Freedom Party is expected to do extremely well. Polls suggest that the party will triple its tally of seats, becoming at least the second-biggest parliamentary party and quite possibly the overall winner. Mr Wilders is likely to be a key player in any coalition, with a profound impact on the political agenda. >>> Ben Macintyre | Wednesday, March 03, 2010