Turkish and Syrian Forces in Tense Cross-border Standoff
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Turkish and Syrian forces engaged in a tense cross-border standoff on Thursday as a fresh military operation against Syrian dissidents threatened to spark a major regional crisis.

An elite Syrian army unit advanced to within quarter of a mile of the Turkish border, expanding an onslaught against opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.

Escalating an already acute refugee crisis, hundreds of Syrian civilians cut their way through a border fence into Turkey as they fled an advance into the frontier village of Khirbet al-Joz by the army's Fourth Division and Presidential Guard, led by Mr Assad's feared brother Maher.

The offensive brought Syrian and Turkish troops into eye-contact for the first time, significantly worsening the increasingly noxious relationship between the two neighbours.

Turkey has watched Mr Assad's brutal operation to quell opposition in Syria's restive northwest with growing alarm and has resorted to increasingly muscular diplomacy to demand an end to military operations close to the border. Most significantly, Turkish officials last week raised the possibility of a limited military incursion into northern Syria to protect civilians.

The offensive has already seen more than 10,000 refugees flee into Turkey.

With thousands more hiding out on the Syrian side of the border, the crisis is only liken to worsen as the army pushes northwards. » | Adrian Blomfield | Thursday, June 23, 2011

Fitna: The Movie
To mark Geert Wilders’ acquittal in The Netherlands, and to celebrate of freedom of speech, I am re-posting "Fitna” today

Comment on Always On Watch’s website »

Muslim Conversion: Islam Will Conquer the World?
All the signs, figures and statistics show that Islam is going to dominate the world. The only hope for Non-Muslims is to manipulate Muslim and secularize them, though Islam and true Muslim never can be dragged from the right path. Islam will prevail over all other Deens. As Allah has promised it in Qur'an

Prescription Drug Abuse On Rise in US
The UN is to release a report on the fight against illegal drugs like cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin on Thursday.

In the US, government surveys have found that hospital admissions for drug abuse have trippled in the past decade.

However, it is the abuse of prescription medication that has begun to cause more worry in the US.

Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman reports from Virginia, USA.

Scarlet Fever Kills Second Child in Hong Kong
Scarlet fever has killed a second child in Hong Kong - the first people to die from the disease in the city in a decade.

The strain currently doing the rounds is said to be twice as resistant to antibiotics as the last.

Al Jazeera speaks to doctor Lo Wing Lok, an infectious diseases specialist in Hong Kong.

Turkish Rations Feeding Gaddafi Troops
Libyan rebels have been fighting Gaddafi's forces for weeks in the Nafusa mountain range in western Libya.

The rebels are slowly making gains, though, and as Gaddafi's forces flee, they leave behind much of their equipment.

Most of that equipment is quite old: There is a box of ammunition from Gaddafi's stockpiles, for example, dating back to 1978.

Among the supplies at three different bases, Al Jazeera discovered military rations which - according to their labels - were manufactured in Turkey. Bread packets some of inside the rations were produced in March, according to their labels - meaning they were shipped to Libya after the fighting began.

The rations are produced by UNIFO, a Turkish company which specialises in portable rations and meals ready-to-eat, according to its web site.

Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Libya.

Maid's Beheading in Saudi Arabia Halts Indonesian Domestic Worker Scheme

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Indonesia will suspend sending domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia after the beheading of a maid convicted of murdering her Saudi employer.

Migrant worker Ruyati binti Sapubi, 54, was executed after she was convicted of murdering her Saudi employer, Khairiya bint Hamid Mijlid, with a meat cleaver.

The maid carried out the killing after she was denied permission to leave the kingdom and return to her family in Indonesia, according to officials in Jakarta.

"The Indonesian government has decided to impose a moratorium on sending workers to Saudi Arabia," labour minister Muhaimin Iskandar was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying.

The report did not provide further details but local media indicated the move was aimed at domestic workers, who make up about 70 per cent of the 1.2 million Indonesian workers in the Gulf state.

The suspension will take effect on August 1 and will remain until the Saudi government agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to protect Indonesian workers' rights, Iskandar said.

Saudi Arabia apologised for failing to inform Indonesia of the beheading, while Jakarta formally protested to Riyadh over the execution.

"The ambassador apologised and regretted the situation and said that such a thing wouldn't happen again in future," foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said.

Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Riyadh earlier this week for consultations. » | Thursday, June 23, 2011

Syrian Troops Mass on Turkish Border
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Syrian troops massed on the Turkish border overnight, witnesses said on Thursday, escalating tensions with Ankara as President Bashar al-Assad uses increasing military force against a popular revolt.

Hundreds of terrified refugees crossed into Turkey on Thursday to escape an army assault on the border regions, witnesses said.

Protests have grown in northern areas bordering Turkey, following military assaults on towns and villages in the Jisr al-Shughour region of Idlib province to the west of Aleppo that had sent more than 10,000 fleeing to Turkey.

Troops were advancing on a main road leading from Aleppo, the commercial hub, to Turkey, residents said.

On the 100th day of an uprising that has posed the gravest challenge to Assad's rule, soldiers and secret police backed by armoured vehicles set up road blocks on Wednesday along the main road, a major route for container traffic from Europe to the Middle East. They arrested tens of people in the Heitan area north of Aleppo, residents said.

"The regime is trying to pre-empt unrest in Aleppo by cutting off logistics with Turkey. A lot of people here use Turkish mobile phone networks to escape Syrian spying on their calls and have family links with Turkey. There are also many old smuggling routes that people could use to flee," one of the residents, a physician, told Reuters by telephone. » | Thursday, June 23, 2011

British Woman in Dubai Love Triangle Jailed

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A British woman caught up in a love triangle in Dubai when she was attacked in a boyfriend's flat by a Brazilian rival has been jailed for having sex outside marriage.

Danielle Spencer, 31, who worked in real estate in the Gulf emirate, was given a month's sentence after a court rejected her claim she never slept with Toby Carroll, a New Zealander.

Mr Carroll, 33, was jailed for two months – one month each for sex with Miss Spencer and with Priscilla Ferreira Gomez, 25, his ex-girlfriend.

All three were arrested when Miss Ferreira burst into Mr Carroll's flat inDubai Marina early one morning in December and found him in bed with Miss Spencer.

She grabbed a knife and began slashing the furniture and curtains, while Miss Spencer fled into the bathroom and locked herself in. Mr Carroll called the police, who arrested all three and took them to Bur Dubai police station, where they spent a month in cells before being bailed. » | Richard Spencer, Dubai | Thursday, June 23, 2011

Britain and US Urged to Act after Bahrain Arrests [Jails for Life] Eight Political Activists

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain and America were under renewed pressure last night to act against their close ally Bahrain after its courts handed out life sentences to eight political activists, including a wheelchair-bound dissident who was arrested after speaking to the House of Lords.

The eight politicians and human rights activists were among 21 people, most but not all Shia, accused of plotting against the monarchy and having contacts with foreign terrorist groups.

All 21 received jail terms, seven in absentia, with nine receiving 15 years and four shorter terms. Protesters set up barricades in Shia villages across the island last night, amid anger from human rights groups.

Among those jailed for life was Abduljalil Abdullah Al-Singace, head of the human rights section of Al-Haq, a radical Shia party, who was arrested in August on his return to Bahrain from London after addressing a House of Lords committee.

The leader of Al-Haq, Hassan Ali Mushaima, received the same sentence. He returned from self-imposed exile in London earlier this year.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, raised Mr al-Singace's case with his opposite number in Bahrain, Sheikh Khaled al-Khalifa, but Britain has been noticeably less outspoken about the Gulf state's crackdown on dissents than with other countries facing "Arab Spring" uprisings. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Related video »

Related article »

Australian Becomes Muslim - Moosa Benneth

Four New Muslims Explain Why They Became Muslim
The Christian Priesthood Needs to Redouble Its Efforts to Spread Christianity and Fill the Churches

Australia: Christians Converting to Islam

Australia Please Please Be Careful

RSPCA Moves to Ban Halal Slaughter in Australia
ABC – AM: ASHLEY HALL: With Australia's live cattle exports to Indonesia still in limbo the RSPCA is now turning the focus to the issue of ritual killing in Australia.

It's known as Halal or Kosher slaughter in the Muslim and Jewish communities and it's carried out according to religious laws.

In Australia, the national Halal standard requires abattoirs to stun animals before their throat is cut.

But a number of Australian abattoirs have been given government approval to kill animals without stunning.

The RSPCA says it's a brutal practice and should be banned. » | Jason Om | Saturday, June 18, 2011

Christians Urged to Pray During Islamic Fasting Month
ETERNITY: Against the background of a poster war between Muslims ("Jesus, prophet of Islam") and Christians ("Glad you want to talk about Jesus"), Christians are being urged to pray for their Muslim Neighbours.

“Muslim Prayer Focus Australia” is part of an international movement encouraging Christians to pray for Muslims during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

The movement began in 1992, when a group of international Christian leaders meeting in Israel prayed about the lack of mission expression in the Islamic world. They came up with the idea of praying every year during Ramadan, since it would be an on-going, annual focus. » | Monday, June 20, 2011

Austrabia – New Dark Age Alert! Australia/Islam: Islam Is One of the Fastest Growing Religions in Australia, Says Ambassador

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC NEWS AGENCY: JAKARTA – The Australian ambassador to Indonesia has said that Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in his country, and that the faith contributes significantly to Australia’s success and contemporary culture.

Greg Moriaty, the Australian ambassador made the comments in a statement released to mark the arrival of three Muslim leaders from Indonesia to Australia earlier this week.

The visit by the Muslim delegation is part of an exchange program between the two countries aiming to build relations between the two countries.

According to ABNA, Moriaty said in the statement that he hoped to show the delegation the cultural diversity of Muslims in Australia, which consists of 70 different ethnic backgrounds, including from Indonesia.

The delegation will visit Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra to meet with various community leaders and religious representatives, and hopes to show Australia as a diverse accepting society. » | IINA | Saturday, June 18, 2011 / 15 Rajab

Defiant Libya Leader Muammar Gaddafi Vows to Fight 'Crusaders'

THE AUSTRALIAN: LIBYAN leader Muammar Gaddafi has issued a defiant audio message, saying he had his "back to the wall" but did not fear death, and the battle against the Western "crusaders" would continue "to the beyond".

"We will resist and the battle will continue to the beyond, until you're wiped out. But we will not be finished," Gaddafi said in the message broadcast late on Wednesday on Libyan television in homage to his comrade, Khuwildi Hemidi, several members of whose family were killed on Monday in NATO raids on his residence. » | AFP | Thursday, June 23, 2011

Geert Wilders Acquitted on Hate Speech Charges

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Geert Wilders, the Dutch far-right politician, has been acquitted on charges of hate speech and discrimination for statements he made attacking Islam.

Judge Marcel van Oosten told Mr Wilders, 47, who has been on trial in the Amsterdam regional court since last October, ruled that his statements were "acceptable within the context of the public debate".

The Dutch MP faced five counts of hate speech and discrimination for his anti-Islamic remarks on websites, internet forums and in Dutch newspapers between October 2006 and March 2008, and in his controversial 17-minute movie "Fitna" ("Discord" in Arabic).

The leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom's (PVV) acquittal comes on the backdrop of a prosecution unwilling to take up the case against the platinum-haired parliamentarian, who claimed before court he was "defending freedom in the Netherlands" against Islam. » | Thursday, June 23, 2011

UK Fears Migrant Influx as EU Bids to Break Down Border Controls

MAIL ONLINE: Brussels bosses want to tear up European Union immigration rules, leaving Britain vulnerable to a new influx of migrants.

The European Commission plans to use human rights laws to break down border controls.

David Cameron will today go into battle to face down plans to scrap the existing rule that means illegal immigrants and asylum seekers are supposed to be sent back to the country where they first enter the EU.

Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will use a summit in Brussels today to press for the changes.

He wants the rule suspended indefinitely, opening the door to thousands of immigrants heading for Britain to claim more generous benefits than they could get elsewhere.

British officials fear that suspending the rule will mean that countries on the edge of Europe make far less effort to police their borders, since they will not have to face the consequences themselves of letting in too many migrants.

The situation has been made more acute by the fighting in Libya, which has seen thousands of refugees fleeing Colonel Gaddafi’s regime to take shelter in the EU.

More than one million people have fled Libya since the conflict began. » | Tim Shipman | Thursday, June 23, 2011

Nordkorea: Grenzen auf für Touristen
In der dritten Folge der fünfteiligen Serie über Nordkorea begleitet das «10vor10»-Team einen Touristenführer. Dieser will Schweizer Touristen bisher verborgene Winkel des Landes zeigen. Doch dies ist gar nicht so einfach.

Zum Teil in Schwyzertüütsch (Schweizerdeutsch).

Nordkorea: Besuch in der Kartoffelfabrik
Im zweiten Teil der fünfteiligen Serie über Nordkorea reist das «10vor10» Team nach Daehongdan, eine der nördlichsten Provinzen des Landes. Die vielen gebrechlichen Menschen, denen das Team begegnet, darf es nicht filmen. Auf dem Programm steht stattdessen eine Kartoffel-Vorzeige-Fabrik.

Turkey Reacts to Assad's Speech
Turkey is deeply affected by Syria's crisis, with more than 10,000 refugees having fled across the border.

But Turkish officials have been cautious in their reactions to the ongoing crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad and his reform pledges.

Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Boynuyogun refugee camp, on the Turkey-Syria border.

Life Sentences for Bahrain Dissidents
Police and protesters have clashed in Bahrain after eight Shia Muslim activists accused of plotting a coup to overthrow the Gulf Arab state's Sunni monarchy were sentenced to life in prison.

The court also sentenced on Wednesday other defendants - from among the 21 suspects on trial - to between two and 15 years in jail.

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reports.

Irlande : Le spectre des "Troubles"

FRANCE SOIR: Les récents affrontements à Belfast entre catholiques et protestants rappellent un temps que les Irlandais croyaient révolu.

Mercredi, la priorité était d'apaiser les esprits. Les représentants des deux communautés, ainsi que des religieux, se sont réunis afin de tenter de ramener le calme. Depuis deux jours, en effet, Belfast revit une ambiance de « Troubles », ces affrontements interconfessionnels qui, en une trentaine d'années, avaient fait 3 500 morts jusqu'à ce que la paix soit signée en 1998, entre catholiques et protestants. D'où l'inquiétude du Premier ministre protestant, Peter Robinson : « Voir ce niveau de violences revenir dans nos rues est à la fois désolant et très inquiétant ». Quant au vice-Premier ministre, Martin McGuinness, un catholique, il a assuré qu'il « ne sera pas permis à la petite communauté d'individus déterminés à déstabiliser nos communautés de nous faire replonger dans le passé ». » | Par Alain Vincenot | Mercredi 22 Juin 2011

Syrien spricht von «Kriegserklärung»
Heftige Reaktion auf Ausweitung der Sanktionen durch die EU

NZZ ONLINE: Syrien hat heftig auf die Ausweitung der Sanktionen durch die EU reagiert. Aussenminister al-Muallim bezeichnete Europa als inexistent auf der Weltkarte, die Sanktionen seien eine Kriegserklärung. Die EU-Aussenminister bezogen auch Iraner in die Sanktionen mit ein.

Angesichts der Ausweitung der EU-Sanktionen gegen Syrien hat die syrische Führung nun Europa als neuen Feind ausgemacht. «Wir werden künftig so tun, als gebe es Europa auf der Weltkarte gar nicht», sagte Aussenminister Walid al-Muallim am Mittwoch in Damaskus.

Gegen jede Einmischung

Al-Muallim bezeichnete die Strafmassnahmen der Europäer im [sic] dem vom Staatsfernsehen übertragenen Medienauftritt als «Kriegserklärung». Die Sanktionen stellten «die Lebensgrundlage des syrischen Volkes in frage», sagte Muallim. Er wies jede ausländische Einmischung zurück. «Niemand im Ausland darf uns seine Sichtweise aufzwingen.»

Seit Beginn der Proteste habe sich kein europäischer Vertreter nach Syrien begeben, um über die Ereignisse zu diskutieren, beklagte der Aussenminister. Insbesondere der früheren Kolonialmacht Frankreich warf er vor, sich «wie Kolonialherren» zu benehmen. » | sda/dpa/afp | Mittwoch 22. Juni 2011

PSC Comes to Parliament – Bringing a Man Accused of Saying Jews Bake Bread with the Blood of Gentiles

TELEGRAPH BLOGS – MICHAEL WEISS: Last month, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) used Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre to host a “discussion” on how Zionists control the media. They’ve been emboldened by this achievement, and have chosen a more exclusive venue for their next event: Parliament.

On 29 June, PSC is due to host an event titled “Building Peace and Justice in Jerusalem” in the House of Commons. I very much like that sentiment. The problem is, some of PSC’s scheduled speakers don’t.

One of them is Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, a group ideologically affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The notorious Islamist website Middle East Monitor Online (MEMO) has dubbed Salah ‘The Gandhi of Palestine’ (see above).

Yet his Mahatma-like qualities are not immediately apparent when assessing some of his rhetoric or his actions. In February, 2007, Salah told a 1,000-strong crowd in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Wadi Joz:

We have never allowed ourselves to knead [the dough for] the bread that breaks the fast in the holy month of Ramadan with children’s blood. Whoever wants a more thorough explanation, let him ask what used to happen to some children in Europe, whose blood was mixed in with the dough of the [Jewish] holy bread.

According to the Left-leaning Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, Salah accused Israel of attempting to “rebuild the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount while drenched in Arab blood”. » | Michael Weiss | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wilders Trial Coming to an End
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: The trial of Geert Wilders is nearly over. On Thursday, the three Amsterdam district court judges conducting the trial will announce their verdict. It is widely expected that Mr Wilders will be acquitted on all the charges facing him.

If that is the case, the 29-month legal struggle which saw one of the country’s most popular and influential politicians accused of hate-mongering will come to an end.

It started back in January 2009 when justices of the Amsterdam court ordered the public prosecutor to bring charges against Mr Wilders of inciting hatred and discrimination, based on a number of his anti-Islamic statements published in the national media, as well as Mr Wilders’ film, Fitna.

The trial was supposed to be about

One moment during the dozens of courtroom sessions encapsulated what, for many, the trial was supposed to be about. Twenty-four-year-old law student Naoual Abaida, daughter of a Moroccan immigrant, stood in the courtroom not two metres from Mr Wilders. She was allowed to speak as one of the ‘injured parties’; one of the people who had initially petitioned the Justice Ministry to prosecute him.

Looking into his eyes she said his “insulting, polarising and provocative language has set the tone for a country becoming increasingly intolerant.”

The trial was really about

But for Mr Wilders and his high-profile defence lawyer, Bram Moszkowicz, the trial has been about free speech. To them, Mr Wilders is being persecuted for expressing his opinion. They have persuaded much of the Dutch public that this is what the trial is really about.

The courtroom trial got underway in January 2010. Cameras were allowed to film without restrictions during court sessions, a first in the Netherlands. The country has since followed the trial closely.

Islam on trial

The initial defence strategy was to put Islam on trial. Mr Moszkowicz asked the court to hear 18 witnesses, including various academics known for being highly critical of Islam, but also Mohammed Bouyeri, the convicted murderer of Theo van Gogh. The defence wanted to prove that the statements Mr Wilders had made about Islam were true, and therefore could not be considered as incitement.

The court allowed just three of those witnesses to testify in closed hearings. » | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Krise in Europa: Schmidt fordert Wohlstandsprogramm für Griechen

WELT ONLINE: Altkanzler Helmut Schmidt hält sogar eine völlige Pleite Griechenlands für politisch beherrschbar. Die EU fordert er zu nachhaltiger Hilfe auf – in Form konkreter Projekte.

Alt-Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt hat vor Panikmache im Zusammenhang mit Griechenland gewarnt. "Wir haben eine Schuldenkrise einzelner kleiner Euro-Länder, keine Krise der Euro-Währung", sagte Schmid der "Zeit".

Demnach hätte selbst "der Bankrott eines einzelnen, kleineren Mitgliedstaates nur eine vorübergehende psychologische Wirkung".

Schmidt forderte die EU dazu auf, Griechenland "durchgreifend" zu helfen. „Das gilt auch für den Extremfall, dass die griechische Regierung gegenüber ihren ausländischen Gläubigern die Zahlungsunfähigkeit erklärt. Selbst dann – und dann erst recht! – wird es entscheidend, dass Europa die griechische Wirtschaft wieder in Gang bringt.“

Ein derartiges Leitprogramm "muss orientiert sein an Leitideen wie Beschäftigung, Produktivität und Volkseinkommen.“ » | WON/pku | Mittwoch 22. Juni 2011

Le gouvernement prend ses distances sur la binationalité
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - Le gouvernement s'est démarqué mercredi des propositions du député UMP Claude Goasguen suggérant de limiter de manière drastique les cas de double nationalité, comme le demande l'extrême droite.

Le parlementaire préconisait, selon le quotidien Libération, d'exiger des personnes nées en France de parents étrangers de renoncer, si elles souhaitaient devenir françaises, à leur nationalité étrangère.

Il ne s'agit pas de la position du gouvernement, a déclaré François Baroin à l'issue du conseil des ministres.

"Le gouvernement est évidemment défavorable à cette proposition et je crois que M. Goasguen lui-même est en recul aujourd'hui par rapport à cette contribution", a dit le porte-parole du gouvernement. » | Patrick Vignal, édité par Yves Clarisse | Mercredi 22 Juin 2011

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Ally Forced to Resign as Pressure Grows on Iran President

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suffered a devastating blow to his authority on Tuesday as MPs forced the resignation of one of his closest allies amid growing domestic opposition to his radical leadership.

Fury over Mr Ahmadinejad's handling of government appointments has risen steadily within the mainstream conservative majority in the country's parliament.

Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, who had been appointed deputy foreign minister just four days ago, was forced to resign after a backlash in parliament. MPs had started impeachment procedures against Ali Akbar Salehi, the foreign minister, for elevating a man with a criminal background as his deputy.

Mr Malekzadeh said his resignation should remove the threat of impeachment. "Despite dastardly manipulations and plentiful injustices done against me, I can't accept that you suffer from unjust pressures because of me," he wrote to Mr Salehi.

Despite the abject tone of the letter, MPs vowed to press ahead with the impeachment of Mr Salehi.

Political analysts suggest the ultimate target of the MPs is Mr Ahmadinejad and his controversial right hand man, Esfandiar Mashaie, the president's chief of staff. Mr Malekzadeh served as foreign affairs adviser to the chief of staff.

Mr Ahmadinejad is believed to be viewed with suspicion by the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, who holds ultimate authority in official matters. Mr Mashaie, who's son is married to the president's daughter, has been accused of orchestrating secret contacts with Iran's enemies, including the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Bahrain Rights Activists Jailed for Life

THE GUARDIAN: Military court finds eight campaigners guilty of plotting coup during protests in Sunni-ruled kingdom

Eight Bahraini rights activists have been given life sentences by a military court, which found them guilty of plotting a coup against the government during two months of unrest that rattled the country earlier this year.

Another 13 demonstrators were given sentences of between two to 15 years, as the government attempts to crush dissent that has erupted in the tiny kingdom in February following popular uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world.

The verdicts were immediately condemned by rights groups who said all those found guilty had been campaigning to end discrimination at the hands of the Sunni dynasty. Almost all activists who took to the streets of Manama in February and March were Shia Muslims, who make up 70% of Bahrain's population, but feel largely disenfranchised.

Bahrain's ruling dynasty had instead claimed that the men were part of a "sedition ring", backed by Iran and Hezbollah, who were trying to topple the regime.

Among those given life sentences were leading members of opposition political groups. Leading rights activist Adbul Hadi al-Khawaja, whose daughters Zainab and Maryam are prominent members of the Bahrainhuman rights movement, was one of those condemned to life in prison. Zainab was reportedly removed from the courtroom after protesting against the sentence[.] » | Martin Chulov | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Osama bin Laden Wife to Leave Pakistan for Yemen
THE GUARDIAN: Amal Ahmed al-Sadah, 29, expected to return home after being held by security services since US raid on compound

Osama bin Laden's youngest wife is expected to leave Pakistan for her homeland, Yemen, within days.

Amal Ahmed al-Sadah, 29, has been held by security services since US special forces killed Bin Laden, whom she married in 1999.

Sadah was wounded in the operation and detained by Pakistani authorities in the compound in the northern garrison town of Abbottabad where her husband was hiding. She is believed to have been questioned by US intelligence services.

Reports in newspapers in the Yemen and Saudi Arabia, confirmed by officials in Riyadh, indicate that arrangements have been finalised between Yemeni and Pakistani diplomats for the return of Sadah and her 12-year-old daughter, Safiya, who was also injured in the raid. » | Jason Burke in Riyadh | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

George Osborne Refuses to Reveal Cost of Libyan Operations

THE GUARDIAN: Chancellor's stance follows comments by Danny Alexander that intervention would reach 'hundreds of millions' of pounds

George Osborne has refused to be drawn on the cost of the Libyan intervention, following comments at the weekend by Danny Alexanderthat it would reach "hundreds of millions" of pounds.

The chancellor and his chief secretary to the Treasury, both present in the Commons, were pressed to confirm the figure by the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, during Treasury questions. Balls said that in March the government had said the operation would cost "tens of millions not hundreds of millions". Instead it was announced there will be a Ministry of Defence statement next week.

On Sunday Alexander told Sky News: "The campaign is costing tens of millions, potentially into the hundreds of millions as it goes on, but that money is coming from the reserve that we have set aside, precisely for contingencies such as this."

When the military campaign started, the chancellor said the cost would be "in the order of tens of millions of pounds, not hundreds of millions".

Since then, defence economists have warned that it could reach £1bn if the campaign stretches on into the autumn. » | Allegra Stratton, political correspondent | Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Arab League Chief Admits Second Thoughts about Libya Air Strikes

THE GUARDIAN: Amr Moussa, who played central role in securing Arab support for Nato strikes, calls for ceasefire and 'political solution'

The outgoing head of the Arab League and a frontrunner to become president of a democratic Egypt has voiced reservations about Nato's bombing campaign in Libya, calling for a ceasefire and talks on a political settlement while Muammar Gaddafi remains in power.

Amr Moussa, the veteran Egyptian diplomat who played a central role in securing Arab support for Nato air strikes, told the Guardian he now had second thoughts about a bombing mission that may not be working. "When I see children being killed, I must have misgivings. That's why I warned about the risk of civilian casualties," he said.

Nato admitted this week that it had blundered when a rogue missile killed nine civilians, including children, in Tripoli, while the Libyan regime has claimed another 15 civilians were killed in an attack on a compound west of Tripoli that Nato has confirmed it targeted.

Arab support, in the form of an endorsement from the Arab League, was essential to the Anglo-French-led bombing campaign launched in March following a UN security council resolution mandating the use of force to protect Libyan civilians.

But senior European officials say the Arab world is turning against the west over the Libya campaign. "The Arab League is telling us that we are losing the support of the Arab world," said one source involved in negotiations over Libya. » | Ian Traynor in Brussels | Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Riots Rage in Northern Ireland
Tensions are running high ahead of the annual marching season in Northern Ireland.

Petrol bombs, bottles and bricks have been thrown at police officers during a second night of violence.

Politicians say it's the worst violence seen in East Belfast in more than a decade.

Al Jazeera's Mariana Sanchez reports.

Greek PM Survives Crucial Vote of Confidence
Greece's prime minister has won a confidence vote which will give him the backing to push through major budget reforms.

George Papandreou is hoping the cuts will help avoid a major financial catastrophe, and will convince Eurozone leaders that a second bailout is worth their trouble. But the moves are deeply unpopular and protesters continued their campaign long into the night.

Al Jazeera's Tim Friend reports from Athens.

Battle for Libya: Gaddafi's Former Years
Fifty years ago a young Muammar Gaddafi was welcomed into the city of Misurata which became an important part of his life.

The Libyan leader was educated in the city and helped plot the coup d'etat which brought him to power.

But now the city is a thorn in Gaddafi's side since it is the third largest city in Libya and has been steadfastly on the rebel side.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley has more on Gaddafi's legacy in the rebel held city of Misurata.

Argentina Warns Britain Over Falklands Nationality Switch

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Argentina's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Britain will be to blame if "fanatics" carry out death threats against the first Falkland islander to take up Argentine nationality.

The minister, Hector Timerman, took up the case of James Peck at the annual UN debate on the South Atlantic islands where political leaders from the territory accused Argentina of using "bully boy" tactics.

Peck has become a national hero in Argentina after accepting citizenship so he can be closer to his children who live with his estranged Argentine wife.

His gesture has enraged some in the Falklands which was the venue of a brief war in 1982 when Britain sent a task force to end an Argentine invasion.

"I am forced to denounce the criminal attitude of fanatics that have made death threats against James if he dared to return to the Malvinas islands," Timerman said using the Spanish name for the islands.

"We hold the British authorities who illegally occupy the islands responsible for the security of Argentine citizen James Peck if he decides to exercise his rights to return," the minister told the UN General Assembly's decolonisation committee. » | Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Au Maroc, Mohammed VI garde la main

LE FIGARO: Le souverain chérifien propose des réformes sans précédent depuis l'Indépendance.

Avec le discours du roi du 17 juin, le Maroc est entré, douze ans après le début du règne de Mohammed VI, en transition démocratique. Maintes fois évoqué dans les premières années de gouvernance du jeune souverain, le processus s'est finalement enclenché à la faveur du «printemps arabe». Soucieux d'être à l'écoute d'un mouvement transnational en quête de réformes et de plus de libertés individuelles, le roi engage sa révolution tranquille en l'adaptant au particularisme marocain. Il change la Constitution en donnant des prérogatives élargies à un chef de gouvernement issu du parti vainqueur des élections législatives, mais se garde bien de remettre en question les fondements de son pouvoir.

Ce que propose Mohammed VI pourrait être comparé à un système présidentiel à la française plutôt qu'à la monarchie parlementaire espagnole où le roi est hors du champ politique. À la différence près qu'au royaume chérifien, le chef de l'État n'a pas à se représenter tous les cinq ans devant les électeurs et son nombre de mandats n'est pas limité.

Mohammed VI se taille sur mesure un domaine réservé pour assurer la stabilité du régime. Le souverain reste le maître du jeu dans les domaines régaliens de la défense, de la diplomatie et de la sécurité intérieure. Le roi est le chef des armées et accrédite ambassadeurs et diplomates. Un «conseil de sécurité intérieure», présidé par le monarque, est créé. Il aura, selon Mohammed VI, pour mission de «gérer les questions de sécurité internes, structurelles et imprévues». L'organisme va «compter parmi ses membres les chefs des pouvoirs législatif, exécutif et judiciaire, les ministres, les responsables et les personnalités concernées». Qui tranchera en cas de désaccord? Le roi probablement.

Sur le plan religieux, Mohammed VI, «descendant du Prophète», conserve son autorité naturelle grâce au titre de «Commandeur des croyants» qui lui permet d'émettre des fatwas. La «sacralité» de sa personne en revanche disparaît pour être remplacée par une notion plus contemporaine de respect dû. Le libre exercice des cultes est garanti par le monarque qui rappelle toutefois que l'islam est la religion d'État. » | Par Thierry Oberlé | Lundi 20 Juin 2011

No Burkini in Sight! World Skinny Dipping Record Attempted in Wales
Hundreds of people strip off and jump into the freezing cold sea off the Welsh coast in an effort to break the world record for a naked dip

All in a good cause » | Monday, June 20, 2011

Half of Britons Have German Blood

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: They are among Britain’s most bitter rivals, but despite two world wars and any number of football matches, it would seem we are closer to the Germans than many might imagine.

Geneticists claim that as many as half of Britons have German blood, a consequence of Anglo-Saxon migration after the Roman Empire fell.

“There is no use in denying it,” Der Spiegel, the German news magazine, wrote this week. “It is now clear the nation which most dislikes the Germans were once Krauts themselves.”

University College London academics studied a segment of the Y chromosome that appears in almost all Danish and north German men. They found that half of British men also have the segment. » | Monday, June 20, 2011

Deutsches Blut im Königshaus. Deutsches Blut im Volk. Deutsches Blut überall im Lande. Well, well, I never! Whoever would have thought it? – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Nordkorea: Drill, Disziplin und Demut
In der ersten Folge der fünfteiligen Serie über Nordkorea besucht das «10vor10»-Team eine Elite-Mittelschule. Doch bevor es eine Drehgenehmigung erhält, muss es eine Bronzestatue des grosses Führers Kim Jong Il besichtigen und dort Blumen niederlegen

Eurabia: Deutsche konvertieren zum Islam
Schaut man diese Videos zu, so bekommt man die Idee, daß ganz Deutschland sich zum Islam schon bekehrt hat!

CNN Tours NATO Airstrike Site

Maid’s Beheading Could See Ban on Workers in Saudi Arabia, Govt Says
JAKARTA GLOBE: The government is considering a moratorium on sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the execution of Indonesian maid Ruyati Binti Sapubi for murdering her employer.

“It would be better to have a moratorium,” Heru Lelono, a presidential spokesman, said on Monday. “The Saudi court did not inform the Indonesian government about the execution [on Saturday], which shows ill will in regard to the relationship between the two countries.”

He added that it was important for the government to send migrant workers only to countries where their human rights would be respected.

“It’s not inconceivable that the same fate could befall another Indonesian worker,” Heru said.

“The Manpower Ministry must thus set guidelines and tighten the regulations for worker placement agencies. These agencies should not be absolved of all responsibility for the workers after finding them jobs. They should be accountable for any legal problems.”

In another development, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said he had recalled the country’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the case.

“We have recalled our ambassador [Gatot Abdullah Mansyur] for consultation to get a clearer picture of the problem so that we can evaluate it accordingly,” the minister said. » | Camelia Pasandaran, Ismira Lutfia & Ulma Haryanto | Monday, June 20, 2011

Related video »

Islamic Barbarity in Saudi Arabia! Furore over Indonesian's Beheading in Saudi
Indonesia has recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia in response to the execution of an Indonesian maid after being convicted of murdering her Saudi employer.

The incident has sparked protests in Jakarta and calls for an explanation from Riyadh.

In the past 20 years, a total of 303 migrant workers from Indonesia have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia has managed to help only 12 of its citizens escape execution.

Al Jazeera's Syarina Hasi-buan reports from Jakarta.