Free Republic

Australian Muslim representatives are voicing outrage at comments by the country's two top politicians, who urged immigrants from Islamic societies to fit in, learn English, treat women with respect, and shun extremism. An Islamic leader warned that the remarks could antagonize Muslims and lead to a repeat of incidents such as the rioting in a Sydney beachside suburb last December, when groups of youngsters -- described as having a Middle Eastern background -- fought with whites. Prime Minister John Howard late last week said migrants should integrate into the way of life in their new country but that a minority...

Muslim leaders warn of riots By Luke McIlveen and Steve Gee Daily Telegraph (Australia) September 02, 2006 02:36am ISLAMIC leaders are trying to gag Prime Minister John Howard from speaking out against Muslims who refuse to integrate, threatening that any criticism of their culture could lead to another race riot. But Mr Howard refused to back down - writing exclusively in today's Saturday Daily Telegraph that he believes a minority of Muslims must do more to fit in here. The head of Mr Howard's own Muslim advisory council, Dr Ameer Ali, yesterday tried to shut down debate on whether...

As the November election approaches and Democrats from John Murtha to John Kerry to Howard Dean to Ned Lamont claim that the Bush administration’s policies to combat terrorism and to conduct the war in Iraq have failed, we still don’t know what exactly the Democrats would do. While Democrats constantly claim that the administration doesn’t have “a plan,” it doesn’t appear that they have a plan either. Maybe theirs is a “secret” plan. As a regular viewer of the O’Reilly Factor, I’ve watched time and time again as Bill O’Reilly has asked Democratic strategists, operatives and politicians just what, specifically,...

THE Bush administration has indicated it will support Australia developing a uranium enrichment industry, despite the White House's policy to restrict new entrants to the world nuclear club. In response to John Howard's campaign to ensure the existing nuclear powers do not lock Australia out of future nuclear development, a senior US official has said "special rules" apply to Australia and Canada. Dennis Spurgeon, assistant secretary for nuclear power at the US Department of Energy, said Australia and Canada were likely to be given special consideration because they would play a pivotal role in a new nuclear suppliers club the...

John Howard implements unpopular policies and makes them popular. That's leadership By Lynton Crosby The former Australian Test cricket captain, Mark Taylor, once described Prime Minister John Howard as a "cricket tragic" because of his obsession with every last detail of the sport. Howard acknowledged it as a fair description. I reckon it would be fair to describe him, in the same good-natured way, as a "politics tragic" too. Howard lives and breathes his job. He believes politics is a noble profession and a worthy vocation. He practises his art every day, using it to try to make the nation...

It's been a long time since an appearance was made in New York as affecting as that at the Regency Hotel Thursday morning by Karnit Goldwasser. She is the wife of one of the Israeli soldiers held by Hezbollah. She spoke under the auspices of the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, which is launching an appeal in respect of its emergency humanitarian effort for Israelis whose lives have been disrupted by the war. The head of the Federation, Morris Offit, and Mayor Bloomberg spoke at the event. Mrs. Goldwasser will be remembered for years for the...

Violent scuffles broke out between police and pro-Lebanon protesters who mobbed Australia's prime minister Saturday demanding more government action to bring peace in the Middle East, a news agency reported. Prime Minister John Howard was leaving a state conference of his Liberal Party in the west coast city of Perth when about 200 protesters of Lebanese descent mobbed his car, Australian Associated Press said. Protesters punched and kicked police and threw projectiles at the car, AAP reported. Howard's entourage sped from the scene as police wrestled protesters to the ground, it said. At least one protester was arrested and taken...

AUSTRALIA is prepared to offer North Korea a cheap, secure energy deal, probably coal shipments, if the rogue state returns to peace talks, as part of an attempt to solve the missile crisis. An Australian diplomatic mission leaves for China, Japan and South Korea next week as part of a concerted regional effort to avoid conflict on the Korean peninsula. The mission follows discussions between John Howard and US President George W. Bush yesterday about North Korea's launch of seven missiles over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday. The missiles included a long-range Taepodong 2 that is designed to...

When Jonathan Wald was fired as executive producer of the "Today" show, he says, "I wanted to stay in the game and get back into the daily battle." When Josh Howard was forced to resign as executive producer of "60 Minutes II" after the botched story on President Bush and the National Guard, "I frankly wasn't sure, after my last experience, whether I wanted to work in television again." Both men landed at CNBC, where they are helping to retool programming on a business channel that has struggled in the ratings since the dot-com bust six years ago. Wald helped...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The confession of a man charged with kidnapping, raping and killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford isn't admissible in court, but the discovery of her body can be used as evidence, a judge ruled Friday.

They feel an increasing intellectual estrangement from and impatience with the activists who people their base of support. And this is something new. On the Democratic side, it is not just as bad but worse. They don't only think they're more sophisticated than their base, more informed and aware of the complexities. I believe they think their base is mad. You can see their problem in their inability to get a slogan. Which, believe me, is how they think of it: a slogan. "Together for a Better Future." "A Future With Better Togetherness." Today for a better tomorrow, tomorrow for...

While holding a late night press conference in his Ngruki religious boarding school, Abu Bakar Bashir was asked by the ABC if he had a message for Mr Howard when the Prime Minister visits Indonesia later this month. "I think John Howard should convert to Islam," he said. "If he wants to be saved from hell, he needs to convert to Islam and God willing, he will be forgiven by Allah." Secondly, he warned Australians to never try fighting Muslims because they will definitely lose. "Maybe with God's permission, they can kill us, but they certainly can't beat Islam," he...

JOHN Howard will act to block the move in the nation's capital to allow gays and lesbians to celebrate civil unions, on the grounds it is an attack on the institution of marriage. The Prime Minister confirmed yesterday that federal cabinet had agreed to overturn the ACT legislation that for the first time grants same-sex couples the right to celebrate civil unions. It was not clear last night whether couples would still be able to celebrate civil unions before the legislation is disallowed on August 1. "The legislation by its own admission is an attempt to equate civil unions with...

ACTING Prime Minister Peter Costello has backed the development of a nuclear power industry in Australia whenever it became commercially viable. Mr Costello's comments follow Prime Minister John Howard signalling he wants a full-scale nuclear debate when he returns from an overseas trip later this week. "If it becomes commercial, we should have it. That is, there's no in-principle objection to nuclear energy," Mr Costello told Southern Cross Radio today. "Nuclear energy is an efficient form of energy. Provided you deal properly with the waste, then it's safe. "It has much less greenhouse emissions than coal. "There's no in-principle objection...

Prime Minister John Howard says massive economic development in China will bring about a "tectonic shift" in that country's political system. Mr Howard has made the comments at the beginning of an official tour of Ireland, while answering questions from students at a Dublin university. Mr Howard was asked if he was depressed by the level of political change in China. While trumpeting Australia's trade links with the government in Beijing, Mr Howard said he did not believe economic liberalisation would continue on its own. "Nor do I myself believe that for ever a country can economically liberalise, whilst remaining...

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1148077814253&call_pageid=970599119419 TORONTO, Canada (Toronto Star) - So Australian Prime Minister John Howard is counselling Stephen Harper on how to run a country? Howard is the soul of American outreach and its spokesman. He has abandoned Australia to American influence and to American interests. With the Australian voting system of proportional representation, he will stay in power and Australia will irretrievably become a U.S. satellite doing the big brother's bidding. Australians can't seem to figure out how to get rid of him so they have learned to live with him and apologize to the world for him. Howard sees himself as...

All the protests and all the bad reviews could not prevent "The Da Vinci Code" from recording a $224 million worldwide opening, the second-biggest debut ever at the global box office, its distributor said on Sunday. The controversial adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, the story of a Vatican cover-up involving Jesus Christ and his supposed offspring, sold about $77 million worth of tickets at movie theaters in the United States and Canada during its first three days, according to Columbia Pictures. Box-office watchers had predicted a North American opening of between $50 million and $80 million for the most...

The Talk Shows Sunday, May 21st, 2006 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Rice; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; and Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. THIS WEEK (ABC): Gonzales; former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.; "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh. LATE EDITION (CNN) : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert; Australian Prime Minister John Howard; Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Zalmay Khalilzad,...

PRIME MINISTER HARPER: And again ladies and gentlemen we’ve…just begin by saying I want to thank Prime Minister Howard for his visit, for the lovely evening we spent last night, Laureen and myself, with Janette and the Prime Minister, and also for the wonderful Australian hat which I received as a gift and which I may well wear at the stampede next year—there’s been some comment I should wear different headgear at the stampede. Ladies and gentlemen we have just concluded a very successful meeting, the first of its kind in 20 years. Our bilateral relationship is largely free of...

President George W. Bush strides across the world stage as much as the U.S. dominates the world's stage. This is very good news for those of us who still believe in decency and democracy. So forget what some slanted opinion polls say about the leadership of the 43rd president and his patriot countrymen. Recall, Sir Winston Churchill was once one of the most detested men in Britain, then went on to save the free world. That's Churchill's undisputed legacy. In another era it may be Bush's legacy, too. This past week, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, one of America's strongest...