Hitler's own Mein Kampf up for sale

Hitler's own Mein Kampf up for sale

A US auction house in Maryland is preparing to sell a copy of Mein Kampf that it says once belonged to Adolf Hitler.

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC, based in Chesapeake City, will offer Hitler's Nazi manifesto during its March 17 and 18 auction of more than 1000 other World War II historical items.

The copy of the book bears an inscription that says it was taken from Hitler's apartment in Munich in 1945 by members of an American field artillery unit.

It was kept by a soldier's daughter until a few years ago.

Auctioneer Bill Panagopulos says the book has an estimated value of about $US15,000 ($A20,100), but he says he expects the price to go higher.

The book is bound in red leather and has the title in gold print attached to its spine.

Originally published as Hitler's own Mein Kampf up for sale

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Why British Sikhs are calling for a 'black Diwali'

The million-strong Hindu community in the UK is combining the celebration of Diwali with the visit of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. But many British Sikhs, who also mark the festival of light, are refusing to take part, in protest against the Indian government's treatment of their religion.

For Sikhs, Diwali commemorates the release from prison of their sixth guru, Hargobind Sahab.

But temples and schools in the UK are among those who will observe a "black Diwali", without the usual candles and fireworks, as a mark of their anger about the desecration of the religion's holy scriptures in the Indian state of Punjab.

Mr Modi, a former chief minister of the state of Gujurat, is a hugely popular figure among Gujuratis in England, hundreds of whom worship at the Shree Swaminarayan temple, which towers over the neighbouring houses and flats in Willesden, north-west London.

One of the members of the temple, Kavita Vekaria, is in charge of decorating the oblong brick building with lights and enormous peacock feathers and is looking forward to seeing Mr Modi speak at a huge rally at nearby Wembley Stadium

"I'm extremely, extremely happy to see him," she said. "It's an absolute honour, he's a really honourable person and I have so much respect for him."

Suresh Jesani, a member of the temple's youth academy, said: "For us, it's one of our own guys coming to our own country. As a community it's massive for us."

But London has also seen protests against the Indian government's stance on the events in Punjab.

The police apologised for their treatment of Sikhs after violent scenes outside the Indian High Commission last month.

Two of those arrested were a financial adviser from Ilford in east London and his teenage daughter.

Ropinder Singh, 48, said officers jumped on him, removed his turban, and pulled out some of his long beard. He said they also removed his kanga - a wooden comb worn under the turban which is one of the five holy symbols of devoted Sikhs.

"I'm extremely, extremely happy to see him," she said. "It's an absolute honour, he's a really honourable person and I have so much respect for him."

Suresh Jesani, a member of the temple's youth academy, said: "For us, it's one of our own guys coming to our own country. As a community it's massive for us."

But London has also seen protests against the Indian government's stance on the events in Punjab.

The police apologised for their treatment of Sikhs after violent scenes outside the Indian High Commission last month.

Two of those arrested were a financial adviser from Ilford in east London and his teenage daughter.

Ropinder Singh, 48, said officers jumped on him, removed his turban, and pulled out some of his long beard. He said they also removed his kanga - a wooden comb worn under the turban which is one of the five holy symbols of devoted Sikhs.

Sikhs see a connection between the heavy-handed policing and the arrival of Mr Modi in the UK.

Jagraj Singh, a religious campaigner and the founder of the educational charity Basics of Sikhi, said the Hindu nationalism of Mr Modi's BJP party was a major concern to Sikhs, Christians and Muslims in India.

He said Mr Modi's attitude was that "other groups within India should realise who's boss".

"Whereas previously the parties were more secular and appealing on economic policies or the general policies you might get here, now it's more Hindu nationalism, that's the agenda," he said.

"The other minorities in India are getting a rough ride."

While Mr Modi will be welcomed at Wembley Stadium, and by the Queen and David Cameron, there are likely to be further protests against him.

Campaigners have already projected an anti-Modi message onto the side of the Palace of Westminster.

Like in India, policing the protests in the UK has become a sensitive religious issue.

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Myanmar election: Obama hails election result

Barack Obama has hailed the result of landmark elections in Myanmar, which look set to usher in a new government.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy is on track for a majority, taking about 80% of declared seats.

But a quarter of parliamentary seats are allocated to the military, meaning it will remain hugely influential.

Mr Obama called Ms Suu Kyi to congratulate her and her party, saying he hoped the result would lead to "a more peaceful and prosperous future".

While previous statements by British Prime Minister David Cameron and US Secretary of State John Kerry praised only the running of the election, Mr Obama directly acknowledged "the success of the National League for Democracy".

He also praised what he called Ms Suu Kyi's "tireless efforts and sacrifice over so many years to promote a more inclusive, peaceful, and democratic Burma", referring to Myanmar's other name.

Mr Obama, who has visited Myanmar twice during his presidency, said he hoped the official election results would be respected by all parties.

Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing said the military would "do what is best in co-operation with the new government during the post-election period".

President Thein Sein has also pledged that his government "will respect the people's decision and choice and will hand over power as scheduled".

Barack Obama has hailed the result of landmark elections in Myanmar, which look set to usher in a new government.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy is on track for a majority, taking about 80% of declared seats.

But a quarter of parliamentary seats are allocated to the military, meaning it will remain hugely influential.

Mr Obama called Ms Suu Kyi to congratulate her and her party, saying he hoped the result would lead to "a more peaceful and prosperous future".

While previous statements by British Prime Minister David Cameron and US Secretary of State John Kerry praised only the running of the election, Mr Obama directly acknowledged "the success of the National League for Democracy".

He also praised what he called Ms Suu Kyi's "tireless efforts and sacrifice over so many years to promote a more inclusive, peaceful, and democratic Burma", referring to Myanmar's other name.

Mr Obama, who has visited Myanmar twice during his presidency, said he hoped the official election results would be respected by all parties.

Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing said the military would "do what is best in co-operation with the new government during the post-election period".

President Thein Sein has also pledged that his government "will respect the people's decision and choice and will hand over power as scheduled".

The ruling military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) - which won the last, widely criticised election five years ago - has so far gained about 5% of the seats being contested.

About 30 million people were eligible to vote and turnout was estimated at about 80%.

However, hundreds of thousands of people - including the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not recognised as citizens - were denied voting rights.

A quarter of the 664 parliamentary seats are set aside for the army and a handful were not contested, leaving 491 seats.

For the NLD to have the winning majority and be able to select the president, it will need at least two-thirds of those seats.

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Tycoon buys $48m blue diamond at auction for daughter

A 12.03-carat blue diamond has been auctioned in Geneva for a record $48.4m (£31.7m) to a Hong Kong tycoon.

Joseph Lau confirmed he bought the ring-mounted, cushion-shaped stone for his seven-year-old daughter, renaming it "Blue Moon of Josephine" after her.

Auction house Sotheby's said the sale had set "a new world auction record for any diamond of any colour".

It is not the first time Lau, a property billionaire, has bought precious stones for his daughter.

The businessman - who was convicted of bribery and money laundering in 2014 - is also confirmed as the buyer of a 16.08-carat pink diamond, which Christie's sold for $28.5m on Tuesday.

It has been renamed "Sweet Josephine", a spokeswoman for Mr Lau told BBC News.

In 2009, he bought another blue diamond for his daughter - the 7.03-carat "Star of Josephine" - paying what was then a record $9.5m.

He was sentenced to five years in jail after his corruption convictions in a Macau court, but has avoided prison by not visiting the territory. There is no extradition treaty between Macau and Hong Kong.

'Beautiful stone'

Sotheby's spokesman David Bennett described Wednesday's blue diamond as "magical".

"I've never seen a more beautiful stone," he said.

"The shape, the colour, the purity, it's a magical stone and everybody, I think, who put it on their finger thought so."

Two bidders were locked in a telephone bidding war for eight minutes before the hammer went down on Wednesday's sale, correspondents say, with the jewel not exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $35-$55m.

The diamond was found in South Africa in January last year and its striking blue colour is attributed to the presence of the element boron within its crystal structure.

It was named "Blue Moon" to reflect its rarity.

Experts say the market for coloured diamonds has become increasingly strong in recent months, with both blue and pink diamonds attracting a lot of attention in jewel sales in Geneva.

Coloured diamonds are among the rarest in the world, even ones that are not particularly vivid or clear.

The Graff Pink - a 24.78-carat pink diamond auctioned for $46.2 million in Geneva in 2010 - was the previous diamond world auction record holder.

In 2013 a diamond known as the Pink Star was sold for what was then believed to be a record breaking $83m (£52m) - also at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva.

However, the buyer later defaulted on the purchase, and Sotheby's was forced to buy the diamond under its auction contract.

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US B-52 bombers fly near disputed South China Sea islands

Two US B-52 bomber planes have flown near artificial islands built by China in disputed areas of the South China Sea, the Pentagon has said.

Their mission continued despite being warned by Chinese ground controllers.

The incident comes ahead of a visit by US President Barack Obama to a summit in Manila next week, which China's President Xi Jinping will also attend.

China is locked in maritime territorial disputes with several neighbours in the South China Sea.

It claims a large swathe of the resource-rich area and has been aggressively reclaiming land and building facilities on reefs, which the US and others oppose.

The US has said it plans to demonstrate its freedom of navigation principle in the sea, which challenges what it deems to be "excessive claims" to the world's oceans and airspace.

'Received warnings'

The US patrol, which took place overnight on Sunday near the Spratly Islands, was a "a routine mission in the SCS (South China Sea)", said Pentagon spokesman Bill Urban, taking off from Guam and returning there.

The B-52s did not breach the area of sea claimed by China around the islands, the Pentagon said.

Mr Urban told reporters that the planes received two warnings "despite never venturing within 15 nautical miles of any feature".

"Both aircraft continued their mission without incident, and at all times operated fully in accordance with international law," he said.

Last month, the US sailed warship USS Lassen into the 12-nautical mile zone China claims around Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago, angering Beijing.

China's foreign ministry condemned it as "illegal" and provocative.

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World news- Malala Yousafzai: Her father's daughter

It's been three years since the name Malala Yousafzai entered the collective consciousness, when the then unknown 15-year-old Pakistani girl was shot by the Taliban for defying their ban on female education in the country's Swat Valley.
Her subsequent fight for survival and renewed vigour on recovery have proved an inspiration to millions around the world. Her courage has won her the Nobel Peace Prize and led to her becoming one of those rare individuals who can go by their first name alone.
But behind her international profile is one of a normal teenager - and a daughter of a loving, united and inspirational family.
It's this story, seemingly mundane yet so fundamental to who Malala is, that fascinated director Davis Guggenheim - maker of the Oscar-winning portrayal of US Democratic politician Al Gore in An Inconvenient Truth - and led to his latest documentary He Named Me Malala.
Guggenheim uses one-to-one interviews, news footage and animation to paint an intimate portrait of the Yousafzais's past and present - and in particular the influence of Malala's father Ziauddin on her life.
The Yousafzai familyImage copyrightGetty Images
Image caption
The Yousafzai family worked with Davis Guggenheim over a period of 18 months

The director explains: "People in the Swat Valley were being killed for standing up to the Taliban but there was this young girl who decided she was going to stand up to them.
"People don't fully understand this vital element of her story or where that determination comes from.
"My first instinct in making this movie was that it is very much about a family, about a father's love and about a girl who feels empowered to do amazing things.
"If you cover that story, it speaks to girls all over the world."
Guggenheim filmed the Yousafzai family - Malala, her parents and two younger brothers - over 18 months.
Much of the film takes place at the family's home in Birmingham, where they stayed following Malala's treatment at the city's hospital.
But Guggenheim also shows Malala on trips to the Middle East and Africa as part of her work for the Malala Fund - an education charity she established with her father - visiting schools, refugee camps and addressing world leaders.
Guggenheim is himself passionate about the importance of education and has made documentaries on the US school system.
And as a father to two girls, he seems the perfect candidate to enter Malala's world - but it didn't prevent the nerves that preceded their first encounter.
"I was walking on eggshells," he says.
Ziauddin YousafzaiImage copyrightGetty Images
Image caption
In Pakistan, Ziauddin Yousafzai was a passionate social activist and a teacher, even establishing his own school, and was threatened by the Taliban
"But they were just hilarious and joyful. They tease each other and I found them remarkably enlightened and infinitely curious. I would leave their house invigorated.
"They have a certain freedom from having risked their lives and Malala lives her life even more fearlessly - the little things in life just disappear."
Malala's brothers Khushal, 15, and Atal, 11, are lively boys, dreaming of glorious futures and tirelessly jibing and arguing with their sister.
"Look Malala, one day I will be an astronaut and a great sportsman and you will be known as my sister," says Atal.
Her mother Toor Pekai is barely visible on camera due to her Pashtun sense of modesty but, says Guggenheim, she is "100% in control. When a big decision is being made all eyes turn to her".
And Malala emerges as a just a normal teenager, struggling to get the best grades at school and bashfully doe-eyed over Roger Federer.
It's an endearing picture but what truly stands out in this family story is Malala's bond with her father, who very visibly supports her in everything she wants to do.
It's an attachment that began even before Malala was born.

Malala YousafzaiImage copyrightGetty Images
Image caption
Malala's father says he knew she would be special from the moment he first saw her
In Pakistan, Ziauddin belied his slight physique and the difficulties of a stammer to become a passionate social activist and a teacher, even establishing his own school.
In a patriarchal society in which "women are not known in public and their names are only known to family members", he was adamant his daughter would be different and named her after a legendary 19th Century Pashtun warrior heroine, Malalai of Maiwund.
"Malalai had had a voice and I wanted my Malala to have the same - that she would have freedom and be brave and be known by her name," says Ziauddin.
And it was immediately apparent she was special, he says.
"I hesitate to romanticise or make it something superstitious by saying she was born a saint or prophet but I felt an immediate attachment to her. I saw a light in her eyes.
"She was very mature and sensible and mindful of others and was loved by the whole community."
Ziauddin put himself at considerable risk through his activism and received threats from the Taliban as a result. It caused Malala extreme anxiety yet she continued with her own activism and famously wrote a blog for the BBC under a pseudonym, about life in the Swat Valley.
Though acknowledging he was a role model for his daughter, Ziauddin says he feels no guilt for what ultimately happened to her.
"Guilt comes from when you do something sinful. When your basic human rights are violated and you don't stand up, that's a sin," he says.
Malala Yousafzai meets Senate Minority Whip Richard DurbinImage copyrightGetty Images
Image caption
Malala - here meeting Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin - will be a leader and voice for young women for a long time to come, says Davis Guggenheim
"I didn't push my daughter; if I had she would have stopped. She would have said: 'Father you put me in a very bad situation, I got hit by a bullet, I am not going to do it anymore for you'.
"But she became more resilient, more committed and I've never heard her utter a single sigh or a single word which implies complaint or regret."
And Malala - who has been left with some paralysis in her face and impaired hearing - vehemently backs her father.
"My father only gave me the name Malalai. He didn't make me Malalai. I chose this life," she says.
As for the future, Ziauddin shows characteristic defiance. He is sure the family will go back to Pakistan for good, he says, despite the welcome and freedom they are all grateful to have received in the UK.
And he has faith that his daughter will know the right path for herself to tread. Guggenheim fully agrees.
"When you do the DNA of Malala, she is a potent mix of both her parents. She gets her sense of mission from her father but her moral fibre, her religious clarity and forgiveness from her mother," he says.
"Anything is possible for Malala. She is wholly equipped to be a leader and she is completely unique in that, when the big decisions are being made about girls education, she is the only young person at the table.
"She's a voice for all those girls who don't have a voice. She'll be that for a very long time."
He Named Me Malala opens in the UK on 6 November

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WORLD NEWS-Benzema faces charges in Valbuena sex tape case in France

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French footballer Karim Benzema has been placed under formal investigation in connection with a sex tape blackmail plot involving another player.
The Real Madrid striker appeared before a judge in Versailles after being held in custody overnight.
His lawyer says he played "no part" in an alleged attempt to extort money from fellow French international Mathieu Valbuena.
The two men reportedly had an exchange during a training session.
According to French media, Mr Benzema mentioned the tape to the midfielder during a national team training session at Clairefontaine in early October.
A source close to inquiry, quoted by told AFP news agency, said the 27-year-old star told investigators on Thursday he had approached Mr Valbuena about the tape on behalf of "a childhood friend".
France coach Didier Deschamps left both players out of his squad selected on Thursday for matches against Germany and England later in November.
'Nothing to hide'
The prosecutor's office earlier confirmed that Mr Benzema was now under formal investigation for complicity in attempted blackmail and participation in a criminal conspiracy.
When a suspect is placed under formal investigation, he or she is then examined by a judge, who determines whether there is sufficient evidence for the suspect to be charged.

Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema celebrating a goalImage copyrightAFP
Born in Lyon as one of 10 children in a family of Algerian origin
Joined Lyon youth football academy aged nine
Made professional debut in 2005, aged 17
Recruited by Real Madrid FC from Olympique Lyonnais in 2009
Played first senior match for French national team in March 2007
Linked with a move to Arsenal in August
Cleared of charges he slept with an under-age prostitute in 2014
If formal charges do follow and he is convicted, Mr Benzema could face a minimum jail sentence of five years, the prosecutor said.
Meanwhile the court has banned the striker from contacting his France team-mate, or any other people charged in the case.
Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Mr Benzema's lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, said his client was adamant he was not guilty of the charges.
"Karim Benzema has nothing to hide," he said.
"He supports his friend, Mathieu Valbuena, with all his heart. He took no part, I state this again - no part - in the blackmail or blackmail attempts."
"Karim Benzema will show he acted in good faith, and I hope this will be seen as soon as possible," Mr Cormier added.
Whether or not the footballer is charged, correspondents say the formal investigation exposes him to a lengthy period of doubt ahead of the Euro 2016 tournament that France hosts next year.
French coach Deschamps refused to comment on the legal case on Thursday but said Mr Benzema had been injured.
He added that Lyon midfielder Mr Valbuena was not in an emotional state to play in upcoming games against Germany and England.
'A cloud over Les Bleus' - by Alistair Magowan, BBC Sport
Karim Benzema celebrating with France's midfielder Mathieu ValbuenaImage copyrightAFP
Karim Benzema is the top scorer in the France team, so doubts about his participation at Euro 2016 represent a cloud over Les Bleus as they aim to make the most of their host status.
The Real Madrid striker has scored 27 goals in 81 appearances for his country, more than double the number scored by fellow France striker Olivier Giroud, and apart from missing out at the 2010 World Cup, has been a mainstay in the team since making his debut in 2007.
Benzema is regarded as one of Europe's top strikers, but despite winning honours at Real Madrid, he is yet to make a telling contribution at a major tournament for his country.
Sources have told French media that a relative of Mr Benzema was contacted by the blackmailers, in an attempt to involve him in the scheme against his team-mate. There has been no confirmation from police.
Three other men have been placed under formal investigation after Mr Valbuena was contacted by someone claiming to have the video.
It is not the first time Mr Benzema has been involved in a police inquiry. Last year, he and fellow France international Franck Ribery were cleared of accusations they had slept with an under-age prostitute, who later went on to become a reality TV star and fashion designer.

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World News-Russian plane crash: UK suspects bomb was in hold

UK investigators looking at what caused a Russian airliner to crash in Egypt believe a bomb was put in the hold prior to take-off, the BBC has learned.
The British government suspended all flights to and from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh two days ago.
It had received intelligence based on intercepted communications between militants in the Sinai Peninsula.
However, both Egypt and Russia have said it is too early to draw conclusions.
The Metrojet Airbus A321 was flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg when it came down in Sinai on Saturday, killing all 224 people on board. Most of the victims were Russian.
Thousands of holidaymakers, 19,000 from the UK, remain stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Many Britons were due to return on Friday but one of the main airlines operating from the resort, Easyjet, says its plans have been sharply curtailed by the Egyptian authorities, with only two of its 10 flights leaving.
Egyptian Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal denied banning any flights, but said there was an issue of "capacity" at the airport, with extra security and more planes than usual.
Anger in Moscow and Cairo: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent
The speed with which the British government pointed to terrorism as the possible cause of the downing of the Russian Airbus over the Sinai Peninsula has not gone down well in either Cairo or Moscow.
For the Egyptians the stakes are obvious: Sharm el-Sheikh and the wider tourism industry are crucial elements of its economy. This episode has punctured the long-held Egyptian narrative that Sharm el-Sheikh is insulated from the wider chaos in the Sinai.
For the Russians, an attack linked to so-called IS is also problematic. IS is the declared target of its air operations in Syria, but in reality Russian warplanes have largely been striking other rebel groups.
IS may now find itself in Russia's sights. But if IS did bring down the airliner, this could exacerbate concerns amongst Russian public opinion that their country's engagement in Syria is provoking some unpleasant blow-back.
Could Islamic State have bombed Flight 9268?
Metrojet crash: Key facts
How has airport security changed?
As the investigation into the crashed airliner continues, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that although British officials have not ruled out a technical fault, they think that is increasingly unlikely.
New intelligence was received on Wednesday. The UK government's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has spent the past few days assessing what brought the plane down.
Security service investigators suspect someone with access to the aircraft's baggage compartment inserted an explosive device inside or on top of the luggage just before the plane took off.
Sinai-based militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) group said they destroyed the plane, but did not say how. IS has called for a war against both Russia and the US over their air strikes in Syria.

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