Universität Bayreuth: „Guttenberg hat vorsätzlich getäuscht“
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die Universität Bayreuth wirft Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg vor, bei seiner Dissertation „vorsätzlich getäuscht“ zu haben. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt die Kommission „Selbstkontrolle in der Wissenschaft“. Guttenberg habe wissenschaftliche Standards „evident grob verletzt“.

Den Vorwurf eines vorsätzlichen wissenschaftlichen Fehlverhaltens bei der Doktorarbeit des früheren Verteidigungsministers zu Guttenberg (CSU) sieht die Kommission „Selbstkontrolle in der Wissenschaft“ der Universität Bayreuth nach Abschluss ihrer Untersuchung bestätigt. „Nach eingehender Würdigung der gegen seine Dissertationsschrift erhobenen Vorwürfe stellt die Kommission fest, dass Herr Freiherr zu Guttenberg die Standards guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis evident grob verletzt und hierbei vorsätzlich getäuscht hat“, heißt es in einer Zusammenfassung des Berichts, die am Freitag in Bayreuth veröffentlicht wurde.

Guttenberg hatte dagegen am 23. Februar im Bundestag gesagt: „Ich habe die Fehler unbewusst und ohne Täuschungsabsicht gemacht.“ Und: „Ich habe in allen meinen Stellungnahmen deutlich gemacht, dass ich weder bewusst noch vorsätzlich getäuscht habe.“ » | F.A.Z./oll. | Freitag, 06. Mai 2011

Lien en relation avec l’article ici »

Plagiat confirmé d'un ex-ministre d'Angela Merkel
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: ALLEMAGNE | L’Université de Bayreuth a confirmé vendredi les accusations de plagiat qui ont contraint à la démission en mars de l’ex-ministre de la Défense Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

La Commission universitaire chargée de clarifier le bien-fondé de violentes accusations contre l’ancien ministre-star du gouvernement d’Angela Merkel a conclu, après trois mois de travaux, que le baron avait plagié à dessein en rédigeant sa thèse de Droit, selon l’Université.

"Il a selon toute évidence bafoué les standards de la pratique scientifique et a intentionnellement fraudé", indique le rapport de la Commission. » | AFP | Vendredi 06 Mai 2011

Ahmadinejad Allies Charged with Sorcery
THE GUARDIAN: Iranian power struggle between president and supreme leader sees arrests and claims of undue influence of chief of staff

Close allies of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have been accused of using supernatural powers to further his policies amid an increasingly bitter power struggle between him and the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Several people said to be close to the president and his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, have been arrested in recent days and charged with being "magicians" and invoking djinns (spirits).

Ayandeh, an Iranian news website, described one of the arrested men, Abbas Ghaffari, as "a man with special skills in metaphysics and connections with the unknown worlds".

The arrests come amid a growing rift between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei which has prompted several MPs to call for the president to be impeached. » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Thursday, May 05, 2011

Spanish Civil War Victims' Bodies Finally Removed from Mass Grave
THE GUARDIAN: Spain's government publishes first country-wide map of locations of more than 2,000 mass graves from the civil war

The bones of 62-year-old Severina Gómez and 23 others whose remains had lain together for 75 years, surrounded by bullet cases and with hands tied behind backs, have finally been removed from their mass grave in countryside near the central Spanish village of Loma de Montija.

Anxious family members watched last week as forensic archaeologists and volunteers scraped through layers of mud to uncover evidence of a crime committed in the heat of a civil war that still haunts parts of Spain – and that served as a curtain raiser to the bloodshed of the second world war.

After a decade of bitter debate over how to heal the wounds left by conflict and dictatorship without stoking ancient hatreds, Spain's government on Thursday published on the internet the first countrywide map showing the location of more than 2,000 mass graves from the civil war.

The map is part of a series of measures, including a searchable database of victims and graves, designed to satisfy the demands of people such as Gómez's grandson, Agustín Fernández, who led a local campaign to dig up the Loma de Montija grave. » | Giles Tremlett in Madrid | Thursday, May 05, 2011

Evan Bayh Reacts to Bin Laden Photo Controversy

Report: Al Qaeda to Release Bin Laden Audio Tape
May 6, 2011 – Website says tape was recorded inside Pakistan compound a week before his death

Bin Laden Was 'Completely Confused'
May 5, 2011 – Two sources inside the mission speak

How Did U.S. Get Bin Laden's DNA?
May 6, 2011 – Because You Asked: Where did original DNA used to confirm death come from?

Osama bin Laden Death Confirmed in Al-Qaida Statement
THE GUARDIAN: Terror group posts message on extremist websites saying it will remain 'a curse chasing the Americans and their agents'

Al-Qaida has confirmed the death of its leader, Osama bin Laden, and vowed vengeance, pledging in a statement posted on militant websites that his blood "will not be wasted".

In what is apparently the first official reaction from the militant Islamist group since Bin Laden was gunned down by US special forces troops who raided his hideout in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, the group called on the people of Pakistan, "where Sheik Osama was killed", to rise up against their leaders.

The group would soon release an audio message from Bin Laden recorded a week before his death, said the statement, dated 3 May and signed by "the general leadership of al-Qaida". There was no independent confirmation that the message was authentic but it was posted on websites through which al-Qaida habitually issues statements.

It continued: "We stress that the blood of the holy warrior sheikh, Osama bin Laden, God bless him, is precious to us and to all Muslims and will not go in vain.

"We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries. Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness, their blood will be mingled with their tears." » | Peter Walker and agencies | Friday, May 06, 2011

Salmond Hails 'Historic' Victory as SNP Secures Holyrood's First Ever Majority
THE GUARDIAN: Salmond leads party to series of dramatic victories over Labour and Lib Dems, resulting in a majority in the Scottish parliament


The Scottish National party has won a majority in the Holyrood elections – a dramatic result that will allow its leader, Alex Salmond, to hold a historic referendum on independence for Scotland.

After a series of astonishing victories over Labour and a collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote, the SNP leader saw a landslide for his party take it beyond the 65-seat mark. Holyrood has 129 seats.

After a night of defeats for some of Labour's best-known figures and a near defeat for the Scottish Labour leader, Iain Gray, Salmond declared he would stage an independence referendum within five years.

Jubilant at the "historic" scale of the SNP's victories, he added that he would first demand much greater economic freedom for the Scottish parliament, including the right to set its own corporation tax and increase borrowing powers to £5bn. Then he would hold his referendum.

"Just as the Scottish people have restored trust in us, we must trust the people as well," he declared. "Which is why, in this term of the parliament, we will bring forward a referendum and trust the people on Scotland's own constitutional future." » | Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent | Friday, May 06, 2011

Election Results Analysis: Bitter Nick Clegg Tries to Blame Margaret Thatcher
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: It was that bad. Yes, Nick Clegg was forced to blame Margaret Thatcher for his party’s pitiful showing in not-so-super Thursday’s elections.


The Deputy Prime Minister’s bitter response to the Liberal Democrat thumping was to claim that voters had turned away from him because of fears that the Coalition was heading towards replicating the 1980s and all its horror.

The Lib Dem leader has had quite a long time to think of an excuse and in the end he pathetically reached for one trotted out by his party’s pigmy president Tim Farron last week.

Mr Clegg committed to redoubling his efforts to illustrate why the Lib Dem influence in the Coalition will halt the dastardly Tories from implemented their neo-Thatcherite plans. Good luck with that.

It is difficult to overstate what a shocker Mr Clegg has presided over – and today it is unlikely to get any better. If he has been slumped on the ropes by the council results, he is likely to be dropped to the canvas by the inevitable No vote in the Alternative Referendum that will be announced this evening. Continue reading and comment » | Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Friday, May 06, 2011

Inside Story: Palestinian Reconciliation
After four years of rift and rivalry; the two Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a long awaited reconciliation agreement in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Wednesday.

How did the new regime in Egypt achieve in two months what the previous adminsitration had failed to do in years?

Inside Story, with presenter Nick Clark, discusses with Gamal Abdel Gawad, from the Al Ahram Centre of Strategic Studies; Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian Initiative; and Yaakov Katz, a military and defence analyst from the Jerusalem Post.

This episode of Inside Story aired from [sic] Thursday, May 5, 2011.

Al Jazeera English Live

Pakistan Wants US Military Out
RUSSIA TODAY: The Pakistani army has ordered reductions in the number of US military personnel operating inside Pakistan in what is being seen as a response to the unilateral US raid which killed Osama Bin Laden.

The nation’s army has faced heavy domestic criticism for allowing US forces to enter and unilaterally operate within Pakistan – many calling it a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. In addition, many argue the army may have been harboring Bin Laden all along.

The Pakistani army has called on the US to reduce its forces to the minimum essential levels. Currently, the US bases around 275 declared military personnel in Pakistan. » | Thursday, May 05, 2011

NATO Discusses Ground Operation, Libya Promises Hell

NATO Pressing for Libyan Ground War

Flag of Jihad, stating that 'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' (لا الة الا اللة و محمد رسول اللة). Image: Google Images
Osama bin Laden Dead: Protests in Pakistan
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: About 1,500 Pakistani Islamists have taken to the streets to protested [sic] against the killing of Osama bin Laden, saying more figures like him would arise to wage holy war against the United States.

Pre-dominantly Muslim Pakistan has yet to see any major backlash after US special forces killed bin Laden early on Monday, not far from the capital Islamabad.But his death has angered Islamists, with one major hardline political party calling on Pakistan's government to end its support for the US war on militancy.

"Jihad (holy war) against America will not stop with the death of Osama," said Fazal Mohammad Baraich, a cleric. » | Friday, May 06, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Osama bin Laden dead: CIA 'kept safe house' in Abbottabad: The CIA kept a safe house in Abbottabad, Pakistan, to conduct surveillance for months on the compound where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed. » | Friday, May 06, 2011

Bin Laden 'Planned New US Attack'
BBC: Documents found at Osama Bin Laden's Pakistan home suggest he was planning attacks on the US including on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, US reports say.

One plan aimed to target a US rail route, the reports said, although no imminent threat was detected.

Officials are examining computers, DVDs and documents seized from the Abbottabad home where they believe Bin Laden hid for up to six years.

President Obama is due to meet some of the troops involved in the operation.

He will hold private meetings on Friday at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with at least some of the Navy Seals who took part in the raid.

On Thursday, the president visited Ground Zero, the site of the attack of 11 September 2001 in New York, laying a wreath in memory of the nearly 3,000 victims.

He told victims' families that justice had now been done, but that America "would never forget". Read on and comment » | Friday, May 06, 2011

Liberal Democrats Have Taken 'Big Knocks', Says Nick Clegg
THE GUARDIAN: Lib Dem leader admits party taking brunt of anger at coalition amid worst local elections performance in 30 years

The Liberal Democrats appear to have suffered their worst performance at the polls in 30 years, suffering heavy losses across the north of England, Scotland and Wales.

Nick Clegg admitted his party was taking the brunt of the blame for a perception that the coalition government is dragging Britain back to the Thatcherism of the 1980s.

The Liberal Democrat leader and deupty prime minister said the party had taken "big knocks" in the local elections.

"Clearly what happened last night – especially in those parts of the country, Scotland, Wales, the great cities of the north, where there are real anxieties about the deficit reduction plans we are having to put in place ... we are clearly getting the brunt of the blame," he told reporters.

"To the many families in those parts of the country especially there are some very strong memories of what life was like under Thatcherism of the 1980s and that's what they fear they are returning to. We need to get up, dust ourselves down and move on." » | Polly Curtis, Patrick Wintour and Hélène Mulholland | Friday, May 06, 2011

China Bans Crime Shows and Soap Operas to Make Way for 'Red' TV
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Television bosses across China have been ordered to clear their schedules and broadcast improving 'Red' television as the country gears up to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Communist Party this July.

Popular low-budget crime sagas, romantic soap operas and spy thrillers that entertain millions of Chinese every night have been ordered off the airwaves by central government TV regulators to be replaced by improving, patriotic content.

The decision, which has caused widespread disgruntlement, is the latest example of a concerted attempt by China's ruling Communist Party to use so-called "Red" propaganda to bolster what it calls "social unity" and old "revolutionary values" in modern Chinese society.

The news of the three-month ban on what authorities have labeled frivolous or vulgar television has provoked a wave of discussion on China's online bulletin boards and discussion forums.

The issue had generated more than 20,000 comments on 163.com, one of China's leading internet portals, with many contributors largely taking a weary "don't care" attitude and promising to find other diversions or download American programmes from the internet.

"So the red songs and red movies are promoted national-wide from now on," said one comment, "It doesn't really matter as I only watched American TV soaps anyway since I started to have access to the internet". » | Peter Foster, Beijing | Friday, May 06, 2011

Brazil's Top Court Approves Civil Unions for Same-sex Couples
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Brazil's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday night that civil unions between same-sex couples must be allowed in this nation with more Roman Catholics than any other.

In a 10-0 vote, with one abstention, the justices said gay couples deserve the same legal rights as heterosexual pairs when it comes to alimony, retirement benefits of a partner who dies, and inheritances, among other issues.

The ruling, however, stopped short of legalising gay marriage. In Latin America, that is legal only in neighbouring Argentina and in Mexico City.

Same-sex civil unions granting some rights to homosexual couples are legal in Uruguay and in some states of Mexico outside the capital. Colombia's Constitutional Court has granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to health insurance plans.

Brazil's ruling sets a judicial precedent that must be honoured by all public institutions, including notary publics where civil unions must be registered.

"This is a historic moment for all Brazilians, not just homosexuals. This judgment will change everything for us in society – and for the better," said Marcelo Cerqueira with the gay rights group Grupo Gay da Bahia. "Gays, lesbians and transsexuals will be recognised as being more human. We'll be more accepted by having our rights honoured." » | Friday, May 06, 2011

Strains Showing in US-Pakistan Relationship
In the days since Osama bin Laden's killing, the Obama administration has been at pains to stress that the US Pakistan relationship is intact.

But other politicians have been much more critical.

Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports

Activist Speaks to Al Jazeera from the Outskirts of Deraa
An activist just outside Deraa, who gives his name as Mohammed Haurani, says the army is still controlling the city

Last WW1 Veteran Passes On
Claude 'Chuckles' Choules, the last known male survivor from World War One - out of more than 70 million military personnel - passed away this Thursday

97 Year-old Tried for Nazi War Crimes
A 97-year old Hungarian has gone on trial in what is likely to be one of the world's last Nazi war crimes trials

Crackdown reins in Bahrain activists
The once massive pro-democracy protests in Bahrain has been reduced to small clashes between youth and police in predominantly Shia areas.



Security forces have allegedly launched a brutal crackdown on protesters with beatings and sweeping arrests. Nearly 1000 demonstrators have been imprisoned, among them doctors, artists and lawyers. 



The UN High Commissioner for Human rights Navi Pillay says severe torture is being used against prisoners, and he is calling on the Bahraini government to stop intimidating and harassing human rights defenders and political activists. 



May Welsh reports. [May 6, 2011]

Scottish Election: SNP Romps to Victory as Lib Dems Collapse
THE SCOTSMAN: ALEX Salmond was last night on course for a second term as First Minister as voters across Scotland turned away in large numbers from Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Former Labour minister Andy Kerr became the first major scalp of the Holyrood election, losing to the SNP's Linda Fabiani in the East Kilbride constituency. Mr Kerr, who was Labour's finance spokesman in the last parliament, lost a notional majority, picking up 12,410 votes to Ms Fabiani's 14,359.



Labour's Tom McCabe also lost his Hamilton seat to the SNP's Christina McKelvie.



Elsewhere, there were widespread signs of a collapse in the Lib Dem vote, with Tavish Scott's party losing their deposit in the first seat of the night to be declared in Rutherglen, where the SNP vote surged by 16 per cent.



The broad picture looks set to deliver an SNP victory and a return to Bute House for Alex Salmond with an increased mandate.



If his re-election is confirmed today, Mr Salmond is expected to press ahead with his preferred plan to run a second SNP minority government for the next five years.



Early indications last night suggested clearly that he will be in a far stronger position than over the past four years, when he held a one-seat majority over Labour.



Labour sources were last night indicating they expected the SNP to beat them in several previously secure seats, and that their rivals could have a double-digit lead in seats by the time all the results came in. » | Scott Macnab and Eddie Barnes | Friday, May 06, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Scottish election results: Alex Salmond's victory is a serious threat to the Union: The fundamentalist wing of the SNP will declare that this win is a mandate for an immediate vote on Scottish independence. » | Alan Cochrane | Friday, May 06, 2011

Libya: William Hague Expels Two Libyan Diplomats
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, ordered the explusion of two Libyan diplomats from its London embassy as he travelled to Rome to demand heavier military bombardment of Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

Mr Hague called for the beginning of a final push to topple the beleagured regime in Tripoli, more than seven weeks after a UN Security Council resolution authorised military action to protect civilians. "The tempo of military activity should continue to be increased, as it has been increasing in recent days," Mr Hague said. "A great deal has been achieved. Probably thousands of lives have been saved. We now need to intensify that in order to push through to a successful outcome."

Rebels seeking to overthrow Col Gaddafi said that they needed an additional $3 million (£1.8 million) in loans to continue their battle.

Downing Street insisted the UK would not provide further funds, having already given generously. In a press conference, Hillary Clinton, the United States Secretary of State, said the allies would seek to create a "financial mechanism" to help the rebels.

The Foreign Office refused to comment on the behaviour which led to the expulsion of the two diplomats and their dependants, but it is understood that they are suspected of seeking to intimidate pro-opposition Libyans living in Britain.

In a statement, Mr Hague said that the expulsion was part of a move to step up the diplomatic pressure on Gaddafi, and that the diplomats and their families had until Wednesday to leave the country. » | Rosa Prince, and Nick Squires in Rome | Thursday, May 05, 2011

I might well be mistaken, but I believe Mrs. Clinton must be catching flies! – Mark

Archbishop Rowan Williams Is Dead Wrong about the Killing of Osama bin Laden. He Should Speak as a Religious Leader, Not as a Guardian Reader
TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – CRISTINA ODONE: Rowan Williams feels “uncomfortable” about the killing of Osama bin Laden. The man was unarmed, says the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the conflicting accounts that have emerged from the White House spread confusion and doubts.

Archbishop Williams is a fine man, a good man. But he is dead wrong here. Summary execution, ie killing without trial, is just desserts for some tyrants. And Osama, the hate merchant and death peddler, was a tyrant to rank with some of the worst. His fate should be no better than theirs. Think of Benito Mussolini, who was executed by Italian partisans; he too was unarmed, but only his fellow fascists shed a tear or raised a voice in protest. Adolf Hitler cheated justice by committing suicide, but his death prompted confusion, just as in the wake of Osama’s killing. The febrile atmosphere in 1945, though, did nothing to alter the fact that Hitler was a personification of evil. Continue reading and comment » | Cristina Odone | Thursday, May 05, 2011

My comment:

As hard as it is to swallow, the Archbish had to say what he did because of Christian teachings. We lesser mortals don't want to hear it because it doesn't satisfy our baser instincts. To people who are less than good, sound practising Christians, revenge is more appealing. But for people with a higher calling, his words will find resonance.

In fairness to the man, one could hardly expect him to cheer on the killing of another, however despicable the acts he may have committed. It just wouldn't rhyme with the principles of his calling. Were he to have called for the killing of OBL, he would have been little better than the blood-thirsty imams we read about almost daily, the imams who call for the killing of the Jews and the Kuffaar. © Mark

A variant on this comment also appears here

Related »

Osama bin Laden: Hillary Clinton 'No Idea' What They Were Watching
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hillary Clinton has said she has "no idea" what she and the rest of Barack Obama's national security team were watching at the precise moment a photographer snapped what has become the defining image of the Osama bin Laden operation.


Mrs Clinton said the raid was "38 of the most intense minutes" in her life, but her expression and the fact that her hand is covering her mouth might not convey any special significance.

The US secretary of state, who suffers from allergies, says she was embarrassed that her hand gesture may have only been her trying to stifle a cough or sneeze. » | Thursday, May 05, 2011

Now, Mrs. Clinton, if you expect us to believe that… – Mark

Emirati Wife Suing Husband for £7 million for Failing to Fulfil Her Needs
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Emirati man is being sued for £7.25 million for failing to have sex with his wife and causing her mental anguish, according to reports.

The unidentified woman told the court that her Emirati husband did not sleep with her in the first four months of their marriage in 2008 and later she discovered that he suffered from erectile dysfunction, according to Gulf News.

The newspaper quoted court records as saying that the woman alleged her husband failed to fulfil her needs. The case is pending before Dubai Courts. » | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Woman Seeks Divorce from 'Gay' Husband in UAE
GULF NEWS: Says she noticed bizarre change in spouse's attitude and behaviour a few months after marriage

Dubai: A woman has filed for divorce after she claimed to have made a chance discovery of her husband's alleged relationship with another man.

The woman, believed to be from a Gulf country, filed her divorce claim before the Dubai Sharia Court, saying she accidentally noticed a love message that her husband received from his gay partner on his mobile phone.

The woman alleged in her claim that her husband started behaving oddly and abnormally a few months after they got married and she had seen him wearing her lingerie at nights and using her perfume, a court source told Gulf News.

The woman said she realised a bizarre change in her husband's attitude and behaviour and caught him trying on women's underwear and perfumes many times. She said she received the shock of her life when she heard her husband hiding in another room and chatting with another man on his mobile phone. » | Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter | Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead: Pakistan Islamists Urge Mass Anti-US Rally
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pakistan is braced for a wave of anti-American protests today(FRI) as the leading mainstream Islamist party called for its supporters to take to the streets after Friday prayers.

Resentment towards Islamabad and its support for the US war on terror is already simmering and yesterday the Jamaat-e-Islam — until recently a member of the governing coalition — said the US had violated its sovereignty by sending special forces into Abbottabad to kill Osama bin Laden.

“Even if there was any sympathy for the Americans, that would dissipate after the way they crushed and violated our sovereignty and our independence,” said Syed Munawar Hasan, the JI president.

“We have appealed to everyone to hold peaceful demonstrations on Friday on a very large scale. Our first demand is Pakistan ... should withdraw from the war on terror.” Extremists linked to the group behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks have already offered public prayers for bin Laden. Several hundred members of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a Pakistani charity on the US terror blacklist over its alleged connection to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group blamed for the Mumbai attack, gathered in Karachi earlier this week to declare the al Qaeda leader a martyr.

Anti-American feeling is commonplace in Pakistan, despite repeated attempts to win hearts and mind with billions of dollars in US aid. » | Thursday, May 05, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead: Archbishop of Canterbury Criticises White House
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has criticised the White House over the killing of Osama bin Laden.


Dr Rowan Williams warned that the shooting dead of the unarmed al-Qaeda leader meant justice was not "seen to be done".

The differing accounts of the American special forces' operation which have emerged from the White House since Monday "have not helped", he said.

At a press conference at Lambeth Palace, The Daily Telegraph asked Dr Williams whether he thought the US had been right to kill bin Laden.

After declining to respond initially, he later replied: “I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling, because it doesn’t look as if justice is seen to be done in those circumstances.

“I think it’s also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help here.

“I don’t know full details any more than anyone else does. But I do believe that in such circumstances when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal, in terms of the atrocities inflicted, it is important that justice is seen to be observed.”

A spokesman for Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Roman Catholic church in England and Wales, said the church would not be commenting on the killing of the al-Qaeda leader. » | Tim Ross, Religious Affairs Editor | Thursday, May 05, 2011

Al Jazeera English Live

Empire - Beyond bin Laden
Osama bin Laden is dead. The world's most wanted man has finally been killed after a hunt that lasted more than a decade, triggered global wars, and cost the lives of tens of thousands of people. What does it mean for US wars in the Muslim world? And will the US actions unleash a new wave of attacks around the world?

Syrien: Assads Truppen stürmen Vorort von Damaskus
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Syriens Armee hat sich nach einer Woche Belagerung aus der Stadt Daraa zurückgezogen. Nun konzentriert sich die Truppen auf andere Hochburgen der Opposition. Soldaten stürmten am Donnerstag den Damaszener Vorort Sakba.

Die syrische Armee hat am Donnerstag den Damaszener Vorort Sakba gestürmt. Außerdem zogen sie in Erwartung neuer Proteste nach den Freitagsgebeten den Ring um Rastan und das Sunniten-Viertel in der Stadt Banias enger. In Deraa sei der Auftrag der Armee nach zehntägigem Einsatz beendet, meldete die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Sana.

Einwohnern zufolge blieben Soldaten jedoch am Stadtrand in Bereitschaft. Hunderte Armeeangehörige stürmten nach Angaben einer Bewohnerin den Vorort Sakba. Die Soldaten seien in Häuser eingedrungen und hätten wahllos Menschen festgenommen. „Dutzende Menschen wurden eingesperrt“, sagte die Frau der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. Die Menschenrechtsorganisation Isan sprach von mindestens 260 Festnahmen in Sakba, in Deraa seien es während des gesamten Armee-Einsatzes mehr als 800 gewesen. » | FAZ.NET mit dapd/dpa/Reuters | Donnerstag, 05. Mai 2011

Vorwürfe gegen USA - Bin Laden kaltblütig erschossen
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Abbottabad/Rom - Pakistan erhebt schwere Vorwürfe gegen die USA:

Das auf Osama bin Laden angesetzte US-Kommando habe den unbewaffneten Al-Kaida-Chef und vier seiner Vertrauten kaltblütig erschossen, erklärten zwei Vertreter pakistanischer Sicherheitsbehörden am Donnerstag mit Blick auf die Erstürmung des Anwesens von bin Laden in der pakistanischen Stadt Abbottabad. "Die Bewohner des Hauses waren unbewaffnet. Es gab keinen Widerstand", sagte einer. Damit widersprach er US-Darstellungen, mehrere Bewohner der Anlage seien bewaffnet gewesen und einer habe das Feuer auf die Spezialeinheit eröffnet. US-Außenministerin Hillary Clinton erklärte in Rom, weitere Details der Kommando-Aktion würden nicht veröffentlicht.

Die zwei Vertreter pakistanischer Sicherheitskräfte, die das Geschehen in dem Anwesen in der Nacht zum Montag untersuchen, erklärten dagegen, es habe kein Feuergefecht gegeben. Die Bewohner seien kaltblütig umgebracht worden. Beide Männer wollten nicht sagen, wie sie zu diesen Erkenntnissen gekommen sind. Allerdings haben die Sicherheitskräfte die überlebenden Bewohner der Anlage festgenommen. Von Reuters erworbene Fotografien aus dem Gebäude zeigen Nahaufnahmen von drei Männern in Blutlachen. Waffen sind nicht zu erkennen. Die Aufnahmen wurden von einem Mitglied pakistanischer Sicherheitskräfte kurz nach Ende des US-Einsatzes gemacht. » | Reuters | Donnerstag, 05. Mai 2011

Un financement pour les insurgés libyens dans quelques semaines
REUTERS FRANCE: ROME - Le mécanisme de financement des insurgés libyens annoncé jeudi à Rome par le "groupe de contact" sera opérationnel dans les prochaines semaines, a déclaré le ministre français des Affaires étrangères.

Alain Juppé a souligné que Paris n'avait pas renoncé à obtenir le dégel des avoirs libyens gelés au profit des insurgés en dépit des problèmes juridiques posés par une telle démarche.

"Le mécanisme de financement temporaire est maintenant bien défini et sera opérationnel dans les prochaines semaines", a-t-il dit lors d'une conférence de presse à Rome.

Les Etats-Unis ont annoncé qu'ils apporteraient leur contribution, d'autres pays vont le faire aussi et la France "va examiner sa propre contribution", a souligné Alain Juppé. » | John Irish, Gérard Bon pour le service français, édité par Patrick Vignal | Jeudi 05 Mai 2011

Une quarantaine de migrants tunisiens interpellés à Nice
REUTERS FRANCE: NICE - Deux jours après une première opération de police au foyer Adoma (ex-Sonacotra) de Nice-Ouest au cours de laquelle 72 migrants d'origine tunisienne avaient été interpellés, les forces de l'ordre ont procédé jeudi matin à une nouvelle vague de contrôles au même endroit. » | Pierre Thébault, édité par Patrick Vignal | Jeudi 05 Mai 2011

Début d'un retrait militaire progressif de Deraa en Syrie
REUTERS FRANCE: AMMAN - Des unités de l'armée syrienne ont entamé "un retrait progressif" de la ville de Deraa, épicentre en Syrie des manifestations contre le président Bachar al Assad, après avoir accompli leur mission, rapporte l'agence de presse officielle Sana, jeudi.

L'agence, qui cite une source militaire, précise que les forces de sécurité ont "chassé les éléments des groupes terroristes et ont rétabli la sécurité, la paix et la tranquillité" dans la ville.

L'armée était intervenue il y a 10 jours à Deraa, berceau de la contestation syrienne en faveur de la démocratie qui dure depuis six semaines.

Deux témoins ont dit à Reuters avoir vu une trentaine de blindés sur des camions quitter la ville et se diriger vers le Nord. Plusieurs voies d'accès à Deraa demeurent gardées par des unités de l'armée appuyées par des blindés, ont-ils précisé.

Des opposants et des habitants disent que les soldats ont bombardé le vieux quartier de Deraa et ont fait usage d'armes automatiques, procédant à de nombreuses arrestations. » | Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Pierre Sérisier pour le service français, édité par Gilles Trequesser | Jeudi 05 Mai 2011

'Bin Laden Scenario Prelude to New War'
PRESS TV: Former officials with Pakistan's military and intelligence service say the US wrongfully claims it has killed bin Laden in Pakistan to invade the country for harboring the terror leader.

United States President Barack Obama announced late Sunday that the al-Qaeda leader had been killed in a US military attack on a residence in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad north of the capital, Islamabad.

US reports claim that bin Laden had been living in a house near a Pakistani military base since 2005.

Speaking to the international Urdu daily Ausaf, the former officials said the terror mastermind had been killed elsewhere, questioning the reason for which the media had not broadcast the whereabouts and the manner of his death.

Citing the interviewees, who included General Mirza Aslam Beig, a former chief of Army staff, the newspaper said, “It is a fact that Osama bin Laden has been killed, but he has not been killed in Pakistan and this is evident in interviews with the locals and eyewitnesses.” » | HN/PKH/MGH | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

'Imperialism behind Bahrain Crackdown'
PRESS TV: Bahrain intensifies its crackdown on popular protests against the rule of Al Khalifa royal family in the Persian Gulf country, drawing criticism from the international community.

Amnesty International appealed to Manama to stop the arrests of opposition members. EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton has also expressed deep concern over the imminent executions of four anti-government protesters in Bahrain. (+ video) » | MN/MRS | Thursday, May 05, 2011

L'ONU exige la "divulgation complète des faits précis" du raid contre Ben Laden
LE POINT: La haut commissaire de l'ONU aux droits de l'homme estime que "le monde a le droit de savoir exactement ce qui s'est passé".

La haut commissaire de l'ONU aux droits de l'homme Navi Pillay a demandé jeudi la "divulgation complète des faits précis" sur les circonstances dans lesquelles le chef d'al-Qaida, Oussama Ben Laden, a été tué. » | Source AFP | Jeudi 05 Mai 2011

Inside Story: The Next Osama
Osama bin Laden became the face of militant Islam following the September 11 attacks in New York, and it was these attacks that propelled his organisation to the world's attention. So without bin Laden, what happens to al-Qaeda?

Inside Story, with presenter Darren Jordon, discusses with Imtiaz Gul, a political analyst and author of several books on al-Qaeda including The most dangerous palce; Paul Rogers, a professor of peace studies at the University of Bradford; and Mahan Abedin, director of research at the center for the study of terrorism.

This episode of Inside Story aired from [sic] Wednesday, May 4, 2011.

The Ethics and Realpolitik of Assassination
THE ECONOMIST: THE Jerusalem Post reports:

[Israel's] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) on Tuesday said that the killing of Osama bin Laden bears witness to the fact that the US has adopted the Israeli strategy of targeting terrorist leaders. In an interview with Israel Radio, Mofaz said that the strategy was originally employed by Israel following the murder of nine Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Mofaz called on the government to increase targeted killings of Palestinian terrorist leaders. The former defense minister said that targeted killings have been successful in curtailing terrorist activities.

Evidently the killing—some would say assassination or "targeted killing"—of Osama bin Laden is seen as legitimatising other countries' pro-assassination policies.

Moreover, celebrity legal eagle Alan Dershowitz argues that the non-response to Mr bin Laden's assassination from governments with a record of condemning the practice reveals the shady substance of these objections. Noting that "a US national security official has confirmed to Reuters that 'this was a kill operation' and there was no desire to capture Bin Laden alive", Mr Dershowitz correctly infers that "those who have opposed the very concept of targeted killings should be railing against the killing of Osama Bin Laden". But they aren't. » | IOWA CITY | Wednesday, May 04, 2011

The Secrets of Osama bin Laden's Medicine Cabinet
TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – ANDREW M BROWN: Did Osama bin Laden suffer from a dry skin condition? Hives, eczema, even psoriasis (which is aggravated by stress, interestingly)? Psoriasis really would be a wretched affliction for someone who’s cooped up 24 hours a day, a prisoner in effect, behind walls 15 feet high. Dennis Potter’s Singing Detective was a victim of it.

I ask about the skin condition because if you look at some of the video of the interior of the al-Qaeda leader’s compound you can clearly see a shelf, and on the shelf there’s a neat row of medicine bottles. In the foreground is a family-size jar of Vaseline lying on its side, or so it appears. Giving further credence to the possibility of a skin condition, there’s a big white jar just behind the Vaseline. It has an odd-shaped lid. It could be an inhaler – asthma, maybe, which goes with eczema sometimes? Perhaps, but it could also be a pump-action dispenser, and the contents of the jar something like aqueous cream, something you might want to slather onto an itchy or eczematous rash that was flaring up because you were bored and anxious, as I expect bin Laden was. Continue reading and comment » | Andrew M Brown | Thursday, May 04, 2011