| Germany: 58% want to 'seriously limit' practice of Islam The acrid immigration debate sparked this summer by former Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin has apparently had an effect on the German public. A poll released on Wednesday showed that one-tenth want a "Führer," while one-quarter admitted to strong xenophobic attitudes – up from one-fifth in 2008. |
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Germany: 58% want to 'seriously limit' practice of Islam
France: MPs vote to strip immigrant criminals of citizenship
| France: MPs vote to strip immigrant criminals of citizenship Lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill to strip foreign-born criminals of their French nationality and expel EU citizens for certain crimes, part of President Nicolas Sarkozy's law and order crackdown. |
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
YEMENI CHILDREN HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL THANKS TO UN-SUPPORTED CAMPAIGN
An estimated half a million children in Yemen, including some from refugee and internally displaced families and other conflict-affected youngsters, are headed back to classrooms as part of a major campaign organized by the education ministry, United Nations agencies and their partners.
The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) is also supporting the Yemeni health ministry to carry out a six-day campaign to immunize 1.7 million women of child-bearing age against tetanus. The campaign, which started on Sunday in 14 governorates, will last until Thursday.
Both the back-to-school and immunization campaigns, supported by UNICEF, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR), Save the Children, CHF International and other partners, aim to contribute to progress towards reaching the poverty reduction and social development targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) for Yemen by the 2015 deadline.
More than a quarter of all school-age children in Yemen do not attend school. The problem is more acute in Sa'ada, Amran and Hajjah governorates, where the majority of school-age children are out of school as a result of a protracted conflict between the Government and al-Houthi rebels.
"Education is one of the most critical contributions to peacebuilding," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Representative in Yemen. "Many children in Yemen have been deprived of education for too long because of the conflict, and we welcome the commitment from all sides to actively contribute to the success of this campaign."
During the past decade, Yemen has improved under-five and maternal mortality indicators, one of the many MDG targets. Significant challenges, however, remain. Coverage of tetanus immunization for women of child-bearing age, for example, is still only 20 per cent.
"As we count down to the 2015 deadline for the MDGs, we have fallen far short of our commitments and promises to the children of this country," Mr. Cappelaere said.
"There is an urgent need for the Government and development partners to accelerate efforts and increase investment in order to meet our MDG targets and make a real difference in the lives of the children and women of Yemen."
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sudan president warns of new civil war
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir attends the opening of the second Arab-African summit in the coastal town of Sirte, Libya. (EPA)
By ANDREW HEAVENS | REUTERS
Published: Oct 10, 2010 21:03 Updated: Oct 10, 2010 21:03
KHARTOUM: Sudan's president accused former civil war foes in the south of going back on the terms of a peace deal, warning a worse conflict could erupt if the sides did not settle disputes before a referendum on secession.
The comments from President Omar Bashir, reported on state media, raised the stakes in a war of words between Khartoum and the south's dominant Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), five years after the sides ended decades of conflict with an accord.
In three months' time, that peace deal is supposed to come to a climax with a referendum giving the people of the oil-producing south the right to decide whether to declare independence or stay part of Sudan.
Bashir told a conference in Sirte, Libya, he regretted the fact that SPLM leader and south Sudan President Salva Kiir had recently publicly come out for separation. This was against the terms of the 2005 peace deal which said both northern and southern leaders should try to make unity "attractive" to southerners before the vote, Suna news agency reported.
Bashir said he was still committed to holding the vote but both sides first had to settle differences over the position of their shared border and how to share out oil revenues, debt and Nile river water.
"He (Bashir) said a new conflict between the north and south will ensue if there was a failure to address these issues before the referendum and that such a conflict could be more dangerous than the one that took place before the peace agreement," said Suna, reporting on the speech which Bashir gave on Saturday.
Bashir spoke as envoys from the UN Security Council wrapped up a visit to Sudan aimed at pressing both sides to hold the vote on time and avert a new civil war.
Any renewal of conflict in Africa's largest country could spill into the nine countries that border Sudan -- Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Chad, Libya and Egypt -- threatening the region's economic success stories and complicating existing conflicts and allegiances.
Diplomats with the UN mission said Kiir last week asked them to deploy peacekeepers and set up a buffer zone along the tense north-south border before the vote.
Kiir, who is also first vice president of all of Sudan, angered Khartoum when he said he would not vote for unity in the referendum during a speech to supporters in the southern capital Juba earlier this month.
One of his senior aides later told Reuters Kiir had not meant to indicate his personal voting preferences but just wanted to point out that the north had failed to make unity attractive to the southern voter.
Northern and southern leaders have been locked in negotiations for months on issues including how they would share out oil revenues after the vote. Most of Sudan's oil is found in the south but runs through the north's pipelines and port to get to market.
The SPLM has insisted lack of progress in the talks should not be used as an excuse to delay the scheduled start of the referendum on Jan. 9, 2011.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Germany: "We have been practising Islamic law for years, and that is a good thing"
Germany: "We have been practising Islamic law for years, and that is a good thing"
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Austria: 43% drop in Arab overnight stays during Ramadan
| Austria: 43% drop in Arab overnight stays during Ramadan Ramadan has been identified as the main reason for a dramatic decline of overnight stays by guests from the Arabian region last August. |
DOOR TO ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE MUST STAY OPEN, BAN TELLS ARAB LEADERS
Recently revived efforts to resolve the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict must not falter, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today, calling for statesmanship and wisdom by all to keep the peace process moving forward.
"If the door to peace closes, it will be very hard to reopen," Mr. Ban cautioned in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4841">message to the Arab League summit in Sirte, Libya.
"There is no alternative to a negotiated settlement resulting in the creation of an independent and viable State of Palestine living side by side with the State of Israel in peace and security. Let us reaffirm our common commitment to this goal, and work together to achieve it in the year ahead."
In his message, delivered by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry, the Secretary-General recalled the resolve shown by President Mahmoud Abbas
of the Palestinian Authority and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met last month in Washington.
Meeting for the first face-to-face talks in 19 months, the two leaders agreed to work towards an historic Israeli-Palestinian agreement on all permanent status issues within a year.
Welcoming the resumed negotiations, the diplomatic Quartet -- comprising the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States -- reiterated its call on Israel and the Palestinians to promote an environment conducive to progress, including by refraining from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric.
Mr. Ban said today that the continuation and expansion of settlement building in the West Bank is contrary to international law and the Road Map, the internationally approved plan for a two-State solution in which Israel and the Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security.
"Moreover, the expiry of Israel's ten-month partial settlement moratorium, without anything in place to
preserve an atmosphere for successful negotiations, has created a major obstacle to progress," he added.
The Secretary-General has repeatedly urged Israel to restore the settlement moratorium, most recently at his monthly <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1582">press conference at UN Headquarters last Wednesday, during which he also stressed that negotiations should move forward intensively, focused on resolving core issues -- "not talks for the sake of talks."
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Dublin: U.S. Embassy sponsors Irish Muslim business conference
| Dublin: U.S. Embassy sponsors Irish Muslim business conference The U.S. Embassy in Dublin has sponsored a seminar on Muslim entrepreneurs and business in Ireland. A main point of the conference was the need for Sharia law compliant financial products to be used. |
Netherlands: Court hears Muslims' complaints against Wilders
| Netherlands: Court hears Muslims' complaints against Wilders Muslims in the Netherlands say that remarks by politician Geert Wilders have poisoned attitudes toward them, making them feel unwelcome and at risk, according to complaints disclosed at his hate speech trial Wednesday. |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Italy: Daughter in coma, wife murdered for refusing arranged marriage
| Italy: Daughter attacked, wife murdered, for refusing arranged marriage A Pakistani woman has died in Italy after her husband beat her with a brick for opposing the arranged marriage of her daughter, triggering a wave of outrage among Italian politicians on Monday.
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Denmark: Police warn of jungle law in ghettos
| Denmark: Police warn of jungle law in ghettos
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Plans for Mumbai-like attack 'severely disrupted'
| EU: Plans for Mumbai-like attack 'severely disrupted'
Via Sky News:
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Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Israeli occupiers set fire to West Bank mosque
Palestinians on Monday inspects a partially burned mosque in the West Bank village of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, which was allegedly vandalized by Jewish settlers on Sunday night. (EPA)
By MOHAMMED MAR'I | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 4, 2010 16:17 Updated: Oct 5, 2010 01:49
RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinians accused Jewish occupiers of setting fire to a West Bank mosque on Monday, an incident that coincided with US efforts to rescue peace talks halted by a dispute over settlement building.
They sprayed graffiti blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on several of the mosque's walls and 15 Qur'ans and the mosque's carpet were burned, said Ali Thawabti, a municipal council official in the village of Beit Fajjar.
He said residents put out the fire and "settlers got into their white Peugeot and sped away."
Palestinian witnesses said that a skirmish broke out between some villagers and the occupiers following the attack, the latest in so-called "price tag" attacks intended to warn the Israeli government against making concessions regarding settlement building in the West Bank.
Monday's incident raises the number of mosques vandalized by occupiers in the West Bank to four. In May, they torched a mosque in the village of Al-Libban Al-Sharqiyeh, to the north of Ramallah. Last December, a mosque was set on fire in the village of Yasouf, to the southwest of Nablus, and the words "price tag" were also sprayed.
In April, occupiers sprayed a Star of David with the name Muhammad beside it on a mosque in the village of Hewara, to the south of Nablus.
The Israeli military, which has been in control of the West Bank since 1967, said it was investigating the attack in Beit Fajjar, near Bethlehem.
An increase in violence could complicate US-led efforts to prevent the collapse of peace efforts which Washington hopes will resolve all major issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within a year.
The peace drive was plunged into crisis last week when a 10-month Israeli moratorium on housing starts in West Bank settlements expired and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted US and international pressure to extend it.
The Palestinian leadership said on Saturday the negotiations, which began on Sept. 2, could not resume until Israel halted settlement construction completely.
"We are in the midst of sensitive diplomatic contacts with the United States to find a solution that will allow the talks to continue," Netanyahu told reporters at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.
"I advise everybody to be patient, responsible, cool-headed and, above all, quiet," he said in public remarks, aimed at his ministers.
Palestinian firefighters succeeded in stopping the fire from engulfing the entire mosque, but the building was damaged.
Palestinian witnesses said that a skirmish broke out between some villagers and the occupiers following the attack, the latest in so-called "price tag" attacks intended to warn the Israeli government against making concessions regarding settlement building in the West Bank.
Monday's incident raises the number of mosques vandalized by occupiers in the West Bank to four. In May, they torched a mosque in the village of Al-Libban Al-Sharqiyeh, to the north of Ramallah. Last December, a mosque was set on fire in the village of Yasouf, to the southwest of Nablus, and the words "price tag" were also sprayed.
In April, occupiers sprayed a Star of David with the name Muhammad beside it on a mosque in the village of Hewara, to the south of Nablus.
This latest incident comes amid a fresh crisis in direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestini
'Edge of the precipice'
Netanyahu made no public comment on media reports, confirmed by a senior Israeli official, that Washington had offered Israel incentives to extend the partial freeze by 60 days.
Netanyahu's coalition government is dominated by pro-settler parties, including his own Likud, and he faces strong opposition within the cabinet to any further settlement moratorium.
Commenting on the mosque fire, Mohammad Hussein, the Palestinian mufti of Jerusalem, said settlers aimed to increase tension and "push matters to the edge of the precipice."
Lieutenant-Col. Avital Liebowitz, an Israeli military spokeswoman, described the blaze as "a very serious incident which we view with utmost gravity." She said Israeli authorities "intend to find those responsible as quickly as possible."
The settlers number about half a million in the West Bank and areas of Jerusalem captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war.
Organizations that monitor human rights in the West Bank say attacks by settlers on Palestinians and their property tend to increase when there is a perceived risk to the settlements.
Last May, Palestinians accused settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the West Bank village of Libban Al-Sharqia. Israel said the blaze was probably caused by a spark during building work.
In April, settlers were accused of spraying graffiti on the walls of a mosque in Hawara and, in December, carpets and Korans were burned in Yasuf. No charges were brought in the incidents.
arabnews.com
— With a report from Reuters
Saturday, October 2, 2010
TACSI Marxuum Xaaji Cali Bootaan Cabdi
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Posted By Samotalis to SAMOTALIS at 10/02/2010 09:19:00 PM
Women cashing in on ban on bachelors
By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
JEDDAH: The ban on single males entering certain public venues such as malls has led to a growth in women taking money from young men by pretending to be together as families to pass security guards at entrances.
Many women charge anything between SR10 and SR50 depending on the season and location. The recent summer and Eid holidays saw a particular surge in women generating money in this way.
"The summer was a good time for us. I made a large sum of money. It's very easy. All I have to do is accompany these young men inside and then put the money in my pocket," said a Saudi woman in her mid-30s who requested not to publish her name.
"I charge SR20 in addition to any entrance fees that there may be which range from SR25 to SR30. I sometimes double my fees depending on the way the man looks, the car he drives and stuff like that," she said.
"If it's a group of teens, then I bring them in pretending they are my children but then charge less. I might charge them SR10 and then divide my entrance fees among them. My job ends once they're inside. I immediately leave for the next customer. When inside they are on their own," she said, adding that she is not afraid of being identified by security guards who ignore her and allow her to enter through the main door.
When it comes to clamping down on the problem, most security guards turn a blind eye. "We do notice large numbers of women or young girls gathering outside. They're usually waiting for males who they can charge to bring in. We've, however, been instructed by the management not to ban such women from entering," said Fahd Al-Muwallad, a security guard at a popular entrainment location in Jeddah.
"We're told to deal with women in a sensitive way. Sometimes we see youths meeting their girlfriends and to be honest it's difficult to ascertain if they are related or not," he added.
One location that has experienced this sort of problem is the Al-Shalal Amusement Park on Jeddah's Corniche. "It is true that a large number of young boys enter the park accompanied by women whom they are not related to. They pretend they are related in order to enter. To stop this, we've increased the number of security guards outside. They stand one or two meters from the gate," said Emad Atwa, the park's assistant manager.
"We also have undercover security guards inside the park who ask young men for their identity cards to ensure they are with their families," he added.
It also happens that security guards end up allowing their own friends to enter without their family. "As a result we send guards outside the park to observe what happens outside. When we catch women doing this, we take copies of their identification cards and make them sign letters promising not to repeat the action again. If caught again, then we will refer the matter to the police," said Atwa.
