French Burka Ban: Police Arrest Two Veiled Women
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: French police arrested two veiled women this morning just hours after the country's new ban on wearing the burka in public came into force.

The women were arrested along with several other people protesting in front of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris against the new law.

Jourrnalists at the scene said the arrests came after police moved in to break up the protest which had not been authorised.

On Saturday police arrested 59 people, including 19 veiled women, who turned up for a banned protest in Paris against the draconian new law, the first of its kind to be enforced in Europe.

Earlier, French police said they will be enforcing the country’s new burka ban "extremely cautiously" because of fears of provoking violence.

They fear Muslims extremists will use the law to provoke fights with officers, while rich visitors from countries like Saudi Arabia will also cause trouble.

All garments which cover the face were officially banned from first thing this morning, with offenders facing fines of 150 euros (£133).

But police admitted that they feared being accused of discrimination against Muslims, whether approaching women in tinderbox housing projects or on the Champs Elysee [sic].

"The law will be very difficult to apply on certain estates," said Patrice Ribeiro, of the Synergie police union.

Referring to two Paris suburbs where riots regularly break out because of alleged discrimination against Muslims, Mr Ribeiro said: "I can’t see police going to book dozens of veiled women doing their shopping in Venissieux or in Trappes.

"It will be the same when a police officer is about to arrest a veiled Saudi who is about to go into Louis Vuitton on the Champs Elysees. In all cases, the forces of order will have to be measured and cautious in their behaviour." » | Peter Allen, in Paris | Monday, April 11, 2011

Burning the Koran Makes You a Dummkopf, Not a Criminal
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – DANIEL HANNAN: Book-burning neatly symbolizes the know-nothing bellicosity that lies behind so many authoritarian movements. As the fascist general, José Millán-Astray, screamed when confronted with an idea he disliked: ¡Muera la inteligencia! ¡Viva la muerte!

Sion Owens, a BNP candidate in Wales who was arrested when police discovered that he had burned a Koran in his garage, was behaving with extraordinary narcissism. Even the BNP dunderheads who troll this blog can’t have failed to notice that a similar stunt has led to a spate of murders in Afghanistan. What Owens was effectively saying was: “My right to indulge in this little jape matters more to me than any increased threat to my country’s interests or citizens”. He would no doubt argue that he is not to blame for any bloody consequences and, in a sense, this is true: any retaliation will be entirely the responsibility of its perpetrators. But so what? At best, Owens is causing needless offence; at worst, he is seeking to provoke a violent response. The man is evidently – there is no way of putting this gently – a total dick. Continue reading and comment » | Daniel Hannan | Monday, April 11, 2011

My comment:

One of the things I hate about my country is that there is nothing written on paper that explains our rights. In other words, there is no written constitution. Our rights are merely those that Her Majesty and Her government think our rights ought to be – they are fluid, to say the least.

This is anachronistic; and if something isn't done about it soon, I fear that I shall turn from being a pro-monarchist into a full-blown republican! I am sick to death of politicians – most of whom I would not rate as being very intelligent – telling me what I can, or can't, do – and it's usually the latter! 'Ban' seems to be the middle name of so many of the Dummköpfe (thickos, dimwits, fools)! One immediately springs to mind: Tony Ban Blair! And when so many politicians have a love affair with banning, having a written constitution becomes more important than ever.

Regarding burning the Koran, especially on one's own property, is, or should be, no concern of the police at all. How dare the police interfere in one's private affairs! He was not creating any public disorder. So what's the big deal? As Archbishop Cranmer said: The police wouldn't react in this way if one were burning the Bible. They wouldn't give a damn! So why is the Koran given special treatment?

Personally, I would not burn the Koran, because I don't think it serves any purpose. I would prefer to show better. But it is rather irksome to think that my country has travelled so far down the road of dhimmitude. And that it has done so does not auger well for the future; on the contrary, it bodes ill.

One cannot help but ask oneself the question: Has the fact that Sion Owens – It appears that he can't spell his own name! It should be spellt 'Siôn', being as it is Welsh (of Hebrew origin) for John – is a BNP candidate in Wales got anything to do with this arrest, I wonder? Were they trying to discredit him?

Be all that as it may, I am sick to death with spineless politicians (of all hues) using political correctness as a reason to do nothing about the growth of Islam in Europe in particular, and the West in general. Perhaps if they were to take a stand for Judeo-Christian culture, there would be no need for extremists to take matters into their own hands and burn Korans. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Prince Andrew Attacked for Opening Door to Arms Dealers
THE AUSTRALIAN: PRINCE Andrew, the Duke of York was criticised for "opening doors for arms dealers" yesterday, while senior business and political figures gave their backing to his role as a government trade envoy.

Prince Andrew arrived back from his visit to Indonesia, which is seeking the lifting of a British arms export ban so that it can buy military jets.

His trip took place six weeks after David Cameron was criticised for promoting the sale of British weapons in Egypt as the country went through a bloody revolution.

It was his first trip as trade envoy since the revelation of his links to an American sex offender and support for deals with countries with questionable human rights records.

During the three-day trip he met President Yudhoyono and Mari Pangestu, the Indonesian Trade Minister, both of whom he had also met in Switzerland in January.

The Times revealed last month that Indonesia has made an informal approach to acquire as many as 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets in a deal worth up to pounds 5billion ($7.7 billion AUD). Separately, BAE Systems has offered to upgrade the country's Hawk aircraft.

Gerald Howarth, the Defence Minister, attended a defence summit in Jakarta last month where he said that he expected to discuss sales of the Typhoon.

Sales of military equipment to Indonesia were banned in 1999 after reports that the Hawks were used to attack civilians in East Timor and West Papau.

Kaye Stearman, a spokeswoman for Campaign Against Arms Trade, said that Indonesia bought half of its military equipment from Britain in the five years leading up to the export ban.

"It seems that Prince Andrew's role is to open doors to arms deals rather than to do the actual negotiation," Ms Stearman said. "People in some of these countries are still impressed by the British royalty, but it is highly damaging for the Royal Family to be associated with such deals." » | David Brown | The Times | Monday, April 11, 2011

Breaking News! Japan Earthquake: Fukushima Nuclear Plant Evacuated Following Aftershock
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A magnitude 7.1 aftershock has rattled Japan on the one-month anniversary of the magnitude 9 earthquake that spawned a deadly tsunami.

Authorities issued a warning for a three feet high tsunami after today's earthquake. The quake's epicentre was in Fukushima prefecture.

Workers battling to contain a crisis at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant were ordered to evacuate after the powerful aftershock, operator TEPCO said.

"The company ordered workers to withdraw and stay in a quake-proof building," a spokesman for the operator said. "We don't know many workers were involved."

People at a large electronics store in central Sendai in Miyagi prefecture screamed and ran outside, though the shaking made it hard to move around. Mothers grabbed their children, and windows shook.

The news comes four days after northern Japan was hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre 25 miles under water near Sendai, a city devastated by the tsunami on March 11. » | Monday, April 11, 2011

THE AUSTRALIAN: Strong earthquake rocks Japan, tsunami alert issued for Pacific: JAPAN has issued a tsunami alert after a strong quake struck the east and northeast of the country, one month after the devastating March 11 earthquake-tsunami disaster. » | Staff writers | News Core | Monday, April 11, 2011

African Union Leaders Meet with Gaddafi
Apr 10 - A delegation from the African Union met with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi Sunday evening, the latest diplomatic effort to stop the bloodshed in Libya. Jon Decker reports

REUTERS: Gaddafi accepts peace plan but rebels say he must go » | Maria Golovnina | TRIPOLI | Monday, April 11, 2011

Michel Houellebecq dénonce l'attitude "collaborationniste"
Dans une interview à la chaîne israélienne Guysen TV, le prix Goncourt 2010 a déploré un "surcroît revendicatif de la part des musulmans" et considéré que les écologistes ont vis-à-vis d'eux un "comportement de collaborationniste".

Michel Houellebecq dénonce l'attitude... by Nouvelobs
NOUVELOBS.COM: Houellebecq: les écolos sont les collabos de l'islamisme – Michel Houellebecq a beau n’être pas «un citoyen» et considérer la France comme «un hôtel», ça ne l’empêche heureusement pas de participer, à distance, au débat sur l’islam – pardon, sur la laïcité qu’organise ces jours-ci l’UMP. » | Grégoire Leménager | Mardi 05 Avril 2011

„Menschlicher Tsunami“: Heftiger Streit über Flüchtlinge aus Nordafrika
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Vor dem Treffen der EU-Innenminister in Luxemburg hat sich der Streit über den Umgang mit den Flüchtlingen aus Nordafrika innerhalb der Europäischen Union verschärft. Während Bundesinnenminister Friedrich die Flüchtlingswelle für ein italienisches Problem hält, fordert Berlusconi Solidarität.

In Deutschland wird die Kritik an der Flüchtlingspolitik Italiens lauter. Bundesinnenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) sagte vor einem EU-Innenministertreffen in Luxemburg an diesem Montag der Zeitung „Die Welt“: „Italien muss sein Flüchtlingsproblem selbst regeln“. Bayern und Hessen wollen die Einwanderung tunesischer Flüchtlinge notfalls mit der Wiedereinführung von Kontrollen an den deutschen Grenzen verhindern.

Mindestens 22.000 Flüchtlinge sind seit Beginn der politischen Unruhen in Nordafrika im Januar allein auf der italienischen Mittelmeerinsel Lampedusa angekommen. Die meisten von ihnen stammen aus Tunesien. Die Regierung in Rom hatte angekündigt, Flüchtlingen befristete Aufenthaltsgenehmigungen zu geben, mit denen sie auch in andere EU-Staaten einreisen könnten.

Der Flüchtlingsstrom nach Italien sorgt in der Europäischen Union für Streit. Die EU-Innenminister wollen sich an diesem Montag in Luxemburg mit der Flüchtlingsfrage befassen. Nach EU-Recht ist das Land, in dem Flüchtlinge EU-Boden betreten, für die Prüfung von Asylanträgen und Aufenthaltsbegehren zuständig. Strittig ist zwischen Rom und anderen EU-Ländern vor allem, ob Italien die Flüchtlinge aus Nordafrika innerhalb der EU weiterreisen lassen darf oder nicht. » | FAZ.NET | Sonntag, 10. April 2011

Fukushima: Evakuierungszone wird ausgeweitet
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die japanische Regierung weitet die Evakuierungszone rund um die Atomruine Fukushima nach wochenlangem Zögern nun doch aus. Bislang galt die Sperrzone nur für einen 20-Kilometer Radius um das Atomkraftwerk.

Die japanische Regierung weitet die Evakuierungszone rund um die Atomruine Fukushima aus. Das berichtete die Nachrichtenagentur Kyodo am Montag unter Berufung auf den Regierungssprecher Yukio Edano. Bislang galt die Sperrzone nur für einen 20-Kilometer Radius um das Atomkraftwerk. » | Montag, 11. April 2011

Un frère de l’ex-président Ben Ali a été arrêté
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L’un des frères de l’ex-président tunisien Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Slah Ben Ali, a été arrêté dimanche à Sousse, à 150 km au sud de Tunis, a déclaré lundi une source autorisée au ministère de l’Intérieur.

Slah Ben Ali a été arrêté dimanche à Sousse et fait l’objet de trois mandats d’amener, dont la teneur n’a pas été précisée. » | ATS | Lundi 11 Avril 2011

La loi sur le voile intégral entre en vigueur
LE POINT: Porter un voile intégral dans la rue est désormais passible d'une amende de 150 euros et/ou d'un stage de citoyenneté.

Les femmes qui porteront un voile intégral dans la rue sont désormais passibles d'une amende de 150 euros et/ou d'un stage de citoyenneté, en conséquence de l'entrée en vigueur, lundi, de la loi du 11 octobre 2010 interdisant la dissimulation du visage. En France, il y aurait environ 2 000 femmes intégralement voilées, selon diverses estimations. » | Le Point.fr | Lundi 11 Avril 2011

Voile : une femme en niqab prend le train
LE POINT: La jeune femme affirme que la loi interdisant le port du voile intégral dans l'espace public est "une atteinte à (ses) droits européens".

Une jeune femme portant le niqab a pris le train lundi matin pour Paris en gare d'Avignon, affirmant s'opposer à la loi interdisant le port du voile intégral dans l'espace public, qui est "une atteinte à (ses) droits européens", a constaté un journaliste. "J'ai été invitée pour participer à une émission de télévision à laquelle je me rends et il se trouve que nous sommes le 11 avril, premier jour de l'application de la loi sur le voile intégral", a expliqué Kenza Drider, 32 ans, bénévole dans une association. » | Le Point.fr | Lundi 11 Avril 2011

Lien en relation avec les articles »

Defying France's Full Veil Ban
After more than a year of controversy, the ban on full face veil in France has just come into effect.



But some women are already vowing to defy the restriction, Al Jazeera's Tim Friend reports from Paris.



As the extreme right wing gains increasing popularity in France, President Sarkozy has been accused of trying to win back votes ahead of next year's presidential election by deliberately stigmatising Muslims.



The government vehemently denies this, and argues that the full veil is a symbol of male oppression.


LE FIGARO: Voile, signes religieux : ce qui est interdit en France : FOCUS [–] La loi sur le voile intégral qui entre en vigueur ce lundi vient s'ajouter à celle déjà existante sur les signes religieux dans les écoles. Récapitulatif des pratiques non-autorisées. » | Par Pauline Fréour | Lundi 11 Avril 2011

Gaddafi Accepts Roadmap to Peace
There has been more than a month of fighting in Libya - and at last there appears to be some hope on the horizon. 



And it has come in the form of the African Union. 



A delegation from the organisation, including South African president Jacob Zuma, has visited the capital, Tripoli.



And they say Muammar Gaddafi has accepted their road map to peace.



Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli.

Bradley Manning: Top US Legal Scholars Voice Outrage at 'Torture'
THE GUARDIAN: Obama professor among 250 experts who have signed letter condemning humiliation of alleged WikiLeaks source

More than 250 of America's most eminent legal scholars have signed a letter protesting against the treatment in military prison of the alleged WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning, contesting that his "degrading and inhumane conditions" are illegal, unconstitutional and could even amount to torture.

The list of signatories includes Laurence Tribe, a Harvard professor who is considered to be America's foremost liberal authority on constitutional law. He taught constitutional law to Barack Obama and was a key backer of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Tribe joined the Obama administration last year as a legal adviser in the justice department, a post he held until three months ago.

He told the Guardian he signed the letter because Manning appeared to have been treated in a way that "is not only shameful but unconstitutional" as he awaits court martial in Quantico marine base in Virginia.

The US soldier has been held in the military brig since last July, charged with multiple counts relating to the leaking of thousands of embassy cables and other secret documents to the WikiLeaks website.

Under the terms of his detention, he is kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, checked every five minutes under a so-called "prevention of injury order" and stripped naked at night apart from a smock. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Woman Who Cut Internet to Georgia and Armenia 'Had Never Heard of Web'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A 75-year-old woman arrested for single-handedly cutting off the internet in Georgia and Armenia has tearfully insisted she is innocent and had never heard of the internet.

In a case that has attracted worldwide interest, pensioner Hayastan Shakarian is accused of forcing thousands of people in both countries offline for hours after hacking into a fibre-optic cable while digging for scrap metal.

But Shakarian, a Georgian of Armenian origin, told AFP that she was just a "poor old woman" who was not capable of committing such a crime.

"I did not cut this cable. Physically, I could not do it," she said, repeatedly bursting into tears as she spoke.

Ms Shakarian, who lives in the poverty-stricken Georgian village of Armazi, around 10 miles from the capital Tbilisi, said that she had only been collecting firewood.

"I have no idea what the internet is," she added. » | Monday, April 11, 2011

British Muslim Radical Banned from France ahead of Burka Ban
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: A British Muslim radical has been banned permanently from France as the country steps up security before the introduction of a nationwide burka ban on Monday.

Anjem Choudary, head of the outlawed Islam4UK which advocates Sharia law, was turned back as he tried to join an illegal protest against the measure in Paris on Saturday.

He was served with a legal notice informing him that the French Interior Ministry was banning him permanently.

Abu Izzadeen and Omar Bakri, who are similarly controversial figures based in Britain, also tried to get to the event but were stopped by police.

France is on a high state of alert after al Qaeda issued warnings that it would attack the country following the introduction of the ban, which imposes fines of £130 to women caught wearing Islamic veils.

Men who force their wives or daughters to cover up illegally will face up to a year in prison, and fines of up to £25,000.

In October Jacques Myard, a senior member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling UMP party who helped introduce the burka ban in France, said Britain was "losing the battle against Islamic extremism" and thus "opened the door to terrorism". » | Peter Allen in Paris | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Libya: Britain Told US Not to Intervene in Lockerbie Bomber Release
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The British ambassador to the US told America it should not intervene to stop the release of the Lockerbie bomber from a Scottish prison, according to leaked diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and passed to the Daily Telegraph.

Nigel Sheinwald told James Steinberg, the US Deputy Secretary of State, that he was "concerned" that the demands of victims' families were unduly influencing US policy.

His comments came during critical negotiations over whether Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the murder of 270 passengers on Pan Am Flight 103, should be switched to a Libyan jail to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Sir Nigel was Tony Blair's foreign policy adviser between 2003 and 2007 and played a key role, alongside the Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, in bringing Colonel Muammar Gaddafi back into the international fold. He was at Mr Blair's side for the first meeting with Colonel Gaddafi in 2007 that resulted in a substantial BP oil contract.

The cable, obtained by WikiLeaks and passed to the Daily Telegraph, is dated February 2009. It states: "Sheinwald asked that the US continue to consult with the UK in the possible transfer of ailing Pan Am bomber Abdel-Basset al-Megrahi from the UK to Libya. Specifically, he said HMG supported the discussions this week between UK and US officials to define a common strategy.

"Sheinwald cited concern that the Pan Am victims' families were asking for direct US intervention to stop the transfer. He asked that the United States delay "for a few days" any intervention with the Scottish authorities, who will ultimately decide on the transfer." » | Steven Swinford | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Australia Unveils Ugly Cigarette Packets in Fight against Smoking
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tobacco companies will be forced to drop logos and branding from cigarette packs in Australia in an attempt to make smoking less glamorous.

As part of the toughest antismoking legislation in the world, which is expected to go before parliament later this year, all packets would be the same colour – an ugly olive green – and will come plastered with graphic health warnings including pictures of diseased eyes, rotting teeth and young children in hospital.

The product's name would appear on the front of the pack in a standard font size and style.

The move is intended to reduce the smoking rate in Australia to 10 per cent in less than 10 years but has been strongly opposed by the tobacco lobby, which has vowed to mount a legal challenge against the proposed laws.

British American Tobacco Australia have warned that the legislation would infringe international trademark and intellectual property laws.

"The new packs have been designed to have the lowest appeal to smokers and to make clear the terrible effects that smoking can have on your health," said Nicola Roxon, the health minister.

"The government knows that big tobacco companies are going to fight this," she said. » | Bonnie Malkin, Sydney | Thursday, April 07, 2011

Here we go again! Why don’t legislators leave people alone, and use education and infomercials to keep informing people of the dangers of smoking, and leave it at that? Why do innocent people have to be subjected to this barrage of attacks on their rights to use a legal substance.

I would be the last person in the world to advocate that anyone smoke. I have myself successfully given up the habit. But some people still enjoy smoking. Let them smoke, for goodness’ sake. Many people have far worse habits than smoking a few cigarettes. Even Prince Harry enjoys a ciggy!

I listened to an interesting story the other day: A mother told me that young people today, because cigarettes have been made so expensive, have taken to rolling their own and lacing the tobacco with illegal substances! If this is the case, aren’t we in danger of trying to stub out one bad habit and replacing it with another habit far worse? We all know about the ‘law of unintended consequences’!

Now regarding this proposal to use ugly cigarette packets Down Under... I predict that it will fail to have the desired result of reducing smoking. What could well happen is this: People could return to the old habit of taking their cigarettes out of the ugly packets and placing them in attractive cigarette cases, as people so often used to do in years gone by. I’d be willing to wager that people will rediscover the fashion. If I were still a smoker, and if I lived in Australia and were confronted with such hideous cigarette packs, I’d find a glamorous cigarette case to fill!

Some enterprising company will no doubt start to market such cases. If this happens, the law will become meaningless. – © Mark

Libya: Rebel Defences 'Failing' as Gaddafi Forces Move towards Benghazi
THE GUARDIAN: Soldiers loyal to Muammar Gaddafi reach heart of strategic town of Ajdabiya, 90 miles from city at centre of revolution

Muammar Gaddafi's forces continued to fight their way toward Benghazi, the city at the heart of Libya's revolution, as five African leaders arrived in Tripoli in an attempt to broker a ceasefire and political settlement.

Rebel defences around Ajdabiya appeared to be failing as Gaddafi's soldiers broke into the heart of the strategic town, 90 miles from Benghazi, and engaged in running street battles after again outmanoeuvring the revolutionaries.

Although western powers continued their air strikes, the strikes did not appear to deter Gaddafi's forces.

Rebels said government forces shot down a Russian-made helicopter sent to the fight by revolutionaries only two days before. Nato forced a rebel MIG jet to land because of the UN-imposed no-fly zone.

Shelling around the southern entrance to Ajdabiya continued , with loud explosions heard and thick black smoke rising over parts of the town.

Much of Ajdabiya was deserted after civilians fled amid the prospect of Gaddafi's troops taking the town for the second time in as many weeks. » | Chris McGreal in Ajdabiya | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Frankreich: Festnahmen im Vorfeld des Burka-Verbots
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Ab Montag ist in Frankreich das Tragen von Gesichtsschleiern in der Öffentlichkeit verboten. Das Verbot gilt für die muslimischen Schleier wie den Nikab und die Burka. In Paris hat die Polizei am Samstag während einer unbewilligten Demonstration gegen das Verbot über 60 Personen festgenommen, darunter auch 19 Frauen.

59 Personen seien festgenommen worden, als sie auf der Place de la Nation im Osten von Paris demonstrieren wollten. Zudem seien auch zwei Personen festgenommen worden, die von Grossbritannien nach Belgien reisen wollten, hiess es.

Die Kundgebung gegen das Verschleierungsverbot war von der Polizei am Freitag verboten worden, weil sie darin einen Aufruf zu Gewalt und Rassenhass sah. Dieser habe sich weniger auf die Kundgebung an sich, als vielmehr auf die Reden bezogen, hiess es.

In Frankreich sind ab Montag Gesichtsschleier verboten. Dies bezieht sich vor allem auf die muslimischen Schleier wie den Nikab, bei dem nur ein Schlitz für die Augen bleibt, oder den Ganzkörperschleier, die Burka. » | dpa/sda/muei | Sonntag, 10. April 2011

Frankreich beschliesst Burka-Verbot
Das französische Parlament hat ein landesweites Verbot der Burka verabschiedet. Die Abgeordneten stimmten mit 336 zu einer Stimme für das Gesetz, das die Gesichtsverschleierung aus der Öfffentlichkeit verbannt

CNN: French police arrest burqa ban protesters: Paris -- Police in Paris arrested dozens of people for trying to hold an unauthorized demonstration to protest a ban on the wearing of Islamic veils such as burqas, they said Sunday. » | Niki Cook, CNN | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Hamas to Impose Ceasefire with Israel
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Hamas is ready to impose a ceasefire with Israel after the heaviest bombing of the Gaza Strip since the war in 2009 killed 19 Palestinians.

A spokesman for the radical Islamic party said that the group would stop firing at Israeli cities after a punishing set of retaliatory airstrikes. Hamas triggered the outbreak of fighting by carrying out a missile attack on a school bus on Wednesday, severely injuring a teenager and wounding the driver.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli leader, warned that it could step up the assault on the Palestinians. He said: “If the attacks on Israeli citizens and soldiers continue, the response will be far harsher.” » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Prince of Wales 'Abused and Ridiculed' over His Attempts to Promote Inter-faith Dialogue
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Prince of Wales complained of being "abused and ridiculed" over his attempts to promote inter-faith dialogue as he addressed religious leaders in Morocco.

The Prince, who has spent decades trying to encourage better understanding of different religions around the world, said he would not allow the criticism to not [sic] stand in his way.

During a discussion with Islamic scholars at the Al-Qarawiyyin University [جامعة القرويين] in Fez, the Prince said: "One of the hardest things is to remind people of the great truth of traditional Islam, not distorted Islam, and trying to remind people of the great truth of traditional Christianity, not distorted Christianity, and we know there are problems in both religions.

"It's the issue of stereotypes that is difficult. It's so easy to concentrate on the negative and not the positive.

"But what I do is remind people of what we share in common." » | Gordon Rayner, in Fez | Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Ann Barnhardt Rebuts Lindsey Graham's Remarks Regarding the First Amendment

Part 2 »

Moubarak dément s’être enrichi
20 MINUTES ONLINE: L'ancien président s'est exprimé pour la première fois depuis sa chute.

L'ancien président égyptien Hosni Moubarak a démenti avoir abusé de son autorité pour accumuler biens et richesses, dans un message sonore diffusé dimanche par la chaîne Al-Arabiya. C'est la première intervention de l'ex-raïs depuis sa chute le 11 février après 18 jours de manifestations.

Hosni Moubarak se dit prêt à coopérer à toute enquête des autorités égyptiennes pour démontrer, a-t-il souligné, qu'il ne possède pas de biens ni de comptes à l'étranger. L'ancien chef de l'Etat se trouve actuellement en résidence surveillée avec sa famille dans un palais de Charm el-Cheikh, station balnéaire sur la mer Rouge. Enquête sur les avoirs demandée » | ap | Dimanche 10 Avril 2011

Mubarak to Al Arabiya: I Welcome Inquiry into My Assets
Slams critics, denies having assets abroad
AL ARABIYA: In his first public remarks since stepping down as Egyptian president in Ferburary, Hosni Mubarak on Sunday hit back at critics who have accused him and his family of improper activity.



“I have spent my whole life in serving the nation with honesty and integrity,” he said in a recorded message broadcast exclusively on Al Arabiya. “I cannot remain silent in face of the continual campaigns of defamation and false accusations that aim at ruining the reputation and integrity of my family and me.” 



He said he welcomed inquiries into his finances. “I will stick to all my legal rights to have action against everyone who tried to mess with the reputation of me and my family whether inside or outside the country.” » | Abeer Tayel, Al Arabiya | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Western Intervention Has Made an Incredible Mess in Libya - Anti-war Activist

Arab Spring Clearing Path for Iranians?
Apr 8, 2011 – How is Iran taking advantage of unrest?

Medvedev Stresses Islam’s Importance for Russia (July 15, 2009)

Flüchtlingsstrom aus Nordafrika: Bayern droht mit Grenzkontrollen zu Österreich
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Hauptsache nicht zu uns! Bayern will die Einreise von Flüchtlingen aus Nordafrika verhindern - und droht mit Kontrollen an der österreichischen Grenze. Dies sei "das letzte Mittel", sagte Innenminister Herrmann. Vor allem Italiens laxe Visa-Politik nervt Deutsche und Franzosen.

München - "Ihren Ausweis bitte" - diesen Satz könnten Reisende demnächst wieder an der deutsch-österreichischen Grenze zu hören bekommen. Denn Bayern will notfalls mit der Wiedereinführung von Grenzkontrollen die Einwanderung von Flüchtlingen aus Nordafrika verhindern.

Weil die italienische Regierung mit dem Flüchtlingsstrom aus Nordafrika nicht mehr zurechtkommt, kündigte sie an, den Menschen befristete Aufenthaltsgenehmigungen zu geben, mit denen sie auch in andere EU-Staaten einreisen könnten. Das bringt den bayerischen Innenminister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) in Rage. "Wir werden es nicht hinnehmen, dass die italienische Regierung die Tunesier einfach zu Touristen erklärt und sie auf diese Weise in andere Länder schiebt", sagte Herrmann der "Welt am Sonntag". "Die Wiedereinführung von Grenzkontrollen ist das letzte Mittel."

Die gegebenenfalls nötigen "lageangepassten Grenzkontrollen" würden das Verhältnis zwischen Deutschland und Italien aber erheblich belasten, sagte er. "Deshalb erwarten wir von Regierungschef Silvio Berlusconi, dass sein Land das Einwandererproblem selbst regelt und nicht auf andere EU-Länder ablädt."

Italien sei ein so großes Land, dass es auch 23.000 tunesische Migranten aufnehmen könne. Nur zehn Prozent dieser Menschen hätten einen Asylantrag gestellt, sagte Herrmann. "Es handelt sich meist um Wirtschaftsflüchtlinge. Das ist etwas völlig anderes als in Libyen, wo die Menschen vor einem Bürgerkrieg fliehen." Berlusconi würde sich einen Gefallen tun, wenn er Wirtschaftsflüchtlinge konsequent wieder in deren Heimat zurückbringen ließe, sagte Herrmann. "Dazu müsste die italienische Marine wohl in der Lage sein." » | mmq/dapd/dpa | Sonntag, 10. April 2011

Cameron's F-word Outburst at Reporters over British Empire 'Gaffe'
MAIL ONLINE: David Cameron swore angrily on the plane journey back from his trip to Pakistan after he learned of the row caused by his comment that Britain is to blame for many of the world’s problems.

The Prime Minister turned on a journalist who had reported his remark and said, ‘You f*****!’.

The outburst came after Mr Cameron’s apparent attempt to distance himself from the UK’s imperial past had received a warm welcome from his audience in Pakistan.

Asked about the long-running row between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, which dates back to the days of the British Empire, he said: ‘I don’t want to try to insert Britain in some leading role where, as with so many of the world’s problems, we are responsible for the issue in the first place.’ Continue reading and comment » | Simon Walters | Sunday, April 10, 2011

My comment on this:

The F-word uttered with a posh accent is still the F-word. Uttering it with a plum in one's mouth doesn't make it any better, any more acceptable, especially from our sitting prime minister. A few days ago, we read that Nicolas Sarkozy had told the editor of Le Point that he should "smash his face in" for calling his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, a "man-eater." Now the F-word from our 'Conservative' prime minister. What are we going to hear next? Clearly, the calibre of our leaders is going down and down. – © Mark

Screwed by Corporate America

Saudi Arabia Has a Divorce Every 30 Minutes
EMIRATES 24/7: Saudi Arabia has one of the highest divorce rates in the world, with such cases averaging one every half an hour in 2010, according to a local newspaper.

The Gulf Kingdom, the world’s dominant oil power, had 18,765 recorded divorce cases last year, one of the world’s highest rates compared to its population, Alsaudi Arabic language daily said. » | Staff | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Russia's Unruly North Caucasus: Islam Inflamed
THE ECONOMIST: Muslim fundamentalism is on the rise in the north Caucasus. To stop it, Russian policy must change

THE world is fearful of Islam’s rising influence in Afghanistan, Pakistan and across the newly restive Arab world. But it has barely noticed what is happening in Russia’s troubled north Caucasus. After two decades of political and military failure in this violent part of the world, the government in Moscow is losing its legitimacy there, and fundamentalist Islam, which had no purchase in Soviet days, has taken hold.

The north Caucasus may take up only a small space on the map, but it looms large for Russia. The region has often decisively influenced the course of Russia’s own development. Boris Yeltsin’s decision to send in troops to stop Chechnya’s march towards independence helped to weaken Russia’s fledgling democracy in the mid-1990s. Vladimir Putin’s vow to rub out Chechen rebels “in the shithouse” helped to propel him into the presidency. Eleven years on, the north Caucasus is still one of Russia’s biggest headaches. Terrorist attacks, like the bombing at Domodedovo airport in January, have become almost commonplace. In its largely unreported fighting in the north Caucasus, Russia is suffering as many losses every year as Britain has lost in ten years in Afghanistan. » | Leaders | Thursday, April 07, 2011

Pakistan's Controversial Religious Schools
The Pakistani government is trying once again to reform the country's religious schools, locally known as madrassas. 



Critics argue they fail to teach students a wider curriculum, and have become a nursery for future extremists. But those who run the schools, and the 
students themselves, strongly disagree.



Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reports from Peshawar.

Syria Unrest: Violence Continues to Escalate
A Syrian human rights group says at least 37 people were killed across the country on Friday.

Meanwhile, Syrian state television has shown video of what it says were armed criminals firing in the central city of Homs.

Earlier in the day, the government claimed armed gangs had killed 19 policemen and wounded 75 in Daraa.

Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports from Damascus.



Warning: This package contains images that may disturb or offend some viewers.

A Rare Glimpse of Gaddafi Forces
So far the conflict in Libya has been reported only from one side, as no press was allowed to cover Gaddafi forces on the battleground but Al Jazeera has now exclusive access to footage which offers rare glimpse of pro-government forces.



Filmed in mid-March, the video shows government army pushing forward to crush the eastern uprising before NATO got green light to launch airstrikes.



The footage shows young men being taken into custody and beaten up by Gaddafi loyalists and government forces roaming the streets of Ajdabiya.

Leading Bahrain Activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja Arrested
BBC: Security forces in Bahrain have arrested and beaten one of the country's leading human rights activists, his daughter says.

The activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was seized in the middle of the night and taken away with his two sons-in-law.

It is the latest in a series of violent night-time arrests of opposition activists, say human rights workers.

The Bahraini government accuses them of inciting unrest and trying to divide the Sunni and Shia Muslim communities.

Mr al-Khawaja's daughter says in the very early hours of Saturday morning up to 20 armed and masked policemen broke down the door of their apartment and began attacking her father.

Maryam al-Khawaja says he offered no resistance but that the men beat him unconscious and dragged him downstairs, leaving a trail of blood.

She said the family have no idea where he has been taken, what he is accused of, or how long he will be held. » | Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent, Bahrain | Saturday, April 09, 2011

BBC: Police brutality turns Bahrain into 'island of fear': The BBC has obtained images of alleged police brutality against peaceful protesters in the Bahraini capital Manama, where fears of a systematic crackdown on pro-democracy activists are growing. » | Bill Law, Crossing Continents, BBC News | Thursday, April 07, 2011

Berlusconi: 'Human Tsunami' Arriving in Lampedusa
BBC: The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has warned Europe of what he called a "human tsunami" arriving on the island of Lampedusa.

Tens of thousands of migrants have reached the tiny Italian island in recent weeks amid fighting and political unrest in North Africa.

Mr Berlusconi called on his European counterparts to do more to help with the worsening humanitarian situation.
Will Grant reports. Watch video » | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Dutch Ritual Slaughter Ban a Step Closer

EURONEWS: In Holland, a proposal to ban Kosher and Halal slaughter methods has moved a step closer to reality, with a majority of the country’s MPs now supporting the ban.

In order to reduce stress, in the EU animals slaughtered for meat are normally stunned before they are killed. But Kosher and Halal butchery requires the animals to be fully conscious when their throats are cut. » | © Euronews | Friday, April 08, 2011

'Burqa Ban' in France: Housewife Vows to Face Jail Rather Than Submit
THE OBSERVER: Muslim woman says that she will not accept pressure from mosques or state over 'burqa ban' that begins on 11 April

Kenza Drider, a respectable mother-of-four, will leave her home in Avignon's Place de la Résistance on Monday with the intention of committing a crime. If the police are waiting for her – and they have had more than enough warning – she will be cautioned, perhaps be asked to accompany officers to the local station, possibly face a fine and, perhaps, will leave with a criminal record.

It is unlikely she will end up in jail, but who knows? It is a risk she is willing to take. Drider is not only determined to become a miscreant; she sees it as her absolute duty to do so.

This 32-year-old French housewife has become the face of the country's "burqa brigade", the women in France who cover themselves from head to toe in full veils. She will fall foul of a law that comes into effect on Monday 11 April tomorrow and forbids French citizens from covering their faces in public places; despite the ban's deliberately general wording, there is no doubt that its target is very specific: Muslim women.

Drider's first offence will be to set foot inside Avignon's TGV rail station where she is due to take a train to Paris. For this she risks a €150 fine and, if she repeats the offence, being sent on a "citizenship course".

"I will be going about my business in my full veil as I have for the last 12 years and nothing and nobody is going to stop me," she declares, swathed in the material she refuses to take off even while speaking to a female journalist in her own home.

Like most of the women concerned by this law, Drider wears a niqab veil that reveals only her eyes, as opposed to a burqa, the full body covering worn by Afghan women. » | Kim Willsher | Sunday, April 10, 2011

BNP Election Candidate Arrested Over Qur'an Burning
THE OBSERVER: Footage leaked to the Observer shows Welsh Assembly candidate setting fire to Islamic holy book in his garden

A senior member of the BNP who burned a copy of the Qur'an in his garden has been arrested following an investigation by the Observer.

Footage of the burning shows Sion Owens, 40, from south Wales and a candidate for the forthcoming Welsh Assembly elections, soaking the Qur'an in kerosene and setting fire to it.

A video clip of the act, leaked to the Observer and passed immediately to South Wales police, provoked fierce criticism from the government.

A statement from the Home Office said: "The government absolutely condemns the burning of the Qur'an. It is fundamentally offensive to the values of our pluralist and tolerant society.

"We equally condemn any attempts to create divisions between communities and are committed to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility or harassment on the grounds of a particular characteristic, such as religion." » | Mark Townsend | The Guardian | Saturday, April 09, 2011

Frost Over the World - Debating the Face Veil
Just days before a ban on the full face veil starts in France, Sir David Frost is joined by British politicians Salma Yaqoob and imam Taj Hargey to discuss whether France has made the right decision. Plus, Guma El Gamaty discusses the situation in Libya and Knox Chitiyo talks about events in Cote d'Ivoire

Inside Story - Appeasing Syria's Kurds
Protests have continued in Syria a day after Bashar al-Assad granted citizenship to a quarter of a million stateless Kurds living in Hasaka, in the northeast of the country. Some Kurdish leaders have said that being granted their rights should not be considered a favour and that they will continue their non-violent protests demanding civic, political, cultural and social rights. Will such concessions succeed in containing pro-democracy protests? Inside Story discusses

Col Gadhafi Makes Public Appearance at Tripoli School
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: State-run Libyan television has shown footage of Muammar Gaddafi at a school in Tripoli on a visit it said took place on Saturday.

In the footage Gadhafi is seen entering the school surrounded by bodyguards and receives a rapturous reception by the pupils.

The TV anchor said the visit took place on Saturday morning.

Gaddafi pointed to the date written on whiteboards in the classrooms a number of times to highlight that he is both alive and still in Libya.

The Libyan leader was last seen in public on April 4. Watch the video » | Saturday, April 09, 2011

At Least Six Killed in Amsterdam Shooting
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A gunman has killed at least six people and wounded 13 others after opening fire with an automatic weapon at a shopping centre outside Amsterdam.

The shooting happened in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn, 13 miles southwest of Amsterdam.

"A man with an automatic weapon, whose identity we cannot reveal, started shooting and killed five people and then himself," Mayor Bas Eenhoorn said.

"Four people were very badly injured, five mildly wounded, and at least two slightly injured."

Mr Eenhoorn called the shooting "unprecedented" and said there were a large number of people in the shopping centre when the shootings occurred. » | Saturday, April 09, 2011

Aussie Dollar Boosted by Its Own 'Gold Standard'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Australian dollar is one of the strongest currencies in the world because it is a commodity-backed currency. That’s why it hit a 29-year high against the US dollar today – and it’s all related to the gold price.

The gold price is hitting new all-time highs on a daily basis because many investors have lost faith in paper money. They believe that central bank printing presses are devaluing currencies on a daily basis.

It is the same lack of belief in paper money that has been boosting the Aussie dollar. Paper money used to be backed by gold held in a central bank, but this was abandoned all over the world, allowing central banks to print money via processes such as quantitative easing.

Today, no currency in the world is on the gold standard – all money is “fiat” money.

However, Australia has significant resources of gold, uranium, iron ore, coal and many other important and valuable commodities. They are in the ground, not in a central bank, but this is the nearest thing the world has to the old gold standard. That’s why the Australian currency is so strong.

The same is also true of currencies in Canada, South Africa and Russia. They are effectively backed by commodities in the ground. » | Garry White | Friday, April 08, 2011

Britain's Deficit-cutting Plans Are 'Oxymoronic' Says Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Larry Summers, President Obama's chief economic adviser for his first two years in office, has labelled Britain's plan to revive growth by tackling its deficit as "oxymoronic", in an unusually outspoken attack.

"I find the idea of expansionary fiscal contraction in the context of the world in which we now live to be every bit as oxymoronic as it sounds," Mr Summers told a gathering of economists and policy makers at the resort of Bretton Woods in New Hampshire.

The analysis from Mr Summers, who also served as US Treasury Secretary under President Clinton, will be unwelcome to a Coalition government that's pushing through tax increases and cutting spending.

The government insists that tackling the budget deficit is required to prevent bond investors losing confidence in the country's fiscal policy in the way they did with Greece and Portugal and have threatened to with Spain and Italy.

In last month's Budget, George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer, outlined plans to cut the budget deficit, which has reached 10p of gross domestic product (GDP), to £29bn in 2015 from £146bn this year.

Though it has damaged the Government's rating in the opinion polls, the policy has won the backing of business leaders in the UK who are now tasked with helping to drive the recovery.

However, Mr Summers said he was sceptical that a policy focused on improving "fiscal hygiene" would generate the confidence a recovery needs. "I'd be happy to say that if Britain enjoys a boom for the next two years from increased confidence," I will change my opinion, he said.

The attack from Mr Summers underlines the extent to which many in Washington DC are watching Britain to see whether the government's effort drives the economy back into recession or helps lays the foundation for a lasting recovery. » | Richard Blackden, US Business Editor | Saturday, April 09, 2011

Sadr Calls for an End to 'US Occupation'
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Shia cleric threatens to relaunch armed resistance unless the US withdraws from Iraq by year-end.

Moqtada al Sadr, a prominent Iraqi Shia cleric, has threatened to revive his Mehdi Army and relaunch armed resistance against continued US presence in the country.

The threat came as tens of thousands of people marched across the capital Baghdad, marking the eighth anniversary of former leader Saddam Hussein's fall on Saturday.

A spokesperson of al Sadr, said the US had until the end of the year to meet the cleric's demands. » | Source: Al Jazeera | Saturday, April 09, 2011

Yale University Hit by Sexual Harassment Row
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As the esteemed Ivy League university that taught five US presidents, 18 Nobel laureates and countless captains of industry, Yale has one of the loftiest names in education.

But the £25,000-a-year alma mater of Bill Clinton and both George Bushes has been plunged into a sexual harassment scandal that threatens to drag its reputation through the mud.

The US government has launched an investigation into a complaint by 16 students at the Connecticut college. They allege a string of serious assaults and rampages by gangs of men that went unpunished.

Yale's management has allowed the cultivation of a "sexually hostile environment", in which misogyny flourishes and sexual attacks on young women are frequent, they claim.

Now the university's £300 million-a-year public funding could be in jeopardy if the Obama administration finds it broke a law dictating everyone must have equal access to education.

The Yale complaint's most serious charges – concerning the sexual assaults of several girls – have not been made public to protect the victims' identities.

The 26-page dossier also discloses many other unpleasant incidents on campus. Several have dragged the college's boozy and laddish fraternities into the spotlight. » | Jon Swaine, New York | Friday, April 08, 2011