DSK Lawyers to Argue Arrest Was Unlawful

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lawyers working for Dominique Strauss-Kahn will seek to argue that the former head of the IMF's arrest on rape charges was unlawful due to a procedural error, it emerged yesterday.

Mr Strauss-Kahn, 60, was arrested on May 15 while awaiting take-off to Paris from New York on charges of sexually assaulting and sequestering a chambermaid from a Sofitel hotel in New York.

His alleged victim, a 31-year old single mother of Guinean origin, formally identified him through one-way glass during a police line – up the following day.

But his two lawyers told the Libération newspaper yesterday that they have grounds to argue the identification was illegal, as the plaintiff had been shown pictures of Mr Strauss-Kahn prior to the line-up.

Citing an account of events released by Manhattan's district attorney, the lawyers said it showed that the maid had been shown a photo of Mr Strauss-Kahn by hotel staff shortly after the alleged attack, and that she saw pictures on TV of the one-time French presidential hopeful while waiting to identify him at the police station. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, June 30, 2011

Tony Blair on U.S. Policy in Middle East
Jun 29, 2011 – Former U.K. prime minister weigh in on Obama's Israel comments, Afghanistan troop withdrawal

Auma Obama
Auma Obama ist die ältere Halbschwester von Barack. Während der amtierende US-Präsident in Indonesien aufwächst, verbringt sie ihre Kindheit in Kenia. Zur ersten Begegnung der beiden kommt es in den 1980er-Jahren. Die beiden ergründen ihre Familiengeschichte, und Auma Obama unterstützt ihren Bruder schliesslich auf dem Weg zum mächtigsten Mann der Welt. Schwester und Bruder sind beide Kämpfernaturen. So setzt sich Auma heute vor allem für die Frauen in ihrem Heimatland ein.

Die Einführung ist in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch)

Public Sector Staff Strike
Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, including teachers, immigrations officers and customs officers go on strike over pensions reform

Follow events here | Christopher Hope, and Jonny Cooper | Thursday, June 30, 2011

French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Scuffle with Assailant

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: French President Nicolas Sarkozy was involved in a scuffle during a handshake tour on Thursday when a man grabbed him by the shoulder and tried to pull him over a crowd barrier.

Mr Sarkozy, attending a meeting of mayors near the southern city of Toulouse, was moving down a line of residents and shaking hands when an unidentified man seized the fabric of his suit at the shoulder and yanked him aggressively.

The French president started to lose his balance and fall, then immediately recoiled and righted himself. Security officers pulled the assailant to the ground.

In footage shown on several French news channels, body guards pulled the man back from the crowd and pinned him to the ground as Sarkozy, visibly shaken, looked on.

The incident happened in the town of Brax. The man's identity and motives were unclear but police said he was a 32 year-old who lives in the Lot-et-Garonne region and works in the theatre business. » | Thursday, June 30, 2011


LE FIGARO: Agression/Sarkozy: suspect identifié : La personne soupçonnée d'avoir brièvement agrippé par la veste le président Nicolas Sarkozy jeudi à Brax (Lot-et-Garonne) est un employé du conservatoire municipal d'Agen âgé de 32 ans, a-t-on appris auprès du conservatoire. Cet homme, Hermann Fuster, travaille à l'accueil du conservatoire et s'occupe de manutention, a-t-on indiqué de même source. » | AFP | Jeudi 30 Juin 2011

Riots Herald a 'Dark Day' in Greek History as MPs Vote Through Austerity Cuts

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A young woman staggered down the steps of Syntagma Square blinded by the acrid smoke as thick clouds of tear gas billowed across the heart of the Greek capital.

Bent double and choking, the thin surgical mask across her mouth failing to protect her lungs from the noxious fumes, she crumpled to the ground in front of the Parliament as an army of riot police closed ranks behind her.

Hooded youths, their faces hidden behind gas masks ripped what projectiles they could find from the streets to hurl at police chanting "cops, pigs, murderers!"

Police retaliated with baton charges accompanied by sporadic rounds of teargas and stun grenades releasing terrifying loud bangs - and the crowds fled, regrouping within minutes in other parts of the square.

Such scenes were repeated over and over throughout Wednesday during a second day of protests against a deeply unpopular austerity package.

The protests demonstrate a growing social unrest across all levels of society bubbling into unprecedented public anger at the politicians held responsible for bringing a nation to its knees. » | Fiona Govan, Athens | Thursday, June 30, 2011

Giant Statue of Jesus Christ Opened in Peru

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: One of the world's tallest statues of Jesus Christ has been inaugurated in Peru despite high level opposition and Facebook campaigns mocking it.

President Alan Garcia formally opened the monument, known as Cristo del Pacifico or Christ of the Pacific, on a hill in the capital Lima.

He personally helped fund the cost of the statue to the tune of around 100,000 Peruvian soles (£22,000) and has said it will "bless and protect Lima".

But he has faced strong criticism from several quarters, with many seeing it as a vanity project he chose to pursue before leaving office at the end of July.

Susana Villaran, the Mayor of Lima, condemned the lack of consultation over the statue and labelled it "a plastic copy of the Christ of Corcovado" in Rio de Janeiro. » | Robin Yapp | Sao Paulo | Thursday, June 30, 2011

You Can Pick Up a Knife and Stab a Burglar, Says Ken Clarke
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Householders who stab burglars will not face criminal charges, Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, said yesterday.

He announced that an act of Parliament would be used to "clarify" the existing legal right to use "reasonable force" against intruders.

His remarks come after a householder was arrested on suspicion of murder following the stabbing of a burglar at a house in Salford, Greater Manchester, last week.

David Cameron has promised that the new Justice Bill would "put beyond doubt that home owners and small shopkeepers who use reasonable force to defend themselves or their properties will not be prosecuted".

Yesterday, Mr Clarke spelt out the sort of action that would be permitted under the new regime. He made clear that it would remain illegal to pursue intruders to attack them or to shoot them as they fled.

The Justice Secretary said: "If an old lady finds she has got an 18 year-old burgling her house and she picks up a kitchen knife and sticks it in him, she has not committed a criminal offence and we will make that clear." » | Thursday, June 30, 2011

Fear of Uprisings? North Korea Shuts Down Universities for 10 Months

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: North Korea has shut down its universities for the next 10 months and sent students to work in factories, agriculture and the construction sector as it struggles to rebuild its economy.

Pyongyang has told the North Korean people that the nation will have achieved its aim of becoming "a great, prosperous and powerful nation" in 2012, which marks the 100th anniversary of the founder of the reclusive state, Kim Il-sung.

In addition, Kim Jong-il will turn 70 in February and the "Dear Leader" hopes to be able to transfer his power and an economically stronger nation to his son and heir-apparent, Kim Jong-Un.

Reports in South Korea indicated that the government in Pyongyang on Monday ordered all universities to cancel classes until April of next year. The only exemptions are for students who will be graduating in the next few months and foreign students. » | Julian Ryall in Tokyo | Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Poison of Bloomberg’s New York Reaches England: Stony Stratford Set to Ban Smoking in All Public Places
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An English town is set to follow the example of New York and become the first in Britain to ban smoking on its streets.

A campaign has been launched to outlaw smoking in all public places in Stony Stratford near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

If passed, the new bylaw would mean anyone caught lighting up in the historic market town would face a fine.

Senior politicians on the town’s council have indicated their support for the scheme, which comes after the mayor of New York banned smoking from parks and beaches in the US city last month.

The town’s council will discuss the concept next month before Milton Keynes Council is likely to be asked to use its powers to introduce the ban.

Stony Stratford Councillor Paul Bartlett, who is leading the campaign, said: "When you walk through the high street in any town, smoke is in your face and harming you and any children there. » | Murray Wardrop | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Five Saudi Women Arrested for Driving

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Five Saudi women have been arrested in the first government response to an organised campaign by women to drive in defiance of long-standing rules in the country.

Campaigners said that four women were arrested by religious police in a single car being driven by one of them in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Tuesday morning.

Later in the day, four regular police cars also in Jeddah surrounded a vehicle being driven by another woman, in which a man, either her husband or brother, was riding as a passenger. Both were arrested and taken into custody.

On Wednesday night, the authorities had released no news about the arrests or said what would happen to the women. Manal al-Sharif, the computer security expert whose arrest for driving triggered the campaign last month, spent several days in custody before being released after signing a pledge not to repeat the offence.

The dispute about women driving has become symbolic for the demands of many women, particularly in the professional classes, for less restrictive rules on their public lives.

Two Fridays ago, a group of women launched a Facebook campaign for a lifting of the ban on women driving by taking to the wheel. Those who took part all have international licences. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Wife Has 'No Doubts' He Is Innocent

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dominique Strauss-Kahn's wife has said she has "no doubts" he is innocent of rape charges as his family has come out in support of the former International Monetary Fund chief.

The words from Anne Sinclair, a former star TV presenter and art heiress, coincided with the release of previously censored extracts of a book by a female journalist alleging Mr Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her.

In an email sent to Mr Straus-Kahn's biographer, Miss Sinclair writes: "No doubts about the facts. But very worried nevertheless." "Dominique is a good, honest, upright man. I believe in him more than ever.

Our couple is solid in any ordeal. We will get through this drama together, dignified and upright, hand in hand," she goes on.

Her email dates back to May 19, five days after Mr Strauss-Kahn was arrested while awaiting take-off to Paris from New York on charges of sexually assaulting a chambermaid from the Sofitel hotel.

The previously unpublished exchange will feature in refreshed edition of Michel Taubmann's book, The Real Novel of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, out next Thursday. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Égypte, l’après Moubarak: Les manifestations resurgissent au Caire

FRANCE SOIR: Des centaines de jeunes manifestants ont affronté la police dans la nuit de mardi à mercredi sur la place Tahrir dans le centre du Caire. Ils entendent faire partir le chef du conseil militaire, Mohamed Hussein Tantaoui.

Quatre mois après le départ de l'ancien président, Hosni Moubarak, les Egyptiens ne sont pas satisfaits de l’évolution de leur pays, et sont donc retournés sur la place Tahrir, où des heurts ont de nouveau éclaté, entre forces de l'ordre et manifestants, pour la seconde journée consécutive.

Les manifestants appellent à un sit-in

Des policiers anti-émeute étaient déployés autour du ministère de l'Intérieur et ont fait usage de gaz lacrymogènes, de façon à éloigner les manifestants. Ces derniers ont répliqué par des jets de pierres et de cocktail Molotov. « Le peuple veut la fin du régime », scandaient des manifestants, alors qu'une cinquantaine de personnes ont été blessées, et que les heurts se sont poursuivis mercredi. » | Par Alexandre Couppey | Mercredi 29 Juin 2011

Dutch Parliament Votes to Ban Ritual Slaughter of Animals

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Dutch parliament on Tuesday voted to ban ritual slaughter in landmark animal rights legislation that has been compared to Nazi persecution of the Jews by the country's Chief Rabbi.

In a rare show of unity, representatives of one million Dutch Muslims and 40,000 Jews have condemned the prohibition of halal and kosher meat as a violation of their religious freedom.

The legislation was tabled by the tiny Animal Rights Party but it quickly won cross-party support in a country where traditional religion, especially Islam, has been accused of being out of step with liberal Dutch values.

"This way of killing causes unnecessary pain to animals. Religious freedom cannot be unlimited," said Marianne Thieme, the party's leader.

"For us religious freedom stops where human or animal suffering begins."

The new ban requires that livestock must be stunned before being killed, contrary to the Muslim and Jewish "ritual slaughter" customs that require animals to be fully conscious. » | Bruno Waterfield | Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Geert Wilders Pushes Netherlands to Class Immigrant Grandchildren as Non-native

THE DAILY TELEGRAPGH: Geert Wilders and his anti-Islam Freedom Party are pushing the Dutch government to class the grandchildren of immigrants as "allochtonen" or non-native.

Under current law the third generation children of immigrants in Holland are classified as Dutch, in terms of government statistics and entitlements, as long as both their parents were born there.

But the anti-Muslim Freedom Party is concerned that by treating the grandchildren of immigrants as Dutch, 80 per cent of whom are under 10 years old, it will stop being possible to measure their integration.

Joram van Klaveren, a Freedom Party MP, has called for the change because, he claimed, unless third generation migrants are included in statistics as "allochtonen" then proof of immigration related crime would disappear.

"Non-western immigrants are still over-represented in the crime figures. Soon we won't see that anymore because they will be classified as natives," he told the nu.nl news website. » | Bruno Waterfield | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Riyadh Will Build Nuclear Weapons If Iran Gets Them, Saudi Prince Warns

THE GUARDIAN: Prospect of a nuclear conflict in the Middle East is raised by senior diplomat and member of the Saudi ruling family

A senior Saudi Arabian diplomat and member of the ruling royal family has raised the spectre of nuclear conflict in the Middle East if Iran comes close to developing a nuclear weapon.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington, warned senior Nato military officials that the existence of such a device "would compel Saudi Arabia … to pursue policies which could lead to untold and possibly dramatic consequences".

He did not state explicitly what these policies would be, but a senior official in Riyadh who is close to the prince said yesterday his message was clear.

"We cannot live in a situation where Iran has nuclear weapons and we don't. It's as simple as that," the official said. "If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, that will be unacceptable to us and we will have to follow suit."

Officials in Riyadh said that Saudi Arabia would reluctantly push ahead with its own civilian nuclear programme. Peaceful use of nuclear power, Turki said, was the right of all nations. » | Jason Burke in Riyadh | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Saudi Arabia worries about stability, security and Iran: In a UK speech, Prince Turki al-Faisal outlines Saudi Arabia's concerns relating to the Arab spring, its foreign policies and Iran » | Jason Burke in Riyadh | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Pope Tweets for the First Time
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI has sent his first ever tweet to announce the launch of a Vatican news information portal.

Benedict's Tweet on Tuesday read: "Dear Friends, I just launched News.va Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI" » | Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Vatican News portal here

New Shia Political-landscape in Iraq
Thousands of Iraqi Shia have just finished an annual pilgrimage to a Baghdad shrine.

Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq's previous leader, the Shia were religiously and politically oppressed.

The fall of Hussein's regime in 2003 empowered the country's long-crushed majority.

Now, their renaissance is having an impact on the country's politics.

Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reports from Baghdad.

Islam in Thailand: Problems

Islamic Minnie Mouse Enrages Egypt's Muslims