Ron Paul on Homosexuality
Presidential Candidate Ron Paul is interviewed on homosexuality by John Lofton of 'The American View'.

Zurich Film Festival: Polanski sagt Danke
Unter tosendem Applaus von hunderten von Fans und dutzenden Kamerateams aus aller Welt wird der Oscar-Preisträger Roman Polanski kurz nach halb zehn Uhr am Zurich Film Festival empfangen. Kurz nach 22 Uhr betritt der Regisseur dann die Bühne des Kinos Corso und bedankt sich gerührt bei seinen Unterstützern.

Zum Teil in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch)

THE GUARDIAN: Roman Polanski gets Zurich film festival award after two-year wait: Director was arrested on way to collect prize in 2009 when US attempted extradition on 1977 child sex charges » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Zurich Film Festival » [D] [F]

Saudi Woman to Be Lashed for Driving Car
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Saudi woman has been sentenced to to 10 lashes for challenging a ban on women driving.

Amnesty International reported the sentence just two days after Saudi King Abdullah granted women the right to vote and run in municipal elections.

"Flogging is a cruel punishment in all circumstances but it beggars belief that the authorities in Saudi Arabia have imposed lashes on a woman apparently for merely driving a car", Philip Luther, an Amnesty regional deputy director, said in an emailed statement.

"Allowing women to vote in council elections is all well and good, but if they are still going to face being flogged for trying to exercise their right to freedom of movement, then the king's much trumpeted 'reforms' actually amount to very little," Mr Luther said. » | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Obama Told 'You Wouldn't Treat Jews Like This' As He Orders Black Caucus to 'Stop Complaining'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A leading black congresswoman has criticised Barack Obama for telling the Congressional Black Caucus to "stop complaining".

Representative Maxine Waters of California claimed Mr Obama "never would say that" to Hispanic, gay or Jewish groups.

She took umbrage at Mr Obama's fiery weekend speech in which he told black members of Congress: "I expect all of you to march with me and press on. Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes.

"Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We've got work to do, CBC."

Mrs Waters, a former CBC chairman, told CBS News that she found the comments "a bit curious" and "not appropriate". She said that she was "not sure exactly who the president was talking to" when he made the speech.

"The president spoke to the Hispanic Caucus – he certainly didn't tell them to stop complaining," she said. » | Toby Harnden, Washington | Tuesdaay, September 27, 2011

Protesters Hit with Pepper Spray by NYPD Officer
[V] ideo is posted online that appears to show an NYPD officer using pepper spray on a group of peaceful protesting women during a protest by the Occupy Wall Street group.

Read article and comment here

Labour Party Conference 2011: Ed Miliband Pledges 'New Bargain'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Labour will offer a "new bargain" to the people of Britain to end the "fast buck" culture of the last 30 years and reshape society so that hard work and responsibility are rewarded, the party's leader Ed Miliband said today.


In his keynote speech to Labour's conference in Liverpool, Mr Miliband said he wanted to become Prime Minister so he can "write a new chapter in our country's history".

Launching a scathing attack on "unjustified rewards" at the top of companies, asset-stripping "predators" in business and bankers who profited even as their mistakes caused economic meltdown, Mr Miliband said that a Labour government would use tax breaks, regulation and contracts to reward firms which contribute to their community.

And he said he was determined to reform the welfare system to ensure that it pays to work, to end "cosy cartels" which set top pay, break up the "rigged market" which allows energy companies to charge high prices and rebalance Britain's economy away from the reliance on financial services and towards production and manufacturing.

Against the backdrop of opinion polls suggesting voters do not see him as a potential prime minister, Mr Miliband sought to shake off the legacy of the last two Labour leaders to hold power, telling the conference: "I'm not Tony Blair. I'm not Gordon Brown either... I'm my own man and I'm going to do things my own way."

And he declared that he was ready to take risks to break away from the "something for nothing" culture which has taken root in Britain over the past three decades and created a "quiet crisis" where those who do the right thing no longer believe they will be rewarded for it. Read on and comment » | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Germany Slams 'Stupid' US Plans to Boost EU Rescue Fund
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Germany and America were on a collision course on Tuesday night over the handling of Europe's debt crisis after Berlin savaged plans to boost the EU rescue fund as a "stupid idea" and told the White House to sort out its own mess before giving gratuitous advice to others.

German finance minister Wolfgang Scha[e]uble said it would be a folly to boost the EU's bail-out machinery (EFSF) beyond its €440bn lending limit by deploying leverage to up to €2 trillion, perhaps by raising funds from the European Central Bank.

"I don't understand how anyone in the European Commission can have such a stupid idea. The result would be to endanger the AAA sovereign debt ratings of other member states. It makes no sense," he said.

Mr Schauble told Washington to mind its own businesss after President Barack Obama rebuked EU leaders for failing to recapitalise banks and allowing the debt crisis to escalate to the point where it is "scaring the world".

"It's always much easier to give advice to others than to decide for yourself. I am well prepared to give advice to the US government," he said. » | Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I'm so pleased that Frau Merkel and Herr Schäuble have had the courage to tell Obama to keep his nose out of Europe's business. What can Obama tell others about solving their debt crisis? He can't solve his own! If anyone's debt is "scaring the world," it is the incredible debt of the USA! People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Merkel zu Europa: "Euro ist mehr als nur eine Währung"
Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel bekennt sich zur Europäischen Union, Deutschlands Zukunft sei untrennbar mit Europa verbunden. Der Euro sei ein Garant eines einigen Europas, scheitere er, scheitere Europa. Deshalb dürfe er nicht scheitern und werde nicht scheitern.
Das Video hier abspielen

Une candidate en niqab à l'Elysée en 2012

SAPHIR NEWS: Une femme intégralement voilée en niqab à l’Elysée ? Une idée qui a de quoi surprendre mais qui ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde. Pourtant, Kenza Drider vient de présenter sa candidature à l'élection présidentielle de 2012. Devenue en quelques mois la coqueluche des médias, la candidate en niqab veut défendre la liberté de conscience.

Une audace à peine voilée. La candidature de Kenza Drider à l’élection présidentielle en 2012 fait grand bruit en France. Cette Française de 32 ans d’origine marocaine qui habite Avignon, a publiquement annoncé, jeudi 22 septembre à Meaux (Seine-et-Marne), son intention de briguer la présidence de la République en 2012.

Cette jeune femme, qui porte le voile intégral depuis 13 ans, n’est pas complètement inconnue du grand public. Elle a été la seule femme en niqab à avoir été entendue par la mission parlementaire sur le port du voile intégrale en décembre 2009.

Devenue depuis une figure médiatique et une porte-parole des femmes dans sa condition, Kenza souhaite mettre à profit sa petite notoriété pour se faire entendre. Choquée par la loi interdisant le port du niqab dans les lieux publics en vigueur depuis le 11 avril dernier, elle souhaite l’abroger au nom de la liberté de culte et de la liberté de conscience.

Son engagement, dit-elle, n’est pas uniquement réservé aux femmes en niqab. Elle déclare vouloir défendre toutes les femmes [i][« victimes de stigmatisation ou de discriminations sociales, économiques ou politiques. »] et compare volontiers son combat à Rosa Parks, icône de la lutte contre la ségrégation raciale aux Etats-Unis. » | Hanan Ben Rhouma | Vendredi 23 Septembre 2011

Rise in British Muslim Polygamy
THE TIMES: British Muslims are taking second or third wives in an unexpected revival of polygamy, according to religious leaders Muslim women call their lawyers as polygamy thrives » | Rosemary Bennett | Social Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, September 27, 2011 [£]

Germany's Anti-Muslim Scene: Authorities Debate Surveillance of Islamophobes
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Officials from the BfV, Germany's domestic intelligence agency, will discuss the country's increasingly vocal Islamophobe scene at a meeting on Thursday. There have been calls to put right-wing populist and anti-Muslim groups under increased surveillance.

Islamophobes in Germany could come under increased surveillance by the country's domestic intelligence agency. There are concerns that the anti-Muslim scene is becoming increasingly dangerous, and some intelligence officials want it to be subject to greater scrutiny, despite stringent German privacy laws. » | SPIEGEL | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Open Prison – Greenland
Watch Journeyman Pictures video here

Selling Booze in Baghdad Is Risky Business
Selling alcohol in Baghdad is a dangerous business, with liquor store workers facing bombings, shootings and robberies, while also being separated from their families, who often live elsewhere. But a dearth of other jobs keeps Baghdad's liquor stores staffed.
Watch video here

'I Go to Bed Every Night and Dream of Another Recession': Moment Trader Told Shocked BBC Presenter the City Just LOVES an Economic Disaster
• 'We don’t really care whether they’re going to fix the economy, our job is to make money from it' • Twitter users claim Alessio Rastani is a member of 'Yes Men' hoaxers

An outspoken City trader left interviewers open-mouthed as he admitted that traders 'don't really care that much' about the prospect of an economic collapse.

Alessio Rastani astonished BBC viewers yesterday by describing his hopes of profiting from a recession, adding: 'The governments don't rule the world - Goldman Sachs rules the world.'

The self-styled 'independent trader' also claimed he had been 'dreaming of this moment for three years', as the global economy faces continuing uncertainty. » | Hugo Gye | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Sarkozy in Bedrängnis
Nach den Regionalwahlen im Frühling hat die oppositionelle Linke auch die Wahl des Senats für sich entschieden. Für Nicolas Sarkozy jedenfalls ist es eine schallende Ohrfeige. Schlimmer hätte der Wahlauftakt für den Präsidenten nicht beginnen können.

Pakistan: menaces de «guerre sainte» contre les Etats-Unis
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Aux cris de "Mort à l’Amérique" et "Allah est grand", des milliers de membres des tribus du Nord-Ouest du Pakistan ont menacé d'attaquer les Etats-Unis s’ils s'en prenaient au réseau taliban afghan Haqqani.

Plusieurs milliers de membres des tribus du Nord-Ouest du Pakistan ont menacé vendredi de lancer une guerre sainte contre les Etats-Unis s’ils attaquaient la zone tribale proche du Waziristan du Nord, bastion du réseau taliban afghan Haqqani.

Les manifestants, kalachnikovs en bandoulière pour certains, se sont d’abord rassemblés à l’appel du plus grand parti islamiste pakistanais, la Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), à Jamrud, dans le district tribal de Khyber, frontalier de l’Afghanistan.

Aux cris de "Mort à l’Amérique", "Allah est grand" et "Guerre sainte", les manifestants se sont ensuite retrouvés dans la ville de Landikotal, à la frontière afghane, où ils furent environ 2500 à écouter les discours des responsables du parti.

"Nous appelons à la guerre sainte contre l’Amérique si elle attaque le Pakistan", a déclaré l’un des chefs du parti, Siraj-Ul-Haq, ajoutant que "la nation tout entière" épaulerait alors les forces pakistanaises dans cette bataille contre les Américains. » | AFP | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Pakistan: une femme demande le divorce, elle est tuée avec sa fille
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: «CRIMES D’HONNEUR» | Une mère et sa fille de 18 ans ont été assassinées à Islamabad, en pleine journée, après que la première a demandé le divorce.

Une mère et sa fille ont été tuées mardi en pleine journée dans la capitale pakistanaise Islamabad, juste après que la première eut demandé le divorce, a annoncé la police.

Najma Bibi, 40 ans, retournait chez elle en voiture après avoir déposé une demande de divorce dans un tribunal de la capitale lorsqu’elle a été abattue par des hommes armés avec sa fille Sidra, 18 ans, et un autre homme, Nazeer, 28 ans, a expliqué un enquêteur de la police, Jamshed Khan. » | ATS | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Libye: bataille finale dans les derniers bastions de Kadhafi
LE FIGARO: Les rebelles ont pris le port de Syrte, l'un des derniers bastions loyaux à Mouammar Kadhafi. Plus au sud à Bani Walid, le gouvernement provisoire s'apprête à lancer l'assaut final contre les fidèles du Guide.

Le dernier bastion de Mouammar Kadhafi est en train de tomber. En prenant le port de Syrte, à 350 kilomètres au sud-est de Tripoli, les troupes du Conseil national de transition (CNT) ont porté un coup aux derniers fidèles du Guide libyen. Bloqués pendant des semaines à plusieurs dizaines de kilomètres de la ville, l'étau des rebelles se resserre depuis lundi autour de la cité natale de Kadhafi. L'Otan a apporté son soutien aérien aux insurgés, qui ont réussi à prendre le port dans la nuit de lundi à mardi. » | Par Caroline Bruneau | Mardi 27 Septembre 2011

Catholic Church Criticises Italy's 'Sad and Hollow' Political Class

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Italy's Catholic Church issued a blistering attack on the ruling political class on Monday, saying the country needed to "purify the air" contaminated by licentious behaviour that had sullied its name around the world.

A speech by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco to fellow bishops did not specifically name Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi but he left little doubt he was referring to the sex and corruption scandals that dog the prime minister and his centre-right government.

"It is mortifying to witness behaviour that not only goes counter to public decorum but is intrinsically sad and hollow," said the head of the Italian Bishops Conference.

Cardinal Bagnasco said Italians had been left in a state of "dumbfounded astonishment" by a ruling political class that was enmeshed in scandal and preoccupied with self-preservation while the country suffered from an economic crisis.

"The image is one of a country that is estranged, without impulse, as if everyone is waiting for the inevitable," he said. » | Monday, September 26, 2011

War of Words Breaks Out among Jehovah's Witnesses

THE INDEPENDENT: Attack on 'mentally diseased' worshippers who leave church provokes outcry

"Jehovah, the Great Physician, tells us to avoid contact with them. We know what he means, but are we determined to heed his warning in all respects? What is involved in avoiding false teachers? We do not receive them into our homes or greet them. We also refuse to read their literature, watch television programmes that feature them, examine their websites, or add our comments to their blogs. Why do we take such a firm stand?

"Because of love. We love 'the God of truth', so we are not interested in twisted teachings that contradict his Word of truth." – Taken from 'Will you heed Jehovah's warnings?' The Watchtower, 15 July 2011

The official magazine for Jehovah's Witnesses has described those who leave the church as "mentally diseased", prompting an outcry from former members and insiders concerned about the shunning of those who question official doctrine.

An article published in July's edition of The Watchtower warns followers to stay clear of "false teachers" who are condemned as being "mentally diseased" apostates who should be avoided at all costs. "Suppose that a doctor told you to avoid contact with someone who is infected with a contagious, deadly disease," the article reads. "You would know what the doctor means, and you would strictly heed his warning. Well, apostates are 'mentally diseased', and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings." Continue reading and comment » | Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, September 27, 2011