Saturday, September 18, 2010

Meinung: Wie die Islamisten Deutschland unterwandern

WELT ONLINE: Alice Schwarzer warnt vor dem aggressiven Islam. Sie glaubt, dass die Gefahr für unser Bildungs- und Rechtssystem unterschätzt wird.

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Alice Schwarzer warnt vor dem aggressiven politischen Islam – ihm ginge es nicht um Religion, sondern allein um Macht. Bild: Welt Online

Silvester 2007 habe ich in Algier gefeiert. In meiner „algerischen Familie“. Wir haben bis nachts um vier getanzt, nach arabischen wie westlichen Klängen. Wir, das waren auf der algerischen Seite: meine Kollegin Djamila, die fünf Jahre lang bei mir in Köln Zuflucht gesucht hatte, weil sie in ihrer Heimat in Lebensgefahr war. Als unverschleierte Frau und kritische Journalistin stand sie ganz oben auf den Todeslisten der marodierenden Islamisten. Neben ihr rockte ihre gläubige, unverschleierte Schwester Zohra mit Ehemann Zahar, einem Möbelhändler, der in die Moschee geht und gerne Wein trinkt. Dazwischen die Töchter Lili und Mounia, die es in den „Schwarzen Jahren“ gewagt hatten, jeden Tag ohne Kopftuch zur Uni zu gehen, und das so manches Mal nur knapp überlebt haben. Nicht dabei war Djamilas alte Mutter, die das weiße, traditionelle Kopftuch trägt und jedes Jahr nach Mekka pilgert.

Doch am ausdauerndsten tanzte der Sohn des Hauses, Ganoud, tiefgläubig und resolut lebenslustig. Wenn der Mittzwanziger mit uns durch die Stadt und an der Küste entlangstreifte, lautete jeder dritte Satz, mal ernst, mal lachend: „Alice, le prophète a dit ...“ Natürlich habe ich ihn damit aufgezogen. Aber ich habe ihn auch ernst genommen. Und er ist bis heute mein Maßstab: Ganoud, der sauer ist über die „Arroganz und Hegemonie des Westens“. Wenn ich mal wieder die Islamisten angreife, frage ich mich: Was würde Ganoud wohl dazu sagen? Und es würde mich tief beschämen, wenn er eines Tages auch mich in einen Sack mit den „arroganten Westlern“ stecken würde. Ganoud und ich, wir bleiben im Dialog.

Es fehlt an echten Dialogen

In einem echten Dialog. Denn der falsche Dialog und die so lange praktizierte falsche Toleranz haben allen geschadet, nicht nur uns Westlern, sondern allen voran der Mehrheit der nicht fundamentalistischen Menschen im muslimischen Kulturkreis, Gläubigen wie Ganoud und Nichtgläubigen wie Djamila. Diese falsche Toleranz hat den Westen 30 Jahre lang wegsehen lassen: beim Iran, wo die Menschenrechte seit 1979 mit Füßen getreten werden; in Afghanistan, wo die Taliban mit aktiver Unterstützung der USA und Deutschlands die sowjetischen Besatzer verjagten und 1992 die Terrorherrschaft übernahmen; in Tschetschenien, wo nicht nur die russische Soldateska von Übel ist, sondern auch die Islamisten ein Problem sind, die bereits 1996 (!) die Scharia einführten.

In Algerien, wo die sogenannten Afghanen, die aus dem Krieg in Afghanistan zurückgekehrten Söldner, in den 1990er-Jahren einen Bürgerkrieg anzettelten, der über 100000 Menschen das Leben kostete; in Schwarzafrika, wo der von den Gotteskriegern gezündelte Flächenbrand unaufhaltsam um sich greift – und in Europa, wo wir zuließen, dass mitten unter uns Menschen als „die anderen“, als Bürgerinnen zweiter Klasse behandelt werden und der Rechtsstaat relativiert wird. „Die Kulturfalle“ nennt das die Fatwa-verfolgte Khalida Messaoudi-Toumi, als Mathematiklehrerin lange auf der Flucht und heute algerische Kulturministerin. >>> Alice Schwarzer * | Samstag, 18. September 2010

Vorabdruck aus dem am 23.9. erscheinenden Buch von Alice Schwarzer (Hrsg.) „Die große Verschleierung. Für Integration, gegen Islamismus. Ein Emma-Taschenbuch“, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 318 S.
Tabagie: Un fumeur sur trois est Chinois

20 MINUTES: La Chine compte 300 millions de fumeurs, soit un tiers de la population totale de fumeurs dans le monde.

La Chine compte 300 millions de fumeurs, ce qui représente un tiers de la population totale de fumeurs dans le monde, et 500 millions de fumeurs passifs, a déclaré samedi le vice-ministre chinois de la Santé, Yin Li, cité par l'agence Chine nouvelle. >>> afp | Samedi 18 Septembre 2010
Far-Right Party Poised to Take First Seats in Sweden's Parliament

THE TELEGRAPH: With his clean-cut looks, geeky spectacles, and sensible haircut, 31-year-old Jimmie Åkesson looks more like an accountant than a political extremist.

Yet in the past few weeks Mr Åkesson, leader of the far-Right Sweden Democrat party, has blamed immigrants for rape - especially Africans and Arabs.

His party has played crude television advertisements accusing burqa-clad Muslim women of taking benefits from white Swedish pensioners. And last year he called Islam the biggest threat to Sweden since the Second World War.

To the horror of his compatriots in one of Europe's most liberal and tolerant nations, blaming foreigners has worked electoral magic.

When Swedes vote on Sunday Mr Åkesson's anti-immigrant party will almost certainly win its first seats at a general election - and has even been predicted to come third with 7.5 per cent of the vote, according to one poll.

That would be enough to give them 28 seats out of a total of 349 in the Riksdag, Stockholm's parliament, ahead of five more established parties, and hold the balance of power.

It is the sort of far Right success that has been seen several times across Europe this year, and a prospect has struck fear in the hearts of Sweden's usually moderate voters who never thought they would see extremists get anywhere near power.

Mainstream politicians, deeply troubled by the party's success, have been forced to promise that they wouldn't under any circumstances go into coalition with the Sweden Democrats.

Swedes are bracing themselves for a difficult time of minority government, when their economic problems demand decisive leadership.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, the prime minister and leader of a centre-Right party, has been so rattled that, after ignoring the Sweden Democrats throughout the campaign, last week he came out and warned that a vote for them meant a "gamble with stability".

But Mr Åkesson has won support by saying what for decades most Swedes have considered unthinkable.

"Swedish pensioners can't afford to fix their broken teeth or pay for the medicine that would bring them back to health," he said, blaming the generous welfare system for lavishing money on immigrants.

"Today's multicultural Swedish power elite is completely blind to the dangers of Islam and Islamification," was another of his claims. He has called for massive restrictions to be placed on immigration.

It is a message which has resonated with surprisingly large numbers of voters. >>> Paul O´ Mahony in Stockholm and Nick Meo | Saturday, September 18, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: Swedish elections: The impact of immigration – For many, Sweden represents a modern, liberal, progressive ideal. But after tomorrow's election, a far-right party could hold the balance of power >>> Andrew Brown | Saturday, September 18, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI at Westminster Abbey (September 17, 2010)

Part 1:



Part 2:

US Scientist Charged with Trying to Sell Nuclear Secrets to Venezuela

THE TELEGRAPH: A US physicist and his wife who both worked for a high-level US energy laboratory have been arrested and charged with conspiring to sell nuclear secrets to Venezuela.

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Leo Mascheroni and his wife Marjorie pose in their Los Alamos home. Photo: The Telegraph

Pedro Leonardo Mascheroni, 75, is said to have claimed that he could help Venezuela achieve a nuclear bomb within 10 years.

He was held following a sting operation in which an FBI undercover operative posed as an agent from the South American country.

The US government said that, in reality, Venezuela had not been seeking US secrets, nor had anyone working for it.

Under Mr Mascheroni's alleged plan, Venezuela would have used a secret, underground nuclear reactor to produce and enrich plutonium, and an open reactor above ground to create nuclear energy.

The scientist's wife, Marjorie Roxby Mascheroni, 67, a US citizen, was also arrested.

Both used to work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, a US government facility which conducts nuclear weapons research.

They appeared in court in Albuquerque, New Mexico to face 22 charges. They could be imprisoned for life if convicted. >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Friday, September 17, 2010
Pope Visit UK: 9,000 Protesters Gather for London Demonstration Against Papal Tour

THE TELEGRAPH: Up to 9,000 protesters have gathered on the streets of London to demonstrate against Pope Benedict XVI's state visit.

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People protest against the visit of Pope Benedict XVI . Photo: The Telegraph

Organisers estimated up to 10,000 were due to join the march to Downing Street in opposition to the papal tour, but shortly before the march police put the growing crowd at between 7,000 and 9,000.

Campaigners held aloft banners stating ''the Pope is wrong – put a condom on'' and ''Pope protects paedophile priests'' as they joined the march.

The action is supported by the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society among others.

Protesters cite a number of grievances against the Vatican's stance on issues ranging from gay rights, the use of condoms and the Church's response to clerical sex abuse.

As they waited to set off, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell accused the Pontiff of obstructing police investigations into paedophile priests.

He said: "The Pope's apologies do not ring true. Even today he is refusing to hand over Vatican files he holds under lock and key. Priests who sexually abused children should. Be brought to justice and the church should do his bit."

The action is supported by the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society among others.

Protesters cite a number of grievances against the Vatican's stance on issues ranging from gay rights, the use of condoms and the Church's response to clerical sex abuse.

As they waited to set off, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell accused the Pontiff of obstructing police investigations into paedophile priests. >>> Patrick Sawer and Alastair Jamieson | Saturday, September 18, 2010
Anwar al Awlaki: The New Osama bin Laden?

THE TELEGRAPH: Anwar al Awlaki, a preacher broadcasting his Islamist ideology in sermons on the internet, is a clear and present danger, says Philip Johnston.

You may not have heard of him before – but this is the new face of international terrorism. His name is Anwar al Awlaki – and unlike Osama bin Laden, who has not been seen in public for many years, he is loud, obvious and very dangerous. If there is an attack any time soon in London or in another Western capital, the chances are that Awlaki will be behind it. The CIA has put him on their hit-list of assassination targets, and in a rare speech on Thursday, Jonathan Evans, the head of MI5, name-checked Awlaki as the West’s Public Enemy No 1.

“The operational involvement of Yemen-based preacher Anwar al-Awlaki with al-Qaeda is of particular concern given his wide circle of adherents in the West, including in the UK,” said Evans.

So, who is Awlaki and why are intelligence agencies so worried about him? To some extent, he is the creation of the West’s success in restraining al Qaeda’s activities in Afghanistan and the lawless borderlands of north-west Pakistan. Bin Laden’s terror organisation, if not exactly beaten, has been scattered. Where, once most of the terrorist plots against Western targets could be traced back to Pakistan (specifically, the tribal areas of Waziristan), the proportion dropped to 75 per cent three years ago and is now down to 50 per cent. The reason is that a lot of al-Qaeda’s foreign fighters, especially the Arabs, have relocated to Somalia or to Yemen – and it is there where Awlaki rules the roost.

But he is not a gun-toting terrorist warlord like bin Laden. Awlaki, 39, is a preacher, broadcasting his Islamist ideology in sermons on the internet. The web gives him a global reach – literally into the bedrooms of disenchanted and gullible young Muslims who may already have been radicalised by an extremist imam or friend. For the intelligence services, this poses a dangerous new threat because it is so hard to keep under surveillance. Plotters meeting can be watched and followed; but if the conspiracy is internet-based, with would-be terrorists acting alone simply because they have heard Awlaki’s call to jihad on their PC, the chances of stumbling upon it are reduced.

The first time that many people heard Awlaki’s name was at the turn of the year. It is said that he recruited and mentored Umar Abdulmutallab, the young African who attempted to blow up a plane carrying hundreds of passengers over Detroit on Christmas Day, by detonating a device in his underpants. However, Awlaki has been on Western intelligence’s radar for some years, as his connections with terrorist plotters, including the September 11 hijackers and the July 7 London bombers, gradually became apparent.

Far from emerging like an Old Testament prophet from the mountains of Arabia, Awlaki is an American citizen. He was born, somewhat incongruously, given his brand of radical Islam, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His father, a Yemeni, moved there in 1971 with his wife to attend the state university where he received a master’s degree in agricultural economics. In 1978, when Awlaki was seven, the family moved back to Yemen where his father served as agriculture minister. Aged 20, Awlaki returned to the US in 1991 where he studied civil engineering at Colorado State University. He later lived in San Diego, where he obtained an MA in education, and then studied for a doctorate in Washington. Read on and comment >>> Philip Johnston | Friday, September 17, 2010
Scotland Yard Investigates Political Assassination as Fears Rise of Karachi Gang Violence Spreading

THE TELEGRAPH: Scotland Yard counter-terrorism police have been called in to lead the murder inquiry into the London killing of a Pakistani politician after officials warned a bloody struggle between political factions in Karachi was on its way to Britain.

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Pakistani Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Secretary-General Imran Farooq. Photograph: The Telegraph

Security sources told the Daily Telegraph the murder inquiry into the death of Imran Farooq, a founder member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), had been taken over by Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command which investigates political assassinations. MI5 is also likely to be called in to help with the hunt for the killers.

Scotland Yard last night appealed for witnesses to the crime.

Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, was in lockdown following the murder of Dr Farooq, who had lived in the UK since claiming asylum in 1999.

Hundreds of deaths of loyalists from rival political and ethnic gang have been recorded this year in a murky corruption and racketeering turf war.

"This has been going on here for years and it's not a surprise to see something happen in London," said a senior counter-terrorism official in Karachi, speaking on condition of anonymity. "These networks extend a long way and are very well developed." >>> Duncan Gardham and Rob Crilly in Islamabad | Friday, September 17, 2010

If something isn't done about the growth of multi-cultural Britain, it won't just be Heathrow that resembles the Third World, the whole country will! The liberal élite will then have a hell of a lot to answer for. – © Mark
Day of Drama Ends with Plea to Rescue Religion from the Margins

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Pope Benedict at an assembly at St Mary's College in Twickenham. Photograph: The INdependent

THE INDEPENDENT: Benedict XVI hit out at what he described as the "increasing marginalisation of religion" during a dramatic second day of the papal visit during which police arrested six men for an alleged terrorist plot to attack the Pope.

Speaking to members of civil society in Westminster Hall, a venue filled with symbolism for the Catholic Church as the place where St Thomas More was condemned to death for refusing to abandon his loyalty to Rome, the Pope last night praised Britain's Parliamentary tradition for creating a "pluralist democracy which places great value on freedom of speech".

But he also attacked moves to relegate religion to the private sphere and said more should be done to protect religious festivals such as Christmas. Continue reading and comment >>> Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, September 18, 2010

THE INDEPENDENT: Pope's 'deep sorrow' over child abuse scandal: Pope Benedict XVI today offered his strongest public apology of his state visit to victims of child abuse within the Catholic Church.

The Pontiff told of the "shame and humiliation" brought by the scandal and expressed "deep sorrow" once again for the "unspeakable crimes".
>>>
Katie Hodge, Press Association | Saturday, September 18, 2010
Nick Clegg: 'The Lib Dems Have No Future on the Left'

THE TELEGRAPH: Nick Clegg has said that there is no future for the Liberal Democrats as a left wing party.

The Deputy Prime Minister said he sympathised with voters who had turned to his party as an alternative to Labour and were unhappy that they had formed a coalition with the Conservatives.

But he risked alienating key supporters by dismissing those who see the Lib Dems as “a sort of left-wing conscience of the Labour Party”.

"There were some people, particularly around the height of the Iraq war, who gave up on the Labour Party and turned to the Liberal Democrats,” he said.

"I totally understand that some of these people are not happy with what the Lib Dems are doing in coalition with the Conservatives. The Lib Dems never were and aren't a receptacle for left wing dissatisfaction with the Labour Party. There is no future for that; there never was," he told the Independent. >>> Heidi Blake | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Nick Clegg: There Is No Future for Us as Left-wing Rivals to Labour

THE INDEPENDENT: As the Liberal Democrats' conference begins, their leader gives his party an uncompromising message

Nick Clegg has declared that there is "no future" for the Liberal Democrats as a left-wing alternative to Labour as he appealed to his party to show "patience" and maintain a united front with the Conservatives.

In an interview with The Independent on the eve of Liberal Democrat conference starting today, he promised his party it would reap the electoral rewards if it held its nerve about its slump in the opinion polls. >>> Andrew Grice, Political Editor | Saturday, September 18, 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

We Will Not Be Silenced, Pope Tells Secular Britain

THE TELEGRAPH: The Pope strongly criticised the “marginalisation” of Christianity in modern Britain, claiming that churchgoers were forced to act against their conscience in the name of secular equality.



Delivering the most important speech of his historic visit, he attacked the politically correct ideas that Christmas should not be celebrated for fear of offending minorities and that the faithful should be forced to keep their beliefs to themselves.

Speaking in Westminster Hall before an audience including four former prime ministers, the Pope declared that politicians must not interfere with the running of Roman Catholic institutions, in what would be seen as a reference to those adoption agencies and faith schools that felt under attack from the previous Labour government.

He spoke earlier in the day of the threat posed by “aggressive secularism”, words that were echoed by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks.

Cheering crowds had lined the streets of London to welcome Benedict XVI, first in Twickenham, then in the centre of the capital. >>> Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Friday, September 17, 2010

BBC: Papal visit: Pope Benedict in London (with video) >>> | Friday, September 17, 2010
Prophet Cartoon Paper Bomb Target

DAILY EXPRESS: A man hurt in an explosion at a Copenhagen hotel was preparing a letter bomb, police have said.

Officers in Denmark claimed that the bomb was likely to have been intended for a Danish newspaper which published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. >>> | Friday, September 17, 2010
Pope Warns of 'Increasing Marginalisation' of Christianity

THE INDEPENDENT: Pope Benedict XVI tonight attacked the "increasing marginalisation" of Christianity, arguing that religion should be recognised for its "vital" contribution to the nation.

The Pontiff told MPs, peers, and religious leaders in Westminster Hall that there were "worrying signs" of a failure to appreciate the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and the "legitimate" role of religion in public life.

In his speech, the Pope said he was voicing his concern at the growing marginalisation of religion - particularly of Christianity - even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance.

"There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or least relegated to the purely private sphere," he said.

"There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none.

"And there are those who argue - paradoxically, with the intention of eliminating discrimination - that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience."

The Pope's remarks are likely to be interpreted as aimed in part at the failure of the Catholic adoption agencies to retain the right to refuse gay couples as potential adoptive parents.

The Church has also come under fire over the right to run faith schools and whether it should be allowed to bar sexually active gay people from key appointments.

In his speech, the Pope highlighted Catholic martyr St Thomas More, who was tried in Westminster Hall and sentenced to death in 1535.

The Pope paid tribute to the role of Parliament and its influence in developing democratic Government across the world.

He said Catholic social teaching had "much in common" with the approach of Britain's democracy with its "strong sense" of the individual's rights and duties and of the equality of all citizens before the law.

Former prime ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Sir John Major and Baroness Thatcher were all present in Westminster Hall to hear the speech. Read on and comment >>> Martha Linden and Andrew Woodcock, PA | Friday, September 17, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI Publicly Shakes Hand with Clergywoman for First Time


Pope Benedict XVI publicly shook hands with a clergywoman for the first time in a historic gesture ahead of a service at Westminster Abbey. >>> | Friday, September 17, 2010
Pope Visit: Five Suspected Islamist Terrorists Arrested Over Assassination Plot

THE TELEGRAPH: Police have arrested five suspected Islamist terrorists, working as street cleaners in London, over an alleged plan [to] assassinate the Pope.



The men were arrested during raids at 5.45am at a rubbish depot in central London based on an intelligence tip off received overnight.

The suspects, aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50 were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

They are said to be from a variety of nationalities including a number of Algerian origin.

The depot where they worked is less than a mile from Hyde Park where the Pope was due to hold a prayer vigil tomorrow evening.

As street cleaners they would have been able to move relatively freely and inconspicuously through the London crowds.

Westminster City Council said the men worked for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs 650 on-street staff to keep Westminster's streets clean and free from rubbish.

The men have been taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed by detectives.

Searches are being carried out under the Terrorism Act 2000 at the rubbish depot and at residential premises in north and east London. >>> Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Friday, September 17, 2010

Here we go again! Adherents of the ‘religion of peace’ stirring up trouble. When are we going to come to terms with reality? With all these Muslims living amongst us, we are never going to be able to live as freely as we used to, never going to be able to be anything other than extremely vigilant. It is going to cost us a fortune in security services. The whole situation is ludicrous. And unsustainable! And why? What do we want these people here for, only to endanger innocent people's lives? – © Mark

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope visit: six man arrested over alleged assassination plot: Police have arrested a sixth man on terrorist charges over an alleged plan to assassinate the Pope. >>> Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Friday, September 17, 2010
Iraq Was 'Failure of Strategic Thinking', Chief of Defence Staff Tells MPs

THE GUARDIAN: Sir Jock Stirrup tells select committee that politicians did not understand the consequences of invading Iraq

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Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, chief of the defence staff: he told MPs that invading Iraq was 'a failure of strategic thinking'. Photograph: The Guardian

British soldiers in Iraq were "dying for no strategic benefit" because Tony Blair's government did not appreciate what it was taking on when it planned the invasion, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the chief of defence staff, has told MPs.

There was a "failure of strategic thinking" in southern Iraq, he told the Commons public administration committee. Stirrup, who retires next month, was asked if the politicians appreciated what they were taking on when British forces went into southern Iraq. He replied: "No." >>> Richard Norton-Taylor | Friday, September 17, 2010
Simon Jenkins’ View: Through Coalition, Nick Clegg Chose Glory in Death

THE GUARDIAN: Nick Clegg's love affair has brought the Liberal Democrats short-term power. But longer term, the deal is a suicide note

Admit it, Clegg, you're in love. You rise each morning with that ache of uncertainty in your breast. You choose that tie, that suit, those shoes with him in mind. You scurry early to the office, practising the phrase that will please him, the gesture he will notice. When you first see him in the corridor … you can't help it. The knees go. He is adorable.

The trouble is, an angry wife and family are watching and waiting back home. This weekend, the Liberal Democrat conference will want to know exactly what has been going on between Nick Clegg and David Cameron these past five months. The party has been forgiving, so far, since Clegg has given its members a high profile, a tinge, a hint of real power. But for how much longer?

From his first storming election debate last April to his present high poll rating, Clegg has led the Liberal Democrats into high places and tempted them beyond their dreams. Assorted party wonkery about income tax thresholds, pupil premiums and electoral reform are suddenly taken seriously. They are in play.

Then there are the jobs. Nineteen out of 57 new MPs have government employment, five of them in the cabinet. No Lib Dem MP ever imagined they would experience such titles, salaries, cars and dispatch boxes. Despite having five fewer MPs than in the old parliament, Clegg has taken his followers where no Liberal since Lloyd George has dared to tread.

So much for the good news. The truth is that behind the razzmatazz Cameron's coalition agreement was a political coup worthy of Walpole. He bought himself a Commons majority for the duration of a parliament. He knew that joining a coalition would devastate the Liberal Democrats at the polls, so he hired enough MPs, bound hand and foot, to give himself safety. The MPs took the bait. Sooner or later, the Lib Dem backbenchers are certain to run for opposition cover, but for those who took jobs with Clegg and entered the coalition, the much-trumpeted "programme for government" last May was short-term glory but a longer-term suicide note. Read on and comment >>> Simon Jenkins | Thursday, September 16, 2010

Watch Guardian video: Nick Clegg's speech at the Liberal Democrat conference 2009: Highlights from the Liberal Democrat leader's keynote speech at the party conference in Bournemouth >>> John Domokos | Wednesday, September 23, 2009

THE GUARDIAN: Nick Clegg becomes a Tory poster boy: Nick Clegg is now more popular among Conservative supporters than Lib Dem ones. What explains this strange development? >>> Tom Clark | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Cartoonist behind 'Draw Mohammed' Facebook Page Goes into Hiding

THE TELEGRAPH: The satirical cartoonist who inspired the controversial "Everybody Draw Mohammed Page" on Facebook has gone into hiding on the advice of the FBI.

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Everybody Draw Mohammed page on Facebook. Photo: The Telegraph

Molly Norris, of Seattle, Washington, has moved and changed her name following a call for her assassination by US-born Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

The Seattle weekly newspaper said: "You may have noticed that Molly Norris's comic is not in the paper this week. That's because there is no more Molly.

"The gifted artist is alive and well, thankfully. But on the insistence of top security specialists at the FBI she is, as they put it, 'going ghost' - moving, changing her name, and essentially wiping away her identity." >>> Nick Allen, Los Angeles | Friday, September 17, 2010

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Cartoonist in Hiding After Death Threats: A cartoonist in Seattle who promoted an “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” last spring is now in hiding after her life was threatened by Islamic extremists. >>> Brian Stelter | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Nicolas Sarkozy Hits Back at Critics of Roma Expulsions

THE TELEGRAPH: Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, has angrily denounced "disgusting" comparisons of his Roma expulsion policy with Second World War round-ups of Jews and claimed that all European leaders supported his campaign against illegal gipsy camps.

Mr Sarkozy was involved in a "fierce and heated" argument with Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President as the dispute over France's expulsion of Roma dominated an EU summit on Thursday.

"The disgusting and shameful words that were used - World War II, the evocation of the Jews - was something that shocked us deeply," he said.

Viviane Reding, the EU's justice commissioner, earlier this week condemned President Sarkozy's treatment of Roma gipsies as a "disgrace" that reminded her of wartime Vichy France's collaboration with Nazi deportations of Jews and gipsies.

"Europe is unanimous that the Roma issue is extremely worrying," said Mr Sarkozy.

"Mrs Reding said extremely insulting things. It was deeply shocking to hear someone speak like this and make simplifications that hurt and shocked my fellow citizens." >>> Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Thursday, September 16, 2010

Thursday, September 16, 2010

This Is a Must Read! Is Islam the Problem?

YNET NEWS: Op-ed: Asking tough questions about problematic aspects of Islam isn’t ‘Islamophobic’

Supporters of building a mosque and huge Islamic center near ground zero have focused the issue on religious freedom. Since thousands of mosques have already been built throughout America, however, this can't be the issue.

Its location is sensitive because of the 9/11 attack by Muslim terrorists. But no one is accusing all Muslims of being guilty of this crime. This project, however, has become a rallying cry of pain, a howl of grief that every Muslim should hear.

Opposition to this project echoes 3,000 silent screams. That outrage needs to focus not only on the memory of lost loved ones, but on why so many Muslims are terrorists, and support terrorism. We need to ask some hard questions; and, it is not "Islamophobic" to ask.

Is Islam a "religion of peace," as President Obama and others say?

According to experts, suicide bombing ("martyrdom") and Jihad ("holy war") are not radical ideas in Islam; they are intrinsic parts of that belief.

Conventional wisdom says that there are radical Muslims and moderate Muslims, and that we must distinguish between the two groups and encourage those who don't want to destroy non-Muslims and their cultures.

No doubt, most Muslims don't want to fly airplanes into buildings, or blow up supermarkets and buses. But what does Islam say, and who is the authority? The problem seems to be that Islam contains both radical and moderate traditions, and both are authentic. Fanatic Jihadists and soft-spoken moderates consider themselves good Muslims; Muslim religious leaders are divided.

The leader of the proposed mosque/Islamic center in downtown Manhattan claims he is tolerant, and has suggested that the project may even include space for other religions, as if Christians and Jews would want to pray there. But this seems to be just another PR trick, since it violates strict separation mandated in the Koran, and also denies Muslim superiority. It is impossible, therefore, to know what kind of Islam will be taught there, or for how long.

Controversy over the building must move to a critical examination of Islam's theology, beliefs and practices. Not very peaceful; not so tolerant >>> Moshe Dann * | Thursday, September 16, 2010

* The author is a writer and journalist living in Jerusalem
Rachida Dati Plotted to Oust Carla Bruni from Elysee Palace, Book Claims

THE TELEGRAPH: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was the target of a plot by Rachida Dati, a rival and former justice minister, to oust the French first lady from the Elysée Palace and to bring back President Nicolas Sarkozy's second wife, an official biography has claimed.

The book says that Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy received a police and security services file in March – including phone call listings and text messages – showing that Miss Dati and Sophie Douzal, the President's ex-sister-in-law, conspired by spreading rumours and stories to have her removed and replaced by Cécilia Attias, whom he divorced in October 2007. Mr Sarkozy married Carla Bruni in February 2008.

The claims are made in Carla and the Ambitious by journalists Michael Darmon and Yves Derai, released on Thursday, the day after another, unauthorised, biography hit bookshops in France.

Miss Dati, a former star of Mr Sarkozy's cabinet who fell out of favour with the president, was prepared to "stop at nothing to return to such dizzy heights," the authors wrote. As a result, she and her fellow plotter "hatched a plan more fitting of the tradition of salon scheming than of a modern political fight. Rachida Dati and Miss Douzal believed Carla Bruni was a weak link in the presidency. Their plan was to bring back Cecilia to the Elysée."

The book says that Ms Dati and Miss Douzal planned to spread rumours about Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy's infidelity and stories that Ms Attias was "bored" living in New York and "dreamed" of returning to politics.

After perusing the police report, a furious Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy phoned Cécilia in New York, where she lives with her new husband Richard Attias and Mr Sarkozy's youngest son Louis, to warn her against taking part in the plot. >>> Henry Samuel in Paris | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Pope Likens the Rise of Atheism in Britain to the Nazis as He Admits His 'Shock and Sadness' Over Abuse Scandal

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Pope Benedict XVI. Photo: Mail Online

'Search for him [Jesus Christ], know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today's society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God.' – Pope Benedict XVI, Bellahouston Park, Scotland

MAIL ONLINE: Pope addresses 65,000 Catholics at open-air Mass in Glasgow / Queen and Prince Philip welcome Pope in Scotland / He invokes Nazi Germany in attack on 'atheist extremism' / Aide axed from trip after ill-judged comments about UK / Pope: 'I was shocked and saddened by sex abuse scandal' / Staunch Catholic Susan Boyle sings ahead of Papal Mass

The Pope tonight urged Catholics to speak out in defence of their faith amid a 'dictatorship of relativism' which 'threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man's nature, his destiny and his ultimate good'.

Speaking to a crowd of 65,000 in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park, Benedict XVI argued that the 'evangelisation of culture is all the more important in our times'.

Just hours earlier he had controversially likened the rise of atheism in Britain to Nazi Germany and warned against 'aggressive forms of secularism' as he began his historic state visit.

Risking sparking a new row after one of his aides likened the UK to the 'Third World', the former member of the Hitler Youth invoked Nazi Germany in an attack on 'atheist extremism'.

Tonight he addressed the crowd from almost exactly the same spot in Bellahouston Park as Pope John Paul II in 1982 - albeit to a much smaller crowd of 65,000, compared to 250,000 then.

The 1982 gathering was the largest crowd in Scottish history.

Pope Benedict said: 'The evangelisation of culture is all the more important in our times, when a "dictatorship of relativism" threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man's nature, his destiny and his ultimate good.

'There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatise it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty.

'Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister.

'For this reason I appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for the promotion of faith's wisdom and vision in the public forum.

'Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility. Read on and comment >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Poor Must Accept Benefit Cuts: Clegg on Collision Course with Own Party by Backing Welfare Axe

MAIL ONLINE: Nick Clegg has waded into the row over welfare reform by warning that benefits should not be there 'to compensate the poor for their predicament'.

On the eve of the Liberal Democrat conference, the Deputy Prime Minister backed the Coalition's programme of welfare cuts and dramatically shifted his party's policy on the subject.

He said the billions spent on welfare should be used as an 'engine of mobility', instead of just leaving people 'stuck on benefits, year in, year out'.

His comments are likely to infuriate his party's left-wingers, who have publicly accused the Coalition of targeting the vulnerable and Mr Clegg of breaking promises to ensure all cuts were 'fair'.

The issue is likely to prove a flashpoint with the LibDem Left when activists gather in Liverpool from Saturday for the first time since joining the Tories in government.

But Mr Clegg made clear he considered welfare reforms to be essential. In a newspaper article, he said: 'A fair society is not one in which money is simply transferred by the central State from one group to another.

'Welfare needs to become an engine of mobility, changing people's lives for the better, rather than a giant cheque written by the State to compensate the poor for their predicament.

'Instead of turning the system from a 'safety net' into a 'trampoline', as Labour promised, people have been stuck on benefits, year in, year out.' Read on and comment >>> Jason Groves | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Pope Visit: Queen Says Freedom to Worship Is at ‘Core’ of British Society

THE TELEGRAPH: Freedom of religion is at the heart of British society, the Queen said as she welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to Britain.

Meeting the Pope for the first time at Holyroodhouse Palace, her official residence in Scotland, she praised the contribution of Christianity to world development.

The Queen also praised the contribution of the Roman Catholic Church in helping the poor, educating the young and bringing about peace in Northern Ireland.

Her comments echoed those made by Baroness Warsi, the Conservative party chairman, who said earlier this week that “faith is very much alive and kicking” in Britain.

The papal plane touched down at Edinburgh International Airport on Thursday morning and in a break with tradition the Pontiff was greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh.

The entourage swept onto the courtyard of Holyroodhouse Palace in limousines where the Queen and the Pope shook hands at the formal welcome.

The two heads of state stood shoulder to shoulder, with the Duke of Edinburgh behind them, on a small dais in front of a Guard of Honour formed of men from the Queen’s historic Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, who carry longbows and wear bonnets decorated with a single eagle feather.

The Papal Anthem and the National Anthem were played by the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, before the Queen introduced the Pope to a line of dignitaries including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams; the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg; and Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland.

Peter Robinson, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, was not there although his name had been on an official list.

The Queen, the Pope and the Duke of Edinburgh exchanged gifts in the Morning Drawing Room.

Benedict was presented with a facsimile of 85 drawings by Hans Holbein the Younger, and then gave the Queen a copy of the Lorsch Gospels dating from 778 to 820. She thanked him and described the book as “lovely”. >>> Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent in Edinburgh | Thursday, September 16, 2010
Pope Visit: 'Gorgeous' Georg Gänswein, the Pope's Right-hand Man

THE TELEGRAPH: Georg Gänswein - or Gorgeous George - brings an unlikely touch of sex appeal and glamour to the Pope's visit to the UK.

Georg Gänswein has been compared by the Italian edition of Vanity Fair to George Clooney. Photo: Google Images

Father Gänswein, Benedict XVI's personal secretary, has earned his nickname because of his square jaw, tousled blonde hair and tall, athletic frame.

Known to Italians as “Bel Giorgio”, the well-preserved 54-year-old has been compared by the Italian edition of Vanity Fair to George Clooney, while English-speaking Vatican observers have dubbed him the “Hugh Grant of the Holy See”.

Italian gossip magazines have run breathless articles alongside paparazzi photographs of him playing tennis in his whites.

As a keen skier and qualified pilot, he lends a rare man-of-action image to the often stuffy, staid world of the Vatican hierarchy. He will be at the side of the 83-year-old pontiff throughout the four day trip to London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, making sure he has the right speech to deliver, handing him his spectacles, ensuring his personal welfare and fussing over his appearance.

During Benedict’s trip to Malta in April, Father Gänswein made sure the Pope was comfortable in his white, bullet-proof Popemobile as he was driven among cheering crowds and prevented his cream-coloured cape and cassock from flapping around his face during a windy boat tour of Valletta Harbour.

“He is the bridge between the Pope and the world,” said Jack Valero, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in England and Wales who is closely involved in this week’s visit.

“Whatever the Pope needs, he will get it. He’s very good looking – straight out of central casting.” >>> Nick Squires in Rome | Thursday, September 16, 2010

THE GUARDIAN: Georg Gänswein: the man behind the pope: John Hooper profiles the papal secretary whose looks have been compared with those of George Clooney and Hugh Grant >>> John Hooper | Thursday, September 16, 2010

Msgr. Georg Gänswein - über Schönheit



Georg Gänswein feierte Jubileum

Pope Arrives in the United Kingdom



Queen Elizabeth Greets the Pope in Holyrood Palace

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Die Königin und Prinz Philipp geleiten den Staatsgast durch die Räume von Hollyrood House. Bild: NZZ Online

Papst und Queen betonen Gemeinsamkeiten: Grossbritannien-Besuch von Benedikt XVI. beginnt in Schottland

NZZ ONLINE: Ein erster Höhepunkt der Papstvisite in Grossbritannien war der Empfang bei Königin Elizabeth auf deren schottischem Sitz. Beachtung fand, was der Papst im Flugzeug zu Journalisten über die Missbrauchsfälle in seiner Kirche zu sagen hatte.

Der Besuch des Papstes in Grossbritannien soll die Beziehungen zwischen der katholischen und der anglikanischen Kirche vertiefen. Diese Hoffnung äusserte die britische Königin Elizabeth II., die Benedikt XVI. am Donnerstag in Edinburgh empfing. Auch der Papst hob die gemeinsamen christlichen Wurzeln von Katholiken und Anglikanern hervor. Klare Worte zu den Missbrauchsfällen >>> ddp | Donnerstag, 16. September 2010
UK Is a 'Force for Good', Says Pope

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The Queen accompanies the Pope as he leaves the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Photograph: The Independent

THE INDEPENDENT: Pope Benedict XVI praised the UK as a "force for good" today as he arrived for a historic visit.

But he also delivered a warning about "aggressive forms of secularism" when he urged the nation not to lose its traditional values as it "strives to be a modern and multicultural society".

The pontiff was officially welcomed by the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh for the first papal state visit to the UK.

In a speech at the palace, delivered in English, the Pope spoke of the UK's important place in history.

He said: "Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity, come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike."

He cited anti-slave campaigners William Wilberforce and David Livingstone, and women such as Florence Nightingale, as examples of that force for good.

And he praised Britain's fight against Hitler's "atheist extremism", saying that "Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live".

The Pope, who was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a 14-year-old schoolboy, said the UK remained "a key figure politically and economically on the international stage".

"Your Government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good."

And, referring to the future, he delivered an apparent warning about the risks to the nation's traditional values.

He said: "Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society.

"In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate." >>> PA | Thursday, September 16, 2010

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Top Muslimah Says Coalition Will Restore Faith to Heart of Britain! Big Question Is: Which Faith?

THE TELEGRAPH: Religion will play a crucial role in Coalition policy and should remain at the "heart of society", a senior Tory minister pledged ahead of the Pope's historic visit to Britain.

Baroness Warsi, the Conservative Party chairman, said that the new Government "understands" faith and wanted religious groups to play a greater and more prominent role in Britain, including the provision of public services.

She attacked the previous government for seeking to undermine "the positive power of faith", saying that the Coalition "does God" – a reference to the remark by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former spin doctor, who boasted that New Labour did not "do God".

Pope Benedict XVI's four-day tour – the first state papal visit to Britain following the pastoral trip made by John Paul II in 1982 – will begin today in Edinburgh. He will then travel to London where he is expected to urge MPs and peers to show more respect to believers in a key speech in Parliament tomorrow. He is due to meet the Prime Minister privately on Saturday and speak alongside him at Birmingham Airport before his departure on Sunday.

Controversial comments from a senior Vatican figure threatened to overshadow the visit last night. Cardinal Walter Kasper, who has been in charge of promoting Christian unity for the past decade, said that Britain resembled a "Third World country" and was characterised by a "new and aggressive atheism".

Ahead of the Pope's arrival, ministers have sought to stress their religious credentials. David Cameron said earlier this week that the visit provided a "unique opportunity" to celebrate the work of religious groups.

In a speech to Church of England bishops in Oxford, Lady Warsi said that the Coalition was on the side of religion.

The minister without portfolio, the first Muslim woman to serve in the Cabinet, said: "The fact is that our world is more religious than ever. Faith is here to stay. It is part of the fabric of human experience. And in Britain faith is very much alive and kicking."

She added that Britain needed a government that "understands faith, which is comfortable with faith, and which, when necessary, is prepared to speak out about issues of faith". Coalition: 'We will restore faith to heart of Britain’ >>> Robert Winnett and Martin Beckford | Wednesday, Septemebr 15, 2010

Oh Christ! We really do have problems when the most senior Muslimah in the Conservative Party, nay government, starts spouting forth that faith is to be restored to the heart of British society and politics! Is this what David Cameron meant when he spoke of the “Big Society”?

If by “restoring faith” she means restoring the Christian faith, she may have a point. But if she means restoring faith in society, and intending that faith to be Islam, I have a great problem with that statement. She can stuff her Islam! I don’t want amputations for theft in this country, nor stonings to death for adultery, nor beheadings for capital criminals. All those barbaric punishments belong in the sandy regions, in the desert, the home of Islam.
– © Mark
Turks Believe Focus Should Be On Middle East and Away from Europe

THE GUARDIAN: New survey finds support for European Union dwindling in Turkey, while nuclear-armed Iran would be welcome

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Turkey signed a nuclear fuel deal with Iran earlier this year, signalling a move toward closer Middle East integration. Photo: The Guardian

Turkey sees its interests increasingly better served by greater involvement in the Middle East, and is relatively untroubled by the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, according to an opinion poll today which highlighted the widening gulf between Ankara and the west.

Growing frustration in Turkey at the lack of progress towards joining the European Union, as well as strong popular hostility in Germany and France to having the Turks in the union, were also underlined by the survey.

The annual Transatlantic Trends survey was conducted in 11 EU countries, the US and Turkey, by the institution called The German Marshall Fund of the United States. The poll found that 20% of Turks believed their primary partners should be Middle East countries, while 13% favoured the EU. Compared with last year, that almost halved support for the EU while doubling the figure for engagement with the Middle East. >>> Ian Traynor in Brussels | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Banking Bailout Was Unfair, Mervyn King Tells TUC

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said he believed it was vital the Government set out a clear plan for reducing the deficit. Photograph: The Independent

THE INDEPENDENT: The Bank of England governor Mervyn King today described the huge banking bailout as "unfair" and appeared to sympathise with calls for multibillion-pound tax evasion to be tackled when he spoke to union activists.

Mr King told the TUC Congress in Manchester that he understood the strength of feeling over the size of bankers' bonuses and said "radical reform" of the UK's financial system was needed.

The 62-year-old faced minor protests from some banner-waving delegates and a walkout by the Rail Maritime and Transport union delegation, who retreated to their exhibition stand to watch children's TV.

He was also told bluntly that bankers were "greedy bullshitters" and that he had failed in his job.

As he waited to speak, delegates called for a high pay commission to investigate the "out of control" wages of executives and other high earners.

The Communication Workers Union said a commission should examine the difference between the highest and lowest pay in leading companies.

General secretary Billy Hayes said: "The blatant double standards in pay for those at the top of companies compared to those at bottom is outrageous and leads to dissatisfaction and a divided society of haves and have-nots." >>> Alan Jones, PA | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
New York Plans to Ban Smoking Outdoors

THE TELEGRAPH: New York City officials have announced a plan to ban smoking outdoors.

City officials said that the new legislation would outlaw smoking in parks, beaches, marinas, boardwalks and pedestrian plazas throughout the American city.

That means no smoking in Central Park or on the Coney Island boardwalk.

People who break the ban could be issued with quality-of-life summonses by the parks department. >>> | Wednesday, September 15, 2010

NYC Will Pursue Smoking Ban in Parks, Beaches

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Broad extension of city’s smoking ban would mean no smoking in Central Park, on Coney Island boardwalk

New York City wants to take its tough smoking ban outdoors.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other officials announced Wednesday that they will pursue a broad extension of the city's smoking ban to parks, beaches, marinas, boardwalks and pedestrian plazas throughout the city.

That would mean no smoking in Central Park, no lighting up on the Coney Island boardwalk and putting the cigarettes away if you're lounging on the traffic-free Broadway pedestrian plaza in Times Square.

Officials said they are basing the proposed law on claims that even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can pose health risks.
“The science is clear: prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke, whether you're indoors or out, hurts your health,” Mr. Bloomberg said in a statement. “Today, we're doing something about it.” >>> Sara Kugler Frazier, New York , The Associated Press | Wednesday, September 15, 2010

How do New Yorkers put up with Bloomberg? He’s a despicable little tyrant. And I mean little. At 5’6” he’s diminutive! But that means he’s just the sort to have a Napoleonic complex.

This man is tyrannical, arrogant, and self-righteous.

Many years ago, I remember reading that he used to be a chain-smoker. He decided to give up. That was good for his health. Unfortunately, at the same time as he decided to quit, he decided that the whole world should quit smoking along with him. Ex-smokers are often like that. By the way, Google seems to have been purged of all reference to Michael Bloomberg having been a heavy smoker. I wonder why?

I am an ex-smoker; and I have successfully quit. I derived years of pleasure from smoking; but the time came to stop; and I did so. But at the same time, I promised myself that I wouldn’t become an insufferable ex-smoker. That means to say, an ex-smoker who cannot tolerate other people’s smoking faiblesse. In fact, even though I have given up smoking, I am quite happy to be in the company of smokers: it gives me great pleasure to see others enjoying themselves, and feeling relaxed. Unlike Mayor Bloomberg, I am not a killjoy.

I like to think that I take a balanced view of the evils of smoking. Of course it’s not a healthy habit. But then so many things in life aren’t healthy either. Is it healthy to have tattoos? Is it healthy to have piercings? Is it healthy to eat a lot of saturated fat, or salt, or cholesterol-rich foods? Is it healthy to walk for a long period on the sidewalks, or pavements, with vehicles belching out exhaust fumes? What is Mayor Bloomberg going to do about the pollution from the traffic in New York? Surely that is far more injurious to the health of New Yorkers than a small amount of second-hand smoke, sitting next to someone on a park bench in Central Park!

Come to think of it, what is Mayor Bloomberg doing about the infestation of bedbugs there in New York city? I can’t imagine anything more important for him to tackle than bedbugs. I certainly think he’d be better advised to tackle that problem first. The problem is acute.

I remember visiting the Big Apple when times were very different. In those days, not so long ago actually, prior to Bloomberg becoming Mayor of the city, one could enjoy oneself there. Really enjoy oneself. Even though I am a non-smoker, I really can’t imagine getting much enjoyment from a trip to that once great city now. It would be far, far too restricting and oppressive for me. I think I’ll wait for Mayor Bloomberg to be ejected from office before my next visit. Surely it can’t be that much longer before New Yorkers get the great idea of ridding their wonderful city of such a mean-spirited, domineering character.
– © Mark


THE TELEGRAPH: New York smoking ban: a lot of huff over not much puff – New York's proposed smoking ban is a bad idea, argues Jenny McCartney. >>> Jenny McCartney | Saturday, September 18, 2010
Expulsions : CONTRE-ATTAQUE - Nicolas Sarkozy suggère à Viviane Reding d'accueillir des Roms au Luxembourg

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Nicolas Sarkozy a affirmé devant les sénateurs UMP que la France ne faisait qu'appliquer les règlements européens en matière d'expulsions. Photo : Le Point

LE POINT: "Malveillantes". C'est ainsi que le ministre luxembourgeois des Affaires étrangères, Jean Asselborn, a qualifié les attaques de Nicolas Sarkozy, après que celui-ci a suggéré mercredi à la commissaire européenne Viviane Reding, qui a critiqué les renvois de Roms par la France, d'accueillir des Roms au Luxembourg, son pays d'origine. >>> Source AFP | Mercredi 15 Septembre 2010

THE GUARDIAN: Nicolas Sarkozy tells Luxembourg to take in Roma: French president angered by EU justice commissioner's attack as party defends expulsion policy as 'applying EU regulations' >>> Ian Traynor in Brussels | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Papstbesuch: Benedikts heikle Mission

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Von der Vorfreude der Briten auf den Papst ist nicht viel geblieben. Foto: Focus Online

FOCUS ONLINE: Historisch und schwierig: Papst Benedikt XVI. reist am Donnerstag nach Großbritannien – nie zuvor gab es einen Staatsbesuch eines Papstes auf der Insel. Aber die Briten zeigen sich „not amused“.

Nein, die Briten fiebern dem Papst nicht entgegen. Der erste offizielle Staatsbesuch des katholischen Oberhauptes im Vereinigten Königreich seit sich vor einem halben Jahrtausend die anglikanische von der katholischen Kirche lossagte, ist den Briten schnurzegal. Nahezu 80 Prozent gaben bei einer Umfrage an, „kein persönliches Interesse“ an dem Besuch zu haben. Auf die Frage, ob Benedikts viertägige Anwesenheit in Schottland und England gut oder schlecht für Großbritannien sei, antworteten die meisten mit „weiß nicht“.

Dabei haben britische Offizielle den Papst seit Langem heftig umworben: Bereits 2006 bat der damalige Erzbischof von Westminster den ein Jahr zuvor ins Amt gewählten Benedikt XVI. um einen Besuch. Im selben Jahr sprach Tony Blair, damals noch Premierminister und noch nicht zum katholischen Glauben übergetreten, eine Einladung aus. 2007 folgte Gordon Brown mit derselben Bitte – noch bevor er Blair auch als Premier nachgefolgt war. Weitere Aufforderungen kamen gleich von mehreren Labour- und Toryabgeordneten. Im vergangenen Jahr fragte sogar Margaret Thatcher. Und als schließlich und endlich klar war, dass Benedikt annehmen würde, sprach die Königin ihre offizielle Einladung aus. „Wir haben ihn mit Einladungen beworfen wie mit Konfetti“, schrieb die „Sunday Times“. „Er muss geglaubt haben, wir seien absolut verrückt nach ihm.“ Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Von FOCUS-Korrespondentin Imke Henkel, London | Mittwoch, 15. September 2010
Walter Kasper: Irritationen über Kardinal überschatten Papst-Reise

Walter Kasper
Kurienkardinal Walter Kaspers Äußerungen werden auch im Ausland genau beobachtet. Foto: Focus Online

FOCUS ONLINE: Ist Kardinal Walter Kasper zu peinlich, um den Papst nach Großbritannien zu begleiten? Das jedenfalls finden britische Medien nach Kaspers Interview mit FOCUS.

Ein FOCUS-Interview macht Schlagzeilen in Großbritannien: Kardinal Kaspers Vergleich der Insel mit einem Land der „Dritten Welt“ soll dazu geführt haben, dass Kasper, anders als geplant, den Papst nicht auf seine Reise nach England und Schottland begleitet, spekulieren britische Medien.

In dem Interview in der aktuellen Ausgabe des FOCUS hatte Kasper auf die Frage, warum so viele Briten Unmut über den Papst äußerten, geantwortet: „England ist heute ein säkularisiertes, pluralistisches Land. Wenn Sie am Flughafen Heathrow landen, denken Sie manchmal, Sie wären in einem Land der Dritten Welt gelandet.” Kasper bejahte außerdem die Frage, ob Christen im Königreich benachteiligt würden, und erläuterte: “Vor allem in England ist ein aggressiver Neu-Atheismus verbreitet. Wenn Sie etwa bei British Airways ein Kreuz tragen, werden Sie benachteiligt. Wir wollen aber unseren Glauben öffentlich zeigen. Jeder, der England kennt, weiß, dass es dort auch eine große christliche Tradition gibt. Europa wäre nicht mehr Europa, wenn es diese Tradition nicht bewahren könnte.”

Kasper bezog sich damit auf einen vier Jahre alten Fall einer Angestellten von “British Airways”, der untersagt worden war, während der Arbeit eine Halskette mit Kreuz über ihrer Uniform und damit für Kunden sichtbar zu tragen. Der Fall war seinerzeit auch in Großbritannien kontrovers diskutiert worden. Weiter lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> Von den FOCUS-Korrespondentinnen Imke Henkel (London) und Eva Kallinger (Rom) | Mittwoch, 15. September 2010
Oz Taxpayers Footing the Bill for Oprah's 'Gift'

YAHOO! TV UK: Taxpayers in Australia are reportedly furious after discovering they will be paying to fly Oprah Winfrey's audience to the country.

The Daily Mail claims that the Australian tourist board is splashing out more than $2.3 million to take 300 of the chat show host's guests on an all-expenses-paid trip. >>> Paul Johnston | Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Related >>>
Carla Bruni's Rivalry with Michelle Obama Has Damaged US Relations with France

THE TELEGRAPH: French President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni's alleged rivalry with Michelle Obama has strained relations between the French and US presidential couples.

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Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in June 2009. Photo: The Telegraph

The author of "Carla: A Secret Life" - a biography chronicling her transformation from an allegedly tempestuous man-eater into an apparent model spouse - suggests Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has become something of a political liability for her husband.

Besma Lahouri says Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy's image of distant, well-heeled perfection has kept her at arm's length from the French people.

At a time when the conservative president's popularity has plummeted, and he is being criticised for raising the retirement age and cracking down on Eastern European Gypsy immigrants, having a more accessible first lady might soften his image, she said.

"The French don't know their first lady, and her worries seem to them very far removed from their own," Lahouri. >>> The Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Chinese Think Tank Warns US It Will Emerge as Loser in Trade War

THE TELEGRAPH: A State Council think-tank in China has warned Washington that the US will come off worst in a trade war if it imposes sanctions against Beijing over the two nations' currency spat.

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The US is considering legislation to punish Beijing for holding down the yuan. Photo: The Telegraph

Ding Yifan, a policy guru at the Development Research Centre, said China could respond by selling holdings of US debt, estimated at over $1.5 trillion (£963bn). This would trigger a rise in US interest rates. His comments at a forum in Beijing follow a string of remarks by Chinese officials questioning US credit-worthiness and the reliability of the dollar.

China's authorities seem split over how to respond to moves on Capitol Hill for legislation to punish Beijing for holding down the yuan. The central bank has ruled out use of its "nuclear weapon", insisting that it would not exploit its $2.45 trillion of foreign reserves for political purposes. "The US Treasury market is a very important market for China," it said.

However, the mood is hardening on both sides of the Pacific. The dispute risks escalating if China's trade surplus with the US climbs further and more US jobs are lost. US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who has taken a softly-softly line in the past, said on Friday that China had done "very little" to correct the undervaluation of the yuan since ending the dollar peg in June. >>> Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | Tuesday, September 14, 2010