Picasso and Matisse Stolen from Paris Museum in €500 Million Raid
THE TELEGRAPH: Paintings worth €500 million (£430 million), including masterpieces by Picasso and Matisse, have been stolen during a daring night raid on a Paris gallery.

Detail of "La pastorale" de Henri Matisse Pastoral 1905. Photo: Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.
A lone thief broke into the city's Museum of Modern Art overnight on Wednesday, also taking works by George Braque, Amedeo Modigliani and Fernand Lege.

A single masked raider was caught on CCTV entering through a broken window, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.

Police and art investigators have now cordoned off the museum, which is just across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower.

They believe that a reinforced glass window was smashed late on Wednesday night. A security lock inside the building had also been broken. >>> Peter Allen in Paris | Thursday, May 20, 2010

Voile intégral: Le Pen prône l'expulsion
LE FIGARO: La vice-présidente du Front national (FN) Marine Le Pen a demandé aujourd'hui que les femmes portant le voile intégral et les hommes contraignant celles-ci à le faire soient expulsés du territoire français, à la veille de l'examen en Conseil des ministres du projet de loi sur le sujet. 



Le projet de loi "interdisant la dissimulation du visage dans l'espace public", prévoit comme sanction pour les femmes contrevenantes une amende de 150 euros et/ou un stage de citoyenneté. Il prévoit aussi un nouveau "délit d'instigation à dissimuler son visage", puni d'un an d'emprisonnement et de 15.000 euros d'amende. >>> AFP | Mardi 18 Mai 2010

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Frankreichs Regierung will Burka verbieten: Unverhülltes Gesicht als Bürgerpflicht
NZZ ONLINE: In Frankreich soll das Tragen der Burka in der Öffentlichkeit verboten werden. Die Regierung hat einen entsprechenden Gesetzesvorschlag gebilligt, die unter juristischen Gesichtspunkten höchst umstritten ist.

Die französische Regierung hat am Mittwoch anlässlich einer Kabinettssitzung den Gesetzesvorschlag gebilligt, mit dem ab Frühjahr 2011 das Tragen der Burka in der Öffentlichkeit verboten werden soll. Das Gewand wird nicht namentlich erwähnt. Vielmehr stipuliert der Text, dass auf dem Staatsgebiet das Tragen von Kleidungsstücken verboten sei, dessen Zweck darin bestehe, das Gesicht zu verdecken. Zwang wird bestraft >>> Manfred Rist, Paris | Mittwoch, 19. Mai 2010

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‘All Out War’ Threatened Over North Korea Attack On Warship Cheonan
TIMES ONLINE: North Korea has threatened “all out war” if there is any retalation from Seoul for the torpedo attack which sank the South Korean warship Cheonan in March.

Pyongyang made the threat as it dismissed as ‘fabrication’ a report by an international team of investigators which concludes that a torpedo fired by a North Korean submarine was responsible for the explosion that ripped the 1,200 corvette in two, killing 46 sailors in one of South Korea’s worst naval tragedies.

In an escalating war of words, President Lee Myung-Bak, the South Korean president vowed to take “resolute countermeasures” against North Korea for the torpedo attack on the Cheonan, which happened near the disputed border between the two countries.

The investigators’ report, published today, concludes: “The evidence points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a North Korean submarine.

“There is no other plausible explanation.” Read on and comment >>> Anne Barrowclough | Thursday, May 20, 2010

Facebook Blocked in Pakistan Over Prophet Images


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France to Build New Mega-mosque
AFP: MARSEILLE, France — French Muslims celebrate a milestone on Thursday when building work begins on a mega-mosque in Marseille, the nation's biggest, and a potent symbol of Islam's place in modern France.

A day after the French government approved a bill banning the full Islamic veil, Muslim leaders will join politicians for a ceremony to lay the cornerstone at a dusty construction site in northern Marseille.

France's second city is home to 250,000 Muslims, many of whom flock to makeshift prayer houses in basements, rented rooms and dingy garages to worship.

With a minaret soaring 25 metres (82 feet) high, the Grand Mosque will hold up to 7,000 people in its prayer room and the complex will also boast a Koranic school, library, restaurant and tea room when it opens in 2012.

For more than 60 years, Muslim leaders have campaigned for a mega-mosque as a prominent gathering place that would bring Islam out of the basements and allow it to thrive under Marseille's Mediterranean sun. >>> Carole Landry, AFP | Thursday, May 20, 2010

France: Women Vow to Fight Ban on Islamic Full-face Veil

David Cameron Takes On Tory Back-bench 'Awkward Squad’
THE TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has made an audacious attempt to stamp his authority on Conservative MPs and smother back-bench dissent.

The Prime Minister announced a controversial move to neutralise the 1922 Committee which gives back-bench MPs a forum for criticising the Conservative leadership.

The move turned simmering anger at Mr Cameron’s coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats into fury among many Tory MPs.

One senior Right-winger described it as a “deliberate provocation” that could split the party. Others likened the moment to Tony Blair’s “Clause IV” confrontation with Labour members in 1995.

On Thursday, Mr Cameron will hail his “partnership” with Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, publishing the “historic” document that details the coalition Government’s full agenda for power. At a meeting with MPs on Wednesday in the Commons, Mr Cameron announced that he wanted to change the way the 1922 Committee was organised.

The committee represents back-bench Conservatives and is traditionally used to communicate rank-and-file MPs’ feelings about the way Tory governments are conducting themselves. The committee is named after the 1922 general election, which was called after the Conservatives withdrew from a coalition government with David Lloyd George’s Liberals.

Ministers and other government members are barred from the 1922, a rule meant to ensure that the party leadership cannot influence the committee directly.

Mr Cameron has proposed a change in the rules to allow him and his ministers and other allies to vote in the committee and even take up elected positions. >>> James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

New Dark Age Alert! Uganda Plans Death Penalty For Homosexuals
BBC: In Uganda, plans to introduce draconian new laws against homosexuality look likely to go ahead despite mass protests, a major petition, and condemnation from the international community.

The bill, which proposes the death penalty for so-called 'serial offenders', has already been described as 'odious' by President Obama.

A senior minister in Kampala has suggested that the death penalty could be replaced with life imprisonment.

John Simpson reports from Kampala. Watch BBC video here | John Simpson | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Michelle Obama Evening Dress Sparks Race Row Over 'Nude' Description
THE TELEGRAPH: From the moment she stepped into the limelight, Michelle Obama was feted as the 'First Lady of Fashion'.

Michelle Obama at the state dinner with President Barrack Obama. Photo: The Telegraph
She was hailed as the successor to Jackie Kennedy, with the style press rhapsodising over her ability to carry off High Street buys and glittering designer gowns with equal panache.

One dress, however, has sent ripples through the fashion world for rather different reasons. Mrs Obama's choice of gown for a State dinner has sparked a debate about race and the delicate matter of whether one can call a dress colour 'nude' when it really depends on the wearer.

The dress in question, which Mrs Obama wore to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House, was described by the designer as a "sterling-silver sequin, abstract floral, nude strapless gown".

That simple description has now caused a stir. "We talk of nude now and there is no one colour. It's politically incorrect," said Gale Epstein, founder of the US lingerie brand Hanky Panky. "There is a wide range for skin tone colours. Human skins tones are a whole colour palette unto themselves." Miss Epstein prefers to use a range of names, from "light chai" to "espresso", to describe her wares.

The Associated Press news agency was compelled to revise its reference to the dress colour from "flesh" to "champagne" after one fashion editor objected, asking: "Whose flesh? Not hers." >>> Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

New Dark Age Alert! Malawi Court Convicts Gay Couple of Gross Indecency and Unnatural Acts
Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: A court in Malawi yesterday convicted a gay couple of gross indecency and unnatural acts in a case that has highlighted the persecution of homosexuals in Africa and drawn international condemnation.

Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, who will be sentenced tomorrow, face at least a decade behind bars. They were arrested in December after testing Malawi’s anti-gay laws with a public “engagement ceremony” before a wedding planned for this year.

The action outraged authorities in the deeply conservative country, one of the poorest in Africa. The men have been in prison ever since, despite an international campaign for their release and reports of maltreatment.

Judge Nyakwawa Usiwa-Usiwa, sitting in the old colonial capital of Blantyre, convicted both men of engaging in gay sex, which he said was “against the order of nature”. The couple’s lawyer argued that their actions had not victimised anyone.

“Unlike in a rape case, there was no complainant or victim in this case,” he said. “Here are two consenting adults doing their thing in private. Nobody will be threatened or offended if they are released into society.”

That argument fell on deaf ears in a country in which gays are now in hiding. Large crowds have jeered and pilloried the men on each occasion that they have been brought to court. At a previous court appearance Mr Chimbalanga, who was sick with malaria, was forced to return to the court room to mop up his vomit. >>> Jonathan Clayton, Johannesburg | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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Bangkok in Flames as Protesters Refuse to Back Down
THE TELEGRAPH: Bangkok is in flames as the government admits it lost control when protesters set fire to key buildings in the city following a day of running battles with troops which left 12 dead and 60 injured.

A statue of Buddha and a torn Thai national flag remain in front of Bangkok's Central World shopping mall. Photo: The Telegraph
Rioters set fires at the stock exchange, electricity headquarters, banks and government offices. Siam Theatre, a much loved city institution, collapsed in flames. Hundreds of people had to be rescued from the burning headquarters of Channel 3 television. The death toll since fresh outbreaks of violence on Thursday now stands at 51.

The government issued "shoot on site" orders for a dawn raid as troops tried to disperse 2,000 Red Shirts who had been camped in Rajprasong, the capital's premier shopping and office district, for more than six weeks.

Seven of the Red Shirt leaders surrendered to police but militant gangs waged an arson and looting spree. The vast Central World shopping centre was torched as government troops shot to kill in a last ditch effort to defend it.

When the army finally marched cautiously into the protesters' former stronghold they discovered that the 2,000 strong crowd had dwindled to one woman.

Kuesadee Narukan, an elderly nurse, stood holding a red flag in the deserted arena. The sound system remained on and rice was cooking on the boilers. "I am not afraid. I am ready for my punishment," she said. "I am a fighter for democracy. >>> Damien McElroy and Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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Dissimulating Opinion: Why It’s Wrong to Ban the Veil
Watch video here: Why it’s wrong to ban the veil: Reza Aslan, a guest of the Sydney Writers' Festival, explains why it's wrong to ban the burqa and niqab.

Le Brésil et la Turquie demandent à l'ONU de ne pas sanctionner l'Iran
LE POINT: Le Brésil et la Turquie ont écrit mercredi au Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU pour demander aux 15 pays membres de ne pas adopter de nouvelles sanctions contre l'Iran en raison de son programme nucléaire. "Le Brésil et la Turquie sont convaincus qu'il est temps de donner une chance aux négociations et d'éviter des mesures nuisibles à la résolution pacifique de ce problème", déclarent le chef de la diplomatie brésilienne Celso Amorim et son homologue turc Ahmet Davutoglu, dans cette lettre rédigée en anglais et distribuée aux journalistes en poste au Brésil.

Ce document est accompagné de la déclaration conjointe signée lundi à Téhéran par le Brésil, la Turquie et l'Iran, document qui prévoit un échange d'uranium irano-turc afin d'écarter la menace de nouvelles sanctions contre la République islamique, brandie par les États-Unis et ses alliés occidentaux. Le Brésil et la Turquie sont membres temporaires du Conseil de sécurité. >>> AFP | Mercredi 19 Mai 2010

[Australian] Dollar Nosedives As Europe Worries Bite
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: The Australian dollar plunged more than 2.5 US cents in less than 18 hours, compounding a series of significant falls over the past days that have seen the value of the currency hit its lowest level since last September against its US counterpart - down more than 8 per cent since the start of the month. >>> Gabrielle Costa | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Loophole in Arizona Immigration Law

Faisal Shahzad Denied Bail

Coalition Under New Strain Over Human Rights U-turn
THE INDEPENDENT: Fresh strains were showing in the new Lib-Con coalition tonight as senior Tory MPs expressed "dismay" that plans to overhaul the Human Rights Act had been put on a backburner.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg risked further antagonising Conservative backbenchers after he issued a warning that they tampered with the Act "at their peril".

The commitment to repeal the Act - which enshrines the European Convention on Human Rights in UK law - and replace it with a British Bill of Rights was a key commitment in the Conservative manifesto.

But it emerged yesterday that the coalition Government had decided to set up a commission to look at the issue of whether there was a case for new British legislation.

The latest controversy flared as Mr Clegg and Prime Minister David Cameron prepared to unveil the final coalition document tomorrow.

Tory MP Bill Cash - who, as shadow attorney general, had been instrumental in drawing up the original Conservative policy in opposition - said that he was "dismayed" at the latest developments.

He warned that there was "very acute" concern among Conservative MPs that the party's position was being watered down.

"I think our manifesto commitment was crystal clear. It said that we would replace the Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. >>> Andrew Woodcock, PA | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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Clegg Backs Decision to Stop Deportation of 'al-Qaeda Operative'
TIMES ONLINE: Nick Clegg today defended a decision under the Human Rights Act to allow two Pakistani terror suspects to walk free in the UK despite an assessment that they pose a serious threat to the British public.

In his first major set-piece speech to launch the Liberal-Conservative programme of political reform, Mr Clegg said, “The law is very clear that it is wrong to deport people where there is risk that they will be seriously mistreated, tortured or even killed.”

The Liberal Democrat leader was booed by crowds of young people as he arrived at the City & Islington College in North London for his first major address as Deputy Prime Minister, and opened by saying the “loud reception” was a “sign of how things have changed”.

His speech was designed to launch what the Government says is the biggest shake-up of British democracy since 1832, including a promise to “tear through the statute book” to dispose of unnecessary laws. >>> Judith Evans | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Carla Gets Serious
THE TELEGRAPH: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy wore glasses for the first time at a public engagement in a bid to cultivate "a more serious image".

The French First Lady, who turns 43 this year, put the black designer frames on during her appearance as an anti-Aids ambassador at an event in Paris.

Dressed in a low cut, white T-shirt with a campaign slogan on it, the glasses transformed her image.

"Carla always tries to look as young as possible, but the glasses made it clear that she wanted a more serious image", a fashion observer close to Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy said.

She was supporting the Born HIV Free campaign, showing off a limited edition T-shirt, and a logo brooch designed by the jewellers Tiffany & Co.

Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy said: "By 2015, let us end the transmission of HIV from mother to child. This is not a dream - we can do it. Life is too beautiful to end before birth." Carla Bruni-Sarkozy out in glasses for the first time >>> Peter Allen, in Paris | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bangkok's Savage Conflict May Be A Mere Dress Rehearsal
THE TELEGRAPH: Thailand is torn between two rival camps, best characterised as competing patronage networks.

Since March 12, tens of thousands of red-shirted demonstrators have occupied central areas of Bangkok, demanding the resignation of the Oxford-educated prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the dissolution of parliament. The violence peaked on April 10 – when more than 20 people were killed – and has flared up again, as the military have tried to clear out the Redshirts' encampment.

At times, the security forces have fought pitched battles with protesters. The fatalities have included a Japanese cameraman, and several foreigners have been injured, including a Canadian journalist. In recent days, snipers have been shooting people from high buildings.

This has been portrayed as a struggle between poor farmers from the countryside and an undemocratic Bangkok elite. Yet despite the sympathetic coverage for the Redshirts in much of the international media, this is not a classic "pro-democracy" struggle between good guys and bad guys. It is a savage and dispiriting civil conflict, from which nobody emerges with much credit. Read on and comment >>> Duncan McCargo | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Sarkozy Warns Against ‘Hurt’ Feelings As Cabinet Approves Veil Ban
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Bill foresees €150 fine for veiled women, men forcing women to veil face jail and €15,000 fine

President Nicolas Sarkozy urged French Muslims on Wednesday not to feel hurt or stigmatised by a planned ban on full face veils that will fine women who hide their faces and jail men if they force them to cover up.

Mr. Sarkozy told a cabinet meeting, which approved the bill that could become law this autumn, that France was an old nation that could not allow its vision of women’s dignity and public order to be violated by the veil.

Only a tiny minority of Muslim women in Europe wear full veils, called niqabs or burqas, but their numbers are growing. The Belgian parliament has already begun debating a ban there and could also impose it in the coming months.

France has reaped criticism from Muslim groups and rights advocates for the planned “burqa ban,” which Mr. Sarkozy called for last year to counter Islamist views among some Muslims.

“This is a decision one doesn’t take lightly,” he said. “Nobody should feel hurt or stigmatized. I’m thinking in particular of our Muslim compatriots, who have their place in the republic and should feel respected.” >>> Tom Heneghan, Paris, Reuters | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hatred Against Islam Now Political Feast: OIC
SAUDI GAZETTE: DUSHANBE – Islamophobia will dominate the agenda of the 37th session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting here, marking the first time the Tajik capital has played host to the annual gathering.

The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, addressed the opening of the three-day conference Tuesday.

“We are happy to notice the recent positive changes and developments in the OIC’s activities as it has increased its international role,” said Rahmon.

OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu highlighted the significance of holding the OIC session in Dushanbe. “The chronicles of Islamic history bear eloquent testimony to the abounding wealth of cultural and edifying legacy, conferred to Islamic civilization, by the illustrious sons of this region,” he said.

Stressing the need to effectively tackle Islamophobia, Ihsanoglu said the hate wave against Islam and Muslim immigrants has become a “political commodity” and a “winning chip” in the hands of political parties during their election campaigns in the West.

Achieving any real progress in this area requires direct and dedicated interaction between OIC member states and the West.

“A high level ministerial meeting must be convened to evolve an Islamic plan for interaction with the West, regarding Islamophobia, and defending our just causes and in facing up to the mounting hate wave against Islam.

I also suggest that the question of Islamophobia be included in all member states’ interactions with their Western counterparts,” he said. >>> Jassim Alghamdi, SG | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Voile intégral : et maintenant ?
LE MONDE: Après plusieurs mois de débats houleux, de controverses juridiques et de prises de positions politiques discordantes, le texte de loi définissant l'interdiction du voile intégral en France a été présenté, mardi 19 mai, en conseil des ministres.

1. Que dit le texte de loi ? Comme prévu, il stipule, dans son article 1, que "nul ne peut, dans l'espace public, porter une tenue destinée à dissimuler son visage". L'article 2 définit ce qu'est un "espace public" : les "voies publiques" ainsi que "les lieux ouverts au public ou affectés à un service public". Des exemptions sont également définies : on pourra porter une tenue dissimulant le visage si celle-ci "est prescrite par une loi ou un règlement, si elle est autorisée pour protéger l’anonymat de l’intéressé, si elle est justifiée par des raisons médicales ou si elle s’inscrit dans le cadre de fêtes ou de manifestations artistiques ou traditionnelles".

La proposition de loi prévoit une amende de 150 euros en cas de non-respect de cette interdiction. Elle ouvre aussi la possibilité d'infliger un stage d'éducation civique. Elle introduit également un délit nouveau : "le fait, par menace, violence ou contrainte, abus de pouvoir ou abus d’autorité, d’imposer à une personne, en raison de son sexe, de dissimuler son visage", puni de 15 000 euros d'amende et d'un an d'emprisonnement. Enfin, un délai de six mois est prévu avant l'entrée en application de la loi. >>> Samuel Laurent | Mercredi 19 Mai 2010

Geert Wilders, the Ultra-right Firebrand, Campaigns to Be Holland's Prime Minister
THE OBSERVER: Radical anti-Islamic politics are under the microscope as a hero of the far right tries to capitalise on cultural divisions

In the street market outside Almere's glass-fronted Stadhuis – the council offices – stalls are selling clothes and toys, typical Dutch sausages and cuts of glistening ham. At another stall, occasional shoppers inspect piles of Islamic headscarves and ankle-length gowns. But if many of the councillors in the Stadhuis have their way, that stall will not be doing a roaring trade for much longer.

The party that won most seats in the municipal elections in Almere earlier this year – although it failed to form a governing coalition – would like to ban the wearing of headscarves in public buildings such as the Stadhuis, as well as banning the construction of new mosques. That party is the far-right Freedom Party (PVV), of Geert Wilders, the populist firebrand behind the anti-Islamic film Fitna, who has accused Muslims of trying to "colonise" his country.

Three months ago, almost a quarter of Almere's voters backed the PVV and Wilders was being tipped as a possible prime minister in forthcoming elections on 9 June. "Today Almere and The Hague," said Wilders –"tomorrow the whole of the Netherlands. This is our springboard for success."

His poll fortunes may have diminished somewhat since then, as the country's mainstream parties have toughened up their own acts on immigration. But the blond-mulleted Islamophobe may yet be credited with transforming how Holland does its politics. >>> Peter Beaumont, Almere | Sunday, May 16, 2010



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EastEnders Actor Marc Elliot 'Abused in the Street' for Gay Character
PINK NEWS: Marc Elliot, the actor who plays gay Muslim Syed in EastEnders, has revealed he gets regular abuse in the street for playing a gay character.

Syed began an affair with Christian (John Partridge) last year. When his mother found out in December, he was forced into marrying a woman.

Elliot said: "Since playing Syed I have really got it in the neck when I'm out. A lot of people are supportive but there is still a huge amount of negativity." >>> PinkNews.co.uk Staff Writer | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Pakistan Court Blocks Facebook Over Mohammed Page
AFP: LAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani court Wednesday ordered authorities to block Facebook temporarily over a competition encouraging users to post caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed on the social networking site.

The depiction of any prophet is strictly prohibited in Islam as blasphemous and Muslims across the world staged angry protests over the publication of satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in European newspapers in 2006.

Controversy erupted in the conservative Muslim country last month when a Facebook user set up a page called "Draw Mohammed Day", inviting people to send in their caricatures of the Muslim prophet on May 20.

The move angered thousands of young people and Muslim faithful in Pakistan, unleashing an online campaign and isolated protests that grabbed the government's attention and the controversial page was blocked on Tuesday.

But a group of Islamic lawyers went a step further Wednesday and petitioned the court to order a blanket ban on Facebook in Pakistan. >>> Waqar Hussain, AFP | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Women Protest As French Cabinet Gets Veil Ban Bill
ASSOCIATED PRESS: PARIS — One runs her own company, another is a housewife and a third, a divorcee, raises her children by herself. Like nearly 2,000 other Muslim women who freely wear face-covering veils anywhere in France, their lives will soon change and they are worried.

On Wednesday, French Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie presented a draft law to the Cabinet banning Muslim veils that cover the face, the first formal step in a process to forbid such attire in all public places in France. It calls for euro150 ($185) fines and, in some cases, citizenship classes for women who run afoul of the law.

"Citizenship should be experienced with an uncovered face," President Nicolas Sarkozy told the Cabinet meeting, in remarks released by his office. "There can be no other solution but a ban in all public places."

Although the Interior Ministry estimates there are only 1,900 women who cover their faces with veils, the planned law would be another defining moment for Islam in France as the nation tries to bring its Muslim population — at least 5 million, the largest in western Europe — into the mainstream, even by force of law.

The bill is to go before parliament in July, and despite the acrimonious debate that is sure to come, there is little doubt the measure will become law. Sarkozy, who says such veils oppress women, wants a law banning them on the books as soon as possible.

Sarkozy welcomed the bill, saying the government is embarking on "a just path" and urging parliament to take its "moral responsibility" and approve it. >>> Elaine Ganley, AP | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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Protesters Set Fire to Thai Stock Exchange: Leaders Surrender But Some Protesters Flee, Set Fires Around City
Hardliners set the Thai stock exchange building in Bangkok on fire even though leaders of the mainstream "Red Shirt" protesters surrendered to the army. Photo: The Wall Street Journal
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: BANGKOK—Hard-line Thai protesters set fire Wednesday to the country's stock exchange, shopping malls and a television station, while Thai authorities called an 8 p.m. curfew, casting doubt on the prospects for a resolution to the country's weeks-long political crisis despite the surrender of protest leaders earlier in the day.

Thai Red Shirt protest leaders called off their marathon rally and surrendered to police Wednesday after an early morning army assault on their heavily fortified camp in the center of Bangkok.

But in the midafternoon, smoke could be seen billowing from the Stock Exchange of Thailand's headquarters as helicopters buzzed in the sky above. Though trading has been taking place at a different, undisclosed location in recent days, stock-exchange officials said markets would be closed Thursday. Earlier in the day, Thailand's benchmark index finished up 0.7% on hopes for a quick resolution. Authorities also said commercial banks around the country would be closed Thursday and Friday.

Thick plumes of smoke rose across other locations in the city as militant protesters targeted some of Bangkok's main commercial centers. In other parts of Thailand, local television broadcast pictures of antigovernment demonstrators setting alight a provincial government building in northeastern Khon Kaen. >>> James Hookway | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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France: Un débat sur le voile intégral se termine en baston
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Un débat sur le voile intégral, organisé par l'association Ni Putes Ni Soumises, a dégénéré en violences mardi soir à Montreuil, dans la banlieue est de Paris. La police a dû intervenir.

Ce débat, qui a rassemblé une centaine de personnes dans une école primaire, a commencé en début de soirée dans un climat houleux, perturbé par des membres du mouvement pro-palestinien Cheikh Yassine.

Après des insultes, des coups ont été échangés entre des participants qui n'ont pu être identifiés, a constaté le journaliste. Les organisateurs ont décidé d'arrêter le débat et fait appel aux forces de l'ordre.

La police est arrivée peu après, bloquant les sorties, et demandant aux victimes de coups d'identifier leurs agresseurs et de déposer plainte. >>> ATS | Mercredi 19 Mai 2010

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Merkel bezeichnet Euro-Krise als existenziell
WELT ONLINE: Angela Merkel hat in ihrer Regierungserklärung die Euro-Krise als existenziell für Deutschland und Europa bezeichnet. "Die Währungsunion ist eine Schicksalsgemeinschaft. Es geht um nicht mehr und nicht weniger als um die Bewahrung der europäischen Idee", sagt die Kanzlerin. Scheitere der Euro, dann scheitere Europa.

In ihrer Regierungserklärung zum 750 Milliarden Euro schweren Rettungsschirm für die Gemeinschaftswährung hat Angela Merkel von einer existenziellen Bewährungsprobe gesprochen.

„Sie muss bestanden werden", sagte die Kanzlerin. „Die Währungsunion ist eine Schicksalsgemeinschaft. Es geht um nicht mehr und nicht weniger als um die Bewahrung der europäischen Idee." Scheitere der Euro, dann scheitere Europa. Werde diese Gefahr abgewendet, würden der Euro und Europa stärker als zuvor sein.

Europa benötige eine neue Stabilitätskultur. Zudem müsse über Europa hinaus auf Ebene der wichtigsten Wirtschaftsnationen (G20) Vorsorge getroffen werden, um künftige Krisen zu verhindern. Die EU wiederum müsse schonungslos strukturelle Schwächen offenlegen. >>> dpa/fas | Mittwoch, 19. Mai 2010

Welt TV Video, “Der Euro ist in Gefahr” hier abspielen

Balthasar Garzon Wins Permission to Work at International Criminal Court
THE TELEGRAPH: Balthasar Garzon, the controversial Spanish judge currently suspended from his duties in his home country, has won permission work at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Spain's top judicial panel had suspended Mr Garzon on Friday pending his trial on charges he exceeded his authority by ordering an investigation into mass killings by the forces of former dictator Francisco Franco.

The suspension from his functions as a judge was widely thought in Spain to be an obstacle to a transfer to a foreign court but the judicial panel approved Garzon's request to spend seven months at The Hague court.

"Legal reasons could not be found to prevent the hiring of the judge as a consultant", Gabriela Bravo, spokeswoman for the judicial panel told reporters.

The Spanish judge, who won fame for his attempt to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for human rights abuses, faces three separate charges in Spain's Supreme Court. >>> | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

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Nick Clegg: Tell Us the Laws That You Want Scrapped
THE TELEGRAPH: The most radical redistribution of power from the state to the people for 200 years is to be made by the new coalition Government, Nick Clegg is to claim.

The public will be asked what laws they want ripped up, in far-reaching reforms designed to put back “faith in politics”, the Deputy Prime Minister will say.

The reordering of power will sweep away Labour legislation and new criminal offences deemed to have eroded personal freedom.

It will involve the end of the controversial ID cards scheme, the scrapping of universal DNA databases – in which the records of thousands of innocent people have been stored – and restrictions placed on internet records. The use of CCTV cameras will also be reviewed.

Dubbed the “Great Reform Act”, the measures will close down the ContactPoint children’s database. Set up by Labour last year, it includes detailed information on all 11 million youngsters under 18.

In addition, schools will not be able to take a child’s fingerprint without parental permission.

In an attempt to protect freedom of speech, ministers will review libel laws, while limits on peaceful protest will be removed.

Mr Clegg said the Government wanted to establish “a fundamental resettlement of the relationship between state and citizen that puts you in charge”.

In a speech in London he will say: “This Government is going to transform our politics so the state has far less control over you, and you have far more control over the state. This Government is going to break up concentrations of power and hand power back to people, because that is how we build a society that is fair.”

He will describe the plans as “the biggest shake-up of our democracy since 1832, when the Great Reform Act redrew the boundaries of British democracy, for the first time extending the franchise beyond the landed classes”. >>> Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Clegg Risks Rift with Tories on Tax and Human Rights
Nick Clegg, being interviewed by The Times. Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Nick Clegg is promising to make the tax system fairer rather than lower the tax burden as he seeks to imbue the coalition with Liberal Democrat values.

In an interview with The Times, the Deputy Prime Minister said that he expected the Government to ease taxes on middle and lower-income families and to press ahead quickly with a rise in capital gains tax for higher earners.

Asked whether he expected the Government to reduce the tax burden, he said: “No, I am saying we will rebalance the tax system. We’re not making great claims about the overall tax burden.”

His comments are likely to expose faultlines with his Tory partners, for whom lowering the taxes borne by families and businesses is an article of faith. Read on and comment >>> Roland Watson, Political Editor | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Clegg Hopes Coalition Will Produce A Great Reforming Government
TIMES ONLINE: Nick Clegg has made little impression on his new office. There are some family photographs on his desk, overlooking Horse Guards Parade and St James’s Park, and a big red ring binder on the large table. But the pictures on the walls are inherited from the previous occupant, Lord Mandelson: Chaucer above the fireplace, a photograph of the Queen posing for Lucien Freud, Hotel Splendide (Mornington Crescent) by Arturo Di Stefano.

It looks like he moved in a few minutes ago. The armchairs and sofa are undisturbed. Yet today, in his first speech as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Clegg will promise the biggest shake-up of British democracy since 1832. That is only the start.

In his first interview since forging Britain’s first coalition government since the war, Mr Clegg makes clear that while he may be the junior partner in name, there is nothing secondary about his ambition.

The indecision of the electorate, the uncertainty of a hung Parliament and the brinkmanship of the coalition negotiations may yet produce “one of the great reforming governments of modern times”, he said.

Today he will set out how the State will shrink from people’s lives (no ID cards, curbs on personal details stored on government databases); how people will gain a more direct say in government (elected peers, voting reform, recalling misbehaving MPs); and “radical devolution” of power to voluntary groups and those other than the State to provide services. >>> Roland Watson, Political Editor | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Thai Red Shirts Call Off Protest As Thai Government Troops Storm Barricades
TIMES ONLINE: Thai protest leaders formally called off their anti-government sit-in and surrendered to police today after a bloody army assault on their camp left at least four dead.

Three foreign journalists were shot, one of them fatally and at least three anti-government protesters were killed in Bangkok today as Thai soldiers and armoured vehicles stormed the barricades of the Redshirt encampment.

Seven Red Shirt leaders went on stage in the core protest zone to announce their decision which was greeted with shouts of dismay from the men and women gathered there.

Protest leader Natawut Saikua said "we have done our best." Weng Tojirakarn said: "we want to prevent further losses of our Red Shirt brothers and sisters."

He said "let us first prevent further losses of lives," and urged supporters to leave the area. Red Shirt protesters have now fled the area. >>> Times Online and Richard Lloyd Parry | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bristol Palin to Command $30,000 for Public Speaking
THE TELEGRAPH: The daughter of the former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, is hitting the speakers' circuit and will command up to $30,000 (£20,300) for each appearance.

Bristol Palin, who became pregnant at the age of 17, will discuss life as a teenage mother and her approach to parenting, and has signed with Single Source Speakers.

The Palin family attorney Thomas Van Flein said that her exact fees will depend on factors such as which group she's addressing and what she must do to prepare. They are expected to be between $15,000 and $30,000.

Bristol Palin, 19, is listed on the speaking group's website as available for conferences, fund-raisers, special events and holidays, as well as women's, youth, abstinence and "pro-life" programs. >>> | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Portugal: Ehen von Schwulen legalisiert
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Étude : Economiesuisse rejette l’adhésion à l’UE
LE TEMPS: L’organisme faîtier de l’économie a évalué six scénarios dans une étude, de l’isolement à l’adhésion européenne. Elle conclut qu’en vertu de nos particularités économiques et politiques, il n’y a pas d’alternative au bilatéralisme

Economiesuisse a étudié six scénarios de politique européenne dans des travaux débutés l’automne dernier et achevés en mars: l’isolement, la poursuite de la voie bilatérale, la voie bilatérale avec accord-cadre, l’adhésion à l’EEE, l’union douanière et l’adhésion à l’UE. Ses conclusions sont claires: l’organisation faîtière du patronat entend poursuivre sur la voie bilatérale, «la meilleure option pour les deux parties», a déclaré à la presse mardi à Zurich Pascal Gentinetta, président de la direction. >>> Emmanuel Garessus | Mardi 18 Mai 2010

Abuse Victims' Fury as Cardinal Sean Brady Refuses to Quit
TIMES ONLINE: Survivors of clerical child sexual abuse called on Irish Roman Catholics to make their voices heard today after Cardinal Sean Brady ended months of speculation about his future by saying he would not resign.

The cardinal, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, is under pressure to stand down after it emerged that he took part in a secret canonical tribunal in 1975 at which two minors were made to swear oaths of silence about their allegations against the paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth.

Smyth went on to rape hundreds more children across Ireland, the UK and the United States before he died in prison in 1997.

In March the cardinal asked for forgiveness, telling a congregation at Armagh cathedral that he would spend the rest of Lent reflecting on his future. >>> David Sharrock, Ireland Correspondent | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Antidote to the Burqah: Naked Office*!


*Viewer discretion is strongle advised!

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About ‘Naked Office’ >>>

Everybody's Talking About... Naked Office
YAHOO! NEWS: A one-off special of 'Naked Office' last year hit the headlines over in the US, so it's not surprising that Virgin1 has decided to turn last year's show into a full series (Tuesdays, 9pm).

The premise is simple - a group of unhappy employees are encouraged by a psychologist to come to work naked in an effort to improve morale and increase team bonding. >>> Paul Johnston | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Russlands bekanntester Häftling tritt in Hungerstreik: Chodorkowski will auf Justizwillkür aufmerksam machen
NZZ ONLINE: Der inhaftierte Kremlkritiker und frühere Ölmanager Michail Chodorkowski ist aus Protest gegen Justizwillkür in Russland in einen unbefristeten Hungerstreik getreten. Der bekannteste Häftling des Landes will damit die Aufmerksamkeit von Kremlchef Dmitri Medwedew auf die andauernden Gesetzesverstösse lenken. Das berichteten russische Medien.

Der 46-jährige Chef des inzwischen zerschlagenen Ölkonzerns Yukos, der seit 2003 wegen Steuerbetrugs in Haft sitzt, muss sich derzeit in einem zweiten Verfahren wegen Geldwäsche verantworten. Menschenrechtler zeigten sich besorgt wegen des Gesundheitszustands von Chodorkowski. >>> sda/dpa | Dienstag, 18. Mai 2010


RUSSIA TODAY: Khodorkovsky on hunger strike over court ruling: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head and key shareholder of Russian oil company Yukos went on an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday to protest the court’s decision to leave him in custody. >>> | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Jailed Russian oligarch goes on hunger strike: The imprisoned Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has gone on a hunger strike to draw attention to what he claims are improper court rulings against suspects charged with economic crimes. >>> | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Impôts : Obama déclare entre 2 et 7 millions de dollars
LE FIGARO: D'après les documents du fisc américain, la famille présidentielle a tiré l'essentiel de ses revenus de la vente des deux ouvrages de Barack Obama «Dreams from my Father» et «Audacity of Hope».

Personne n'échappe à la déclaration d'impôt, pas même le président des Etats-Unis. Ce dernier doit toutefois en assumer la publication sur le site internet de la Maison blanche. D'après un document transmis pas le fisc et dévoilé au public lundi, la famille Obama a déclaré entre 2,3 et 7,7 millions de dollars pour l'année 2009. Aucun chiffre plus précis ne sera rendu public dans la mesure où les hauts responsables américains doivent seulement déclarer des fourchettes de valeur pour leurs revenus et possessions. Barack Obama disposerait de nombreux bons du Trésor, de comptes épargne pour sa retraite et celle de sa femme ainsi que des placements pour l'éducation de leurs deux filles Malia, 11 ans, et Sasha, 8 ans. >>> Par Hayat Gazzane | Mardi 18 Mai 2010

«Rêves de mon père» et «L’audace d’espoir» ? Rêves de son compte bancaire de l'avenir, plutôt ! – Mark

Al-Qaeda Operative Cannot Be Deported, Court Rules
THE TELEGRAPH: The leader of a terrorist cell planning an attack on Easter shoppers in Manchester cannot be deported back to Pakistan in case he is tortured, a tribunal has ruled.

Police did not find any explosives when they swooped on the cell in April last year, but MI5 has maintained that the men, all students from Pakistan, were “members of a UK based network linked to al-Qaeda involved in attack planning.”

The Special Immigration and Appeals Commission said it was satisfied Abid Naseer, the alleged ring-leader, was behind an “imminent” al-Qaeda backed plot but said he risked being tortured if he was returned to Pakistan. >>> Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Al Qaeda Terrorist Cannot Be Deported: New Government, Same Old Human Rights Problem
TELEGRAPH BLOG – PHILIP JOHNSTON: We may have a new government but we have the same old problem with alleged foreign terrorists – we can’t deport them because of their human rights.

A tribunal has ruled that Abid Naseer, the alleged ring-leader of a plot to carry out terrorist attacks in the north-west of England last year, cannot be removed to his Pakistan homeland because he might be tortured.

The tribunal accepted that Naseer is an al-Qaeda operative and was behind an “imminent” plot to target a shopping centre in Manchester at Easter 2009.

Neither Naseer nor any of the others, who had come to Britain on student visas, was charged but the Home Office wanted to deport them on national security grounds. Eight of them have returned to Pakistan but Naseer and another man have stayed and have both won the right not to be deported. Read on and comment >>> Philip Johnston | Tuesday, May 18, 2010

France Has First 'Burka Rage' Incident
THE TELEGRAPH: A 60-year-old lawyer ripped a Muslim woman's Islamic veil off in a row in a clothing shop in what police say is France's first case of "burka rage".

The astonishing scene unfolded during a weekend shopping trip after the woman lawyer took offence at the attire of a fellow shopper resulting in argument during which the pair came to blows before being arrested.

It came as racial tensions grow in the country as it prepares to introduce a total ban on burkas and other forms of religious dress which cover the face.

A 26-year-old Muslim convert was walking through the store in Trignac, near Nantes, in the western Loire-Atlantique region, when she overhead the woman lawyer making "snide remarks about her black burka". A police officer close to the case said: "The lawyer said she was not happy seeing a fellow shopper wearing a veil and wanted the ban introduced as soon as possible."

At one point the lawyer, who was out with her daughter, is said to have likened the Muslim woman to Belphegor, a horror demon character well known to French TV viewers. Belphegor is said to haunt the Louvre museum in Paris and frequently covers up his hideous features using a mask.

An argument started before the older woman is said to have ripped the other woman's veil off. As they came to blows, the lawyer's daughter joined in.

"The shop manager and the husband of the Muslim woman moved to break up the fighting," the officer said. All three were arrested and taken to the local gendarmerie for questioning. >>> Peter Allen, Paris | Tuesday, May 18, 2010