Friday, February 24, 2012
EXPRESS INDIA: New Delhi Instructed by Delhi High Court to probe a complaint against two radical Islamic preachers and their website announcing a march in New Delhi on March 3 to press for the enforcement of Sharia, police today said they would not allow any such march.
The website www.sharia4hind.com has been blocked and police have alerted hotels against hosting any individual connected to the proposed march or the “highly inflammatory” website.
The group’s head is London-based preacher Anjem Choudary, known for his fiery speeches and self-styled sharia court. Along with Islamic radical Omar Bakri Muhammad — he left the UK for Lebanon in 2005 — Choudary founded the al-Muhajiroun. He was the man behind Islam4UK and referred to Osama bin Laden as his “ameer” who had attained “martyrdom”.
Choudary told The Indian Express over phone from London that the march organisers have already been contacted by Delhi Police.
“I do not believe in Indian law, so there is no question of seeking any permission from the authorities there. We have organised a video conferencing on March 2 with Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad who is based in Lebanon. My visa application is under process with the Indian High Commission here and I expect to get it... We hope to arrive a day ahead of our press conference. But in case we are not given the visa, we will broadcast our address to the demonstration,’’ he said.
“Arabs have failed in terms of Deen (religion) and the call for Sharia is strong from non-Arab countries like Indonesia and India... many of us have been involved with al-Muhajiroun, al-Ghurabaa and Islam4UK,’’ he said. » | VijaitaSingh | Friday, February 24, 2012
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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fifteen years after Hong Kong was handed back to China, Mandarin has finally overtaken English as the island’s second most widely spoken language.
According to census figures released this week, 48 per cent of Hong Kong residents can speak Mandarin, compared to 46 per cent who can speak English. Cantonese remains the island’s dialect of choice, with 96 per cent of the population able to speak it.
While the proportion of English speakers has risen slightly since a census in 2001, the spread of Chinese has been far more rapid: ten years ago, only just over a third of the population could speak Mandarin. » | Malcolm Moore, Beijing | Friday, February 24, 2012
Mr Rudd, dumped as leader in 2010, attacked Ms Gillard as treacherous and untrustworthy and insisted she would not be able to win the next election.
“I want to finish the job the Australian people elected me to do,” he said.
"Rightly or wrongly Julia has lost the trust of the Australian people, and starting on Monday I want to start restoring that trust.”
Mr Rudd, who has higher approval ratings than Ms Gillard, targeted his pitch carefully at his fellow party members, saying that the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, was “beatable”.
“If we don't change the Labor Party is going to end up in opposition. We will all end up on the backbench. It is time for a reality check for everybody.” » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Friday, February 24, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Austrian doctors treating the Prince Johan Friso have said he suffered massive brain damage after being buried by an avalanche last week and may never regain consciousness.
Doctor Wolfgang Koller said on Friday that it took nearly 50 minutes to reanimate the prince, who is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
MRI scans have showed his brain suffered "massive damage" in the avalanche in Lech on Feb. 17 in which he was buried for at last 15 minutes.
Prince Friso, 43, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever. » | Friday, February 24, 2012
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WELT ONLINE: Prinz Johann Friso liegt im Wachkoma: Wien/Innsbruck - Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso hat bei seinem Lawinenunfall einen schweren Hirnschaden erlitten und bleibt womöglich lebenslang im Wachkoma. Seine Ärzte zweifeln, ob der 43-Jährige je wieder zu Bewusstsein kommt. ¶ Der Sauerstoffmangel habe das Gehirn schwer geschädigt, gaben die Mediziner am Freitag in Innsbruck bekannt. Eine Lawine hatte den zweitältesten Sohn von Königin Beatrix vor einer Woche beim Skifahren in Lech am Arlberg verschüttet. Die Königsfamilie sucht nun nach einer Reha-Klinik. ¶ Das Königshaus bat die Medien, die Privatsphäre der Familie zu respektieren. «Die Angehörigen von Prinz Friso müssen mit der Situation des Prinzen zurecht kommen und ihr Leben neu ordnen», hieß es in einer Mitteilung. Regierungschef Mark Rutte sagte, das ganze Land leide mit der Königsfamilie in diesen «Tagen der Sorge und Trauer». » | dpa | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012
STERN.DE: Wird Prinz Johan Friso jemals wieder aufwachen? : Die Ärzte haben kaum noch Hoffnung: Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso wird möglicherweise nie wieder aus dem Koma erwachen - 50 Minuten lang stand sein Herz nach seinem Ski-Unfall still. » | DPA/AFP | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012
LE POINT: Le prince Johan Friso ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance : Le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau et d'Amsberg, 43 ans, deuxième fils de la reine Beatrix accidenté dans une avalanche en Autriche, ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance, a annoncé vendredi un médecin de l'hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck (ouest). ¶ "On ne peut pas dire aujourd'hui avec certitude si le prince Friso reprendra un jour connaissance", a déclaré Wolfgang Koller, responsable de l'unité de soin traumatologique de l'hôpital lors d'une conférence de presse. » | AFP | vendredi 24 février 2012
PARIS MATCH: Le prince Johan Friso. Une vie brisée : L’équipe médicale de l’hôpital d'Innsbruck a indiqué vendredi ne pas avoir la certitude que le prince Johan Friso, victime d’une avalanche vendredi dernier, reprendra connaissance. ¶ «Peut-être trop longtemps». Des mots terribles, tant redoutés. En conférence de presse vendredi après-midi, le Dr Wolfgang Koller, chef du département de traumatologie de l'Hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck, a brisé le silence. Celui qui enveloppe le dramatique accident dont a été victime le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau de la famille royale des Pays-Bas. ¶ Le 17 février dernier, le fils cadet de la Reine Beatrix a été emporté par une avalanche. Il évoluait avec un ami en ski hors-piste dans la station de Lech, dans la province autrichienne du Vorarlberg. Transféré en hélicoptère à l'hôpital, il a été admis en soins intensifs dans un état jugé «critique mais stable». » | Lucie Dancoing - Parismatch.com | vendredi 24 février 2012
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My comment:
A theist believes God exists; an atheist believes He doesn't exist. Neither has proof; they are merely belief systems. So why should it surprise anyone when Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist? Nobody, however erudite or clever can be sure about God's existence or non-existence. And I believe it is true to say that Richard Dawkins has consistently stated so in his talks and writings. – © Mark
This comment also appears here
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An apology by Barack Obama over the accidental burning of Korans in an American airbase failed to prevent a fourth day of violent protest in Afghanistan with at least nine killed.
Thousands took to the streets after Friday prayers in towns and cities across the country, shouting anti-Western slogans and threatening violence against international and government targets.
In the worst of the day’s violence six protestors were killed and 65 wounded when a mob attempted to storm the American consulate in the Western city of Herat.
Mohiuddin, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the protests had been initially peaceful, but at 3pm shots had been fired by protestors and a police car pick-up truck had been fired.
He said: “They started trying to attack the American consulate. A police car was destroyed and there were many casualties.”
In Kabul hundreds marched on the palace of Hamid Karzai before they were dispersed by shots fired over their heads. » | Ben Farmer, Kabul | Friday, February 24, 2012
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NZZ ONLINE: Deutsche Bundeswehr gibt Lager in Afghanistan auf: Stützpunkt in Taloqan nach gewaltsamen Protesten komplett geräumt » | Reuters | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012
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WELT ONLINE: Mitten im Atomstreit lässt Teheran die Muskeln spielen. Das Land bereitet die Hinrichtung eines inhaftierten Pastors vor. Er soll in den nächsten Tagen gehenkt werden.
Beim Streit um das iranische Atomprogramm lässt Teheran an vielen Fronten die Muskeln spielen: gegenüber der Internationalen Atomenergiebehörde, in der Meerenge von Hormus und nun offenbar auch im Zentralgefängnis von Rasht im Norden des Landes.
Dort soll der inhaftierte Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in den nächsten Tagen hingerichtet werden. Das Gefängnispersonal habe bereits die Anweisung erhalten, die Exekution vorzubereiten. Das berichtet die Internationale Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte (IGFM).
Der 1977 geborene Pastor einer Pfingstgemeinde wurde vor anderthalb Jahren zum Tod durch den Strang verurteilt – wegen „Abfalls vom islamischen Glauben“. Dies löste in der westlichen Welt eine Welle der Empörung aus, auch in Deutschland.
Bundesregierung und Bundestag setzten sich für Nadarkhani ebenso ein wie die Deutsche Bischofskonferenz und Menschenrechtler. Mitten in der Auseinandersetzung um das Atomprogramm wird es plötzlich eng und ernst für den Pastor hinter Gittern. » | Von Thomas Winkel und Christoph Schmidt | KNA | Donnerstag, 23. Februar 2012
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THE HUFFINGTON POST: Religious minorities in the Muslim world today, constitutionally entitled in many countries to equality of citizenship and religious freedom, increasingly fear the erosion of those rights -- and with good reason. Inter-religious and inter-communal tensions and conflicts from Nigeria and Egypt and Sudan, to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia have raised major concerns about deteriorating rights and security for religious minorities in Muslim countries. Conflicts have varied, from acts of discrimination, to forms of violence escalating to murder, and the destruction of villages, churches and mosques.
In the 21st century, Muslims are strongly challenged to move beyond older notions of "tolerance" or "co-existence" to a higher level of religious pluralism based on mutual understanding and respect. Regrettably, a significant number of Muslims, like many ultra conservative and fundamentalist Christians, Jews and Hindus are not pluralistic but rather strongly exclusivist in their attitudes toward other faiths and even co-believers with whom they disagree.
Reform will not, however, result from exaggerated claims and alarmist and incendiary language such as that of Ayan Hirsi Ali in in a recent a Newsweek cover story, reprinted in The Daily Beast. » | John L. Esposito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs, Georgetown University | Thursday, February 23, 2012
Jodran Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, said he was informed on Monday by the pastor's legal team that the final execution order had been issued. At this point, said Sekulow, the pastor could be executed without the legal team's knowledge.
The White House issued a pointed statement on Thursday, strongly condemning the reports and renewed calls for Iranian authorities to release the pastor.
"This action is yet another shocking breach of Iran's international obligations, its own constitution, and stated religious values," stated a release by the White House. "The United States stands in solidarity with Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all those who seek to practice their religion without fear of persecution-a fundamental and universal human right. "
Mark Toner, spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State, released a similar statement on Thursday.
"We stand with religious and political leaders from around the world in condemning Youcef Nadarkhani's conviction and call for his immediate release," read the statement. » | Dan Mercia, CNN | Thursday, February 23, 2012
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BBC: A bill that would legalise gay marriage in the US state of Maryland has been approved in the state Senate, less than a week after it passed the state House.
The bill, which will become law when signed by Governor Martin O'Malley, who sponsored it, will make Maryland the eighth US state to permit gay marriage. » | Thursday, February 23, 2012
In an argument on his "Restoring Liberty" blog, Miller claims President Obama's opposition to oil development is so deep he's refusing to reclaim several islands from Russia and the oil-rich seabed around them.
Some of the islands off the Kamchatka Peninsula and Russia's northern coast are hundreds of miles from Alaska, so they wouldn't be easy to maintain. They include Wrangel Island, where American naturalist John Muir once landed as part of an expedition that claimed the island for the U.S.
Miller, who lost to Sen. Lisa Murkowski's write-in campaign in Alaska's 2010 Senate election, says on his blog:
Part of Obama’s apparent war against U.S. energy independence includes a foreign-aid program that directly threatens my state’s sovereign territory. Obama’s State Department is giving away seven strategic, resource-laden Alaskan islands to the Russians. Yes, to the Putin regime in the Kremlin.Miller concedes that past presidents have also balked at the chance to reclaim the islands lying off Russia's coasts. The deal was struck in 1990 under the first George Bush. His son, G.W., and Bill Clinton are culpable, too.
According to Miller's argument, the islands were given to Russia in a 1990 maritime agreement approved by the U.S. State Department. But it was not ratified by treaty, he claims. Thus, Obama or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton can take those islands back with "the stroke of a pen." But they're not doing so, even though a group called State Department Watch has asked, according to Miller.
The idea that the U.S. can reclaim the islands is an old one in Alaska. The State Department has apparently said the U.S. has no legal claim to the islands. » | Alex DeMarban | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Britain should open negotiations with Argentina over immigration to the Falklands and the distribution of natural resources in the south Atlantic, the actor Sean Penn says.
In a Guardian article, Penn criticises Britain for sending a message of "pre-emptive intimidation" to Argentina after the deployment of Prince William to the islands.
Penn has written for the Guardian after he was criticised for describing Britain's claim to sovereignty over the Falklands as "colonialist, ludicrous and archaic". The actor said his remarks had been distorted by the "transparently corrupt and non-diligent propaganda machine" of the British press. » | Nicholas Watt, political correspondent | Thursday, February 23, 2012
PENGUIN NEWS: Argentine academics call for change » | Thursday, February 23, 2012
MERCO PRESS: Argentine group insists with Falklands’ self determination and sharing natural resources: A group of Argentine intellectuals, academics and free-thinkers have criticized President Cristina Fernandez government strategy of confronting the UK on the Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute and called for dialogue that guarantees the self determination of the Falkland Islanders. » | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE GUARDIAN: Argentinian intellectuals question country's claim to the Falklands: Group of 17 prominent figures comes in for criticism for supporting Falklands inhabitants' right to self-determination » | Uki Goni in Buenos Aires | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
As Sarkozy's Burqa ban becomes a reality, the debate continues: is the Muslim cover-all a threat to Western society, or is banning the Burqa xenophobic and robbing women of their religious identity?
Following the debate across France in the run-up to the ban, this report offers an insight into both sides of the case. In mosques tempers flare:"You are allowed to dress how you want, but I don't have that right. Is this freedom?". Yet Sarkozy supporters are adamant that the veil represents an affront to French values and that the president even has the support of an Imam of a Mosque in Paris, who says that the ban "gives a positive image of Islam".
A Film By ABC Australia
Distributed By Journeyman Pictures
May 2010
Mehr als 30 Jahre lang hat Yehuda Ressler für diesen Augenblick gekämpft. Jetzt ist der pensionierte Rechtsanwalt "überglücklich, ja ekstatisch": Israels höchster Gerichtshof gab ihm in der Klage 6298/07 Recht, die Ressler 1981 eingereicht hatte. Sie sollte die Freistellung ultraorthodoxer Juden vom Militärdienst beenden. Sechs von neun Richtern kamen jetzt zu dem Ergebnis, dass das Gesetz tatsächlich gegen den Grundsatz der Gleichstellung verstößt - und fordern Änderungen.
"Ein himmelschreiendes historisches Unrecht kommt damit seinem Ende näher", sagt Ressler. Viele Israelis fühlen wie er. Das Urteil des Gerichts befasst sich mit einer der heikelsten und ältesten Streitfragen der israelischen Innenpolitik: Eigentlich muss jeder jüdische Israeli drei, jede jüdische Israelin zwei Jahre Wehrdienst leisten, danach zusätzlich bis zu 30 Tage Reservedienst bis zum 45. Lebensjahr. Doch seit der Staatsgründung 1948 gibt es eine große Ausnahme: Der erste Premier David Ben-Gurion enthob alle ultraorthodoxen Thoraschüler der Wehrpflicht.
"Diese Ungleichheit! Meine Enkel müssen bald in die Armee, und ultraorthodoxe Eltern schlafen weiter in Ruhe, weil ihre Kinder nicht dienen müssen und von meinen geschützt werden!", sagt Ressler. » | Von Gil Yaron, Tel Aviv | Donnerstag, 23. Februar 2012
These days, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agitates against the United States, Israel and the West, all the while presenting himself as a proud advocate of nuclear energy in his country. The deputy chief of Iran's military forces is threatening to launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran's enemies. Bombs believed to have been set by Iranian agents have exploded in India, Georgia and Thailand. And, in a show of force, Iran has dispatched warships to the Mediterranean.
Such actions, which are more customary for a major power, dominate the headlines on an almost daily basis. In turn, the West has toughened its sanctions, and Israeli politicians have openly discussed a possible military strike against Iran.
Such reports and statements usually only provide clues about what leaders and experts are thinking. But how do educated Iranians feel about these rising tensions and their potential for triggering a conflict?
Of course, it's difficult to ascertain the views of Iranians. State censorship is tight, and foreign journalists are rarely allowed into the country. Nevertheless, it is possible to make contact with some Iranians. And when you speak with them, you learn something quite surprising: Even if they oppose Ahmadinejad, their radical president, most of these Iranians still view their country as the victim in the current circumstances. They also view the West as an enemy and fail to consider or acknowledge that there are massive differences between hawks in Israel and doves within the Obama administration.
"After 9/11, George W. Bush systematically portrayed Iran as the bogeyman. That's happening again now. I have seen no indication that we are building a nuclear bomb," says one professor in Tehran who, like the others interviewed for this story, preferred to remain anonymous. There is no freedom of opinion in Iran, and saying the wrong thing can stir up trouble -- especially when it has to do with the country's nuclear policies. » | Hasnain Kazim, in Islamabad, Pakistan | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Kabul/Berlin - Die internationale Schutztruppe Isaf in Afghanistan ist wegen der anhaltenden Demonstrationen aufgebrachter Muslime gegen die Koran-Verbrennungen durch US-Soldaten alarmiert. Sie befürchtet eine weitere Eskalation der Gewalt am Hindukusch. Mit den tödlichen Schüssen auf zwei Militärs der Nato-geführten Schutztruppe haben die Proteste am Donnerstag eine neue Eskalationstufe erreicht. Internationale Diplomaten und die Schutztruppe befürchten inzwischen einen regelrechten Flächenbrand.
Zwar registrierte man im Nato-Hauptquartier in Kabul am späten Donnerstagnachmittag eine langsame Beruhigung der Lage, dennoch blicken die Militärs mit großer Sorge auf Freitag: Angeheizt durch Predigten in den Moscheen, so die Befürchtung, könne sich die Gewalt noch einmal steigern. "Wir bereiten uns auf einen heißen Freitag vor", sagt ein Offizier in Kabul. » | Von Matthias Gebauer und Shoib Najafizada | Donnerstag, 23. Februar 2012
AFP: ABUJA — Le groupe radical islamiste Boko Haram, impliqué dans de nombreux attentats et assassinats au Nigeria, a des liens avec Al-Qaïda, a affirmé jeudi à Abuja un haut responsable militaire nigérian, établissant ainsi officiellement ce lien pour la première fois.
"Nous avons eu la preuve des liens entre la secte Boko Haram et l'entrainement et le soutien prodigués par Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique (Aqmi)", a indiqué le chef d'état-major de l'aviation nigériane, le général Oluseyi Petinrin. » | AFP | jeudi 23 février 2012
arte JOURNAL: Gilles Kepel est professeur à Sciences Po. Il étudie l'islam et le monde contemporain depuis plus de vingt ans. Dans ses deux derniers ouvrages, "Quatre-vingt-treize" et "Banlieues de la République", publiés aux éditions Gallimard en février 2012, il a travaillé sur l'islam de France. Non plus celui de la génération des immigrants, mais celui de leurs enfants, nés en France et de nationalité française. Quelle est leur pratique de l'islam ? Quel rôle joue la religion pour ces nouvelles générations ? Pour ARTE Journal, Gilles Kepel a répondu aux questions de David Bornstein. Entretien.
Lors des dernières législatives est apparue une génération de jeunes musulmans engagés en politique. Ce n'est d'ailleurs pas encore ou pas du tout un thème de la campagne pour la présidentielle. Il y a eu des efforts en ce sens mais cela semble insuffisant, quel est votre commentaire ? (+ vidéos) » | mercredi 22 février 2012
"Such surveillance has become commonplace in New York City in the decade since the 2001 terrorist attacks," Goldman rightly points out. "The documents obtained by the AP show, for the first time in any detail, how those efforts stretched outside the NYPD's jurisdiction."
But as he himself acknowledges, "[t]he report cited no evidence of terrorism or criminal behavior." Indeed, it's just "a guide to Newark's Muslims." Nothing creepy about NYPD spending months monitoring Muslims outside their jurisdiction, at all. And what could be more helpful to the aspiring gourmand than a handbook of the best Halal joints in Newark? With that in mind, we've re-arranged some of the dry NYPD "notes," Zagat-style, to bring you: The NYPD Guide to Newark's Best Muslim Restaurants. » | Max Read | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
He reportedly cheated on his wife with at least three other women.
But now Eric Schmidt’s infidelity could cost him dearly amid claims he is heading for a divorce costing up to $1.5billion - the second most expensive in history.
The Google executive chairman is planning to sell 2.4million of his shares in the company to help pay for his split with wife Wendy as he continues a year and half long liaison with Manhattan beauty Lisa Shields.
Schmidt is looking towards a ‘transition and an amicable separation and settlement’ with the mother of his two children, but needs the extra cash to pay for it according to the New York Post.
If it all goes to his wife it would mean Schmidt, the 136th richest man in the world, would be giving away a quarter of his $6.2billion fortune to Wendy, to whom he has been married for 13 years. » | Daniel Bates | Thursday, February 23, 2012
Dieses Video wurde vorwiegend in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch) aufgenommen.
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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Swedish Crown princess gives birth to baby girl: Sweden's Prince Daniel says his wife, Crown Princess Victoria, has given birth to their first child, a baby girl. » | AP | Thursday, February 23, 2012
“What I am trying to do is open up a dialogue about religion. There is such Islamophobia in the West. Islam is not a religion of violence any more than Judaism or Christianity is,” Stone told The New York Post, after going to Iran to convert to Shia Islam and meeting with top Iranian officials, including its dictator, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
On his feted trip throughout Iran, Stone didn’t meet with Youcef, the Christian pastor of four hundred and father of two who has been languishing in prison for nearly two and half years, who was just recently sentenced to die by a trial court.
His crime? Apostasy–that is, leaving Islam, what Stone would have you believe is a “religion of peace.” Read on and comment » | Charles C. Johnson | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE AMERICAN MUSLIM: Muslims worldwide groaned upon hearing the news that Oliver Stone’s son, Sean, converted to Islam while filming a documentary in Iran.
Although we — the collective 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide — assume Sean Stone is a fine, upstanding man and sincerely wish him spiritual contentment, we earnestly ask Allah why Islam only attracts controversial celebs (in this case, the son of a controversial celeb) who further tarnish our already toxic brand name?
We plead to the heavens for an answer as to why he converted in Iran, of all places, which is currently the most feared and loathed country in America and about as popular as herpes.
We have patiently endured, oh, Allah.
We miraculously survived Mike Tyson, who converted to Islam while incarcerated, and then angrily threatened Lennox Lewis in an infamous interview: “I want your heart. I will eat his children. Praise be to Allah.”
Awesome.
Islam has the lowest favorability rating of any religion in America. If Islam were a world economy, it would be Greece. If it were a professional athlete, it would be San Francisco 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams, who muffed two critical punts, which helped the New York Giants reach the Super Bowl. If Islam went to the prom, it would be the ugly girl with freckles and an overbite standing in the corner with a bucket of pig’s blood teetering precariously over its head. If Islam were a Republican presidential candidate, it would be Newt Gingrich. » | Wajahat Ali | Thursday, February 23, 2012
The ceremony was held in Isfahan, where he is researching a documentary. He now goes by the name of Sean Christopher Ali Stone.
He told Page Six: “I’ve already experienced the reverse of anti-Semitism, having people within the film industry express a reluctance to work with me now that I have said a simple prayer, ‘There is no God but God, and Mohammed is his messenger.’ I am sure I have [bleeped] off some powerful people.” Speaking over dinner at Barrio 47, Sean told us, “Having read the Koran and having been around the Islamic culture, especially in Iran, I do believe that Mohammed is a prophet of the same god worshipped by other religions.
“I am of a Jewish bloodline, a baptized Christian who accepts Christ’s teachings, the Jewish Old Testament and the Holy Koran. I believe there is one God, whether called Allah or Jehovah or whatever you wish to name him. He creates all peoples and religions. I consider myself a Jewish Christian Muslim.
“What I am trying to do is open up a dialogue about religion. There is such Islamophobia in the West. Islam is not a religion of violence any more than Judaism or Christianity is.” Read on and comment » | Monday, February 20, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH STUDENTS’ UNION: If you read any newspaper it is likely the words associated with the Muslim religion are Extremism, Terrorism, or maybe just Kebabs.
As students, you owe it to yourselves to learn, experience and educate one another about the different faiths and ways of life that are becoming more and more prominent in our society, particularly on campus.
This is why I am so happy to see the Islamic Society of Portsmouth SU introduce Islamic Awareness Week!
Through a variety of different events including a range of lectures, exhibitions and sporting activities it seems as if the Islamic Society of Portsmouth SU have made it their personal mission to spread the true message of Islam on our campus.
This will include a talk on the power of intention, (sincerity in faith)the need for God and even a debate. However, the two topics that have really caught my eye is firstly, the speech that will be given by the world famous Yvonne Ridley. Mrs Ridley will talk about her journey from a ‘Western’ Feminist to becoming ‘Muslim’ Feminist. This lecture tackles the clash of cultures between Islam and the west dealing with many of the misunderstood concepts in the religion including the portrayal of women. » | Godfrey Atuahene Junior | Thursday, February 23, 2012
How Muslims are spreading the word about Islam on our university campuses. At this rate, the West will be Islamized in no time. That ‘New Dark Age’ is dawning faster than one might have thought! – © Mark
THE GUARDIAN: Panel of UN experts says senior Syrian officials, including, it is claimed, President Assad, could face investigation
The United Nations has drawn up a list of the most senior officials in the Syrian regime, including, it is claimed, President Bashar al-Assad himself, who it says should be investigated for ordering "crimes against humanity" and other gross human rights violations.
The sealed report prepared by the UN-appointed independent international commission of inquiry on Syria has been handed over to the UN high commissioner for human rights.
While it accuses both parties to the conflict of torture and extra-judicial executions, it says that the opposition's rights violations are in no way "comparable in scale and organisation" to the abuses being carried out by the Assad regime, which have led to thousands of deaths. » | Peter Beaumont | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australia's leadership crisis has exposed a paralysing dilemma that the ruling Labour party has never been able to resolve: its path to success lies with a leader, Kevin Rudd, who is deeply loathed by his colleagues.
For all his jarring quirks and transparently feigned "blokey-ness", Mr Rudd appears to have connected with the Australian public, while Julia Gillard – with her workaday manner – has not.
For most of his time as prime minister, Mr Rudd enjoyed soaring public approval ratings which kept at bay his party colleagues, who largely regarded him as a selfish and egotistical autocrat. When his polls finally dipped, the party swooped – and Ms Gillard deposed of him in a sudden coup in 2010.
The caucus virtually unanimously backed Ms Gillard – prompting Mr Rudd to resign rather than face the ignominy of a ballot – and seemed to believe it had shaken off a tyrant. The public, however, was surprised to discover that a small group of little-known power brokers had orchestrated the demise of a prime minister they had elected in a landslide. » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Edith Bouvier, a French reporter for Le Figaro, has appealed for urgent medical attention and asked to be evacuated quickly from the Syrian flashpoint city of Homs.
Her appeal came as the Syrian information minister claimed the governor of Homs had been told to try to evacuate Western journalists killed or wounded in the besieged Baba Amr district, following the deaths of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik.
Adnan Mahmum, the information minister told the AFP news agency: "For humanitarian reasons, and although they entered the country without a permit to go to an area controlled by terrorists, the governor of Homs has been told to exert every effort possible to evacuate the journalists."
Veteran Sunday Times reporter Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik, with the IP3 Press agency, were killed on Wednesday when a rocket hit a makeshift media centre in the rebel district.
Ms Bouvier, a reporter for French daily Le Figaro and Sunday Times photographer Paul Conroy were wounded.
Syrian rebels posted a video on YouTube today in which she said she needed urgent medical attention and asked to be evacuated quickly.
"My leg is broken at the level of the femur, along its length and also horizontally. I need to be operated upon as soon as possible," said Bouvier, who appeared calm and coherent, even occasionally smiling weakly.
"The doctors here have treated me very well, as much as they are able, but their are not able to undertaken surgical procedures," she said.
"I need a ceasefire and a medically-equipped vehicle, or at least one in good condition, that can get me to the Lebanese border so that I can be treated in the shortest possible time," she said, lying on a sofa under a blanket. »
LE FIGARO: Blessée à Homs, la journaliste française appelle à l'aide : Édith Bouvier, la collaboratrice du Figaro qui a été blessée aux jambes dans les bombardements de Homs mercredi demande «au plus vite» un cessez-le-feu pour pouvoir être opérée. » | Par lefigaro.fr | jeudi 23 février 2012
Mr Joyce remains MP for Falkirk, but cannot take the Labour whip in the Commons until the completion of a police investigation into the affair.
Scotland Yard confirmed that officers detained a man in his 50s after being called to reports of an incident at a bar within the Palace of Westminster at around 10.50pm. He was taken into custody at a central London police station.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “This is an extremely serious incident. We have suspended Eric Joyce pending the results of the police investigation.” » | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: MP Eric Joyce arrested and suspended from Labour party over House of Commons brawl: Eric Joyce, the Labour MP for Falkirk, has been arrested by police and suspended from the Labour Party allegedly headbutting another MP in a row over chairs in a bar of the House of Commons. » | Donna Bowater, and Matthew Holehouse | Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Net migration rose in the first year following the election despite the Government’s pledge to cut the figure significantly.
Official figures show that the number of people coming to live in Britain for more than a year, minus those who moved abroad, stood at 250,000 in the year to June 2011. This represents a rise on the figure of 235,000 for the year to June 2010, just after the Coalition came to power.
Fewer people are emigrating while increasing numbers continue to settle here, in particular students from Commonwealth countries in Africa and on the Indian subcontinent.
The number of National Insurance numbers given to foreign-born workers rose by 11 per cent, which is likely to fuel fears that immigration is worsening unemployment figures.
Meanwhile the number of asylum seekers from troubled countries including Libya and Iran rose by 11 per cent and the number of people being deported fell sharply.
It also provides more evidence that ministers will struggle to fulfil their pledge to cut net migration to “tens of thousands” by 2015. » | Martin Beckford, Home Affairs Editor | Thursday, February 23, 2012
"I wish to express my deep regret for the reported incident," Obama wrote in the letter delivered to Karzai today, and released by the Afghanistan government. "I extend to you and the Afghan people my sincere apologies."
"The error was inadvertent," the letter added. "I assure you that we will take the appropriate steps to avoid any recurrence, to include holding accountable those responsible."
The burning incident triggered anti-U.S. riots that have killed at least 14 people, including two American soldiers. » | David Jackson | USA TODAY | Thursday, February 23, 2012
It says quite a lot about the state of the Republican Party that the right-wing extremist Rick Santorum -- a politician so despised by his own Pennsylvania constituents that he lost his U.S. Senate seat by an 18-point margin -- is now the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination. And not by a little, I might add -- by 10 points, according to that latest national tracking poll by Gallup.
As increasing numbers of people identify themselves as independent voters -- independent of the major political parties, that is -- the essence of the Republican Party has distilled into a toxic brew of resentment, prejudice, anti-intellectualism and misogyny. In truth, the party has been headed this way for a long time, but the election of Barack Obama -- a moderately liberal African American man with an African-Islamic name -- offered the perfect catalyst for the alchemists of the right to convert their everyday potion of pique into something far more fortified.
Enter Rick Santorum, a presidential candidate regarded as little more than a joke a mere month ago. Santorum presents himself as everything Obama is not, and represents the opposite of everything those anti-Obama right-wing tropes, the lies both whispered and shouted, purport the president to be. There are liberals who relish the possibility of a Santorum nomination; at the Daily Kos, founder Markos Moulitsas is urging liberals to vote for Santorum in open primaries, on the reasonably sound theory that Santorum is too crazy to win the presidency. Perhaps.
"The longer this GOP primary drags on, the better the numbers for Team Blue," Markos writes. Fair enough, but is it good for America? If Santorum gets to bear the standard for the GOP, the party moves even further to the right from where it is now. Difficult to imagine, I know. But sooner or later the Republican Party wins big, when voters tire of the Democrats, or the Democrats screw up in a major way. And then, we'll all be ruled by the Santorum agenda, or something like it. Here's a taste of what's on that plate, based on Santorum's own extremist claims. » | Adele M. Stan | AlterNet | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – CON COUGHLIN: Marie Colvin, who has been killed in the Syrian city of Homs, was without doubt one of the finest foreign correspondents of her generation, and also one of the most fearless. In the 25 years or so years that I have known Marie she was invariably to be found on the front line of the world's most dangerous conflicts, laughing off the very real risks she faced as though it was just another day in the office. Beirut, Gaza, Iraq, the Balkans, Sri Lanka – wherever there was trouble, you could guarantee that Marie would be in the thick of it. » | Con Coughlin | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Related »
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L'ancien président égyptien, 83 ans, est accusé d'être impliqué dans la mort de manifestants durant la révolte contre son régime il y a un an, et de corruption. L'accusation a requis la peine capitale.
Le verdict dans le procès de Hosni Moubarak est fixé au 2 juin, a déclaré le président de la cour pénale chargée de juger l'ancien président égyptien, Ahmed Refaat.
Les peines des autres accusés seront également annoncées à cette date. » | afp/Newsnet | mercredi 22 février 2012
As David Cameron took yet another battering in the Commons this week over his Government’s health reforms, his mind may have gone back to a moment a few months after he arrived in No 10.
Signs of unease over plans for the reorganisation of the health service were emerging and the PM called Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary. Mr Lansley was away, so two special advisers were invited to Downing Street to give Mr Cameron a five-minute briefing on the reforms. The pair struggled vainly – for much longer than five minutes – to encapsulate the Lansley scheme. As the door closed behind them the PM turned to Steve Hilton, his strategy guru, and said grimly: “We’re f–––ed.”
As a former public relations man, he recognised that if those closest to it could not give him a succinct account of the flagship health policy then it would be nigh on impossible to sell it to the voters. So it is proving. Yet insiders say that the battles over health reform are part of a greater problem. They fear that there is a hole at the very heart of government, that No 10 itself lacks overall direction, that it is losing clout in Whitehall (though it’s not as bad as things became under Gordon Brown).
There are unfavourable comparisons between Tony Blair’s Downing Street and that of David Cameron, particularly when it comes to the calibre of people around the PM. As one senior official put it: “Cameron has brought a welcome return to Cabinet government and nobody wants to go back to the days under Labour when we had sofa government and all decisions were on the basis of 'Tony says…’ But the centre has lost too much clout.” » | Sue Cameron | Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The problem for Cameron is that he came to power through his sheer determination to be prime minister, regardless. I dare say he felt that being prime minister was his birthright. Unfortunately, however, he appears to have given far more consideration to getting the job than he has to what he was going to do once he got it. In a few words, he is not a politician of conviction as Mrs. Thatcher was. Love Maggie or hate her, no-one can deny that she knew exactly where she wanted to get, she knew exactly where she wanted to take the country. And Cameron? Where exactly does he want to take the country? Fact is, he himself probably doesn't even know.
It must also be said that, to his detriment, Cameron is not a strong man. His weakness is written all over his face. In addition, I think many people would agree with me when I say that he is not a natural politician either.
Kudos was always more important to Cameron than policy. Moreover, what does he actually know about the country he is trying to lead? Has he got any idea what life is like for Mr. & Mrs. Average in the street?
Mrs. Thatcher, by contrast, as the daughter of a grocer, had to pull herself up by the bootstraps, and pull herself up by the bootstraps she did, by sheer dint of her determination, perseverance, grit and personality. Alas, Cameron is no male version of Mrs. Thatcher. – © Mark
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