Sunday, October 02, 2011
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Dix jours après l’abolition du tabou gay dans l’armée, les aumôniers militaires peuvent célébrer des mariages homosexuels dans les Etats américains qui reconnaissent ces unions.
Les aumôniers militaires peuvent désormais célébrer des mariages homosexuels dans les Etats américains qui reconnaissent les unions entre deux personnes du même sexe, a annoncé vendredi le Pentagone, dix jours après l’abolition du tabou gay dans l’armée.
L’Etat fédéral américain ne reconnaît pas le mariage entre personnes du même sexe, ce qui interdit aux conjoints de militaires homosexuels de bénéficier des mêmes droits et prestations que les conjoints hétérosexuels, comme de vivre sur une base militaire ou de bénéficier de la couverture maladie pour les familles de militaires.
Mais une directive du département de la Défense publiée vendredi prévoit «qu’un aumônier militaire peut participer ou officier à une cérémonie privée, sur ou en dehors d’une base militaire, tant que cette cérémonie n’est pas interdite par la loi locale ou de l’Etat». » | KEYSTONE | Samedi 01 Octobre 2011
THE GUARDIAN: High profile of faith-based politicians such as Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry masks a steady growth in secularism
About 400 people are preparing to gather for a conference in Hartford, Connecticut, to promote the end of religion in the US and their vision of a secular future for the country.
Those travelling to the meeting will pass two huge roadside billboards displaying quotes from two of the country's most famous non-believers: Katharine Hepburn and Mark Twain. "Faith is believing what you know ain't so," reads the one featuring Twain. "I'm an atheist and that's it," says the one quoting Hepburn.
At the meeting, members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) will hear speakers celebrate successes they have had in removing religion from US public life and see awards being presented to noted secularist activists.
The US is increasingly portrayed as a hotbed of religious fervour. Yet in the homeland of ostentatiously religious politicians such as Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, agnostics and atheists are actually part of one of the fastest-growing demographics in the US: the godless. Far from being in thrall to its religious leaders, the US is in fact becoming a more secular country, some experts say. "It has never been better to be a free-thinker or an agnostic in America," says Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the FFRF.
The exact number of faithless is unclear. One study by the Pew Research Centre puts them at about 12% of the population, but another by the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at Trinity College in Hartford puts that figure at around 20%.
Most experts agree that the number of secular Americans has probably doubled in the past three decades – growing especially fast among the young. It is thought to be the fastest-growing major "religious" demographic in the country. » | Paul Harris in New York | Saturday, October 01, 2011
William Hague has cast off his reputation as the darling of the Tory right by describing governing with the Liberal Democrats as "wonderfully refreshing". He also rules out a referendum on UK membership of the EU.
The comments by the foreign secretary, in an interview with the Observer, will dismay the many Conservative MPs who resent the Lib Dems' moderating influence on government policy, particularly on relations with Europe, and want their party to champion a more rightwing agenda.
As the Tories gather for their annual conference in Manchester, amid calls from rightwingers for David Cameron to give less ground to their coalition partners, Hague says this administration is working better than the last Tory government in which he served.
"When you sit with David Cameron and Nick Clegg and other senior colleagues examining an issue, it is a wonderfully refreshing, rational discussion, actually, in which you know your party identity is not the first consideration," he says. "The government has a more united spirit than the last government I served in at the end of 18 years of Conservative government."
Hague, formerly a hardline Eurosceptic, insists he has not changed his opinions on the EU, or come under the spell of the pro-EU Foreign Office culture. He still believes the EU has too much power and has never veered from his view that the euro would be a disaster.
But in a sign that life in government has had a profound influence, he also freely points out that in his time as foreign secretary he has seen evidence of the 27-nation bloc operating as a powerful, collective force for good in the world. As a result, he does not believe it would ever be in the UK's interest to think of leaving. Asked if the government might grant a referendum on UK membership of the EU, he says "no", arguing one would be called only to approve or reject further transfers of sovereignty: "Our place is in the European Union." » | Toby Helm and Andrew Rawnsley | Saturday, October 01, 2011
Coming closer to home, Turkey is "a rapidly growing player and one of the countries that I work with the most". If "you add up who I make the most phone calls to" the foreign minister of Turkey is up there with Hillary Clinton. Hague "very much" wants to see Turkey become a member of the European Union, an ambition strongly opposed by some other member states.
Many in his own party will have a cardiac infarction if that means large numbers of Turkish migrant workers arriving in Britain. Hague acknowledges "people have to be won over", but remains emphatic. "I wouldn't be put off by freedom of movement because I think it is a strategic neccesity and economically beneficial to bring Turkey into the EU. Turning away Turkey from the EU would be a great, long-term – a century-long – error by Europe." – Source: The Observer
Mrs May uses an interview with The Sunday Telegraph to warn that the Act is hampering the Home Office’s struggle to deport dangerous foreign criminals and terrorist suspects.
“I’d personally like to see the Human Rights Act go because I think we have had some problems with it,” she says.
The Home Secretary’s words will be cheered by many Conservative MPs as well as Tory ministers across Whitehall.
However, they are likely to be greeted with dismay by leading Liberal Democrats, some of whom have signalled the future of the Coalition would be under threat if any serious action was taken against the Act, which incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Continue reading and comment » | Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor | Saturday, October 01, 2011
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Greek grannies are as ubiquitous and iconic as Greek cats. Dressed immaculately in widow’s black, and with their grey hair neatly styled, they are proud figures. They are treated with respect by even the most rebellious youths, and acknowledged by all as the head of the fiercely maternal family groups that bind Greek society together.
The old lady I saw on the street in Athens this week was typical, except in one shocking respect. She was begging. Beggars are normal here these days, but almost all are immigrants or drug users. This was different. The image of this proud woman sitting on a plastic crate outside the supermarket with her hands out has stayed in my mind. If a symbol is needed to illustrate the unravelling of Greek society, then this is it.
The Athens I knew 20 years ago has changed radically. I used to tell British friends that despite its chaos, it was a very civilised city. When I moved here, you didn’t have homeless people sleeping on the streets, there was little crime and the sick and needy were looked after. That civility is vanishing fast. With economic doom becoming ever more likely, it sometimes feels as if the fabric of society is being ripped asunder.
Muggings used to be a rarity; not any more. Walk down the main streets of central Athens at night and you will see people sleeping rough. The other day I had to deal with a young man who had passed out on my doorstep. He may have been drunk, but in these crisis-stricken days, it is just as likely that he was high on crack cocaine, now selling for 5 euros a hit. I wasn’t going to risk disturbing him – I had my children with me.
My area of central Athens is a relatively “bad” location, but there are much worse places. The neighbourhood of Psirri borders the popular tourist attractions. Ten years ago, Psirri was rejuvenated. Bars and cafes opened, old buildings were restored. A live jazz club opened that was an instant hit. The club is gone now, and most of the shops are closed. The area became so dangerous that people simply stopped going there. Now it’s riddled with drugs. People shoot up on the street and accost anyone foolish enough to stray through the area for money. And all of this takes place a short walk from the Acropolis. Read on and comment » | Christopher Humphrys | Saturday, October 01, 2011
LE POINT: Les Tunisiens sont appelés à élire le 23 octobre une assemblée constituante chargée de rédiger une nouvelle Constitution.
Le compte à rebours pour l'élection du 23 octobre en Tunisie a commencé samedi avec le lancement officiel de la campagne électorale, à laquelle participent des dizaines de partis et de formations, une première historique après des décennies de dictature et de parti unique. Premier pays du "printemps arabe", la Tunisie sera aussi la première à se rendre aux urnes pour élire une assemblée constituante neuf mois après la chute du régime de Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, chassé du pouvoir le 14 janvier par un soulèvement populaire.
"Rendez-vous avec l'histoire", "Dernière ligne droite", titraient samedi les quotidiens francophones pour saluer l'entrée officielle du pays en campagne, dans une atmosphère effervescente. À Tunis, dès le matin, des militants et sympathisants se sont attelés à coller des portraits des têtes de liste sur les panneaux muraux réservés à la campagne officielle, et de nombreux passants s'arrêtaient pour détailler les listes en lice. » | Source AFP | Samedi 01 Octobre 2011
THE SUN: CHANTING fundamentalist bile, extremist Abu Jibreel was on the front line battling police officers during a mock "funeral" for Osama Bin Laden.
With his beard and flowing robes, the follower of hate preacher Anjem Choudary was happy to tell anyone who would listen that he wants to bring down democracy and see adulterers stoned and drinkers flogged.
It is only when Jibreel's head scarf shifts to reveal a St George Cross and the word "England" tattooed on the nape of his neck that he betrays another life lived.
The Sun can reveal that the 39-year-old Muslim convert was born Paul Steven Mellor in Cheshire.
And just a few short years ago he was serving Queen and country as a Lance Corporal in the elite Irish Guards regiment — rather than trying to establish an Islamic state in Britain where women would be forced to cover up and music would be banned.
The former Church of England Sunday school boy even claims he guarded the royal palaces and marched in the Trooping the Colour in red tunic and bearskin during his nine-year Army career.
Jibreel's respectable family have turned their backs on him.
The dad-of-three told The Sun: "I was a soldier of the Queen, now I'm a soldier of Allah. I was on sentry duty at Buckingham Palace, I did Trooping the Colour. Now I'm against democracy. The system stinks. Read on and comment » | Oliver Harvey, Chief Feature Writer | Saturday, October 01, 2011
Two councils in East Sussex have been warned that Christian prayers are “not part of their duties”.
Mayfield parish council was issued the “advice” by the Sussex Association of Local Councils after voting to include a prayer session in its meetings. Councillors were told it was not appropriate at a public meeting and should be taken off the agenda. The row prompted councillors from nearby Crowborough town council to get involved, claiming prayers have formed part of their meetings for as long as anyone could remember. Mayor Kay Moss said: “No one’s ever said there was a problem.
“The prayer predates me by a long way. There was a motion a few years ago to do away with it but we voted for the prayer to continue. I’ve never heard since that we were doing anything wrong.”
Alan Craig, leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance, said: “This demand is part of the secular¬isation of our society. Read on and comment » | Nathan Rao | Saturday, October 01, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Education secretary outlines plans ahead of Tory conference, including extension of school day and tougher truancy fines
The education secretary, Michael Gove, has proposed that every child aged five or over should be learning a foreign language, and promised to "pull every lever", including encouraging longer school days, to make it happen.
In a pre-Conservative conference interview, he says: "There is a slam-dunk case for extending foreign language teaching to children aged five.
"Just as some people have taken a perverse pride in not understanding mathematics, so we have taken a perverse pride in the fact that we do not speak foreign languages, and we just need to speak louder in English. It is literally the case that learning languages makes you smarter. The neural networks in the brain strengthen as a result of language learning." » | Patrick Wintour and Nicholas Watt | Friday, September 30, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Conservative conference: Gove spells out next step on his agenda for schools: Education secretary talks to the Guardian about his proposals for teaching modern languages and denies free schools are elitist » | Nicholas Watt and Patrick Wintour | Friday, September 30, 2011
Un vent d'unité tel que le pays n'en avait pas connu depuis longtemps souffle sur le Pakistan. Le crédit en revient, bien involontairement, aux États-Unis. Washington ne pouvait pas mieux faire pour rassembler la myriade de partis querelleurs et disparates qui polluent la scène politique pakistanaise, voire pour réconcilier l'establishment militaire et le pouvoir civil, que de lancer des accusations à l'encontre des services secrets de l'ISI aussi dures que celles proférées par l'amiral Mike Mullen. Le chef d'état-major américain a déclaré la semaine dernière que l'ISI utilisait le réseau d'insurgés afghans Haqqani pour mener une «guerre par procuration» contre les intérêts américains en Afghanistan. Soulevant un tollé général au Pakistan, où l'on redoute que les États-Unis ne décident de bombarder les Zones tribales. » | Par Marie-France Calle | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011
LE FIGARO: Il se dit prêt à accepter le plan de paix du Quartette, mais autorise la construction de plus de mille nouveaux logements à Jérusalem-Est.
D'accord pour un nouveau plan censé aboutir à un accord de paix à la fin de l'an prochain, mais pas au prix de Jérusalem : tel est le message de Benyamin Nétanyahou. Histoire de bien mettre les points sur i, le ministère israélien de l'Intérieur vient de donner son feu vert à la construction de 1 100 logements à Gilo, un quartier israélien situé dans la partie arabe de Jérusalem. Dans le monde, cette décision a provoqué un tollé, y compris aux États-Unis, qui se sont déclarés «profondément déçus».
Mais Benyamin Nétanyahou est passé outre. «Gilo n'est pas une colonie, c'est un quartier situé au cœur de Jérusalem près du centre-ville», explique Mark Regev, son porte-parole. Actuellement plus de 200 000 Israéliens vivent dans une douzaine de nouveaux quartiers construits après la conquête de la partie orientale de la ville en 1967. Mais son annexion n'a jamais été reconnue par la communauté internationale. Les Palestiniens espèrent de leur côté que le lancement de ce projet fustigé de toutes parts va leur fournir des armes dans la bataille très serrée qu'ils mènent au Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU pour obtenir l'adhésion de leur État aux Nations unies. Selon eux, une majorité des membres (9 sur 15) de cette instance serait prête à les soutenir. » | Par Marc Henry | Vendredi 30 Septembre 2011
Herr Ryklin, nun ist es offiziell: Wladimir Putin kehrt zurück. Was bedeutet das für Russland?
Nichts Gutes. Putin ist seit 12 Jahren ununterbrochen am Ruder. Acht Jahre als Präsident, vier Jahre als der Mann hinter Dmitri Medwedew. Jetzt stehen uns weitere 12 Jahre bevor. Für die russischen Staatsbürger ist das erniedrigend. Medwedew hat offen gesagt, der Ämtertausch sei schon vor langer Zeit entschieden worden. Dabei stehen die Wahlen ja erst an! Die reden, als ob alles entschieden wäre. Die Wahlen sind also eine Formalität. Das heisst, es gibt keine Wahlen mehr in Russland.
Hatten Sie Hoffnungen gesetzt in Medwedew?
Ja. So wie alle. Die ganze Welt hat Medwedew als milde Alternative zu Putin gesehen. Man wusste, er war Putins Mann. Aber er schien unabhängiger, liberaler zu werden. Jetzt ist die Seifenblase geplatzt. Wir glaubten, es herrsche Spannung zwischen Putin und Medwedew. Doch da herrscht nur Kumpanei. Es war ein Spielchen, mehr nicht. Ich glaube, die Russen sind sehr enttäuscht. » | Von David Hesse | Samstag 01. Oktober 2011
Der libysche Übergangsrat hat heute Berichte über die Festnahme des Sprechers des flüchtigen früheren Machthabers Muammar al-Ghadhafidementiert. Zwar seien einige Familienmitglieder von Mussa Ibrahim aufgegriffen worden, nicht aber Ghadhafis Sprecher selbst. » | ami/sda | Samstag 01. Oktober 2011
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HUDSON NEW YORK: An immigrant group based in Bern has called for the emblematic white cross to be removed from the Swiss national flag because as a Christian symbol it "no longer corresponds to today's multicultural Switzerland."
Ivica Petrusic, the vice president of Second@s Plus, a lobbying group that represents mostly Muslim second-generation foreigners in Switzerland (who colloquially are known as secondos) says the group will launch a nationwide campaign in October to ask Swiss citizens to consider adopting a flag that is less offensive to Muslim immigrants.
In a September 18 interview with the Swiss newspaper Aargauer Zeitung, Petrusic said the cross has a Christian background and while the Christian roots of Switzerland should be respected, "it is necessary to separate church and state" because "Switzerland today has a great religious and cultural diversity. One has to ask if the State wants to continue building up a symbol in which many people no longer believe."
In the interview, Petrusic said Switzerland needs new symbols with which everyone, including non-Christians, can identify. As an alternative to the current Swiss flag (see image here), Petrusic proposed the former flag of the Helvetic Republic (see image here) which was officially introduced in 1799 and consisted of green, red and yellow colors. "Those colors are similar to the current flags of Bolivia and Ghana and would represent a more progressive and open-minded Switzerland," Petrusic said.
The proposal to change the Swiss flag has been met with outrage across the political spectrum and is sure to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments in Switzerland. » | Soeren Kern | Monday, September 26, 2011
HT: Marisol @ Jihad Watch »
ABNA: Swiss Muslims Speak Out to Defend Swiss Flag against Claims it Offends Immigrants » | Source: Islam Today | Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The freeze on funds, which has been unpublicised, was reportedly put in place in August, ahead of Mr Abbas's planned bid at the UN on September 20. The funds were said to have been allocated earlier in the financial year which ends today.
"It is another kind of collective punishment which is going to harm the needs of the public without making any positive contribution," Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Khatib told The Independent.
He told the newspaper: "It is ironic to be punished for going to the United Nations".
The Obama administration is reportedly negotiating with Congressional leaders over unlocking the aid. The White House has reportedly also urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to help keep aid flowing to the Palestinians. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Saturday, October 01, 2011
An excellent comment well worth reading by ‘Jehudah BenIsrael’ »
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It has been Tony Blair’s unhappiest week since he stepped down as prime minister more than four years ago. When Ed Miliband raised his name during his Labour Party conference speech on Tuesday, it was greeted by boos in the hall – while Miliband himself, at times, seemed to come close to disowning the legacy of the man who secured Labour three consecutive election victories.
And then came the bombshell, disclosed in Wednesday’s Daily Telegraph, that Mr Blair’s prized role as Middle East peace envoy is under severe threat because members of the Palestinian Authority are threatening to sever relations with him.
Such a move would be a crushing blow to the former prime minister. For Mr Blair has only been able to maintain a role as a statesman – and plentiful access to current world leaders – thanks to his job as representative for the Quartet on the Middle East, charged with securing peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
There were many who saw this work as essential to the salvation of Mr Blair’s reputation, so badly damaged by the Iraq invasion and its hideous aftermath. The immediate spur for the move to ditch Mr Blair comes from the belief of many senior Palestinians that he has sided openly with the Israelis over the bid by President Mahmoud Abbas for Palestinian statehood.
But discontent has been simmering for many months. Last July, producer James Brabazon and I spent two weeks in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza investigating Mr Blair’s performance as envoy for a Channel Four Dispatches programme, The Wonderful World of Tony Blair, which was screened this week. We spoke to scores of Palestinians, ranging from street shopkeepers to senior politicians and businessmen, many of whom had had personal dealings with Mr Blair. Most of those we spoke to were moderates, wholly committed to the cause of peace, and reconciled to the long-term existence of Israel. » | Peter Oborne | Additional reporting by Sasha Joelli Achilli | Friday, September 30, 2011
Sheikh Raed Salah, a Palestinian activist, could receive thousands of pounds for being wrongfully imprisoned shortly after entering the country in June this year.
Mr Salah, 52, was able to walk through immigration at Heathrow Airport unchallenged despite being banned by Theresa May, the Home Secretary, days before.
His exclusion order had been sent to the wrong terminal at the airport allowing him to arrive unopposed. He was arrested three days later when the error was discovered.
Yesterday, the migration watchdog, Migration Watch UK, condemned the judge’s decision. Sir Andrew Green, its chairman, said: “It is quite extraordinary that someone who had no right to be in Britain in the first place should be able to claim damages for his arrest.” » | James Orr | Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
lePARISIEN.fr: La répression ne cesse de s'intensifier en Syrie. Onze personnes ont été tuées vendredi dans la province de Hama (nord) dans des heurts, alors que plus de 250 chars sont entrés dans la ville de Rastane, plus au sud, a rapporté l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'Homme (OSDH).
«Cinq civils et six militaires et agents de sécurité ont été tués aujourd'hui dans le village de Kafar Zita, dans le gouvernorat de Hama, dans des heurts qui ont opposé des soldats et des agents de sécurité d'un côté, et des déserteurs de l'autre», a précisé l'OSDH qui cite des militants sur place. » | LeParisien.fr | Vendredi 30 Septembre 2011
COEXIST: Coexist launches a global search today for an unsung hero who has made an exceptional contribution to building bridges between people of different faiths.
The Coexist Prize, worth $100,000, aims to celebrate the positive social role religion plays for so many people in the world.
Coexist, a Foundation with offices in New York and London, will honor an individual who has shown inspirational courage, imagination and commitment, and been nominated by the public, or by its global network of nominating partners. The Prize is completely inclusive and explicitly open to people of all faiths, and those of no religious persuasion. There are also two runners up awards worth $10,000.
The winners’ powerful stories will be featured in short documentaries, which Coexist will showcase at the Prize ceremony on Tuesday March 20th 2012 at New York University. They will also be made available online, so that they can be an inspiration and example for others. Coexist will work closely with the Prize winners to carry on their work and ensure its lasting impact in their society and beyond. » | COEXIST | Tuesday, September 06, 2011
What's it like being a Saudi woman? A common question I've come to expect from outsiders – even fellow Arabs. The restrictiveness of the guardianship system, gender segregation and a persistently sexist culture add up to create an exotic and mysterious lifestyle that is difficult to not only explain but also to comprehend.
How do you explain the ingrained paradox of the driving ban on women? The point of the ban is that women avoid situations that lead to them mixing with and meeting men. However, the ban then leads to the necessity of hiring a strange man and getting into the car with him on a daily basis.
How do you explain the huge amounts of money the government spends on educating and training women, so much so that 60% of college graduates in Saudi are women – educating and training all these women, despite the fact that gender segregation laws makes employing them virtually impossible.
How do you explain that this is the way of life that the average Saudi wants for his or her country, when anyone getting on a plane leaving Saudi cannot help but notice how quickly the Saudi passengers abandon their abayas and conservative mannerisms?
A country of contradictions; Saudis have coined an Arabic phrase to explain the unexplainable that translates into "Saudi exceptionality". This past week Saudi exceptionality did not disappoint. Continue reading and comment » | Eman Al Nafjan | Thursday, September 29, 2011
Change.org »
Washington. Alles war vorbereitet für die Weihe des Kandidaten: das Ambiente in der Ronald-Reagan-Bibliothek im kalifornischen Simi Valley; die Rede unter dem pompösen Titel „Die Einzigartigkeit Amerikas“; das Publikum mit Präsidentenwitwe Nancy Reagan, die ihm ihren Segen spenden sollte; schließlich die Liveübertragung im konservativen Haussender Fox News. Einzig der Wunschkandidat war nicht bereit, über seinen mächtigen Schatten zu springen.
Dabei machte Chris Christie, schwergewichtiger Gouverneur von New Jersey und jüngste Hoffnung der Republikaner, alles richtig – zumindest aus der Perspektive der Opposition. Pointiert prangerte er die Politik Barack Obamas an, den er als „Zuschauer im Weißen Haus“ verhöhnte. Was sei mit jenem jungen Senator passiert, der die Versöhnung predigte und nun den Amerikanern das Geld aus der Hose ziehen wolle?
Chris Christie porträtierte sich – nicht nur äußerlich – als Gegenmodell Obamas. Er verneigte sich vor Ronald Reagan, dem konservativen Säulenheiligen, und dessen Leitbild von der „Shining City on the Hill“, das den immerwährenden Glanz der US-Nation symbolisieren soll. Reagans Konflikt mit den Fluglotsen sei ihm als jungem Studenten vor 30 Jahren eine Inspiration gewesen, sagte er. » | Thomas Vieregge, Korresppondent der Presse | Donnerstag 29. September 2011
LE POINT: Paris "est vivement préoccupée par la possible condamnation à mort de Youssef Nadarkhani", un pasteur accusé d'avoir changé de religion.
La condamnation de Youssef Nadarkhani "constituerait une violation du Pacte international sur les droits civils et politiques auquel l'Iran a librement souscrit ainsi que de la Constitution iranienne qui garantit la liberté de religion et de croyance", a affirmé le porte-parole du ministère des Affaires étrangères, Bernard Valero. Youssef Nadarkhani, 32 ans, musulman converti au christianisme à l'âge de 19 ans et devenu pasteur d'une petite communauté évangélique baptisée "Église d'Iran", a été arrêté en octobre 2009 et condamné à mort par une cour d'appel en septembre 2010 pour apostasie en vertu de la charia (loi islamique) en vigueur en Iran. » | Source AFP | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011
Related »
Leur voile dérangeait, et la loi sur le port de signes religieux dans l’espace public est venue l’interdire. A présent, ce sont leurs robes qui sont jugées « indécentes », tout simplement parce qu’elles sont vues comme trop amples et longues, bref « trop islamiques ». Une vingtaine d’élèves musulmanes du lycée Jean Jaurès de Chatenay-Malabry ( Hauts-de-Seine) ont été convoquées « une à une » par la proviseure de leur établissement et son adjointe pour port de tenues vestimentaires enfreignant la fameuse loi qui interdit les signes religieux à l’école et dans tout l’espace public français. » | Par Oumar Baldé | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011
«Der EU-Beitritt wird nicht thematisiert, aber klammheimlich vorangetrieben. Sowohl Bundesrat wie Parlament sind nach wie vor sehr europhil», sagte SVP-Präsident Toni Brunner, nachdem seine Delegierten den «Vertrag mit dem Volk» verabschiedet hatten, gegenüber der NZZ. In diesem Vertrag steht als erster von drei Punkten: «Wir wollen der Europäischen Union nicht beitreten». » | Urs Bloch | Freitag 30. September 2011
Im Jemen ist der in Amerika geborene und der Terrororganisation Al Qaida nahestehende radikale Prediger Anwar al Awlaki getötet worden. Das teilte das jemenitische Verteidigungsministerium am Freitag auf seiner Website mit. Nähere Einzelheiten wurden nicht genannt. Aus jemenitischen Sicherheitskreisen hieß es, es habe am Morgen einen Luftangriff im Osten des Landes gegeben. Stammesälteste berichteten, Ziel des Angriffs sei eine Wagenkolonne von Al Qaida-Kämpfern gewesen. » | Text: dpa | Bildmaterial: AP | Freitag 30. September 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Radical US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki 'killed': Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born al-Qaeda leader, was killed in a drone strike in central Yemen, the country’s military has announced. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Friday, September 30, 2011
CYBERPRESSE: Mort de l'imam terroriste Anwar al-Aulaqi : Les autorités yéménites ont annoncé vendredi la mort de l'imam radical américano-yéménite Anwar al-Aulaqi, lié à Al-Qaïda et recherché par les États-Unis, qui ont confirmé son décès. » | Hammoud Mounassar | Agence France-Presse | Sanaa ,Yémen | Vendredi 30 Septembre 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Profile: al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki – Islamist cleric who radicalised Roshonara Choudhry » | Vikram Dodd | Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Quand Rezwan Ferdaus, un étudiant américain de 26 ans, célibataire et sans enfant, diplômé de physique de l’université de Boston dans le Massachusetts (nord-est du pays), a remis en mai dernier des clés USB à un membre d’al-Qaida, il était loin de se douter qu’il serait arrêté quatre mois plus tard. Car le membre d’al-Qaida était en réalité un agent du FBI, qui surveillait le jeune homme depuis des mois. Et sur les clés USB étaient détaillés des attentats qu’il avait planifiés contre le Pentagone et le Congrès. » | Par Jean-Michel Comte | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011
L'étau semble se resserrer sur Mouammar Kadhafi. Des commandants du Conseil national de transition (CNT) – le nouveau pouvoir en Libye – ont annoncé jeudi qu'ils avait réussi à arrêter Moussa Ibrahim, le porte-parole du leader libyen déchu. Le commandant Moustapha ben Dardef a en effet déclaré : « les combattants de Misrata nous ont contactés pour nous annoncer qu'il avait été capturé ». Des propos corroborés par ceux d'un autre commandant, Mohammed al-Marimi. Celui-ci a ainsi assuré que « Moussa Ibrahim a été capturé par les révolutionnaires de Misrata alors qu'il roulait à bord d'une voiture hors de Syrte ».
Mais tandis que les combattants de cette ville participent actuellement à l'assaut qui y a été lancé, Adel Ibrahim, un porte-parole du Conseil militaire de Misrata a tenu à souligner qu'ils étaient dans l'impossibilité de « confirmer qu'il a été arrêté ». » | Par Actu France Soir | Vendredi 30 Septembre 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya: Gaddafi mouthpiece caught 'fleeing dressed as a woman' – Moussa Ibrahim, the mouthpiece of the Gaddafi regime, was captured last night outside the birthplace of the former dictator, according to commanders of the National Transitional Council's forces » | Ben Farmer, Tripoli | Thursday, September 29, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair said he could make a lot more money than he does as he defended his 'jet-set' lifestyle.
The former British leader strongly denied claims that he had used his role as a peace envoy in the Middle East to win private business contracts.
Mr Blair used a wide-ranging interview to declare he had been upset by allegations that he had profited from mobile telephone and gas deals in the Palestinian territories, and that he had lobbied Colonel Gaddafi's Libyan government on behalf of the merchant bank JP Morgan, because they were "untrue" and "absurd."
His comments were made amid growing controversy surrounding his 'billionaire lifestyle' and alleged pro-Israel bias in his role as envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East – in which he mediates on behalf of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed his position as envoy is now in jeopardy as the Palestinian Liberation Organisation prepares a proposal to declare him persona non-grata in the next few days.
In an interview broadcast last night on India's CNBC-TV18, in which he also defended his relationship with Rupert Murdoch and blamed the children of alcoholics, drug addicts and prostitutes for Britain's recent riots, Mr Blair said recent allegations against him had been inspired by a left wing media establishment which resented him for creating New Labour, and a right wing establishment which hated him for winning three general elections. Read on and comment » | Dean Nelson, New Delhi | Friday, September 30, 2011
This man is a slime-ball and a me-freak. Does a true word ever make it out of his mouth? How the Americans took to this lying chancer is totally beyond my comprehension. And also beyond my comprehension is how a man so instrumental in creating wars could end up as a Middle East peace envoy. Go figure!
Wherever he has shown his grinning, Cheshire-cat face, he has brought war, disharmony, mayhem, and destruction. The man is slippery beyond description: he’s right-wing to the left; left-wing to the right; self-serving to all that can read his character (or lack of it); money-grubbing beyond belief; and self-deluded.
I just hope and pray that justice will eventually catch up with him. For what he has done to this once great country alone, the man should be incarcerated; and the keys should be thrown away! – © Mark
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MAIL ONLINE: Cherie sets up firm to cash in on Tory health reforms: Ex-PM's wife plans to open clinics in supermarkets » | Sam Greenhill and Inderdeep Bains | Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The European Commission has threatened to take legal action against Britain if ministers do not water down rules limiting foreigners’ ability to claim benefits.
Ministers fear the move could leave taxpayers handing out as much as £2.5 billion to EU nationals, including out-of-work “benefit tourists”, a new cost that could wreck Coalition plans for welfare reform.
The commission’s threat, on the eve of the Conservative Party conference, has raised the political temperature on Europe still further.
In an outspoken attack today, Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, says the commission’s move is part of a “wider movement” by the “unelected and unaccountable” European authorities to extend their power over the UK.
“This kind of land grab from the EU has the potential to cause mayhem to nation states, and we will fight it,” he writes in The Daily Telegraph.
The commission is objecting to Britain’s rules on welfare, claiming they discriminate unfairly against foreigners. To claim benefits in Britain, EU nationals must pass a “right to reside” test. The commission says the test is too tough, and wants Britain to apply more generous EU-wide rules.
The commission said it had given Britain two months to bring its rules into line with the weaker EU standard. “Otherwise, the commission may decide to refer the UK to the EU’s Court of Justice.”
The intervention has infuriated ministers, in particular because social security has long been seen as a national policy area and not one in which the EU is allowed to interfere.
It will also inflame the Coalition’s internal debate over Europe. Tory MPs, who will gather in Manchester this weekend for their annual conference, are pushing David Cameron to drive a much harder bargain with Brussels. Liberal Democrat ministers have said they will resist any move to renegotiate Britain’s EU membership. » | Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Thursday, September 29, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Transport secretary to announce proposed increase in speed limit from 70mph to 80mph at Tory conference
The government plans to raise the speed limit to 80mph from 70mph in a victory for the transport secretary, Philip Hammond.
Hammond said on Thursday he will launch a consultation later this year with a view to introducing the new limit in 2013.
The new policy is part of a determined bid to shift the government on to the side of the motorists after successive governments appeared keen to discourage driving.
Hammond is expected to couple the increase with an expansion of 20mph limits in many urban areas.
But the motorway proposal is expected to receive stiff opposition from road safety campaigners and environmentalists who point out that cars are far less fuel efficient at the higher speed.
Hammond said: "Britain's roads should be the arteries of a healthy economy and cars are a vital lifeline for many." he blamed Labour's "shortsighted and misguided war on the motorist" for penalising drivers.
"This government has already scrapped the M4 bus lane, cut central government funding for money-making speed cameras and announced new measures to crack down on boy racers and reckless drivers while standing up for the decent majority," he said.
"Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies and look again at the motorway speed limit which is nearly 50 years old, and out of date thanks to huge advances in safety and motoring technology.
"Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph would generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times. So we will consult later this year on raising the limit to get Britain moving." » | Allegra Stratton, political correspondent | Thursday, September 29, 2011
LE POINT: C'est la séparation la plus chère jamais prononcée en France par la justice.
C'est le divorce le plus cher jamais prononcé en France par la justice. Comme le révèle Le Point.fr, la cour d'appel d'Amiens a condamné aujourd'hui Son Altesse l'Aga Khan à verser à son ex-épouse la Begum Inaara 60 millions d'euros de prestation compensatoire. Une somme nette d'imposition. Le chef de la communauté musulmane des ismaéliens devra en effet régler lui-même la totalité des frais fiscaux. Le jugement a été prononcé aux torts exclusifs du prince. » | Le Point.fr | Jeudi 29 Septembre 2011
The leftist, staunchly anti-US stalwart Chavez went into the Military Hospital in Caracas on Tuesday morning, the report on the newspaper's website said, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the case.
"He was in fairly serious overall condition," a source told the Miami-based Spanish-language daily. "When he arrived, he was in quite serious shape and that is why he was brought in for emergency care." » | Thursday, September 29, 2011
BOX TURTLE BULLETIN: A BTB reader found a copy of Nigeria’s latest proposal to not just ban same-sex marriage (it’s already illegal in Nigeria), but to impose criminal penalties on anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage — as well as for anyone who “witnesses, abets and aids the solemnization of a same gender marriage contract.” The penalty for entering into a same-sex marriage under the proposed measure would be three years’ imprisonment. The penalty for witnessing/aiding/abeting a marriage would bring five years imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000 (2,000 naria, or US$13 in a country where the average annual income is US$1,200). If a group of persons witness/aid/abet a marriage, the fine is ₦50,000. It’s unclear whether two people at a wedding would be considered two individuals or a group. The bill also does not define what constitutes witnessing, abetting or aiding in the solemnization of a marriage. » | Jim Burroway | Thursday, September 29, 2011
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