Philippines: Des hommes armés enlèvent un Suisse et un Néerlandais
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Deux touristes, un Suisse et un Néerlandais, ont été enlevés avec leur guide philippin dans le sud du pays. Leurs ravisseurs se sont enfuis en bateau.

Un touriste suisse et un autre, néerlandais, ornithologues amateurs, ont été enlevés sur une île du sud des Philippines, ont indiqué mercredi les autorités locales. Des militants islamistes sécessionnistes opèrent dans cette région.

Les trois hommes ont été enlevés sur une petite île de l’archipel de Tawi-Tawi et ont été obligés par leurs ravisseurs de monter dans une vedette, a dit à l’AFP un porte-parole de l’armée dans ce secteur, Randolph Cabangbang. Cinq hommes armés de fusils, de pistolets et d’un lance-grenade ont abordé le bateau qui les transportait et ont demandé aux autres personnes présentes - un policier qui n’était pas armé, le capitaine et un homme politique - de sauter par dessus bord. » | ATS/AP/Newsnet | mercredi 01 février 2012

Syriens First Lady Asma al-Assad: Die Schöne und der Schlächter

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ist sie das skrupellose Luxusweibchen eines Herrschers im Blutrausch? Oder eine weltoffene, reformorientierte First Lady, die hilflos mit ansehen muss, wie ihr Land im Bürgerkrieg versinkt? Selbst Syrien-Kenner rätseln, welche Rolle Baschar al-Assads Ehefrau Asma in Damaskus spielt.

"Asma al-Assad ist glamourös, jung, sehr schick - die frischeste und magnetischste aller First Ladies. Sie ist eine seltene Mischung: Eine schlanke, schlaksige Schönheit mit einem analytischen Geist, die sich mit überlegtem Understatement kleidet. 'Paris Match' nennt sie 'das Element des Lichts in einem Land voller Schattenzonen.' Sie ist die First Lady von Syrien."


Man könnte noch ganze Passagen aus dem hymnischen Porträt der 36-jährigen Ehefrau Baschar al-Assads zitieren, mit dem sich das amerikanische Modemagazin "Vogue" im vergangenen März in die Nesseln setzte und das inzwischen von der Web-Seite der Zeitschrift entfernt wurde. Das Stück liest sich heute wie ein langer, schlechter Witz. Denn noch während die Ausgabe, in dem die Assads so gepriesen werden, an den Kiosken lag, erhob sich das syrische Volk gegen sein Regime. Die glitzernde Fassade des jungen Präsidentenpaares, von der sich die "Vogue"-Journalistin hatte blenden lassen, begann zu bröckeln.

Heute, zehn Monate nach Beginn des Aufstands gegen Assad und sein Regime, sind weit mehr als 5000 Menschen ums Leben gekommen, in Syrien herrscht Bürgerkrieg. Vor allem in Großbritannien fragen sich die Leute, was Asma al-Assad von all dem hält. Denn Syriens Präsidentengattin ist Britin. » | Von Ulrike Putz, Beirut | Mittwoch 01. Februar 2012

Related »

Affront gegen Hillary Clinton: Russlands Außenminister geht nicht ans Telefon

SPIEGEL ONLINE: 24 Stunden lang versuchte US-Außenministerin Clinton, ihren russischen Kollegen zu erreichen, um über Syrien zu sprechen. Doch Sergej Lawrow verweigerte sich. In Sachen Assad ist für Moskau alles gesagt: Sanktionen kommen nicht in Frage - der Diktator ist der letzte Verbündete in der Region.

Die Welt blickte in den Abgrund: Die Sowjetunion und die USA standen 1962 am Rande eines Nuklearkrieges, weil Moskau zunächst unbemerkt Atomwaffen auf Kuba stationiert hatte. Falken in den USA forderten im Gegenzug einen nuklearen Erstschlag. Die Welt stand kurz vor einem verheerenden Krieg.

Danach richteten Washington und Moskau 1963 den "heißen Draht" ein, eine direkte Kommunikationslinie zwischen Weißem Haus und Kreml. Regelmäßig wurde die Leitung auf Fehlfunktionen getestet. Techniker jagten einen Prüftext über den Draht, der alle Buchstaben des Alphabets enthielt: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", lautete der. Wenn es brenzlig wird, sollte der heiße Draht einsatzfähig sein.

Aber was hilft die beste Direktverbindung, wenn an einer der beiden Leitungen jemand sitzt, der gar nicht reden möchte?

Das russisch-amerikanische Ringen um eine Lösung des Syrien-Konflikts treibt derzeit bizarre Blüten. Die USA bemühen sich um die Durchsetzung einer starken Uno-Resolution gegen Damaskus, Russland dagegen blockiert alle Vorstöße, die es als Einmischung in die inneren Angelegenheiten seines engen Verbündeten Syrien auffasst. "Sanktionen sind nicht die geeigneten Mittel, das kann nur der Dialog sein", sagte Uno-Botschafter Witalij Tschurkin. » | Von Benjamin Bidder, Moskau | Mittwoch 01. Februar 2012

Russia and Syria's Alliance Remains Resilient
Russia has repeatedly blocked efforts towards a UN resolution that could pave the way for intervention in Syria's 10-month crackdown on protesters. Moscow, a long-standing ally of Damascus and veto-wielding member of the UN, says it fears NATO intervention in Syria would result in another Libya-like scenario and could destabilise the region. Western countries accuse Russia, which continues to sell heavy weapons to its close Arab friend, of failing to "uphold human rights" by backing the government's military offensive, which has claimed thousands of civilian lives across the country. Al Jazeera's Neave Barker reports from Moscow on the enduring alliance between the two countries.

Obama Eyes Gingrich As Easiest Rival
With four candidates left in the Republican race, and Mitt Romney topping the polls, who would Barack Obama prefer to face in November? Romney polls tends to poll better in swing states and with Newt Gingrich prone to the occasional gaffe, the answer seems clear. Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports from Washington.

Pakistan Rejects Leaked Nato Report
Pakistan has rejected a leaked Nato report that says it's secretly helping the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan's foreign minister, says the claims should be ignored. Khar is in Kabul, where she has been meeting Afghan leaders for high level reconciliation talks and to end what she calls the blame game between the countries.

Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports from Washington, Imtiaz Tyab from Islamabad. and Jennifer Glasse from Kabul.

Four UK Men Plead Guilty in London Bomb Plot
Four British men plead guilty to taking part in plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange in 2010.

Related »

Qatar Asserts Its Diplomatic Presence
The diplomatic clout of the tiny Gulf state of Qatar is causing growing controversy amongst its Arab neighbours.

Extreme Freeze Claims Lives in Eastern Europe
Dozens killed by cold in Ukraine, while Turkish coast guards seek missing sailors after cargo ship sinks in snowstorm.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Extremkälte friert Europa ein: Deutschland genießt trotz Dauerfrost die Sonne - in Osteuropa aber haben die Minustemperaturen bereits Dutzende Menschen das Leben gekostet. Und es wird noch schlimmer: Jetzt nahen die kältesten Nächte des Jahres. » | ala/siu/dpa/dapd/AFP | Mittwoch 01. Februar 2012

Michelle Obama on Jay Leno: The First Lady Spills the Beans on Life in the White House
The first lady talks to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno about how to cope with raising kids in the White House and being married to the President. Report by Sam Datta-Paulin.

How ‘Europe’ Became a Dirty Word in the US Election

BBC: As Florida goes to the polls in its primary election for the Republican presidential candidate, how did Europe-bashing become such an issue?

"J'accuse!"

There is only one presidential contender fluent in the French tongue.

But if Mitt Romney wins the US Republican nomination, he is likely to stick to plain English when he delivers what he hopes will be a killer blow against President Barack Obama in November's general election.

Mr Romney and his chief Republican rival, Newt Gingrich - who is also said to have a passing acquaintance with French - have spent the past few months arguing that the current US president wants to turn the US into a European country.

In the US, this is not as crazy a line of attack as it might sound from Europe.

The eurozone debt crisis, and fears that Greece, Portugal, Spain and the rest might yet drag the faltering US economy down with them, has turned Europe into a dirty word in American politics.

Accusing Mr Obama of wanting to follow the same path of ever-growing welfare budgets and high taxes that supposedly led the EU nations to this pass will strike a chord with many voters.

Those who already view Europe with suspicion, deriding the continent as an economic backwater with a dubious military record, may be particularly receptive to the argument.

'Welfare state'

With the US economy starting to show signs of recovery, it could turn out to be the best shot the Republicans have of unseating Mr Obama.

Newt Gingrich has constantly accused the president of being a "European Socialist", often adding in a reference to an all-but-forgotten community activist from Chicago, who died in 1972, but whose Democratic-leaning writings are thought to have influenced the current president.

"I am for the Declaration of Independence; he is for the writing of Saul Alinsky. I am for the Constitution; he is for European socialism," Mr Gingrich told voters in Florida last week.

When pushed, Mr Romney will also use the "S" word. » | Brian Wheeler, BBC News, Washington | Monday, January 30, 2012

Terror Gang Who Plotted to Blow Up London Stock Exchange Could Be Free in Six Years
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A terrorist gang involved in a plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange, the American Embassy and the home of Boris Johnson could be free in just six years.

The group of four Qaeda-inspired fundamentalists admitted planning to send mail bombs to their targets during the run up to Christmas 2010 and discussed launching a Mumbai-style attack on Parliament.

But they could all be out after just six years after the two ringleaders of the group were given an indication of their sentences before deciding whether or not to plead guilty.

Mohammed Chowdhury, described as the group’s “lynchpin”, and Shah Rahman, his accomplice, pleaded guilty following a so-called Goodyear hearing where the judge gave them an indication of their maximum sentences should they plead guilty.

The judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, told Chowdhury, 21, that he would be sentenced to no more than 13 and half years, while Rahman, 28, was told he would be given 12 and a half years if he admitted his involvement in the plot.

The two, along with fellow conspirators Gurukanth Desai, 30, and Abdul Miah, 25, admitted the charges of preparing for acts of terrorism after being made aware of the sentences they were likely to serve.

It was part of a controversial 'Goodyear Direction' which allows defendants to judge whether they should plead guilty, depending on the sentence they are likely to face.

Had they been opted to go to trial instead and been found guilty by a jury, they would likely have been sentenced to approximately 20 years.

But now they could be out in fewer than six years. They will be released automatically at the half-way point in their sentence and spend the remainder on licence.

They will also have a year deducted for time already spent on remand. » | Mark Hughes, Tom Whitehead and Duncan Gardham | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Generation of Terrorists Being Groomed in British Jails
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A new generation of “lone killers” is being groomed for terrorism in UK jails, a think-tank has warned.

Major sporting events such as this year’s Olympic Games could be targeted by Muslim ex-prisoners who were radicalised whilst behind bars, according to a study published in the journal of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

It warned that up to around one in 10 of the UK’s 8,000 Muslim inmates were being successfully targeted by extremists inside jail and could form the next generation of terrorists. » | Victoria Ward | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Israeli Ad Campaign Unsettles US Jews

Mitt Romney's Florida Primary Victory Speech
Former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney addressed a crowd of supporters in Tampa after winning Florida's Republican primary. "Thomas Paine was reported to say, 'Lead, follow, or get out of the way.' Mr President, you were elected to lead, you chose to follow, and now it's time for you to get out of the way," he told the crowd.

Conquest 1453 – Official Trailer

HT: Islam versus Europe »

PORT TURKEY.COM: ”The Conquest 1453” Movie to Be Released in February: Turkey is set to release an epic war-time movie named Fetih 1453 (‘Conquest 1453’ in English) provides a historical view of the battle for Constantinople, as well being filled with special effects by the popular Pixar Studios. The big release captures the epic war fought in 1453 in which the Ottoman Empire took over the city of Constantinople. The film is based on two main characters, Sultan Mehmed II, and Ulubatlı Hasan, a soldier believed to be the first person to have planted the Ottoman flag on the walls of Istanbul during the final assault on the city. » | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Iranian Attack on America and Allies Increasingly Likely – Intelligence Chief
THE GUARDIAN: Washington openly blames Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei for first time over Saudi ambassador plot

The head of US intelligence has warned that there is an increasing likelihood that Iran could carry out attacks in America or against US and allied targets around the world.

The warning from the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, reflects rapidly rising tensions over Iran's nuclear programme after the US and EU announced embargoes on the Iranian oil trade in the past few weeks, Israel leaked details of its preparation for a possible conflict and both the west and Iran boosted their military readiness in the Gulf.

The US plans to send a third aircraft carrier to the region in March, while Iran's military has threatened to block the entrance to the Gulf in the strait of Hormuz and is planning to hold naval exercises there in the next few weeks involving a host of new weapons.

Presenting his annual "worldwide threat assessment" to Congress, Clapper said an alleged plot to blow up the Saudi ambassador in Washington last year, which the US blamed on the Iran's Revolutionary Guard, "shows that some Iranian officials – probably including the supreme leader Ali Khamenei – have changed their calculus and are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response in response to real or perceived US actions that threaten the regime."

Clapper added: "Iran's willingness to sponsor future attacks in the US or against our interests abroad probably will be shaped by Tehran's evaluation of the costs it bears for the plot against the ambassador as well as Iranian leaders' perceptions of US threats against the regime." » | Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

ARAB NEWS: Iran adds laser-guided munition to its armory » | Associated Press | Monday, January 30, 2012

French Jewish Mother Wins Custody Battle Against Saudi Prince
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A French Jewish mother has won a custody battle in France against a Saudi prince, who has been ordered to return their 10-year old daughter he was alleged to have kidnapped after their cross-religious romance turned sour.

The Paris criminal court ordered Prince Sattam al-Saud from the kingdom’s founding royal family, to hand over custody of his daughter Aya to her French mother, Candice Cohen-Ahnine, and provide child support of €10,000 (£8,300) a month.

For the past three-and-a-half years, the prince has kept Aya in a Riyadh palace despite efforts by the French foreign ministry and President Nicolas Sarkozy's office to resolve the issue.

But the French court ruling appears to have had no effect on the prince. “What do I care of Sarkozy?” he is cited as telling [Le] Nouvel Observateur magazine. “If need be, I’ll go like [Osama] bin Laden and hide in the mountains with Aya.”

Miss Cohen-Ahnin, 34, and the prince met in London 14 years ago at Brown’s nightclub and their daughter was born in November 2001.

Their relationship continued until 2006 when he allegedly announced that he was obliged to marry a cousin, but that she could be a second wife. She refused and they separated.

Miss Cohen-Ahnine claimed that her daughter was taken from her during a visit to Saudi Arabia in 2008 and that she was held in the prince’s palace where she had only fleeting meetings with her daughter.

She said she managed to leave when a maid left her door open and she sought refuge in the French embassy.

Miss Cohen-Ahnin was eventually spirited out of the country after the prince allegedly produced a document purporting that she had been Muslim but had converted to Judaism — a crime punishable by death. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

LEX TIMES.fr: Une mère se bat pour récupérer sa petite princesse saoudienne : Le 12 janvier dernier, un juge aux affaires familiales a accordé à Candice Cohen-Ahnine l’exercice de l’autorité parentale sur sa fille Aya, retenue depuis 2008 à Riyad (Arabie Saoudite) au sein de la famille royale Al Saud. Une affaire complexe, l’enfant est née de sa relation avec le prince Sattam, membre de la famille royale Al Saud. Retour sur le cauchemar d’une mère auquel la Justice et les services diplomatiques français pourraient mettre fin. » | Par Emilie Gougache | LexTimes.fr | samedi 28 janvier 2012

Eviction on Millionaires' Street
Behind the baroque facades of St Petersburg residents live in squalor as they take on predatory property developers.

Read the article here | Witness | AJE | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Former RBS Chief Exec Fred Goodwin Stripped of His Knighthood
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fred Goodwin, the disgraced former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive, has been stripped of his knighthood.

Government officials confirmed the award has been "cancelled and annulled" because the bank's former chief executive had "brought the honours system into disrepute".

The Forfeiture Committee met last week to consider the issue. Its recommendation to strip Mr Goodwin of the honour was conferred to the Queen by Prime Minister David Cameron, the Cabinet Office said.

The announcement that Mr Goodwin has been stripped of the honour for "services to banking" will shortly be announced in the [The] London Gazette.

"The scale and severity of the impact of his actions as chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland made this an exceptional case," a spokesman for the Cabinet Office said. » | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Spanish Judge Defends Probe into Franco-era
The world-renowned Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón has defiantly rejected charges of abuse of power for opening an investigation into Franco-era crimes. Al Jazeera's Charlie Angela reports.

Related »

France's Armenia Genocide Law Put On Hold

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: French MPs from across party lines petition against bill outlawing denial of mass killings by Ottoman Turks as genocide.

A new French law punishing denial of the "Armenian genocide" has been put on hold after politicians from across party lines opposed to the legislation demanded that its constitutionality be examined.

Turkey reacted furiously last week when the Senate approved the law which threatens with jail anyone in France who denies that the 1915 to 1916 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turk forces amounted to genocide.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's office brushed off angry threats of retaliation by Turkey and vowed to enforce the law within a fortnight.

However, on Tuesday two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation - from both the Senate and the lower house of parliament - said they had formally requested the constitutional council to examine the law.

"This is an atomic bomb for the Elysee [the presidential office] which didn't see it coming," Lionel Tardy, a deputy from Sarkozy’s own party, said. » | Source: Agencies | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Canada: Muslim Canadian Congress Hoping to Expand Canadian Burka Ban

Ron Paul: Armed Chinese Troops in Texas!

La population du Japon va chuter d'un tiers sur 50 ans
LA PRESSE: La population du Japon va chuter de 32,3% entre 2010 et 2060 compte tenu de la dénatalité, et les personnes âgées de plus de 65 ans représenteront alors près de 40% du total, une perspective inquiétante pour le pays et son régime de protection sociale, selon une nouvelle étude publique.

En 2060, le Japon ne comptera plus que 86,74 millions d'habitants, contre 128,06 millions recensés en 2010, le passage sous la barre symbolique des 100 millions devant se produire en 2048, d'après les chiffres actualisés publiés lundi par l'Institut national de la protection sociale et des problèmes démographiques. » | Agence France-Presse | lundi 30 janvier 2012

How Mitt Got His Mojo Back: 5 Things He Got Right in Florida

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: More than a dozen polls over the last week all show that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who by his own admission got beaten up badly in the South Carolina primary, is now on the cusp of a dramatic, double-digit Florida primary win.

Backed by millions of campaign dollars, seasoned strategists, and the Republican party establishment, Mr. Romney allowed an insurgent campaign by former congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich to gain traction in South Carolina – and send his own campaign in to a momentary tail-spin.

But Florida has been an entirely different story. Here are the five things Mr. Romney did right to get his leadership campaign back on track in the Sunshine State. Leading the debate attack » | Affan Chowdhry | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Mitt Romney would rank among richest presidents ever: Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you’re in Romney territory. » Connie Cass | WASHINGTON | The Associated Press | Saturday, January 28, 2012

Ministers Line Up to Warn Off Rudd

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: SENIOR supporters of Julia Gillard have rounded on Kevin Rudd, telling him to drop his leadership ambitions because the party would never have him back.

With Ms Gillard today using a keynote speech on the economy to try to break the slump in her form, the Regional Development Minister, Simon Crean, went after Mr Rudd yesterday, saying he was not a team player but a prima donna who did not have the numbers to mount a challenge.

''He can't be prime minister again. He's got to accept that,'' Mr Crean said. ''People will not elect as leaders those they don't perceive as team players.'' (+ video) » | Phillip Cooray, Chief Political Correspondent | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Racial Segregation in US at an All-time Low
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: NEW YORK: More than 40 years after the US government enacted fair-housing legislation and the Great Migration of African Americans from the South began to ebb, residential segregation in metropolitan America has been significantly curtailed, according to a study released this week.

The study of census records by two economics professors, fellows at the conservative Manhattan Institute, found cities are more racially integrated than at any time since 1910.

They concluded all-white enclaves ''are effectively extinct'' and while black urban ghettos still exist, they are shrinking. However, more integration in housing hasn't led to a similar closing of the gap in opportunity and income between African Americans and white Americans. » | Sam Roberts | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Outgunned This Time, Gingrich Vows to Fight On

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Newt Gingrich looked ready to cede a string of Republican Party primary contests this month to Mitt Romney, who is poised to triumph in today's winner-takes-all vote in Florida, but was determined to fight on.

Outgunned financially and facing the pro-Romney states of Nevada and Michigan, Gingrich campaign strategists were setting their sights on March and more friendly contests in the south where the former House Speaker can expect to benefit from bigger numbers of Tea Party and conservative Republicans.

They drew comfort, too, from future contests in which delegates would be apportioned according to how many votes candidates won, unlike in Florida where the winner collects all 50.

''Regardless of the message the Romney campaign wants to push and the media wants to deliver, this race is just getting started,'' wrote Mr Gingrich's national political director in a memo to staff and donors. » | Simon Mann | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Baltasar Garzón: Judge On Trial - Video Profile
This film follows Baltasar Garzón, a Spanish judge best known for having Chile's General Pinochet arrested, during his suspension from his job charged with an abuse of power. His trial marks a decisive moment for Garzón's career, for Spain's judicial system, and for the justice for which Garzón has become a standard-bearer

Read the article here | Giles Tremlett in Madrid | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

More Than 60 Dead in East European Cold Snap
REUTERS.COM: More than 60 people have died in a cold snap across Eastern Europe, authorities said on Tuesday, forcing some countries to call in the army to help secure food and medical supplies and set up emergency shelters for the homeless.

The temperature in Ukraine sank to minus 33 degrees Celsius (minus 27 Fahrenheit), the coldest in six years, while eastern Bosnia experienced lows of minus 31C and Poland, Romania and Bulgaria minus 30C.

Forecasters said the cold spell would last until Friday with further heavy snow expected across the region on Wednesday.

At least 30 people, most of them homeless, have died in Ukraine in the past five days, the Emergencies Ministry said. Another 500 people were treated in hospital for frostbite and other cold-related ailments. » | Reuters | Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Richard Balmforth in Kiev, Tsvetelia Tsolova in Sofia, Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo, Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade; Writing by Janet Lawrence; Editing by Mark Heinrich | KIEV | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Big Freeze Hits Eastern Europe »

Ed Miliband: David Cameron Has 'Sold Britain Down the River' in Europe
Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has accused David Cameron of selling Britain 'down the river' by leaving the UK isolated from Europe.

Read the article and comment » | Christopher Hope, in London and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Royal Navy to Send HMS Dauntless to Falkland Islands
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Royal Navy’s most sophisticated warship is being sent to the South Atlantic in a move that will send a powerful message to Argentina.

Dauntless will set sail for the Falkland Islands in the coming weeks armed with a battery of missiles that could "take out all of South America's fighter aircraft let alone Argentina's," according to one Navy source.

The Type 45 destroyer is the most advanced anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic ship in the world equipped with 48 Sea Viper missiles and the Sampson radar, which is more advanced than Heathrow air traffic control

The ship is in a league of its own in air defence able to track dozens of multiple targets
"It can shoot down Argentine fighters as soon as they take off from they bases," said another Navy source. "This will give Buenos Aires serious pause for thought." » | Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Norway Killer Anders Behring Breivik Wants First Interview with Foreign TV
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The gunman who killed 77 people in twin attacks in Norway wants to give his first interview to a foreign television channel before his trial opens in April, his lawyer was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Attorney Geir Lippestad told Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang (VG) that he had advised his client Anders Behring Breivik against giving any media interviews because "it is not wise to speak out before the trial".

"But Breivik has maintained that he would like to be interviewed by a foreign television channel," Lippestad said.

The 32-year-old right-wing extremist, who was declared by psychiatrists last year to be criminally insane, has not spoken to the media since his deadly rampage last July.

Numerous Norwegian and foreign media outlets have expressed an interest in interviewing Breivik in the high-security Ila prison near Oslo, where he is being held pending the opening of his trial on April 16. » | Source: AFP | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Syria: Bashar al Assad and Family 'Will Be Killed Like Gaddafi'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Syrian President Bashar al Assad, his British wife Asma and their family will meet a bloody end 'like Gaddafi' as his regime falls from power, a leading member of the opposition movement has warned

Haitham Maleh, a member of the executive committee of the Syrian National Council, told The Daily Telegraph that Mr Assad had forfeited any chance of a peaceful exit from Syria as a result of his regime's brutal crackdown on protesters.

The former judge, who has spent decades in Syrian prisons for his human rights activism, predicted that Mr Assad, his wife and three children would be killed in revenge for his failure to respond positively to peaceful demands for change.

"Assad and his family will be killed in Syria, their next steps will be very bloody," he said. "Two months ago we offered him the option to leave us alone and go but instead he went for the blood of his people. The end for him will be that he is killed like Gaddafi."

Persistent reports have emerged around the Middle East that Mrs Assad has sought to return to England - or at least flee the fighting in Damascus - with her three children, Hafez, Zein and Lareem. Al-Masry-Al-Youm reported yesterday that she was among a group of family members including the president's mother and cousins that was driving to the airport to leave but forced to turn back by an opposition ambush. » | Damien McElroy | Monday, January 30, 2012

AL-MASRY AL-YOUM: Syria's first lady falling from grace: Not so long ago, she was the darling of the international press, described as a "rose in the desert" and "a ray of light in a country full of shadow zones." ¶ But today, Syria's first lady is being likened to a modern-day Marie-Antoinette, drawing criticism for staying mum on a crisis that has left more than 5,000 people dead in her country. » | Saturday, January 14, 2012

Arianna Huffington: Beyond Left and Right
The co-founder of The Huffington Post on why the old concept of the political left and right marginalises issues.

Inside Story - The Impact of Twitter's Censorship Plan
As Twitter introduces a new procedure for self-censorship, is this the end of freedom of expression on the internet?

Jordan's King Receives Hamas Leader
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is in Jordan on his first official visit since he was forced to leave in 1999 for what authorities called "illicit and harmful" activities. The trip on Sunday by Meshaal, who was accompanied by Qatar's crown prince, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is seen as a rapprochement between the Jordanian monarchy and the Palestinian Islamist movement. Jordan's King Abdullah held talks with Meshaal, who is usually based in Damascus, and his five-member delegation of top Hamas officials including deputy chairman Mousa Abu Marzouk. Sheikh Tamim attended the talks as a mediator. Al Jazeera's Nisreen El Shamayleh reports from Amman.

Sharia Law from UK to Nigeria
A documentary about the extremely fast uprising of the sharia law in Nigeria.

Merkel to Join Sarkozy on Campaign Trail for French Presidential Election
THE GUARDIAN: Merkel's plan to make joint appearances with Sarkozy is seen as highly unusual but also a sign of things to come in Europe

Eyebrows are being raised across Europe after Angela Merkel pledged to join Nicholas Sarkozy on the campaign trail in his bid to be re-elected French president later this year.
In an unusual - and potentially risky - move, the German chancellor promised to go on the stump with her Gallic counterpart in an attempt to keep him in the Elysée.

Hermann Gröhe, general secretary of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), confirmed over the weekend that she would "actively support Nicolas Sarkozy with joint appearances in the election campaign in the spring".

While it is not uncommon for certain world leaders to campaign on behalf of friends in neighbouring countries - Vladimir Putin has often vigorously supported candidates in former Soviet states - European politicians have generally adhered to an unwritten pact not to interfere with elections in other member states.

They may support each other on certain issues - former German chancellor Helmut Kohl famously appeared on French TV alongside François Mitterand ahead of a referendum on France joining the euro - but to board their battle buses and speak at their rallies seems a new step, said Ulrike Guérot, an expert on Franco-German relations at the European Council on Foreign Relations. But, she said, it is likely to become ever more common as European leaders build a "transnational democracy". » | Helen Pidd in Berlin | Monday, January 30, 2012

Afghan Man Strangles Wife for Having Baby Girl
THE GUARDIAN: Afghan police say local militia member, who is still at large, killed the woman after she gave birth to a third daughter

An Afghan man killed his wife for giving birth to a third daughter rather than the son he hoped for, police in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province have said.

The victim, 28, known by the one name of Storai, was strangled by her husband, a local militia member, and his mother on Saturday "in revenge" for bearing the couple's third daughter three months ago in Mohasili village, police said.

Police said they arrested the victim's mother-in-law in connection with her death, but Storai's husband was still at large, probably sheltered by armed militia colleagues. » | Reuters in Kabul | Monday, January 30, 2012

Nicolas Sarkozy Says Britain Has 'No Industry'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Nicolas Sarkozy has stated Britain is a country with "no industry" as he set out "shock measures" to reinvigorate France's faltering economy.

Mr Sarkozy announced he would increase VAT by 1.6 per cent. When a journalist made the point that there had been an increase in prices in Britain after VAT rises, Mr Sarkozy claimed: "The United Kingdom has no industry anymore."

A UK official said: “It is not true. The percentage of GDP that is manufacturing is11 per cent, the same as in France.”

Manufacturing as a percentage of GDP was 11 per cent in the UK and in France in 2009, the last comparable figures.

“UK industrial production as a share of GDP was 15 per cent, compared to 12.5 per cent in France in the same year. What he said is not true. He has got an election.”

Defending his efforts to save the euro and the French economy, Mr Sarkozy said: “The financial crisis is calming down. Europe is no longer on the edge of the abyss...The elements of a stabilisation of the financial situation in the world and in Europe are in place.”

Mr Sarkozy all but announced his candidacy for the two-round election, due to be held on April 22 and May 6. “I have a rendezvous with the French,” he said. “I will not shirk my responsibility.”

But the uncharacteristically downbeat president admitted to having "regrets" about some of his policies, which he said he would address "at the appropriate time".

His remarks came a day after Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany backed his — as yet unannounced — re-election bid by unexpectedly announcing that she would join him on the campaign trail.

In a hour-long “do or die” TV interview broadcast simultaneously by nine channels, Mr Sarkozy adopted Churchillian tones as he unveiled measures from reducing working time and salaries to save jobs to raising VAT in order to cut employers’ contributions by €13 billion (£11 billion). However, the man who staked his presidency on boosting the French economy faces a tough task as he lags in the polls, unemployment stands at a 12-year high and public debt is at record levels. Read on and comment » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Monday, January 30, 2012

Norway Convicts Two Men over Al-Qaeda Plot on Danish Newspaper
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Two men were found guilty on Monday of involvement in an al-Qaeda plot to attack a Danish newspaper that caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, the first convictions under Norway's anti-terror laws.

A third defendant was acquitted of terror charges but convicted of helping the others acquire explosives.

Investigators say the plot was linked to the same al-Qaeda planners behind thwarted attacks against the New York subway system and a shopping mall Manchester in 2009.

The Oslo district court sentenced alleged ringleader Mikael Davud, to seven years in prison and co-defendant Shawan Sadek Saeed Bujak to three and a half years.

Judge Oddmund Svarteberg said the court found that Davud, a Chinese Muslim, "planned the attack together with al-Qaeda". Bujak was deeply involved in the preparations, but it couldn't be proved that he was aware of Davud's contacts with al-Qaeda, the judge said.

The third defendant, David Jakobsen, who assisted police in the investigation, was convicted on an explosives charge and sentenced to four months in prison – time he's already served in pretrial detention.

It wasn't immediately clear if any of the defendants would appeal. » | Source: AP | Monday, January 30, 2012

Ann Romney Speaking About Her Secret Battle With MS In Orlando, Fl. (August 31, 2011
The College Press had the chance to attend the recent Romney fundraiser where Ann Romney was speaking to her loyal following. While on stage Romney began to tell of her battle with MS and how she overcame the trials of this disease.

Mitt Romney on Newt Gingrich

Sarah Palin: They’re Trying to ‘Crucify’ Newt

Read the article here | MJ Lee | Friday, January 27, 2012

Leading Article: Crony Capitalism and Craven Folly
THE INDEPENDENT: What is it about bankers' pay that makes the hard-pressed majority feel that finance capitalism is a conspiracy against them? Could it be that, more than three years after the credit crunch of 2008, we feel that the unfair rewards in the sector that caused the crisis continue unabated? Could it be that the rewards now seem even more unfair because we, the taxpayers, put up the security to bail out the banks? Could it be that we feel that politicians, who mouthed slogans about fairness and how they would put an end to excessive pay, have played a cynical game? Could it be that the way banks pay their top people seems designed to confuse us, even when we, the taxpayers, are their shareholders.

All of those. The fuss over the bonus awarded to Stephen Hester, boss of RBS, a nationalised bank, has been running all week on the basis that it was conveniently just under a round £1m. David Cameron, one moment has been saying it was nothing to do with him, the next moment claiming credit for having cut it to 60 per cent of what it could have been. As we report today, Mr Hester's bonus turns out to have been a highly coloured decoy designed to draw outrage away from the main story, which is that the total sum he can hope to collect from his three years in charge of the bank, already heading towards £39m, could reach £50m in a couple of years more if the share price performs well.

That we have been distracted by a tiny detail in a show of monstrous greed is bound to leave us feeling once again bamboozled.

As Paul Vallely argues on the previous page, something has changed in people's perception of fairness, and it is simply impossible for Mr Cameron and Nick Clegg, his accessory in inequity, to maintain that we are "all in this together" when such vast riches are lavished on a public employee at the same time as capping the benefits of the poorest. » | Sunday, January 29, 2012