Pastor Terry Jones: A Homophobic Used Furniture Salesman with a Love of Controversy
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pastor Terry Jones is a homophobic used furniture salesman who has become famous solely through the use of controversy.

The 59-year-old runs the Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainsville, Florida, whose congregation numbers just a few dozen.

The church is based in a 20-acre compound where Jones lives with his wife, Sylvia, and is said to regularly patrol the grounds with a pistol strapped to his hip.

He took over the church in 1996 on the death of its founder, Dr Don Northrup, after spending 20 years as a missionary in Europe, including Germany.

His chief enemies are homosexuals and Muslims, although he insists it is only radical Islam which he opposes.

In the most recent incident, which sparked the slaughter in Afghanistan, Pastor Jones was preaching at a service at his church on March 20 when his colleage, Pastor Wayne Sapp, set a copy of the Koran alight.

However, Pastor Jones denied any responsibility for the riot in Mazar-e Sharif, in which around 20 people died, including two who were reportedly beheaded, in what is the worst incident of its kind in recent years.

He said he was "absolutely not responsible" for the atrocities, and tried to move the conversation to Muslims, saying: "We must take a serious, serious look at Islam. It's a violent religion that promotes acts of violence. I believe we need to bring this before the UN." » | Andy Bloxham | Saturday, April 02, 2011

Why Weren't the Obamas Invited to the Royal Wedding?
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: What do Barack Obama and Muammar Gaddafi have in common? If you guessed that they're both Muslims, go to the front of the Tea Party.

Their real commonality is that neither got invited to Prince William's and Kate Middleton's royal wedding.

I can understand Ghaddafi's exclusion - probably bad form to have a guy in your party who's killing his own people. Besides, his wardrobe would clash with anything they'd wear.

Plus he's pretty busy right now defying NATO and Anderson Cooper and most likely couldn't make it anyway.

But what's with the President of the United States? He's in the rejected category along with Fergie, the Weight Watching Duchess of York.

Michelle Obama even said a few weeks ago on "Live With Regis and Kelly" that, "if I get invited, I'll go," as close to begging as this regal First Lady gets. And who, including the world's most powerful husband, has said "no" to her lately?

This is a snub of epic proportions. We should impose a no-Richard-Branson-zone over the U.S. in protest.

The other night in his Libya speech, Obama said, "Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free..." You think that was a coincidence? That's you he was smack-talking, rude and exclusive England! Continue reading and comment » | Phil Bronstein | Friday, April 01, 2011

YOUTUBE: Prince William & Kate Middleton - The Interview »

Kingdom Condemns Iranian Statement
ARAB NEWS: RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned a statement issued by Iranian authorities that demanded Saudi Arabia to pull its forces out of Bahrain and describing the Saudi policy in the Gulf as playing with fire.

An official source of the Saudi government said, "It condemned in strong terms the irresponsible statement issued in the name of the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy of the Council of Iranian Islamic Shoura which described the Saudi policy in the Gulf region as playing with fire and demanded the Kingdom to withdraw its forces from Bahrain," the Saudi Press agency reported on Friday.

"The statement (of the Iranian committee) ignores the premeditated interference in the internal matters of the countries in the region violating the sovereignty and independence of those countries. It also attempts to stoke sedition and incite trouble with hostile policies contravening international laws and norms and principles of good neighborliness. The latest instance of Iran's brazen interference was in Kuwait where it used a network, linked to the Iranian mission, to plot against that country," the Saudi statement said. Continue reading and comment » | ARAB NEWS | Friday, April 01, 2011

Related »

Saudi Arabia's Anti-protest Fatwa Is Transparent
THE GUARDIAN: The fatwa's meaning is clear: reform measures may proceed, but will be dictated from the royal and clerical heights of power

The official Saudi religious scholars' fatwa banning mass demonstrations, issued on 6 March, is a lengthy but, for the Muslim reader, a transparent document. It embodies the balancing act that has become necessary for the royal family to maintain its authority. Saudi subjects desire social reform profoundly, and most of them trust King Abdullah to lead them on the path of change. The Saudi monarchy and the religious authorities with which it is allied must channel such demands through existing "Islamic" means of redress, generally consigned to the heading of "consultation".

But the sixth paragraph cites a hadith, or oral comment, of the prophet Muhammad that includes a severe threat against internal dissent: "The Prophet again said: 'He who wanted separate affairs of this nation who are unified, you should kill him with [the] sword whoever he is' (narrated by Muslim)." "Muslim" was Muslim Ibn Al-Hajjaj, an early collector of hadith, recognised by Sunnis as authoritative.

The Council of Senior Scholars praises itself for loyalty to Islam and its own "wise leadership", then calls on the Saudi people to "increase cohesion" and "strengthen intimacy" in the country. It "affirms the necessity of mutual advice, understanding and co-operation in righteousness and piety, and in prohibition of evil and hostility".

It also claims a secular legitimacy for the state of Saudi Arabia: the identity of the kingdom, its "progress and prosperity", have been "obtained … with legal secular means". This cannot appear as anything but dissonant considering that the Saudi state has no official secular institutions, and that it asserts (in the same fatwa) that its governance is founded exclusively on the Qur'an and mainstream Islamic tradition. Continue reading and comment » | Irfan al-Alawi | Friday, April 01, 2011

Bahrain's Calculated Campaign of Intimidation
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Bahraini activists and locals describe midnight arrests, disappearances, beatings at check-points, and denial of medical care – all aimed at deflating the country's pro-democracy protest movement.

Manama, Bahrain
With a wave of midnight arrests, checkpoints, and targeting of wounded protesters, Bahrain's Sunni rulers have launched what appears to be a calculated campaign to intimidate supporters of the pro-democracy protest movement that began here in February.

Security forces have directed much of the abuse – which includes midnight arrests, checkpoints, and targeting of wounded protesters – toward Bahrain’s majority Shiite population, instilling fear and raising sectarian tensions in the tiny kingdom.

“I don’t want to go anywhere now. I’ll stay in my home because there is no safety,” says Ibrahim, a university student who says he was recently beaten and held for 36 hours at a checkpoint, and has a deformed left ear and bruises elsewhere to prove it. He asked that his last name be withheld for his own safety.

“While they were beating us, they said, ‘Where is your Mahdi now? Why isn’t he coming to save you?’ ” says Ibrahim, referring to a messianic figure in Shiite Islam. “They made us scream 'Mahdi.' They put my face in the ground, and told me to speak. Then they kicked dust in my mouth.”

What was their crime?

“We are Shiite,” says Ibrahim. “They want to remove all Shia from Bahrain.”

In a speech to parliament Tuesday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashed al-Khalifa said the authorities were not targeting Shiites, but were imposing law and order. Bahrain is operating under emergency law, put in place last month.

"The measures are not imposed against any religious sect as some have said, but rather they are used against those who have broken the law," he said, according to the state news agency. " We are not trying to spread evil, but good, and outlaws will meet justice." » | Kristen Chick, Correspondent | Friday, April 01, 2011

Zapatero verzichtet auf Wiederwahl
TAGES ANZEIGER: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero möchte im nächsten Jahr nicht zur Wiederwahl als spanischer Ministerpräsident antreten. Die Popularität des 50-Jährigen hat in jüngster Zeit stark gelitten.

Der spanische Ministerpräsident José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero strebt keine weitere Amtszeit an. Er trete bei der nächsten Parlamentswahl im nächsten Jahr nicht erneut als Spitzenkandidat der Sozialisten (PSOE) an, sagte Zapatero heute auf einer Sitzung des Parteivorstandes in Madrid. » | mrs/sda | Samstag, 02. April 2011

Libye : Moussa Koussa, la «boîte noire» du régime
LE FIGARO: Arrivé mercredi soir à Londres, le ministre des Affaires étrangères libyen est une prise de choix pour les alliés.

La défection du ministre des Affaires étrangères libyen, Moussa Koussa, paraît digne d'un roman de John Le Carré. Arrivé lundi en Tunisie par la frontière terrestre, il atterrit mercredi soir sur l'aéroport d'affaires de Farnborough, près de Londres, à bord d'un jet privé, ou, selon d'autres sources, d'un appareil militaire britannique. Coup de maître des services secrets occidentaux le lâchage de cet ancien chef des services de renseignements va faire mal à Kadhafi. Même s'il n'était plus au cœur du système politico-sécuritaire depuis un an environ, Moussa Koussa, 61 ans, est la boîte noire du régime. Comme les enregistreurs placés à bord des avions, il emporte avec lui l'historique d'un trajet sanglant, l'histoire des services secrets libyens depuis 1969. De l'époque du terrorisme à celle des négociations avec l'Occident.

Malgré la résonance comique de son patronyme («courgette» en arabe) Moussa Koussa n'a rien d'un amuseur, même s'il entame sa carrière par une gaffe monumentale. À peine nommé ambassadeur à Londres, il annonce en 1980 dans une interview au Times: «Les comités révolutionnaires ont décidé hier soir d'exécuter deux personnes de plus au Royaume-Uni, et je les approuve.» Le gouvernement britannique, qui le soupçonne déjà d'être chargé de superviser les assassinats d'opposants libyens en exil en Europe du Nord, lui donne 48 heures pour faire ses bagages. D'autant plus que, dans la même interview, l'éphémère ambassadeur chante les louanges de l'IRA, à laquelle Kadhafi envoie kalachnikovs, lance-missiles et explosifs militaires par bateaux entiers. Continuez à lire et écrire un commentaire » | Par Pierre Prier | Jeudi 31 Mars 2011

Will Gaddafi's Son Betray Him? British Spies Claim Saif Has Approached Them for Talks
MAIL ONLINE: They sent a stark message Saif can play no role in Libya's future

Gaddafi's son Saif has made ‘repeated’ attempts to reach out to British and Italian intelligence officers, it was claimed yesterday.

The moves have raised hopes he is considering betraying his father.

British officials and MI6 officers say they have held ‘several’ conversations with close allies of Gaddafi’s heir over the past three weeks – and have indicated they are prepared to offer the family an exit route.

They sent the stark message that Saif can play no role in the future of Libya.

But they also indicated that Saif would be allowed to land in Britain if he were to repeat the defection of Libyan foreign minister Musa Kusa, who took a private plane from Tunisia to Farnborough airfield on Wednesday night.

That is likely to provoke widespread revulsion. But senior Libyans admit Saif’s alleged attempts to talk are part of a wider bid by those around Gaddafi to devise an exit strategy. Continue reading and comment » | Tim Shipman | Saturday, April 02, 2011

Related »

Inside Story - Libya: Defections in the Ranks
The battle for Libya took an unexpected turn with the news that foreign minister Moussa Koussa resigned and fled to Britain.

He's said to have left his post because of attacks on civilians by government forces.
Diplomats in the West say it's a sign that Muammar Gaddafi's regime is crumbling from within and are urging others to follow him out. But just how significant will this decision be in turning the tide against Gaddafi? Has Moussa Koussa's defection dealt a severe blow for Gaddafi? And what does it mean for the ongoing battle to topple the regime? Inside Story, with presenter Hazem Sika, discusses with: Henry Shuler, a former US diplomat who served in Benghazi in the 1960s; Mohammed Abdulmalek, chairman of Libya Watch, a human rights organisation monitoring abuses inside Libya; and Shashank Joshi, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and a doctoral student of international politics at Harvard University

Ceasefire Offer Rejected in Libya
After anti-Gaddafi fighters lose ground in a week of fierce fighting, the Benghazi-based National Council offers a ceasefire deal - swiftly rejected by government officials. The offer came as UN envoy Abdelilah al Katib visited both Gaddafi loyalists in Tripoli and opposition officials in Benghazi.
Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Benghazi on the latest efforts to exploit apparent divisions within Gaddafi's inner circle

Quran Burning Sparks Deadly Protest
Seven UN workers were among the dead after a protest over the burning of a Quran in Florida descended into mob violence.
Hundreds of people marched on a UN compound in Mazar-e-Sharif and attempted to seize guards' weapons.
Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reports from Kabul on the increased tensions which have followed the publication of photos showing US soldiers posing with the bodies of dead Afghans

Reaction to Quran Burning
US pastor Terry Jones' supervision of the burning of a Quran has drawn international condemnation, while, in Afghanistan, protests against the act led to the deaths of seven UN workers.
Al Jazeera's Kimberley Halkett reports on the small-time preacher known for stirring up big-time hate

Syrians Continue Protests amid Violence
Thousands of protesters hit the streets in cities across Syria on Friday, billed as a "day of martyrdom", to demand political reforms. 
However, gunmen in plainclothes attacked the crowd and fired live ammunition, killing a girl and injuring many others.
 The Syrian state news agency accused "armed gang" for the firing, while the government has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
 Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports from capital Damascus

Related »

David Cameron Rules Out Deal for Saif Gaddafi
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has ruled out offering Saif Gaddafi, the dictator's son, any special deal or treatment if he wishes to leave Libya, Downing Street officials said yesterday.

Saif Gaddafi will now be treated in the same way as his father after making a series of inflammatory statements over the past few weeks. He was previously a regular visitor to Britain and was close to politicians and businessmen.

However, he is now likely to be arrested if he attempts to flee to this country or another European nation.

Downing Street has stated its position towards Saif Gaddafi after it emerged that one of his key aides had travelled to Britain earlier this week, during which he had talks with intelligence officials. This sparked speculation that the aide, Mohammed Ismail, was exploring a possible exit deal for Saif Gaddafi – although this has been played down by Whitehall sources.

Noman Benotman, a Libyan and senior analyst at Quilliam, a think tank, said that his contacts had told him Mr Ismail had proposed a scenario under which Gaddafi's sons would take over, or at least have a role in a new government, and their father would step aside with his honour intact.

The British Government is understood to have ruled out the "scenario" and Mr Ismail was told Gaddafi, and those around him, had to go.

A government source said Mr Ismail had been visiting family members, but that Britain had "taken the opportunity to send some very strong messages about the Gaddafi regime".

Yesterday, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "If people are in the UK they are subject to UK law."

He also made clear that Saif Gaddafi will be classed the same way as his father. "We have a very clear view about the present regime and those people involved in that regime," he said. » | Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor | Friday, April 01, 2011

Syrians March in Tens of Thousands against President
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Syrian protesters braved renewed bloodshed and an unprecedented security presence across the country as they marched in their tens of thousands to denounce their increasingly intransigent president.

Watch video here
Read article here

Gaddafi Regime Admits Attempts to Talk to West
THE GUARDIAN: Former prime minister says Libyan officials trying to negotiate with UK, France and US, as rebels outline ceasefire conditions

The regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has initiated a concerted effort to open lines of communication with western governments in an attempt to bring the conflict in the country to an end.

As fighting continues in Libya, the country's former prime minister Abdul Ati al-Obeidi told Channel 4: "We are trying to talk to the British, the French and the Americans to stop the killing of people. We are trying to find a mutual solution."

Obeidi's indication of the increased effort to make contact with western governments came as opposition leaders in the rebels' de facto capital of Benghazi laid out their own conditions for a ceasefire.

The initiatives on both sides appear to reflect an emerging stalemate between the forces and a growing war-weariness.

Obeidi's comments followed his confirmation that a meeting had taken place between a senior aide to Gaddafi's influential son Saif al-Islam and British officials on Wednesday in London, as revealed by the Guardian. » | Peter Beaumont | Friday, April 01, 2011

Afghanistan: Mob köpft UN-Mitarbeiter in Masar-i-Scharif
WELT ONLINE: Chaos im Einsatzgebiet der Bundeswehr: Ein fanatischer Mob hat ein UN-Büro in Masar-i-Scharif gestürmt, es gab viele Tote. Zwei Ausländer wurden enthauptet.

Bei einem Angriff wütender Demonstranten auf das UN-Hauptquartier im nordafghanischen Masar-i-Scharif sind am Freitag elf Menschen getötet worden. Unter den Opfern seien acht ausländische UN-Mitarbeiter, unter ihnen fünf Wachmänner aus Nepal, sagte der regionale Polizeichef.

Die Demonstranten protestierten gegen die Verbrennung eines Korans in einer Kirche in Florida vor knapp zwei Wochen. Nach Angaben des örtlichen Polizeichefs sollen zwei UN-Mitarbeiter geköpft worden sein. Das berichtet die "New York Times" auf ihrer Website. » | AFP/pku | Freitag, 01. April 2011

Libyan Defections Continue
With Moussa Koussa, Libya's former foreign minister, now in London being questioned by UK authorities, questions have been raised regarding more possible defections from Muammar Gaddafi's inner circles. Many of Libya's ambassadors, and some members of Gaddafi's cabinet, defected in the early days of the revolution, and Koussa, a former Libyan intelligence chief, is the latest in a string of such officials.
Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull reports from London

Libyan Opposition Offers Ceasefire
On the battlefields of Libya, it appears the fighting has reached something of an impasse. Pro-Gaddafi forces are again reported to be attacking pro-democracy positions in the third city of Misurata, while the two sides are also engaged in a struggle for territory near the key port of Brega.
In a new development, the opposition today offered a conditional ceasefire.

 Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports from Benghazi

Schweizerin in Syrien: «Knaben spielen keinen Fussball mehr»
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Eine Schweizerin, die seit seit rund sieben Jahren in der syrischen Stadt Latakia lebt, hat «tagesschau.sf.tv» am Telefon ihre Eindrücke aus Syrien geschildert. Im Moment verlässt sie ihre Wohnung nur selten. Sie hat vor allem Angst, dass Blut fliesst.

Das letzte Mal verliess die 40-jährige Frau aus der Region Zürichsee ihre Wohnung vor drei Tagen. Sie besuchte ihre Schwägerin. «An vielen strategisch wichtigen Punkten sind Militärs zu sehen», erzählt sie «tagesschau.sf.tv».

Auf dem Heimweg von ihrer Schwägerin kam es zu einer brenzligen Situation. Junge Männer rannten über die Strasse – «ich habe beinahe einen überfahren», so die Schweizerin. Sie habe den Eindruck gehabt, dass sich die Lage zuspitze.

Müllabfuhr muss zweimal anrücken

Die Stimmung sei allgemein angespannt. Die Schulen sind geschlossen und auf dem Spielplatz, den die Schweizerin von ihrer Wohnung aus sehen kann, toben keine Kinder mehr. Oft würden dort Knaben in Schuluniform Fussball spielen. «Die fussballspielenden Kinder sind weg.» » | Sibylle Katja Bossart | Freitag, 01. April 2011

Libyen: Rückschläge für die Aufständischen
Gaddafi scheint den Aufständischen militärisch überlegen zu sein. Trotz der Nato-Luftwaffenangriffe geraten die Aufständischen zunehmend unter Druck

Voices of Tripoli: Part One
In Tripoli, speaking out against Libya's longterm leader Muammar Gaddafi is a dangerous business, with reports of horrific violence meted out to those who have told media operatives of their support for the opposition.
With the movement of journalists in Libya's capital city heavily restricted, these voices often go unheard.
 In the first of three special reports, Al Jazeera meets those willing to talk about the hopes and frustrations of life in Tripoli

Viewpoint from Russia: War Crimes Wash Off with West’s Help

Foreign Office Travel Advisory – Yemen Protests: Britons Urged to Leave Country
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign Office says people should get out of Yemen while commercial airlines are still flying

All British nationals have been urged to leave Yemen in the run-up to protests planned for Friday which could result in violent clashes.

The Foreign Office said that, "in light of the rapid deterioration in the security situation", people should get out while commercial airlines were still flying.

It said it was highly unlikely that it would be able to evacuate British nationals in the event of increased disorder.

A statement read: "In light of the rapid deterioration in the security situation in Yemen and likely protests on Friday 1 April which might result in violent clashes, we strongly urge all British nationals to leave the country now while commercial airlines are still flying. » | Press Association | Friday, April 01, 2011

Exposed: The US-Saudi Libya Deal
ASIA TIMES ONLINE: You invade Bahrain. We take out Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. This, in short, is the essence of a deal struck between the Barack Obama administration and the House of Saud. Two diplomatic sources at the United Nations independently confirmed that Washington, via Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, gave the go-ahead for Saudi Arabia to invade Bahrain and crush the pro-democracy movement in their neighbor in exchange for a "yes" vote by the Arab League for a no-fly zone over Libya - the main rationale that led to United Nations Security Council resolution 1973.

The revelation came from two different diplomats, a European and a member of the BRIC group, and was made separately to a US scholar and Asia Times Online. According to diplomatic protocol, their names cannot be disclosed. One of the diplomats said, "This is the reason why we could not support resolution 1973. We were arguing that Libya, Bahrain and Yemen were similar cases, and calling for a fact-finding mission. We maintain our official position that the resolution is not clear, and may be interpreted in a belligerent manner." » | Pepe Escobar | Saturday, April 02, 2011

Bahrain Steps Up Detentions, Releases Prominent Blogger
REUTERS AFRICA: DUBAI - Bahrain released a prominent blogger but detained several people, including a pro-opposition doctor, the latest in a series of arrests since the kingdom's crackdown on street protests, opposition sources said on Friday.

The tiny island's Sunni rulers have stepped up arrests of cyber activists and Shi'ites, with more than 300 detained and dozens missing since the crackdown on pro-democracy protests earlier this month.

It imposed martial law and called in troops from fellow Sunni-ruled neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, to quell the protest movement led mostly by the state's Shi'ite majority.

More than 60 percent of Bahrainis are Shi'ites and most want a constitutional monarchy.

Mattar Ibrahim Mattar, a member of Bahrain's largest Shi'ite opposition group, Wefaq, said the party's official arrest count was 329 by Thursday, but that the real number was likely to be over 400.

He said at least 20 people had been detained on Thursday and 31 were missing. It was unclear if those people were in hiding or had been abducted. » | Writing by Erika Solomon; Editing by Nick Macfie | Friday, April 01, 2011

PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE: Bahrain's blogfather released: Bahrain's blogfather Mahmood Al Yousif was released Thursday night after he was arrested by Bahraini authorities a day earlier. » | Source: Xinhua | Friday, April 01, 2011

Iran Calls on Saudi Arabia to Pull Forces Out of Bahrain
PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE: Iran's Majlis (Parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission on Thursday called on Saudi Arabia to pull its forces out of Bahrain, the official IRNA News agency reported.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the lawmakers warned Saudi Arabia "not to play with fire" in the Persian Gulf and asked Saudis to pull their forces out of Bahrain, the report said.

The statement urged Saudi Arabia not to follow "the wrong polices of the U.S. in the region," consider its own interests as well as the interests of the Muslim world and help restore tranquility and security to the region, according to the report. » | Source: Xinhua | Friday, April 01, 2011

Libya: Dilemma over Defector's 'Electrifying' Lockerbie Information
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron was under pressure last night to ensure that the Libyan defector who arrived in Britain earlier this week co-operates with authorities investigating the Lockerbie bombing, the murder of Pc Yvonne Fletcher and potential war crimes.

Moussa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister, who fled to Britain on Wednesday, is described as having "electrifying" information on Col Muammar Gaddafi's role in terrorist atrocities across Europe.

Yesterday the Prime Minister said he would not block any attempts by the police to question Mr Koussa.

Mr Cameron stressed that Mr Koussa had not been offered a deal in return for fleeing to Britain and had not been granted immunity from prosecution. But if the defector is arrested and charged with crimes, it may undermine attempts by Western governments to encourage others in Col Gaddafi's inner circle to flee from Libya, a key aim of current diplomatic efforts.

Mr Koussa may also be reluctant to co-operate fully with British officials if he is not given guarantees about his future.

Last night, the Scottish prosecuting authorities investigating the Lockerbie bombing formally requested access to Mr Koussa, a right-hand man to Col Gaddafi for more than 30 years.

International prosecutors investigating war crimes in Libya are also expected to seek interviews with the defector. Yesterday, the Libyan rebel leadership demanded he be returned to the country to face war-crime charges.

Mr Koussa, who was likened yesterday to Rudolf Hess by a Conservative MP, is being interrogated by MI6 at an unknown location.

It is not clear whether information obtained by MI6 will be made public.

Senior Whitehall sources indicated that Scotland Yard was unlikely to get involved "at the moment". » | Robert Winnett, Andrew Porter and Damien McElroy in Tripoli | Thursday, March 31, 2011

'Military Means' Not the Answer in Libya: Germany
THE AUSTRALIAN: GERMANY'S foreign minister today said the situation in war-torn Libya could not be resolved through "military means" and called for a ceasefire.

Guido Westerwelle made the comments after meeting his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Beijing.

"There can only be a political resolution and we must get the political process underway. That should begin with a ceasefire that Gaddafi must heed to allow the peace process to begin," Westerwelle told reporters.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi struck a defiant stance after two high-profile defections from his regime, saying he's not the one who should go - it's the Western leaders who have decimated his military with airstrikes who should resign immediately.

Gaddafi's message last night was undercut by its delivery - a scroll across the bottom of state television as he remained out of sight. The White House said Gaddafi's inner circle was clearly crumbling with the loss of Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, who flew from Tunisia to England on Wednesday.

Ali Abdessalam Treki, a former foreign minister and UN General Assembly president, announced his departure on several opposition websites yesterday, saying: "It is our nation's right to live in freedom and democracy and enjoy a good life." » | AFP / AP | Friday, April 01, 2011

Konflikt um Gaddafi: Westerwelle fordert Waffenstillstand in Libyen
STERN.DE: Guido Westerwelle setzt sich für einen Waffenstillstand zwischen den libyschen Truppe und den Rebellen ein. Der Bundesaußenminister betonte, dass in Libyen nur eine politische Lösung möglich sei.

Bundesaußenminister Guido Westerwelle (FDP) hat einen Waffenstillstand zwischen den Truppen des libyschen Machthabers Muammar el Gaddafi und den gegen ihn kämpfenden Rebellen gefordert. "Es wird keine militärische Lösung in Libyen geben, nur eine politische", sagte Westerwelle am Freitag nach einem Gespräch mit seinem chinesischen Kollegen Yang Jiechi vor Journalisten in Peking. … » | vim/AFP | Freitag, 01. April 2011

Libya Sends Envoy To UK 'For Talks'

SKY NEWS: Libya has sent a senior aide of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's son to London for talks with British officials, according to the Guardian newspaper. » | Friday, April 01, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Revealed: Gaddafi envoy in Britain for secret talks – Exclusive: Contact with senior aide believed to be one of a number between Libyan officials and west amid signs regime may be looking for exit strategy » | Peter Beaumont , Nicholas Watt and Severin Carrell | Friday, April 01, 2011

Disease Fears for Japan Tsunami Survivors
Concerns are growing for the health of many of the thousands of people now facing weeks or months out of their homes following Japan's earthquake and tsunami.
Sanitation is becoming a major problem in the crowded evacuation centres and the homeless are suffering from diarrhoea and other illnesses.
Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from Higashi Matsushima on the dire conditions many of the displaced are now living in

Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa 'Could Be First of Many Defections'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: William Hague has hailed the defection of Col Gaddafi’s foreign minister as a major blow to the Libyan leader and claimed he could be the first of many to desert the regime.


The Foreign Secretary, giving the Government’s first official reaction to the arrival in London of Moussa Koussa, said his departure from Gaddafi’s side showed the regime was fragmenting and “crumbling from within.”

Mr Hague said that Koussa, who he described as “one of the most senior members of the Gaddafi regime", was not subject to any immunity, but confirmed that he was being debriefed by government officials.

At a press conference in the Foreign Office, Mr Hague said: “He travelled here under his own free will. He said he is resigning his post. We’re discussing this with him and we will release further details.

"We encourage those around Gaddafi to abandon him and embrace the better future for Libya that allows political transition and real reform that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people."

He added: "Moussa Koussa is one of the most senior members of the Gaddafi regime, he has been my channel of communication to the regime in recent weeks ... His resignation shows that Gaddafi’s regime – which has already seen significant defections to the opposition – it is fragmented, under pressure and crumbling from within." » | Andrew Porter, Thomas Harding and Robert Winnett | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Britons Need to See Themselves as a Single Nation, Says Security Minister
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: It is not enough for Muslims to “rub along” without breaking the law, they must be persuaded that their long-term future lies in Britain, the Security Minister has said.

Baroness Neville-Jones told the Daily Telegraph that that at the same time the government need to persuade the majority of the population that the UK is a single nation.

The minister said there needed to be a new approach in which people did not simply “rub along together and as long as people obey the law that’s quite sufficient.”

“I think it’s a common experience now that we know less about each other than we used to and I think there’s a very strong feeling that we need to understand each other and we need to be working together as a nation,” Lady Neville-Jones added.

“[We are] trying to convince minorities in this country that they actually do have a long term future here and that it’s their country as much as anybody else’s,” she said in an interview.

It is also important to “convince the majority population we are a single nation,” she added.

The security minister, who is in charge of re-drawing Britain’s counter-terrorism strategy, added: “We do need to have a much more conscious framework in which to transmit that message and it isn’t something you can just assume people understand.”

The security minister was speaking ahead of a visit to Washington today in which she is expected to outline a “unity strategy” for integration in Britain which emulates the “American dream” and creates a “palpable sense of national identity.” » | Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Thursday, March 31, 2011

More gobbledygook from the political class! Lady Neville-Jones clearly has no understanding of the problems we face with Islam. She needs to do some serious studying. She seems to think that one has to be a “right-wing extremist” to believe that Islam and the West are immiscible. How wrong can anyone be? To know the facts about Islam, and to understand the religion is in no way akin to being an Islamic extremist. What kind of ridiculous logic can one use to come to that conclusion?

The big mistake was to bring all these Muslims into the West, for the powers that be should have known the nature of Islam. Prophet Muhammad instructed his followers NOT TO INTEGRATE INTO THE CULTURE OF THE INFIDEL. No lady or lord can change that fact. For a fact it is indeed.

But now that the mistake has been made to allow all these people to immigrate to the West, we need to foster a Leitkultur, our culture. Because they came to us – remember? Not the other way around! And by the way, who created this fractured nation in the first place? Wasn't it the politicians? – © Mark

Libya Govt. Thought Defected Mussa Kussa Went to Tunisia for Medical Treatment
THE TRIPOLI POST: Talking for the first time to the press about the defection of former Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa, to the UK, Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said he understood that Mr Kussa had resigned.

Initially, the Libyan government denied that Mr Kussa had defected, claiming he was merely on a "diplomatic mission", but now, after adnitting [sic] to Mr Kussa's resignation, the Libyan spokesman said the former FM had needed some medical treatment for a few days in Tunisia. He was given permission to do so, and he was expected back.

Moussa Ibrahim: "He (Mr Mussa) asked for sick leave because he had diabetes and high blood pressure. The government gave him permission to leave the country, because he needed to look after himself and he was in bad need of medical care. We understand now he has resigned from his position," he said.

Then he added: "He is an old man. He has serious health problems - his heart, his body, could not take the pressure and we hope that he will recover mentally, psychologically and physically and rest.

Ibrahim Moussa said: "We are expecting him to come back. This is his homeland. We are his family," adding that if Mr Kussa did decide to return to Libya, he would be welcomed with "open arms".

The Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, meanwhile, has issued a warning to the West about their actions, reportedly telling the Libyan news agency, JANA: "They have started something dangerous, something they cannot control. It will be out of their control no matter what methods of destruction they have at their disposal. Continue reading and comment » | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Question Marks Over Reported Libyan Defections
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces may have put rebel fighters on a backfoot but cracks are widening inside his government. Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli on the Libyan government's response to the reported defection of several of its diplomats

Spanish Crown Prince Stirs Gibraltar Controversy with Prince of Wales
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Spain's Crown Prince Felipe has told the Prince of Wales that a solution must be found for Gibraltar, stirring age old diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

The Spanish heir to throne waded into the centuries old row over the disputed territory at the foot of the Iberian Peninsula at a gala dinner to welcome the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall on their first official visit together to Spain.

"I express my hope that our authorities make progress towards a solution to our historic bilateral dispute which is yet to be resolved," said the 43-year-old Prince of Asturias in a speech at the Palacio Real in Madrid.

Although he did not mention Gibraltar by name it was clear he was referring to the tiny peninsula on Spain's southwestern tip, which Madrid ceded to London under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.

Spain still claims sovereignty over the Rock, home to 28,000 Gibraltarians, who in a 2002 referendum overwhelmingly rejected a deal to shared sovereignty between the two nations and demanded to remain a part of Britain.

The royal couple have avoided Gibraltar during their first official joint tour of the Iberian Peninsula, skirting the inevitable controversy that a visit to the disputed territory would produce in Spain. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Cameron Approved Decision to Allow Moussa Koussa to Defect to UK
THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister says Gaddafi's henchmen should 'come to their senses' and follow defecting foreign minister by abandoning Lybian regime

David Cameron approved the decision to allow the Libyan foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, to defect to Britain with at least one member of his family after consulting the US, Downing Street has said.

Cameron said Muammar Gaddafi's henchmen should "come to their senses" and follow Koussa by abandoning the "brutal regime".

And he reiterated that "no deal" had been made with the minister in exchange for his defection to Britain.

Koussa's defection has led to expectations that he will be questioned about his possible involvement in, or knowledge of, atrocities including the Lockerbie bombing and the murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher.

Scottish prosecutors have told the Foreign Office they want to interview him in connection with the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie.

His 15-year tenure as the head of Libyan foreign intelligence covered this period, but he has always denied that Libya was involved in the bombing. (+ video) » | Nicholas Watt and Hélène Mulholland | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Libyan Security Service Chiefs Key in Determining Fate of Gaddafi Regime
THE GUARDIAN: Heads of external security and military intelligence will play a significant role in shaping post-revolution Libya, experts say

In the Libyan capital, Tripoli, international journalists have taken to playing a kind of parlour game.

They try to calculate which officials and members of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's family are important in a regime that is so opaque at times as to be – in practical terms – impenetrable.

Of Gaddafi's sons, is it Saif al-Islam, the most visible and accessible to the world, who invited in the international media? Or Saadi, a businessman? Is it Khamis, the most active on the battlefield – and the most hardline?

It is speculation that has only increased with the defection to the UK of Moussa Koussa, Libya's foreign minister and former intelligence chief. Even before his flight to Britain questions were being asked. Had Koussa been sidelined in the last two years since taking over at the foreign ministry? And if he had been sidelined, by whom? And what does it mean?

What seems beyond doubt is that Koussa has long represented the old guard which for decades was close to Gaddafi, but which – if the Tripoli rumour mill is to be believed – has recently been pushed aside by Gaddafi's competing sons.

Others suggest that, ironically, Koussa may have become tainted in Gaddafi circles by virtue of his success in opening up contacts with western intelligence agencies, with whom he negotiated Libya's transformation from pariah status in the last decade. » | Peter Beaumont | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Geert Wilders Steps Up Anti-Islam Rhetoric
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Geert Wilders has stepped up his anti-Islam rhetoric by describing the Prophet Mohammed as an "insane, paedophile, rapist murderer" just two weeks before the opening of his trial on charges of inciting race hatred.

The leader of hard-Right Dutch Freedom Party will be prosecuted in an Amsterdam court on April 13 for previous comparisons of Islam to Nazism.

On Thursday he fuelled the controversy surrounding his anti-Muslim politics and trial by publishing an article citing academics who accuse Islam's founder of crimes ranging from child rape to murder.

"The historical Mohammad was the savage leader of a gang of robbers from Medina. Without scruples they looted, raped and murdered," Mr Wilders claimed in the Dutch magazine HP/De Tijd.

In the article, Mr Wilders, whose Freedom Party MPs control the balance of power in the Dutch parliament, attacked fines levied on an Austrian feminist "for insulting a religion by calling Mohammad a paedophile".

"However, that is the truth," he wrote, citing the Muslim prophet's consummation of a marriage to a wife who claimed she was a child aged nine at the time. » | Bruno Waterfield | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Forces Clash over Libyan Oil Town
Mar 31 - Libyan rebels are locked in battle with pro Gaddafi troops for control of the eastern oil town of Brega. Simon Hanna reports

Ni armes aux rebelles, ni soldats au sol en Libye, dit Longuet
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - La France n'a pas déployé en Libye de troupes au sol dans le cadre des opérations de la coalition internationale contre les forces du colonel Mouammar Kadhafi, a déclaré jeudi le ministre de la Défense.

Lors d'un point de presse à son ministère, Gérard Longuet a ajouté que la livraison d'armes au rebelles libyens, aux prises avec les forces de Kadhafi, n'était "pas à l'ordre du jour".

"Il y a une limite technique dans la résolution 1973, c'est qu'il n'y a pas d'occupation au sol", a-t-il dit, précisant qu'un envoyé spécial à Benghazi, fief des insurgés, constituait pour l'heure la seule présence française sur le sol libyen.

Gérard Longuet s'est rendu cette semaine à bord du porte-avions Charles-de-Gaulle au large des côtes libyennes, d'où partent une partie des avions engagés dans l'opération armée contre les forces de Mouammar Kadhafi, en vertu de la résolution 1973 des Nations unies adoptée le 17 mars.

Interrogé sur l'hypothèse d'une assistance militaire ou de livraisons d'armes à l'opposition libyenne, le ministre a répondu: "Une telle assistance n'est pas à l'ordre du jour parce qu'elle n'est pas compatible avec la résolution 1973." » | Elizabeth Pineau, édité par Patrick Vignal | Jeudi 31 Mars 2011

Wulff hält Bankern wegen Finanzkrise Standpauke
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Berlin - Bundespräsident Christian Wulff hat den Banken die Leviten gelesen.

Die Ursachen der Finanzkrise seien nicht beseitigt, warnte das Staatsoberhaupt am Donnerstag auf dem Deutschen Bankentag in Berlin: "Ohne einen grundlegenden Kurswechsel drohen neue Finanzkrisen." Noch eine Rettungsaktion mit Steuer-milliarden könne sich der Staat nicht leisten. Auch Kanzlerin Angela Merkel warnte, die Institute könnten sich bei künftigen Finanzkrisen nicht auf neue Staatshilfen verlassen. Die Branche räumte Fehler ein, warnte aber vor einer Überlastung ihrer Ertragskraft durch die Regulierungsoffensiven der Politik.

"Haben wir aus den Fehlern wirklich gelernt?", fragte Wulff die versammelte deutsche Hochfinanz: "Mein Fazit lautet: Nein - weder haben wir die Ursachen der Krise beseitigt, noch können wir heute sagen: Gefahr erkannt - Gefahr gebannt." Er habe Zweifel, dass der mit der Pleite der US-Investmentbank Lehman Brothers im Herbst 2008 ausgelöste globale Schock dauerhaft nachwirke. "Manchmal scheint mir, dass dank der staatlichen Krisenmaßnahmen der Schreck bei vielen verflogen ist und die alten Verhaltensweisen zurückgekehrt sind." Die Krise habe die Politik an die Grenze ihrer Möglichkeiten gebracht. Eine so große, konzertierte Rettungsaktion sei nicht wiederholbar.

Bis Ende des vergangenen Jahres hatte der Staat zur Stützung wackelnder Banken Garantien von bis zu 400 Milliarden Euro und bis zu 80 Milliarden Euro an Eigen-kapitalhilfen bereitgestellt. Überall in Europa mussten sich die Regierungen schwer verschulden, um ihre Geldinstitute zu sichern. Das ist eine der Hauptursachen für die grassierende Schuldenkrise in der Euro-Zone. » © Reuters | Donnerstag, 31. März 2011

Misurata Doctor Describes Civilian Casualties
A doctor in Misurata, a city in western Libya that has been besieged by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, told Al Jazeera on March 28 that his hospital has treated more than 1,500 injured people and taken in more than 200 killed since the conflict began mroe than 40 days ago

The Defection of Moussa Koussa
Gaddafi's foreign minister has flown to Britain and is reportedly seeking refuge after abandoning the regime in Libya.
 A former spy chief, Koussa is not guaranteed a warm reception in the country, after he was expelled as Libyan ambassador to the UK, having said he would attempt to eliminate political opponents there.
 Al Jazeera's Tim Friend has more

Yemen Protesters Reject Saleh's Offer
Yemen's president has made a new offer to end the country's political crisis after talks with opposition parties stalled on Saturday.
The proposal suggests that Ali Abdullah Saleh stay in his position, but hand over some of his power to a caretaker government. But it's not enough for tens of thousands of protesters in Sanaa.
Our correspondent, who we are not naming for safety reasons, filed this report

Iran Celebrates Nowruz
Representatives from more than 20 countries are in Iran this week to celebrate the Nowruz festival, or "Persian New Year"

Inside Story: Steps towards Peace in Libya

Profile: Moussa Koussa
A look at Moussa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister's career and the steps that led to his escape to the UK