BP Reaches £4.9bn Gulf Oil Spill Deal
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: BP has agreed to pay $7.8bn (£4.9bn) to American businesses hit by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in an eleventh-hour deal that's likely to be welcomed in the City of London on Monday.

The UK oil company will pay damages to the thousands of hoteliers, shrimpers and oystermen along the Gulf Coast who were caught up in America's worst oil spill. The settlement follows a week of intense talks in New Orleans between lawyers for the local businesses and BP's legal team.

Following the agreement, US District Judge Carl Barbier delayed for a second time the trial into who should shoulder the blame for the explosion that killed 11 people and injured many more in April 2010. The trial had been rescheduled to start tomorrow after Judge Barbier had given BP another week to find a deal.

"The proposed settlement represents significant progress toward resolving issues from the accident and contributing further to economic and environmental restoration efforts along the Gulf Coast," said Bob Dudley, BP's chief executive. » | Richard Blackden, New York | Saturday, March 03, 2012

New Dark Age Alert! US Troops Could Face Disciplinary Action Over Qur'an Burning In Afghanistan
THE GUARDIAN: Afghan-US military inquiry may lead to review of at least five personnel despite concluding burning of texts unintentional

At least five US military personnel could face a disciplinary review following the burning of copies of the Qur'an by American soldiers in Afghanistan.

A joint investigation by senior Afghan and US military officials has concluded that although mistakes were made when troops at Bagram airbase, near Kabul, had burned copies of the Qur'an and other religious literature along with piles of waste paper, there was no intent to desecrate the Islamic religious texts.

A western official said the investigation could lead to a disciplinary review of at least five US military personnel involved. » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Far-right Supporters Agree with Armed Attacks
THE GUARDIAN: Audit into attitudes and beliefs of UK's rightwing extremists to reveal 'significant support' for planned violent attacks

Significant numbers of far-right supporters in the UK consider violence and "armed conflict" a legitimate form of political expression, experts will warn this week.

The first audit into the attitudes and beliefs of Britain's rightwing extremists, collated in a report by the thinktank Chatham House, will reveal that there is a "significant level of support" for planned violent attacks.

Next month the trial will begin of Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right extremist who has confessed to the murder of 77 people in Norway last July. Breivik, an Islamophobe, said he carried out the attacks on Utoya Island and Oslo to help protect Europe from a "Muslim takeover".

The report, which polled 2,152 far-right supporters, raises concerns that the path of extremism followed by Breivik, from membership of a mainstream rightwing party to far-right terrorist, should be recognised as a possibility for UK counterparts. » | Mark Townsend and Richard Orange | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Homophobia Is Declining in Schools, Study Claims

THE GUARDIAN: Teenagers no longer stigmatise being gay, argues Brunel University sociologist Mark McCormack

Teenagers face far less homophobia among their peers than ever before because the stigma of being gay is melting away in secondaryschools, according to a new book.

The anti-gay prejudices of the 80s and early 90s are disappearing, claims Mark McCormack, a sociologist at Brunel University. McCormack spent six months in each of three schools in the same UK town to study attitudes of 16- to 18-year-olds. In his book, The Declining Significance of Homophobia: How Teenage Boys are Redefining Masculinity and Heterosexuality, he says that, for this age group, pro-gay attitudes are held in high esteem and homophobia is as unacceptable as racism. He also suggests that the phrase "so gay", used to rubbish things, is unrecognisable to teens as homophobic.

"A lot of prejudice is based on stigma," he added, "and actually the stigma around being gay has dropped off. The coming-out narrative is changing too, with parents being OK." The internet had helped to dispel the isolation young gay people have felt in the past, he said.

"Twenty years ago, there were few openly gay people in the media; today, you can turn on Radio 2 and there's Graham Norton, Alan Carr, Paul O'Grady, all of whom now are mainstream. There is a fundamental change in the cultural discourse. » | Tracy McVeigh | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Battle Hymn of the Republic - London 2001
Battle Hymn of the Republic sung by a uniting congregation of thousands at Saint Paul's Cathedral for the Memorial Services in London, England. Memorial Services are attended by the Royal Family on September 14th 2001 for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Prayer services are by the Reverend and Archbishop of Canterbury (1991-2002), George Carey. Music was written by William Steffe 1855 and lyrics written by Julia Ward Howe 11/17/1861. [Mine Eyes Have Seen the Coming of the Glory of the Lord]
Watch/Listen here

Catholic Leader Cardinal Keith O'Brien Clashes with David Cameron on Same-sex Marriage Plans

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Catholic Church is on a collision course with David Cameron as one of its most senior figures issues an outspoken attack on the Government over its plans to legalise gay marriage.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, says the proposals to allow same-sex unions are “madness” and a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right”.

The cardinal’s intervention, in an article for The Sunday Telegraph, is the strongest criticism yet from any church figure of the plans, which are due to be unveiled this month by Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister.

He accuses ministers of trying to “redefine reality” and change long-standing laws and traditions “at the behest of a small minority of activists”.

The cardinal has added his voice to those of leading figures in the Coalition for Marriage, a group of bishops, politicians and lawyers opposed to the changes. The group’s supporters include Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.

The group is in outright opposition to Mr Cameron, who hopes to make legislation changing the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, expected by 2015, one of the central achievements of his time in office. » | Patrick Hennessy and Edward Malnick | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Santé – Cannabis : Nocif pour la mémoire
FRANCE SOIR: Une étude publiée par l'Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) révèle que la consommation de cannabis nuit gravement à la mémoire.

Cannabis et mémoire ne font pas bon ménage. Dans une étude publiée ce vendredi dans la revue Cell, l'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) met en évidence le fait que la consommation de cannabis altère la mémoire dite « du travail ».

En effet, l'équipe de Giovanni Marsicano (unité Inserm 862 « Neurocentre Magendie » à l'Université Bordeaux Segalen), en collaboration avec l'équipe de Xia Zhang (Université d'Ottawa, Canada), a révélé de quelle manière cette drogue agit sur les connexions s'établissant entre les neurones du cerveau. » | Par A. K. | vendredi 02 mars 2012

Marijuana scrambles your brain and leads to memory loss »

Innenminister Friedrich legt nach: „Die Multikulti-Illusion ist gescheitert“

FOCUS ONLINE: Eine Studie zu Muslimen in Deutschland sorgt für heftige Diskussionen in der Integrationsdebatte. Innenminister Friedrich legt nun mit deutlichen Worten nach – und fordert eine verstärkte Ausbildung von Imamen in Deutschland.

Der Satz, der von Bundespräsident Wulff am ehesten im Gedächtnis bleiben wird, ist wohl: „Der Islam gehört zu Deutschland“. Einer der ersten, die Wulff widersprachen, war Innenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich von der CSU. Er entgegnete dem damaligen Bundespräsidenten: „Dass der Islam zu Deutschland gehöre, ist eine Tatsache, die sich auch aus der Historie nirgends belegen lässt.“

Diese Aussage hat Friedrich jetzt in einem Interview mit der „Bild“-Zeitung vom Samstag noch einmal erklärt. Er sagte: „Die Identität dieses Landes wurde nun mal über Jahrhunderte durch die christliche Religion geprägt. Es wird sich zeigen, ob der Islam ein europäisches Gesicht bekommt.“ Nach Ansicht von Friedrich zeigt er das nämlich nicht immer. In seiner Meinung sieht er sich auch durch eine Studie bestätigt, die kürzlich erschienen ist. » | fma/dpa | Samstag, 03. März 2012

Verwandt hier,

New Dark Age Alert! Transforming Britain into Lebanon
Paul Weston, the Chairman of the British Freedom Party, spoke at a private event in New York City on February 23. His appearance was part of a tour of the United States and Canada.

HT: Baron Bodissey of Gates @ Vienna »

FIFA to Vote on Lifting Hijab Ban, Prince Ali Says Scarf Poses No Danger

TORONTO STAR: Sprained ankles. Pulled hamstrings. Bloodied knees.

The 350 girls in the Islamic Soccer League are not afraid of a little rough stuff on Toronto’s east-end pitches, logging trophy wounds and earning bragging rights playing the game they love.

But not one girl has been on the DL because of hijab injury – despite insistence by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, that headscarves are a danger to Islamic women who want to bend it like Beckham.

“We’ve never had an incident where hijab was an issue,” says Majied Ali, president of the 1,600-member ISL, whose female players – aged 5 to 18 –play with or without hijab. He estimates about 75 per cent of the girls wear it.

“Most of our girls tie hijab round their heads, not around their necks, somewhat similar to how a bandana is tied. Some other girls have invested in the Velcro-type of (tear-away) hijab.” » | Mary Ormsby | Feature Writer | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Islamic Rages Aimed at Enslaving the West
THE DICKINSON PRESS: Six U.S. military men have been murdered by Afghan security forces seized by what may be labeled Quran-Burning Rage.

Six U.S. military men have been murdered by Afghan security forces seized by what may be labeled Quran-Burning Rage.

These murders are an outrage in and of themselves, but it’s crucial we don’t see them as isolated. They fit into a pattern that above all spreads “dhimmitude,” the submissive state of Christians and Jews (known under Islam as the “dhimmi”) in thrall to Islamic law.

Quran-Burning Rage follows Pastor Jones Rage, which, after a Florida pastor burned a Quran in 2011, seized Afghan Muslims and inspired rioting. Some rioters overran a United Nations outpost and murdered seven U.N. personnel.

Pastor Jones Rage followed “Fitna” Rage, which seized Muslims worldwide even before the release of Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders’ short 2008 film “Fitna.” That film sparked rioting, arson, boycotts, death threats and, as a bonus, charges that led to the protracted trial in the Netherlands of Wilders for “insulting Muslims.” (He was acquitted in 2011.)

“Fitna” Rage followed Teddy Bear Rage, which, in 2007, seized Muslims in Sudan after a British teacher, whose class named a teddy bear “Muhammad,” was sentenced to 15 days for “insulting religion.” Ten thousand Sudanese turned out to call for the teacher’s head instead.

Teddy Bear Rage followed Pope Rage, which seized Muslims after a 2006 address in which Pope Benedict XVI noted a historic reference to Islam’s propensity to spread by violence. Muslim rioting, arson (including church burnings) and the murder of a 65-year-old Italian nun in Somalia ensued. » | Diana West* | The Dickinson Press | Saturday, March 03, 2012

* West is the author of “The Death of the Grown-up: How America’s Arrested Development Is Bringing Down Western Civilization.”

'Hold On Tight Europe, Turkey's Coming'
BBC: Turkey is coming to the rescue of Europe, its Minister for EU Affairs, Egemen Bagis, tells HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur.

He also says that Turkey will "ignore" Cyprus when it takes over as the EU Presidency for six months starting in July 2012. (Watch BBC video) » | Friday, February 02, 2012

Gay Marine Kiss: Photo Called Both a Beginning and 'Closure'

LOS ANGELES TIMES: In just under a week, a photo of a Marine sergeant kissing his boyfriend after returning from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan has been "liked" on Facebook more than 42,000 times and garnered more than 10,000 comments -- most of them supportive.

Sgt. Brandon Morgan, a 25-year-old from Oakdale, Calif., returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Feb. 22 from his third deployment in four years and was met by his boyfriend, Dalan Wells.

A friend snapped the photo, which depicts Morgan with his legs wrapped around Wells, an American flag in the background.

It was later posted on the "Gay Marines" Facebook page; from there, the photo went viral.

"It's a homecoming picture -- gay, straight, lesbian, no matter who you are, love is love," Morgan told Hawaii TV station KHON. "We haven't fought for more rights or better rights than others. We fought for equal rights, and now we have them." » | Ricardo Lopez | Friday, March 02, 2012

Related »

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Muslims in Cuba, Ramadan 2010
Watch YouTube video here

Iranian Threat to the US Imminent?
Former CIA operative Reza Kahlili explains

Breitbart's Road to the Right
Admirers, observers remember activist

Related »

Fresh Attacks on Western Troops in Wake of Koran Burnings
Soldiers injured after bomber attacks NATO convoy in Afghanistan

Related »

Obama droht Iran mit Angriff auf Atomanlagen
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Washington - Kurz vor einem Treffen mit dem israelischen Regierungschef Benjamin Netanjahu hat US-Präsident Barack Obama dem Iran mit einem Angriff auf dessen Atomanlagen gedroht.

Zwar sei alles offen, sagte Obama in einem am Freitag veröffentlichten Interview der Zeitschrift "The Atlantic". Die letzte Option sei aber die militärische Komponente. "Ich bluffe nicht", sagte Obama. Es sei nicht hinnehmbar, wenn der Iran Atomwaffen besitze. Zugleich sagte Obama, die Sanktionen gegen das Land seien wirksamer als jeder erwartet hätte. Sie böten die Chance, das Problem dauerhaft zu lösen. » | Reuters | Freitag, 02. März 2012

Staatsanwaltschaft durchsucht Wulffs Privathaus
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Berlin - Zwei Wochen nach seinem Rücktritt gewinnen die Korruptionsermittlungen gegen Ex-Bundespräsident Christian Wulff an Fahrt.

Fünf Beamte des Landeskriminalamts Niedersachsen und ein Staatsanwalt durchsuchten am Freitagabend das Privathaus Wulffs in Großburgwedel [E] bei Hannover. Nach Angaben eines Sprechers der Anklagebehörde wurden unter anderem Computer und Festplatten beschlagnahmt. Zuvor hatten Ermittler schon die Wohnung des Wulff-Freundes Christian Groenewold in Berlin durchsucht.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt gegen Wulff und den Filmunternehmer Groenewold wegen des Verdachts der Vorteilsannahme und Vorteilsgewährung, weil Wulff sich als niedersächsischer Ministerpräsident von Groenewold einen Kurzurlaub auf Sylt hatte bezahlen lassen. Eine Firma Groenewolds hatte zuvor eine Landesbürgschaft Niedersachsens erhalten. Der Ex-Präsident beteuert, das Geld für die Hotelrechnung später in bar zurückgegeben zu haben. » | Reuters | Freitag, 02. März 2012

Edith Bouvier et William Daniels rapatriés en France
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS - La journaliste française Edith Bouvier, blessée le 22 février dans un bombardement à Homs, en Syrie, a été rapatriée vendredi en France avec le photographe William Daniels.

L'avion qui les transportait, en provenance de Beyrouth, s'est posé peu après 18h00 sur la base aérienne de Villacoublay (Yvelines), près de Paris.

Nicolas Sarkozy est monté à bord de l'appareil, à la suite des familles, pour les accueillir.
Dans une brève allocution sur le tarmac de la base, le chef de l'Etat avait auparavant déclaré que les autorités syriennes auraient "à rendre des comptes devant les juridictions pénales internationales" pour "leurs crimes".

"Les crimes qu'ils ont commis ne resteront pas impunis", a-t-il souligné, saluant "le courage de tous les démocrates syriens qui ont accompagné Edith Bouvier et William Daniels jusqu'à la frontière libanaise".

La journaliste et le photographe, envoyés spéciaux pour Le Figaro, étaient parvenus au Liban jeudi soir.

Nicolas Sarkozy a remercié les autorités libanaises pour leur aide et a salué "la disponibilité", dans cette opération, des autorités russes, qui bloquent avec la Chine l'adoption d'une résolution contre le régime de Bachar al Assad au Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu. » | Reuters | vendredi 02 mars 2012

Afghan Clerics Demand Punishment for Koran Burners
REUTERS.COM: Senior Afghan clerics said on Friday the burning of Korans at a NATO base last month was an "evil act" that must be punished, a demand that could deepen widespread public anger over the incident.


"The council strongly condemns this crime and inhumane, savage act by American troops by desecrating holy Korans," members of a council of clerics said after meeting President Hamid Karzai, according to a statement issued by his office.

"The council emphasized that the apology for this evil act can never be accepted. Those who committed this crime must be publicly tried and punished."

Despite apologies from President Barack Obama and other senior U.S. officials, the desecration of the Korans at Bagram air base ignited a wave of anti-Western fury across Afghanistan, including protests that killed 30 people.

The Koran burnings are a setback to the Western campaign to win the hearts and minds of Afghans in order to weaken the Taliban and force the Muslim militant group to negotiate an end to the war now in its 11th year. » | Hamid Shalizi | KABUL | Friday, March 02, 2012

Shariah Now in Britain : Pat Condell

Saudi Arabia and Its Most Valuable Product Other Than Oil – Islam : Pat Condell

Islam Is Not a Victim : Pat Condell

Anders Behring Breivik Prosecutor Says [He] May Accept Norway Gunman Not Responsible

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Norwegian prosecutor said on Friday he was conditionally ready to accept that Anders Behring Breivik, the gunman who killed 77 people in twin attacks last July was not criminally responsible for his actions.

This would allow Breivik to be sentenced to confinement in a psychiatric ward instead of a prison at the end of his trial.

"The way the case appears at the time the charges are being brought, there is no basis to request a regular prison penalty," state prosecutor Tor-Aksel Busch wrote in instructions to the prosecutors handling the case.

"But it must be clear in the charge sheet that the prosecution reserves the right, during the trial, to request a prison punishment or containment lasting 21 years (the maximum prison sentence for people deemed criminally responsible in Norway), based on the complete evidence shown to the court," he added. » | Friday, March 02, 2012

Le footballeur brésilien Ricardo Kaka, chrétien, montre son intérêt à l’islam

MOOSLYM: Brésil. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, plus connu sous le surnom de « Kaka », footballeur brésilien, qui avait déjà montré son intérêt à l’islam, a déclaré cette semaine que le Saint Coran n’était pas une œuvre humaine et bien un miracle.

Selon le journal libyen Albachaer, citant Khaled Taqi al-Din, imam d’une mosquée au Brésil « entendant les versets du saint Coran, le joueur du Real Madrid a avoué que ce n’était pas la parole humaine et c’était un miracle ».

« Kaka est toujours chrétien et la conversion à l’islam de footballeur brésilien n’est qu’une rumeur », a-t-il ajouté. » | Écrit par la redaction | vendredi 02 mars 2012

Urteil in Ägypten: Sechs Jahre Haft wegen Beleidigung des Islam
RP ONLINE: Kairo (RPO). Ein Strafgericht in Ägypten hat einen Christen wegen "Beleidigung des Propheten Mohammed und Geringschätzung der Religion" zu sechs Jahren Haft verurteilt. Das wurde am Donnerstag aus Sicherheitskreisen in Kairo bekannt.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft hatte dem Lehrer vorgeworfen, mit seinem Verhalten Spannungen zwischen Christen und Muslimen geschürt zu haben. Dieser Auffassung schloss sich der Richter an. Gegen das Urteil kann den Angaben zufolge binnen 40 Tagen Berufung eingelegt werden. » | Donnerstag, 01. März 2012

Als Drogenhändler verurteilter Mann in Saudi-Arabien hingerichtet
NACHRICHTEN.AT: RIAD. Ein wegen Drogenhandels zum Tode verurteilter Mann ist am Freitag in Saudi-Arabien hingerichtet worden. Madschid al-Ansi sei in Tabuk im Norden des ultrakonservativen Königreichs geköpft worden.

Der Mann war schuldig gesprochen worden, über eine Million "verbotene Narkosepillen" ins Land geschmuggelt zu haben. Damit steigt die Zahl der Hinrichtungen in Saudi-Arabien in diesem Jahr auf zehn. » | Freitag, 02. März 2012

The Colbert Report: Posthumous Mormon Baptism

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

TPM: Stephen Colbert Converts All Dead Mormons To Judaism » | David Taintor | Friday, February 24, 2012

Charlie Rose Talks to Shimon Peres (an Excerpt)
Tune into Charlie Rose tonight (March 02, 2012) for an hour with Shimon Peres, President of Israel taped at the 92nd Street Y in New York City

Netanyahu: Israel Reserves the Right to Defend Itself against Iran
HAARETZ: PM makes first public comments during North American visit, says international community must not allow 'Iran's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons' [to] succeed.

In his first public comments on a North American visit that will include talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday Israel reserved the right to defend itself against Iran.

Netanyahu will meet with Obama on Monday to address growing differences over what Washington fears could be an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites.

Netanyahu said the international community should not allow what he called "Iran's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons" to succeed. » | Reuters | Friday, March 02, 2012

Videos Warn Russia of Life without Putin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin looks almost certain to win the country's Presidential election on Sunday. But as the race for the Kremlin nears the end, videos have appeared online, giving an apocalyptic vision of what Russia would be like without Putin in charge. Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reports from Moscow.

New Chapter for Libyan Education
After being under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi for decades, Libyans are now working to overhaul what is being taught in schools and universities. Gone are the days when it was compulsory to study Gaddafi's Green Book, outlining his political ideology. Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnston reports from Tripoli.

Pakistan Woman Tortured, Paraded in Streets for 'Anti-Islam Views'
THE TIMES OF INDIA: Lahore: A Christian woman was brutally tortured and paraded in the streets of a village in Pakistan's Punjab province by a mob for her alleged "anti-Islam views", local residents and police officials said today.

Some 30 residents of Kot Meerath village of Sialkot district, 80 km from Lahore, dragged Seema Bibi out of her house on February 26 and paraded her in the streets after shaving her head.

She was targeted by the mob for her alleged "anti-Islam views", members of the Christian community said.

Following the assault, Seema Bibi and her family left the village to save their lives, local residents said. » | PTI | Friday, 02, 2012

Argentina Calls for Flights to Falklands

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Islands official says air route from UK-controlled territory to Buenos Aires "about as likely as flights to the moon".

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has sought negotiations with the United Kingdom to establish several weekly flights from Buenos Aires to the Falkland Islands.

Thursday's calls for negotiations have been met with scepticism from the Falklands government.

Roger Edwards, the British-controlled islands' legislative chairman, said direct flights from the Argentinian capital were "about as likely as the Falklands Air Service landing flights on the moon".

Fernandez told Argentine legislators that direct flights by the state-owned airline Aerolineas Argentinas would show the world her country's intentions towards the islands, known as las Malvinas in Argentina, were peaceful[.]

The announcement comes amid growing tensions as Argentina and the UK prepare to mark the 30th anniversary of their brief war over the islands following an Argentine invasion. » | Agencies | Friday, March 02, 2012

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: What underlies the Falklands dispute? : Tensions are growing between Britain and Argentina as the 30th anniversary of the war over the Falklands looms. » | Friday, February 10, 2012


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Morrissey: British know the Falklands belong to Argentina – Morrissey has claimed that the Falklands should be known as the Malvinas Islands and rightfully belong to Argentina. » | Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | Friday, February 02, 2012

Australian PM Julia Gillard's Shock Pick to Replace Kevin Rudd
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australia's prime minister, Julia Gillard, has stunned colleagues by plucking a high-profile former state leader, Bob Carr, from retirement to replace Kevin Rudd as foreign minister.

After a tumultuous week in which she won a crushing victory against Mr Rudd in a bitter leadership challenge, Ms Gillard today unveiled her new cabinet.

The most dramatic surprise was the appearance of Mr Carr, the bush-walking author, arts aficionado and former Premier of New South Wales who led the state for a decade and oversaw the 2000 Olympics despite a barely-hidden disinterest in sport.

Several senior ministers had tried to prevent the recruitment of Mr Carr, including the defence minister, Stephen Smith, who reportedly wanted the position of foreign minister. Mr Smith held the role until Ms Gillard handed it to Mr Rudd after she ousted him as prime minister in 2010 but then needed his support during the subsequent election campaign. » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Friday, March 02, 2012

The 0.01 Per Cent: The Rising Influence of Vested Interests in Australia
THE MONTHLY: The rising influence of vested interests is threatening Australia’s egalitarian social contract.

A decade ago, as I waited for my order outside a Maroochydore fish and chip shop, a tall, barefoot young man strolled past wearing a T-shirt that read: ‘Greed is good. Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead.’ Those brutal lines seemed to encapsulate what was then a growing sense of unease in Australia. The world of my Queensland childhood, governed by its implicit assumptions of equality and mutual care, was being driven from sight by a combination of ruthless individualism and unquestioning materialism. Looking out for number one was not only tolerated but encouraged by a government whose agenda, particularly in industrial relations, seemed very far from the social contract, based on a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work with a decent social safety net for the vulnerable, that had served our nation so well for so long.

Today, when a would-be US president, Mitt Romney, is wealthier than 99.9975% of his fellow Americans, and wealthier than the last eight presidents combined, there’s a global conversation raging about the rich, the poor, the gap between them, and the role of vested interests in the significant widening of that gap in advanced economies over the past three decades.

This is a debate Australia too must be part of. We’ve always prided ourselves on being a nation that’s more equal than most – a place where, if you work hard, you can create a better life for yourself and your family. Our egalitarian spirit is the product of our history and our national character, as well as the institutions and safeguards built up over more than a century. This spirit informed our stimulus response to the global financial crisis, and meant we avoided the kinds of immense social dislocation that occurred elsewhere in the developed world.

But Australia’s fair go is today under threat from a new source. To be blunt, the rising power of vested interests is undermining our equality and threatening our democracy. We see this most obviously in the ferocious and highly misleading campaigns waged in recent years against resource taxation reforms and the pricing of carbon pollution. The infamous billionaires’ protest against the mining tax would have been laughed out of town in the Australia I grew up in, and yet it received a wide and favourable reception two years ago. A handful of vested interests that have pocketed a disproportionate share of the nation’s economic success now feel they have a right to shape Australia’s future to satisfy their own self-interest.

So I write this essay to make a simple point: if we don’t grow together economically, our community will grow apart. Read on and comment » | Wayne Swan | The Monthly | The Monthly Essays | March 2012

France Election 2012: Nicolas Sarkozy Penned into Bar after Being Heckled on Campaign Trail
Riot police had to break up a crowd of dozens of left-wing supporters, and some Basque separatists, after French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived to campaign in Bayonne ahead of April's presidential race.

Read the short article here | Friday, March 02, 2012
Related »

George Clooney: 'I Don't Give a S--- ' If People Think I Am Gay
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: George Clooney has addressed rumours about his sexuality, saying he "doesn't give a s---" if people think he is gay.

Clooney, a prominent campaigner for legalising same-sex marriage in the United States, said people would probably continue to speculate even after he is dead, and that he didn't care.

He told gay and lesbian news magazine The Advocate: "I think it’s funny, but the last thing you’ll ever see me do is jump up and down saying 'These are lies!' That would be unfair and unkind to my good friends in the gay community.

"I’m not going to let anyone make it seem like being gay is a bad thing. My private life is private, and I’m very happy in it. Who does it hurt if someone thinks I’m gay? I’ll be long dead and there will still be people who say I was gay. I don’t give a s---." » | Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Friday, March 02, 2012

Verwandt »

My comment:

George Clooney has got a wonderful, healthy attitude to whether people think he's gay or not. Good for him! – © Mark

This comment appears here, too.

Petrol Prices Hit Record High
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Petrol prices have reached a new record level today, hitting 137.44 pence a litre.

The latest increase has seen the price of unleaded rise by just over three pence since the start of the year addding £1.50 to the cost of filling a family car.

This time last year, unleaded was seven pence a litre cheaper and filling up £3.50 less.
The owner of an average family car with a 50-litre tank is now paying £68.72 to fill up; owners of some larger "Chelsea Tractors" will have to find more than £100.

Motorists are likely to face even higher prices within weeks the industry warned, with unleaded bursting past the 142 pence a litre barrier and diesel up to nearly 150 pence.

With the Chancellor set to increase fuel duty in August by around three pence, drivers could be having to find at least another £4 to fill up the tank of a family car by the end of the summer. » | David Millward, Transport Editor | Friday, March 02, 2012

My comment:

This is scandalous! But we shouldn't be surprised. Osborne has already told us that the government is skint; so he's looking for ways to increase the tax burden. He's shameless! I wouldn't trust that man further than I could throw him. – © Mark

This comment appears here, too.

Frenchman Takes Google to Court over Urination Image
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Frenchman took Google to court on Thursday over a photo published online by its Street View application showing him urinating in his front yard which he believes has made him the laughing stock of his village in rural northwest France.

The man, who is aged around 50 and lives in a village of some 3,000 people in the Maine-et-Loire region, is demanding the removal of the photo, in which locals have recognised him despite his face being blurred out.

He also wants 10,000 euros in damages. » | Friday, March 02, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Google 'sneaking away citizens' privacy' says EU commissioner: Google is "sneaking" citizens' privacy away with its new policies and appears to be ignoring data protection treaties, the European commissioner of justice has said. ¶ Viviane Reding delivered a stinging rebuke to Google over changes to its privacy policy, saying she had doubt over whether it was legal. ¶ Warning that "we aren't playing games here", she said that the obligation to protect personal data formed a key plank of European treaties. ¶ She said that if people gave up their privacy it should be a decision they make with all the facts made available to them and not by a company acting in a "sneaking" way. » | Christopher Williams and Andrew Hough | Friday, March 02, 2012

We Will Regret Having Qatar as an Ally
FAMILY SECURITY MATTERS: After 9/11, it became commonplace to ridicule the status of Saudi Arabia as an “ally.” For decades, American leaders cuddled up to the Saudi Royal Family as it spent billions of dollars to export radical Islam around the globe. Today, the U.S. is eager to have our “ally,” Qatar, take a leading role in the region while it does the exact same thing.

Qatar is home to Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, the most influential Sunni theologian and top Muslim Brotherhood cleric. He uses his popular show on Al-Jazeera, also based in Qatar, to rally support for Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorism and to spout the most vile forms of anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism. Support flows to the Muslim Brotherhood and Wahhabist ideologues from Qatar.

Soeren Kern wrote an eye-opening article about Qatar’s role in funding the spread of radical Islam in the West. In France, it is spending $65 million low-income suburbs inhabited mostly by Muslim immigrants. Hundreds of these areas were coined by Dr. Daniel Pipes as "No-Go Zones" after the French government designated them as “Sensitive Urban Zones” because of their hostility to authority. When the police dare to enforce the law in these areas, violent riots are often sparked that quickly spiral out of control.

Qatar funds many of the mosques in Italy, 60% of which are controlled by Muslim Brotherhood entities, including a mega-mosque in Sicily. Another mega-mosque is being built with Qatari financing in Ireland.

The U.S. has reached out to Qatar for help in negotiating with the Taliban, toppling Moammar Qaddafi, helping the Syrian opposition battle Bashar Assad and in all likelihood, various other important issues behind-the-scenes. A heavy price comes with enlisting Qatar’s help. Whenever it is given the opportunity, Qatar uses its influence to help the Islamists overpower their secular democratic rivals. » | Ryan Mauro | Monday, February 27, 2012

Congress Condemns Iran for Sentencing Christian Pastor to Death

FOX NEWS: Congress unanimously approved a new resolution condemning the Iranian government for sentencing to death a Christian pastor accused of renouncing Islam.

Youcef Nadarkhani's sentence has been affirmed at the highest levels of Iran's legal system and could be carried out at anytime, according to his supporters. The sentence shows that Tehran has again "failed to uphold its obligations to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," reads House Resolution 556.

The resolution, drafted by Pennsylvania Republican Joseph Pitts, calls for Iran to immediately exonerate and unconditionally release Nadarkhani as well as any other people who are being held or charged for religious or political beliefs. » | Perry Chiaramonte | Thursday, March 01, 2012

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Cameron Plan for EU Growth to Solve Debt Crisis Is Ignored

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has accused the European Union of ignoring his proposals to tackle its debt crisis by cutting red tape to free markets and unleash economic growth.

Despite support from 11 countries for the Prime Minister’s growth plan sent to Brussels 10 days ago, Herman Van Rompuy failed to include any of the proposals in a draft text to be agreed at a summit today.

Instead, said diplomats, the President of the European Council, who runs EU summits, included proposals from France and Germany “almost word for word”.

As last night’s EU employment and growth summit opened, Mr Cameron stood up to “complain” that his call for “clear targets, timetables setting out dates and accountability” had been snubbed, government sources disclosed.

“He complained. He asked why it was that the views of 12 countries, representing more than half the EU’s population, had not been reflected,” said a source.

Mr Cameron clashed with Mr Van Rompuy over his plan to tackle the “crisis of growth” minutes before the Belgian was appointed to a second two-and-a-half-year term as EU president.

Mr Van Rompuy, who earns £249,000 a year, more than twice the salary of the British leader, has been accused of doing the bidding of Germany and France and of failing properly to represent all 27 EU countries. » | Bruno Waterfield, in Brussels | Friday, March 02, 2012

Exiled Crown Prince Campaigns to Bring Arab Spring to Iran

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Irans's exiled Crown Prince has launched a campaign to rally political exiles behind an Arab Spring-style demand for free elections and a new constitution.

Reza Pahlavi, the son and heir to the last Shah, wants to revive the opposition by uniting critics of the regime behind a common platform. He sees Friday’s elections for the Iranian Majlis, or parliament, as an opportunity.

Calls for a boycott are circulating widely inside the country and activists hope to push the turnout to a record low.

There have also been warnings from hardliners that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was prepared to use the interior ministry to rig the ballot boxes.

“I believe we can find unanimity among a diverse group of forces for the elimination of a system in which the regime tries everything to claim legitimacy,” the prince said.

“We are waiting for this boycott to show that the regime is only hanging on by sheer terror. The last time Iran voted, the regime was not even willing to tolerate its own candidates. There is no more faith in its system.” » | Damien McElroy | Friday, March 02, 2012

Andrew Breitbart Was 'In Talks with CNN over New Show with Anthony Weiner' When He Died

MAIL ONLINE: Andrew Breitbart, the conservative firebrand and new media pioneer who died suddenly at just 43, had told friends he was poised to take his jihad against the Left deeper into the mainstream media with a regular show on CNN.

Last weekend, Breitbart told friends he was in early talks with CNN about a Crossfire-style show in which he would argue from the Right alongside former US House representative Anthony Weiner taking him on from the Left.

Such a show could have been a blockbuster. In what was perhaps his finest hour, Breitbart was the man who ended the political career of Weiner by revealing that the married congressman he had sent lewd photographs sent to young women via Twitter.

Articulate, outspoken and - before his fall from grace - a darling of the Left, Weiner was one of the few liberals who might have given Breitbart a run for his money.
It would also have been a dramatic move for CNN, which previously brought in disgraced Eliot Spitzer, who resigned as New York governor after his trysts with a high-end prostitute were revealed, for a show that was subsequently dropped. » | Toby Harnden | Thursday, March 01, 2012

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Harrowing Film ‘Shows Body of Slain American War Journalist Marie Colvin as She Is Buried by Syrian Activists’
MAIL ONLINE: • Veteran war journalist Marie Colvin was killed by rocket attack last week in Homs, Syria • Film appears to show reporter's body being buried by activists • Burial went ahead as activists had no electricity to keep her body refrigerated • Meanwhile Syrian government troops have amassed outside the city • Britain closes embassy in Damascus as Foreign Secretary William Hague vows to maintain pressure on President Assad to end the violence

American war journalist Marie Colvin, who was killed by Syrian government forces last week, has been buried in a cemetery near where she fell, a Syrian activist has claimed in a video posted online.

Harrowing footage appears to show the veteran war reporter's badly burned body being lowered into a grave in the embattled neighborhood of Baba Amr, where Colvin spent her last weeks.

The body, wrapped in white cloth with a white sign bearing Colvin's name, has been buried because the rebels did not have electricity to keep her body refrigerated. It had started to decay, a rebel in the film footage explains. (+ extremely graphic video) » | Hannah Roberts and Graham Smith | Friday, March 02, 2012

Extremely graphic video »