London: The News - Latest News

UK Reviews Security After Brutal Attack

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:58:12 +0000

LONDON -- Both of the suspects accused of butchering a British soldier during broad daylight on a London street had long been on the radar of Britain's domestic spy agency, though investigators say it would have been nearly impossible to predict that the men were on the verge of a brutal killing.

Still, counter-terrorism officials said they are reviewing what – if any – lessons can be gleaned from the information they had leading up to the slaying Wednesday.

Authorities in the U.S. have similarly pledged to review their procedures in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, with the Boston police commissioner saying that cities should consider deploying more undercover officers and installing more surveillance cameras.

The British review comes amid an outpouring of grief over Wednesday's slaughter of 25-year-old Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Rigby, who had a two-year-old son, had served in Afghanistan. Detectives say they do not believe the attackers knew him or that he was specifically targeted, but they are still investigating.

"We are looking at decisions that were made and reviewing whether anything different could have been done," said a British counter-terrorism official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the investigation. "But you can't put everyone under surveillance who comes on to the radar."

Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday that the Intelligence and Security Committee would review the work of agencies such as Britain's domestic spy agency, MI5, in the wake of the attack "as is the normal practice in these sorts of cases."

In Britain, security officials operate under the "principle of proportionality," which means there needs to a compelling reason before any type of surveillance is undertaken.

Surveillance can range from watching a person's movements to intercepting phone calls and electronic communication. The greater the level of intrusion into a person's privacy, the higher the level of government approval needed.

Although British police have not named either suspect – both are recovering from their injuries after being shot by police after the killing – they had been known to law enforcement officers for as long as six years, the counter-terrorism official said.

One of the suspects had been photographed at multiple raucous demonstrations by the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun.

The extremist group, whose name means "The Emigrants" in Arabic, captured attention shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, when it organized an event celebrating the airline hijackers who slaughtered thousands in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

But attending such demonstrations, investigators say, is generally not enough to put someone under surveillance or to lead authorities to believe men or women will turn violent. Trolling the Internet for extremist sites is also no proof a person will turn to violence.

In last month's Boston Marathon bombings, which killed three people and injured more than 250, at least one of the suspects had been known to authorities.

Alleged Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, killed in a shootout with police, first came to the attention of U.S. officials in early 2011, when Russia told the FBI that he and his mother were religious extremists.

The FBI investigated them, and their names were added to a Homeland Security Department database used to help screen people entering and leaving the U.S.

But the FBI found nothing linking them to religious extremists or terrorists, and asked the Russians twice for more information. The FBI never heard back and closed its investigation in June 2011.

In the fall of that year, the Russians reached out to the CIA with the same concerns.

The CIA shared this with the FBI, and also asked that the names of Tamerlan and his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, be entered into a massive government database of people with suspected terrorist ties.

The FBI again reached out to Russia for more information, and never heard back. Officials in Boston have said the FBI did not initially share the warnings with them, though they acknowledge they might not have uncovered or disrupted the plot based on those warnings.

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis announced last week that the Boston Police Department and mayor's office will conduct reviews of the response to the bombings. Davis told Congress that cities should look at deploying more undercover officers and installing more surveillance cameras – but not at the expense of civil liberties.

"I do not endorse actions that move Boston and our nation into a police state mentality, with surveillance cameras attached to every light pole in the city," Davis said.

Britain is already one of the most heavily watched countries in the world with more than 4.3 million CCTV cameras around the country.

Europol Director Rob Wainwright cautioned against changes that could disturb the balance struck by the "principle of proportionality."

"Investigators have to prioritize their work," Wainwright told The Associated Press. "There are limited resources, but it's not just a question of resources."

Technological advances, for instance, help investigators but also have led to a deluge of data for them to sift through, he said, noting, "The more data you have, the more potential you have for suspects."

Britain, meanwhile, was bracing for potential clashes with right-wing activists, who have promised demonstrations, as well as possible copycat terror attacks in the wake of Wednesday's killing.

Some 1,200 extra police have been put on alert in London.

Wednesday's attack was captured on video by passersby and made for gruesome viewing – one man is seen with his hands stained red with blood and holding two butcher's knives as he angrily complained about the British government and troops in foreign lands.

Analysts say the attackers wanted the publicity to inspire copycats. Already, there has been increased chatter on militant sites, they said.

"We can see the tempo being raised," said Maajid Nawaz, a former jihadist who is now with the London-based anti-extremist Quilliam Foundation. "One of the reasons why these guys acted in this theatrical way was because of the propaganda effect so others would be inspired to do the same thing."

A British government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak about the ongoing investigation, confirmed the increase in chatter since Wednesday's attack but said no specific or credible plots had been detected.

Britain's terror threat level has remained unchanged at "substantial" – the middle of five possible rankings – since the slaying of Rigby.

His anguished widow, Rebecca Rigby, spoke of her loss Friday at a news conference at his unit's headquarters. "I love Lee and always will," she said, sobbing.

His stepfather, Ian Rigby, read a statement on the family's behalf, including the final text the soldier had sent to his mother, who was too upset to speak.

"The last text he sent to his mum read, `Goodnight mum, I hope you had a fantastic day today because you are the most fantastic and one in a million mum that anyone could ever wish for. Thank you for supporting me all these years, you're not just my mum, you're my best friend. So goodnight, love you loads," Ian Rigby said.

___

Associated Press writers Cassandra Vinograd and Gregory Katz in London, and Denise Lavoie and Cara Rubinsky in Boston contributed to this report. Reported by Huffington Post 7 minutes ago.

A Closer Look at Vodafone Group's Dividend Potential

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:59:20 +0000

Filed under: Investing

LONDON -- Dividend income accounts for around two-thirds of total returns, the actual rate of return taking into account both capital and income appreciation. Given that share prices are often volatile and unpredictable, the potential for plump dividends can give shareholders much-needed peace of mind for decent returns.

I am currently looking at the dividend prospects of *Vodafone* and assessing whether the company is an appetising pick for income investors.

*How does** **Vodafone's dividend history stack up?*

*Metric *

*2010*

*2011*

*2012*

*2013*

FY dividend per share

8.31 pence

8.9 pence

9.52 pence

10.19 pence

DPS growth

7%

7.1%

7%

7%

Dividend cover

1.9 times

1.9 times

1.6 times

1.5 times

Source: Vodafone company accounts.

Vodafone has increased the dividend at a consistent rate in recent years, and has hiked the full-year payout even in times of severe earnings pressure -- the firm kept dividends rolling in 2012 despite an 11% EPS dip that year.

This steady dividend growth in spite of patchy earnings has pushed coverage away from the widely regarded security threshold of two times prospective earnings, however.

*What are** **Vodafone's dividends expected to do?*

* Metric*

*2014*

*2015*

FY dividend per share

10.41 pence

10.51 pence

DPS growth

2.2%

1%

Dividend cover

1.6 times

1.7 times

Dividend yield

5.4%

5.4%

Source: Digital Look.

Vodafone announced earlier this week that group revenues slid 4.2% in the year ending March 2013 to 44.4 billion pounds, although this did not prevent operating profit advancing 9.3% to 12 billion pounds. Falling turnover was attributed to driven by sustained weakness in Southern Europe, where service revenues collapsed 16.7%, while regulatory difficulties on the continent also crimped performance.

Still, the firm remains optimistic that its data, enterprise and developing market operations should continue to make headway, while its Verizon Wireless joint-venture with *Verizon Communications* -- in which service revenues advanced 8.1% on-year in 2013 -- also continues to charge higher.

EPS is predicted to keep moving skywards over the medium term, according to broker forecasts -- a 4% and 6% expansion has been predicted for 2014 and 2015 respectively. Dividend growth is expected to thus continue rumbling higher during the period, albeit at a vastly lower rate than in previous years, although this will drag dividend cover back toward two times forward earnings.

*How does** **Vodafone's dividend prospects rate against the competition?*

* *

*Prospective Dividend Yield*

*Prospective P/E Ratio*

Mobile Telecommunications

4.5%

15.4

*FTSE 100*

3.1%

16.7

Source: Digital Look.

Vodafone was recently dealing on a P/E rating of 11.8 for 2014, representing a chunky discount to the prospective readings of both its sector peers and the FTSE 100, while it also beats both of these groups hands down in terms of projected dividend yield.

In my opinion, Vodafone is an excellent stock market selection for those seeking reliable dividend growth. The firm has an excellent track record of raising payouts, even in times of earnings pressure, and I expect the company's focus on key strategic areas should underpin long-term growth and help it to negotiate current travails in Europe.

*The inside track to growth elsewhere
*If you already hold shares in Vodafone and are looking to significantly boost your investment returns elsewhere, check out this special Fool report, which outlines the steps you might wish to take if you are hoping to become seriously rich from other shares.

Our "Ten Steps To Making A Million In The Market" report highlights how fast-growth small-caps and beaten-down bargains are all fertile candidates to produce tenfold returns. Click here NOW to enjoy this exclusive "wealth report" -- it's 100% free and comes with no obligation.

The article A Closer Look at Vodafone Group's Dividend Potential Reported by DailyFinance 5 minutes ago.

The Men Who Run ARM Holdings

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:59:20 +0000

Filed under: Investing

LONDON -- Management can make all the difference to a company's success and thus its share price.

The best companies are those run by talented and experienced leaders with strong vested interests in the success of the business, held in check by a board with sound financial and business acumen. Some of the worst investments to hold are those run by executives collecting fat rewards as the underlying business goes to pot.

In this series, I'm assessing the boardrooms of companies within the *FTSE 100*. I hope to separate the management teams that are worth following from those that are not. Today I am looking at *ARM Holdings* , whose chips are in 95% of the world's smartphones.

Here are the key directors:

*Director*

*Position*

Sir John Buchanan

(non exec) Chairman

Warren East

Chief executive until 01/07/13

Simon Segars

President and CEO from 02/07/13

Mike Muller

Chief technology officer

Tim Score

Chief financial officer

Buchanan has been in the chair just over 12 months. He spent 33 years with *BP*, becoming chief financial officer for six years before retiring in 2003. His previous non-executive directorships include the chairmanship of *Smith and Nephew*, senior independent director of *Vodafone*, and *AstraZeneca*.

*Success
*An engineer, East joined ARM from Texas Instruments in 1994 to set up its consultancy division, and rose through the ranks becoming chief operating officer in 2000 and CEO in 2001. Since then, turnover has quadrupled and operating profits have risen five-fold.

The shares have quadrupled, after seriously dipping in his first year. East was responsible for taking ARM into low-powered chips when industry leader *Intel* wasn't interested, leading to the company's current dominant position.

East surprised investors by announcing his retirement, to be replaced by Simon Segars. The logic is that with product development lasting five to seven years, staying now would mean a 20-year stint to see through the next generation of products. But some might think it's good timing to depart on a high.

*Design
*Segars joined ARM in 1991 shortly after its formation, and worked on the design of ARM's early chips. He has worked in a number of areas, concentrating on technological roles, and presently runs the IP division. The two men have worked closely together and analysts do not expect any change of direction.

Muller predates both: he was a founder of ARM, working for its predecessor company Acorn. He undertook marketing roles before being appointed chief technology officer, joining the board in 2001. Another founder, Tudor Brown, stepped down from the board last year.

*Outsider
*Score is the outsider, joining as CFO in 2002. A chartered accountant, he undertook finance roles in a number of companies and was finance director of mid-caps William Baird and Rebus.

Unsurprisingly, ARM's five non-execs have predominantly technological backgrounds, which they probably need to effectively interrogate the close-knit management.

I analyze management teams from five different angles to help work out a verdict. Here's my assessment:

*1. Reputation*. Management CVs and track record.

Good.

*Score 4/5*

*2. Performance*. Success at the company.

Excellent.

*Score 5/5*

*3. Board Composition*. Skills, experience, balance

Logical.

*Score 3/5*

*4. Remuneration.* Fairness of pay, link to performance.

Uncontroversial.

*Score 3/5*

*5. Directors' Holdings*, compared to their pay.

Four execs have £40m-worth of shares between them.

*Score 5/5*

Overall, ARM scores 20 out of 25, a high result. This is a technology-heavy board that has delivered by out-thinking the competition, which no doubt involved luck as well as judgment. Shareholders might have slight concerns that the old guard are starting to leave.

I've collated all my FTSE 100 boardroom verdicts on this summary page.

*Buffett's favorite FTSE share
*Legendary investor Warren Buffett has always looked for impressive management teams when picking stocks. His latest acquisition, Heinz, has long had a reputation for strong management. Indeed, Buffett praised its "excellent management" alongside its high-quality products and continuous innovation.

So I think it's important to tell you about the FTSE 100 company in which the billionaire stock-picker has a substantial stake. A special free report from The Motley Fool -- "The One U.K. Share Warren Buffett Loves" -- explains Buffett's purchase and investing logic in full.

And Buffett, don't forget, rarely invests outside his native United States, which to my mind makes this British blue chip -- and its management -- all the more attractive. So why not download the report today? It's totally free and comes with no further obligation.

link

The article The Men Who Run ARM Holdings Reported by DailyFinance 5 minutes ago.

UK source says appears Pakistani plane not subject of terror attack

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:56:47 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - A British security source said early indications suggested that a Pakistan International Airlines plane diverted from Manchester to Stansted Airport on Friday was not the subject of a terror attack. Reported by Firstpost 8 minutes ago.

Futsal Day at the UEFA Champions Festival

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:52:05 +0000

Futsal took centre stage on the second day of the UEFA Champions Festival in London with stars of the small-sided sport joining football aces on a day when England's prowess was shown. Reported by UEFA 13 minutes ago.

UK court: Lawmakers wifes tweet was libelous

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:42:30 +0000

LONDON (AP) - Britains High Court has ruled that a tweet posted by the wife of the speaker of Parliament about a politician wrongly linked to child sex abuse was libelous. A BBC report last year led to widespread Internet chatter that falsely linked politician Alistair McAlpine to decades-old child sex abuse. Reported by MyNorthwest.com 22 minutes ago.

Raghida Dergham: Western Powers Appease the Iranian Regime

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:33:39 +0000

The ambiguity of Western attitudes towards the Islamic Republic of Iran raises many questions about whether it is the goal of the United States, Britain, and France to enable Tehran to prevent the victory of the armed opposition in Syria, or to further involve Iran and its ally Hezbollah in the Syrian quagmire. This time, the West has been silent about the presidential elections in Iran, turning a blind eye to the growing repression there unlike in 2009, before the Iranian authorities managed to crush the protests and the reformist-led uprising. Furthermore, the West continues to engage in open-ended negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program, while rejecting to set timeframes or issue warnings vis-à-vis Iran's continued stalling and refusal to comply with international demands. Proceeding from this, it seems that Western stances over Iran's elections and nuclear program seek to appease the mullahs' regime in Tehran. Then concerning Tehran's regional role, which Iran views as a fundamental right, the West seems to be pursuing conflicting policies. The West appears at times a partner of Tehran's - as in enabling its role in Arab countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon - while at others, Washington, London, and Paris seem satisfied with the mutual carnage and attrition in the Syrian quagmire, between Shias and Sunnis, and happy to ward off terror from their cities. The recent public Western acknowledgement of a direct role of Iranian combatants in Syria effectively pushes Western powers into a corner. For one thing, the UN Security Council, in a resolution issued under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, bars Iran from exporting troops, military equipment, or military aid beyond its borders, and pledges to take measures against Iran in the event it is found in breach of those requirements. The Western powers have also recently warned against the continued military involvement of Lebanon's Hezbollah in Syria, with hints coming from Europe about plans to designate the Shia group's military wing as a terrorist organization. All these developments could lay the groundwork for further action at the UN Security Council, including a battle with Russia, another supplier of military aid to the Syrian regime, over Iran's involvement in Syria.

Whatever happens in the planned Geneva II conference, if it is indeed held, will determine the next move for Western powers. Yet one Gordian knot at that conference will be Iran as well. The statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Friends of Syria grouping at the end of their meeting in Amman this week, reaffirmed their commitment to stepping up support for the Syrian opposition, until a transitional government with full powers sees the light. But what kind of support could this mean? The answer to that question is the main issue of contention among the group, which includes the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan. This week as well, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations issued a resolution that would help shield US President Barack Obama from criticism when and if he decides to provide real and tangible support for the Syrian opposition - at least to restore the balance of power on the ground and prevent the victory of regime forces backed by Iranian troops, Hezbollah fighters, and superior Russian weaponry.

So will the US president decide to support the Syrian opposition with effective weapons, either directly or through Arab and European channels? Or will Obama continue to drag his feet - whether out of his naïve aversion to involvement in any quagmires, or based on his subtle ploy for both sides to mutually exhaust one another in that quagmire? The main issue here is the military balance of power. But it seems that the US policy pursued by Barack Obama so far is to prevent a decisive victory for either side in Syria: The armed opposition, which includes in its ranks the al-Nusra Front, even if in no bigger proportion than five or ten percent; or Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia. Britain and France, as usual, make threats and then back down. They have both pledged more than once to go ahead and arm the Syrian opposition, after they failed to convince other members of the European Union to lift the arms embargo on Syria, only to backtrack on their pledges after that, more than once as well.

Perhaps among the reasons for Western attitudes that seem to favor a war of attrition in Syria, are the benefits of this war for US and European intelligence services. To be sure, the Syrian conflict has shed light on the breadth of Sunni extremism throughout the world because of the rallying call made by al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, and their ilk. As Sunni extremists answered the call for help, the intelligence community was able to expose their identities and attitudes, and intercept their communications. The most recent development to impact the military balance of power involves the clear determination of Iran and Hezbollah to triumph in Qusayr, a battle that is fateful at both the military and moral levels. Qusayr is a vital artery if the planned outcome of the battle is the survival of the regime or the partitioning of Syria, and also the backbone for any future Iranian presence in Syria.

The statement of the Friends of Syria, which stressed that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would have no future role in Syria, called on Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw their fighters and said their armed presence in the country was a threat to the stability of the region. That statement was made with a 'straight face,' calling on Assad's allies to pull out their fighters and affirming that Assad cannot have a role in Syria's future, while Tehran, Damascus, and Hezbollah are waging a fierce battle to ensure the survival of the regime with Assad in the helm. Moreover, the statement all but overlooked the 'ethnic cleansing' committed by Assad's forces in Baniyas, and also showed disregard for the warnings about the use of chemical weapons by deploying vapid and inconsequential language on the issue. In other words, one side is waging war to alter the military balance of power and keep it in its favor - and hence its triumphalist tone. And one side is vacillating between aversion to engagement on the ground, and deliberately undermining the balance of power, and hence its tone of supplication and appeal for intervention.

In truth, the boost to self-confidence made possible by the successful assault on Qusayr has allowed Hezbollah and Iran to advance their bid to extend the term of the Lebanese parliament for two years, and to form a political cabinet according to a configuration that is satisfactory to their camp. Their 'victory' in Qusayr has translated into successfully blocking the general election in Lebanon. While the Mumanaa axis - the so-called pro-resistance camp - plans and makes such moves, the other camp is in a slumber, and does nothing more than make promises or threats from time to time. Meanwhile, the issue of Iran's participation in Geneva II, which was agreed to by US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, has become a major obstacle to holding the international meeting. Ahead of the international conference, Kerry went to Amman to meet with the Syrian opposition and the Friends of Syria to unify the ranks of the opposition, and rally their support for political talks between the regime and the opposition. But Kerry appears as though he was marketing 'Russian goods,' especially if one is to recall that the previous US stance insisted on Bashar al-Assad stepping down. In addition, Kerry's seal of approval to the Amman statement, which mentioned that Bashar al-Assad would not have a future role in Syria, is but a natural reflection of the unnaturally conflicting attitudes of the United States.

Returning to Iran's participation in Geneva II which Russia insists upon, the debate is taking place at a time when the US administration has confirmed that Iranian troops are fighting alongside pro-Assad forces, and also amid growing US talk about the Syrian conflict having turned into a regional war with Iran now a direct party, both through its troops and its proxy Hezbollah. Yet the Western stance on the idea of Iran's participation in Geneva II remains vague and irresolute. For their part, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are opposed to granting Tehran a role on the table that would go on to discuss Syria's future, and believe that this would give legitimize Iran's regional role in Syria and beyond. Yet Lakhdar Brahimi, joint envoy of the UN and the Arab League, has always sought to give Iran a role in light of its influence and direct role in Syria. Brahimi believes this must be taken in to account; otherwise, proxy wars in Syria would only continue with no end in sight. Russia has proposed that both Saudi and Iran attend the conference. So far, Saudi has refused to take part following this formula, lest it be the one to endorse an Iranian role in an Arab country. Consequently, Iran's participation remains one of the many obstacles facing Geneva II, which is supposed to convene prior to the US-Russian summit in mid-June. By then, Iran would have been done with its presidential election. Incidentally, the Iranian authorities have preempted these elections by excluding the two men who had the best odds to win: Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, an ally of incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The regime in Tehran also forestalled the elections by coming down hard on dissidents, perhaps to send out a message to all those concerned that meddling in Iran's electoral affairs was a red line, and that the regime would ensure that the protests that erupted in 2009 would not happen again. Iran's Guardian Council has practically aborted the elections by excluding those candidates. However, voices rose from within the council for the first time to criticize its decisions, which may signify the beginning of dissent. Furthermore, Mashaei pledged to expose corruption among his opponents. But will he be allowed to do that?

Most likely, the exclusion of candidates and the repression will affect voter turnout. Protest campaigns in Iran such as Vote4Zahra are meant to highlight the reactionary nature of the regime in Tehran and its misogyny. However, these remain protest campaigns and not electoral campaigns that are basically prohibited. The presidential elections in Iran carry little significance in their capacity as elections, so what matters is the disillusionment they will lead to after they are held, and how this would progress after that within Iran. Those who had hoped that something like the Arab Spring would erupt in Iran are disappointed. But in the end, disappointment is an essential part of the Iranian regime's strategy of repression, intimidation, and exclusion, which the rulers of the Islamic Republic practice only too well.

The Supreme Leader of the Republic Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive and well, and continues to control all facets of power as he pleases. He has managed to exclude his significant opponents, and did not lose the rival project that is the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), which is seeking to safeguard its economic and military privileges and its powers that it accumulated over the years through Mashaei. It is worth mentioning that the task of internal repression is assigned to the Basij, while the job of protecting Iranian interests abroad is entrusted to the Pasdaran - i.e. the IRGC. The majority of Iranians have no qualms with what the IRGC is doing in Syria, or with what Khamenei wants through forward military deployments in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to get Iran closer to the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The Soviet Union spent decades in pursuit of the same goal, and did not manage to do so except recently with its heir Russia, in Tartous. Iran reached the warm waters through what it sees as its prized possession, i.e. Lebanon, thanks to Hezbollah. Indeed, through Lebanon, Iran believes it has borders with the United States, given the special relationship between the latter and Israel. Furthermore, the support the IRGC receives in Syria, in the view of Iranian officials, is the result of the success of the Quds Brigade in the July War in Lebanon against Israel.

All these overlapping factors call for deeper reflection on the relationship between the West and Iran. For in parallel with claims about a quagmire in Syria and this being Iran and Hezbollah's Vietnam, there is talk about grand bargains being hatched behind closed doors, where the Western and Eastern powers would allow Iran to triumph in Syria against extremist Sunni factions, for which Iran would be rewarded in the grand regional scheme.

RaghidaDergham.Com Reported by Huffington Post 31 minutes ago.

Selena Gomez And Jaden Smith Grab Dinner In London

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:45:27 +0000

Are Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber on the outs again? The 20-year-old Spring Breakers star was spotted in London grabbing a bite to eat with Jaden Smith on Thursday, but reps assure that the two are just friends. Gomez and 14-year-old Smith were seen smiling as they grabbed dinner at Hakkasan restaurant, sparking some concern that [...]

Selena Gomez And Jaden Smith Grab Dinner In London is a post from: The Inquisitr Reported by The Inquisitr 19 minutes ago.

Coming Home

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:57:57 +0000

Patch Redwood City, CA --

I remember flying home from London this past summer into the San Francisco International Airport at dusk. The lights of the city shone and the bay glistened, welcoming me home. As I frantically tried to search for my house among the neighborhoods a warm fu Reported by Patch 7 minutes ago.

British police arrest two men on diverted Pakistan flight

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:34:51 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested two men on a Pakistan International Airlines flight on Friday on suspicion of "endangerment of an aircraft" after it was escorted to a different airport by fighter jets. The plane had been flying from Lahore in Pakistan to Manchester, before it was diverted to Stansted, in Essex, southern England. Reported by Firstpost 30 minutes ago.

Actavis Reveals Court Injunction On Generic Pulmicort RESPULES Distribution

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:31:45 +0000

LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Actavis Inc. (ACT) Friday confirmed that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has granted a motion by AstraZeneca (AZN, AZN.L) to enjoin Actavis from furth... Reported by FinanzNachrichten.de 33 minutes ago.

British Security Services Scrutinized After Soldier's Murder

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:56:47 +0000

Britain's security services are facing questions over whether they could have done more to prevent the murder of a soldier hacked to death on a London street. Senior British officials have said the two men detained in connection with Wednesday's murder had been identified earlier by security teams investigating suspected Islamist extremists. Suspects Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale remain under guard in a hospital after police shot and arrested them following the attack. The ... Reported by VOA News 8 minutes ago.

Threats made aboard diverted Pakistan plane: passenger

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:19:17 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - A passenger aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane flying from Lahore to Manchester that was diverted under military jet escort to Stansted, northeast of London on Friday said someone had made threats against its crew. "We landed safely and then he (the pilot) announced that they had had some kind of threat from someone and that's why he landed the plane," the passenger, identified only as Munsif, told BBC television. Reported by Firstpost 45 minutes ago.

Woolwich killing: universities crack down on the preachers of hate

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:23:15 +0000

Universities asked to draw up guidelines on handling preachers with track record of inciting hatred in aftermath of attack

A fresh drive to prevent radicalisation of impressionable students on campus is being launched in which universities will be asked to draw up guidelines on how to handle preachers who have a track record of inciting hatred, at the end of a dramatic week that saw a soldier murdered in Woolwich in the first terror-related incident on mainland Britain since the 7 July 2005 bombings.

Universities UK, which represents higher education institutions, launched a new campaign in an attempt to show students, unions and academics what they can do to constrain controversial preachers.

Ministers are reluctant to reach for a barrage of new legislation in the wake of the terrorist murder of a soldier outside Woolwich barracks, but recognise they need to do more to revive Labour's stalled Prevent strategy, which was introduced by the previous government in an attempt to forestall young people becoming involved with extremist groups.

One of the suspects in Wednesday's murder of Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo, converted to Islam in 2003 and attended events of the now banned al-Muhajiroun group. But it is not clear that there was any university link.

The limited government response emerged on the day that the family of murdered soldier Lee Rigby fought back tears at an emotionally charged press conference describing their shock that a soldier who had served in Afghanistan was killed in broad daylight on the streets of London.

Rigby's wife, Rebecca, and stepfather, Ian Rigby, spoke on behalf of the family at the regimental HQ of his unit, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, at Bury in Greater Manchester.

"I love Lee and always will," said Mrs Rigby. "I am proud to be his wife and he was due to come up this weekend so we could continue our future together as a family … You don't expect it to happen when he's in the UK. You think they're safe."

She said her husband, from Langley, in Middleton, Greater Manchester, was a devoted father to their two-year-old son, adding: "His proudest moments were serving in London on the ceremonials with the drum corps."

Conservative Muslims have urged the government to go further and publish its own official list of speakers that it believes universities should not allow.

Mohammed Amin, vice-chair of the Conservative Muslim forum yesterday urged the faiths minister, Lady Warsi, to consider publishing a list of the proscribed preachers.

Amin said: "Too many times institutions say they would have banned someone if they had known about their background, but by then it is too late. Only government has the resources to publish this list and to be free of the threat of legal action. If someone objected to being on the list they could appeal. It is not illiberal."

Rupert Sutton, from Student Rights, an organisation aimed at preventing extremism at universities, said he hoped universities would develop internal lists of speakers liable to preach hatred or violence. He added: "There is a problem with Prevent at many universities, partly because it comes from government and partly because it is seen as anti-Muslim. It needs to be refocused much more clearly as being opposed to extremism of both right and left."

The two suspects, Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, were shot and arrested at the scene and remain in police custody in separate hospitals. It emerged earlier this week that the pair had been known to security services but had not been considered a serious threat.

Adebolajo was stopped when he arrived in Kenya on a recent visit – when he may have been intending to travel on to Somalia – and was subsequently deported. Last year he also complained of harassment by MI5, which is under fire for not taking further action.

The Guardian has been also told that the head of MI5, Andrew Parker, will next week deliver a preliminary report to the parliamentary intelligence and security committee, responsible for parliamentary oversight, which is probing what the service knew of the Woolwich terror suspects.

However, despite this week's setback, the agencies are putting pressure on Whitehall not to slash back its budgets in the spending review this summer, a plea backed by Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the chairman of the intelligence and security committee.

Yesterday morning, Ed Miliband made a private visit to Woolwich barracks to pay his respects and Nick Clegg told a meeting of faith leaders in London that people had a choice to reject the "corrosive feeling of fear" affecting their lives in the aftermath of the murder. The leader of the far-right British National party, Nick Griffin visited the scene of the killing in the afternoon.

At the press conference, Rigby's stepfather struggled to contain his emotions as he read a statement, painting a portrait of a young man who had fulfilled his ambition of joining the army and who drew immense pleasure from his family:

"What can we say about Lee, our hero? When Lee was born the family adored him, he was a precious gift given to us."

He said Rigby had realised his boyhood dream in joining the army. "He was dedicated and loved his job. Lee adored and cared a lot for his family; he was very much a family man, looking out for his wife, young son, Jack, younger sisters – who in turn looked up to him. He always had a banter with them but would never ever let any harm come to them."

The last text Rigby had sent to his mother, he said, read: "Goodnight mum, I hope you had a fantastic day today because you are the most fantastic and one-in-a million mum that anyone could ever wish for. Thank you for supporting me all these years, you're not just my mum you're my best friend. So goodnight, love you loads." Reported by guardian.co.uk 42 minutes ago.

Letters: Our use of Hellfire missiles could come back to haunt us

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:23:15 +0000

Simon Jenkins has shown courage in connecting the criminal outrage in Woolwich with the participation of the UK in the use of drones to destroy whole village communities in Afghanistan (An echo chamber of mass hysteria only aids terrorists, 24 May). He is surely correct when he poignantly remarks: "Of course, people should be able to walk peacefully down the street in London. They should also be able to walk peacefully in Kandahar, Yemen or Baluchistan."

We should be very grateful that our home-grown religiously inspired fanatics have not yet got their hands on a Hellfire missile, the standard weapon of choice used by Predator and Reaper drones operated by the US and UK in Afghanistan, and by the US in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere. This missile can carry an anti-personnel charge which allows one missile to kill dozens, even hundreds of people. It is not difficult to imagine more sophisticated jihadists being able to mount such a missile on the roof-rack of a car (they weigh about 100-150kg), perhaps hidden in a roll of carpet. It could then be fired into a crowded market place and achieve a kill-rate comparable to that obtained in Afghanistan by the drone pilots based at RAF Waddington.

As Menzies Campbell correctly points out (Syria needs help but it does not need arms, 24 May), if William Hague gets his way and is allowed to supply sophisticated weapons to the Free Syrian Army, they will inevitably end up in the hands of the jihadists of the al-Nusra front. According to most reports, the latter is now doing the bulk of the fighting in Syria on "our" side and might demand access to the most effective weaponry from the FSA. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that they would not mind supplying the odd missile or two to their fellow religious fanatics in the UK. It is even said that UK-born jihadists are already fighting in Syria with al-Nusra.
*Dr David Hookes*
Liverpool

• President Obama has defended his country's drone attacks as "legal, effective and a necessary tool in an evolving US counter-terrorism policy" (Report, 23 May). According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Obama approved 300 drone strikes in Pakistan alone between 2009 and 2012, that killed 2,152 people, including 290 civilians, 64 of whom were children. This is a higher death toll than the Bush administration in the period 2004-09, which launched 52 strikes, killing 438, including 182 civilians, 112 of whom were children. This comparison bears close scrutiny for those – including the Nobel Foundation – who feel that Obama represents a turn to a more enlightened page in US history.
*Stephen McCloskey*
Centre for Global Education, Belfast Reported by guardian.co.uk 42 minutes ago.

Letters: At the going down of the sun

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:22:19 +0000

I wholeheartedly endorse the anti-war sentiments expressed by Jude Law et al (Letters, 22 May). It may be worth reminding David Cameron, before he goes on to mark the anniversary of the first world war with a "truly national commemoration of national spirit", that the so-called "war memorials" erected throughout the land after the war were originally called "peace memorials". If you look at two politically neutral guidebooks, in Arthur Mee's The King's England, in the 30s, you will see them referred to in a quite matter-of-fact way as "peace memorials", whereas three decades and another world war later, Nikolaus Pevsner's The Buildings of England describes them as "war memorials". Let any modern memorial mark that peace, and remember with humility the suffering and sacrifice on all sides rather than by taking pride in "national spirit".
*Austen Lynch*
Garstang, Lancashire

• So David Cameron plans to spend £55m commemorating the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the first world war. I trust he will commemorate the West Indies Regiment. On 6 December 1918, 180 sergeants forwarded a petition to the secretary of state complaining about the levels of pay, which were much lower than for white troops, and the failure to increase their separation allowance, as well as discriminations in promotion. On the same day, the men of the 9th Battalion revolted as they had been forced to work as labourers, including cleaning the latrines of the Italian Labour Corps. So shall we also be commemorating British racism during the war?
*Marika Sherwood*
Sr research fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London

• David Cameron is unlikely to take the good advice of Jude Law et al and "promote peace and international co-operation", especially given his current Ukip infatuation. However, individuals can decide to wear "never again" white poppies in 2014 as a reminder that, in almost all cases, war is a choice and peace an alternative. In doing so, they would also show sincere respect for those who have died or been wounded in war by signalling that they do not want such avoidable loss and suffering to happen again.
*Richard Stainton*
Whitstable, Kent

• If Martin Adams (Letters, 22 May) had read the article on the previous page by Guy Standing, about the progressive stripping of social security rights from working and unemployed people since the time of Margaret Thatcher, perhaps he would not have written about "the acts of bravery that helped ensure that this and other nations were not enslaved", since that enslavement is precisely what so many of the unemployed, the disabled, the low-paid and the mentally ill experience as their daily lot.
*Fr Julian Dunn*
Great Haseley, Oxfordshire

• I thought the whole point of continued remembrance of the two world wars, and all wars, was to help to avoid starting another. Every November, across the world, there are thousands of services where lines from poems of Laurence Binyon and John McCrae are spoken: At the going down of the sun and in the morning / We will remember them (For the Fallen); If ye break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep, though poppies grow / In Flanders' Fields (In Flanders' Fields). Are these words not meant to be taken to heart?
*K Vines*
Yelverton, Devon

• The first world war was labelled the war to end war. The second world war, the war to end tyranny. War and tyranny still flourish. Both wars were failures. Those who died or were maimed for life fighting or sheltering from bombing or fleeing or starving were not the only casualties. Their families, their communities, their nations and their economies were all deeply affected for many years. At 88, my memories of both wars – my parents' and my own – still bring me to tears. They failed. We need, as communities, to remember the suffering wars bring about, to recognise that to try to solve conflict by violent means, by war, will fail. I shall be adding my name to ww1.stopwar.org.uk and urging my friends to do the same.
*Audrey Urry*
Bridport, Dorset Reported by guardian.co.uk 42 minutes ago.

Are Woolwich suspects' beliefs about 'war on Islam' widely held?

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:56:39 +0000

The suspected killers of a British soldier in London this week claimed to have acted in response to the West's 'war on Islam' – raising concerns that their view is shared by more European Muslims. Reported by Christian Science Monitor 1 hour ago.

Should I Buy National Grid or Centrica?

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:55:45 +0000

Filed under: Investing

LONDON -- Utility firms *National Grid* and *Centrica* have long been favored for investors for their generous dividends, but rising markets have pushed these companies' share prices up by around 25% over the last year.

Which share would make the better buy for a dividend portfolio?

*National Grid vs. Centrica
*I'm going to start with a look at a few key statistics that can be used to provide a quick comparison of these two companies, based on their last published results:

*National Grid* *Centrica*
Price to earnings ratio (P/E) 14.7 14.4
Dividend yield 5% 4.2%
5-year average dividend yield 5.9% 4.7%
5-year average dividend growth rate 3.8% 7.2%

National Grid's share price lagged behind the FTSE 100 last year, due to uncertainty over whether the firm's dividend might be cut when new regulatory pricing controls came into force in April.

As it turned out, this wasn't the case and, in March,, National Grid confirmed that it will target dividend growth "at least in line with the rate of RPI inflation each year for the foreseeable future", cementing its position as a top dividend stock.

*Centrica's different
*Just 40% of Centrica's operating profit came from its regulated British Gas business last year, while 45% came from its unregulated oil and gas production business, making it quite different to National Grid.

Although Centrica's dividend yield is lower than National Grid's, it has grown faster over the last five years, rising by an average of 7.2% per year, versus 3.8% for National Grid.

It's also worth noting that Centrica's dividend has been covered by free cash flow for four of the last six years, whereas National Grid's has only been covered by free cash flow twice, during the same period.

*What's next?
*Will National Grid and Centrica be able to maintain their inflation-beating dividend growth?

Analysts' forecasts are notoriously unreliable, but FTSE 100 companies generally get the benefit of the most comprehensive analysis, and tend to deliver fewer surprises than smaller companies.

With that in mind, let's take a look at some forward-looking numbers for National Grid and Centrica:

*National Grid* *Centrica*
Forecast P/E ratio 15.4 14.0
Forecast dividend yield 5.1% 4.4%
Forecast dividend growth 3% 5.5%
Forecast earnings growth (4.0)% 3%

Centrica seems likely to provide a higher rate of dividend growth than National Grid, and is also expected to manage to grow its adjusted earnings this year, unlike National Grid.

*Which share should I buy?
*I think that both companies look attractive buys, and should offer reliable dividends.

For anyone without much exposure to oil and gas, I might suggest Centrica, but if you already have enough exposure to this sector, then National Grid might be a better buy.

*The best FTSE 100 dividends?
*National Grid and Centrica are both tempting income buys, but only one of these utility stocks was selected for the Motley Fool's latest special report, "5 Shares To Retire On".

The Fool's team of expert analysts crunched the numbers on every share in the FTSE 100 when researching this free report, and the five companies they chose all offer high-quality, reliable dividends.

If you would like to know the identity of these five top-rated dividend investments, click here nowto download your copy of this report -- it's free, but availability is strictly limited, so don't delay.

link

The article Should I Buy National Grid or Centrica? Reported by DailyFinance 1 hour ago.

OK! Quick Pics: Rita Ora Gets Colorful Highlights, Tom Cruise Attends LA Kings Game and More!

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:22:06 +0000

With the holiday weekend among us, stars like *Alyson Hannigan* and *Eva Longoria* were spotted celebrating with family and friends. *Rita Ora *also enjoyed her Friday by partying in London with *Calvin Harris*.* *Check out the OK! Quick Pics gallery below to see what else your favorite celebrities were up to today!

News: Jennifer Hudson Signed as Judge on 'American Idol'—But She's Not the Only Returning Alum!

Watch: Why is Lena Dunham So Angry?

Photos: Cute Team Gear for the Fashionista Sports Fan

*What do you think of Rita Ora's new colorful highlights? Tell us in the comments and tweet us @OKMagazine!* Reported by OK! Magazine 43 minutes ago.

Woolwich suspect was victim of frenzied knife attack aged 16

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:59:00 +0000

Michael Adebowale, who remains in hospital, was caught up in incident in which fellow victim was 'cut to pieces'

One of the men arrested for hacking to death a soldier in a London street witnessed a murder and was himself stabbed in a frenzied knife attack five years ago, the Guardian has learned.

Michael Adebowale, who was pictured holding a blade minutes after the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich on Wednesday, had been caught up in an earlier fatal incident in January 2008 when he was 16.

One person was murdered in the bloody episode, having been "literally cut to pieces" by an assailant wielding a 12-inch knife, according to the judge at the trial that followed the incident, which happened on a housing estate in Erith.

Adebowale is now in a London hospital, under guard, after being shot by police at the scene where Rigby's body was found, stabbed with weapons including a knife, a cleaver and a machete. He and another man, Michael Adebolajo, have been arrested in connection with the murder.

Background information about Adebolajo, 28, was circulating soon after Wednesday's gruesome murder but it took a day before Adebowale's name began circulating in public. Relatively little has been known about his background until now.

A Greenwich neighbour of the 22-year-old said that after the earlier knife attack Adebowale disappeared for a year and converted to Islam, and that his character appeared to have changed.

The 2008 attack which Adebowale witnessed and suffered gives an insight to a life in chaos. It led to a trial that saw Lee James, 32, convicted of murdering an 18-year-old, Faridon Alizada, stabbing a 16-year-old in the neck, and stabbing Adebowale in the shoulder and hand.

According to information released by the Metropolitan police after the December 2008 trial: "Faridon Alizada was inside the flat with two friends (victims 2 and 3) when James entered the flat on the pretext of buying drugs.

"Having armed himself with a knife before going to the flat, he then attacked the three teenagers, fatally stabbing Faridon. Faridon died of his injuries at the scene.

"A postmortem later revealed two stab wounds to the chest over six inches deep, either of which would have been fatal."

According to a report in the local newspaper, the News Shopper, James went to the flat on the Larner Road estate from where drugs were sold. He visited it daily and was planning to rob those inside. Faridon was in the flat with the two 16-year-old friends when James entered at 3am, with another man. He was carrying a 12-inch knife hidden under his jacket and bought and smoked crack cocaine.

Sentencing James to life imprisonment, Judge Anthony Pitts said Faridon had tried to save the others, even after being stabbed. "He was literally cut to pieces by Lee James who went on to stab a third man, fortunately not so seriously.

"The murder was in the end only of one person but that was sheer chance. [Another victim] was wounded very, very seriously and was extremely lucky not to have been killed or incapacitated for life.

"Faridon had the extraordinary courage it seem to me to attempt to confront Lee James, not only to protect himself but also to protect the other 16-year-old. It was, of course, a hopeless mismatch."

The trial at Southwark crown court heard that James, a former bare knuckle fighter, accused Adebowale and the other youths, who were Afghans, of being members of al-Qaida and plotting to carry out explosions. The court heard claims that James was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis during the attack.

Madeleine Edwards, a family friend who lived in the same block of flats as Adebowale in Greenwich, south London, said he had been involved with a local gang – the Woolwich boys – when he was a young teenager and had been in "some serious gangland trouble".

She said he had been a witness in a high-profile murder trial and that his mother had said he had to "disappear for a while." He left for about a year and when he came back he appeared to have converted to Islam and had become distant. "He could see my disdain at the direction he had gone in," she said.

Police investigating Adebowale raided a flat on the fourth floor of a block in Greenwich on Thursday, about four miles from the site of Wednesday's attack.

Neighbours at the scene said the small flat in Macey House was the home of Adebowale, who they said lived there with his mother, although this has not been confirmed by police.

"I was so shocked when I saw his picture on the television," said Jonathan Ackworth, 42, who lives in the block. "I used to see him coming and going and would say hello – he seemed perfectly pleasant. Everybody is in total shock."

Ackworth said he had seen both suspects around the block of flats and the second attacker had lived at the address with his mother for several years and attended a local college in Greenwich.

Another neighbour, 22-year-old student Alexander Sargent, said: "I knew him mainly by sight. We'd see each other in the lift and say hello. He dressed quite 'street', if you know what I mean. I've not seen him around for a few months."

On video of the attack on Rigby on Wednesday, Adebowale can be seen carrying a knife, talking to passersby.

Footage shows him rushing at armed police when they arrived on the scene and being shot.

Adebowale and Adebolajo remain at separate hospitals where they are still too ill to be interviewed. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 hour ago.

UK-bound plane diverted, two arrested

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:11:14 +0000

Britain scrambled fighter jets to intercept a commercial airliner carrying more than 300 people from Pakistan, diverting it to an isolated runway at an airport on the outskirts of London and arresting two British passengers who allegedly... Reported by New Zealand Herald 54 minutes ago.

Bayern keeping calm ahead of final with Dortmund

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:05:30 +0000

LONDON – Bayern Munich is approaching its third Champions League final in four years with the self-assured calm of a team fully in control after a season of dominance. Winger Thomas Mueller summed up the mood on Friday, saying that … Continue Reading Reported by metronews 59 minutes ago.

What Turkey's Booze Crackdown Means For You

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:36:04 +0000

ANKARA, Turkey -- A look at legislation passed in Turkey's parliament early Friday that would ban all alcohol advertising and tighten restrictions on the sale of such beverages, and how such a law could affect tourists and liquor companies in the mainly Muslim but secular country.

Q: What happened?

A: Tempers flared and scuffles broke out during an all-night legislative session that passed a bill proposed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted party to ban all forms of advertising of alcohol – including the promotion of brands and logos – and the sale of alcoholic drinks in shops between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The legislation would prohibit alcohol sales within 100 meters (yards) of mosques and schools. Booze ads already are banned on television in Turkey, but the new law would force TV stations to blur the images of drinks shown anywhere on the screen, even during movies and soap operas. All liquor bottles would display warning signs about the harms of alcohol, and there would be stricter penalties on drunken driving.

The government says the measure would shield Turkey's youth from the harms of booze, but secular opponents charge it's another example of the governing party's encroachment on personal freedoms. The party has a majority in Parliament, and a walkout by the opposition allowed the bill to pass 193 to 4. President Abdullah Gul generally acts in accordance with the government, and he is expected to sign the bill into law.

Q: How would this affect tourists?

Probably not very much. Tourism is an important source of revenue for Turkey's booming economy, with more than 30 million foreigners visiting the country last year. In a bow to the industry, the bill makes clear that the ban on the sale of alcohol near schools and mosques wouldn't apply to establishments with tourist certificates. Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said that while shops couldn't sell alcohol between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., the ban wouldn't affect bars and restaurants, including the many located in hotels that tourists use. Open air bars and restaurants would continue to serve alcohol. As in many Muslim countries, nobody would walk down a street, or sit on a park bench, drinking booze in public and expect to get away with it. But drinking in the privacy of one's home or hotel room is common.

Q: Will the companies selling alcohol be affected?

A: Diageo, the London-based spirits company, acquired Turkey's drinks company, Mey Icki, in 2011, and it already has voiced concerns. In a statement released Thursday, Diageo said it is seeking talks with government officials for "fair, balanced and responsible" regulation, and that it bought the Turkish company believing it was investing in a country that encouraged foreign investments.

Q: What's the government's rationale?

A: Erdogan is a devout Muslim whose governing party is rooted in Turkey's Islamic movement. He insists he has no intention of banning alcohol, just to curtail its consumption, especially by youths. He insists he is committed to Turkey's secular policies and its goal of joining the European Union. He frequently quotes the Constitution as saying the nation is responsible for safeguarding young people from alcohol, drugs and gambling. "We don't want a generation walking around drunk night and day. We want a youth that is sharp and shrewd and full of knowledge," Erdogan said Friday in defense of the legislation.

Q: Why did secular parties oppose the legislation?

A: Secularists accuse the government of increasingly meddling in their lifestyles and imposing its conservative values on society. Some believe that Erdogan is trying to gradually impose an Islamic agenda. They claim that Turkey does not have an alcoholism problem and that only 1 1/2 bottles of spirits are consumed per person, per year in Turkey on average, compared to 15 bottles in the West. They say that youths should instead be educated about the harms that alcohol can cause.

Q: What other legal changes have alarmed secularists?

Since coming to power in 2002, Erdogan's party has imposed high taxes on alcoholic beverages, banned all alcohol ads on TV, and barred alcohol consumption in parks and university campuses. Turkish Airlines, the national carrier, recently stopped serving alcoholic drinks on some of its flights.

The government also has repealed strict bans on the wearing of Islamic headscarves, lifted restrictions on religious schools and Quran courses, and said it aims to build "a generation" of devout Muslims. Last month, secularists criticized a court for punishing a pianist and composer for re-tweeting comments deemed to be insulting to religion by giving him a suspended prison sentence. An Armenian-Turkish journalist faces possible imprisonment for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammad.

Q: How do the restrictions compare to those in other Muslim nations?

A: Policies about alcohol vary widely from a complete ban in Saudi Arabia to relatively liberal rules in other countries.

In the United Arab Emirates, many resorts and hotels serve alcohol, and it is widely promoted in airport duty free shops and at public events. Non-Muslim residents of the UAE can buy liquor at special shops with a government-issued identity card.

The sale and consumption of alcohol in Egypt is legal but is allowed only to licensed dealers and tourist areas such as hotels, restaurants and bars. Egyptians are prohibited from buying alcoholic drinks anywhere during the holy month of Ramadan. The government of Mohammed Morsi, the country's first Islamist president, is considering a ban on the sale of alcohol in places such as airport duty-free stores.

In Libya, the sale and consumption of alcohol is banned, but Libyans turn to black market dealers.

Alcohol is also strictly banned in Afghanistan but smuggling is rife.

In Yemen, it is forbidden to sell or consume alcohol except for some places in the south that were former communist areas such as the port city of Aden.

___

AP correspondents Brian Murphy in Dubai, Maggie Michael in Cairo, and Kay Johnson in Kabul contributed to this report. Reported by Huffington Post 1 hour ago.

Lee Rigby seen on CCTV: Last hours of soldier murdered in the street by Islamic fanatics

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:43:48 +0000

Lee Rigby, 25, who recently served in Afghanistan, is seen wearing a Help For Heroes sweatshirt in the shop near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south-east London, where he was based. Reported by MailOnline 1 hour ago.

British security services in spotlight after soldier murder

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:42:13 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's security services faced questions on Friday over whether they could have done more to prevent the murder of a soldier hacked to death in a busy London street after it emerged that his suspected killers were known to intelligence officers. Suspects Michael Adebolajo, 28 and Michael Adebowale, 22, are under guard in hospital after being shot and arrested by police after the murder of 25-year-old Afghan war veteran Lee Rigby on Wednesday Reported by Firstpost 1 hour ago.