Tongan Crown Prince Marries Second Cousin

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tongans have celebrated the royal wedding of the Crown Prince to his second-cousin but the marriage has raised concerns about the practice of marriages between close relatives.

The Pacific nation held a national holiday today for the lavish wedding of the 27-year-old prince, Tupouto’a ’Ukukalala, who is first in line to the throne, to 25-year-old Sinaitakala Fakafanua, who is 26th in line.

The celebrations, which included traditional offerings by commoners of roast pork, marked the end of a 100-day mourning period following the sudden death in March of the flamboyant monarch, King George V.

But the marriage — the first of a crown prince in 65 years – has been mired in controversy over the decision to continue the practice of marriage between cousins. » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Thursday, July 12, 2012

Money and Drugs: The Lethal Cocktail for Eva Rausing
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The sad life and death of Eva Rausing highlights the damage that inherited fortunes can cause
In 1944, Evelyn Waugh wrote a letter to an old friend, Coote Lygon, saying: “I am writing a very beautiful book, to bring tears, about very rich, beautiful, high-born people who live in palaces and have no troubles except what they make themselves and those are mainly the demons, sex and drink.”

The book was Brideshead Revisited – and the chief victim of those troubles was Lord Sebastian Flyte, a human parable of what too much money, charm and entitlement can do to your health.

If Waugh was writing Brideshead now, he’d throw in a third demon – drugs. Poor Eva Rausing, who was found dead this week, was the daughter of a rich American Pepsi-Cola executive who multiplied her fortune – and her troubles – a thousand times, with her marriage to Hans Kristian Rausing, joint heir to the £4.5 billion Tetra Pak fortune. It didn’t help that they met in rehab. As they don’t teach you in maths lessons in smart public schools, Predisposition Towards Drugs + Limitless Cash = Big Trouble.

There is a third element to the equation: too much playtime. It’s the drugs that actually shut down the body; but it’s the relentless dreariness of one empty day after another, with nothing to do – except the odd charity ball committee meeting and the forever unfinished screenplay – that buttresses the need for drugs. » | Harry Mount | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

David Cameron Ridiculed for Fluffy Chat with Glamour Magazine

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron's decision to take part in a Q&A with Glamour magazine readers has been ridiculed online.

It must have seemed like a good idea to No 10's spin doctors, a way for the Prime Minister to reach out to that supposedly hard-to-reach demographic of young women voters.

But when David Cameron took part in a question and answer session with readers of Glamour Magazine [sic] at Downing Street this morning, both found themselves on the end of a torrent of abuse.

Within minutes of the group arriving at No 10, Twitter was alive with jokes about the somewhat soft and at times even inane conversation taking place inside.

The magazine's editor, Jo Elvin, who was hosting the event, set the tone for the morning by Tweeting what she was wearing to meet the Prime Minister.

"No 10 outfit: neon red Joseph trousers. They can see them in space," she wrote.

The fluffy approach to political interviewing continued as the next Tweet put out by the magazine read: "PM tells us this is the room that Hugh Grant danced across the floor in Love Actually.” » | Rosa Prince, Online Political Editor | Thursday, July 12, 2012

Syria's Ambassador to Iraq Defects in Major Blow to Regime

THE GUARDIAN: Nawaf al-Fares joins opposition, who say others are poised to follow suit

Syria's ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf al-Fares said he had defected and joined the revolution against Bashar al-Assad, becoming the first senior diplomat to quit the embattled government.

According to the Reuters news agency, Fares called on Syrian soldiers to follow his lead and turn their guns on the Damascus leadership.

"I declare that I have joined, from this moment, the ranks of the revolution of the Syrian people," he said in a video statement posted on Facebook. "I ask … the members of the military to join the revolution and to defend the country and the citizens … Turn your guns towards the criminals from this regime," he added. » | Martin Chulov in Beirut | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Church of Scientology Launching TV Station
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Church of Scientology, the religion whose followers include actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, plans to start a religious broadcasting centre to promote its teachings over TV, radio and the internet.

The centre, located near the church's West Coast headquarters in Hollywood, would occupy the nearly five-acre studio property the church bought last year from Los Angeles public TV station KCET for $42 million (£27 million).

The station would elevate the public profile of a religion that has mostly relied on pamphlets and books by its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, to proselytise for new members.

"The church plans to establish a central media hub for our growing world network of churches and to move into the production of religious television and radio broadcasting," said Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for Church of Scientology International, in an email.

She said there is no timetable for when operations would begin. » | Thursday, July 12, 2012

Francois Hollande's Son Launches Scathing Attack On Valerie Trierweiler

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The eldest son of Francois Hollande has launched a scathing attack on Valerie Trierweiler, the French president's partner, accusing her of destroying his father's "Mr Normal" image.

Thomas Hollande, a 27-year-old lawyer, criticised the way Ms Trierweiler, 48, has conducted herself since becoming first lady in May.

Ms Trierweiler caused outrage last month by expressing her support via Twitter for a politician standing against Segolene Royal, 58, in parliamentary elections.

Ms Royal is the former partner of Mr Hollande and the mother of their children – Thomas, Clemence, 25, Julien, 22, and Flora, 20.

Since the infamous tweet, Ms Royal lost the election, seen her career all but ended, and been widely ridiculed across France.

This led to President Hollande, 57, speaking to each of his children individually about the saga, but they all told him that they never wanted to see Ms Trierweiler again.

In comments to Le Point magazine, Thomas Hollande said his father had been "devastated" by the tweet and it had "cause him a lot of pain". » | Peter Allen, Paris | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Beschneidungs-Urteil schlägt neue Wellen

Verwandt »

Deutscher Botschafter äußert sich zu Beschneidungs-Urteil

Related »

François Hollande en tête à tête avec la reine Elizabeth

LE FIGARO: Le chef de l'État a partagé mardi «une tasse de thé» avec la reine d'Angleterre au château de Windsor, près de Londres.

«Maintenant le président est invité pour une tasse de thé avec la reine», avait annoncé mardi après-midi le premier ministre britannique David Cameron, pour conclure une conférence de presse commune avec le président de la République.

Elizabeth II avait invité François Hollande au château de Windsor, près de Londres. Chacun des deux parlant la langue de l'autre, leur tête-à-tête de trente minutes s'est déroulé sans traducteur. Seuls deux photographes ont été autorisés, au début de l'entretien, à immortaliser cette rencontre. » | Par lefigaro.fr | mercredi 11 juillet 2012


lePARISIEN.fr: EN IMAGES: Hollande chez la reine Elisabeth »

lePARISIEN.fr: VIDEO. Tapis rouge pour Hollande à Londres : Pour sa première visite de président, François Hollande a eu droit à une franche explication avec le Premier ministre David Cameron… et à un tête-à-tête cordial avec la reine. » | Eric Hacquemand, envoyé spécial du Parisien à Londres | mercredi 11 juillet 2012

Inside Story Americas – Extreme Weather: Linked to Climate Change?
Extreme weather has gripped much of the United States recently and thousands of heat records have been broken. At least 46 deaths have been linked to the July heat wave alone. A study released this week shows that the last 12 months have been the warmest on record for the US mainland. And these numbers do not even include July's high temperatures. In late June, a violent weather system left more than a dozen people dead and millions without power for days across several states. Most of the country is suffering from moderate to extreme drought, creating conditions ideal for raging wildfires.

Seeds of Hatred Sprout in Soil of Greek Crisis

Saudi Intervention in Bahrain 'a faux pas'
BBC: The Saudi Arabian monarchy has been shaken in recent months by protests in the country, but moves to curb street protests and the internet mean there has been nothing on the scale of other countries in the region.

A critic of the lack of human rights for women in Saudi Arabia, Princess Basma Bint Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud says Saudi Arabia's intervention in the Bahrain protests was a wrong decision. Watch BBC video » | Wednesday, July 27, 2011

What I’d change about my country »

Hamas Eases Strict Enforcement of Sharia Law

GLOBAL POST: Hamas once stalked Gaza’s streets, searching for canoodling couples or risqué outfits. Now, locals say, the Gaza Strip is a much more liberal place.

GAZA CITY, Gaza — Five years after they seized power in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas movement appears to have entirely backed-off from attempts to impose strict Islamic strictures on life in the coastal territory.

Hamas’ largely bearded police force once aggressively stalked Gaza’s streets and beaches, searching for canoodling, unmarried couples and intimidating shop owners selling risqué lingerie. The government ordered female lawyers to cover their hair in court. Citing Islamic traditions, in 2010 it announced bans on women smoking nargileh — the Middle Eastern water pipe.

But now, locals say, the Gaza Strip is a much more liberal place.

“The government doesn’t bother me at all any more,” said 35-year-old Said Al Helou, the owner of a women’s underwear and lingerie shop in Gaza City.

Indeed, the male hairdressers once ordered by the interior ministry to stop styling women’s hair are also back to work.

In Gaza City, the comparatively liberal, seaside capital of the Gaza Strip, women — many without headscarves — meet more easily with men at upscale cafes, smoking water pipes and wearing t-shirts, skinny jeans and trendy high-wedge heels.

“At first, a few years ago, the [Hamas] police told me to never display a photograph or mannequin that reveals a woman’s body in the window,” Al Helou said. His window display now features a mannequin clad in a white lace negligee. “But now, they’re not concerned.” » | Erin Cunningham | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Zoff im Königshaus: Saudische Prinzessin beantragt Asyl in London

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Sie ist die Enkelin des saudischen Staatsgründers, galt als Barbie-Prinzessin des Königshauses. Jetzt hat Sara Bint Talal Abd al-Asis in Großbritannien Asyl beantragt, sie fühlt sich von der Regierung in Riad verfolgt. Doch vieles deutet auf einen persönlichen Streit hin.

London - Einst galt sie als Saudi-Arabiens "Barbie-Prinzessin", führte ein Leben voller Luxus und ganz nah an der Macht. Sara Bint Talal Bin Abd al-Asis ist die Enkelin des Gründers des saudischen Königsreichs. Ihr Vater ist der "rote Prinz" Talal Bin Abd al-Asis Al Saud.

Doch nun hat Prinzessin Sara in Großbritannien Asyl beantragt. Sie fühlt sich von Kräften aus der saudischen Heimat bedroht. Sie sei angegriffen worden und man habe versucht, sie und ihre Kinder zu entführen. Ihr Guthaben sei eingefroren worden. "Man hat mich auf jede erdenkliche Weise gekreuzigt", sagte die Prinzessin dem britischen "Sunday Telegraph". Das alles sei politisch begründet, "Kräfte, die unabhängig vom König handeln" seien für ihre Tortur verantwortlich.

Bereits am Freitag reichten ihre Anwälte das Asylgesuch beim Innenministerium in London ein. Britische Medien fragen nun: Droht eine diplomatische Krise zwischen London und Riad? Oder geht es der 38-Jährigen gerade darum? » | fab | Mittwoch 11. Juli 2012

Related »

Afghan Women Protest Over Woman's Public Execution
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dozens of Afghan women's rights activists took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against the recent public execution of a young woman for alleged adultery, which was captured in a horrific video.

The 22-year-old victim was shot dead as dozens of men cheered in a village about 60 miles north of the capital Kabul.

The execution was blamed by the authorities on Taliban militants and caused global outrage, with world leaders denouncing the Islamists, who are waging an insurgency against the Western-backed government.

"We want justice," the protesters, almost all women, shouted as they marched from the women's affairs ministry towards the UN headquarters in Kabul. » | Source: AFP | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Mali: How the West Cleared the Way for Al-Qaeda’s African March
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: With the world’s attention elsewhere, Islamists and al-Qaeda have seized a vast area of northern Mali. David Blair reports.

A few days after desert gunmen swept out of the Sahara and captured Timbuktu, the city’s conquerors broadcast a message over its radio station.

“We are going to welcome some foreigners,” the inhabitants of this ancient trading centre in northern Mali were told. “Do not be afraid when you see them: we must all welcome them.”

A convoy of Land Cruisers duly arrived, laden with bearded fighters clad in sand-coloured turbans and robes. These were not rebels from the local Tuareg tribe, who had claimed credit for the fall of Timbuktu, but international jihadists from across the Muslim world including Algerians, Nigerians, Somalis and Pakistanis. This multinational parade drove home a harsh message: a new state had been born under the effective rule of al-Qaeda. Bewildered townspeople, who had only seen Tuareg insurgents up to that point, realised its true significance.

“We first saw the foreigners when they were in our city,” said Mousa Maigar, who witnessed the arrival of the column. “How they entered our country, we don’t know.”

Almost unnoticed by the outside world, a branch of al-Qaeda has seized a swathe of Africa covering more than 300,000 square miles. “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb” (AQIM) and its allies have taken over an area of the Sahara more than three times the size of Britain, complete with airports, military bases, arms dumps and training camps.

Ever since the September 11 attacks, Western counter-terrorism policy has been designed to prevent al-Qaeda from controlling territory. Yet that is exactly what AQIM has now achieved. » | David Blair, Segou, Mali | Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Related »

US Calls on Iran to Release Christian Pastor
AFP: WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday called on Iran to release Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was imprisoned in 2009 and condemned to death for converting from Islam to Christianity.

"Pastor Nadarkhani still faces the threat of execution for simply following his faith, and we repeat our call for Iranian authorities to release him immediately," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, Pastor Nadarkhani is not alone in his suffering. The Iranian regime continues to deny and abuse the human rights of its citizens, in particular those of its many ethnic and religious minorities," it said. » | AFP | Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Episcopal Church: Largest to Approve Same-sex Union Blessing

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Delegates to a convention of the Episcopal Church voted to approve a blessing for the unions of same-sex couples. This blessing is distinct from that used by the church to marry a man and a woman.

INDIANAPOLIS – The U.S. Episcopal Church on Tuesday approved a liturgy for clergy to use in blessing same-sex unions, including gay marriages in states where they are legal, becoming the largest U.S. religious denomination to approve such a ritual.

Delegates to its triennial convention voted 171-50 to approve the liturgy, titled "the Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant." Episcopal bishops had voted overwhelmingly on Monday in favor of the text.

The U.S. Episcopal Church, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is the 14th largest U.S. religious denomination, with about 2 million members, according to the National Council of Churches.

The proposed blessing will be introduced in early December and will be evaluated over the next three years, according to a church spokeswoman, Nancy Davidge.

The resolution does not mention the word "marriage" and it does not alter the church's standard liturgy for a marriage between a man and a woman, but offers an alternative liturgy for blessing same-sex couples. (+ video) » | Susan Guyett, Reuters | Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Wahhabi Vandalism Reaches Timbuktu
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Now the extremist rage has reached sub-Saharan Africa.

At the beginning of July, Ansar Al-Dine (Volunteers of Faith), a Wahhabi Islamist group previously allied with Tuareg (a Berber group) rebels in Timbuktu, Mali, began systematically demolishing centuries-old Sufi shrines and mosques.

Timbuktu is known as the "City of 333 Muslim Saints," and has been the depository of hundreds of thousands of manuscripts and documents in libraries and private collections.

In 1988, the United Nations added the three main mosques in the city, and 16 cemeteries and mausoleums, to its World Heritage registry.

Wahhabi ideology, however – the official interpretation of Islam in Saudi Arabia – is destructive of Islamic heritage. Wahhabi doctrine holds that the preservation of sacred funeral monuments and prayers at them are a dilution of Islamic monotheism and a prohibited form of idol worship.

In Saudi Arabia, Islamic heritage, including houses and mosques associated with the prophet Muhammad, have been destroyed or damaged.

Elsewhere, Wahhabi devastation was mainly seen in raids on Shia holy sites in Iraq during eighteenth and nineteenth-century Wahhabi forays into that country, as well as in the recent Iraq war. Fundamentalist assaults on Sufi sanctuaries then spread in Pakistan. Wahhabi violence against Sufi installations also appeared in the Muslim Balkans. With the political changes in Egypt and Libya, Sufi shrines have been targeted by so-called "Salafis" (a cover term for Wahhabis).

Now the extremist rage has reached sub-Saharan Africa. » | Irfan Al-Alawi | Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Saudi Princess: What I’d Change About My Country

BBC: Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdulaziz tells the BBC there are many changes she would like to see in Saudi Arabia - but that now is not the time for women to be allowed to drive.

I speak not as the daughter of King Saud, the former ruler of Saudi Arabia, but as a loyal citizen. My father established the first women's university in the kingdom, abolished slavery and tried to establish a constitutional monarchy that separates the position of king from that of prime minister. But I am saddened to say that my beloved country today has not fulfilled that early promise.

Our ancient culture, of which I am very proud, is renowned for its nobility and generosity, but we lack, and urgently need, fundamental civil laws with which to govern our society.

As a daughter, sister, (former) wife, mother, businesswoman, a working journalist and a humanitarian, these are the things that I would like to see changed in Saudi Arabia. » | Monday, April 09, 2012

Islamic Jihadists Using Switzerland as Base
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Swiss analysts say the initiative of "Ummah Schweiz" is an effort to establish "parallel" legislative body in Switzerland that will be a mouthpiece for the Islamic fundamentalists, who are seeking to impose Sharia law on the country. With representatives in all 26 cantons, the group will be fully functional in 2013.

Radical Muslim groups are using Switzerland as a base from which to promote Islamic jihad in Europe and beyond.

Islamists in Switzerland are providing jihadists with logistical support, and also stepping up their use of Internet websites there to spread Islamic propaganda as well as to incite their supporters to commit acts of terrorism and violence.

Swiss authorities have identified at least 10 trips by Islamists from Switzerland to jihadi training camps overseas just during the past 12 months.

One finding of Swiss Federal Police Annual Report for 2011 (in German), published in Bern on June 21, is that although Switzerland was not a direct target of Islamic terrorism in 2011, the Swiss Federal Police Office, also known Fedpol, did investigate a Swiss convert to Islam who used the Internet to discuss a terrorist attack involving explosives against an American installation in Germany. Although the report does not provide further details about the investigation, it states that the suspect's being Swiss proved that "not only people with immigrant backgrounds could be supporters of jihad."

In response to the rising threat from radical Islam, Fedpol, recently launched a new specialist IT research department to intensify efforts to monitor jihadist websites and their operators. Fedpol also strengthened its cooperation with the Swiss Federal Intelligence Services. In a related move, the Swiss Federal Justice Ministry on June 30 announced that Switzerland has refused to take back a Jordanian refugee who, after he was found to have links to Islamist rebels in Somalia, had been given asylum.

The refugee, 19-year-old Magd Najjar, had been caught in May and charged in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 6 for links to Islamist Al-Shabaab rebels affiliated with al-Qaeda, and who openly state that they want to impose Islamic Sharia law in Somalia.

"Clear evidence shows that he visited regions of Somalia where jihadist groups are involved in conflict (against the government). It also appears that he had contact with Islamist elements in Switzerland," the Justice Ministry said in a statement.

Swiss law states that refugees can lose their asylum status if they threaten or compromise national or international security.

Separately, leading Islamic groups in Switzerland say they want to establish a single national representative body that will enable all of the country's Muslims to "speak with one voice."

The organizers say their new "parliament" will be called "Umma Schweiz" [The Islamic Nation in Switzerland"] and be based on the principles of Islamic Sharia law. The headquarters of the organization will be located in Basel with "representatives" in all 26 cantons (or "states") of Switzerland. The first "test vote" of Umma Schweiz will be held in the fall of 2012; the group will be fully functional in 2013. » | Soeren Kern | Monday, July 09, 2012

Saudi Arabia's Princess Sara Claims Asylum in the UK

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi Arabia's Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz is claiming political asylum in the UK over fears for her safety back home. She tells Hugh Miles and Robert Mendick why she doesn't want to return.

She was Saudi Arabia’s “Barbie” princess; the pampered granddaughter of the Kingdom’s founder and daughter of one of his most powerful and favoured sons. Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz, however, is claiming political asylum in the UK over fears for her safety back home.

The claim, the first ever made by such a senior member of the ruling family’s inner circle, will embarrass the Saudi dynasty and threatens a diplomatic row.

Princess Sara, 38, accuses senior Saudi officials of plotting to kidnap her and smuggle her back to Riyadh, having subjected her to a “well orchestrated and malicious campaign of persecution”.

She currently occupies a suite and several rooms in a five-star London hotel with her four children and two dogs, guarded by a private security team.

“I am very scared right now,” she told The Sunday Telegraph at a secret location. “They know I can’t go back now. There is a threat. That’s a slap in the face of the Kingdom.

“I’ve been physically abused. I’ve been mentally abused. My assets have been frozen. They’ve accused me of being in opposition [to them] with Iran, they haven’t left anything. I’ve been crucified in every way.”

On Friday, Princess Sara’s lawyers notified the Home Office of her intention to seek asylum. Ministers must assess the truth of the allegations and decide whether to offer her a safe haven – a diplomatic dilemma because Saudi authorities want her to return. » | Hugh Miles and Robert Mendick | Saturday, July 07, 2012

George Osborne 'To Fight For Bankers' Bonuses' In Europe

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: George Osborne is preparing to defend the right of British banks to pay large bonuses against EU plans to cap the pay-outs, it emerged last night.

The Chancellor is expected to argue against the crackdown at a meeting of European finance ministers on Tuesday, in spite of a fresh public outcry over the behaviour of bankers in the wake of the rate-rigging scandal.

Mr Osborne will argue that the proposals, to set a maximum 1:1 ratio of bonus to pay, are not the right way to curb City remuneration.

Officials insist that he had taken the same position before details of the Libor rate-fixing scandal emerged, and it has not changed, the Financial Times reported.

But the timing of the meeting is likely to make it politically risky for him to make such a case, with the Chancellor potentially facing the accusation of being in cahoots with bankers despite allegations about their reckless behaviour.

It comes amid outrage that Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond may still be in line for a multi-million pound pay-out following his resignation over rate rigging. » | John-Paul Ford Rojas | Saturday, July 07, 2012

My comment:

This is clearly a case of out-of-touch Osborne defending the indefensible. This man is not in power to serve the people, but to serve his cronies. – © Mark

British Democracy in Terminal Decline, Warns Report
THE GUARDIAN: Guardian Exclusive: Corporate power, unrepresentative politicians and apathetic voters leave UK 'increasingly unstable', says study

A study into the state of democracy in Britain over the last decade warns it is in "long-term terminal decline" as the power of corporations keeps growing, politicians become less representative of their constituencies and disillusioned citizens stop voting or even discussing current affairs.

The report by Democratic Audit shared exclusively with the Guardian notes there have been many positive advances over the last 10 years: stronger select committees of MPs holding ministers and civil servants to account; devolution of power to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and publication of much more information about politicians' expenses and party donors. But it found evidence of many other areas where Britain appeared to have moved further away from its two benchmarks of representative democracy: control over political decision-making, and how fairly the system reflects the population it represents – a principle most powerfully embedded in the concept of one person, one vote.

Among its concerns, identified from databases of official statistics and public surveys, were that Britain's constitutional arrangements are "increasingly unstable" owing to changes such as devolution; public faith in democratic institutions "decaying"; a widening gap in the participation rates of different social classes of voters; and an "unprecedented" growth in corporate power, which the study's authors warn "threatens to undermine some of the most basic principles of democratic decision-making". » | Juliette Jowit, political correspondent | Friday, July 06, 2012

THE GUARDIAN: Local democracy: the future looks bleak for political activism: Party faithful soak up gripes about bins – but is anyone at the top listening to their woes? John Harris reports Ron Hogben steps out from his groundfloor flat and lets rip: problems with his bins, the lack of parking, bus lanes, the cost of replacing his windows, why Britain should get out of what he insists on calling "the EEC", and the crazy excesses of the 2012 Olympics. I then ask him about his view of party politics. "Let's be truthful: you get a local MP that promises you this, that and the other, but he's only going to toe the line," says Hogben, 59. "My idea of a politician is a thief, a liar and a cheat." » | John Harris | Friday, July 06, 2012

Brad Pitt's Mother Attacks Barack Obama On Gay Marriage

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As the rock-star president who publicly backed gay marriage, Barack Obama has long enjoyed the support of Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt – but not, it seems, the actor's rather more traditionalist mother.

While her son is a champion of gay rights, Jane Pitt has thrown her support behind the Republican candidate Mitt Romney, attacking Mr Obama for his liberal views on abortion, same-sex marriage and his links to the firebrand pastor Jeremiah Wright.

Calling on Christian voters to accept Mr Romney – who is a Mormon – Mrs Pitt said she would be happy to [vote] for a "family man with high morals" who shares "Christian conviction" on homosexuality over the likes of Mr Obama.

"Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney's opponent, Barack Hussein Obama – a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright's church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage," she wrote in Missouri's Springfield News-Leader. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Friday, July 06, 2012

White Muslim One Of Six Arrested Over ‘Terror Plot'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: White Muslim convert Richard Dart and a former police community support officer were among six people arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack in Britain.

Richard Dart, who was radicalised by the cleric Anjem Choudary, was held following police raids in east and west London.

A former PCSO and two of his brothers, who were living just over a mile from the Olympic site in Stratford, were also among those detained during the police and MI5 operation to prevent a suspected terror assault.

One of the brothers was Tasered by officers. Counter-terrorism police had first searched their home last November.

The Daily Telegraph understands the police moved over fears that a group had obtained a sword which could potentially be used in a terrorist attack.

Mr Dart, 29, the son of Dorset teachers, featured in a BBC documentary last year filmed by his own brother about his conversion. During the film, called My Brother the Islamist, he was seen protesting about British soldiers in Afghanistan and accused them of being “murderers”.

He also called for Sharia law to be established in Britain, as well as saying that one of his friends used to be “in the police”, but is not any more. Mr Dart has changed his name to Salahuddin al Britani. Salahuddin comes from the medieval leader who drove King Richard I from Jerusalem during the Crusades. » | Tom Whitehead, Martin Evans and Sam Marsden | Thursday, July 05, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Convert's extremist views were aired in stepbrother's BBC documentary: Three years ago film maker Robb Leech was reading a newspaper article about the radical Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary, when he spotted his stepbrother, Richard Dart’s name. » | Martin Evans, Crime Correspondent | Thursday, July 05, 2012

Vince Cable Tells Shareholders: Throw Out Bank Cheats

THE GUARDIAN: Bosses preside over 'moral quagmire', says business secretary, as Barclays chief Bob Diamond is summoned to face MPs

Vince Cable has urged shareholders in UK banks to rise up and purge their companies of corrupt executives, who he says have allowed "systemic abuse" to take root in the banking system.

The business secretary, writing in the Observer, says it is now clear that no one at Barclays Capital, the investment bank that triggered the market-rigging scandal, is prepared to take responsibility for endemic corruption, so the ultimate owners of banks must take matters into their own hands.

Describing the problems in UK banking as "a moral quagmire of almost biblical proportions", Cable says the government is taking urgent action, including creating a clearer separation between "casino-style investment banking" and retail banking on the high street. Ministers will this week begin a review into the libor system under which banks lend to each other and Cable hints that US-style criminal sanctions, such as the threat of prison terms, could be considered against those who abuse it.

But he says shareholder power will be crucial. "Regulators are a backstop: they don't own banks," he writes. "The governance at the top of our leading banks has been shown to be lamentably weak. No one at the top of Barclays will take responsibility for systemic abuse.

"Shareholders, the owners, have a major responsibility here. I am bringing in legislation to strengthen their control over pay and bonuses, through binding votes, but shareholders have to get a stronger grip on weak boards and out-of-control executives." » | Toby Helm, Jamie Doward and Jill Treanor | Saturday, June 30, 2012

Syria Now Officially At War, Says President Bashar al-Assad
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Diplomats try again for peace but on the ground in Syria it is now war

As his helicopter gunships rained death from the skies and his artillery pounded villages with rebel sympathies, President Bashar al-Assad stated the obvious: Syria is at war.

"When one is in a state of war, all our policies and capabilities must be used to secure victory," he told his cabinet, in the safety of his heavily guarded palace in the centre of his capital Damascus. It appeared to be an attempt to stiffen the resolve of his followers, most of who[m] must now understand that the regime has decided to fight to the end, no matter how bloody or horrible that is. He pledged to eliminate "terrorists", and rejected hopes of a peace plan, which he called a foreign effort to impose a solution on Syria.

It has been obvious for a long time that much of Syria is effectively in a state of civil war. But last week there was a dangerous sense of escalation, with much of the north and west of the country now clearly out of government hands and perhaps as many as 100 people being killed every day.

Fighting spread into the capital, with rebels attacking in the suburbs. They claimed to have formed a battalion only four miles from where Assad made his announcement. Until last month, Damascus had been almost untroubled by armed clashes. » | Nick Meo | Saturday, June 30, 2012

Germany: Jewish Groups Condemn Court's Definition of Circumcision as Grievous Bodily Harm

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A German court has ruled that circumcising young boys on religious grounds amounts to grievous bodily harm, in a landmark decision that the Jewish community said trampled on parents' religious rights.

The regional court in Cologne ruled that the "fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighed the fundamental rights of the parents", a judgement that is expected to set a legal precedent.

"The religious freedom of the parents and their right to educate their child would not be unacceptably compromised, if they were obliged to wait until the child could himself decide to be circumcised," the court added.

The case was brought against a doctor in Cologne who had circumcised a four-year-old Muslim boy on his parents' wishes.

A few days after the operation, his parents took him to hospital as he was bleeding heavily. Prosecutors then charged the doctor with grievous bodily harm.

The doctor was acquitted by a lower court that judged he had acted within the law as the parents had given their consent.

On appeal, the regional court also acquitted the doctor but for different reasons. The regional court ruled that the doctor was innocent as there was too much confusion on the legal situation around circumcision.

However, it came down firmly against parents' right to have the ritual performed on young children.

"The body of the child is irreparably and permanently changed by a circumcision," the court said. "This change contravenes the interests of the child to decide later on his religious beliefs." » | Wednesday, June 27, 2012

SÜDDEUTSCHE.DE: Urteil zu Beschneidung: Muslime und Juden reagieren empört auf “unerhörten Akt” – Eine "unsensible" und "diskriminierende" Entscheidung: Jüdische und muslimische Religionsvertreter kritisieren das Urteil aus Köln scharf - die Richter des Landgerichts hatten Beschneidungen bei Jungen als grundsätzlich strafbar bewertet. Auch die Leser von Süddeutsche.de diskutieren kontrovers. » | Mittwoch, 27. Juni 2012

Arab Spring Provided New Breeding Ground for British Terrorists – Spy Chief
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Arab Spring has spawned a new generation of British-born terrorists after al-Qaeda lured dozens of would-be bombers abroad to train for possible attacks on the UK, the head of MI5 warned.

Jonathan Evans said the terror network has taken advantage of the unstable region, in the wake of last year’s revolutions, to spread its influence and create new bases for attacks.

British would-be jihadis are known to be receiving training in the likes of Libya and Egypt, mirroring what has already happened in the Yemen and Somalia.

And they could return to attack the UK in what is a “new and worrying development”, he said.

Mr Evans, the Director General of MI5, warned of the emerging threats in a rare speech, his first in almost two years. » | Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | Tuesday, June 25, 2012

North Korea 'Executes Four Returned Refugees'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: North Korea has publicly executed four refugees who were repatriated by China and sent 40 others to its notorious prison camps, a South Korean activist said on Monday.

China has repatriated 44 fugitives from its communist neighbour in recent months, said Kim Heung-Kwang, who heads NK Intellectuals Solidarity, a Seoul-based defectors' group.

Four of them were executed and 40 sent to camps for political prisoners, he told a seminar. South Korean rights groups say there are six political prison camps in the North holding around 200,000 detainees. » | Source: AFP | Monday, June 25, 2012

Vatican Hires Fox News Correspondent
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Vatican has hired a Fox News correspondent to help improve its communications strategy in the wake of the Vatileaks scandal.

Greg Burke, 52, who is a member of the conservative Opus Dei movement, will leave Fox to become the senior communications adviser in the Vatican's secretariat of state.

"I'm a bit nervous but very excited. Let's just say it's a challenge," Mr Burke said.

He defined his job, which he said he had been offered twice before, as being along the lines of the White House senior communications adviser: "You're shaping the message, you're moulding the message, and you're trying to make sure everyone remains on-message. And that's tough." » | Source: AP | Sunday, June 24, 2012

Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi Pledges to Be President for All Egyptians
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Morsi was declared Egypt’s first democratically elected president, as the Islamist movement cast off decades of persecution to take the most significant step of its long rise to power.


Tahrir Square erupted in an explosion of noise as it was announced that Mr Morsi had defeated Ahmed Shafiq, a retired general and Mubarak-era prime minister, and would become the first leader not to be a Pharaoh, Sultan or General in Egypt’s history.

His victory came fully 16 months after the collapse of Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorial regime and set the seal on a rise to power for the world’s most important Islamist movement following years of its leaders being alternately feared, admired, jailed or killed.

In a televised address in which he praised the police and the army, Mr Morsi said: "I wouldn't be here today as the first freely elected president without the sacrifices of the martyrs", as he declared himself a "president for all Egyptians".

“I call on you, great people of Egypt ... to strengthen our national unity,” he said, adding that national unity “is the only way out of these difficult times.”

Mr Morsi also promised to “preserve all international treaties and charters... we come in peace,” adding “the revolution continues.” » | Richard Spencer, Cairo | Sunday, June 24, 2012

Rowan Williams Pours Scorn on David Cameron's 'Big Society'
THE OBSERVER: Key policy 'comes across as waffle', says archbishop of Canterbury in valedictory bombshell

The archbishop of Canterbury has denounced David Cameron's "big society", saying that it comes across as aspirational waffle that was "designed to conceal a deeply damaging withdrawal of the state from its responsibilities to the most vulnerable".

The outspoken attack on the prime minister's flagship policy by Rowan Williams – his strongest to date – is contained in a new book, Faith in the Public Square, that is being prepared for publication ahead of his retirement.

Passages from the book, obtained by the Observer, reflect the archbishop's deep frustration not just with the policies of Cameron's government and those of its Labour predecessors, but also with what he sees as the west's rampant materialism and unquestioning pursuit of economic growth. Williams also laments spiralling military expenditure, writing that "the adventure in Iraq and its cost in any number of ways seems to beggar the imagination".

But it is his suggestion that the big society – Cameron's personal vision of a more active civic society – is seen by people as a deliberate cover for plans to shrink the state that will be most controversial. On Saturday night, Cameron revealed he was considering scrapping most of the £1.8bn in housing benefits paid to 380,000 under-25s, worth an average of £90 a week, forcing them to support themselves or live with their parents. He also told the Mail on Sunday he might stop the £70-a-week dole money for the unemployed who refuse to try hard to find work or produce a CV.

Commenting on the "big society", Williams, who steps down in December after 10 years in his post, writes: "Introduced in the run[-]up to the last election as a major political idea for the coming generation, [it] has suffered from a lack of definition about the means by which such ideals can be realised. Big society rhetoric is all too often heard by many therefore as aspirational waffle designed to conceal a deeply damaging withdrawal of the state from its responsibilities to the most vulnerable." » | Toby Helm and Julian Coman | Sunday, June 24, 2012

Julian Assange: Ecuadorean Ambassador Flies Home for Talks on WikiLeaks Founder
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Ecuadorean ambassador is expected to fly to her nation's capital this weekend for talks on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's request for asylum.

Mr Assange has been at the Ecuadorean embassy in London since Tuesday and is seeking political asylum in the country to prevent him being extradited to Sweden.

The 40-year-old Australian faces allegations of sex crimes in the Scandinavian country, which he denies.

Ecuadorean ambassador to Britain Anna Alban, who met with the British government on Wednesday morning, is due to fly back to her home country to discuss the matter in Quito.

A spokesman at the embassy would not officially confirm the visit "until she is on the plane". » | Saturday, June 23, 2012

Opponents of Gay Marriages Say It Will 'Open the Door to Polygamy and Incest'
THE GUARDIAN: Claims by lobby group that reform of law would have far-reaching effects attacked as 'extremist and confused'

A lobby group against gay marriage, formed by MPs and bishops, is embroiled in a row after one of its leaflets claimed that reforming the law would open the door to incest, polygamy and a new wave of illegal immigration.

The eight-page document, produced by the Keep Marriage Special campaign, whose supporters include the former bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir Ali, warns of the "consequential impact" of the reform.

The glossy leaflet, which has a picture of a mixed-race couple in an embrace on the cover, claims: "If the only basis for marriage is the desire of the parties to get married then there is, according to the logic of this proposal, no reason not to open up marriage to more than just same-sex couples. Polygamy, polyandry and incest would all be permissible."

It adds: "The immigration service is already swamped with false marriages – this would only add to their problems."

At the moment, only men and women are permitted to marry; same-sex couples can only form civil partnerships, which became law in 2005. Civil partnerships give same-sex couples the right to the same legal treatment as married couples across a range of matters, but the law does not allow such unions to be referred to as marriages. » | Daniel Boffey, Policy Editor | Saturday, June 23, 2012

Nouvelle lune de miel entre Paris et Ankara
LE FIGARO: Erdogan lève les sanctions prises contre la France après la loi sur le génocide arménien.

La Turquie a annoncé son intention de lever les sanctions prises contre la France à propos de la loi pénalisant la négation du génocide arménien. Une manière pour Ankara de saluer la fin du quinquennat de Nicolas Sarkozy, marqué par de mauvaises relations bilatérales. «Monsieur est parti, la bagarre et terminée», titrait vendredi le quotidien Habertürk, rappelant que cette normalisation était prévue depuis l'élection du nouveau président français. Elle s'est concrétisée à l'issue d'une rencontre entre François Hollande, porteur de «la nouvelle position de la France» et le premier minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan à Rio de Janeiro, en marge du sommet sur le développement durable. » | Par Burçin Gerçek | vendredi 22 juin 2012

Italiens Skandalpolitiker: Berlusconi plant sein Comeback
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Silvio Berlusconi meldet sich zurück: Er wolle eine tragende Rolle in Italiens Politik spielen. Ein Magazin berichtet gar von einem Geheimplan Berlusconis, Staatspräsident zu werden. Auch für die Lösung der Euro-Krise hat der "Cavaliere" eine unkonventionelle Idee.

Rom - Es dürfte ihn sicher schmerzen, dass sein Nachfolger zur Zeit so sehr im Rampenlicht Europas steht. Gerade hatte Mario Monti in Rom einen wichtigen Termin, Kanzlerin Angela Merkel, Frankreichs Staatspräsident François Hollande und der spanische Premier Mariano Rajoy machten Italiens Premier ihre Aufwartung.

Und Silvio Berlusconi, Medienmogul, Milliardär und Montis Vorgänger, vermisst den großen Auftritt. Gerade jetzt, wo Monti bei der Euro-Rettung nach vorne drängt, meldet sich auch der Skandalpolitiker wieder zu Wort. Es scheint, als fühle sich Politik-Rentner Berlusconi, mittlerweile 75 Jahre alt, durch Monti noch einmal herausgefordert.

"Ich will der Anführer der Konservativen bleiben", sagte er in einem Gespräch, das am Freitag bekannt wurde, "solange wie es die Italiener wollen". Montis Regierung stelle nur eine Phase des Übergangs dar und Berlusconi träumt bereits von der Rückkehr an die Macht: "Ich werde jeden Tag mit voller Kraft, so wie ich es immer gemacht habe, dafür arbeiten", dass einer erneuerte Rechte das Land wieder führt", so der "Cavaliere". » | Von Fabian Reinbold | Samstag, 23. Juni 2012

Lien en relation avec l’article »

French Minister for Women Seeks Abolition of Prostitution in Europe
THE GUARDIAN: Najat Vallaud-Belkacem to organise conference of experts on how to contain sex-trade and human-trafficking

France's minister for women is to organise a consultation on ways to abolish prostitution in France and Europe, she has told the Guardian.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem [F], the high profile women's rights minister and government spokeswoman, said in an interview that she would be organising a conference of experts on how to contain the sex-trade and human-trafficking and was seeking to meet the home secretary Theresa May for input from the UK.

"Since the 19th century and the role of [the Victorian feminist] Josephine Butler, Britain and France have been the core countries in the international mobilisation against prostitution. I really hope that these common roots are still alive," she said. She wanted a meeting with May on how Britain and France approach prostitution and human-trafficking. In France prostitution is not illegal, but activities around it are. Brothels were outlawed in 1946 and pimping is illegal. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Friday, June 22, 2012

THE INDEPENDENT: Najat Vallaud-Belkacem - the young Muslim woman at the heart of France's modern regime » | John Lichfield | Friday, May 18, 2012

Man Jailed for Threatening South Park Writers
THE GUARDIAN: Jesse Curtis Morton and another man encouraged attacks on show's writers over episode depicting Muhammad in a bear suit

A Muslim convert from New York has been sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison after admitting threatening the writers of South Park over their depiction of the prophet Muhammad.

Jesse Curtis Morton, 33, alias Younus Abdullah Muhammed, ran a website that encouraged Muslims to engage in violence against perceived enemies of Islam.

In February he pleaded guilty to making threatening communications, using the internet to put others in fear and using his position as leader of the Revolution Muslim organisation's websites to conspire to commit murder. The sentence was handed down in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.

The US attorney Neil MacBride said: "Jesse Morton sought to inspire Muslims to engage in terrorism by providing doctrinal justification for violence against civilians in the name of Islam. His crimes not only put people's lives forever in danger, but they also chilled free expression out of fear of retaliation by violent terrorists." » | Reuters | Friday, June 22, 2012

Nicolas Sarkozy Fury Over Book Portraying Him as a 'Tyrant'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is reported to be furious about a book by one of his own UMP insiders, depicting him as a vengeful, sexually manipulating tyrant.

Marie-Cécile Guillaume's novel, "The Monarch, His Son, His Fief," is causing a row within France's conservative ranks, for her lightly fictionalized tale about Mr Sarkozy's blinding thirst for power.

The book, to be published on June 14, fleshes out acts of "political violence," including threats and "back-stabbing," by a Sarkozy-based character and his entourage, which Ms Guillaume observed while working as cabinet director for Patrick Devedjian, a UMP legislator in the wealthy Paris suburb of the Hauts-de-Seine - Mr Sarkozy's electoral heartland.

Mr Devedjian, who has had strained relations with Mr Sarkozy since he lost out on a government post in the former administration, is described as a heroic figure opposite a self-obsessed, twitching "Rocky" and "The Monarch".

Ms Guillaume has said the book includes real dialogue and has not denied the identity of her fictional characters in interviews. » | Devorah Lauter, Paris | Friday, June 22, 2012

Julian Assange Asylum Application May Take Time, Says Ecuador President
THE GUARDIAN: Rafael Correa says officials will 'discuss with and seek the opinions of other countries' before decision is made

Ecuador's president has acknowledged the diplomatic and political minefield created by Julian Assange's application for asylum, and indicated that a decision on the WikiLeaks founder's appeal is likely to take longer than first thought.

Speaking to reporters in Quito, Rafael Correa said: "We are going to have to discuss with and seek the opinions of other countries. We don't wish to offend anyone, least of all a country we hold in such deep regard as the United Kingdom."

Once a decision is made, Correa said, "we can talk about safe passage and such things".The WikiLeaks founder requested asylum at the country's embassy in London on Tuesday, citing the UN declaration on human rights. He is on bail after losing the last of his appeals against extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual offences, but insists such a move could place him at greater risk of possible future prosecution by the United States over the WikiLeaks cable releases in 2010.

Ecuador's deputy foreign minister, Marco Albuja, said on Wednesday that the country would make a decision within 24 hours, but Correa said: "He [Assange] presented his reasons. We are going to verify them. We will take the time necessary. Ecuador is a country which defends the right to life. We have to see whether there is a threat to Julian Assange's life." » | Esther Addley | Friday, June 22, 2012

Related »

SPIEGEL Interview with Daniel Barenboim: 'The Germans Are Prisoners of Their Past'
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: World-famous Argentine-Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim is noted for his strong views on the Middle East peace process and for performing Wagner's music in Israel. In a SPIEGEL interview, he explains why the Israeli antipathy toward Wagner is grotesque and argues that Israel shouldn't depend too much on Germany and the US for support.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Barenboim, why are you fighting to perform the music of Richard Wagner in Israel? No other composer is as hated there as this anti-Semitic German composer.

Barenboim: It saddens me that official Israel so doggedly refuses to allow Wagner to be performed -- as was the case, once again, at the University of Tel Aviv two weeks ago -- because I see it as a symptom of a disease. The words I'm about to use are harsh, but I choose them deliberately: There is a politicization of the remembrance of the Holocaust in Israel, and that's terrible. » | Friday, June 22, 2012

Griechenland: Premier Samaras liegt im Krankenhaus
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Gerade erst im Amt, schon muss Antonis Samaras aussetzen: Der Premierminister Griechenlands ist zwei Tage nach seiner Vereidigung ins Krankenhaus gebracht worden. Er muss sich einer Augenoperation unterziehen.

Athen - Wegen eines Augenproblems ist Antonis Samaras ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert worden. Bei dem neuen Regierungschef Griechenlands sei eine Netzhautablösung festgestellt worden, teilte sein Büro am Freitag mit. Er solle am Samstagmorgen im Athener Attiko Krankenhaus operiert werden. » | cab/dpa/AP | Freitag, 22. Juni 2012

Anders Behring Breivik's Defence Calls for Lenient Sentence
On the last day of the trial against mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, his defence council asks the court to declare Breivik criminally accountable allowing him to take responsibility for his actions with a lenient sentence. Speaking outside the court, the leader of the Norwegian Labour party's youth wing, Eskil Pedersen – himself a survivor of the Utøya massacre – says it is obvious that Breivik is insane

Related »