Saudi Moral Committee Threatens to Cover “Tempting” Women’s Eyes

BIKYAMASR: Women with sexy eyes in Saudi Arabia may be forced to cover them up, according to the spokesperson of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) in the conservative Gulf kingdom.

Spokesman of the Ha’eal district, Sheikh Motlab al-Nabet said the committee has the right to stop a women whose eyes seem “tempting” and order her to cover them immediately.

Saudi women are already forced to wear a loose black dress and to cover their hair and in some areas, their face, while in public or face fines or sometimes worse, including public lashings.

The announcement came days after the Saudi newspaper al-Watan reported that a Saudi man was admitted to a hospital after a fight with a member of the committee when he ordered his wife to cover her eyes. The husband was then stabbed twice in the hand. » | Manar Ammar | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

HT: Always On Watch »

Egypt’s “Nude Photo Revolutionary” Just That, Revolutionary

BIKYAMASR: CAIRO: Despise Aliya Mahdy or not, she has done what few revolutionaries in Egypt have been able to do: take revolutionary action. Her public display of her naked body in a blog post has seen attacks from the conservative Islamists and the liberals alike. Nudity, especially female nudity, leaves people queasy. Had she been a man, would the reaction have been so virulent against her? Doubtful. The man would likely have been praised for his use of his body as expression. Mahdy, unfortunately, is a woman living in Egypt.

Women are objects in many conservatives’ views. Things that can be owned and used for a man’s pleasure when he desires and when he wants. This is why we have seen the growth of polygamy, the shoving aside of a woman’s ability to choose her life’s goals, and the unending “debate” over the causes of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Whether we agree that one’s body should be a form of protest – which so many of Egypt’s liberals disagree with – is irrelevant. The reality is that Mahdy has been able, with her body, [to] debunk all myths of Egyptian liberalism. Her naked image, which has seen over one million hits, has shown that Egypt is not ready for free expression.

Liberal activists online lamented that the 20-year-old university student has “ruined” her life, is “young and doesn’t know what she has done.” But in an inherently conservative society, Mahdy has created something only the truly revolutionary in today’s world can do: showing the hypocrisy of the so-called freedom fighters for expression.

In the ultra-male dominated society of Egypt, women are too often told what they should put on their bodies. Wear the veil, wear loose clothes, don’t wear this, don’t wear that, and so on. Mahdy has shown that nobody has a right to tell her, or other women for that matter, what is appropriate for a woman. Her body is her own and she can do what she likes with it, and that includes putting nothing over top it and publishing it online. It’s her right. Read on and comment » | Joseph Mayton | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Britain 'Will Join Euro Before Long’, Says German Finance Minister
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain will have to abandon the pound and join the single currency “faster than people think”, Germany’s finance minister has said.

Wolfgang Schäuble said that, despite the current crisis in the eurozone, the euro will ultimately emerge as the common currency of the entire European Union. He said he “respects” Britain’s decision to keep the pound, but insisted that the survival and eventual stabilisation of the euro will convince non-members to join the currency club. “This may happen more quickly than some people in the British Isles currently believe,” he added.

Mr Schäuble also said Germany will stand firm on its call for a financial transaction tax that Britain believes would badly harm the City of London. » | Bruno Waterfield, in Brussels and Christopher Hope in Berlin | Friday, November 18, 2011

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Germany Tightens the Screw on 'Isolated' Britain as Tensions Soar

THE INDEPENDENT: Talks between Merkel and Cameron lay bare fundamental differences over plan for euro

An anti-British backlash gathered pace in Germany yesterday as David Cameron and Angela Merkel struggled to disguise the gulf between them on how to tackle the eurozone crisis.

The Prime Minister returned from talks in Berlin with the German leader having made little progress in agreeing emergency action to stop the financial contagion spreading.

Tensions were inflamed after a close ally of Ms Merkel predicted Britain would eventually adopt the euro.

The German media joined the clamour, with the mass-circulation newspaper Bild questioning whether it might be better for Britain to leave the European Union altogether.

Behind the leaders' smiles at a joint press conference yesterday, they acknowledged fundamental differences remained on three key issues: » | Nigel Morris and Tony Paterson | Saturday, November 20, 2011

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Newt Overtakes Mitt. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

THE INDEPENDENT: Republican challengers to Romney have crumbled under media scrutiny. Now it's Gingrich's turn...

He is the new flavour of the moment in the race for the Republicans' presidential nomination, but former Speaker Newt Gingrich is discovering what many of his rivals know well already. No sooner do you bob to the top of the popularity polls than a tempest of media scrutiny and investigation threatens to push you back under again.

But then Mr Gingrich, who was Speaker of the House for much of Bill Clinton's span in the White House, is – as he likes to remind all of us often – wiser than any of the other runners for the nomination, and is a historian. He therefore cannot be too surprised. "Everything is legitimate," he told reporters this week. "This is the presidency."

As Herman Cain, the former pizza tycoon, has faded after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women, so Mr Gingrich has risen, and he is now in high orbit alongside Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts. A new Fox television poll released yesterday put him at 23 per cent, against 22 per cent for Mr Romney and 15 per cent for Mr Cain.

His is a space ship heavily stacked with baggage, however, some of which Republican voters, who begin choosing their nominee in Iowa in just 45 days, may have trouble overlooking. The latest has to do with the very lucrative relationship he struck after retiring from Congress in 1999 with Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage lending agency that conservatives have long excoriated for helping create the housing bubble and its collapse. » | David Usborne | Friday, November 18, 2011

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Barack Obama Assassination Attempt: Oscar Ortega-Hernandez Says He Is 'Modern Day Jesus'
The man charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama described himself as "a modern day Jesus" in a rambling video tape sent to the Oprah Winfrey channel.

Read the article here | Raf Sanchez | Friday, November 18, 2011
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Egypt's Naked Blogger Is a Bomb Aimed at the Patriarchs in Our Minds
THE GUARDIAN: By posing naked, Aliaa Mahdy has brilliantly challenged the misogyny and sexual hypocrisy of Egypt's leaders

When a woman is the sum total of her headscarf and hymen – that is, what's on her head and what is between her legs – then nakedness and sex become weapons of political resistance. You can witness how nudity sears through layers of hypocrisy and repression by following Aliaa Mahdy, a 20-year-old Egyptian who lit the fuse of that double-H bombwhen she posted a nude photograph of herself on her blog last week.

It was in Egypt, after all, that the ruling military junta stripped women of both headscarves (detained female activists were made to strip) and hymens when it subjected them to "virginity tests" last March, by which a soldier inserted two fingers into their vaginal opening. What are the military's "virginity tests", but a cheap tactic to humiliate and silence? When sexual assault parades as a test of the "honour" of virginity, then posing in your parents' home in nothing but stockings, red shoes and a red hair clip is an attack towards all patriarchs out there.

Supporters and detractors quickly lined up to comment on her blog, where the counter for pageviews outpaces a pendulum many times over. Far from the immature naïf some have tried to paint her as being, Mahdy knows exactly where it hurts – and kicks. She wrote:

"Put on trial the artists' models who posed nude for art schools until the early 70s, hide the art books and destroy the nude statues of antiquity, then undress and stand before a mirror and burn your bodies that you despise to forever rid yourselves of your sexual hangups before you direct your humiliation and chauvinism and dare to try to deny me my freedom of expression".

She might have been born 10 years into Hosni Mubarak's rule, but Mahdy understands the way personal freedoms have steadily shrunk in Egypt. The double whammy of military rule – in place since 1952 – along with the growing influence of Islamism, ensured that. Mubarak would fill jails with Islamists, but would fight their ideas not by giving civil and personal liberties room to express themselves, but through conservative clerics employed by the state. When the only two sides fighting are conservative – even if one of them is just conservative in appearance – then everyone loses. And women don't just lose; they're also used as cheap ammunition.

Witness the ultra-conservative Salafi party's use of female candidates on their list: it looks good when you have female candidates; you can tell the feminists who decry your misogynistic ideology to shut up. But the said candidates have no face, and no voice. On election pamphlets, a rose represented one Salafi female candidate – and soon after, the rose was replaced by a picture of the candidate's husband. There are reports that if Salafi women win parliamentary seats, their husbands or a male guardians will speak on their behalf because Salafis consider a woman's voice to be sinful. » | Mona Eltahawy | Friday, November 18, 2011

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Cameron-Besuch in Berlin: Ein nettes "No"

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Man schätzt sich, man braucht einander - dennoch kommen Kanzlerin Merkel und der britische Premier Cameron im Kampf gegen die Euro-Krise nicht voran. Die Differenzen bleiben auch nach dem Treffen in Berlin bestehen, vor allem die Finanztransaktionsteuer ist mit London nicht zu machen.

London/Berlin - Im Englischen klingt das sehr hübsch: "We agreed to disagree" sagt man, wenn zwei Konfliktparteien ergebnislos auseinander gegangen sind, aber weiterhin im Dialog an den Differenzen arbeiten wollen.

Genau so ist es Angela Merkel undDavid Cameron am Freitag in Berlin ergangen: Die deutsche Regierungschefin und Großbritanniens Premier haben sich im Kanzleramt an einen Tisch gesetzt, über den Zustand der EU und die Euro-Krise gesprochen und notwendige Konsequenzen erörtert. Dabei wurde abermals klar, dass sich für sie unterschiedliche Handlungsaufforderungen ergeben. Also lautete die Botschaft bei der anschließenden Pressekonferenz: Deutschland und Großbritannien brauchen einander, genau wie Europa und die Insel, man schätzt sich - aber die Differenzen bleiben ungelöst.

Vor allem bei der Finanztransaktionsteuer geht es nicht voran: Merkel ist dafür, Cameron dagegen. Klipp und klar.

Wie sich die beiden dennoch umschmeichelten, ist zweifellos ein gutes Signal für Europa und die Märkte. Weil es dafür spricht, dass im Verhältnis zwischen London und Berlin kein grundsätzlicher Bruch entstanden ist. "Was wollen die Engländer eigentlich noch in der EU?" fragte am Freitag die "Bild"-Zeitung an prominenter Stelle. Cameron gab im Kanzleramt die Antwort: Der gemeinsame Binnenmarkt innerhalb der Union sei für sein Land von zentraler Bedeutung, sagte er - "und wir haben ein Interesse an einem starken Euro". Merkel wiederum lobte die Briten als engen Partner. » | Von Florian Gathmann und Carsten Volkery | Freitag 18. November 2011

Politischer Akt: Nackte Studentin erzürnt Ägypter

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mut oder Leichtsinn? Eine ägyptische Kunststudentin versetzt ihr Land in Aufruhr, weil sie aus politischem Protest nackt im Netz posiert. Kurz vor den Parlamentswahlen gehen jetzt selbst liberale Kräfte auf Distanz zu ihr - und Freunde fürchten um ihre Sicherheit.

Rote Lackschuhe, Nylonstrümpfe, eine Schleife im Haar. Mehr trägt Alia Magda al-Mahdi, 20, Studentin der Kunst- und Medienwissenschaften, nicht auf dem Foto, das in ihrem Heimatland Ägypten ein Tabu gebrochen hat. Ihre provokante Aktion hat ihr Drohungen, aber auch Solidaritätsbekundungen beschert - und die ohnehin gereizte politische Stimmung gut eine Woche vor dem Start der Parlamentswahlen weiter angeheizt.

Das Foto hat die Studentin der Amerikanischen Universität in Kairo in ihrem Blog veröffentlicht, gemeinsam mit weiteren Aktbildern. Eines zeigt einen nackten Mann mit Gitarre und dann wieder Mahdi mit gelben Balken vor Augen, Mund und Scham. Die Rechtecke stünden für "die Zensur unseres Wissens, Ausdrucks und Sexualität", kommentiert sie in dem Blog, das sie mit "Tagebuch einer Rebellin" betitelt hat. Sie wehre sich "gegen eine Gesellschaft von Gewalt, Rassismus, Sexismus, sexueller Belästigung und Heuchelei" - mit einem Aktporträt, das sie nach eigenen Angaben vor Monaten im Haus ihrer Eltern aufgenommen hat.

Für europäische Verhältnisse wirkt das eher altmodisch als revolutionär. Doch in der konservativen ägyptischen Gesellschaft, wo sich Paare in der Öffentlichkeit nicht küssen dürfen und Frauen auf der Straße nicht einmal ihre nackten Arme zeigen, hat die Aufnahme eine Lawine der Entrüstung losgetreten. » | son/dop/AP | Freitag 18. November 2011

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Archbishop ‘Very Disappointed’ with Gay Marriage Move

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has said he is “very disappointed” with David Cameron’s plan to legalise gay marriage.

In his most detailed public comments on the controversial move, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols warned against the proposal to “annexe the territory of marriage” for same-sex couples and “weaken” an institution at the heart of society.

He also expressed some support for the activists camped outside St Paul’s Cathedral, saying that protest can help start important debates, but added that they needed to make their demands clearer.

And in response to the current scandals involving abuse committed by Catholic clergy, the Archbishop of Westminster admitted that the Church’s response to victims has been “inadequate”.

His comments highlight the fact that the Prime Minister will face strong opposition from traditional religious groups over the next year, despite receiving praise for his commitment to allow full marriage for same-sex couples for the first time.

Homosexuals have been allowed to enter into civil partnerships since 2005, giving them the same legal rights as heterosexuals.

From next month [they] will be able to hold the ceremonies in places of worship, providing the governing body of the faith group agrees. » | Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Editor | Friday, November 18, 2011

Crise: Londres et Berlin pas d'accord
LE FIGARO: Les chefs des gouvernements allemand et britannique ont émis des signaux différents vendredi sur la manière de résoudre la crise de la dette dans la zone euro. Ils ont reconnu ne pas avoir réussi à rapprocher leurs positions concernant l'introduction d'une taxe sur les transactions financières en Europe.

Lors d'une conférence de presse à Berlin, le Premier ministre britannique David Cameron a estimé qu'il fallait un pare-feu crédible à la zone euro et que le bloc monétaire devait utiliser toutes ses institutions pour lutter contre la crise. La chancelière allemande a au contraire prôné une approche "pas à pas". » | avec Reuters | vendredi 18 novembre 2011

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Eurozone Crisis: David Cameron Admits He And Angela Merkel 'Don't Agree On Everything' After Meeting In Berlin – David Cameron attempted to play down tensions with Angela Merkel in a joint press conference on Friday, but the two leaders admitted there had not been any progress on a European-wide financial transaction tax. ¶ "We've had very good discussions between very good friends", the prime minister said. "There are many things where we are in absolute agreement - on the importance of the single market, on the need for budget discipline, on the need for all countries to deal with their debt and their deficit. This is where we are in absolute agreement... we share the same plan." ¶ Merkel is frustrated with Cameron and George Osborne for resisting calls for a Europe-wide financial transaction tax, which the UK say will hit the City of London hardest. » | Huffington Post UK | Friday, November 18, 2011

Une manifestation très suivie au Caire contre les militaires

LE FIGARO: Plus de 50.000 Egyptiens se sont réunis vendredi sur la place Tahrir, au Caire, pour exiger que les militaires transfèrent rapidement le pouvoir.

«Protéger la démocratie et le transfert du pouvoir». Tel était le thème de la manifestation organisée vendredi par une quarantaine d'associations et partis politiques. A quelques jours des élections législatives du 28 novembre, l'appel a été entendu par les Egyptiens. Ils étaient au moins 50.000, peut-être plus, venus de tout le pays, à manifester sur la place Tahrir, au Caire. » | Par lefigaro.fr | vendredi 18 novembre 2011

Qatar, the Tiny Gulf State That Has Turned Into a Big Player in the Great Game

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Qatar has emerged as the pea-sized power behind the Arab League's tough new stance over Syria.

Almost exactly a year ago, the Queen hosted a state dinner for one of the world’s more colourful couples, the portly Emir of Qatar and his spectacularly attired wife, Sheikha Mozah. I wrote at the time that there were two interesting things about their tiny country, which few Britons could pinpoint on a map and even fewer pronounce properly. One was banal: it was very rich. The second struck me as odd, but it was what a number of people had told me: one diplomat said, “Everyone suddenly seems to hate Qatar.”

In the intervening 12 months, the emirate has become much better known. Its jets have flown alongside our own over Libya. It has showered largesse on pro-democracy movements, even as its pet television station, Al Jazeera, publicised their revolutions. At home, the Emir announced the statelet’s first elections. Yet the dislike has only got worse. What has the poor old nouveau riche country done?

I’m not just talking about winning the right to host the World Cup in 2022 back in December – although the subsequent abuse of its culture, temperature, and manner of victory did, in retrospect, set the tone. Even though football fans never went so far as to burn the Qatari flag, that is what a lot of Arabs have been doing. At first, it was because they were paid to: dictators such as Colonel Gaddafi and Hosni Mubarak, seeing the Qatari hand in the revolutions that were bringing their reigns to an end, got out the bovver boys. But now there are protests in democratic Tunisia against Qatar’s interference in its politics, while in Libya, even those who have most cause to be grateful are complaining. Read on and comment » | Richard Spencer | Thursday, November 17, 2011

China Bristles as Obama Woos ASEAN Nations

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama has set a course for confrontation with Beijing, as he described an East Asian summit as the best mechanism for tackling the region's seething row over the South China Sea.

The Chinese government has declared that the long-running dispute should be off-limits at talks to be held on Saturday, which will be attended by Mr Obama, China's Premier Wen Jiabao and 16 other nations including several with claims over the waterway.

But Mr Obama said the gathering, held this year on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, "can be the premier arena for us to be able to work together on a wide range of issues - maritime security or non-proliferation".

The president has irritated China with a drive to enhance the US role as a regional power, positioning Marines in northern Australia and pushing for a potentially transformational trans-Pacific trade pact.

Beijing sees the initiatives as intruding into its own sphere of influence, with the dispute over the South China Sea putting the two major world powers' differences into stark focus.

On Friday, Wen again warned against interference by "external forces" in the wrangle. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Friday, November 18, 2011

My comment:

Obama is playing with fire. Two of the dumbest things he did this week were telling the world that the US is not afraid of China, and then going to Australia and advertising the fact that the US was going to expand its military in the region to protect the Australians from the Chinese. Is there no end to this man's cack-handedness? Is there no end to his naïveté? Is there no end to his lack of understanding?

If the US is truly not afraid of China, it is worrying, because it should be. Meddling in the region which is traditionally China's sphere of influence will lead to no good place. Is Obama trying to set the stage for the third world war, or what?

This is troubling indeed! – © Mark

This comment also appears here.

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US Military Pact Raises Tensions at Summit
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: AAP – The Chinese premier has warned against external interference in a dispute over the South China Sea, fuelled by Australia's new military pact with the US, as world leaders prepare to discuss the issue in Bali.

The meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will widen on Saturday into the East Asia Summit, which also takes in Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and, for the first time, the US and Russia.

But while existing priority areas of finance, education, environment, disaster management and health will feature in discussions, an increasingly tense dispute over sovereign rights in the South China Sea is set to steal much of the focus.

Maritime security is not formally on the summit's agenda, but it is expected to be discussed in a retreat session under what has been called "an exchange of ideas on regional and international issues".

China and four ASEAN countries - Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam - have staked territorial claims over the crucial sea lane, which handles more than a third of the world's seaborne trade and half its traffic in oil and gas.

The expected "exchange of ideas" on the long-running dispute comes after the issue was fuelled this week by the announcement that the US will use Australia as a base for an increased military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, viewed as a hedge against China's growing influence. » | Karlis Salna, AAP South-East Asia Correspondent | Friday, November 18, 2011

SPIEGEL ONLINE: China weist USA in die Schranken: Die USA wollen ihre Präsenz im Pazifik ausbauen, jetzt kommt die Replik aus China. Die Amerikaner müssten die Interessen der Volksrepublik respektieren, verlangt Premierminister Wen mit ungewöhnlich deutlichen Worten - und stellt klar: In Südostasien dürften "fremde Staaten" keinen Einfluss nehmen. ¶ Peking/Washington/Bali - Bis hier und nicht weiter: China reagiert scharf auf denStrategiewechsel der USA im Südchinesischen Meer. Peking respektiere zwar die "berechtigten Interessen" der Amerikaner in Ostasien, hieß es in einer Mitteilung des Außenministeriums. Doch im Gegenzug werde erwartet, dass Washington auch die Interessen Chinas berücksichtige, stellte der Sprecher Liu Weimin klar. » | als/Reuters/dpa | Freitag 18. November 2011

New EU War of Words: German Politician Upsets British with Comments

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The swipe aimed at Britain by Volker Kauder, a senior member of Germany's Christian Democrats, has caused trouble in United Kingdom, where the press says Berlin and London have fallen out over the euro crisis. Friday's meeting between Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Cameron could be tense.

Volker Kauder is now a famous man in Great Britain -- but that doesn't necessarily mean the senior Christian Democrat is popular on the other side of the North Sea.

"Just looking for their own advantage and not being prepared to contribute -- that cannot be the message we accept from the British," Kauder said at the conference of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Leipzig on Tuesday, in reference to British opposition to a European Union-wide financial transaction tax favored by Germany. Although the United Kingdom is not in the common currency zone, as a member of the EU itself it "also carries a responsibility for the success of Europe," Kauder said.

With his remarks, Kauder has managed to wake the slumbering British media beast. '"Controversial claim from Merkel ally that EU countries all follow Berlin's lead -- and Britain should fall into line" was how the headline in the tabloid Daily Mail interpreted his remarks. Kauder's word will certainly cause trouble in the UK, especially among euroskeptic members of the Conservatives. The Times [£] [sic] newspaper is already writing of a clash between London and Berlin. » | dsk -- with wires | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

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Cameron Warned His Eurozone Stance Risks Forcing Two-speed Europe

THE GUARDIAN: Angela Merkel wants quick revision of Lisbon treaty to underpin euro and will advise Cameron to table only modest proposals

David Cameron will be warned that he risks creating an unstoppable momentum behind a "two-speed Europe", which would be dominated by France and Germany, if Britain demands too many concessions during the eurozone crisis.

In a series of meetings in Berlin and Brussels, the prime minister will be advised that Britain should table modest proposals next year when EU leaders embark on a small treaty revision to underpin the euro.

Cameron will have breakfast in Brussels with José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission. He will then meet Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European council, before flying to Berlin to meet Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.

Merkel, who said earlier this week that the eurozone crisis showed the need to create a political union in Europe, is pressing fellow EU leaders to agree to a narrow and quick revision of the Lisbon treaty. This is designed to place tougher fiscal rules for the eurozone on a legal footing.

Der Spiegel reported that Berlin would like the European Court of Justice to take action against eurozone members that break the rules. A six-page German foreign ministry paper, published by Der Spiegel this week, calls for "a ('small') convention that is precisely limited in terms of content" to present proposals "rapidly". These would then be agreed by all 27 members of the EU.

Merkel warned the prime minister at an emergency European council meeting in Brussels on 23 October that she would reluctantly have to side with France if Britain overplayed its hand in the negotiations. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, wants a treaty to be agreed among the 17 members of the eurozone, excluding Britain and the other nine EU members outside the single currency. » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Thursday, November 17, 2011

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German Memo Shows Secret Slide Towards a Super-state

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An intrusive European body with the power to take over the economies of struggling nations should be set up to tackle the eurozone crisis, according to a leaked German government document.

The six-page memo, by the German foreign office, argues that Europe’s economic powerhouses should be able to intervene in how beleaguered eurozone countries are run.

The confidential blueprint sets out Germany’s plan to tackle the eurozone debt crisis by creating a “stability union” that will be “immediately followed by moves “on the way towards a political union”.

It will prompt fears that Germany’s euro crisis plans could result in a European super-state with spending and tax plans set in Brussels.

The proposals urge that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a eurozone bailout fund that will be established by the end of next year, should be transformed into a version of the International Monetary Fund for the EU.

The European Monetary Fund (EMF) would be able to take full fiscal control of a failing country, including taking countries into receivership. Read on and comment » | Bruno Waterfield, in Brussels | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Female Blogger's Nude Photo Creates a Stir in Egypt

GLOBAL POST: Aliaa Elmahdy, a 20-year-old female activist in Egypt, posted a nude photo of herself on the internet

An Egyptian female activist sparked an intense online debate over the limits of personal expression in art this week, following the discovery of nude photos the woman took and posted to her blog.

Aliaa Elmahdy, a 20-year-old college student and self-described “secular liberal feminist,” posted two nude photos of herself on her blog, “A Rebel’s Diary,” last month. The young revolutionary's photos were apparently discovered earlier this week by a Twitter user, who called them "brave."

In one of the pics, Elmahdy is standing with her right foot perched one the bottom rung of a wooden stool. She is wearing lacy, thigh-high black stockings, red slippers - and nothing else.

The second photo is a three-part collage of the first, with yellow strips censoring out her crotch, mouth and eyes. » | Jon Jensen | Thursday, November 17, 2011

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Police Arrest Protesters On Occupy Wall Street March

THE INDEPENDENT: Hundreds of Occupy demonstrators marched through New York's financial district today in an attempt to block traders from reaching the New York Stock Exchange, promising a national day of action with mass gatherings in other cities.

The action came two days after authorities cleared their encampment that sparked the global protest movement against economic inequality and greed.

Frustrations seemed to spill over in the park at the center [sic] of the protest as hundreds of people shoved back the metal police barricades that have long surrounded the area. A live television shot from above showed waves of police and protesters briefly pushing back and forth before the barricades appeared to be settled at the edge of the park once more.

"All day, all week, shut down Wall Street!" the crowd chanted, clogging the streets as they neared the stock exchange.

Police said about 50 or 60 people were arrested, including several who sat on the ground one block from Wall Street and refusing to move.

Some of the police hit protesters as they resisted arrest. Most of the marchers retreated.

The protest did not delay the opening of the New York Stock Exchange or disrupt business, said Rich Adamonis, a spokesman for the exchange. » | Karen Matthews | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Judge Expresses Sympathy with Fortnum & Mason Protesters

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A judge sentencing a group of anti-cuts protesters who stormed Fortnum & Mason appeared to condone their actions yesterday when he told them “history often vindicates those involved in such acts”.

Ten demonstrators who occupied the luxury department store on London’s Piccadilly earlier this year were found guilty of aggravated trespass when they appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

But in sentencing them all to conditional discharges, District Judge Michael Snow expressed some sympathy with their actions telling them they were all united by a “common sense of decency”.

Declining to award the famous store compensation, the judge told the group: “Civil disobedience has a long and entirely peaceful history in this country.

“History often vindicates those involved in such acts. I've read a series of glowing references on behalf of every one of you. You are united by a common sense of decency.”

Fortnum & Mason, which has an illustrious 300-year history and is often referred to as the Queen’s grocer, was targeted by protestors on the day of a large TUC rally in March. » | Martin Evans | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kuwait Security Crackdown after Crowd Storms Parliament
THE GUARDIAN: Emir denounces protest as threat to country's stability and calls for 'stricter measures to confront chaotic behaviour'


Kuwait's ruler has ordered the authorities to tighten security measures and make arrests if necessary after protesters stormed parliament in anger at claims of high-level corruption.

Dozens of protesters surged past police barricades on Wednesday and briefly entered the parliament chamber amid attempts by opposition MPs to bring the prime minister in for questioning over claims that officials transferred state funds to accounts abroad.

The emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, on Thursday denounced the protest as a threat to the country's "security and stability" and called for "stricter measures to confront this chaotic behaviour", according to a statement from government spokesman Ali Fahad al-Rashid. » | Associated Press | Thursday, November 17, 2011

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Merkel knutscht Sarkozy

Verwandt »

Assad unter Druck
n Teilen Syriens eskaliert der blutige Machtkampf. Zugleich steht das Land unter dem Assad-Regime international immer isolierter da. Die Arabische Liga droht mit harten Sanktionen und setzt Syrien eine Frist von drei Tagen, um die Gewalt zu beenden und Beobachter ins Land zu lassen.

Iran Fires Up Voters with Partial Lifting of Water Pipe Ban

THE GUARDIAN: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government reverses unpopular ban on smoking in tea houses - but only for men

Revoking a smoking ban may seem an unlikely way to boost election turnouts. But in Iran, authorities are hopeful that allowing the traditional hubble-bubble, or water pipes, back into tea houses could encourage reluctant voters to go to the polls.

The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has signed into law a bill that removes tea houses from the list of places where smoking tobacco is prohibited, Iranian newspapers reported on Thursday.

The move comes only two weeks after Iran's court of administrative justice, a judicial body independent of the government, banned the smoking of all sorts of tobacco in traditional restaurants and tea houses. Iranians were allowed only to smoke certain types – perceived to be less dangerous – in the past.

Since Ahmadinejad first took the office in 2005, water pipes have intermittently been banned from, then allowed, in tea houses.

In his early years in power, Ahmadinejad came under pressure from conservatives to curb water pipe smoking, which had become a popular pastime for the young people but was seen as culturally decadent by the regime, despite being an integral part of the Persian culture for centuries. A smoking ban was eventually passed in October 2006 but was lifted later to allow certain kinds of tobacco. » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Silvio Berlusconi Releases CD of Love Songs
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Just days after he stepped down as Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi is preparing to release his latest CD of love songs.


The billionaire businessman, who as a student crooned on cruise ships in the Mediterranean, spent two years writing the lyrics for the album, called 'True Love'.

The 11 songs he penned are sung by Mariano Apicella, a Neapolitan ballad singer who has collaborated with the former prime minister on similar albums in the past. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Vatican to Take Legal Action against Benetton

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Vatican announced on Thursday that it will take legal action over an advertising campaign by Benetton which showed Pope Benedict XVI kissing a Muslim imam.

The Holy See said it wanted the offensive image removed from magazines, newspapers, websites and Benetton shops around the world, saying it was in extremely poor taste.

The image shows the Pope kissing the lips of Ahmed el Tayyeb, the imam of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo and a leading authority of Sunni Islam.

A statement from the Vatican said it would instruct its lawyers “to take action in Italy and abroad to prevent the circulation in the mass-media and elsewhere of the photo montage produced as part of Benetton’s publicity campaign.”

The image was insulting “not only to the dignity of the Pope but also to the sensibilities of the faithful”, the Vatican said.

The legal threat came despite the fact that Benetton, which is based in Treviso in northern Italy, announced that it would withdraw the image following the furore. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Related »

LE PARISIEN: EN IMAGES. Benetton, la campagne polémique » | mercredi 16 novembre 2011

White House Shooting Suspect 'Had Obsession with Barack Obama'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A man clad in black who was obsessed with President Barack Obama pulled his car within view of the White House at night and fired shots from an assault rifle, authorities said.

The U.S. Secret Service found two bullets had hit the White House and agents caught up with Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez in Pennsylvania on Wednesday after a four-day search.

Police arrested the 21-year-old Idaho man at a hotel after a desk clerk recognised his picture. Ortega was scheduled to make his first appearance at 2pm on Thursday in a federal court in Pittsburgh and many questions remained about his motive and background.

The White House declined to comment on the unfolding events.

Authorities are investigating the man's mental health and say there are indications he believed attacking the White House was part of a personal mission from God, according to a law enforcement official who spoke with The Associated Press.

There are also indications the man had become obsessed with Obama and the White House, according to two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. » | Thursday, November 17, 2011

En Arabie saoudite, une féministe chez les Saoud

LE MONDE – LE MAGAZINE: EN COULISSES – La princesse saoudienne Amira plaide la cause des femmes dans son pays. Un engagement à portée limitée même si le roi vient de leur donner le droit de voter aux élections municipales.

Naguère, les princesses dispensaient leurs bienfaits par le biais de sociétés de charité, aujourd'hui, elles accèdent au ministère de la parole grâce à Twitter. L'Arabie saoudite s'est trouvé une égérie en la personne de la quatrième épouse du richissime prince Al-Walid Ben Talal Ben Abdelaziz Al-Saoud, Amira. Née en Arabie saoudite, diplômée en droit des affaires d'une université du Connecticut, cette princesse de 27 ans, très médiatisée, a été la première à se féliciter, sur Twitter, de l'annulation en septembre par le roi Abdallah d'une peine de dix coups de fouet prononcée à l'encontre d'une Saoudienne. Sa faute : avoir pris le volant dans un pays où une fatwa interdit aux femmes de conduire. … » | Gilles Paris | sans date

US Will Shift Focus from Middle East to Asia Pacific, Barack Obama Declares
Barack Obama has pledged to expand America's military in the Asia Pacific as a "top priority" as he declared the US intends to shift its focus from the Middle East.

Read the article and comment here | Jonathan Pearlman in Canberra | Thursday, November 17, 2011
My comment:

This declaration sounds like a provocation to China to me. It sounds like sabre-rattling. Further, where is broke America going to get the money from? – © Mark

This comment also appears here.

Syria Is 'Like a Civil War'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Russia called for all sides in Syria’s growing civil war to lay down their arms as they compared the situation a "civil war".

Residents claimed 20 people died in a rebel attack on an air force intelligence base on the outskirts of Damascus.

“This is already completely similar to real civil war,” Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said. He urged “all states” to demand that not only the government but also the opposition to halt the violence and begin talks.

Russia, along with China, has vetoed further international sanctions against their long-term strategic ally at the United Nations. But both are growing increasingly alarmed that in the absence of any foreign intervention the situation is spiralling out of control anyway. » | Richard Spencer, Adrian Blomfield and Alex Spillius | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kuwait Opposition Protesters Disrupt Parliament

THE GUARDIAN: Dozens of Kuwaiti protesters storm parliament, with more demonstrating outside, demanding the prime minister step down

Dozens of anti-government protesters stormed into Kuwait's parliament during a debate over efforts to question the prime minister about corruption allegations.

Local media reported the demonstrators briefly chanted before being forced out as hundreds of others protested outside on Wednesday evening, prompting opposition lawmakers to warn of a political crisis.

Opposition parliament members have sought to question the prime minister Sheik Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah over claims that government officials illegally transferred money to accounts outside the Gulf country. Last month, Kuwait's foreign minister resigned as the scandal grew.

Pro-government lawmakers managed to vote down a request for the questioning, but opposition groups filed another motion to force another debate later this month.

Kuwait's affairs are run by the ruling Al Sabah family, but it has one of the region's most politically active parliaments. » | Associated Press | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Camerons Berlin-Besuch: Deutschlands Dominanz, Britanniens Angst

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Auftakt zum Berlin-Besuch von David Cameron am Freitag verläuft denkbar schlecht: Volker Kauders Spruch, in Europa werde nun Deutsch gesprochen, sorgt für Protest in Großbritannien. London fürchtet eine Zwei-Klassen-EU. Nun muss Kanzlerin Merkel die Wogen glätten - sie braucht die Briten noch.

Der Satz war eine Steilvorlage für die Euro-Skeptiker auf der Insel. "Jetzt auf einmal wird in Europa Deutsch gesprochen", hatte Unionsfraktionschef Volker Kauder auf dem CDU-Parteitag in Leipzig gesagt. Das Zitat wurde am Mittwoch von den britischen Zeitungen begierig aufgegriffen, bestätigt es doch alte Vorurteile über den deutschen Machtanspruch.

"Europa spricht jetzt Deutsch!", titelte die Boulevardzeitung "Daily Mail" mit dickem Ausrufezeichen und schob empört hinterher: "UndGroßbritannien soll sich einreihen". Das, so der Tenor in sämtlichen konservativen Blättern, werde selbstverständlich nie passieren. Stattdessen, so die Forderung der Euro-Skeptiker, müsse die Euro-Krise genutzt werden, um sich aus der EU zu "befreien".

Die Kauder-Kontroverse ist das jüngste Indiz für die wachsende Kluft zwischen Berlin und London. Auf britischer Seite befeuerte am Mittwoch Wirtschaftsminister Vince Cable den Streit. Es ging um die Finanztransaktionssteuer. Die von Deutschland geforderte Abgabe auf Geldgeschäfte bezeichnete er als "völlig ungerechtfertigt". Wiederum Kauder hatte die britische Blockade zuvor als verantwortungslos beschimpft. » | Von Carsten Volkery, London | Mittwoch 16. November 2011

German Neo-Nazis Had Hit List of 88 Political Targets
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A German neo-Nazi terrorist group responsible for a spree of murders and bombings across Germany had a hit list of 88 possible targets including prominent politicians.

Investigators said they had found the list as they probed the brutal world of the self-styled National Socialist Underground, a gang believed to have shot dead nine men of immigrant background and a policewoman.

The gang's end only came this month after a failed bank robbery led to two of its three members committing suicide and the survivor handing herself into the police after destroying their hideout in the east German town of Zwickau.

Along with politicians the names of leaders from Germany's large Turkish and Islamic communities were also found on the list.

The number 88 is apparently code for Adolf Hitler in neo-Nazi circles because the letter H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and is code for 'Heil Hitler'.

As police tried to ascertain whether the three-person group was actively plotting to kill people on the list, those named reacted with shock.

"This is a dreadful feeling for me," Jerzy Montag, a leading Green politician from Munich told Spiegel Online. "The fact that the known members of the terror cell have been deactivated does not mean that this is over. If someone can think this up, then there could also be others."

Hans-Peter Uhl from the governing Christian Democrats also expressed his bewilderment at being listed by the gang.

"When I heard that my name was on the list, I was shocked," he said, adding that he was trying to work out why the group would target him. » | Matthew Day | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Breastfeeding Is Slavery (But It Lets Men Off the Hook): Sarkozy Angers Mothers with 'Macho' Comments
MAIL ONLINE: It is a statement that is likely to raise the hackles of women everywhere.

In what many would consider to be a clumsy and insensitive move, Nicolas Sarkozy has publicly described breastfeeding as 'slavery'.

While most women would welcome their husband's sensitivity and discretion on such matters, Mr Sarkozy has spoken out about wife Carla Bruni's struggle to produce enough milk for their newborn baby.

The French president, 55, also said a mother's feeding 'freed men of blame' for not getting up at night to give the infant a bottle.

Former supermodel Ms Bruni, 44, gave birth to the couple's first child together - a girl named Giulia - four weeks ago.

It was the first child ever to be born to a president while in office in France.

Mr Sarkozy aired his views on breastfeeding while chatting to young mothers at a family benefits agency in south west France yesterday.

He said: 'Carla is feeding the baby. I think it's much better for protecting against allergies and illnesses.'But the woman, it's both a joy and a kind of slavery.

'However it does free men of blame because we don't have the problem of bottle-feeding. You don't have to get up at night, although out of solidarity, I do open one eye.'

The president added: 'But you know, she is worried about not having enough milk.' » | Deborah Arthurs | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Proche-Orient: Mahmoud Abbas tend la main au Hamas

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: RÉCONCILIATION | Face aux incertitudes sur la demande d’adhésion à l’ONU d’un Etat de Palestine et au blocage des négociations avec Israël, le président palestinien cherche à se réconcilier avec le Hamas.

Le président palestinien rencontrera le chef du mouvement islamiste le 25 novembre au Caire pour tenter de faire redémarrer la difficile négociation avec le Hamas.

Mahmoud Abbas s’est engagé mercredi à «faire tous les efforts pour hâter la résolution des questions en suspens, en premier lieu les élections présidentielle, législatives et du Conseil national palestinien, et la formation d’un gouvernement d’indépendants pour organiser les élections».

«Quelles que soient les difficultés, nous ne renoncerons pas à notre droit à adhérer à l’ONU», en tant que membre à part entière, a- t-il insisté dans un discours pour le 7e anniversaire de la mort de son prédécesseur Yasser Arafat et le 23e anniversaire de la Déclaration d’indépendance. Il a fait état de consultations avec la direction palestinienne et les pays arabes. » | ATS/AFP | mercredi 16 novembre 2011

US Elections: Newt Gingrich Under Fire after Surge in Opinion Polls

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Newt Gingrich, the Republican presidential hopeful and former House Speaker, has come under attack for his controversial personal and financial affairs after enjoying a surge in the opinion polls.

Mr Gingrich, whose campaign was left for dead after his staff resigned en masse in June, has risen to second place behind Mitt Romney in a handful of national surveys, after support for Rick Perry and Herman Cain declined.

But he faced allegations yesterday that he was paid up to $1.8 million (£1.14 million) for advising Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage lender at the centre of the 2008 financial meltdown.

Meanwhile a leaflet detailing his infidelity and two divorces — which came as his wives were suffering from cancer and multiple sclerosis respectively — was circulating in Iowa, a crucial early-voting state.

Mr Gingrich was previously said to have received $300,000 (£190,000) for advising Freddie Mac in 2006, as the organisation lobbied Congressmen to not dismantle it.

In fact, Mr Gingrich received up to six times this figure, according to Bloomberg, and argued for it to expand lending to more risky borrowers — blamed by many economists for the financial crisis.

It later had to be bailed out with its sister agency Fannie Mae for $170 billion (£107 billion) following the US housing market collapse. » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Angst vor Unruhen: Athen rüstet sich für Massen-Demo

KRONE: Die griechische Polizei hat am Mittwoch wegen geplanter Demonstrationen gegen den Sparkurs der neuen Regierung ein massives Sicherheitsaufgebot im Zentrum von Athen zusammengezogen. Mehrere linksgerichtete Organisationen haben für Donnerstag Proteste angekündigt. Die Polizei befürchtet, dass gewaltbereite Demonstranten ein Chaos in Athen auslösen könnten. Deshalb sollen nach griechischen Medienberichten mehr als 7.000 Beamte im Einsatz sein.

Die geplanten Demonstrationen fallen mit dem 38. Jahrestag des blutig niedergeschlagenen Studentenaufstandes gegen das Militärregime am 17. November 1973 zusammen. Die zentrale Kundgebung wird in Athen am Donnerstagnachmittag stattfinden. » | AG/red | Mittwoch 16. November 2011

"Unhate", la nouvelle campagne choc de Benetton

LE MATIN: Une affiche géante a été déroulée ce matin sur le Pont "Sant'Angelo" à Rome, à deux pas du Vatican. Au premier plan le pape Benoît XVI embrassant sur la bouche l'Imam du Caire, Ahmed el Tayyeb. Une nouvelle provocation signée Benetton.

La campagne mondiale de communication UNHATE - première initiative de la Fondation du même nom qui vient d’être constituée - vient d'être présentée en avant-première mondiale par Alessandro Benetton à Paris, dans le flagship store du boulevard Haussmann. » | LeMatin.ch | mercredi 16 novembre 2011


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Benetton zieht Papst-Kussbild zurück: Nicolas Sarkozy küsst Angela Merkel, der Papst knutscht einen ägyptischen Imam: Eine neue Fotomontagen-Kampagne des italienischen Modehauses Benetton sorgt für Entrüstung im Vatikan - das Unternehmen zog das Bild mit dem Kirchenoberhaupt jetzt zurück. » | als/lgr/AFP | Mittwoch 16. November 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Vatican criticises Benetton picture of pope kissing Muslim leader: Italian clothing company Benetton withdraws publicity shot of Benedict XVI kissing grand sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo » | Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent | Thursday, November 17, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vatican condemns Benetton 'Unhate' advert: A new Benetton advertising campaign - 'Unhate' - which includes a highly provocative image of the Pope kissing an imam has been condemned as a "grave" act of disrespect by the Vatican. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Nicolas Blancho joue à l’ambassadeur en Tunisie
LE MATIN: Le président du controversé Conseil Central Islamique Suisse a rencontré ce week-end le chef du parti religieux récemment arrivé au pouvoir en Tunisie. En parlant au nom des musulmans de Suisse….

Nicolas Blancho prend-il un peu trop ses désirs pour des réalités? La question est ouverte au vu de l’une des dernières informations postées sur le site de son organisation, le Conseil Central Islamique Suisse (CCIS). Relatant un voyage effectué par le Biennois à Tunis ce week-end, un texte explique que le président du CCIS a présenté les félicitations des « musulmans suisses » à Rachid Al-Ghannouchi, leader du parti islamiste Ennahda, qui a récemment gagné les élections.

Problème: l’organisation de Nicolas Blancho – qui défend un islam assez rigoriste – divise fortement chez les croyants vivant en Suisse. Si ses dernières manifestations ont réuni de nombreux participants, beaucoup de fidèles contestent sa légitimité à parler au nom de tous les musulmans helvètes. Vice présidente de l'Union des organisations de cette religion à Genève, Lucia Dahlab en fait partie. Selon elle, Nicolas Blancho est coutumier des effets d’annonce un peu «gonflés». «Rien que le nom de son organisation me laisse perplexe, il a vraiment trop tendance à s’autoproclamer représentant de tout le monde.» » | Raphaël Pomey | LeMatin.ch | mardi 15 novembre 2011

« Kadhafi était un partouzeur, drogué et alcoolique »
LE MATIN: Repérée par le «Guide de la Révolution» à l’âge de 15 ans, une jeune Libyenne a passé cinq ans dans le «harem» du colonel. Cette ancienne esclave sexuelle de Kadhafi témoigne.

Elle dit l’avoir appelé «papa Mouammar» durant l’enfance, avant d’en savoir davantage sur les réelles habitudes de vie du personnage. A l’âge de 22 ans à peine, c’est peu dire que Samira*, une fille habitant Syrte, ville natale et ultime bastion du colonel Kadhafi, a vu sa vie ruinée par les penchants sadiques et dégénérés de son ancienne idole. Car de 2004 à 2009, la malheureuse a dû répondre au doigt et à l’œil aux moindres désirs de l’ancien dirigeant du pays, qui l’a rencontrée à 15 ans. » | Raphaël Pomey | LeMatin.ch | mercredi 16 novembre 2011

*prénom fictif

Barack Obama's Australian Slang Shows Closeness to Julia Gillard
Barack Obama displayed his closesness to Julia Gillard, by lapsing into an Aussie "Strine" to toast the Australian prime minister.

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Reaktionen auf rechtsextreme Gewalt: Innenminister Friedrich will Zentralregister für Neonazis

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Womöglich kommen die Anti-Terror-Ermittlungen nach der Neonazi-Mordserie heute voran. Die Hauptverdächtige Beate Z. will einem Zeitungsbericht zufolge aussagen. Die Politik debatiert über Konsequenzen.

Die Bundesanwaltschaft könnte bei ihren Ermittlungen zu der Neonazi-Mordserie heute deutliche Fortschritte machen. Das mutmaßliche Mitglied der Zwickauer Terrorzelle, Beate Z., will nach Informationen der „Stuttgarter Nachrichten“ (Mittwoch) eine umfassende Aussage machen. „Sie will auspacken und berät sich deshalb mit ihrem Anwalt“, zitierte das Blatt einen Beamten aus Ermittlerkreisen. » | Quelle: dapd | Mittwoch 16. November 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Neo-Nazis: German interior minister calls for database on far-right extremists – Germany's interior minister has called for a national database on far-right extremists similar to that developed for Islamic radicals to counter the threat of neo-Nazi terrorism. » | Matthew Day | Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Occupy Wall Street: Protesters Vow to Fight On
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Protesters have flooded back into the New York park where police demolished their two-month-old tent camp, vowing to step up the Occupy Wall Street campaign despite a ban on camping out there.

The movement to protest alleged corporate greed and political dysfunction was thrown into crisis during a turbulent 24 hours on Tuesday that began with a surprise early morning police raid on the privately-owned Zuccotti Park.

Protesters then spent the day playing cat-and-mouse with authorities as they sought to re-establish their base near Wall Street, the symbolic epicenter of a movement that has inspired similar protests in other US cities and abroad.

In the evening, police reopened the park and let the protesters back in one-by-one - but only after a New York judge backed a ban on pitching tents, rejecting the demonstrators' legal challenge to the dismantling of the camp.

"No one will be denied entry," a police officer said at the gate, as people began to wander back in. Organisers put the number at 1,200. Once inside, the crowd began to chant: "All day, all week, occupy Wall Street."

Both sides were claiming victory after judge Michael Stallman ruled that the owners of the park and the authorities were not denying protesters their constitutional right to freedom of speech by banning them from camping out.

"Zuccotti Park will remain open to all who want to enjoy it, as long as they abide by the park's rules," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement. » | November 16, 2011

Barack Obama to Deploy 2,500 Marines in Australia as He Says 'We Do Not Fear China'
Barack Obama has unveiled plans to deploy 2500 Marines in northern Australia but insisted the move was not prompted by fear of China.

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