Bahrain Sentences Medics Who Treated Protesters
BBC: A court in Bahrain has jailed 20 medics who treated protesters to up to 15 years, after convicting them of incitement to overthrow the regime.

In a separate case, the special security court sentenced a protester to death for killing a policeman.

The medics had been released on bail after many staged a hunger strike.

They treated people injured when a protest movement calling for more rights for the country's Shia majority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom was crushed.

Human rights activists say the sentences against the medics come as a surprise.

They had been cautiously hopeful that the medics' release on bail was a sign that the government was softening its approach.

The Bahraini doctors and nurses were sentenced to between five and 15 years in prison on charges that include possessing unlicensed arms, seizing medical equipment, and provoking sectarian hatred.

All worked in the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama, which security forces entered on 16 March after forcefully clearing the nearby Pearl Roundabout of demonstrators.

Human rights activists say they were only doing their duty. » | Thursday, September 29, 2011

US Ambassador Robert Ford Pelted with Tomatoes in Syria
BBC: Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have thrown tomatoes and eggs at US ambassador Robert Ford as he met an opposition figure in Damascus.

Veteran politician Hassan Abdul Azim said about 100 protesters tried to get into his office as Mr Ford arrived and then surrounded it.

Mr Ford, who has been accused of inciting protests, was trapped inside the building for at least two hours.

Meanwhile, Syria has accused the US of inciting violence against its military.

"Recent statements from American administration officials... clearly indicate that the United States is involved in encouraging armed groups to practice violence against the Syrian Arab Army," a foreign ministry statement said.

It is thought the statement was referring to comments made by US state department spokesman Mark Toner, who said on Tuesday that it was "not surprising" that the opposition were using violence against the military.

Mr Ford has angered Damascus in the past, notably by visiting the central city of Hama with his French counterpart in July.

It led to both the French and US embassies coming under attack from supporters of the Assad regime. » | Thursday, September 29, 2011

Neuer Job: Guttenberg wird Chefdenker in Washington

WELT ONLINE: Neuer Job für den in die USA geflüchteten Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg: Als "herausragender Staatsmann" wird er ein europäisch-amerikanisches Dialogforum führen.

Der wegen eines Plagiatsskandals zurückgetretene Ex-Verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) hat einem Bericht zufolge eine neue Aufgabe an einem der renommiertesten Politik-Institute in den USA gefunden.

Guttenberg schließe sich dem in Washington ansässigen Forschungszentrum Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) an und werde dort an der Spitze eines neuen transatlantischen Dialogforums stehen, berichtete die ”Bild“-Zeitung. Dieses Forum solle die europäisch-amerikanischen Beziehungen stärken.

Das CSIS begründe Guttenbergs Berufung mit dessen Leistungen bei der Reform der Bundeswehr und mit seinem langjährigen Einsatz für die transatlantischen Beziehungen. » | AFP/dapd/dpa/mcz | Donnerstag 29. September 2011

Ukraine: Timochenko se dit victime d'un «lynchage» politique

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L'ancienne premier ministre ukrainienne Ioulia Timochenko, contre laquelle le parquet a requis sept ans de prison, a dénoncé jeudi son procès pour abus de pouvoir comme un cas "classique" de "lynchage" politique.

"Ce procès est un cas classique de lynchage politique. Cette affaire a été falsifiée. Il n’y a aucune preuve que je sois coupable", a lancé Mme Timochenko, contre laquelle le parquet a requis sept ans de prison.

"Nous sommes contraints de nous défendre contre des répressions politiques", a ajouté la prévenue, dont les propos étaient souvent interrompus par des applaudissements de députés ukrainiens du parti de l’opposante venus la soutenir.

Incarcérée depuis le 5 août, Mme Timochenko est jugée pour avoir signé en 2009, sans l’autorisation du gouvernement qu’elle dirigeait, des accords gaziers avec la Russie défavorables à son pays, selon l’accusation. » | AFP | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011

Le Parlement européen favorable à la reconnaissance de la Palestine

LE MONDE: Le Parlement européen a demandé aux gouvernements de l'UE, jeudi 29 septembre, de répondre favorablement à la demande palestinienne de reconnaissance d'un Etat, présentée la semaine dernière à l'Onu par le président de l'Autorité palestinienne, Mahmoud Abbas. Les eurodéputés ont qualifié cette demande de "légitime".

Le demande déposée vendredi par le président Mahmoud Abbas est a priori vouée à l'échec en raison du veto américain. L'Union européenne, divisée sur la question, n'a pas officiellement pris position face à la demande de M. Abbas. » | LEMONDE.FR avec AFP, Reuters | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011

Dispatches: The Wonderful World of Tony Blair
Since resigning in June 2007 Tony Blair has financially enriched himself more than any ex-Prime Minister ever. Reporter Peter Oborne reveals some of the sources of his new-found wealth, much of which comes from the Middle East.

On the day Tony Blair resigned as Prime Minister, he was appointed the official representative Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East. By January 2009 he had set up Tony Blair Associates - his international consultancy - which handles multi-million pound contracts in the Middle East.

It is so secretive we don't know all the locations they do business in. Dispatches shows that at the same time as Blair is visiting Middle East leaders in his Quartet role he is receiving vast sums from some of them. If Blair represented the UK government, the EU, the IMF, the UN or the World Bank, this would not be permitted.

Watch the programme here
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Tirade gegen Währungsunion: Britischer Minister nennt Euro "Wahnsinn"

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der britische Außenminister William Hague wettert gegen die EU. Die Einführung des Euro bezeichnet er in einem Interview als "kollektiven Wahnsinn". Europa stehe vor einem Scherbenhaufen, London müsse sich Macht aus Brüssel zurückholen.

London - Großbritanniens Außenminister William Hague hat die Euro-Zone als "brennendes Haus ohne Ausgang" bezeichnet. "Es war Wahnsinn, dieses System zu schaffen, jahrhundertelang wird darüber als eine Art historisches Monument kollektiven Wahnsinns geschrieben werden", sagte der konservative Politiker in einem Interview mit dem konservativen Polit-Magazin "The Spectator".

Hague gilt seit jeher als Euro-Kritiker. Den Vergleich mit dem "brennenden Haus" hatte er bereits Ende der neunziger Jahre gezogen, als Großbritannien sich gegen den Beitritt zur Euro-Zone entschieden hatte.

Deutschland werde schwächere Mitgliedstaaten der Euro-Zone wie etwa Griechenland für "den Rest ihres Lebens" stützen müssen, sagte Hague. » | ffr/dpa | Donnerstag 29. September 2011

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Bundestag: Mehrheit für größeren Euro-Rettungsschirm
Der Bundestag hat am Donnerstag über die Ausweitung des Euro-Rettungsschirms abgestimmt. Für die Aufstockung des so genannten EFSF stimmte eine große Mehrheit der Abgeordneten.
Das Video hier abspielen

BMW Dynasty Breaks Silence on Its Nazi Past

THE INDEPENDENT: The family that owns Germany's luxury car manufacturer BMW has ended decades of silence about its role during the Nazi era and admitted to taking over scores of Jewish businesses and using tens of thousands of slave labourers at its factories during Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.

The disturbing revelations about the Quandt dynasty, which became a major BMW shareholder in 1960, are contained in an independent 1,200-page study commissioned by the family in 2007 after its ruthless Nazi-era business practices were exposed in a German television documentary. BMW was not implicated in the report.

"The Quandts were linked inseparably with the crimes of the Nazis," Joachim Scholtyseck, the Bonn historian who compiled and researched the study, concludes at the end of his report published this week. "The family patriarch was part of the regime."

Mr Scholtyseck established that Günther Quandt and his son Herbert, who both headed the dynasty during the Third Reich, willingly collaborated with the Nazi regime by employing an estimated 50,000 forced labourers in its arms factories. An average of 80 slave labourers per month died at Quandt factories and many were executed. » | Tony Paterson in Berlin | Thursday, September 29, 2011

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Britons Warned of Terror Threat in Saudi Arabia
THE GUARDIAN: US government issues warning that terrorists may be planning to abduct westerners in Riyadh

The Foreign Office reminded Britons in Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant after the US government warned that terrorists may be planning to abduct westerners in Riyadh. » | Press association | Thursday, September 29, 2011

William Hague Urges Iran to Spare Life of Pastor Facing Execution

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: William Hague has urged Iran to spare the life of a pastor reportedly facing execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith and return to Islam.

Youcef Nadarkhani, 34, a member of the Protestant evangelical Church of Iran, was arrested in 2009 for apostasy and he was sentenced to death last year.

The father of two held services in "home churches" in Rasht, a town about 150 miles north west of Tehran.

Reports suggest that an Iranian court gave Pastor Nadarkhani a third chance to avoid hanging, but he replied: "I am resolute in my faith and Christianity and have no wish to recant." » | Thursday, September 29, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: White House condemns Iran over Christan pastor facing execution: The United States has condemned Iran over plans to execute a pastor who refused to renounce Christianity for Islam and called for his sentence to be overturned. » | Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tony Blair's Job in Jeopardy as Palestinians Accuse Him of Bias

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair's future as Middle East peace envoy was in jeopardy after the Palestinian Authority said it was set to sever all contact with him because of his "bias" towards Israel.

The senior echelons of the Palestine Liberation Organisation are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss a proposal to declare Mr Blair persona non grata, officials said.

Predicting unanimous support for the motion from the entire Palestinian leadership, they said the intention was to isolate the former prime minister to such an extent that his position would become untenable.

Mr Blair has been viewed with an element of distrust by some Palestinians ever since his appointment as the envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East – the mediating body comprising the United States, the EU, the UN and Russia – on the day he left Downing Street in June 2007.

But antagonism has mounted over allegations that he lobbied European powers to vote against a Palestinian bid for statehood submitted to the United Nations in New York last week. "We have been extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with Mr Blair's performance since he became envoy, but particularly in the past few weeks," a senior Palestinian official said.

No formal request for Mr Blair's dismissal has been made to the Quartet, and it is likely the Palestinians will come under intense US and European pressure to change course and desist from making a public pronouncement on his ostracism. » | Adrian Blomfield, Jerusalem | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The World from Berlin: Obama's Euro-Crisis Lecture Is 'Pitiful and Sad'

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: US President Obama has given the Europeans a harsh lecture on the dangers of their ongoing debt crisis. Offended by the unsolicited advice, Europeans have suggested the US get its own house in order first. Obama's remarks were "arrogant" and "absurd," German commentators say on Wednesday.

Europeans are well aware of the seriousness of their ongoing debt crisis. But they don't, it seems, like to receive lectures from other countries -- especially the United States, which is struggling to deal with its own mountain of debt.

On Tuesday, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble curtly rejected recent American criticism of Europe's approach to solving its debt crisis. "I don't think Europe's problems are America's only problems," said Schäuble, who has become increasingly sharp-tongued as the euro crisis deepens. "It's always easier to give other people advice."

Schäuble was referring to strongly worded comments made by US President Barack Obama and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in recent days. At an event in California on Monday, Obama warned Europeans that their inaction was "scaring the world." The Europeans, he said, "have not fully healed from the crisis back in 2007 and never fully dealt with all the challenges that their banking system faced. It's now being compounded by what's happening in Greece." He continued: "They're going through a financial crisis that is scaring the world, and they're trying to take responsible actions, but those actions haven't been quite as quick as they need to be." » | Kristen Allen and David Gordon Smith | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

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Return of the Islamists: A Questionable Form of Freedom for North Africa

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The autocrats are gone, but who will inherit power in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt? Islamist influence is significant across the region and conservative political groups are flexing their muscles. The coming months will determine just how much democracy North Africa can support.

Ammunition crates, now empty in the wake of recent heavy fighting, are stacked outside the military barracks at the Tripoli airport. One of the victors, wearing military fatigues, is sitting in a luxurious leather armchair inside the building. He presses his combat boots into the thick carpet, his facial features as rigid as if they had been sculpted. The man speaks intently. He wants to make sure that each of his sentences is recorded on video, and that nothing is misunderstood.

For years, American and British intelligence agencies hunted Abdel Hakim Belhaj, the commander of the Libyan rebels' Tripoli brigade, believing him to be a terrorist and ally of then al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. They also reportedly had him abducted, which led to his being tortured with syringes and ice-cold water. Now though, the West and many in Libya are paying close attention, and are listening to his every word.

"In reality, our group had nothing to do with al-Qaida at the time," says Belhaj, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and the former head of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), which, persecuted by the regime of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, took refuge in Afghanistan for years. Belhaj, the battle-hardened Islamist, is now the commander of all rebel troops in the Libyan capital.

His men drive around in their pickups, outfitted with automatic weapons while the civilian heads of the rebellion seek to map out a path for their country's future. Belhaj says that the power lies "in the hands of the Libyan people," and that Libyans can now decide democratically how they wish to live their lives. "We want a secular country," he adds. But many Libyans don't believe a word the Islamist is saying. » | Clemens Höges and Thilo Thielke | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

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Arabie: le roi annule la condamnation d’une Saoudienne qui a pris le volant
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le roi Abdallah a annulé la condamnation d’une Saoudienne à dix coups de fouet pour avoir bravé l’interdiction faite aux femmes de conduire dans le royaume ultra-conservateur saoudien, a indiqué mercredi une princesse saoudienne.

Le roi Abdallah a annulé la condamnation d’une Saoudienne à dix coups de fouet pour avoir bravé l’interdiction faite aux femmes de conduire dans le royaume ultraconservateur saoudien, a indiqué mercredi une princesse saoudienne.

"Dieu merci, la flagellation de Sheima a été annulée. Merci à notre roi bien-aimé. Je suis sûre que toutes les femmes saoudiennes seront heureuses, je sais que je le suis", a annoncé sur Twitter la princesse Amira Tawil, épouse d’un neveu du roi et richissime homme d’affaires Walid ben Talal.
L’annulation de la condamnation a été confirmée par une source informée à Ryad. » | AFP | Mercredi 28 Septembre 2011

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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi king saves woman driver from 10 lashes: Saudi King Abdullah has overturned a court verdict that sentenced a Saudi woman to be lashed 10 times for defying the kingdom's ban on women driving. » | Thursday, September 29, 2011

Libye : les anti-Kadhafi veulent que l'Otan intensifie ses frappes
LE POINT: Les combattants du nouveau régime espèrent prendre le dessus à Syrte et à Bani Walid.

Dans la vaste oasis de Bani Walid, à 170 kilomètres au sud de Tripoli, les forces des nouvelles autorités se préparaient à lancer une nouvelle offensive au lendemain d'accrochages qui ont fait onze morts dans leurs rangs. Parmi les victimes figure un commandant anti-Kadhafi, tué dans la nuit de mardi à mercredi. » | Source AFP | Mercredi 28 Septembre 2011

Al-Qaeda Warns Ahmadinejad to Stop Denying 9/11
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Al-Qaeda has joined America in warning Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against spreading September 11 conspiracy theories.

In a curious case of enemies uniting against a common foe, the Yemen-based compiler of the terrorist organisation's Inspire magazine wrote that President Ahmadinejad had appeared "ridiculous" when he questioned the origins of the attack that killed almost 3,000 people.

"The Iranian government has professed on the tongue of its president Ahmadinejad that it does not believe that al Qaeda was behind 9/11 but rather, the US government," it said. "So we may ask the question: why would Iran ascribe to such a ridiculous belief that stands in the face of all logic and evidence?"

US diplomats led a Western walkout at the UN General Assembly meeting last week during President Ahmadinejad's speech when he suggested the Osama bin Laden was killed to cover up the events of September 11. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Schweiz: Nationalrat beschließt Burkaverbot
DIE PRESSE: Gegen den Willen der Regierung wurde im Nationalrat ein Vermummungsverbot beschlossen, das auch das Tragen einer Burka in der Öffentlichkeit verbietet.

Der Nationalrat im Schweizer Parlament hat am Mittwoch gegen den Willen der Regierung ein Vermummungsverbot beschlossen, das auch das Tragen der islamischen Burka und ähnlicher Gesichtsschleier verbietet. 101 Abgeordnete des Nationalrats stimmten für den Antrag der nationalkonservativen Schweizerischen Volkspartei (SVP), 77 dagegen. Nun muss noch der Ständerat (Oberhaus) über das Verbot entscheiden. » | APA/AFP | Mittwoch 28. September 2011

Put Autumn On Hold – Summer's Finally Set to Arrive
THE INDEPENDENT: Put the porridge on hold. Leave the pullovers in the drawer. And if you're a pub landlord with a beer garden, throw it open. As October approaches, midsummer is returning.

Much of Britain is about to experience the best weather of the year, a sumptuous five-day interlude of cloudless skies and uninterrupted sunshine, with near-record temperatures for the season – and traders and businesses all over the country are preparing to cash in on a final open-air bonanza for 2011.

A large high-pressure system over the Continent is drawing a vast mass of hot dry air towards the British Isles from Southern Europe and even from North Africa, pushing temperatures up a full 10C above their seasonal norms.

From today, the hot weather will build up, and by Saturday, South-east England is likely to see highs of 28C (just under 83F) or possibly even exceeding that – threatening Britain's October record temperature of 29.4C, or 85F, which was set in Cambridge on 1 October 1985. » | Michael McCarthy and Charlie Cooper | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

EU 'Deplores’ Israel’s Approval of New Settlements

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The European Union has urged Israel to backtrack after it approved the building of more than a thousand new homes for settlers in East Jerusalem.

EU diplomacy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday “deplored” Israel’s approval of the 1,100 homes and urged the government to reverse its decision.

“Last Friday, the Quartet called on the Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from provocative actions if negotiations are to resume and be effective.”

“I therefore deplore today’s decision to advance settlement expansion in East Jerusalem with approximately 1000 new housing units in Gilo,” she said in a statement.
“I call on the Israeli authorities to reverse this plan.”

Earlier, Ashton told the European parliament that “settlement activity threatens the viability of an agreed two-state solution and runs contrary to the Israeli-stated commitment to resume negotiations”. Read on and comment » | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Barroso's 2011 State of the European Union Speech - Highlights
Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, told the European Parliament on Wednesday delivered his 2011 State of the European Union speech in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: EC president Barroso urges deeper economic integration: The EU faces the “biggest crisis in its history” as it struggles to hold the eurozone together amid the sovereign debt crisis, Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president has admitted. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels Correspondent | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Staatsanwalt zeigt toten Michael Jackson

Kadhafi se cacherait dans le sud de la Libye

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Selon certaines informations, Kadhafi se trouverait au sud-ouest de Sabha ou dans la région de Ghadamès.

Les nouvelles autorités libyennes soupçonnent Mouammar Kadhafi de se cacher près de Ghadamès, non loin de la frontière algérienne, affirme un responsable militaire du Conseil national de transition (CNT).

«Une tribu, les Touaregs, le soutient encore et on pense qu’il vit dans la région de Ghadamès, dans le Sud», a dit mardi soir à Reuters Hicham Bouhagiar, un haut responsable des forces du gouvernement intérimaire.

Le fils le plus en vue de Mouammar Kadhafi, Saïf al Islam, serait pour sa part à Bani Walid et son frère Moutassem serait à Syrte, a ajouté cet homme qui coordonne la traque de l’ancien dirigeant. «Ils pensent tous deux à quitter la Libye, peut-être pour le Niger», a dit M. Bouhagiar. Bani Walid et Syrte sont les deux derniers bastions des partisans de Mouammar Kadhafi et sont assiégées par les forces du CNT. » | ATS | Mercredi 28 Septembre 2011

Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi Jailed for 11 Years

THE GUARDIAN: Deputy head of human rights organisation, who became ill after being detained by security officials, convicted by court in Tehran

A prominent Iranian human rights activist who was taken seriously ill after being detained by the authorities has been sentenced to 11 years in jail.

Narges Mohammadi, 39, the deputy head of Iran's Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC), a rights organisation presided over by the Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, was picked up last year by security officials who raided her house in middle of the night without a warrant for her arrest.

She was taken to Tehran's Evin prison where she was kept in solitary confinement but was released after a month and taken to hospital.

Mohammadi, a mother of two and winner of the 2009 Alexander Langer award for her human rights activities, has since developed an undiagnosed epilepsy-like disease which causes her to lose control over her muscles temporarily during the day.

It emerged on Tuesday that a court in Tehran has now convicted her on three charges: acting against the national security, membership of the DHRC and propaganda against the regime, for which she has received an 11-year sentence in total. » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Libyan Islamists Must Have Share in Power, Warns Leader

THE GUARDIAN: Abdul Hakim Belhaj, head of Tripoli Military Council, issues warning after administration negotiations founder

Libya's Islamist groups "will not allow" secular politicians to exclude or marginalise them in the intensifying battle for power in the post-Gaddafi era, the country's most powerful Islamist leader has said.

Abdel Hakim Belhaj, head of the Tripoli Military Council and founder of a jihadi group that was later disbanded, appears to be firing a shot across the bows of liberal, western-backed rivals after negotiations over broadening the rebel administration foundered.

"We must resist attempts by some Libyan politicians to exclude some of t
he participants in the revolution," Belhaj writes in the Guardian. "Their political myopia renders them unable to see the huge risks of such exclusion, or the serious ... reaction of the parties that are excluded." » | Ian Black in Tripoli | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Russia's Former Finance Chief Attacks Kremlin Over Fake Democracy

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Russia's ex-finance minister dealt a fresh blow to the Kremlin on Tuesday, disclosing that it had asked him to lead a fake political party but that he had refused to take part in the deception.

Firing a parting shot at the Kremlin a day after he was unceremoniously forced out of his job for public dissent, Alexei Kudrin became the latest prominent insider to blow the whistle on Russia's democracy as Vladimir Putin prepares to controversially assume the presidency for a third time next year. Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia's third richest man, recently denounced the entire political system as a cynically state-managed sham, while former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has repeatedly warned that the country is heading for a revolution unless it undertakes serious reform. » | Andrew Osborn, Moscow | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

British Muslims Reviving Polygamy
THE AUSTRALIAN: A GROWING number of young British Muslims are taking second or third wives in an unexpected revival of polygamy, according to religious leaders.

The new wave of polygamy is revealed in a special report by the BBC Asian Network using findings from the Islamic Sharia Council.

The council, which provides legal advice and guidance to Muslims, said it was receiving an unprecedented number of inquiries about polygamous marriages.

Its most recent figures show that, for the first time, polygamy is now among the top ten reasons cited for divorce, as wives decide that they can no longer tolerate competing with one another.

Polygamy is illegal in Britain, but Muslim men can take a second, third or even a fourth wife under Sharia law in a religious ceremony known as the nikah [Wiki].

These wives are not recognised by British law, but are considered legitimate within many Muslim communities. Khola Hasan, lecturer and adviser to the Islamic Sharia Council, said it was clear that polygamy among the younger generation was on the increase.

"Out of 700 applications for divorce in 2010, 43 cited polygamy as the reason," she said.
Ms Hasan said her research uncovered three main reasons for the growth in polygamy. The first is the growing number of young Muslim men who want to practise a more orthodox and conservative form of the religion.

"Young men who have come into a more radical understanding of faith know it is illegal to marry more than once [under British law], but do it to spite the system," Ms Hasan said. » | • Rosemary Bennett | The Times | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Ron Paul on Homosexuality
Presidential Candidate Ron Paul is interviewed on homosexuality by John Lofton of 'The American View'.

Saudi Woman to Be Lashed for Driving Car
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Saudi woman has been sentenced to to 10 lashes for challenging a ban on women driving.

Amnesty International reported the sentence just two days after Saudi King Abdullah granted women the right to vote and run in municipal elections.

"Flogging is a cruel punishment in all circumstances but it beggars belief that the authorities in Saudi Arabia have imposed lashes on a woman apparently for merely driving a car", Philip Luther, an Amnesty regional deputy director, said in an emailed statement.

"Allowing women to vote in council elections is all well and good, but if they are still going to face being flogged for trying to exercise their right to freedom of movement, then the king's much trumpeted 'reforms' actually amount to very little," Mr Luther said. » | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Obama Told 'You Wouldn't Treat Jews Like This' As He Orders Black Caucus to 'Stop Complaining'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A leading black congresswoman has criticised Barack Obama for telling the Congressional Black Caucus to "stop complaining".

Representative Maxine Waters of California claimed Mr Obama "never would say that" to Hispanic, gay or Jewish groups.

She took umbrage at Mr Obama's fiery weekend speech in which he told black members of Congress: "I expect all of you to march with me and press on. Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes.

"Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We've got work to do, CBC."

Mrs Waters, a former CBC chairman, told CBS News that she found the comments "a bit curious" and "not appropriate". She said that she was "not sure exactly who the president was talking to" when he made the speech.

"The president spoke to the Hispanic Caucus – he certainly didn't tell them to stop complaining," she said. » | Toby Harnden, Washington | Tuesdaay, September 27, 2011

Protesters Hit with Pepper Spray by NYPD Officer
[V] ideo is posted online that appears to show an NYPD officer using pepper spray on a group of peaceful protesting women during a protest by the Occupy Wall Street group.

Read article and comment here

Labour Party Conference 2011: Ed Miliband Pledges 'New Bargain'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Labour will offer a "new bargain" to the people of Britain to end the "fast buck" culture of the last 30 years and reshape society so that hard work and responsibility are rewarded, the party's leader Ed Miliband said today.


In his keynote speech to Labour's conference in Liverpool, Mr Miliband said he wanted to become Prime Minister so he can "write a new chapter in our country's history".

Launching a scathing attack on "unjustified rewards" at the top of companies, asset-stripping "predators" in business and bankers who profited even as their mistakes caused economic meltdown, Mr Miliband said that a Labour government would use tax breaks, regulation and contracts to reward firms which contribute to their community.

And he said he was determined to reform the welfare system to ensure that it pays to work, to end "cosy cartels" which set top pay, break up the "rigged market" which allows energy companies to charge high prices and rebalance Britain's economy away from the reliance on financial services and towards production and manufacturing.

Against the backdrop of opinion polls suggesting voters do not see him as a potential prime minister, Mr Miliband sought to shake off the legacy of the last two Labour leaders to hold power, telling the conference: "I'm not Tony Blair. I'm not Gordon Brown either... I'm my own man and I'm going to do things my own way."

And he declared that he was ready to take risks to break away from the "something for nothing" culture which has taken root in Britain over the past three decades and created a "quiet crisis" where those who do the right thing no longer believe they will be rewarded for it. Read on and comment » | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Germany Slams 'Stupid' US Plans to Boost EU Rescue Fund
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Germany and America were on a collision course on Tuesday night over the handling of Europe's debt crisis after Berlin savaged plans to boost the EU rescue fund as a "stupid idea" and told the White House to sort out its own mess before giving gratuitous advice to others.

German finance minister Wolfgang Scha[e]uble said it would be a folly to boost the EU's bail-out machinery (EFSF) beyond its €440bn lending limit by deploying leverage to up to €2 trillion, perhaps by raising funds from the European Central Bank.

"I don't understand how anyone in the European Commission can have such a stupid idea. The result would be to endanger the AAA sovereign debt ratings of other member states. It makes no sense," he said.

Mr Schauble told Washington to mind its own businesss after President Barack Obama rebuked EU leaders for failing to recapitalise banks and allowing the debt crisis to escalate to the point where it is "scaring the world".

"It's always much easier to give advice to others than to decide for yourself. I am well prepared to give advice to the US government," he said. » | Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I'm so pleased that Frau Merkel and Herr Schäuble have had the courage to tell Obama to keep his nose out of Europe's business. What can Obama tell others about solving their debt crisis? He can't solve his own! If anyone's debt is "scaring the world," it is the incredible debt of the USA! People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. – © Mark

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Merkel zu Europa: "Euro ist mehr als nur eine Währung"
Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel bekennt sich zur Europäischen Union, Deutschlands Zukunft sei untrennbar mit Europa verbunden. Der Euro sei ein Garant eines einigen Europas, scheitere er, scheitere Europa. Deshalb dürfe er nicht scheitern und werde nicht scheitern.
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Une candidate en niqab à l'Elysée en 2012

SAPHIR NEWS: Une femme intégralement voilée en niqab à l’Elysée ? Une idée qui a de quoi surprendre mais qui ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde. Pourtant, Kenza Drider vient de présenter sa candidature à l'élection présidentielle de 2012. Devenue en quelques mois la coqueluche des médias, la candidate en niqab veut défendre la liberté de conscience.

Une audace à peine voilée. La candidature de Kenza Drider à l’élection présidentielle en 2012 fait grand bruit en France. Cette Française de 32 ans d’origine marocaine qui habite Avignon, a publiquement annoncé, jeudi 22 septembre à Meaux (Seine-et-Marne), son intention de briguer la présidence de la République en 2012.

Cette jeune femme, qui porte le voile intégral depuis 13 ans, n’est pas complètement inconnue du grand public. Elle a été la seule femme en niqab à avoir été entendue par la mission parlementaire sur le port du voile intégrale en décembre 2009.

Devenue depuis une figure médiatique et une porte-parole des femmes dans sa condition, Kenza souhaite mettre à profit sa petite notoriété pour se faire entendre. Choquée par la loi interdisant le port du niqab dans les lieux publics en vigueur depuis le 11 avril dernier, elle souhaite l’abroger au nom de la liberté de culte et de la liberté de conscience.

Son engagement, dit-elle, n’est pas uniquement réservé aux femmes en niqab. Elle déclare vouloir défendre toutes les femmes [i][« victimes de stigmatisation ou de discriminations sociales, économiques ou politiques. »] et compare volontiers son combat à Rosa Parks, icône de la lutte contre la ségrégation raciale aux Etats-Unis. » | Hanan Ben Rhouma | Vendredi 23 Septembre 2011

Rise in British Muslim Polygamy
THE TIMES: British Muslims are taking second or third wives in an unexpected revival of polygamy, according to religious leaders Muslim women call their lawyers as polygamy thrives » | Rosemary Bennett | Social Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, September 27, 2011 [£]

Germany's Anti-Muslim Scene: Authorities Debate Surveillance of Islamophobes
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Officials from the BfV, Germany's domestic intelligence agency, will discuss the country's increasingly vocal Islamophobe scene at a meeting on Thursday. There have been calls to put right-wing populist and anti-Muslim groups under increased surveillance.

Islamophobes in Germany could come under increased surveillance by the country's domestic intelligence agency. There are concerns that the anti-Muslim scene is becoming increasingly dangerous, and some intelligence officials want it to be subject to greater scrutiny, despite stringent German privacy laws. » | SPIEGEL | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Open Prison – Greenland
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Selling Booze in Baghdad Is Risky Business
Selling alcohol in Baghdad is a dangerous business, with liquor store workers facing bombings, shootings and robberies, while also being separated from their families, who often live elsewhere. But a dearth of other jobs keeps Baghdad's liquor stores staffed.
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'I Go to Bed Every Night and Dream of Another Recession': Moment Trader Told Shocked BBC Presenter the City Just LOVES an Economic Disaster
• 'We don’t really care whether they’re going to fix the economy, our job is to make money from it' • Twitter users claim Alessio Rastani is a member of 'Yes Men' hoaxers

An outspoken City trader left interviewers open-mouthed as he admitted that traders 'don't really care that much' about the prospect of an economic collapse.

Alessio Rastani astonished BBC viewers yesterday by describing his hopes of profiting from a recession, adding: 'The governments don't rule the world - Goldman Sachs rules the world.'

The self-styled 'independent trader' also claimed he had been 'dreaming of this moment for three years', as the global economy faces continuing uncertainty. » | Hugo Gye | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Sarkozy in Bedrängnis
Nach den Regionalwahlen im Frühling hat die oppositionelle Linke auch die Wahl des Senats für sich entschieden. Für Nicolas Sarkozy jedenfalls ist es eine schallende Ohrfeige. Schlimmer hätte der Wahlauftakt für den Präsidenten nicht beginnen können.

Pakistan: menaces de «guerre sainte» contre les Etats-Unis
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Aux cris de "Mort à l’Amérique" et "Allah est grand", des milliers de membres des tribus du Nord-Ouest du Pakistan ont menacé d'attaquer les Etats-Unis s’ils s'en prenaient au réseau taliban afghan Haqqani.

Plusieurs milliers de membres des tribus du Nord-Ouest du Pakistan ont menacé vendredi de lancer une guerre sainte contre les Etats-Unis s’ils attaquaient la zone tribale proche du Waziristan du Nord, bastion du réseau taliban afghan Haqqani.

Les manifestants, kalachnikovs en bandoulière pour certains, se sont d’abord rassemblés à l’appel du plus grand parti islamiste pakistanais, la Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), à Jamrud, dans le district tribal de Khyber, frontalier de l’Afghanistan.

Aux cris de "Mort à l’Amérique", "Allah est grand" et "Guerre sainte", les manifestants se sont ensuite retrouvés dans la ville de Landikotal, à la frontière afghane, où ils furent environ 2500 à écouter les discours des responsables du parti.

"Nous appelons à la guerre sainte contre l’Amérique si elle attaque le Pakistan", a déclaré l’un des chefs du parti, Siraj-Ul-Haq, ajoutant que "la nation tout entière" épaulerait alors les forces pakistanaises dans cette bataille contre les Américains. » | AFP | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Pakistan: une femme demande le divorce, elle est tuée avec sa fille
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: «CRIMES D’HONNEUR» | Une mère et sa fille de 18 ans ont été assassinées à Islamabad, en pleine journée, après que la première a demandé le divorce.

Une mère et sa fille ont été tuées mardi en pleine journée dans la capitale pakistanaise Islamabad, juste après que la première eut demandé le divorce, a annoncé la police.

Najma Bibi, 40 ans, retournait chez elle en voiture après avoir déposé une demande de divorce dans un tribunal de la capitale lorsqu’elle a été abattue par des hommes armés avec sa fille Sidra, 18 ans, et un autre homme, Nazeer, 28 ans, a expliqué un enquêteur de la police, Jamshed Khan. » | ATS | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Libye: bataille finale dans les derniers bastions de Kadhafi
LE FIGARO: Les rebelles ont pris le port de Syrte, l'un des derniers bastions loyaux à Mouammar Kadhafi. Plus au sud à Bani Walid, le gouvernement provisoire s'apprête à lancer l'assaut final contre les fidèles du Guide.

Le dernier bastion de Mouammar Kadhafi est en train de tomber. En prenant le port de Syrte, à 350 kilomètres au sud-est de Tripoli, les troupes du Conseil national de transition (CNT) ont porté un coup aux derniers fidèles du Guide libyen. Bloqués pendant des semaines à plusieurs dizaines de kilomètres de la ville, l'étau des rebelles se resserre depuis lundi autour de la cité natale de Kadhafi. L'Otan a apporté son soutien aérien aux insurgés, qui ont réussi à prendre le port dans la nuit de lundi à mardi. » | Par Caroline Bruneau | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Catholic Church Criticises Italy's 'Sad and Hollow' Political Class

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Italy's Catholic Church issued a blistering attack on the ruling political class on Monday, saying the country needed to "purify the air" contaminated by licentious behaviour that had sullied its name around the world.

A speech by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco to fellow bishops did not specifically name Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi but he left little doubt he was referring to the sex and corruption scandals that dog the prime minister and his centre-right government.

"It is mortifying to witness behaviour that not only goes counter to public decorum but is intrinsically sad and hollow," said the head of the Italian Bishops Conference.

Cardinal Bagnasco said Italians had been left in a state of "dumbfounded astonishment" by a ruling political class that was enmeshed in scandal and preoccupied with self-preservation while the country suffered from an economic crisis.

"The image is one of a country that is estranged, without impulse, as if everyone is waiting for the inevitable," he said. » | Monday, September 26, 2011

War of Words Breaks Out among Jehovah's Witnesses

THE INDEPENDENT: Attack on 'mentally diseased' worshippers who leave church provokes outcry

"Jehovah, the Great Physician, tells us to avoid contact with them. We know what he means, but are we determined to heed his warning in all respects? What is involved in avoiding false teachers? We do not receive them into our homes or greet them. We also refuse to read their literature, watch television programmes that feature them, examine their websites, or add our comments to their blogs. Why do we take such a firm stand?

"Because of love. We love 'the God of truth', so we are not interested in twisted teachings that contradict his Word of truth." – Taken from 'Will you heed Jehovah's warnings?' The Watchtower, 15 July 2011

The official magazine for Jehovah's Witnesses has described those who leave the church as "mentally diseased", prompting an outcry from former members and insiders concerned about the shunning of those who question official doctrine.

An article published in July's edition of The Watchtower warns followers to stay clear of "false teachers" who are condemned as being "mentally diseased" apostates who should be avoided at all costs. "Suppose that a doctor told you to avoid contact with someone who is infected with a contagious, deadly disease," the article reads. "You would know what the doctor means, and you would strictly heed his warning. Well, apostates are 'mentally diseased', and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings." Continue reading and comment » | Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Saudi Arabia: Women Look at the Bigger Picture

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The future of Saudi Arabia will be determined in part by growing numbers of educated women – but not because they have been given the sop of a meaningless vote.

Barely three months ago, the world’s attention was drawn to the unprecedented public campaign led by Saudi women activists to be allowed to drive in their own country. This weekend, the octogenarian King Abdullah instead made a concession to women in a different area: they are now to acquire the right to vote, as well as being allowed (by 2015) to stand as candidates in municipal elections.

This still means that the nationwide local elections to be held this week will not see the involvement of women candidates or voters. But at least Thursday’s male-only elections, which have been delayed since 2009, appear to be going ahead – this will be only the second time anyone has voted since local elections were introduced in 2005.

Things may move slowly in Saudi Arabia, but support for managed change and transition appears to be an issue close to many Saudi hearts. Not for them the street protests seen across the rest of the Arab world this year; instead, they have delivered an accelerated series of online petitions addressed respectfully to the King, punctuated by the occasional arrest of a cleric, blogger or intellectual deemed to have overstepped the mark.

Even the campaign to promote the issuing of driving licences to women – which constitutes the main impediment to their legal right to drive – has, with a few notable exceptions, been conducted within certain norms. Most of the women to have taken charge of the steering wheel this year have been veiled and accompanied by a male guardian, as required by culturally enforced tradition, if not the full force of law.

In principle, women’s rights in Saudi Arabia are governed by the Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam and Islamic law (sharia), named after its 18th-century founder, Ibn Abdul Al-Wahhab. For over two centuries, he and his followers supported the ascendancy of the Ibn Saud dynasty as the temporal rulers of what eventually, through conquest, became the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Read on and comment » | Claire Spencer | Monday, September 26, 2011

Claire Spencer is head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House