mercredi 24 juin 2009
mardi 23 juin 2009
French president: Burkas not welcome here
* Story Highlights
* Sarkozy says the burka is an issue of women's freedom, not religion
* Debate is raging in France about Muslim women wearing the traditional garment
* Some French lawmakers are calling for a ban on burkas
* Sarkozy makes his comments before a joint session of parliament
PARIS, France (CNN) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the wearing of burkas on Monday, saying the traditional Muslim garment that covers women from head to toe was a "sign of subservience" and was not "welcome in France."
In a speech before a joint session of parliament, Sarkozy said, "The problem of the burka is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman's freedom and dignity. This is not a religious symbol. It is a sign of subservience; it is a sign of lowering. I want to say solemnly, the burka is not welcome in France."
Sarkozy's statement comes as debate rages in France about Muslim women wearing the covering, with some French lawmakers calling for a ban on them.
"We cannot accept in our country women trapped behind a fence, cut off from social life, deprived of any identity. This is not the idea that we have of a woman's dignity," the president said.
He urged parliament to further debate the issue.
What do you think about this issue? Does the goverment have a right to interfere?
* Sarkozy says the burka is an issue of women's freedom, not religion
* Debate is raging in France about Muslim women wearing the traditional garment
* Some French lawmakers are calling for a ban on burkas
* Sarkozy makes his comments before a joint session of parliament
PARIS, France (CNN) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the wearing of burkas on Monday, saying the traditional Muslim garment that covers women from head to toe was a "sign of subservience" and was not "welcome in France."
In a speech before a joint session of parliament, Sarkozy said, "The problem of the burka is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman's freedom and dignity. This is not a religious symbol. It is a sign of subservience; it is a sign of lowering. I want to say solemnly, the burka is not welcome in France."
Sarkozy's statement comes as debate rages in France about Muslim women wearing the covering, with some French lawmakers calling for a ban on them.
"We cannot accept in our country women trapped behind a fence, cut off from social life, deprived of any identity. This is not the idea that we have of a woman's dignity," the president said.
He urged parliament to further debate the issue.
What do you think about this issue? Does the goverment have a right to interfere?
jeudi 18 juin 2009
U2- Sunday Bloody Sunday with lyrics
Who is the lead singer of U2? If you can answer the question you win half an hour of free english in Aula Cero (Madrid)
Current News June 18th
North Korea qualifies for 2010 World Cup
* Story Highlights
* Australia top Group 1 of Asian qualifying with 2-1 win over Japan
* Bahrain clinch playoff spot from Group 1 with 1-0 win over Uzbekistan
* Korea take second qualifying spot in Group 2 with 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia
(CNN) -- North Korea qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals by battling to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.
The point saw them edge into second place in Asian qualifying Group 2 ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal difference.
It means both group winners South Korea and neighbors North Korea will both go play in the finals in South Africa.
The home draw sees Saudi Arabia finish in third place to go into the playoffs where they will face Bahrain.
The winners will play New Zealand for a place in the finals.
But Iran will miss out after finishing fourth in Group 2.
Earlier on Wednesday, they were denied a victory in Seoul as Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung scored a late equalizer to give South Korea a 1-1 draw.
Iran took the lead from an own goal early in the second half against the group winners, but Park popped up to score a brilliant 81st minute goal as he beat several men before firing home.
In Group 1, Tim Cahill scored twice as Australia came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 to clinch top spot in the section.
The result was academic as both teams had already sealed automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Japan went ahead in front of a big crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as Marcus Tulio Tanaka headed home a Kengo Nakamura corner in the 40th minute.
But the Socceroos, who went through qualifying unbeaten, hit back in the second half.
Everton's attacking midfielder Cahill again worked his scoring magic to secure the victory.
He was on target in the 59th and 76th minutes to take his tally to 16 in 33 internationals.
"This is a step forward for us, it's great to finish top of the group," Cahill told www.fifa.com after the win, while captain Lucas Neill paid tribute to their opponents.
"They really played the game with intensity and they were running us ragged for a bit and we couldn't get ourselves in the game," Neill said.
Bahrain later clinched third spot in the group and their playoff spot with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan.
A 74th minute goal from Mahmood Abdulrahman from a free kick gave his side a crucial three points.
* Story Highlights
* Australia top Group 1 of Asian qualifying with 2-1 win over Japan
* Bahrain clinch playoff spot from Group 1 with 1-0 win over Uzbekistan
* Korea take second qualifying spot in Group 2 with 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia
(CNN) -- North Korea qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals by battling to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.
The point saw them edge into second place in Asian qualifying Group 2 ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal difference.
It means both group winners South Korea and neighbors North Korea will both go play in the finals in South Africa.
The home draw sees Saudi Arabia finish in third place to go into the playoffs where they will face Bahrain.
The winners will play New Zealand for a place in the finals.
But Iran will miss out after finishing fourth in Group 2.
Earlier on Wednesday, they were denied a victory in Seoul as Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung scored a late equalizer to give South Korea a 1-1 draw.
Iran took the lead from an own goal early in the second half against the group winners, but Park popped up to score a brilliant 81st minute goal as he beat several men before firing home.
In Group 1, Tim Cahill scored twice as Australia came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 to clinch top spot in the section.
The result was academic as both teams had already sealed automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Japan went ahead in front of a big crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as Marcus Tulio Tanaka headed home a Kengo Nakamura corner in the 40th minute.
But the Socceroos, who went through qualifying unbeaten, hit back in the second half.
Everton's attacking midfielder Cahill again worked his scoring magic to secure the victory.
He was on target in the 59th and 76th minutes to take his tally to 16 in 33 internationals.
"This is a step forward for us, it's great to finish top of the group," Cahill told www.fifa.com after the win, while captain Lucas Neill paid tribute to their opponents.
"They really played the game with intensity and they were running us ragged for a bit and we couldn't get ourselves in the game," Neill said.
Bahrain later clinched third spot in the group and their playoff spot with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan.
A 74th minute goal from Mahmood Abdulrahman from a free kick gave his side a crucial three points.
lundi 15 juin 2009
Current news- June 15th
Media group asks nations not to recognize Iran results
* Story Highlights
* Reporters Without Borders cites censorship and crackdown on journalists
* France-based media rights group says four reporters arrested, others missing
* Foreign news sites, such as the BBC, are blocked; Al-Arabiya bureau closed for week
* Independent observers were not allowed to observe the voting in Iran on Friday
(CNN) -- Media rights group Reporters Without Borders is urging nations to not recognize the results of Iran's presidential election, citing censorship and a crackdown on journalists.
The nongovernmental group, which advocates freedom of the press, said it has confirmed the arrest of four reporters by Iranian authorities, including one who won the organization's press freedom prize in 2001.
In addition, the France-based group said, it has no information on 10 other reporters who have either gone into hiding or have been arrested.
"A democratic election is one in which the media are free to monitor the electoral process and investigate fraud allegations, but neither of these two conditions has been met for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's supposed re-election," the group said Sunday in a statement.
Independent observers were not allowed to observe the voting on Friday, and foreign reporters have been blocked from covering the ensuing demonstrations by supporters of Ahmadinejad's rival Mir Hossein Moussavi, who are claiming ballot fraud.
Foreign news Web sites, such as that of the BBC, have been blocked, and the satellite broadcast of the Voice of America partly jammed, the group said.
Reporters for an Italian station, RAI, and for Reuters were beaten by police in the capital, Tehran. A CNN producer was also hit with a police baton.
Iranian authorities closed Al-Arabiya's Tehran bureau for a week without explanation, the Arabic network said Sunday. Two reporters were attacked outside Moussavi's headquarters on Friday, according to Reporters Without Borders.
The Web sites of pro-opposition supporters are inaccessible, and the government also has periodically shut down access to social networking sites, making it difficult for information to reach the outside world.
"An election won by means of censorship and arrests of journalists is not democratic," the group said.
* Story Highlights
* Reporters Without Borders cites censorship and crackdown on journalists
* France-based media rights group says four reporters arrested, others missing
* Foreign news sites, such as the BBC, are blocked; Al-Arabiya bureau closed for week
* Independent observers were not allowed to observe the voting in Iran on Friday
(CNN) -- Media rights group Reporters Without Borders is urging nations to not recognize the results of Iran's presidential election, citing censorship and a crackdown on journalists.
The nongovernmental group, which advocates freedom of the press, said it has confirmed the arrest of four reporters by Iranian authorities, including one who won the organization's press freedom prize in 2001.
In addition, the France-based group said, it has no information on 10 other reporters who have either gone into hiding or have been arrested.
"A democratic election is one in which the media are free to monitor the electoral process and investigate fraud allegations, but neither of these two conditions has been met for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's supposed re-election," the group said Sunday in a statement.
Independent observers were not allowed to observe the voting on Friday, and foreign reporters have been blocked from covering the ensuing demonstrations by supporters of Ahmadinejad's rival Mir Hossein Moussavi, who are claiming ballot fraud.
Foreign news Web sites, such as that of the BBC, have been blocked, and the satellite broadcast of the Voice of America partly jammed, the group said.
Reporters for an Italian station, RAI, and for Reuters were beaten by police in the capital, Tehran. A CNN producer was also hit with a police baton.
Iranian authorities closed Al-Arabiya's Tehran bureau for a week without explanation, the Arabic network said Sunday. Two reporters were attacked outside Moussavi's headquarters on Friday, according to Reporters Without Borders.
The Web sites of pro-opposition supporters are inaccessible, and the government also has periodically shut down access to social networking sites, making it difficult for information to reach the outside world.
"An election won by means of censorship and arrests of journalists is not democratic," the group said.
vendredi 12 juin 2009
Current news June 12th
Source: N. Korea may be preparing for new nuclear test
* Story Highlights
* Washington has "indications" that N. Korea may be planning test, official says
* Test of a nuclear weapon would be North Korea's third since 2006
* Most recent test was on May 25; U.N. Security Council debating sanctions
(CNN) -- North Korea may be preparing for a new atomic bomb test a month after its last test, a U.S. official said Thursday.
The official, who is not authorized to speak on the record, told CNN that Washington has "indications" that North Korea may be planning another test, which would be its third since 2006. The official would not provide any details, however.
The possible preparations come as the U.N. Security Council debates whether to impose additional sanctions on the communist state in response to its May 25 test of a nuclear device, as well as several subsequent missile tests. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Wednesday that North Korea "must pay a price" for its defiance of the international community, which has demanded Pyongyang halt those tests.
In July 2008, U.S., Russian, Chinese, Japanese and South Korean negotiators reached an agreement with North Korea for it to resume the disablement of its nuclear facilities. But the deal has faltered over plans to allow the other parties to verify whether Pyongyang has revealed all of its nuclear secrets.
North Korea has since threatened to restart its nuclear fuel plant at Yongbyon.
Stephen Bosworth, the Obama administration's special representative for North Korea, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday that all parties -- including China, long North Korea's major ally -- have agreed to "coordinated steps" to get North Korea to reverse its recent moves away from the six-party agreement.
"On our recent trip, we find that China shared a deep concern about North Korea's recent actions and a strong commitment to achieve denuclearization," Bosworth said. "Our challenge now is to work with China to turn that commitment into effective implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions."
But Victor Cha, the former Asia director at the U.S. National Security Council, told the committee that additional sanctions could result in a new North Korean test.
"When the Bush administration undertook some of these financial measures, many people argued it led to North Korea's first nuclear test," Cha said. "And the question arises whether these financial measures will then lead North Korea to their third nuclear test. And I don't think we know the answer to that."
Earlier this month, the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, in a rare television interview, shed some light on who might eventually take over the secretive Communist nation. Kim Jong Nam told TV Asahi, a Japanese television network, in Macau that he does not care about politics or about succeeding his father.
Kim Jong Il is widely reported to have suffered a stroke in August and has been absent from many public functions in recent months. In April, he named his son, Kim Jong Un, and brother-in-law, Jang Song Thaek, to the country's powerful National Defense Commission, suggesting his third son may be his heir.
"I hear that news in the media," Kim Jong Nam said. "I think it's true ... however, it is my father's decision. So once he decides, we have to support him."
* Story Highlights
* Washington has "indications" that N. Korea may be planning test, official says
* Test of a nuclear weapon would be North Korea's third since 2006
* Most recent test was on May 25; U.N. Security Council debating sanctions
(CNN) -- North Korea may be preparing for a new atomic bomb test a month after its last test, a U.S. official said Thursday.
The official, who is not authorized to speak on the record, told CNN that Washington has "indications" that North Korea may be planning another test, which would be its third since 2006. The official would not provide any details, however.
The possible preparations come as the U.N. Security Council debates whether to impose additional sanctions on the communist state in response to its May 25 test of a nuclear device, as well as several subsequent missile tests. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Wednesday that North Korea "must pay a price" for its defiance of the international community, which has demanded Pyongyang halt those tests.
In July 2008, U.S., Russian, Chinese, Japanese and South Korean negotiators reached an agreement with North Korea for it to resume the disablement of its nuclear facilities. But the deal has faltered over plans to allow the other parties to verify whether Pyongyang has revealed all of its nuclear secrets.
North Korea has since threatened to restart its nuclear fuel plant at Yongbyon.
Stephen Bosworth, the Obama administration's special representative for North Korea, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday that all parties -- including China, long North Korea's major ally -- have agreed to "coordinated steps" to get North Korea to reverse its recent moves away from the six-party agreement.
"On our recent trip, we find that China shared a deep concern about North Korea's recent actions and a strong commitment to achieve denuclearization," Bosworth said. "Our challenge now is to work with China to turn that commitment into effective implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions."
But Victor Cha, the former Asia director at the U.S. National Security Council, told the committee that additional sanctions could result in a new North Korean test.
"When the Bush administration undertook some of these financial measures, many people argued it led to North Korea's first nuclear test," Cha said. "And the question arises whether these financial measures will then lead North Korea to their third nuclear test. And I don't think we know the answer to that."
Earlier this month, the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, in a rare television interview, shed some light on who might eventually take over the secretive Communist nation. Kim Jong Nam told TV Asahi, a Japanese television network, in Macau that he does not care about politics or about succeeding his father.
Kim Jong Il is widely reported to have suffered a stroke in August and has been absent from many public functions in recent months. In April, he named his son, Kim Jong Un, and brother-in-law, Jang Song Thaek, to the country's powerful National Defense Commission, suggesting his third son may be his heir.
"I hear that news in the media," Kim Jong Nam said. "I think it's true ... however, it is my father's decision. So once he decides, we have to support him."
jeudi 11 juin 2009
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