Thai prime minister warns authorities are racing against time to protect the capital after months of unusually heavy rainfall Bangkok was bracing for more flooding on Sunday after the Thai prime minister warned that authorities were racing against time to protect the city. Thailand has had its worst floods for half a century after months of unusually heavy rainfall, with 356 people killed since late July and more than 110,000 forced to move to shelters. About 2.5 million people have been affected, with water covering an area the size of Kuwait. “Water is coming from different places and headed in the same direction. We’re trying to build walls but there will be some impact on Bangkok,” Yingluck Shinawatra said. The disaster has been a tough start for the prime minister, a political novice elected in a bitter contest this summer. Opponents have accused the government of indecision and mismanagement. Yingluck urged residents to move their possessions to at least one metre above the ground. In some parts of the city, water levels have already reached double that height. On Saturday she said it could be six weeks before the waters subside. The situation is likely to be complicated by high tides due next weekend. The floods first hit northern and central areas of the country, but torrents of water are now draining south, threatening the capital. Yingluck has already ordered the opening of the city’s floodgates in the hope that it would allow the waters to drain away through urban canals and into the sea. Officials feared that otherwise the defences would be overwhelmed. Critics say the government failed to respond quickly enough to the flooding in the provinces. Many have also complained about vague, confusing or contradictory information, which has left them uncertain about what to do. The government’s supporters have said it is wary of panicking residents. The Chao Phraya river reached its highest level for seven years on Saturday, but justice minister Pracha Promnok, who is heading the flood response team, said people should not worry too much because the overflow had been drained off. He added that water in Klong Prapa, a canal that had been overflowing, was receding, and that water was also draining through other channels as planned. Other reports suggested water levels were continuing to rise in parts of the canal. Sean Boonpracong, the international spokesman for the flood response team, said food supply centres in or just outside Bangkok, meant to aid other parts of the country, had been hit by rising waters. With residents anxious about supplies, many supermarkets in the capital have sold out of tinned food, instant noodles, bottled water and other essentials. Others began rationing goods. Despite flooding in the Don Muang area, the city’s second airport there has now become an evacuation base and a minister said it would also be used to supply food and water to residents. Elsewhere in Bangkok, troops worked to fortify two key industrial zones, hoping to contain the economic damage wreaked by the disaster. According to the MCOT news site, the Thai chamber of commerce estimates that the floods have already cost the economy 400bn baht (£8bn). That would rise by another 120bn baht a month if business areas were flooded. The governor of the central bank has said growth in south-east Asia’s second largest economy could fall to 3% or less this year, rather than the 4.1% previously forecast. The finance minister has said it could even drop below 2%. Seven industrial estates in Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Ayuttaya provinces have already halted production, with Toyota, Honda, Canon and Nikon among the companies affected. At least 600,000 people are unemployed due to the flooding. The labour ministry said that each would receive 2,000 baht. The public health minister said he had ordered hospitals in areas of the city prone to flooding to evacuate critically ill patients to unaffected provinces. Thailand Flooding Natural disasters and extreme weather Tania Branigan guardian.co.uk
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• Tunisians go to polls in first free election in history • Hope tempered with unease over old regime influence • Islamists expected to win most votes • Region in flux watches as Arab Spring sees first vote 4.07pm: Given the person who tweeted it, I thought it worth flagging up this message from one @SalmanRushdie : #Tunisia: it’s election day.First free elections after #ArabSpring.Will Islamists win?If so,will they be “moderate” as promised? Big moment. Asked by a Twitter follower if he would continue to “bash” An-Nahda if the party did win most votes, the author of the Satanic Verses replied: It depends if they become oppressive. Many oppressive regimes have been voted into power. We shall watch and wait. 3.06pm: Just a quick follow-up to that: Kamel Jendoubi, the chairman of the ISIE electoral commission has said it looks as though turn-out could be over 60%. At a press conference five hours into the vote, he said: “The turnout of Tunisians has exceeded all expectations.” 2.42pm: There’s no doubt about it: the queues forming outside some of the polling booths are seriously long. Take a look at this video posted on Facebook by Tunisie Média, which appears to be shot in La Marsa and show a line of people that takes over three minutes to walk down. “Bravo,” remarks the narrator at the end. Not that the wait seems to be deterring people. Time magazine’s correspondent Abigail Hauslohner (@ahauslohner) tweeted that she had “never seen such a huge voter turnout in my life…Young, elderly, men, women, rich, poor, liberal, conserv, educated, illiterate.” Blogger Emna Ben Jamaa posted this Tweet earlier: 4 hours of queuing in the sun, but I’VE VOTED!!! And @juvess commented: We have been waiting decades for these elections.. So a couple of hours line queuing does not harm 2.20pm: On my wanders I met Tarek Gasmi, a banker, sitting with his friend Lalhar Belkhir in a cafe. Both had the inky fingers of recent voters; both said they had voted for the first time in their lives. (Gasmi is 40; Belkhir, a civil servant, 55.) Gasmi, on the right in the photo, told me: I’m walking on air! It’s a dream for me. I look at Europe and I see a voting system and a way of living which I would like to see here. He voted for the social democratic party Ettakatol, which is vying for second place in the election with the centre-right PDP. (You can see an excellent Guardian film about the party here.) Asked what he thought of An-Nahda, Gasmi said: People say to me, ‘If you vote against An-Nahda, you’re voting against your religion.’ Our religion does affect our lifestyle a bit, but politically it’s time now for there to be a separation. 2.10pm: David Cameron has made a statement on the elections, describing them as a “remarkable achievement” and expressing the hope that they will be free and fair. The British prime minister said: For the first time today, Tunisians are able to express their views at the polling booth in what I hope will be free and fair elections. It is inspiring that so many candidates are competing for the opportunity to draw up the country’s new constitution. This remarkable achievement reflects how far the Tunisian people have come since January when they rose up against their autocratic ruler to demand their right to freedom, dignity and a better future. Their determination and courage inspired real change across the Middle East and North Africa. As the first country in the region to put democracy to the test at the polling booth, Tunisia is once again leading the way. Here’s a lunchtime summary. I’m off in search of cous-cous. • Voting has begun in the first free elections Tunisia has ever had. Nine months after Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali became the first dictator to be ousted by the Arab Spring revolts, queues have formed outside more than 7,000 polling stations as people wait to elect an assembly whose job it will be to draw up a new constitution. • As he arrived to cast his vote, the leader of the Islamist party tipped to come out on top from the election faced cried of ‘dégage!’ (‘get lost!’) from those waiting in line. Reports said Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of the once-banned An-Nahda party, had attempted to march straight to the front of the queue. He reportedly realised his mistake, and took his place at the back with other voters. (See 11.42am.) • According to the election commission, there have been just two reports so far of possible corruption. A map of reported irregularities shows no claims of threats or physical attacks, and no cases of fraud. The majority of infractions appear to relate to posters being stuck on walls that have not been officially approved. (See 10.31am.) 12.22pm: The Guardian’s Angelique Chrisafis has been out and about in Ettadhamen, a poor suburb of Tunis where hundreds were queuing to vote along “dusty, litter-strewn streets”. Men and women were in different lines. Here’s a selection of her latest Tweets: Teacher in ettadhamen: ’9 months ago you cdn’t even talk about politics in the street for fear of secret police. So proud to vote’ Cleaning lady in ettadhamen: ‘before, every election here was fixed. Let’s hope we can trust the politicians of tomorrow’ Student in ettadhamen: ‘i’m so excited to be voting to change tunisia’s future. I’m nearly 20, I’d like at least some hope of a job’ 11.42am: The big men of Tunisian politics have been out casting their vote in the glare of the cameras. Béji Caïd Essebsi, who has been Tunisia’s interim prime minister since February , voted in the north of the capital, declaring it to be “an unparalleled day of history” and himself to be “an ex-prime minister from now on”. The interim government will give way after the election to a new transitional authority. The founder of the An-Nahda party, Rachid Ghannouchi, turned out to vote in the El Menzah district of Tunis. As he arrived at the polling station with his family, the once-exiled leader strode straight up to the front of the queue, according to reports by AFP and on Twitter. He was called back by the waiting crowds. “The queue! The queue! That’s where demcracy starts!,” they shouted, AFP says. Smiling, he then took his place in the queue more than a kilometre from the entrance of the polling station. This video appears to show Ghannouchi being whistled and jeered as he made his way through the crowds. Voters are heard to cry the slogan of the revolution: “Dégage!” In comparison, Moncef Marzouki, head of the CPR, is attracting praise from his fans on Facebook for standing in line with everyone else. One man, Hatem Kabtni, has commented: He’s setting an example; a lesson in civic-mindedness and humility. Ahmed Néjib Chebbi, founder of the secular PDP, said it was “an exceptional day” that set an example for “the whole Arab world”. I have never seen anything like it. The queues are extremely long. Everyone is being patient. My father-in-law, who is 90, is voting for the first time. I am happy. This is Tunisia’s victory. We’ll see who will win but that is of secondary importance compared to this mobilisation. 11.33am: My colleague Sean Clarke has this report on gender-specific queues at polling stations- a phenomenon that has been welcomed by some this morning but decried by others. . 10.50am: I’ve been out speaking to people on the Avenue Habib Bourghiba, the grand Champs Elysées-esque thoroughfare that saw much of the action during the revolution. There, Safia Najar was walking with her 23-year-old daughter Rim, a Cultural Studies student. Both had just voted for the first time in Tunisia. For Rim, it was “a sign we are getting out of dictatorship. I am very hopeful.” She had voted for Moncef Marzouki’s centrist party, the CPR. Her mother, on the other hand, had voted for An-Nahda, the Islamist party. I am one of those people who have seen An-Nahda fight for years on end. They suffered the most [under Ben Ali]. I also think they are best positioned to give Tunisia back the Arabo-Islamic identity it has lost during the years of Ben Ali, Bourghiba and colonialism, too. Was she worried that the party, whose leaders insist on its moderate stance on women’s rights, might become more extreme in the future? “No. We’ve learned now how to say ‘dégage!’ (‘get out’!),” she said. Voting, she added, had been an emotional experience. I am delighted. I am 60, and I had never voted before in my life in Tunis. I never wanted to take part in the masquerade where you knew even before it had started that one party would get 80 or 90% of the vote. 10.31am: The ISIE, the Tunisian independent electoral commission, is publishing a live map of voting irregularities , and encouraging Tunisians to send SMS messages reporting any they witness. The map is quite encouraging so far: hundreds and hundreds of reports of parties sticking up posters other than on the officially approved walls. No reports of weapons being produced, though there are isolated reports of verbal or physical violence. 10.03am: As in many other countries, voters in Tunisia have their fingers dipped in ink to prevent them voting more than once. Tunisians are treating the blue finger as a badge of honour, photographing it and sharing the pictures on social networks to prove to friends that they’ve done their democratic duty. One group of proud citizens has even created a Tumblr mosaic of blue-finger pictures. 9.45am: It is worth stopping for a minute to remember the man whose personal act of desperate rebellion has come to be seen as the trigger for the revolution that followed. Mohammed Bouazizi, an unemployed graduate trying to eke out a living as a fruit and vegetable seller in the town of Sidi Bouzid, set himself on fire last winter when the police confiscated his grocery cart. He later died of his burns, and his self-immolation fuelled a wave of anger that eventually spilled into the capital and swept out Ben Ali. He has become, in death, one of the defining symbols of the Arab Spring. Speaking to Reuters hours before the polls opened yesterday, his mother, Manoubia, said her son was “no longer the son of Tunisia, he is the son of the whole world.” These elections are a moment of victory for my son who died defending dignity and liberty. Nothing would have happened if my son had not reacted against voicelessness and a lack of respect. But I hope the people who are going to govern will be able to keep this message in mind and give consideration to all Tunisians, including the poor. And you can read a recent report from Sidi Bouzid by the Guardian’s Angelique Chrisafis here. The neglected town, she writes, is still crippled by inequality, unemployment and the corruption of the old regime. 9.05am: The front pages of today’s francophone newspapers leave little doubt as to the importance of today’s vote. “Everyone to the ballot box,” commands Le Quotidien. “The Tunisian people go to win back their freedom and dignity,” headlines La Presse. “Aux urnes, citoyens!” (Tunisia, of course, was a French protectorate until 1956.) “We have been waiting for this day for a long time, a very long time,” writes the paper on its front page, charting the country’s struggle for independence and subsequent decades effectively spent under one-party rule. Now, as an accompanying cartoon points out, the time has come to change things: “I vote, therefore I am.” Le Quotidien writes that, today, a dream long in the making has come true. It adds: Our martyrs are no longer here to share with us the incredible joy of our march to democracy. But their sacrifices will always remain engraved into the heart of the nation and the memories of those benefiting today from the supreme privilege of freely electing those worthy of their aspirations. 8.27am: When they go in to mark their ballot sheet today, Tunisian voters will be confronted by rather more than a handful of options. While the RCD party of ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been outlawed, over 100 parties have sprung up in its place- some large, some tiny, but all with competing visions for the new Tunisia. (Take a look at some of them here.) There are around 11,000 candidates standing for election. Among the parties expected to garner the biggest number of votes, the Islamist An-Nahda party is the front-runner. Once outlawed and brutally repressed, it is now the best-organised political force in Tunisia, reports Angelique Chrisafis in this analysis. Its founder, Rachid Ghannouchi, who was exiled in London for decades, describes the party as moderate, tolerant, pro-democracy and keen to protect Tunisian women’s rights in a pluralist society. Pushing liberal and conservative policies, it has been likened to Turkey’s Islamist-rooted ruling Justice and Development party (AKP). Secular critics say the party is an unknown quantity and fear that, once elected, hardliners could seek to enforce a more fundamentalist Islam on Tunisia’s secular, civil society. Secular feminists have warned there would be fierce opposition if the party ever sought to roll back women’s rights in Tunisia, the most progressive in the Arab world. You can read Angelique’s overview of all the main parties here. 8.14am: Much of Tunisia’s revolution was played out online- on social networking sites and blogs- and election day, it seems, will be no different. On Twitter the celebrations are coming in thick and fast. Haykel Azak (@HaykelAZAK) has just posted this Tweet : Great People of Tunisia : We Finally Voted ! Proud to be part of you #Emotion #Tunisia #Tnelec #TnGloryDays And user @Khamousss says that today he is “a little prouder and in love with my country and my people”. Aujourd’hui je suis encore un peu plus fier et amoureux de mon pays et de mon peuple. #Tunisie #TnElec Even Google has got in on the act (thanks to my colleague Sean Clarke for spotting). 7.41am: At 7am this morning, more than 7,000 polling stations opened across the country. Outside many, queues had already formed. My Angelique Chrisafis has phoned in this report from the College Sadiki, an historic school near the Tunis Kasbah where the post-independence elite used to be educated and where Tunisians of all classes are today casting their vote: A 50-year-old woman called Samira was first in the queue: she said she had been up all night and couldn’t sleep, so got here at 5.45am and waited. She would not say which party she was voting for, but said: “This is the future of our country, the future of the next generation.” Samira, who works in a silver shop, said she had been at both protests in the Kasbah after the revolution and that a lot of people in her family were unemployed despite having degrees. Ramez Baltagi, a 23-year-old accountant who took to the streets during the January uprising, was also at the polling station. He said he had woken at 6am, and had only made up his mind whom to vote for on the way to the College. “This is really important to have a legitimate government,” he said. “We’ve been at a loss with all these temporary transitional governments. This is a step towards a legitimate government.” 7.32am: Good morning, sabah al-khair and bonjour. Nine months after they took to the streets en masse and forced their president onto a plane to Saudi Arabia, Tunisians vote today in the first free election in their history and the first to have come from the tumult of the Arab Spring. Across the country of the Jasmine revolution, millions are expected to cast their vote to elect an assembly which will then have the powers to draw up a constitution and appoint a new transitional government. It is, as the electoral commission this morning declared, le jour-J- D-Day. . . Tunisian elections 2011 Arab and Middle East unrest Tunisia Africa Middle East Lizzy Davies guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Pat Buchanan Won’t Disavow Idea That Minorities Have Inferior Genes on the Thom Hartmann Show
October 23, 2011 No CommentAs we already know, Pat Buchanan has been out there pushing a new book of his Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025? Buchanan showed up on Hannity’s show earlier this week where he was treated to the softball interview I posted about here — Pat Buchanan: America is Disintegrating Because White America is an Endangered Species . Needless to say, he didn’t get quite the same treatment when he appeared as a guest on Thom Hartmann’s radio show this Thursday. The relevant portion of the interview starts at just over three and a half minutes into the video above and the portion quoted below is about eight and a half minutes in. From Media Matters — Pat Buchanan Won’t Disavow Idea That Minorities Have Inferior Genes : Yesterday, radio host Thom Hartmann challenged guest Pat Buchanan over his recent writing about minorities and test scores. Hartmann said that “a lot of people are taking what you’re saying as code for inferior genes” and twice pressed Buchanan to disavow that theory. Buchanan did not, instead claiming that he doesn’t “know anything” about the topic. From The Thom Hartmann Program : HARTMANN: A lot of people are taking what you’re saying as code for inferior genes. Please tell me that’s not what you’re talking about. BUCHANAN: Well look, I’m not — don’t know anything about what genetics or something like that. What I’m saying is, is these are the test scores and we haven’t been able to — HARTMANN: So do you disavow that? BUCHANAN: Pardon? HARTMANN: Do you disavow that idea, that concept — BUCHANAN: Well, I don’t know anything about being — look. The Coleman Report — HARTMANN: I mean, you’re being quoted over on — BUCHANAN: The Coleman Report, and I think I’ve got in my book, the Coleman Report said what a child brings to school is far more important than what he finds in schools, in other words, heredity and home environment, nature and nurture. Do I know the differences, or what percentages, or this and that, of course not. I’m not going to get into that. I’m saying is here’s the test scores now, and this is the problem, and in our future, quite frankly, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans, because of test scores, because of the dropout rate is fifty percent, they’re going to be in the service economy and the rest of us are going to be up there in the knowledge industry and that doesn’t make for a united America. Much, much more that in the Media Matters post with details following this statement up so go read the entire post, but as they noted, Buchanan is actually fully aware of what Hartmann was asking him about, so his denial that he doesn’t “know anything about what genetics or something like that” is just flatly false. While Buchanan didn’t disavow the idea, he’s written about the matter throughout his career and was forced to clarify a controversial memo regarding the subject he wrote to President Nixon. The Boston Globe reported in a January 1992 article that as a White House aide, Buchanan “suggested in a memo to President Nixon that efforts to integrate the U.S. might only result in ‘perpetual friction’ because blacks and the poor may be genetically inferior to middle-class whites.” At the time of the report, Buchanan was running for president and under criticism for his history of controversial racial statements. The Globe reported that “Buchanan said yesterday he does not believe blacks are genetically inferior to whites and did not have that belief in the past. Buchanan said he sent the memo to Nixon as a routine matter of intellectual curiosity.” They wrapped the post up by noting Buchanan’s praise for some of the writings of white supremacist Sam Francis on the same topic he denied knowing anything about to Hartmann here: Near the conclusion of his section on race and education, on page 224, Buchanan quotes the writing of white supremacist Sam Francis, in which Francis writes that “the doctrine of equality is unimportant, because no one save perhaps Pol Pot and Ben Wattenberg really believes in it, and no one, least of all those who profess it most loudly, is seriously motivated by it…. The real meaning of the doctrine of equality is that it serves as a political weapon.” Buchanan eulogized Francis in a May 2005 column , writing, “When God created him, He endowed Sam with a great gift – one of the finest minds of his generation. Sam did not waste it.” In Buchanan’s book State Of Emergency , as noted by Think Progress’ Judd Legum, Buchanan lamented that Francis was fired after he suggested that only whites have the appropriate “genetic endowments” to keep America from collapsing.
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Officials say death toll could be between 500 and 1,000 after magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes Van province Up to 1,000 people are feared dead in a powerful earthquake in eastern Turkey, according to initial estimates. Turkey’s Kandilli Observatory said the death toll could be between 500 and 1,000. At least 35 buildings are reported to have collapsed. The earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2, struck in the Van province near the Iranian border on Sunday. The epicentre was below the village of Tabanli, near the city of Van. “The quake was strongly felt in Van and neighbouring towns and caused damage and deaths, based on initial assessments,” the Turkish prime minister’s office said. Ten buildings collapsed in Van and 25-30 in neighbouring Ercis, officials said. Several strong aftershocks were reported. “There are so many dead. Several buildings have collapsed. There is too much destruction,” Zulfikar Arapoglu, the mayor of Ercis, told NTV television. “We need urgent aid. We need medics.” Serious damage and casualties were reported in the district of Celebibag. The mayor, Veysel Keser, told NTV: “There are many people under the rubble. People are in agony, we can hear their screams for help. We need urgent help. “It’s a great disaster. Many buildings have collapsed, student dormitories, hotels and gas stations have collapsed.” Some houses collapsed in the province of Bitlis, and in nearby Mus the quake toppled the minarets of two mosques. NTV said Van’s airport was damaged and planes were diverted to neighbouring cities. Rescue workers and residents using their bare hands and shovels struggled to free people believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings, television footage showed. At least 50 people were treated for injuries in the courtyard of the state hospital in Van, said the state-run Anatolia news agency. Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey. In 1999, about 18,000 people were killed by two powerful earthquakes that struck north-western Turkey. Authorities blamed shoddy construction for many of the deaths. Turkey Natural disasters and extreme weather Middle East Europe guardian.co.uk
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Officials say death toll could be between 500 and 1,000 after magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes Van province Up to 1,000 people are feared dead in a powerful earthquake in eastern Turkey, according to initial estimates. Turkey’s Kandilli Observatory said the death toll could be between 500 and 1,000. At least 35 buildings are reported to have collapsed. The earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2, struck in the Van province near the Iranian border on Sunday. The epicentre was below the village of Tabanli, near the city of Van. “The quake was strongly felt in Van and neighbouring towns and caused damage and deaths, based on initial assessments,” the Turkish prime minister’s office said. Ten buildings collapsed in Van and 25-30 in neighbouring Ercis, officials said. Several strong aftershocks were reported. “There are so many dead. Several buildings have collapsed. There is too much destruction,” Zulfikar Arapoglu, the mayor of Ercis, told NTV television. “We need urgent aid. We need medics.” Serious damage and casualties were reported in the district of Celebibag. The mayor, Veysel Keser, told NTV: “There are many people under the rubble. People are in agony, we can hear their screams for help. We need urgent help. “It’s a great disaster. Many buildings have collapsed, student dormitories, hotels and gas stations have collapsed.” Some houses collapsed in the province of Bitlis, and in nearby Mus the quake toppled the minarets of two mosques. NTV said Van’s airport was damaged and planes were diverted to neighbouring cities. Rescue workers and residents using their bare hands and shovels struggled to free people believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings, television footage showed. At least 50 people were treated for injuries in the courtyard of the state hospital in Van, said the state-run Anatolia news agency. Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey. In 1999, about 18,000 people were killed by two powerful earthquakes that struck north-western Turkey. Authorities blamed shoddy construction for many of the deaths. Turkey Natural disasters and extreme weather Middle East Europe guardian.co.uk
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Document on former Libyan dictator’s website likely to further confuse debate over where he should be buried A will apparently written by Muammar Gaddafi expresses the wish that he be buried in Sirte, the town of his birth, next to “my family and relatives”. The will surfaced on Gaddafi’s website , Seven Day News, on Sunday. It is said to be the only surviving copy of three identical testaments given to the former Libyan dictator’s relatives. One relative was killed, the second arrested, and the third managed to escape amid fighting in Sirte, the BBC reported. In the will, Gaddafi urges his supporters to continue to resist foreign occupation. He also alludes to the fact that he chose to fight and die inside Libya rather than picking the in his view dishonourable route of foreign exile. He implies that he received “many offers” of support from other countries. The document, translated into English, states: “This is my will. I, Muammar bin Mohammad bin Abdussalam bi Humayd bin Abu Manyar bin Humayd bin Nayil al Fuhsi Gaddafi, do swear that there is no other God but Allah and that Mohammad is God’s Prophet, peace be upon him. I pledge that I will die as Muslim. Should I be killed, I would like to be buried, according to Muslim rituals, in the clothes I was wearing at the time of my death and my body unwashed, in the cemetery of Sirte, next to my family and relatives. I would like that my family, especially women and children, be treated well after my death. The Libyan people should protect its identity, achievements, history and the honourable image of its ancestors and heroes. The Libyan people should not relinquish the sacrifices of the free and best people. I call on my supporters to continue the resistance, and fight any foreign aggressor against Libya, today, tomorrow and always. Let the free people of the world know that we could have bargained over and sold out our cause in return for a personal secure and stable life. We received many offers to this effect but we chose to be at the vanguard of the confrontation as a badge of duty and honour. Even if we do not win immediately, we will give a lesson to future generations that choosing to protect the nation is an honour and selling it out is the greatest betrayal that history will remember forever despite the attempts of the others to tell you otherwise.” The testament is likely to further confuse the debate over where Gaddafi should be buried. His body is still being kept in a refrigerated warehouse in Misrata, four days after his capture and death at the hands of rebel fighters last Thursday. Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) in Tripoli has been paralysed with indecision over what to do with the body. Local NTC representatives in Misrata have refused to allow his burial in their town, and the stand-off threatens to overshadow the day of national liberation that the NTC is proclaiming on Sunday from Benghazi, the eastern city that was the first to rise up against Gaddafi’s 42-year rule, kicking off Libya’s eight-month revolution. The day is supposed to mark the beginning of the country’s formal transition to democracy. Speaking in Jordan on Sunday, Libya’s departing prime minister said talks were under way to form an interim government, replacing the NTC, within a month. “There are consultations which started to form an … interim government,” Mahmoud Jibril said, according to Reuters. “This process will take, I think, from one week to one month approximately. This is my expectation. It might go longer, it might be less than that.” Elections to Libya’s new national congress should follow as soon as possible afterwards, he said. But one of many obstacles facing Libya’s new provisional leadership is the question of whether, in the minutes following his capture in Sirte, Gaddafi was executed. Libya’s chief pathologist confirmed that he had died of a gunshot wound to the head. It is still unclear who fired the fatal shot, and under what circumstances, with Amnesty and other human rights groups pressing for a full investigation. Dr Othman al-Zintani carried out the autopsy on Gaddafi’s body at a morgue in Misrata. Speaking afterwards, he said it was “obvious” the former dictator had died from a bullet to the head. He did not elaborate, but appeared to be referring to the entry wound clearly visible on the left side of Gaddafi’s head, shown in numerous shots of his body screened around the world. “He died because of a gunshot wound to the head.” al-Zintani said: “There are still several issues. We have to pass [the report] to the prosecutor general. But everything will be revealed publicly. Nothing will be hidden.” Libya Muammar Gaddafi Middle East Africa Luke Harding guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Document on former Libyan dictator’s website likely to further confuse debate over where he should be buried A will apparently written by Muammar Gaddafi expresses the wish that he be buried in Sirte, the town of his birth, next to “my family and relatives”. The will surfaced on Gaddafi’s website , Seven Day News, on Sunday. It is said to be the only surviving copy of three identical testaments given to the former Libyan dictator’s relatives. One relative was killed, the second arrested, and the third managed to escape amid fighting in Sirte, the BBC reported. In the will, Gaddafi urges his supporters to continue to resist foreign occupation. He also alludes to the fact that he chose to fight and die inside Libya rather than picking the in his view dishonourable route of foreign exile. He implies that he received “many offers” of support from other countries. The document, translated into English, states: “This is my will. I, Muammar bin Mohammad bin Abdussalam bi Humayd bin Abu Manyar bin Humayd bin Nayil al Fuhsi Gaddafi, do swear that there is no other God but Allah and that Mohammad is God’s Prophet, peace be upon him. I pledge that I will die as Muslim. Should I be killed, I would like to be buried, according to Muslim rituals, in the clothes I was wearing at the time of my death and my body unwashed, in the cemetery of Sirte, next to my family and relatives. I would like that my family, especially women and children, be treated well after my death. The Libyan people should protect its identity, achievements, history and the honourable image of its ancestors and heroes. The Libyan people should not relinquish the sacrifices of the free and best people. I call on my supporters to continue the resistance, and fight any foreign aggressor against Libya, today, tomorrow and always. Let the free people of the world know that we could have bargained over and sold out our cause in return for a personal secure and stable life. We received many offers to this effect but we chose to be at the vanguard of the confrontation as a badge of duty and honour. Even if we do not win immediately, we will give a lesson to future generations that choosing to protect the nation is an honour and selling it out is the greatest betrayal that history will remember forever despite the attempts of the others to tell you otherwise.” The testament is likely to further confuse the debate over where Gaddafi should be buried. His body is still being kept in a refrigerated warehouse in Misrata, four days after his capture and death at the hands of rebel fighters last Thursday. Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) in Tripoli has been paralysed with indecision over what to do with the body. Local NTC representatives in Misrata have refused to allow his burial in their town, and the stand-off threatens to overshadow the day of national liberation that the NTC is proclaiming on Sunday from Benghazi, the eastern city that was the first to rise up against Gaddafi’s 42-year rule, kicking off Libya’s eight-month revolution. The day is supposed to mark the beginning of the country’s formal transition to democracy. Speaking in Jordan on Sunday, Libya’s departing prime minister said talks were under way to form an interim government, replacing the NTC, within a month. “There are consultations which started to form an … interim government,” Mahmoud Jibril said, according to Reuters. “This process will take, I think, from one week to one month approximately. This is my expectation. It might go longer, it might be less than that.” Elections to Libya’s new national congress should follow as soon as possible afterwards, he said. But one of many obstacles facing Libya’s new provisional leadership is the question of whether, in the minutes following his capture in Sirte, Gaddafi was executed. Libya’s chief pathologist confirmed that he had died of a gunshot wound to the head. It is still unclear who fired the fatal shot, and under what circumstances, with Amnesty and other human rights groups pressing for a full investigation. Dr Othman al-Zintani carried out the autopsy on Gaddafi’s body at a morgue in Misrata. Speaking afterwards, he said it was “obvious” the former dictator had died from a bullet to the head. He did not elaborate, but appeared to be referring to the entry wound clearly visible on the left side of Gaddafi’s head, shown in numerous shots of his body screened around the world. “He died because of a gunshot wound to the head.” al-Zintani said: “There are still several issues. We have to pass [the report] to the prosecutor general. But everything will be revealed publicly. Nothing will be hidden.” Libya Muammar Gaddafi Middle East Africa Luke Harding guardian.co.uk
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• Click on auto-refresh for all the latest action • Ping your emails to scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • The Premier League table in running 83 min: Welbeck is the latest United man to suffer the wrath of Clattenburg. He’s booked for a late trip on Richards, who was attempting to skidaddle down the right. 81 min: WHAT A BRILLIANT GOAL, THEY KEEP COMING!!! Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City. Fletcher takes up possession in the middle of the City half. He slips a ball to his right, then gets it back immediately from Hernandez. He then sidefoots a beautiful curler into the top-right corner, Hart left with no chance whatsoever. A world-class finish by the Scotland captain. They couldn’t, could they? 79 min: Smalling is booked for dragging down Richards, as the City man looked to power forward into the box. City’s movement is too much for the ten men of United. 77 min: On the field, Dzeko is sent clear into the area down the inside-right channel by Silva. He looks for the bottom-left corner, but De Gea saves brilliantly with his leg. On the City bench, Balotelli and Aguero are passing the time by smacking each other on the head. 75 min: Dzeko is booked for standing on Jones’ foot. Nasri comes on for Aguero. 74 min: It’s getting surreal. Silva should have made it four, trying to slot home a dropping ball at the right-hand post. He slices his effort miles over the bar. 73 min: “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” trill the City supporters to Fergie. The dry Mancunian wit. 71 min: Dzeko replaces Balotelli. His first contribution is to hammer a shot from the left-hand side of the box, sending the ball flying just wide right of goal. “This result is all due to the Stone Roses creating a time warp effect,” suggests Ronan Gingles. “When they were in their pomp, City spanked United 5-1. They went away (after the first album really) and Fergie’s side came to utterly dominate English football. Now they’re back along with Norwich and QPR. Good news for Luton Town?” 69 min: GOAL!!! Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City. This isn’t dissimilar to the second goal, another slick passing move, and one that’s possibly even better. Toure slides the ball down the inside-right channel for Balotelli, who instantly flicks the ball out to Milner. Milner rolls the ball out to Richards, who drops a shoulder, reaches the byline, and fires a low cross in for Aguero, running in to slide the ball under De Gea. Again, if Barcelona etc. 66 min: Nowt comes of the corner. The ball’s shuttled upfield. Evra picks up a booking for showing a couple of studs in a 50-50 challenge with Barry. 65 min: A double change by United: Nani and Anderson off, Hernandez and Jones on. Hernandez wins a corner down the right with his first touch of the ball. 64 min: Silva gains a yard on Smalling down the left, and whips another low cross into the area, this time from the left. Ferdinand is on hand to clear, ahead of Balotelli, lurking with the smell of a hat-trick in his nostrils. 62 min: Anderson is booked for sending Aguero crashing to the floor. At this point, United are all over the show. It’s worth remembering, however, that City are City, time-honoured dab hands at coming unstuck at the hands of their neighbours. Or are City now New City? What a half hour of football we’ve got coming up. 60 min: WHAT A GOAL II: Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City. Sheer passing brilliance from City, who triangulate down the right. Silva breaks into the area, draws Anderson, and frees Milner towards the byline with a tasty backflick. Milner hammers a low cross towards the far post, where Balotelli sidefoots powerfully home. No t-shirt hi-jinx this time; City are too busy celebrating wildly, for a start. A great goal. If Barcelona had scored it, etc., and so on. 58 min: Some decent pressure from United here, who have responded well to their latest setback. Young diddles around down the left; corner. On the right, Rooney drops a shoulder, can’t get a shot away, and finds Anderson, whose effort is deflected out for another corner. Rooney has a low shot after coming inside from the left; Hart gathers. This is hectic, shapeless, and very entertaining. 56 min: Milner wheechs a low, hard cross straight through the United six-yard box from the right. Aguero isn’t far away from connecting at the far post. This is like a basketball match at the moment, with the caveat that basketball matches don’t usually have a score of 1-0 after nearly one hour’s play. 55 min: Pinball in the City area, as Young takes a shot from the edge of the area. Milner sticks a leg out, the ball flies straight back to Young, who instinctively sticks out a leg and sends an effort not too far wide left. 54 min: United are a bit of a shambles at the back. Richards cuts inside from the right and is allowed to take a free shot at goal. Luckily for the champions, Richards shanks a risible effort miles wide left. 51 min: Welbeck twists and turns down the left, making it as far as the area, but eventually Lescott takes the ball off him. A fairly high-octane start to this second period. “Could you please settle an office dispute by confirming or denying that the, ahem, back-door-tradesman in that tremendous Granada advert is Michael the bartender from Only Fools and Horses?” writes Robin Parker, who doesn’t bother waiting for an answer. “A brandy and cherryade please, Michael!” 50 min: Richards goes down in the area under a challenge from Anderson. The referee suggests it was an accidental coming together. It should have been a penalty, though, Anderson sticking his leg across his opponent’s thigh to drop him to the floor. 48 min: The City free kick is blocked by a United wall barely five yards from the ball. City don’t complain too vociferously, possibly concluding that the half is going reasonably well for them so far. 46 min: RED CARD!!! Manchester United are down to ten men. Balotelli is through on goal, chasing after a lovely ball from Aguero which splits Evans and Ferdinand asunder. On the edge of the area, he tugs Balotelli back; the striker steps on the ball and falls. It’s not a penalty, but it is a red for the pull, and the end of the afternoon for Evans. And we’re off again! No changes. Fergie comes out of the tunnel clapping furiously, doing his best to work the crowd up into a froth. He’ll be up for this, like you need to be told that. City set the ball rolling. United are kicking towards the Stretford End. “France versus France at rugby would be an absolute thrashing, surely?” wonders Dave Hinton. “France on a good day would turn up and absolutely wallop France on a bad day. A bit like the Man City of old, no?” HALF-TIME MESSAGES FROM YOUR LOCAL STATION: Adverts don’t have jingles like this any more. And companies no longer hawk televisions, without a box, from out the back of a second-hand Vauxhall Chevette. We’ve moved forward as a nation, but we’ve not necessarily progressed. HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City. Smalling accidentally whacks Balotelli in the mouth, and that’s the last action of the half. Not a classic, but what a finish. “I think the real issue of this first half is where can I get these Mister Potato Crisps which United are trying to flog,” writes Craig Trainor. “I haven’t noticed it since the first 10 minutes. Perhaps they realised it was possibly the cheapest, most abysmally designed, billboard in the history of the Premier League.” Here you go. They’re a global snack partner of the club, so don’t be rude, they’re our hosts today. 42 min: Anderson has another whack from the edge of the area, but his effort sails wide and high to the left. United are beginning to show signs of recovery, after looking tatty in the wake of Balotelli’s goal. “Mention of Bruno S in a Mancunian context should of course prompt a mention of Werner Herzog’s Stoszek, the viewing of which finally persuaded Ian Curtis of seminal rib-tickling post punk combo Joy Division to seek an early bath in 1980,” writes Ben Carding, providing us all with our light-hearted Sunday afternoon F.U.N. “65,000 United fans will no doubt empathise.” 41 min: A painful minute for City. First Aguero is clear, albeit at a tight angle, in the United area to the right. But he hesitates when he should shoot, and the chance is gone. Then Kompany is booked for a cynical tug on Nani. 40 min: Two chances spurned in a minute for United. First Welbeck has Rooney to his left, waiting to break clear into the City box, but his pass pushes his team-mate too far wide left. Then Rooney, wide right of goal, slides the ball into Evans, six yards out in front of goal; the defender miskicks. 37 min: Fletcher is in full flow towards the City area, but Richards sticks out a leg to poke the ball out of his path. Brilliant tackle, not that the Old Trafford faithful see it that way. The crowd set the controls for the heart of the funk-o-sphere seconds later, as Anderson clips Silva on the ankle to concede a cheap free kick 30 yards from goal. The free kick is a dismal business, so much so that I don’t want to ruin any expensive reputations here by describing it. (OK, I missed who took it. But it was aimless, and useless.) 36 min: Nani dribbles down the right and slips the ball inside for Rooney, who drops a shoulder and hits a rising shot goalwards. Hart is behind it, though. “What was Balotelli actually booked for?” asks Paul Ruffley. “He didn’t display a political message, didn’t bare his chest, didn’t take his shirt off. Must have been the horrendous offence of having a bit of fun.” 33 min: Young’s been United’s one danger so far. Again he causes minor levels of bedlam down the left. Corner. Young sends it into the box. Hart punches clear, but Anderson’s soon sending a shot in on goal from the edge of the area. It’s a decent effort, travelling at pace, but the City keeper is right behind it. “I guess that match prediction has blown up in my face,” writes Greg Scully (4 mins). “United look like they need a proper tinderbox to spark their fuse in the final third, or they could bomb at home for the first time in ages.” 30 min: Auguero takes down a Hart goal kick and suddenly City are on the attack. United break it down easily enough, but Anderson shanks a clearance out of play. Very un-United like. The ball comes back at United, Toure looking for the top-right corner from distance with a rising volley, the shot sailing harmlessly wide. City have United, if not quite rattled, then at least questioning themselves. “You just know Balotelli’s got something else written on the back of his t-shirt,” writes Patrick Cullen. “He will score again, he will show what’s written on the back, and he will get a second yellow card.” 27 min: Young skidaddles down the left and lifts a dangerous dipping ball towards the far post. Hart goes down to claim. Rooney tries to release Welbeck down the inside-right channel with a slide-rule pass, but his measurements are a wee bit out, and the ball flies through to the keeper. United are trying to rebuild after that shock to the system; they’re still enjoying the lion’s share of possession. 26 min: Richards tries to beat De Gea from distance. That goal’s given City confidence alright. “With all these shout-outs to Klaus Kinski, we’re at risk of forgetting Herzog’s greatest find, Bruno S.,” suggests James Womack. “He seems to have been a Joey Barton in embryo. From the Guardian obituary: “Bruno is a man whose life in his youth was catastrophic and obviously made him a ‘difficult’ person to deal with,” Herzog explained. “Sometimes he would stop work by ranting against the injustices of the world. I would stop the entire team in their tracks.” Herzog would tell them: “Even if it takes three or four hours of non-stop Bruno speaking about injustice we … would all listen. I would always make physical contact with him. I would always grab him and just hold his wrist. Otherwise, he is a man of phenomenal abilities and phenomenal depth and suffering. It translates on the screen like nothing I have ever done translates on to a screen. He is, for me, the Unknown Soldier of Cinema.” “Although I think there is probably a serious injunction in referring to J.B. as the Unknown Soldier of Football.” 24 min: That goal’s stunned Old Trafford. It was absolutely exquisite. It’s stunned United, too, for they’re all over the shop at the moment. Clichy’s allowed to sprint all the way to the edge of the United area, where he feeds the ball wide right to Silva. The resulting cross into the centre flies just over Balotelli’s head. 21 min: WHAT A GOAL!!! WHAT A T-SHIRT!!! Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City. A bit more of time for City in the United half. First Balotelli, then Clichy, both with crossed from the left. Then Silva has a go, romping down the left, then cutting back to the edge of the area. Balotelli runs in, and threads a positively delicious sidefoot into the bottom-right corner. That was pinpoint. He’s then booked, of course, for revealing a t-shirt bearing the legend: WHY ALWAYS ME? Herzog documentary, please! 17 min: Clichy hits a raking crossfield pass, left to right, in the direction of Aguero, who’s looking to break down the inside-right channel. Evans positions himself brilliantly to cut the ball out, and head back to his keeper. City are beginning to get into the game now, a little bit at least. United still enjoying most of the ball, though. 14 min: Silva goes on a crazy, skittering dribble down the inside-right channel. He falls over at one point, but still manages to bounce up and keep going. He beats four challenges, but United swarm round him and crowd him out. Eventually City win a corner, Richards taking a swipe from distance, the ball ballooning out of play, but the resulting dead ball is possibly the worst ever hit by man or beast, and God knows there’s been some competition over the years. 12 min: Young has started this game at full pelt. He latches onto a loose ball, 30 yards out, just to the left of goal, drops a shoulder, and hits a low screamer goalwards. The shot’s blocked, though, and doesn’t get through to Hart. 11 min: City are struggling to get out of their own half. United can’t quite get anything going in attack, though. It’s like watching the All Blacks play the All Blacks, or France take on France. 9 min: Milner’s minute. First he takes a hopeful punt at goal from 30 yards; it’s easily marshalled by De Gea. Then, down the left, he clips an in-flight Young, and does very well to escape a booking. Referee Mark Clattenberg makes a big point of gesticulating NO MORE, PAL, as Richards has already made a couple of loose challenges down the same wing, and we’re yet to see ten minutes of play. Expect the yellow card to come out soon enough. 7 min: Another direct run by Young down the left; he’s looking to give Richards a torrid time wherever possible. And that’s another corner. The ball’s sent out to the opposite wing, from where Rooney cuts inside, and looks for Anderson on the far post with a curling, looping cross. The ball finds the United midfielder’s head, but only to skim off the top of it. Nice idea, though, and nearly well executed. 6 min: City stroke it around the back awhile, the idea no doubt being to take the sting out of the game. Time to tip the hat to their very attractive blue-and-white hooped socks, a real taste of the 1930s. 4 min: A determined and skilful run by Young down the left. And that’s a corner. Life’s too short to describe how the set piece pans out. But after that early jitter by De Gea, United have quickly got themselves onto the front foot. “I fear today’s game could set a record for the number of TNT-related puns, both by commentators and MBMers,” writes Greg Scully. “While I wish I were witty enough to stop this in its tracks, I also fear that the game will be more likely a damp squib than a true cracker, so I have bowed to the inevitable.” 2 min: Nani has his first skitter down the wing, haring down the right, the ball eventually bumping out of play. It’d be nice if the entire game pings from end to end like this. And we’re off! The most important Manchester derby for about six months since the late 1960s begins. A shaky start by De Gea, who fluffs a clearance under pressure from Aguero. The ball’s soon coming back at the keeper, Aguero again making a nuisance of himself down the inside-left channel, Smalling eventually stepping in his way and shepherding the ball out of play. The teams are out and about! Won’t be long now. The time-honoured Mancunian aesthetic: United in their red and black, City in their sky blue with white trim. “Klaus might have been as mad as Balotelli squared,” writes Gerard Cullen, “but he produced Nastassja and for that we should all be grateful.” Getting it in the neck all next week, from one manager and set of fans, or perhaps both: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear) Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Silva, Balotelli, Aguero. Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nasri, Toure, De Jong. Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Anderson, Young, Rooney, Welbeck. Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Berbatov, Park, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia. Some reading matter to while away the time until kick off: Paul Hayward on last year’s derby at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick in teeth for City. Will Balotelli put in another explosive, excellent, extraordinary, monumental and epochal performance today? We’ll find out soon enough. The action starts at: 1.30pm. OK, while we’re at it, another. “One day a theatre critic had been invited for dinner. He hinted that having watched a play in which Kinski had a small role. He would mention him as outstanding and extraordinary. At once, Kinski threw hot potatoes and the cutlery into his face. He jumped up and screamed: ‘I was not excellent! I was not extraordinary! I was monumental! I was epochal!” It’ll be interesting to see what Balotelli gets up to for his next act. By way of suggestion, just throwing some seeds out there, hoping they take root, here’s another tale of Kinski’s shenanigans while staying Chez Herzog. “One day, Kinski took a huge running start down the corridor while we were eating. I heard a strange noise and then in an explosion the door came off its hinges, crashing into the room. He must have jumped against it at full speed, and now he stood there flailing wildly, completely hysterical, snow-white in the face. He was foaming at the mouth, and he moved like this. Something came floating down like leaves: they were his shirts. His screams were incredibly shrill. He could actually break wine glasses with his voice. And three octaves too high he screamed: ‘Klara! You pig!’ The thing was, she hadn’t ironed his shirt collars neatly enough.” That was pretty much the greatest bathroom-mania-related anecdote of all time. Until, perhaps, yesterday. Whichever stripe of Mancunian you are, blue or red, you really have to love Mario Balotelli . He’s the gift that keeps on giving. In the 1999 documentary film My Best Fiend, director Werner Herzog speaks of his time living with the actor Klaus Kinski. “Kinski had locked himself in this bathroom for days and nights. For forty-eight hours. In his maniacal fury, he smashed everything to smithereens. The bathtub, the toilet bowl, everything. You could sift it through a tennis racket. It was really incredible. I never thought it possible that someone could rave for hours. They called the police in the end, but they left him in peace.” Premier League Manchester United Manchester City Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …• Click on auto-refresh for all the latest action • Ping your emails to scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • The Premier League table in running 83 min: Welbeck is the latest United man to suffer the wrath of Clattenburg. He’s booked for a late trip on Richards, who was attempting to skidaddle down the right. 81 min: WHAT A BRILLIANT GOAL, THEY KEEP COMING!!! Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City. Fletcher takes up possession in the middle of the City half. He slips a ball to his right, then gets it back immediately from Hernandez. He then sidefoots a beautiful curler into the top-right corner, Hart left with no chance whatsoever. A world-class finish by the Scotland captain. They couldn’t, could they? 79 min: Smalling is booked for dragging down Richards, as the City man looked to power forward into the box. City’s movement is too much for the ten men of United. 77 min: On the field, Dzeko is sent clear into the area down the inside-right channel by Silva. He looks for the bottom-left corner, but De Gea saves brilliantly with his leg. On the City bench, Balotelli and Aguero are passing the time by smacking each other on the head. 75 min: Dzeko is booked for standing on Jones’ foot. Nasri comes on for Aguero. 74 min: It’s getting surreal. Silva should have made it four, trying to slot home a dropping ball at the right-hand post. He slices his effort miles over the bar. 73 min: “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” trill the City supporters to Fergie. The dry Mancunian wit. 71 min: Dzeko replaces Balotelli. His first contribution is to hammer a shot from the left-hand side of the box, sending the ball flying just wide right of goal. “This result is all due to the Stone Roses creating a time warp effect,” suggests Ronan Gingles. “When they were in their pomp, City spanked United 5-1. They went away (after the first album really) and Fergie’s side came to utterly dominate English football. Now they’re back along with Norwich and QPR. Good news for Luton Town?” 69 min: GOAL!!! Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City. This isn’t dissimilar to the second goal, another slick passing move, and one that’s possibly even better. Toure slides the ball down the inside-right channel for Balotelli, who instantly flicks the ball out to Milner. Milner rolls the ball out to Richards, who drops a shoulder, reaches the byline, and fires a low cross in for Aguero, running in to slide the ball under De Gea. Again, if Barcelona etc. 66 min: Nowt comes of the corner. The ball’s shuttled upfield. Evra picks up a booking for showing a couple of studs in a 50-50 challenge with Barry. 65 min: A double change by United: Nani and Anderson off, Hernandez and Jones on. Hernandez wins a corner down the right with his first touch of the ball. 64 min: Silva gains a yard on Smalling down the left, and whips another low cross into the area, this time from the left. Ferdinand is on hand to clear, ahead of Balotelli, lurking with the smell of a hat-trick in his nostrils. 62 min: Anderson is booked for sending Aguero crashing to the floor. At this point, United are all over the show. It’s worth remembering, however, that City are City, time-honoured dab hands at coming unstuck at the hands of their neighbours. Or are City now New City? What a half hour of football we’ve got coming up. 60 min: WHAT A GOAL II: Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City. Sheer passing brilliance from City, who triangulate down the right. Silva breaks into the area, draws Anderson, and frees Milner towards the byline with a tasty backflick. Milner hammers a low cross towards the far post, where Balotelli sidefoots powerfully home. No t-shirt hi-jinx this time; City are too busy celebrating wildly, for a start. A great goal. If Barcelona had scored it, etc., and so on. 58 min: Some decent pressure from United here, who have responded well to their latest setback. Young diddles around down the left; corner. On the right, Rooney drops a shoulder, can’t get a shot away, and finds Anderson, whose effort is deflected out for another corner. Rooney has a low shot after coming inside from the left; Hart gathers. This is hectic, shapeless, and very entertaining. 56 min: Milner wheechs a low, hard cross straight through the United six-yard box from the right. Aguero isn’t far away from connecting at the far post. This is like a basketball match at the moment, with the caveat that basketball matches don’t usually have a score of 1-0 after nearly one hour’s play. 55 min: Pinball in the City area, as Young takes a shot from the edge of the area. Milner sticks a leg out, the ball flies straight back to Young, who instinctively sticks out a leg and sends an effort not too far wide left. 54 min: United are a bit of a shambles at the back. Richards cuts inside from the right and is allowed to take a free shot at goal. Luckily for the champions, Richards shanks a risible effort miles wide left. 51 min: Welbeck twists and turns down the left, making it as far as the area, but eventually Lescott takes the ball off him. A fairly high-octane start to this second period. “Could you please settle an office dispute by confirming or denying that the, ahem, back-door-tradesman in that tremendous Granada advert is Michael the bartender from Only Fools and Horses?” writes Robin Parker, who doesn’t bother waiting for an answer. “A brandy and cherryade please, Michael!” 50 min: Richards goes down in the area under a challenge from Anderson. The referee suggests it was an accidental coming together. It should have been a penalty, though, Anderson sticking his leg across his opponent’s thigh to drop him to the floor. 48 min: The City free kick is blocked by a United wall barely five yards from the ball. City don’t complain too vociferously, possibly concluding that the half is going reasonably well for them so far. 46 min: RED CARD!!! Manchester United are down to ten men. Balotelli is through on goal, chasing after a lovely ball from Aguero which splits Evans and Ferdinand asunder. On the edge of the area, he tugs Balotelli back; the striker steps on the ball and falls. It’s not a penalty, but it is a red for the pull, and the end of the afternoon for Evans. And we’re off again! No changes. Fergie comes out of the tunnel clapping furiously, doing his best to work the crowd up into a froth. He’ll be up for this, like you need to be told that. City set the ball rolling. United are kicking towards the Stretford End. “France versus France at rugby would be an absolute thrashing, surely?” wonders Dave Hinton. “France on a good day would turn up and absolutely wallop France on a bad day. A bit like the Man City of old, no?” HALF-TIME MESSAGES FROM YOUR LOCAL STATION: Adverts don’t have jingles like this any more. And companies no longer hawk televisions, without a box, from out the back of a second-hand Vauxhall Chevette. We’ve moved forward as a nation, but we’ve not necessarily progressed. HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City. Smalling accidentally whacks Balotelli in the mouth, and that’s the last action of the half. Not a classic, but what a finish. “I think the real issue of this first half is where can I get these Mister Potato Crisps which United are trying to flog,” writes Craig Trainor. “I haven’t noticed it since the first 10 minutes. Perhaps they realised it was possibly the cheapest, most abysmally designed, billboard in the history of the Premier League.” Here you go. They’re a global snack partner of the club, so don’t be rude, they’re our hosts today. 42 min: Anderson has another whack from the edge of the area, but his effort sails wide and high to the left. United are beginning to show signs of recovery, after looking tatty in the wake of Balotelli’s goal. “Mention of Bruno S in a Mancunian context should of course prompt a mention of Werner Herzog’s Stoszek, the viewing of which finally persuaded Ian Curtis of seminal rib-tickling post punk combo Joy Division to seek an early bath in 1980,” writes Ben Carding, providing us all with our light-hearted Sunday afternoon F.U.N. “65,000 United fans will no doubt empathise.” 41 min: A painful minute for City. First Aguero is clear, albeit at a tight angle, in the United area to the right. But he hesitates when he should shoot, and the chance is gone. Then Kompany is booked for a cynical tug on Nani. 40 min: Two chances spurned in a minute for United. First Welbeck has Rooney to his left, waiting to break clear into the City box, but his pass pushes his team-mate too far wide left. Then Rooney, wide right of goal, slides the ball into Evans, six yards out in front of goal; the defender miskicks. 37 min: Fletcher is in full flow towards the City area, but Richards sticks out a leg to poke the ball out of his path. Brilliant tackle, not that the Old Trafford faithful see it that way. The crowd set the controls for the heart of the funk-o-sphere seconds later, as Anderson clips Silva on the ankle to concede a cheap free kick 30 yards from goal. The free kick is a dismal business, so much so that I don’t want to ruin any expensive reputations here by describing it. (OK, I missed who took it. But it was aimless, and useless.) 36 min: Nani dribbles down the right and slips the ball inside for Rooney, who drops a shoulder and hits a rising shot goalwards. Hart is behind it, though. “What was Balotelli actually booked for?” asks Paul Ruffley. “He didn’t display a political message, didn’t bare his chest, didn’t take his shirt off. Must have been the horrendous offence of having a bit of fun.” 33 min: Young’s been United’s one danger so far. Again he causes minor levels of bedlam down the left. Corner. Young sends it into the box. Hart punches clear, but Anderson’s soon sending a shot in on goal from the edge of the area. It’s a decent effort, travelling at pace, but the City keeper is right behind it. “I guess that match prediction has blown up in my face,” writes Greg Scully (4 mins). “United look like they need a proper tinderbox to spark their fuse in the final third, or they could bomb at home for the first time in ages.” 30 min: Auguero takes down a Hart goal kick and suddenly City are on the attack. United break it down easily enough, but Anderson shanks a clearance out of play. Very un-United like. The ball comes back at United, Toure looking for the top-right corner from distance with a rising volley, the shot sailing harmlessly wide. City have United, if not quite rattled, then at least questioning themselves. “You just know Balotelli’s got something else written on the back of his t-shirt,” writes Patrick Cullen. “He will score again, he will show what’s written on the back, and he will get a second yellow card.” 27 min: Young skidaddles down the left and lifts a dangerous dipping ball towards the far post. Hart goes down to claim. Rooney tries to release Welbeck down the inside-right channel with a slide-rule pass, but his measurements are a wee bit out, and the ball flies through to the keeper. United are trying to rebuild after that shock to the system; they’re still enjoying the lion’s share of possession. 26 min: Richards tries to beat De Gea from distance. That goal’s given City confidence alright. “With all these shout-outs to Klaus Kinski, we’re at risk of forgetting Herzog’s greatest find, Bruno S.,” suggests James Womack. “He seems to have been a Joey Barton in embryo. From the Guardian obituary: “Bruno is a man whose life in his youth was catastrophic and obviously made him a ‘difficult’ person to deal with,” Herzog explained. “Sometimes he would stop work by ranting against the injustices of the world. I would stop the entire team in their tracks.” Herzog would tell them: “Even if it takes three or four hours of non-stop Bruno speaking about injustice we … would all listen. I would always make physical contact with him. I would always grab him and just hold his wrist. Otherwise, he is a man of phenomenal abilities and phenomenal depth and suffering. It translates on the screen like nothing I have ever done translates on to a screen. He is, for me, the Unknown Soldier of Cinema.” “Although I think there is probably a serious injunction in referring to J.B. as the Unknown Soldier of Football.” 24 min: That goal’s stunned Old Trafford. It was absolutely exquisite. It’s stunned United, too, for they’re all over the shop at the moment. Clichy’s allowed to sprint all the way to the edge of the United area, where he feeds the ball wide right to Silva. The resulting cross into the centre flies just over Balotelli’s head. 21 min: WHAT A GOAL!!! WHAT A T-SHIRT!!! Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City. A bit more of time for City in the United half. First Balotelli, then Clichy, both with crossed from the left. Then Silva has a go, romping down the left, then cutting back to the edge of the area. Balotelli runs in, and threads a positively delicious sidefoot into the bottom-right corner. That was pinpoint. He’s then booked, of course, for revealing a t-shirt bearing the legend: WHY ALWAYS ME? Herzog documentary, please! 17 min: Clichy hits a raking crossfield pass, left to right, in the direction of Aguero, who’s looking to break down the inside-right channel. Evans positions himself brilliantly to cut the ball out, and head back to his keeper. City are beginning to get into the game now, a little bit at least. United still enjoying most of the ball, though. 14 min: Silva goes on a crazy, skittering dribble down the inside-right channel. He falls over at one point, but still manages to bounce up and keep going. He beats four challenges, but United swarm round him and crowd him out. Eventually City win a corner, Richards taking a swipe from distance, the ball ballooning out of play, but the resulting dead ball is possibly the worst ever hit by man or beast, and God knows there’s been some competition over the years. 12 min: Young has started this game at full pelt. He latches onto a loose ball, 30 yards out, just to the left of goal, drops a shoulder, and hits a low screamer goalwards. The shot’s blocked, though, and doesn’t get through to Hart. 11 min: City are struggling to get out of their own half. United can’t quite get anything going in attack, though. It’s like watching the All Blacks play the All Blacks, or France take on France. 9 min: Milner’s minute. First he takes a hopeful punt at goal from 30 yards; it’s easily marshalled by De Gea. Then, down the left, he clips an in-flight Young, and does very well to escape a booking. Referee Mark Clattenberg makes a big point of gesticulating NO MORE, PAL, as Richards has already made a couple of loose challenges down the same wing, and we’re yet to see ten minutes of play. Expect the yellow card to come out soon enough. 7 min: Another direct run by Young down the left; he’s looking to give Richards a torrid time wherever possible. And that’s another corner. The ball’s sent out to the opposite wing, from where Rooney cuts inside, and looks for Anderson on the far post with a curling, looping cross. The ball finds the United midfielder’s head, but only to skim off the top of it. Nice idea, though, and nearly well executed. 6 min: City stroke it around the back awhile, the idea no doubt being to take the sting out of the game. Time to tip the hat to their very attractive blue-and-white hooped socks, a real taste of the 1930s. 4 min: A determined and skilful run by Young down the left. And that’s a corner. Life’s too short to describe how the set piece pans out. But after that early jitter by De Gea, United have quickly got themselves onto the front foot. “I fear today’s game could set a record for the number of TNT-related puns, both by commentators and MBMers,” writes Greg Scully. “While I wish I were witty enough to stop this in its tracks, I also fear that the game will be more likely a damp squib than a true cracker, so I have bowed to the inevitable.” 2 min: Nani has his first skitter down the wing, haring down the right, the ball eventually bumping out of play. It’d be nice if the entire game pings from end to end like this. And we’re off! The most important Manchester derby for about six months since the late 1960s begins. A shaky start by De Gea, who fluffs a clearance under pressure from Aguero. The ball’s soon coming back at the keeper, Aguero again making a nuisance of himself down the inside-left channel, Smalling eventually stepping in his way and shepherding the ball out of play. The teams are out and about! Won’t be long now. The time-honoured Mancunian aesthetic: United in their red and black, City in their sky blue with white trim. “Klaus might have been as mad as Balotelli squared,” writes Gerard Cullen, “but he produced Nastassja and for that we should all be grateful.” Getting it in the neck all next week, from one manager and set of fans, or perhaps both: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear) Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Silva, Balotelli, Aguero. Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nasri, Toure, De Jong. Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Anderson, Young, Rooney, Welbeck. Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Berbatov, Park, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia. Some reading matter to while away the time until kick off: Paul Hayward on last year’s derby at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick in teeth for City. Will Balotelli put in another explosive, excellent, extraordinary, monumental and epochal performance today? We’ll find out soon enough. The action starts at: 1.30pm. OK, while we’re at it, another. “One day a theatre critic had been invited for dinner. He hinted that having watched a play in which Kinski had a small role. He would mention him as outstanding and extraordinary. At once, Kinski threw hot potatoes and the cutlery into his face. He jumped up and screamed: ‘I was not excellent! I was not extraordinary! I was monumental! I was epochal!” It’ll be interesting to see what Balotelli gets up to for his next act. By way of suggestion, just throwing some seeds out there, hoping they take root, here’s another tale of Kinski’s shenanigans while staying Chez Herzog. “One day, Kinski took a huge running start down the corridor while we were eating. I heard a strange noise and then in an explosion the door came off its hinges, crashing into the room. He must have jumped against it at full speed, and now he stood there flailing wildly, completely hysterical, snow-white in the face. He was foaming at the mouth, and he moved like this. Something came floating down like leaves: they were his shirts. His screams were incredibly shrill. He could actually break wine glasses with his voice. And three octaves too high he screamed: ‘Klara! You pig!’ The thing was, she hadn’t ironed his shirt collars neatly enough.” That was pretty much the greatest bathroom-mania-related anecdote of all time. Until, perhaps, yesterday. Whichever stripe of Mancunian you are, blue or red, you really have to love Mario Balotelli . He’s the gift that keeps on giving. In the 1999 documentary film My Best Fiend, director Werner Herzog speaks of his time living with the actor Klaus Kinski. “Kinski had locked himself in this bathroom for days and nights. For forty-eight hours. In his maniacal fury, he smashed everything to smithereens. The bathtub, the toilet bowl, everything. You could sift it through a tennis racket. It was really incredible. I never thought it possible that someone could rave for hours. They called the police in the end, but they left him in peace.” Premier League Manchester United Manchester City Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
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Camp occupants reluctant to leave, saying they have been told there are no safety issues, but St Paul’s remains closed An impasse between St Paul’s Cathedral and the protest camp that has spent eight days at its walls remains apparently deadlocked, with activists saying they will not consider church officials’ request for them to move elsewhere until they receive a fuller explanation as to why this is necessary. On a usual Sunday the 400-year-old London landmark would be full of worshippers and visitors. But the doors have been bolted since Friday evening when the dean, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, announced that the cathedral would remain shut until further notice because the 200 or so tents and marquees along its western edge posed a fire and safety risk. A scheduled wedding took place on Saturday, with the celebrants using a side door, but worshippers for morning services on Sunday were faced with a notice directing them to the nearby church of St Vedast. A special evensong involving visiting choirs to mark the 150th anniversary of the Hymns Ancient and Modern publication has been moved to Southwark Cathedral, south of the Thames. Some would-be worshippers were caught out. “We didn’t know, so we’re very disappointed,” said a woman from a visiting American family forced to suddenly revise their plans for the day. But most tourists remained largely positive about the Occupy the London Stock Exchange camp, a protest against the perceived excesses of the global financial system. “I suppose you could say we’re part of the 99% as well,” said Levin Brunner, an IT consultant from Munich, using the term coined by activists for the bulk of people who do not enjoy stellar salaries and annual bonuses. “We have similar protests in Germany, so we knew this was taking place and we have a lot of sympathy for it. It’s very interesting for tourists to see, anyway.” On Saturday the activists set up a second base at Finsbury Square , a grassed area on the fringes of London’s financial district, currently home to about 60 tents. The movement says this is not intended to be a replacement for the camp at St Paul’s, but more of an overspill as the first site is now too full to accept more tents. Activists face intense pressure to reconsider the St Paul’s camp, not least for the resonance of being seen as responsible for the closure of a national landmark for the first time since the second world war. Church officials say the closure is costing St Paul’s about £20,000 a day in lost revenue. But the protesters are deeply reluctant, strongly hinting that they believe the Corporation of London, which governs the City district, has joined financial institutions to place at least implicit pressure on St Paul’s to take action. The Occupy the London Stock Exchange movement says it has spoken to both the fire service and local health and safety officials and has been told there are no safety issues. “Until the cathedral was shut we were in regular contact with them and relations were good. But since Friday they haven’t talked to us,” said one protester, Sean, who was acting as a media spokesman. “We’ve asked for details about the fire and health and safety issues, but we’ve heard nothing.” The cathedral remains resolute. On Saturday its canon chancellor, the Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, who a week before had welcomed what he described as a legitimate protest, issued a statement urging the protesters to leave . He said: “I remain firmly supportive of the right of people peacefully to protest. But given the strong advice that we have received that the camp is making the cathedral and its occupants unsafe then this right has to be balanced against other rights and responsibilities too.” Occupy London Occupy movement London Peter Walker guardian.co.uk
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