Monday, January 16, 2012

Laura Robson's Gay Rights Stance Reignites Equality Controversy

THE GUARDIAN: British tennis player wears rainbow-coloured hairband in Australian Open match in Margaret Court arena

The British tennis player Laura Robson walked unwittingly into a political row in Melbourne on Monday when she wore a rainbow-coloured hairband in support of gay and lesbian rights during her match at the Australian Open. It was a gesture of solidarity that turned an otherwise disappointing day for British tennis into a wildly controversial one.

The London teenager was playing a first-round match on the court named after Australia's most decorated female player, Margaret Court, an evangelical Christian who has created widespread controversy, especially over the past month, with her provocative views on homosexuality.

Robson, 18 next Saturday, was one of five British players who lost on the first day of the tournament but her trickiest assignment was fielding questions afterwards about her hairband. She claimed not to be making a political statement, and said she was unaware of a call by gay rights activists to take rainbow-coloured flags into the Margaret Court Arena.

"It was just a rainbow-coloured hairband," Robson said. "I didn't see anything about a protest today. I wore it because I believe in equal rights for everyone. That's it."

She did, however, know of the recent comments Court had made, which were reported here and internationally because of her standing in the game. Her stand will be seen in a favourable light by those critics of Court astounded by her insensitivity on a subject that is regularly an issue in women's tennis. » | Kevin Mitchell in Melbourne | Monday, January 16, 2012
New Dark Age Alert! Derby Muslim Denies Gay Hate Crime Charge

THE GUARDIAN: Kabir Ahmed denies threatening gay people with 'Death Penalty?' leaflets in first UK prosecution of its kind

A 28-year-old man has told a court he felt he was doing his duty as a Muslim by handing out leaflets alleged to have been threatening to gay people.

Kabir Ahmed said he handed a leaflet called "Death Penalty?" to a passing policeman and put them through letterboxes around the Madeley Street area of Derby in July 2010 because he was spreading the word of God as taught through Islam.

He said: "My intention was to do my duty as a Muslim, to inform people of God's word and to give the message on what God says about homosexuality."

Ahmed, who is married with a nine-month-old daughter, is on trial at Derby crown court charged with stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation, in the first prosecution of its kind since legislation came into force in March 2010.

At the opening of the trial last week the jury of seven men and five women were shown the Death Penalty? leaflet, which shows an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and saying homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty under Islam.

The leaflet states: "The death sentence is the only way this immoral crime can be erased from corrupting society and act as a deterrent for any other ill person who is remotely inclined in this bent way."

It continues: "The only dispute amongst the classical authorities was the method employed in carrying out the penal code," and then goes on to offer burning, being flung from a high point such as a mountain or building, or being stoned to death as suitable methods. » | Press Association | Monday, January 16, 2012
Adolf for Everyone: 'Mein Kampf' Extracts To Be Sold in Germany

SPIEGEL INTERNATIONAL ONLINE: A British publisher plans to sell excerpts from Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in Germany, claiming he wants to demystify the infamous book. But the controversial move could provoke a legal dispute with the Bavarian government, which owns the copyright and refuses reprint permission.

Is it permissible to sit in a cafe and read Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf?" British publisher Peter McGee, 51, has no doubt. "Of course it is. It's long overdue that a broad public should get the opportunity to deal with the original text."

And because McGee is so sure he's right, he plans to serialize extracts of the book in three small 15-page brochures with an initial print run of 100,000 copies each. The front cover features a photo of Hitler with a black bar obscuring his eyes and a headline that translates to "The unreadable book."

The plans could trigger opposition from Bavarian civil servants, though. Contrary to common belief, "Mein Kampf" is not banned in Germany. But the state of Bavaria, which seized Hitler's assets after his death, owns the copyright to his infamous treatise and has so far consistently prohibited efforts to reprint it.

McGee likes a fight and is no stranger to scandal. In 2009, he published reprints of vintage Nazi newspapers like Der Angriff and Völkischer Beobachter with print runs of up to 300,000, delivered alongside comments from historians. » | Martin U. Müller and Florian Zerfaß | Monday, January 06, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Parts of Mein Kampf to be published in Germany: A British company plans to break one of the great taboos of Germany by publishing excerpts of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. ¶ Starting in two weeks Albertas Press, a London based publishing house, will print sections of the book in German with critical commentaries printed alongside. The company plans to print three 15-page editions, each with a print run of 100,000. ¶ Witten by Hitler as he served a jail sentence for his role in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, Mein Kampf has not been published in Germany since the end of the Second World War. In the book Hitler mixes autobiographical elements and expositions of his political thesis, outlining his hatred of communism and Jews, and his conviction that Germany was destined to fight the "Judeo-Bolshevik regime" of the Soviet Union. » | Matthew Day | Monday, January 16, 2012
Jon Huntsman Quits Republican Race and Endorses Mitt Romney

Former governor of Utah withdraws from the race for his party's presidential nomination. At a press conference flanked by his family, he gave his support to Mitt Romney, who now goes into the South Carolina primary as a clear favourite to win the contest. Huntsman closed his comments by suggesting that the US had a deficit of trust to overcome as well as an economic crisis.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

En Allemagne, les jours du président Wulff sont comptés

LE FIGARO: La chancelière allemande Angela Merkel ne pourra plus longtemps soutenir un chef de l'État qui ne jouit même plus de la confiance de son propre camp. Les noms de deux successeurs sont évoqués.

Christian Wulff, qui présentait jeudi ses vœux pour 2012 au château de Bellevue, est apparu plus que jamais comme un président en sursis. L'ONG Transparency International et l'association de la presse allemande ont boycotté l'événement.

La chancelière, Angela Merkel, continue de soutenir à bout de bras et s'est fendue d'un sourire chaleureux. Mais sur Internet, dans les talk-shows télévisés, dans la presse et dans les conversations à Berlin, le président n'est plus qu'une «Witzfigur», un objet de plaisanterie comparé à Mickey Mouse ou à un gamin, trop immature pour la fonction. Les rumeurs de succession vont bon train. » | Par Patrick Saint-Paul | vendredi 13 janvier 2012
Anders Behring Breivik Psychiatric Report Reveals 'Kindergarten' Prison Life

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Psychiatric reports on Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right extremist who killed 77 people last July, reveal new details about his comfortable life in prison, his UK links, and his total lack of remorse.

Dr Randi Rosenqvist linked Breivik's "deviant statements" to his total absorption in a cult-like anti-Islamic movement based largely in the UK.

"I interpret his deviant statements as an expression of an extreme ideology, not as a psychotic view of reality," she writes.

"He has built a lot of his ideology on the British, or rather English, movement, and has not sought contact with Norwegians of the same ideology."

Torry Pedersen, editor of the Verdens Gang newspaper, decided to publish the full texts of four official psychiatric reports on Breivik this Sunday, despite a warning from police that frequent press leaks were harming the investigation. » | Richard Orange | Sunday, January 15, 2012
New Gingrich: 'I Have the Best Chance to Beat Barack Obama'

Despite lagging in fourth place in some polls, former US House Speaker New Gingrich, says he is more qualified than front-runner Mitt Romney to defeat President Barack Obama in a general election.


Read short article here | Sunday, January 15, 2012
US Election 2012: Mitt Romney's Rivals Exploit Doubts about His Faith and Values

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Mitt Romney’s rivals are seeking to exploit doubts about his faith, values and business record in a last ditch bid to stop him claiming a third straight primary victory in the race to decide which Republican will face Barack Obama in November.

With five days’ campaigning left in South Carolina, the former Massachusetts governor leads polls by an average of eight points. If he wins there – after victories in Iowa and New Hampshire - only a major shift in the campaign will prevent him from becoming the nominee.

His more conservative opponents are splitting the vote in a state where six out of ten Republicans are evangelical or born again Christians, while Mr Romney's superior organisation and fund-raising is expected to pay dividends.

But South Carolina is known for surprises, and undercurrents of anti-Romney sentiment, based on his Mormonism and his previous support for abortion, could yet cripple his chances.

David Woodard, a professor of political science at Clemson University who has advised numerous presidential campaigns in South Carolina, said: "It is too early to put a crown on him."

"It's not just his faith that's the problem. It's his moderation and his history that make it hard for him to fit down here. That doesn't mean he can't win, but he is from Massachusetts and we're talking about the great-great-grandchildren of the people that fired on Fort Sumter," he said, referring to a famous Civil War battle.

At a campaign appearance over the weekend, a voter asked Mr Romney bluntly if he believed in Jesus Christ – a question which reflected the fact that 50 per cent of Americans do not believe the Church of the Latter Day Saints to be Christian.

"Yes, I do," the candidate replied, adding: "I happen to believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and my saviour, but I know other people have differing views, and I respect those views and don't believe those qualify or disqualify people for leadership in our nation." Read on and comment » | Alex Spillius, Greenville, South Carolina | Sunday, January 15, 2012
British Islamist Anjem Choudary in Christmas Message: Jesus Was a Muslim; If He Were Alive Today, He Would Be Fighting to Liberate Muslim Land and Implement Divine Law – 22.12.2012

Evangelical Leaders Pick Santorum on Third Ballot

THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum won endorsement on the third ballot on Saturday at an invitation-only meeting of evangelicals held at the Brenham, Texas, ranch of Nancy and Paul Pressler, an evangelical leader told The Washington Times on condition of anonymity.

“The vote counters refused to tell the total votes because the message was that they are unifying behind one candidate,” the leader told The Washington Times.

The meeting’s purpose was to see if born-again Christians could find a candidate around whom to coalesce in a desperate effort to stop what has been perceived as the Mitt Romney juggernaut. The Presslers originally backed Texas Gov. Rick Perry. » | Ralph Z. Hallow | Saturday, January 14, 2012
PA Sermon in the West Bank: "Every Evil and Catastrophe" in the Whole World "Is Caused by the Jews"

Egyptian Cleric Ali Abu Al-Hasan: In Several Decades, "Europe Will Become a Single Islamic State"


HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Germany Attempts to Silence Criticism of Islam

STONEGATE INSTITUTE: German authorities have officially confirmed that they are monitoring German-language Internet websites that are critical of Muslim immigration and the Islamization of Europe.

According to Manfred Murck, director of the Hamburg branch of the German domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), his organization is studying whether German citizens who criticize Muslims and Islam on the Internet are fomenting hate and are thus criminally guilty of "breaching" the German constitution.

The BfV's move marks a significant setback for the exercise of free speech in Germany and comes amid a months-long smear campaign led by a triple alliance of leftwing German multicultural elites, sundry Muslim groups and members of the mainstream media, who have been relentless in their efforts to discredit the so-called counter-jihad movement (also known as the "Islamophobes") in Germany.

Opinion polls show that growing numbers of ordinary German citizens are worried about the consequences of decades of multicultural policies that have encouraged mass immigration from Muslim countries.

Germans are especially concerned about the refusal of millions of Muslim immigrants to integrate into German society, as well as the emergence of a parallel legal system in Germany based on Islamic Sharia law.

In an effort to reverse this tide of public opinion, the guardians of German multiculturalism have been working overtime to regain the initiative by accusing the critics of Islam of engaging in hate speech to try to intimidate the so-called "new right" into silence.

The media campaign has been led by two financially troubled newspapers, the Berliner Zeitung and its sister publication, the Frankfurter Rundschau, as well as Der Spiegel, a leftwing magazine based in Hamburg that has long served as the mouthpiece for German multiculturalism.

In a January 4, 2012 interview with the Berliner Zeitung and Frankfurter Rundschau, Murck said the owners of anti-Islam blogs "have a disturbed relationship to the democratic constitutional state" and often promote "infringements of human rights protected under our constitution."

Murck continued: "I also see evidence of criminal relevance, such as making threats and public invitations to crime." He said criticism of Muslims and Islam constitutes "an attack against the freedom of religion, which is protected by Article 4 of the Basic Law."

PI's motto reads "Against the Mainstream, Pro-American, Pro-Israel, Against the Islamization of Europe" which encapsulates everything the German left abhors. » | Soeren Kern | Thursday, January 12, 2012

HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »
Eurozone in New Crisis as Ratings Agency Downgrades Nine Countries

THE GUARDIAN: Standard & Poor's strips France of its AAA credit rating, rekindling fears in the markets over future of single currency

Europe has been plunged into a fresh crisis after France was stripped of its coveted AAA credit rating in a mass downgrade of nine eurozone countries by the ratings agency Standard & Poor's.

S&P said austerity was driving Europe even deeper into financial crisis as it also cut Austria's triple-A rating, and relegated Portugal and Cyprus to junk status.

The humiliating loss of France's top-rated status leaves Germany as the only other major economy inside the eurozone with a AAA rating, and rekindled financial market anxiety about a possible break-up of the single currency.

S&P brought an abrupt end to the uneasy calm that has existed in the eurozone since the turn of the year by downgrading the ratings of Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Spain by two notches. Austria, France, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia were all cut by one notch.

The agency said that its actions on eurozone ratings were "primarily driven by insufficient policy measures by EU leaders to fully address systemic stresses". It added that fiscal austerity alone "risks becoming self-defeating". » | Larry Elliott and Phillip Inman | Friday, January 13, 2012
US Election 2012: Mitt Romney Attacked by Republican Rival for Speaking French

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Newt Gingrich has launched a new political attack advertisement against his Republican rival Mitt Romney – accusing him of speaking French.

The advertisement by Mr Gingrich tries to draw an unflattering parallel with another Massachusetts politician, John Kerry, the Democrat who lost to George W Bush in 2004.

"The French Connection" paints Mr Romney as another tax-raising, moderate, elitist who will "say anything" to get elected – "anything". Over Parisian accordion music, it continues: "And just like John Kerry he speaks French too."

It then delivers its coup de grace: a clip of a promotional video Mr Romney recorded for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, which he served as chief executive.

"Bonjours, je m'appelle Mitt Romney," he says.

The snippet has already been used several times in a documentary, "When Mitt Romney Came To Town", released by supporters of Mr Gingrich to expose Mr Romney's "predatory" record as head of the corporate buy-out firm Bain Capital.

That attempt to denigrate Mr Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, has apparently backfired, with several prominent party figures deriding Mr Gingrich for attacking capitalism and free enterprise.

But Francophobic attacks on Mr Kerry worked in 2004 when feelings about French opposition to the Iraq war were running high. Republicans even said the senator "looked French" when it was learnt he had relatives in the country. » | Alex Spillius, Greenville, South Carolina | Friday, January 13, 2012


Newt, you're full of sh**! To attack a man for being able to speak French is low down. It shows that you have no style or class. You're a populist; and there should be no room for populists in the White House.

If you can't get to the White House on your own merits, then you don't deserve to be there. So go on home, and wait till the next election. By then you might have grown up.
– © Mark

Friday, January 13, 2012

Koningin Beatrix en Prinses Máxima dragen een hoofddoek in Oman | Königin Beatrix und Prinzessin Máxima tragen Kopftuch in Oman | La reine Beatrix et la princesse Máxima porter un foulard en Oman | Queen Beatrix and Princess Máxima Wear a Headscarf in Oman


Related »
Tunesiens Ex-Diktator: Ben Ali im goldenen Käfig

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali herrschte mit harter Hand über Tunesien, häufte Reichtümer an, dann jagte ihn sein Volk aus dem Amt. Seit einem Jahr versteckt er sich nun im saudi-arabischen Exil. Seine Gastgeber hüten das neue Leben des Ex-Despoten wie ein Staatsgeheimnis.

"Lang lebe Tunesien! Lang lebe das tunesische Volk! Lang lebe die Republik!" Das waren die letzten Worte, die die Tunesier vor genau einem Jahr von ihrem damaligen Präsidenten Zine el-Abidine Ben Alihörten. Die TV-Ansprache am Abend des 13. Januar 2011 war der letzte verzweifelte Versuch des strauchelnden Diktators, das Ruder herumzureißen, das aufgebrachte Volk auf den Straßen zu besänftigen und sich an der Macht zu halten.

Es nutzte nichts: Keine 24 Stunden spatter musste der seit 1987 amtierende Alleinherrscher das Land verlassen.

In einer spektakulären Flucht setzte sich Ben Ali gemeinsam mit seiner Frau Leila per Flugzeug nach Saudi-Arabien ab. Der 75-Jährige war der erste arabische Autokrat, der 2011 nach einem Volksaufstand seinen Hut nehmen musste.

Ein kaum drei Sekunden langer Fernsehausschnitt ist seither das einzige Lebenszeichen Ben Alis. Er zeigt ihn Schulter an Schulter mit dem ehemaligen pakistanischen Präsidenten Pervez Musharraf im Gebet während der Trauerfeier für den verstorbenen saudi-arabischen Kronprinzen Sultan Bin Abd al-Asis Ende Oktober vergangenen Jahres. Der gestürzte Staatschef wirkt auf den kurzen Bildern rüstig, das Haar wie stets schwarz gefärbt. Dieser Eindruck widerspricht Gerüchten über seinen schlechten Gesundheitszustand. Angeblich soll Ben Ali schon im Februar 2011 einen Schlaganfall erlitten und zeitweise im Koma gelegen haben. Offiziell bestätigt wurden diese Meldungen jedoch nie. » | Von Christoph Sydow | Freitag 13. Januar 2012
Advance of the Zealots: The Growing Influence of the Ultra-Orthodox in Israel

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Veiled women, radical rabbis and gender segregation: Israel is facing a rise in the influence of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Their efforts to impose a strictly conservative worldview have led to growing tensions with the country's secular society. A resolution to the conflict is vital for Israel's future.

Outside is the Judean Wilderness, the Dead Sea shimmers in the distance. Naomi Machfud is sitting inside the self-built house, dreaming about making the world disappear. She wants to cover up her face with a veil, she says, her mouth, her nose and her eyes. A black veil, without even a vision slit, one that swallows every glance and submerges the world in darkness. The veil is the pinnacle of zniut, or modesty, the closest a person can get to God. But, she says with a sigh, "unfortunately I'm not that far yet."

But Machfud, a 30-year-old woman with six children, has already created an insulating layer of material between herself and the outside world. She is wearing a wool robe, an apron, a blouse, three floor-length corduroy skirts, a black skirt and trousers. She has a piece of black wool material wrapped loosely around her head. Underneath it is a tight, black veil, and underneath that is a pale pink veil. Not a single hair is visible. She is wearing a pair of earrings, but she takes them off when she leaves the house.

Machfud is a Jewish woman married to a Jewish man. They live in a settlement in the West Bank, but she dresses as if she lived in Afghanistan. In Israel, the veiled women are referred to as the "Taliban," while they refer to themselves as women of the shawl. Machfud claims that there are thousands of women like her, but it is more likely that they number in the hundreds. They are usually seen in Jerusalem's ultra-orthodox Me'ah She'arim neighborhood, black, shapeless figures, holding the hands of their daughters, who look like miniature versions of their mothers.

One could call these women crazy. Or one could see them as the product of a religious community that is becoming more and more extremist. Gender Separation in Public » | Juliane von Mittelstaedt | Friday, January 13, 2012
Punished for Not Crying: Thousands of North Koreans Face Labour Camps for Not Being Upset Enough about Death of Kim Jong-il

MAIL ONLINE: North Korea's hardline regime is punishing those who did not cry at the death of dictator Kim Jong-il, according to reports.

Sentences of at least six months in labour camps are also apparently being given to those who didn't go to the organised mourning events, while anyone who criticised the new leader Kim Jong-un is also being punished.

Those who tried to leave the country, or even made a mobile phone call out, were also being disciplined, it has been claimed.

Daily NK says a source has claimed that 'criticism sessions' - which began after the official period of mourning - have now finished and tough sentences are being given out.

The informant from North Hamkyung Province told the website: 'The authorities are handing down at least six months in a labour-training camp to anybody who didn’t participate in the organised gatherings during the mourning period, or who did participate but didn’t cry and didn't seem genuine.'

The source claimed the criticism sessions created a 'vicious atmosphere of fear', which meant the new leader, Kim Jong-un, was being accused of preying on the people now that he has taken power.

It is unclear how many people face incarceration but the figure could be many thousands. Read on and comment » | Daily Mail Reporter | Friday, January 13, 2012
Teacher Under Investigation for Teaching Children How to Make Pipe Bombs

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A German chemistry teacher is under police investigation for allegedly constructing pipe bombs in class and detonating them in front of pupils by using sparklers.

The 39-year-old teacher, who has not been named, apparently taught the children how to make gunpowder and load it into the metal pipes about the size of a one-litre bottle. The bombs were then set off at a nearby heath by using sparklers for detonators, with the resulting explosion so powerful that the pupils felt the shock wave in their stomachs.

According to a report in the German newspaper Lu[e]becker Nachrichten, the teacher constructed bombs for pupils from 2009 to 2011 at a Waldorf school in Lubeck. Waldorf schools, based on the teachings of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, take an unorthodox approach to education, stressing creativity and giving teachers considerable leeway in what they teach.

"No syllabus in the world contains something like this," the mother of one of the students said. » | Matthew Day | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Dutch Queen Causes Far-right Outcry as She's Pictured in a Headscarf

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dutch Queen Beatrix has sparked a far-right outcry in her country after being pictured wearing a red headscarf on a visit to a mosque in Oman.

"It is really nonsense," the popular 72-year-old monarch said of the furore.

She was quoted by reporters with her on a state visit to Oman, where television pictures showed her at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque sporting a red headscarf draped over her traditional black hat.

She had also worn a headscarf during a visit to Abu Dhabi a few days earlier on the trip accompanied by her son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima, who wore a turquoise headscarf in Oman. » | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Canadian Government Says It Will Not Recognise Foreign Gay Marriages

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands of foreign gay couples who wed in Canada are not legally married, a government lawyer argued in a case involving two lesbians seeking a divorce, according to court documents.

The argument threatens to disrupt the lives of thousands of gay people who moved to Canada because they were unable to get married in their home countries.

The case that prompted the government's position involves two women, one from Florida and the other from Britain, both in their early thirties, who wed in Toronto in 2005 but are now seeking a divorce.

Department of Justice lawyer Sean Gaudet said in a documented response to their application that they cannot be granted a divorce because they were not married in the first place. » | Friday, January 13, 2012

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Obama accuse les républicains de vouloir défendre les riches «jusqu'à leur dernier souffle»

LIBÉRATION: Le président américain a entamé mercredi à Chicago une série de réunions de levée de fonds pour sa campagne présidentielle.

Le président Barack Obama a accusé mercredi ses adversaires républicains de vouloir défendre jusqu'à "leur dernier souffle" les allègements d'impôts hérités de son prédécesseur George W. Bush, face à ses partisans à Chicago (Illinois, Nord).

M. Obama, qui entamait une série de trois réunions de levée de fonds pour sa campagne dans son ancien fief, a affirmé que les républicains du Congrès et les candidats à l'investiture du parti pour la présidentielle du 6 novembre n'avaient pas de stratégie pour créer des emplois ou protéger la classe moyenne. » | AFP | mercredi 11 janvier 2012
Nordkoreas Diktator: Bruder verspottet Kim Jong Un als Marionette des Regimes

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Das nordkoreanische Regime feiert den neuen Diktator Kim Jong Un als "Genie der Genies" - sein Bruder hat einen ganz anderen Begriff parat: Bestenfalls als "Symbol" stünde Un an der Spitze des Landes, ätzt Kim Jong Nam aus dem Exil. Die Macht hätten ganz andere inne.

Seoul - Die Propaganda-Maschine für Kim Jong Un läuft wie geschmiert. Als "Genie der Genies" hatte das Regime in Pjöngjang den neuen Machthaber präsentiert, samt schneidiger Bilder: Kim Jong Un im Panzer, auf dem Pferderücken, am Gewehr. Doch nun kommen Misstöne - ausgerechnet aus der eigenen Familie. Der ältere Bruder des neuen nordkoreanischen Diktators sieht diesen lediglich als "Symbol" an der Spitze des Staates.

Sein Halbbruder werde von der herrschenden Elite zur Machtsicherung benutzt, schriebKim Jong Nam in einer E-Mail an die japanische Zeitung "Tokyo Shimbun". "Ich frage mich, wie ein junger Erbe nach lediglich zwei Jahren Ausbildung in der Lage sein soll, die absolute Macht zu übernehmen", schreibt der im Ausland lebende Kim Jong Nam in der Mail vom 3. Januar, die nach Angaben des Blatts authentisch ist. » | jok/AFP/dpa | Donnerstag 12. Januar 2012
Gesetzentwurf: Israel will Nazi-Vergleich unter Strafe stellen

WELT ONLINE: Jemanden als Nazi zu beschimpfen oder Holocaust-Symbole zu benutzen, soll in Israel bald strafbar sein. Der Gesetzentwurf gilt als Reaktion auf den Protest der Ultraorthodoxen.

Der Vergleich mit Nazis und die Benutzung von Holocaust-Symbolen soll in Israel künftig unter Strafe gestellt werden. Einen entsprechenden Gesetzentwurf wolle die Regierung am Mittwoch im Parlament vorlegen, berichtete die Zeitung “Haaretz".

Die Initiative kam gut eine Woche, nachdem sich in Jerusalem ultraorthodoxe Juden bei einer Demonstration als Insassen von Nazi-Konzentrationslagern verkleidet und einen gelben Judenstern an die Brust geheftet hatten. Polizisten wurden als Nazis beschimpft. Dies war als Missbrauch des Holocausts auf scharfe Kritik gestoßen. » | dpa/dapd/AFP/fas | Mittwoch 11. Januar 2012
Präsident unter Druck: Minuten, in denen Merkel in Bellevue Regie führte

WELT ONLINE: Erstmals haben CDU-Politiker wahlweise den Rücktritt oder Transparenz von Wulff verlangt. Das ist kein Zufall. Das Startsignal dafür gab ein enger Vertrauter Merkels.

Dies war vielleicht der seltsamste Tag in der an seltsamen Tagen so reichen, nicht enden wollenden Affäre des Bundespräsidenten.

Christian Wulff lud Vertreter der gesellschaftlichen Gruppen zum Neujahrsempfang ins Schloss Bellevue, wie es Bundespräsidenten seit Jahrzehnten tun. Erstmals aber hat ein Staatsoberhaupt Absagen bekommen.

Die eingeladene deutsche Vertreterin der Anti-Korruptionsorganisation Transparency International blieb dem Empfang demonstrativ fern, genau wie der Vorsitzende des Deutschen Journalisten-Verbandes.

Im Gegensatz zu Wulff finden sie nicht, er habe sich zu dubiosen Krediten, zu Gratisurlauben bei Industriellen, zur möglichen Irreführung des Parlamentes und zum Versuch, Berichterstattung zu unterdrücken, ausreichend geäußert. » | R. Alexander und M. Bewarder | Donnerstag 12. Januar 2012

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: German President Blasted by Party Allies: German President Christian Wulff promised transparency in a television interview last week regarding questions about his personal finances. But since then, he hasn't delivered. Several members of Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats, the party which propelled Wulff into office, have turned on him. » | cgh -- with wire reports | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Clinton Condemns 'Behavior' in Video


Related »
Bradley Manning Moves Step Closer to Full Court Martial

THE GUARDIAN: Investigating officer in pre-trial hearing recommends that 22 charges against WikiLeaks suspect be referred to military trial

Bradley Manning, the US soldier accused of having been the source of the massive WikiLeaks dump of state secrets, is one step closer towards the possibility of spending the rest of his life in military confinement after the officer who presided over his pre-trial hearing recommended he be sent to a full court martial.

Colonel Paul Almanza, the investigating officer at last month's hearing in Fort Meade, Maryland, has written to his superiors recommending that all 22 charges against Manning be referred to a general court martial – the most serious military trial. An announcement from the military district of Washington said that Almanza had found that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that the accused committed the offenses alleged."

A final decision will be made by colonel Carl Coffman of the special court martial convening authority, though he has the option of passing it further up the chain of command to major general Michael Linnington.

The outcome of the pre-trial hearing means that a full military trial is almost certain to follow, and is likely to be held within the next three to four months. That will set the scene for what promises to be a dramatic clash of wills between the Obama administration and the military high command on the one hand, and Bradley Manning and his forceful defence lawyer David Coombs on the other. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Duchess of York Charged by Turkish Authorities over Orphanage Film

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Duchess of York is facing the possibility of more than 20 years in jail after she was charged for secretly filming children in Turkish orphanages.

Turkish authorities have asked the British government to help obtain evidence to prosecute the Duchess over allegations that she breached the privacy of children living in state-run institutions.

The Turkish government accused the Duchess of trying to smear the country’s image three years ago with an investigative television report about conditions in its orphanages.

On Thursday, the office of Turkey’s chief prosecutor announced that it was pressing charges against the Duchess for “violating the privacy” of five children.

If found guilty, the Duchess, 52, could face between seven and a half years and 22 and a half years in prison.

The charge was issued in the Duchess’s absence and accuses her of prying into the private lives of youngsters at the Saray orphanage near Ankara, where more than 700 disabled children are housed. » | Murray Wardrop | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Islamic Viewpoint: Did Jesus Really Teach the Trinity?

Motherhood vs. Career-building - Rasha al-Disuqi

Capital Punishment: Shari'ah vs. Secular Law

Shariah Finance

Brotherhood Dominates Egypt Polls

Egyptians are contining to vote in multi-stage elections to determine the make-up of the country's new parliament. But, the Muslim Brotherhood, a group banned from politics for decades, already looks like the biggest winner from the process. Its Freedom and Justice party has secured close to 50 per cent of the total vote so far. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo.

Austria Blizzard Causes Travel Chaos

Heavy snowfall has severely disrupted transportation across western Austria. The blizzard, named Storm Andrea by meterologists, has forced the closure of main roads and three railway lines, including a major route connecting the country to Switzerland, in the regions of Tyrol and Foralberg [sic]. The storm is also increasing the chances of avalanches in a region renowned for its ski slopes. Charlie Angela reports.

A Third of Mormons Say Mitt Romney's Religion Will Count Against Him

THE GUARDIAN: Almost half of Mormons believe they are more discriminated against than African Americans, poll reveals

One-third of Mormons in the US believe that American voters are not ready to elect Mitt Romney, or any other member of their church, as president.

A survey of adherents to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) released on Thursday found that almost half of Mormons in the US considered themselves more discriminated against than African Americans.

According to the research by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, suspicion spills over to political life with 32% of Mormons believing that Romney's religion will count against him in a presidential election. A little more than half say US voters will accept a Mormon in the White House.

While 97% of Mormons regard themselves as Christians, large numbers of other Americans do not because of the church's origins and some of its practices, including a belief that its present leader is a prophet from God.

Pew said it undertook the latest research because of heightened awareness of the LDS church in American life even though Mormons only make up 2% of the US population.

"With a Mormon candidate among the frontrunners for the 2012 [Republican] presidential nomination, a musical about Mormons playing on Broadway and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints running television ads about ordinary Mormons, America is in the midst of what some media accounts have dubbed a 'Mormon moment'," the report said.

"Many Mormons feel they are misunderstood, discriminated against and not accepted by other Americans as part of mainstream society. Yet, at the same time, a majority of Mormons think that acceptance of Mormonism is rising." » | Chris McGreal in Washington | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Says Capitalism 'In Decay' as He Meets the Castros in Cuba

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed capitalism as bankrupt and called for a new world order on Wednesday on a visit to Cuba, steering clear of the controversy over his country's nuclear programme.

The Iranian leader arrived in Cuba for talks with his counterpart Raul Castro as the Islamic republic blamed Israel and the United States for the killing of a nuclear scientist in a Tehran car bombing.

The scientist's killing heightened already high tensions with the West over Iran's suspect nuclear programme, but a defiant Ahmadinejad flashed the victory sign several times after landing in Havana.

The Iranian leader was greeted by nine girls in traditional Iranian attire as he stepped off the plane that flew him in from Nicaragua on the third leg of his Latin American tour, aimed at shoring up ties in the region.

Ahmadinejad was taken to the University of Havana where he picked up an honorary doctorate and told students in the Americas' only Communist country that capitalism could soon be on its last legs.

"Our shared task, mission and challenge is to make a great effort for justice to be achieved, (otherwise) millions will suffer injustice," Ahmadinejad said.

"We are watching the capitalist system decay ... it is heading toward a dead end," he said, stressing that what is needed is "a new order, a fresh look, that respects all human beings, a way of thinking that is based on justice." » | Thursday, January 12, 2012
Obama: The US Can No Longer Fight the World's Battles

THE INDEPENDENT: President plans to cut half a million troops and says US can't afford to wage two wars at once

The mighty American military machine that has for so long secured the country's status as the world's only superpower will have to be drastically reduced, Barack Obama warned yesterday as he set out a radical but more modest new set of priorities for the Pentagon over the next decade.

After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that defined the first decade of the 21st century, Mr Obama's blueprint for the military's future acknowledged that America will no longer have the resources to conduct two such major operations simultaneously.

Instead, the US military will lose up to half a million troops and will focus on countering terrorism and meeting the new challenges of an emergent Asia dominated by China. America, the President said, was "turning the page on a decade of war" and now faced "a moment of transition". The country's armed forces would in future be leaner but, Mr Obama pointedly warned both friends and foes, sufficient to preserve US military superiority over any rival – "agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats". » | Rupert Cornwell | Washington | Friday, January 06, 2012
US Marines Accused of War Crimes

THE GUARDIAN: Video posted anonymously on YouTube claims to show American troops in Afghanistan urinating on dead bodies

US forces in Afghanistan are facing fresh accusations of war crimes after film emerged of American marines urinating on dead bodies and laughing.

The US military command in Kabul, which was severely embarrassed last year by revelations that Americans soldiers were running a "kill squad" murdering Afghan civilians, said it will investigate the undated video but that if proves to be authentic then desecration of corpses would be regarded as a serious crime.

In the graphic short video, four soldiers in combat gear and carrying weapons are seen acting in unison as they urinate on three bloodied corpses. One of the soldiers sighs with relief, another says "yeah" and a third laughs. One remarks: "Have a great day, buddy". Another says: "Golden, like a shower".

A fifth soldier films the incident.

The video was posted anonymously on Wednesday along with a caption that said: "scout sniper team 4 with 3rd battalion 2nd marines out of camp lejeune peeing on dead talibans".

Military officials confirmed that the soldiers appear to be carrying rifles of a kind issued to sniper teams in Afghanistan.

A US department of defence spokesman, Captain John Kirby, told CNN: "Regardless of the circumstances or who is in the video, this is egregious, disgusting behaviour. It's hideous. It turned my stomach." » | Chris McGreal in Washington | Washington, January 11, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hamid Karzai condemns US Marines urinating video: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Taliban enemy have denounced a video which appears to show American Marines urinating on the blood-soaked bodies of dead insurgency fighters. » | Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor and Zubair Babakarkhail in Kabul | Thursday, January 12, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Leon Panetta says US Marines urinating video 'utterly deplorable': US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said the behaviour of US Marines in a video which appears to show them urinating on the blood-soaked bodies of dead insurgency fighters is "utterly deplorable". » | Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor, Zubair Babakarkhail in Kabul | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Israel – Knesset: MP Throws Water Over Colleague

Spiegel TV: Die Jahreschronik des Dritten Reichs




















Entschuldigen Sie mich bitte: Einige Videos sind bei YouTube unauffindbar.
Marwan Bishara Speaks on Syria Situation

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, talks about the situation in Syria after one Arab monitor quit the team saying "the mission was a farce". Bishara says: "The sort of individual declarations by [Arab League] team members is not exactly the most professional thing I have seen before." "If the observers' mission fails because the violence continues, then this is another reason why the Arabs and their allies could go to Security Council." "In the worst case scenario, if they fail in the coming weeks or days, it goes to the Security Council in a far stronger way," he said.

Nigerian Christians Told to Defend Themselves

Amid fears that a recent string of attacks targeting Christians could drive the nation towards civil war, Ayo Oritsejafor, the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria, has said Christians must defend themselves against violence. Boko Haram, the radical Islamist group responsible for killing Christians in the mainly Muslim north, has vowed further attacks and bloodshed. Oritsejafor said: "We have the legitimate right to defend ourselves and ... we will do whatever it takes." Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports.

Al Jazeera English News Update – 14:35 GMT

The New Hampshire Speeches in 60 Seconds, From Worst to First

A brief rundown of the night's post-primary speeches.

New York: Mayor’s Plan to Limit Booze Sales

NEW YORK POST: Campaign to limit booze sales

Party pooper!

First, Mayor Bloomberg went after smoking in public places. Then trans-fats, salt and sugary drinks.

Now Bloomberg — known for sipping fine wine and downing a cold beer from time to time — wants to crack down on alcohol sales to curb excessive drinking, according to a provocative planning document obtained by The Post.

The city Health Department’s far-reaching Partnership for a Healthier New York City initiatives proposes to slash the number of establishments in the city that sell booze.

Community “transformation” grants provided under President Obama’s health-care law would help bankroll the effort.

One of the goals listed in the “request for proposal” document to community groups is “reducing alcohol retail outlet (e.g. bar, corner store) density and illegal alcohol,” the document states.

“Talk about a nanny state. Why don’t they just close all the liquor establishments?” quipped Mike Long, a former liquor-store owner in Bay Ridge and head of the state Conservative Party.

“This is absolutely insane. They want to run the retail establishments in New York,” said Long, who likened the effort to the temperance movement of more than a century ago.

Health officials and advocates have also discussed banning liquor advertising seen by millions of straphangers in the transit system. Read on and comment » | Carl Campanile | Wednesday, January 11, 2012


NEW YORK MAGAZINE: Bloomberg’s Health Initiatives Target Alcohol, Too: Booze can now be added to the list of fun things Mayor Bloomberg wants less of in New York City, with public campaigns against smoking, salt, sugar, and trans-fat already underway. The New York Post reports that Bloomberg, although he's "known for sipping fine wine and downing a cold beer from time to time," has plans to limit the sale of alcohol, in addition to advertising and promotion for bars and liquor. Thanks to the Health Department's Healthier New York City initiatives, the so-called nanny state could be drying up some soon. » | Joe Cascarelli | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

MAIL ONLINE: He's outlawed smoking, now Nanny Bloomberg wants to close New York liquor stores to clamp down on drinking » | Hugo Gye | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

My comment:

This little man has a tyrannical nature. Little men often do. He's turning the 'Big Apple' into a city nobody will ever want to go to for a break. – © Mark

This comment also appears here
New Dark Age Alert! Message to All Non-Muslims: Convert to Islam Now!


HT: Robert of Jihad Watch »
US Election 2012: Mitt Romney Aims to Wrap Up Republican Nomination by End of Month

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Mitt Romney is aiming to wrap up the Republican presidential nomination by the end of the month, after clinching an overwhelming and historic victory in the party's New Hampshire primary.

The former Massachusetts governor trained his sights on President Barack Obama, as party strategists said the contest for a candidate to face him in November’s general election was all but over.

Mr Romney arrived in South Carolina, the next state to vote, 10 points ahead in opinion polls. At the same time he unleashed a barrage of advertising in Florida, site of the fourth contest on Jan 31.

The show of strength came after he became the first Republican presidential challenger since the modern primary system began 35 years ago to win both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire poll.

“Tonight, we made history,” he told supporters at a rally in Manchester. He promised to oust Mr Obama from the White House and “restore America to the founding principles that made this country great”.

Denouncing Mr Obama as a “failed president”, he added: “Tonight we are asking the good people of South Carolina to join the citizens of New Hampshire and make 2012 the year he runs out of time”. » | Jon Swaine, Manchester | Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Braveheart Speech (HD)


Scottish independence: a history of Anglo-Scottish rivalry: The stand-off between David Cameron and Alex Salmond over the future of the Union is the latest confrontation in a 2000-year history of rivalry between Scotland and England. » | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Related »
Scotland Warned It Could Lose the Pound and Be Forced to Join Euro as Price of Independence

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Scotland may be forced to join the Euro as the price of independence from the United Kingdom, Downing Street warned today.


A spokesman for David Cameron said there were no guarantees that the Scots could keep sterling if they voted against remaining affiliated with the rest of the union.

Mr Cameron’s spokesman said: “Once you start asking the question about independence, one part of that is what currency to have. Would Scotland retain the pound, and if so, how does that work? Or does it join the euro? That’s one part of the independence question.”

Other issues which Downing Street said would need ironing out are shared defence capabilities, the national debt and border security.

A carve up of assets between England and Scotland could leave both countries facing years of legal wrangling. » | James Kirkup, and Simon Johnson | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Related audio »
Salmond: Cameron Should ‘Butt Out’ of the Independence Referendum

BBC: The Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has said he hopes the row over the independence referendum can be worked out amicably and would not end up in the courts.

The Scottish government has said it has a mandate to hold the vote in the autumn of 2014 but ministers at Westminster say that would be unlawful under current devolved powers.

They are prepared to give Holyrood the authority to hold a binding vote provided its a single question, is overseen by the Electoral Commission and the minimum voting age is 18.

First Minister Alex Salmond told BBC Good Morning Scotland he thinks Mr Moore is wrong about the voting age. Listen to the audio » | Tuesday, January 11, 2012
Michelle Obama: No Tension with Husband's Aides


Read the article here | Wednesday, January 11, 2012
US Appeals Court Blocks Oklahoma Sharia Law Ban

THE GUARDIAN: Denver court upholds judge's order that claimed Oklahoma's attempt to ban sharia law was unconstitutional

A proposed constitutional amendment that would ban Oklahoma courts from considering international or Islamic law discriminates against religions, a federal appeals court said on Tuesday, as it gave the right to a Muslim community leader to challenge its constitutionality.

The court in Denver upheld US district judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange's order blocking implementation of the amendment shortly after it was approved by 70% of Oklahoma voters in November 2010.

Muneer Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oklahoma, sued to block the law from taking effect, arguing that the Save Our State Amendment violated his First Amendment rights.

"This is an important reminder that the constitution is the last line of defense against a rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry in our society, and we are pleased that the appeals court recognised that fact," Awad said. "We are also hopeful that this decision serves as a reminder to politicians wishing to score political points through fear-mongering and bigotry." » | Associated Press | Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Boko Haram Kill Eight as Nigerian Beer Parlour Is Targeted

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Gunmen from the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram killed eight people, including four police officers, after opening fire at a beer parlour in northeast Nigeria.

The shootings come as the sect has promised to target Christians in Nigeria's Muslim north, expanding its campaign of assassinations and bombings.

Tuesday night's attack occurred in the town of Potiskum in Yobe state. Local police commissioner Tanko Lawan said the six gunmen began shooting as patrons drank beer, which the local Shariah law technically opposes, though bars remain open for those living there. » | Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire GOP Primary


THE BALTIMORE SUN: Mitt Romney rolled to an easy victory Tuesday in the New Hampshire primary, taking a broad stride toward capturing the GOP presidential nomination as the contest heads south for a pair of potentially make-or-break contests.

The win, forecast by the television networks from exit polls almost immediately after voting ended, would give Romney a one-two sweep in the early balloting of the 2012 campaign, a first for any Republican apart from a sitting president.

The conservative candidates who stand the best chance to stop him as the race heads to South Carolina – former Pennsylvania Sen.Rick Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry -- were trailing far back and appeared unlikely to get a significant lift from their performance here.

In polling before Tuesday’s election, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. were vying for second place. Santorum, the Iowa runner-up by a handful of votes, and Gingrich were scrambling to create some sense of momentum for their campaigns. Perry abandoned New Hampshire, staking his future on South Carolina.

Romney starts out leading there, too, but that challenge promises to be much more formidable than New Hampshire which, from the start, was a fight to finish second behind the former Massachusetts governor. Unlike Iowa, where leaders came and went atop the polls, no survey ever showed Romney with less than a sizable, double-digit New Hampshire lead.

In South Carolina, however, Romney won't have what amounted to a home-field advantage -- five Massachusetts presidential hopefuls have won the neighboring Granite State in past elections -- and he will face a much different electorate in the first Southern primary next week.

South Carolina has a large and politically important bloc of evangelical voters. Romney will face resistance among some of those Christian conservatives who are suspicious if not downright hostile toward his Mormon faith. In New Hampshire, just 14% of those who voted Tuesday said being a “true conservative” was the most important thing to them, trailing far behind the economic concerns cited by 6 in 10 voters, according to election day interviews by the TV networks.

Romney is also facing a more assertive pack of runners-up. » | Los Angeles Times Staff Writer | Tuesday, January 10, 2012

THE GUARDIAN: Romney raises $24 million » | AP foreign | Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wales Pays to Replace French-made Breast Implants – But England Won't

THE GUARDIAN: Welsh health minister says not removing defective implants could endanger women's health

The Welsh government says it will pay to replace French-made PIP breast implants for women who were treated privately.

Welsh health minister Lesley Griffiths said not replacing the implants could endanger women's health, given some have already ruptured.

The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, will rule out following suit in England when he updates MPs on the scandal today. » | Denis Campbell | Tuesday, January 10, 2012