The EU should be stronger and more united. Great Britain should belong to the Union.
Die EU sollte stärker und geeinter sein. Großbritannien sollte der Union angehören.
L'UE devrait être plus forte et plus unie. La Grande-Bretagne devrait appartenir à l'Union.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Barack Obama Vows to Make BP Pay for Oil Spill 'Recklessness'
THE TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama has vowed to "make BP pay" for not only the multi-billion dollar clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico but also the restoration of the region's economy, undertaking to force the British oil giant to set aside the money he believes it owes as "a result of [its] recklessness."
The US President, in his fiercest rebuke against the company in the 58 days since the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana causing the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf, promised to get tough with BP and to ensure that it meets all costs he believes it should pay.
In a direct attack on the company's dividend policy, Mr Obama said that BP must place the money needed to cover the as-yet unquantifiable costs in an independent "escrow" account to be run by a third party.
The staunch words – which came in Mr Obama's first national address from the historic Oval Office in the 18 months since he took office – came ahead of his crucial meeting with Carl-Henric Svanberg, BP's chairman, and Tony Hayward, its chief executive, at the White House later today.
"We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused", he promised the millions of Americans who were expected to watch the televised prime-time address.
"I will meet with the chairman of BP and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company's recklessness," he continued.
"This fund will not be controlled by BP. In order to ensure that all legitimate claims are paid out in a fair and timely manner, the account must and will be administered by an independent, third party." >>> James Quinn, US Business Editor | Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Drink Drive Limit to Be Lowered Under New Plans
THE TELEGRAPH: The drink-drive limit could be lowered so that one drink is enough to put motorists over the limit, under plans to be considered by the new Transport Secretary.
Among the other controversial measures that could be introduced are giving the police more power to randomly stop drivers, an even lower limit for learner drivers and lifetime bans for repeat offenders and those considered “high risk.”
The report, drawn up by Sir Peter North and commissioned by the former Labour government, recommends that the limit for drink-driving falls from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg. That would bring Britain into line with most other European countries.
Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, will publish the report today and will study its findings. If he goes ahead and backs the new lower drink drive limit it will be controversial, as the Conservatives had opposed such a move in opposition.
Sir Peter, who is the former Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, is likely to urge a tightening of other aspects of the procedures that surround drink-drive arrests. >>> Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Wednesday, June 16, 2010
For Christ’s Sake, Spare Us, the US, and BP from the Bliar*! BP Oil Spill: Tony Blair Is the Right Man to Be BP Chairman
THE TELEGRAPH: It's not a sinecure after all, being chairman of an international oil company. Nobody blames Carl-Henric Svanberg for taking the job at BP – it was an honour to be asked, and lack of experience in the oil business did not prevent his predecessor, Peter Sutherland, coping with his own crisis well enough.
Unfortunately, Svanberg's crisis is of a different order. The fall of chief executive John Browne when Sutherland was chairman was awkward for BP; the gusher in the gulf is potentially life-threatening.
Svanberg has failed to provide leadership and public support for his CEO, Tony Hayward. He will have to go. There seems little prospect of Hayward keeping his job, either.
The BP directors have dithered about the dividend so long that they have lost control; the fate of the payout is now effectively in the hands of the US president. Read on and comment >>> Neil Collins, Reuters Breakingviews | Wednesday, June 16, 2010
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: PARIS | La police a interdit mardi un projet d’apéro géant "saucisson et pinard" qui devait se tenir vendredi dans un quartier à forte population musulmane de Paris, largement relayé sur internet par divers groupes mêlant extrême droite et militants laïcs.
La préfecture de police a justifié cette interdiction, qui concerne aussi tout projet de contre-manifestation, car "cet événement (...) est créateur de risques graves de troubles à l’ordre public".
L’invitation à manger du porc et boire du vin à la Goutte d’Or, un quartier populaire du 18e arrondissement dans le nord de Paris, perçue comme une provocation à l’égard des musulmans, avait été lancée par l’intermédiaire du réseau social Facebook. Elle s’inspirait d’un procédé, l’apéro géant, qui fait débat en France car les participants y finissent parfois très imbibés d’alcool.
Mais cette fois, l’apéro avait une vocation politique: elle visait à dénoncer la prière du vendredi qui rassemble des dizaines de musulmans dans la rue, faute de place dans les mosquées du quartier.
Sur leur groupe Facebook, les instigateurs se plaignent que des rues du quartier "sont occupées, particulièrement le vendredi, par des adversaires résolus de nos vins de terroir et de nos produits charcutiers".
L’appel a été lancé apparemment il y a deux semaines. Mais sa notoriété a explosé véritablement lundi par sa révélation dans les médias. Mardi à la mi-journée, le groupe Facebook comptait 6.700 membres, certains se proposant déjà d’organiser d’autre apéros à Lille ou Bruxelles, voire un apéro "bacon and beer" à Londres.
La créatrice du groupe se fait appeler Sylvie François et a assuré au journal Libération être une habitante du quartier "depuis plusieurs générations". L’invitation a été relayée par des associations d’extrême droite, comme le Bloc identitaire, qui avaient déjà tenté par le passé de lancer des soupes populaires (repas pour les plus démunis) "au cochon", dans le but d’en exclure les musulmans. >>> AFP | Mardi 15 Juin 2010
Ebadi: "Im Iran spielt Recht schon lange keine Rolle"
DIE PRESSE: Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Ebadi berichtete in Wien, wie Teherans Regime sie einschüchtern will. Ebadi schätzt, dass 800 Anhänger der Oppositionsbewegung in Haft sind, zusammengepfercht mit Schwerverbrechern.
WIEN. Seit Shirin Ebadi bei der Durchsicht von Dokumenten zufällig auf ihr eigenes Todesurteil stieß, ist sie auf der Hut. Doch einschüchtern lässt sich die iranische Friedensnobelpreisträgerin nicht. „Ich werde nicht schweigen“, sagt die 63-jährige Menschenrechtsaktivistin, und ihr bestimmter Blick verrät, dass sie das ernst meint. Komme, was da wolle. Vergangene Woche strahlte Irans Staatsfernsehen im Hauptabendprogramm einen Beitrag aus, in dem Ebadis Ehemann, Jawad Tawasolian, seine eigene Frau diffamiert. Politisch fehlgeleitet sei sie und eine schlechte Gattin auch. Sogar seine Brille habe sie zerbrochen, behauptet da Tawasolian. Shirin Ebadi erzählt die Episode vor Journalisten im Wiener Hotel Sacher ganz ruhig. Nicht den Anflug einer inneren Erschütterung will sich die kleine, zierliche Frau anmerken lassen. Diesen Triumph gönnt sie ihren Gegnern nicht. >>> Christian Ultsch, Die Presse | Dienstag, 15. Juni 2010
Reversing Stereotypes Is Driving Force for the Palestinian Speed Sisters
Helen Elstrop, left, is giving expert tuition to women racing drivers known as the Speed Sisters, a group of Palestinian women trying to break stereotypes — and records. Photo: The Times
THE TIMES: “I love cars, I love speed and I love to drive fast,” said the driver on a makeshift race course near Ramallah, on the West Bank. The sentiments are not unusual — but the long hair sweeping out from under the helmet and the eyeliner are signs that this is not a typical racer.
Mona Einab, 24, is a former contestant for Miss Palestine. She is also one of the Speed Sisters, a group of Palestinian female racing drivers trying to break stereotypes — and records. “It’s doesn’t matter that I am a girl. I love being a girl. But you can be a girl and a serious racer in Palestine.”
Led by Suna Aweideh, 39, known as Queen of the Car Races, the Speed Sisters are open to new drivers but number between five and seven regulars. “We are getting better and better, thanks to a little help from our friends,” said Ms Aweideh, pointing to the two British women.
Sue Sanders, a professional trainer, and Helen Elstrop, a racer, flew in this week to provide two days of instruction to the “sisters” in a project initiated by the British Consulate in Jerusalem. “These girls are welcoming us with open arms. They just want to know as much as possible. They are so eager,” Ms Sanders said.
While she has focused on mental preparation, Ms Elstrop put the girls through their paces on a makeshift course. The consulate is also paying for equipment and arranging sponsorship through local organisations. Read on and comment >>> Sheera Frenkel, Ramallah | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
General David Petraeus Collapses in Senate Hearing
THE TIMES: General David Petraeus, America’s best-known military commander, collapsed while giving testimony on the campaign in Afghanistan to a Senate hearing.
His face turned deathly white and his head fell forward on to the desk in front of him just as he was being closely questioned during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee about President Obama’s decision to start withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan.
General Petraeus — commander of US Central Command which is responsible for both Afghanistan and Iraq — recently had treatment for prostate cancer but had insisted he was fully healthy. He is fanatical about his health and runs every day.
His sudden collapse, which brought his staff rushing to his side, came after he was being questioned by Senator John McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate and a Vietnam veteran, who had given grave warnings about the “negative trends” in Afghanistan.
He decried Mr Obama’s “arbitary” timetable for starting to withdaw US troops in July next year which, he claimed, had sent the wrong signal to Kabul. It was this timeline, he said, which he believed had persuaded President Karzai that the US wanted to get out of Afghanistan and had begun to refocus his efforts towards an accommodation with the Taleban and Pakistan’s military.
“It’s time for the President to say unequivocally that we will stay in Afghanistan until we succeed,” Mr McCain said. Read on and comment >>> Michael Evans, Pentagon Correspondent | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Gaza Crossing Points Opened as Israel Bows to International Pressure
THE TIMES: Israel bowed to international pressure yesterday when it agreed to reopen crossing points into Gaza for everyday goods.
The decision was prompted by criticism of its bloody interception of an aid flotilla two weeks ago and condemnation of the Gaza blockade by the Red Cross.
Tony Blair, Middle East peace envoy, hailed the move as significant after the Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, agreed in principle to relax restrictions on goods entering Gaza. It will replace the current narrow list of permitted items with a list of specifically prohibited goods.
Mr Blair also welcomed the proposal from Mr Netanyahu for an Israeli inquiry into the flotilla raid, with Lord Trimble, the former First Minister of Northern Ireland, named as one of two international observers — despite him having started, coincidentally, a Friends of Israel Initiative on the day of the flotilla raid.
Turkey, however, immediately rejected the format of the inquiry, overseen by a senior Israeli judge. The United Nations had called for an independent, international investigation of the incident in which nine Turkish activists died. Read on and comment >>> David Charter, James Hider | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
No Greater Love
THE TIMES: Can a documentary about a group of nuns living in virtual silence really speak to a modern audience?
I suspect that many people, Catholic or not, would form instinctive ideas about a group of women who spend the vast proportion of their days in silence, rarely venture outside of their monastery walls, and who have made vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before God.
As No Greater Love begins we are led into the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Notting Hill, which houses these devout women and clarifies their lifestyle from the outset.
Consequently my immediate expectations assumed a story of naïve, well-meaning and dedicated nuns whom I would respect and admire, but whose narrative might prove slightly tedious after half an hour. >>> Madeleine Teahan* | Wednesday, May 19, 2010
*Madeleine Teahan, 23, is Roman Catholic and a parliamentary researcher
I'm Trying for Bin Laden's Grandchild: Briton's Surrogacy Deal with Son of Terror Chief
MAIL ONLINE: A British woman has agreed to become a surrogate mother to Osama Bin Laden's grandson.
Louise Pollard is having fertility treatment in an attempt to conceive using the sperm of Bin Laden's son Omar and the eggs of his British wife Jane Felix Browne.
The couple have been unable to have children since marrying in 2007 and contacted 24-year-old Miss Pollard through a surrogacy website.
If she is successful, it will mean that the world's most wanted terrorist will have a British grandchild.
So far, however, three attempts at conception have been unsuccessful. But Mrs Pollard is due to have another pregnancy test soon.
If the result is negative, she has vowed to make a fourth attempt using her own eggs and Bin Laden's sperm.
Omar, the fourth eldest child of Bin Laden, has had several visa applications to live in Britain rejected. But a British son may help his attempts, though Home Office officials said he would not automatically be granted a visa.
He is said to be deeply saddened that Mrs Pollard, who has already given away two surrogate babies and is thought to be the youngest surrogate mother in the UK, has yet to conceive. >>> Claire Ellicott and Amy Oliver | Friday, June 11, 2010
Die verlorene Ehre
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: In einem 50-minütigen Dokumentarfilm* rollt das Schweizer Fernsehen heute abend den Ablauf der Libyen-Krise auf. Der Film zeigt mit bisher unbekanntem Material Hintergründe der Geiselaffäre.
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*Der Film ist zum Teil in Schweizerdeutsch übertragen.
Daniel Hannan – I Admit It: I Was Wrong to Have Supported Barack Obama
THE TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – DANIEL HANNAN: In three and a half years of blogging, this has been my single most unpopular post. There’s little point, I know, in reminding readers that my support for Barack Obama was qualified; that I simultaneously endorsed GOP Congressional candidates; that I never saw Obama as a messiah and, indeed, was repelled by the millenarian fervour of his supporters. Nor is there much purpose in rehearsing John McCain’s shortcomings. The fact remains that I backed the Democrat.
I was wrong. Not that Obama is without his good points, obviously. His commitment to school choice is unfeigned. His foreign policy has been a jolly sight cheaper than McCain’s would have been. The election of a mixed-race president who opposed the Iraq war has made the USA slightly more popular.
None of these advantages, however, can make up for the single most important fact of Obama’s presidency, namely that the federal government is 30 per cent larger than it was two years ago[.] Continue reading and comment >>> Daniel Hannan | Monday, June 14, 2010
Sarkozy’s ‘Reign of Terror’? Journalist Faces Jail Over Leak of Nicolas Sarkozy's Rebuke for TV Technician
THE TELEGRAPH: A French journalist who leaked footage of Nicolas Sarkozy reprimanding a "rude" television studio worker is facing five years in jail.
Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni. Photo: The Telegraph
Augustin Scalbert, who works for the news website Rue89.fr, was charged with receiving stolen goods.
The allegations concern off-air clips of the French president accusing a technician of not having any manners, and poking fun at another journalist.
As he is waiting to appear on an evening bulletin, he begins to mock those around him. He says "Hello" to a technician fitting a microphone, but the man does not reply and Mr Sarkozy says: "When you're invited, you have the right for people to say hello to you.
"Otherwise we might as well be at a street rally - it's unbelievable!'"
Mr Sarkozy then asks one of the bulletin's journalists, Gilles Leclerc, why he had not been seen on-screen for months suggesting he was being kept "in reserve - in a cupboard".
The footage has already been seen millions of times on video-sharing websites. >>> Peter Allen in Paris | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Winston Churchill's Cigar Airbrushed from Picture
THE TELEGRAPH: A photograph of Winston Churchill giving his victory salute has been airbrushed to remove his signature cigar.
The original image (left) was taken in 1948 during the opening of a new military headquarters, and (right) the airbrushed image. Photographs: The Telegraph
In the well-known original image, Churchill makes a "V" shaped symbol with his fingers – while gripping a cigar in the corner of his mouth.
But in a reproduction of the picture, hanging over the main entrance to a London museum celebrating the wartime leader, he has been made into a non-smoker through the use of image-altering techniques.
It is unclear who is responsible for doctoring the photograph, with the museum – The Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience – claiming not to have noticed the cigar was missing.
John Welsh, manager of the museum, admitted he was shocked to learn of the alteration, but declined to reveal who was responsible for the display and for enlarging the image. >>> Nick Collins | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
French Is a ‘Useless’ Language, Says Former Foreign Minister
MAIL ONLINE: A former Foreign Office minister has branded French a 'useless' modern language.
Chris Bryant, now a shadow Foreign Office minister, told the Commons other languages - such as Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic - were more important.
'Unless we have sufficient numbers of people who speak modern foreign languages - and not just the useless modern foreign languages like French ...,' the Labour MP said.
Amid Tory protests that this was 'insulting' to the French, Mr Bryant, who was minister for the EU before Labour lost power, said: 'I've said this to the French. I think they realise there are problems.'
He defended his remark, insisting that while French had been the 'most useful language to use because it was the diplomatic language', things had changed over the last 30 to 40 years and now 'it certainly isn't.'
He said the most significant languages to speak now, aside from English, were Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic. >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
One could be forgiven for concluding that this man is a philistine! – Mark
Rory Bremner 'Afraid' to Joke about Islam
THE TELEGRAPH: Rory Bremner, the political impressionist, said he fears joking about Islam could lead to his death due to the "chilling" issue of fundamentalism.
Bremner said religion is "one of the toughest issues of our time". Photo: The Telegraph
Bremner said self-censorship was the biggest obstacle today for comedians addressing topical issues, due to fears of retribution by extremists.
His comments came as he discussed the future of satire with Sir David Frost on a BBC documentary, Frost on Satire, to be broadcast on Thursday.
He said: "The greatest danger now is that one of the toughest issues of our time is religion.
"When [I'm] writing a sketch about Islam, I'm writing a line and I think, 'If this goes down badly, I'm writing my own death warrant there.' Because there are people who will say, 'Not only do I not think that's funny but I'm going to kill you' – and that's chilling." >>> Nick Collins | Tuesday, June 15, 2010
This is proof, if indeed proof is at all needed, that Islam DOES NOT BELONG here in the WEST. Western culture and Islamic culture are TOTALLY and UTTERLY immiscible. In other words, they are like oil and water: they just DO NOT MIX. Ergo, all these Muslims should NEVER have been allowed in to the West to destroy ALL we stand for and hold dear.
Yes there are perfectly good Muslims. The problem is this: At no time can one be sure that today’s moderate (i.e. non-pratising) Muslim won’t turn into tomorrow’s fundamentalist. I have witnessed many such transformations.
Sarah Palin Plans Trip to UK to Meet 'Political Heroine' Margaret Thatcher
THE GUARDIAN: No date has been set for the meeting but they share a love of tax cutting and hostility towards organised labour
Sarah Palin at the Showdown in Searchlight Tea Party rally, in Searchlight, Nevada this March. Photograph: The Guardian
Sarah Palin, the once obscure governor from Alaska who is shaking up rightwing US politics, is promising to honour the woman she calls the Iron Lady by visiting Britain to see Margaret Thatcher.
Today Palin told her 1,630,386 Facebook fans that she was in discussions about meeting the baroness. In typically convoluted Palin language, she said she had received an invitation for a visit to London that "included the offer of arranging a meeting" with Thatcher.
The post came a day after the Mail on Sunday reported that Palin herself had made the approach, with her people contacting Thatcher's office to ask for an audience. The Mail said Thatcher had agreed to see her, though no date has been specified. >>> Ed Pilkington, New York | Monday, June 14, 2010
Obama Pledges Clean Energy Policy to Cut America’s Dependency on Oil
President Obama said that the Deepwater Horizon disaster would change how people think about the environment, in the same way that 9/11 changed US foreign policy. Photo: The Times
THE TIMES: President Obama likened the impact of the oil spill disaster on the nation’s psyche to the September 11 terrorist attacks as he made his first multi-state tour yesterday of the Gulf of Mexico.
Facing questions about his leadership amid rising public anger 56 days after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, he sought to reassert his authority by visiting Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, the states left out of three previous trips to the region.
Keen to dispel accusations that he has allowed BP to slacken in its efforts to stem the leak, Mr Obama noted that the company is now expecting to increase its containment capacity to 50,000 barrels a day two weeks sooner than planned. “We went back to them and said they needed to move faster and more aggressively and they have now come back with a plan,” he said.
The White House said it expected BP to place up to $20 billion in an escrow account to pay for the spill.
“One of the biggest leadership challenges for me going forward is going to be to make sure that we draw the right lessons from this disaster,” Mr Obama said in an interview with The Politico news website before he set off.
Vowing to move forward “in a bold way” with a clean energy policy that would help America to reduce its oil dependency, he added: “In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come.”
Mr Obama will address the nation from the Oval Office tonight, when he will announce new measures to help to restore the Gulf’s ecosystem. Tomorrow he meets BP executives for what the White House was keen to portray as showdown talks. Read on and comment >>> Jacqui Goddard, Orange Beach, Alabama | Monday, June 14, 2010
Barack Obama's Analogy Between the Gulf Oil Spill and 9/11: Dirty Politics from the Chicago School
Obama: He knows how to craft a cheap jibe. Photo: The Telegraph
This is how he put it: “In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come.” Nice.
I wondered recently how an expensively educated kid from Hawaii plunged into the filthy pool of Chicago machine politics and emerged smelling so sweet that America elected him president. David Remnick doesn’t address the question in his hagiography, and I’m not sure anyone knows the answer. But if there were any doubt about where Obama served his apprenticeship, then today’s little elision between a terrible accident and meticulously plotted mass murder clears it up. Read on and comment >>> Damian Thompson | Monday, June 14, 2010
Under False Colours
THE SPECTATOR: ‘With time,’ writes David Remnick, ‘political campaigns tend to be viewed through the triumphalist prism of the winner.’ Never more so, perhaps, than in Remnick’s idolatrous new biography of Barack Obama, which presents the First Black President’s ascension to the White House as nothing less than a glorious saga. >>> John R. MacArthur | Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sarah Brown, l'ex First Lady, va publier ses Mémoires
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Sarah Brown, l'épouse de l'ex-Premier ministre britannique Gordon Brown, va écrire ses Mémoires, qui lèveront le voile sur ses années passées au 10 Downing Street, a annoncé lundi sa maison d'édition.
Sarah Brown, en compagnie de son mari l'ex-premier ministre britannique. Photo : Tribune de Genève
Le volume s'intitulera "Behind the Black Door" (Derrière la porte noire) et racontera "ce que c'est de faire les magasins avec la Special Branch (une unité d'élite de la police chargée de la protection des personnalités, ndlr)" et comment "s'accommoder d'être mal coiffée quand Carla Bruni est dans le coin", a indiqué l'éditeur Ebury.
Sarah Brown avait annoncé la nouvelle dimanche sur le site internet de micro-blogs Twitter, où ses messages sont suivis par plus d'un million de personnes.
"Je viens juste d'accepter d'écrire un livre avec mon éditeur Ebury (...) donc (serai) enchaînée à mon ordinateur portable dès lundi", avait-elle écrit.
La parution du livre est prévue pour le jour de la Fête des mères 2011, soit le 3 avril au Royaume-Uni.
Selon un porte-parole de Mme Brown, le livre "reflétera les défis consistant à abandonner une brillante carrière pour créer un nouveau rôle en tant qu'activiste internationale pour des organisations caritatives". >>> AFP | Lundi 14 Juin 2010
Göldi «fatigué mais heureux»
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Rentré la nuit dernière en Suisse, Max Göldi avait convoqué la presse cet après-midi.
De retour en Suisse après avoir été retenu près de deux ans en Libye, Max Göldi s’est déclaré fatigué mais heureux. Lors d’une conférence de presse lundi à Berne, l’employé d’ABB a expliqué combien a été difficile à vivre l’incertitude et la séparation d’avec les siens. Max Göldi a en revanche éludé les questions trop politiques.
"C’est un moment très émouvant pour moi. Je suis fatigué, mais très heureux", a-t-il déclaré à Berne devant la presse, des trémolos dans la voix. Il a souligné avoir été victime d’un conflit dont il n’était pas responsable. L’ingénieur d’ABB a remercié tous ceux qui se sont engagés pour sa libération, sans oublier son employeur. Il a confié que cet épisode laisserait des traces et qu’il aurait besoin de temps pour retrouver une vie normale. >>> AP | Lundi 14 Juin 2010
Une majorité de Suisses serait favorable à l'homoparentalité
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: ÉTUDE | Plus de cinquante pour cent des Helvètes se prononceraient, selon un sondage publié ce lundi, pour l'adoption d'enfants par des couples homosexuels.
Photo prétexte. Ici un couple néerlandais dans la chambre de leur futur bébé. Photo : Tribune de Genève
Cinquante-trois pour cent des Suisses estiment que les couples homosexuels devraient pouvoir adopter un enfant, révèle un sondage Isopublic publié lundi. Il y a six ans, seuls 41,3% de Helvètes s'étaient déclarés favorables à une telle évolution.
Une large majorité de Suisse (86,3%) se prononce par ailleurs pour l'instauration d'un cadre légal pour les familles homoparentales. Quant à la possibilité d'adopter l'enfant de son ou sa partenaire pour les couples de même sexe, deux tiers des sondés se sont déclarés en faveur. >>> ATS | Lundi 14 Juin 2010
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Moderne Zeiten für Zaha Hadid
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Die Tränen der First Lady
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Catholic Church Viciously Vandalized: Police calling damage to California house of worship a hate crime
Switzerland Eats Humble Pie
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Pork sausages and plonk! One big anti-Islamisation party in Paris!
Pork and Wine Anti-Islamisation Party Slammed in Paris
THE TELEGRAPH: Anti-racism activists have condemned plans to hold a "pork sausage and wine" party in a multi-ethnic Paris district to protest against what the organisers call the area's "Islamisation".
SOS Racisme called for the event scheduled for Friday in the Goutte d'Or area of north Paris to be banned because it sent out a "message of hate and of violence towards groups of people because of their real or supposed origins".
The opposition Communist Party said in a statement that "this disgusting joke seeks to exacerbate the differences that make for the richness of the 18th arrondissement (district)".
Sylvie Francois, a local resident, told French radio that she set up a Facebook page for the event to fight against what she saw as the increasing "Islamisation" of her area. >>> | Monday, June 14, 2010
George W Bush's Daughter Supports Barack Obama's Health Care Legislation
THE TELEGRAPH: Barbara Bush, one of George W Bush's daughters has admitted that she supported President Barack Obama's health care legislation.
Bush twins Barbara and Jenna Bush. Photo: The Telegraph
In the latest example of a member of the former Republican president's family disagreeing with his key policies, Miss Bush, 28, said health care should be a right for everyone, not a privilege.
"Why do, basically, people with money have good health care and why do people who live on lower salaries not have good health care?" she said on Fox News.
"Obviously the health care reform bill was highly debated by a lot of people, and I'm glad the bill was passed," she said.
During the debate over the bill last year, her father, whose government made no effort to reform health care despite steeply rising costs, said he was worried that reform would encourage government to supersede the private sector in proving health insurance. The bill was opposed by every Republican in Congress. >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Monday, June 14, 2010
Islamic Terror: Company Bidding to Help Manage Ground Zero Tower Has Arab Ties
FOX NEWS: Nearly nine years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the bi-state agency that operates the World Trade Center is looking for a private partner to help manage the 1,776-foot office tower that is being built at Ground Zero -- and one of two companies under consideration may have ties to the Middle East.
The bidding process for private partners for the "Freedom Tower" has been whittled down to two companies: Durst Organization and Related Companies, Fox News legal analyst Peter Johnson Jr. reports.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will soon decide which partner will manage and help market the tower, which has been renamed One World Trade Center. The partner will invest at least $100 million into the office tower and memorial building.
Related Cos. is an international real estate group whose investors include Goldman Sachs; MSD Capital, LP; Mubadala Development Co.; Kuwait Investment Authority; and Olayan Group, according to the company’s website.
Mubadala Development Co. is owned by the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, government.
Johnson reports that Related Cos. is involved in a joint project with the UAE-backed company, which is chaired by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Johnson said Related Cos. also has ties to the Saudi Arabian royal family and to financiers based in Dubai. (+ video) >>> FOXNews.com | Monday, June 14, 2010
Tea Party Controversy: Congressional candidate defends Tea Party against allegations of racism, homophobia
Controversy over Mosque at Ground Zero – Fox and Friends (May 26, 2010)
Ground Zero Mosque Controversy: Is project a statement against terrorism or insult to 9/11 victims?
Barack Obama Requests $50 Billion in Emergency Funding from Congress
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama has sought to shore up the US economy with a request for $50 billion (£34 billion) in emergency funding from Congress to save the jobs of "hundreds of thousands" of teachers, firemen and policemen.
He said the aid, which also included measures to help small businesses, was essential to ensure that the country did not "slide backwards just as our recovery is taking hold".
"It is essential that we continue to explore additional measures to spur job creation and build momentum toward recovery, even as we establish a path to long-term fiscal discipline," Mr Obama wrote in a letter sent to party leaders in Congress.
Pointing out that 84,000 public sector jobs had been lost so far this year, he said keeping people employed in the short term would cost less than their unemployment.
The demand to inject further government spending into the economy puts America on the opposite course to its major trading partners in the developed world. Britain, Germany, Japan, France and Italy have all announced cuts after boosting spending to counter the recession in recent years.
Mr Obama is also likely to encounter stiff domestic opposition. Republicans immediately criticised the president for seeking to spend more money when the national debt has risen to £9.6 trillion.
John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, said spending more public money without offsetting the costs was irresponsible.
"The spending spree in Washington continues unabated, though the American people are screaming at the top of their lungs: 'Stop'." >>> Alex Spillius in Washington | Sunday, June 13, 2010
«Die Schweiz hat viele Freunde» : Bundesrätin Calmy-Rey bedankt sich für Hilfe bei Freilassung von Max Göldi
NZZ ONLINE: Aussenministerin Micheline Calmy-Rey hat sich am Montag vor den Medien bei allen bedankt, die zur Freilassung von Max Göldi beigetragen haben. Besonderer Dank ging an die EU und an Bundesrat Hans-Rudolf Merz.
Göldis Rückkehr in die Schweiz sei weder ein Zufall noch eine Laune des Schicksals, sagte Calmy-Rey. Viel mehr handle es sich um die Frucht unermüdlicher Bemühungen und monatelanger Anstrengungen. «Wir sind alle erleichtert und zufrieden», sagte Calmy-Rey.
Dank gehe an die Mitarbeitenden des Departements, aber auch an die EU, insbesondere an ihre Amtskollegen von Spanien und Deutschland, an den König Spaniens und den italienischen Ministerpräsidenten Silvio Berlusconi. >>> sda | Montag, 14. Juni 2010
Scheinbar ist dieses Schweizer Fernsehen Video in den USA nicht erhältlich. In diesem Falle, können Sie das Video hier abspielen.
Max Göldi rentré, les yeux se tournent vers Genève
La conseillère fédérale Micheline Calmy-Rey et Max Göldi, à leur arrivée à l’aéroport de Zurich. Photo : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: L’épilogue de l’affaire des otages suisses en Libye est en grande partie redevable à nos partenaires de l’UE, estime la presse au lendemain du retour de Max Göldi
Max Göldi, le responsable du groupe d’ingénierie ABB en Libye où il était retenu depuis juillet 2008, est arrivé dans la nuit de dimanche à lundi à Zurich, accompagné de la cheffe de la diplomatie helvétique, Micheline Calmy-Rey. Pour 24 Heures, c’est «la fin d’un long cauchemar». «Mais il semble bien difficile, nuance le quotidien vaudois, de faire des pénibles tractations avec la Libye une quelconque victoire pour la Suisse. Pour signer le billet de sortie de Max Göldi, Micheline Calmy-Rey aura courbé le front jusqu’à terre. Des excuses – de doubles excuses! – un tribunal arbitral et, peut-être, une rançon.» «Pour le régime libyen, la victoire est totale», «la Suisse aura consenti à des humiliations terribles. Celle d’un petit pays qui achète la paix d’un tyran plus puissant que lui. Le prix de la raison d’Etat.» Même si Euronews interprète les choses ainsi: «Les relations se réchauffent entre Berne et Tripoli.»
Et maintenant? Les yeux se tournent vers Genève, «où l’arrestation d’Hannibal Kadhafi va être à nouveau passée au crible», enchaîne la Tribune de Genève, qui n’évoque pas les fameuses photographies d’Hannibal Kadhafi qu’elle avait publiées, ce dont Micheline Calmy-Rey s’est excusée dimanche à Tripoli. Alors, «nécessaire, inopportune, illégale», cette arrestation? «La police, la justice et le Conseil d’Etat, après avoir tenu bon face aux pressions insensées de Kadhafi, devront-ils plier encore? Genève pourrait bien être appelé à payer le solde de la facture.» >>> Olivier Perrin | Lundi 14 Juin 2010
Max Göldi Returns to Switzerland
WORLD RADIO SWITZERLAND (WRS): Max Göldi returned to Zurich in the early morning hours Monday after nearly two years in Libya. The ABB employee arrived in the company of Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, and her Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, and was greeted by family.
Göldi’s liberation was the fruit of 36 hours of intense diplomatic efforts on the ground in Tripoli, culminating in a visit by Calmy-Rey, Moratinos and Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi with Libyan leader Moammar Kadhafi in his famed tent.
Earlier on Sunday, Calmy-Rey concluded a ”plan of action” with Libya, paving the way for normalized relations. The accord unblocks the process of international arbitration to assess responsibilities for the arrest of Moammar Kadhafi’s son and daughter-in-law in Geneva in July of 2008—the origin of the diplomatic row.
It also offers apologies for the leaked mugshot of Moammar Kadhafi’s son, Hannibal and promises monetary compensation if the canton of Geneva authorities come up empty handed in their investigation into who was responsible. (with radio link) >>> | Monday, June 14, 2010
Kyrgyzstan Death Toll Rises as Ethnic Slaughter Continues
THE GUARDIAN: At least 117 killed as thousands flee burning homes and Kyrgyz rioters armed with axes, while Uzbek leader claims higher toll
Thousands of Uzbeks fleeing southern Kyrgyzstan massed at the border today, as the deadliest ethnic violence in decades left entire city blocks razed to the ground and scores of people dead.
The official death toll from the clashes that began last week reached 117, with 1,500 injured, the health ministry of the beleaguered former Soviet country, which hosts US and Russian military bases, announced.
However, an Uzbek leader claimed that 200 Uzbeks have already been buried, and the International Committee of the Red Cross has said its delegates witnessed about 100 bodies being buried in just one cemetery.
Jallahitdin Jalilatdinov, who heads the Uzbek National Centre, said that at least 100,000 had fled for the border and were awaiting entry into Uzbekistan. An Associated Press reporter saw at least hundreds of Uzbek refugees stuck at a border crossing near Jalal-Abad in a no-man's land between the boundaries.
The interim government, which took over after Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted by a public revolt in April, has been unable to stop the violence and accused Bakiyev's family of instigating it. Uzbeks have backed the interim government, while many Kyrgyz in the south have supported the toppled president. (+ video) >>> Luke Harding and agencies | Monday, June 14, 2010
Army Misses a Trick as Geordie Is Hailed Hero of the Foreign Legion
Adjudant-chef Rowe has received an almost unheard of five citations for bravery during his 23-year Legion career. Photograph: The Times
THE TIMES: Amid the pomp of the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris next month, Alex Rowe, Newcastle-born and Gloucestershire-raised, will be invested as a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur for his service in the French Foreign Legion.
It is an honour unheard of for an English legionnaire, but Adjudant-chef Rowe is frank: he would much rather have joined the British Army. While his twin brother, Mark, was accepted into the Royal Engineers, Adjudant-chef Rowe was rejected because of a childhood detached retina.
The decision still rankles. While he speaks matter-of-factly about quelling African rebellions and escaping death in a Taleban ambush, mention the British army and he suddenly becomes animated. “I became a sniper, this is the point,” he said, his accent veering between Geordie and French. “You can’t get into the British army because you’ve got a f***ed eye, and you become a sniper in the French Foreign Legion. Something’s gone wrong there.”
Not just a sniper, but one of the most highly decorated of all legionnaires. He has seen action in Bosnia, Kosovo, central Africa, the Ivory Coast and Afghanistan, winning an astonishing five citations for bravery. In his first interview, he told The Times: “Most guys will have one citation, some will have two. Three is very rare. Five is . . .” here he tailed off into a very Gallic shrug. “But I haven’t done anything more than my job.”
At a Legion training camp near Toulouse, Adjudant-chef Rowe, 43, explained how he went from running a pub in Stroud to being a hero of France’s elite and mythologised unit. Furious at his medical rejection by the Army, despite acceptance by Sandhurst, Adjudant-chef Rowe tried to run away to the Legion at 18. His mother talked him out of it, but just before his 21st birthday he flew to Marseilles, walked into a recruiting office and “basically disappeared” from the outside world. Continue reading and comment >>> Chris Smyth | Monday, June 14, 2010
David Cameron to Fight EU Over ‘Show Us Budget’ Demand
David Cameron rejected demands that he should submit Budget proposals for Brussels approval. Photograph: The Times
THE TIMES: David Cameron is preparing for his first confrontation with the European Union later this week by rejecting demands that he should submit Budget proposals for the approval of Brussels.
Herman Van Rompuy, the EU President, wants all 27 member states to share financial plans with the European Commission to prevent another crisis similar to the one in Greece.
“A government presenting a Budget plan with a high deficit would have to justify itself in front of its peers, among finance ministers,” Mr Van Rompuy said. “There would still be time to adjust plans before the final Budget plans are presented.”
The proposal is likely to be discussed on Thursday when Mr Cameron attends his first European Council meeting as Prime Minister. William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, described the Government’s opposition as “trenchant” yesterday. “It is not a proposal that we can support,” he said. “The Prime Minister, the Chancellor and I have all made that very clear. The British Budget must be presented to the British Parliament. That is a position we will argue for and we will maintain. The discussions on this have some way to go but our position is pretty categorical.” Continue reading and comment >>> David Charter, Francis Elliott | Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Erotic Legacy of the Moors
THE OLIVE PRESS: A chance encounter in the Alhambra leads Jason Webster to believe Christian Spain’s obsession with sex and sensuality stretches back to when the country was ruled by the Moors
THEY used to say Spain was the only country where power was more important than sex. But that was in the dark days of Franco, when Catholicism and fascism combined to ensure that even those who escaped the firing squads were not allowed to have any fun.
The Caudillo himself was said to be a passionless creature – at least according to a confidential remark by his wife that quickly spread across the whole of Spain – but follar (f*cking) particularly within the confines of family life, was officially at least, a strictly joyless affair.
All this, as everyone knows, has now changed. With the death of Franco, Spain went loco por el sexo, a trend which, 30 years on, I can report is still pulsing vibrantly through the veins down here.
But the current overflowing of physical vitality is not simply a reaction to the repressive years of the dictatorship. Anarchists in the Civil War spread the word of free love and open marriages, while ‘liberating’ prostitutes from sexual slavery – some of these later fought in the trenches of Aragon.
Promiscuity on the Left in the 1930s became the norm, and even the rather austere-looking widow at the head of the Spanish Communist Party, La Pasionaria, was said to keep a young party member as a lover back home while she emboldened the troops at the front with cries of ¡No pasarán!
Erotic history
Yet the deep eroticism of the Spanish is older than this, and to find its roots you have to go back much further, as I have discovered, to the times of the Moors.
Muslims ruled parts of Spain for 800 years, creating a rich, vibrant culture way ahead of their Christian rivals. When London was a mere group of huts in a marsh by the Thames, as the dusky Arab reminds the blond lieutenant in Lawrence of Arabia, Moorish Cordoba had street lighting, a thousand bath houses and more than 300 libraries.
Moorish Spain was hippest place to be in Medieval Europe, whether you were looking for knowledge, a wash, or the best looking girls, most of them following the latest fashions and trends from Baghdad – even today las co[r]dobesas are renowned as being the prettiest women in Spain.
Cosmopolitan culture and vast wealth combined in this southwestern corner of Europe to create a powerhouse of sophistication and sensuality.
Stroll through the pleasure palace that is the Alhambra in Granada today and you will see what I mean. Rivalled only in beauty by the Taj Mahal, it is a dream-scape made of stone, where fresh mountain water trickles from white marble fountains, forests of fine needle columns reach up to snowflake ceilings, where Arabesques and geometric patterns draw you into other worlds while you shade yourself by a myrtle bush from the relentless Andalusian sun.
This was once the Sultan’s harem, perhaps the most erotic place in the Medieval world. Who could not be stirred by such a place? Read on and comment >>> Jason Webster* | Friday, July 06, 2007
*Jason Webster has written three books about Spain. Duende, Al-Andalus and Guerra are published by Black Swan and are available at all good bookshops. Visit his website here.
Le mariage gay autorisé en islande [sic]
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le texte a été approuvé à l'unanimité.
L'Islande, seul pays au monde dont le chef de gouvernement soit ouvertement homosexuel, a adopté vendredi une loi autorisant les personnes de même sexe à se marier. Le texte a été approuvé à l'unanimité.
Les 49 membres de l'Althing (parlement) se sont prononcés en faveur d'un texte de loi qui étend le champ d'application du mariage aux unions entre «homme et homme, femme et femme». Pays insulaire de 320.000 habitants où prévaut une grande tolérance sociale, l'Islande a élu Premier ministre en 2009 la social-démocrate Johanna Sigurdadottir, homosexuelle déclarée. >>> ATS | Vendredi 11 Juin 2010
Espagne: une loi pour exclure les crucifix des écoles
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le gouvernement espagnol prépare une loi sur la "liberté de religion" qui prévoit que l’Etat respecte une stricte "neutralité" en matière de religion, excluant notamment les crucifix des écoles publiques, indique dimanche le journal El Pais. Le gouvernement socialiste espagnol avait déjà annoncé en 2008 qu’il préparerait une loi pour un plus grand respect de la laïcité et du pluralisme religieux, dans un pays où l’église catholique demeure très présente et influente.
Le gouvernement espagnol prépare une loi sur la "liberté de religion" qui prévoit que l’Etat respecte une stricte "neutralité" en matière de religion, excluant notamment les crucifix des écoles publiques, indique dimanche le journal El Pais.
Le gouvernement socialiste espagnol avait déjà annoncé en 2008 qu’il préparerait une loi pour un plus grand respect de la laïcité et du pluralisme religieux, dans un pays où l’église catholique demeure très présente et influente.
Le quotidien de centre-gauche espagnol explique dimanche que d’après le texte de loi "en préparation", les funérailles d’Etat se dérouleront "sans aucun cérémonial à caractère religieux" alors qu’elles sont aujourd’hui généralement organisées selon le rite catholique.
Les pouvoirs publics devront respecter une stricte "neutralité face à la religion et aux croyances, en évitant toute confusion entre fonction publique et activités religieuses", selon le texte du projet de loi. >>> AFP | Dimanche 13 Juin 2010
Libyen und die Schweiz begraben das Kriegsbeil
DIE PRESSE: Die Schweizer Außenministerin und ihr lybischer Kollege unterschrieben am Sonntag ein Abkommen zur Normalisierung der Beziehungen. Der inhaftierte Schweizer Max Göldi darf heim.
Tripolis/BERN. Plötzlich ging dann alles sehr schnell: Die Schweizer Außenministerin Micheline Calmy-Rey reiste am Samstagabend überraschend in die libysche Hauptstadt Tripolis und traf sich am Sonntagvormittag mit ihrem libyschen Kollegen Moussa Koussa. Wenige Stunden später unterzeichneten die zwei ein Abkommen zur Normalisierung der seit Längerem völlig zerrütteten Beziehungen zwischen den beiden Staaten.
Demnach sollte der in Libyen inhaftierte Schweizer Geschäftsmann Max Göldi noch in der Nacht auf Montag in die Schweiz zurückkehren dürfen. Göldi wurde am Donnerstag nach einer viermonatigen Haftstrafe wegen angeblicher Verletzungen von Visabestimmungen aus einem libyschen Gefängnis entlassen. Bereits vor seiner Haft war er mit einem zweiten Landsmann eineinhalb Jahre lange in Libyen festgehalten worden. >>> Carola Schneider | Sonntag, 13. Juin 2010
Mideast Comes Up with New Anti-smoking Laws
THE TIMES OF INDIA: The Middle East, long associated with the ubiquitous waterpipe, is intensifying an anti-smoking drive as several Arab countries ban the practice in public places, even if success looks difficult.
From Beirut to Cairo, cigarettes are smoked everywhere, not just in cafes and restaurants, but in banks, ministries and even hospitals.
Egypt, the most populous nation in the Arab world and the heaviest smoker, announced on Thursday its intention to make the Mediterranean city of Alexandria the country's ‘first smoke-free city.’
But the health ministry did not say how it planned to achieve this goal.
An existing law that prohibits smoking in public places is frequently flouted -- notably by civil servants and police.
Nearly 40 per cent of Egyptian men smoke, the vast majority of them throughout the day, according to a report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in January.
On top of this, at least 70 per cent of those questioned for the survey said they were subjected to passive smoking at home or in the workplace.
Jordan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also looking to kick the habit, having all passed anti-smoking legislation in recent months.
In January, the Emirati president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, ordered a ban "on smoking in public transport and closed public places."
Within the UAE, Dubai took the lead, introducing smoking restrictions as far back as 2007. >>> AFP | Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saudi Arabia: Smoking Cigarettes
BLOG – STUFF SAUDI PEOPLE LIKE: It’s well known that when you start a habit when you’re young; it is really hard to get over it. A lot of Saudis start smoking at a young age, usually their first experiment with cigarettes will be with their peers in schools. From hiding in school’s restrooms to standing behind buildings, smoke comes out from every part of the schools. Most teenagers who smoke carry pack of cigarettes in one pocket and a bottle of cologne in the other. No matter how much you wear cologne or drink half of the bottle, in the end parents always find out that you smoke.
Every year the price of cigarettes go up, but that doesn’t matter. Saudis will put down money and finance a pack of cigarette, in order to get the nicotine in their system. It’s the illusion of the cool image that is associated with cigarette, makes Saudis want to smoke. Watch any Saudi smoke, from the way he holds the cigarette to the way he blows the smoke, as if he is in a Hollywood movie that is playing in a slow motion. Comment >>> saudislike | Monday, August 17, 2009
ZEIT ONLINE: Verkleidete Terroristen haben die irakische Zentralbank in Bagdad angegriffen. Unter den Angreifern waren auch Selbstmordattentäter. Mindestens 15 Menschen wurden getötet.
Rauch steigt über der Zentralbank in Bagdad auf. Mindestens 15 Menschen kamen bei einem bewaffneten Angriff auf die Bank ums Leben. Bild: Zeit Online
Bei einem spektakulären Angriff auf die irakische Zentralbank in Bagdad haben Terroristen am Sonntag mindestens 15 Menschen getötet und über 40 verletzt. Die meisten der Opfer sind nach Angaben des Innenministeriums Angestellte des Geldinstitutes.
Die Angreifer waren als Soldaten verkleidet. Erst zündeten die Selbstmordattentäter unter den Terroristen innerhalb weniger Minuten mindestens sechs Bomben in der Umgebung des Gebäudes. Danach lieferten sich die übrigen Bewaffneten erbitterte Schusswechsel mit dem Sicherheitspersonal der Bank, drangen in das Gebäude ein und nahmen zahlreiche Angestellte und Kunden als Geiseln.
Über der irakischen Hauptstadt bildete sich eine weit sichtbare Rauchwolke, Hubschrauber kreisten am Himmel. Nach Angaben des Verteidigungsministeriums haben die Attentäter inzwischen Scharfschützen auf dem Dach postiert, die jeden unter Beschuss nehmen, der sich nähert. Polizei und Armee haben das Areal um die Zentralbank weiträumig abgeriegelt. Weiter lessen und kommentieren >>> Von Martin Gehlen | Sonntag, 13. Juni 2010
Kadhafi accuse la FIFA d'être une "mafia mondiale"
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: TRIPOLI | Le numéro un libyen Mouammar Kadhafi s'en est vivement pris samedi soir à la Fédération internationale de football (Fifa) qualifiée de "mafia mondiale" et d'"organisation corrompue", défendant de nouveau le droit de "petits pays" à accueillir la Coupe du Monde.
"Nous annonçons d'ici notre condamnation de cette mafia mondiale et de cette organisation corrompue", a déclaré le colonel Kadhafi dans un discours à l'occasion du 40e "anniversaire de l'évacuation des troupes américaines de Libye" le 11 juin 1970. Initialement prévue vendredi, la commémoration de cet anniversaire avait été reportée à samedi, en raison de sa coïncidence avec l'ouverture du Mondial-2010. La Lybie s'était portée candidate pour l'organisation de l'événement, finalement confiée à l'Afrique du Sud. "La politique corrompue suivie par cette organisation corrompue doit être combattue et nous allons la combattre régulièrement", a déclaré le Guide de la révolution libyenne devant des milliers de sympathisants et de militaires à l'aéroport militaire de Mîtiga, près de Tripoli. >>> AFP | Dimanche 13 Juin 2010
