EU Tells Alex Salmond to Think Again in Scottish Independence Row
THE OBSERVER: President of European council pours scorn on Scottish vote and calls separatism a thing of the past

The president of the European council has intervened in the Scottish independence debate, claiming that nothing will be gained from breaking up the UK. Herman Van Rompuy, who would chair meetings to discuss if an independent Scotland could join the EU, said the move for separatism was a thing of the past.

Van Rompuy, who will still be president of the council in 2014, when the independence referendum is due to take place, was asked his views on Scottish independence during a recent Q&A session broadcast on YouTube. "Nobody has anything to gain from separatism in the world of today which, whether one likes it or not, is globalised," he said. "We have so many important challenges to take and we will only succeed if we can pool forces, join action, take common directions. The global financial crisis is hitting us hard. Climate change is threatening the planet. How can separatism help? The word of the future is union." » | Daniel Boffey, policy editor | Saturday, November 03, 2012

Cuba Accuses US of Helping Dissidents Access Internet

BBC: Cuba has accused the United States of helping Cuban dissidents access the internet as part of a campaign to undermine the communist government.

In a foreign ministry statement, Cuba said the US was "promoting... financing and supplying" opponents of the government using "diverse media".

It blamed staff at the US Interests Section at the Swiss embassy in Havana.

The US has said it simply allows Cubans access to computers and free courses on how to use the internet.

Access to the internet in Cuba is severely restricted, but some activists have used it to challenge the government.

Havana said that diplomats from the US Interests Section were "permanently inciting these people... to undertake provocative actions... and act against the Cuban constitutional order".

The statement was published in the official newspaper, Granma. » | Saturday, November 03, 2012

Three US States Poised to Legalise Cannabis and Defy 'War on Drugs'

THE OBSERVER: Washington, Oregon and Colorado set to allow recreational use

Three US states are set to legalise recreational cannabis use this week in votes that could have major implications for the country's war on drugs.

Alongside their choice for president, residents of Washington, Oregon and Colorado – a swing state – will be asked on Tuesday whether they want to decriminalise cannabis.

If the measures are passed, adults over 21 would be able to possess, distribute and use small amounts. Cannabis for authorised medical use is already permitted and regulated by each state, even though it is against federal law.

Support is particularly strong in Washington and Colorado, but a "yes" vote in any of the states would be interpreted by the Department of Justice as an act of defiance against the federal government's war on drugs – the national law enforcement programme that spends $44bn a year struggling to stem the tide of illegal drugs in the US.

In June 2011, however, the Global Commission on Drug Policy declared that the war on drugs had failed.

In a swing state such as Colorado, putting the liberal measure on the ballot could even help to keep the battleground state – narrowly won for Barack Obama in 2008 – on the president's side. Obama has taken a soft line on medical cannabis use. » | Joanna Walters | Saturday, November 03, 2012

My comment:

Absurd! For a country such as the USA which takes such a harsh line on smoking cigarettes, this is a ridiculous move. Cigarettes, whilst they may not be harmless, are certainly not in the same health-risk league as drugs, soft or hard. This is a retrograde step too far. The US will yet come to rue the day they legalised drugs. The Americans are going bonkers! – © Mark

The Paradox of Rebranding Islam in Europe

HAARETZ: A kinder, gentler Mohammed was created in Austria by the provocative Israeli Public Movement.

The documentary series “Allah Islam,” which was broadcast on Israel’s Channel 10 last month, drew high viewer ratings. Furthermore, the public discourse that followed in its wake was far more intense than is usually the case with TV series of this genre.

Still, this is no surprise, given the central theme of the series: that Islam is taking over Europe. For certain sectors of the Israeli public, there is no greater fear.

In four episodes, the series presented the emerging failure of the multicultural idea in Western Europe, as well as the phenomenon of Muslim isolationism and the motivation of some adherents of Islam to conquer the Continent and impose sharia law. Zvi Yehezkeli, one of the creators and the narrator of the series, is worried that by 2050 most countries of Europe will have a Muslim majority. He noted that there are 200,000 Iraqi migrants currently living in Sweden and that in the city of Malmo alone they constitute 20 percent of the population. In an interview he gave about the series, Yehezkeli added that already now the most common name for newborn boys in England is Mohammed. SOS! » | Shay Fogelman | Thursday, November 01, 2012

German Dentist Fined for Anti-Hijab Bias
RADIANCE VIEWSWEEKLY: A German court has ruled against a dentist who refused to employ a veiled Muslim woman because she had declined to remove her headscarf, blaming him for breaching the Equal Treatment Act. “The dentist broke the law because he refused the plaintiff the position only because she didn’t want to take off her headscarf,” the spokesman for the Berlin Industrial Tribunal said, reports said on October 20. Applying for an assistant job in his dental practices, the woman was asked by the dentist to remove the veil to get the job. Condemning the move as against non-discrimination laws, the woman took the issue to the court.

At the hearing, the dentist acknowledged the woman was qualified for the position but argued his refusal to employ her stemmed from the right to religious neutrality. The court ordered the dentist to pay 1,500 euros ($1,966) in damages to the young Muslim woman.

The Tagesspiegel newspaper said the decision was the first, and that the court insisted the headscarf was not optional but an expression of religious belief, which was unaffected by the fact some Muslims chose not to wear it. » | Saturday, November 03, 2012

US Election: Obama and Romney in Frantic Dash for Final Votes

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The two men who would be president presented their closing arguments to the American people on Saturday, as they embarked on a frantic three-day dash for the finishing line in what is poised to be one of the closest contests ever seen in the United States.

After months of speeches, dozens of diner visits, hundreds of thousands of commercials and, by one estimate, $6 billion spent by the campaigns and outside groups, the race is still too close to call.

Mitt Romney promised Americans that under his leadership the country would rediscover its greatness, after languishing under Barack Obama for four years.

Under a slogan of “Real Change from Day One” – a deliberate dig at the president’s winning mantra from 2008 - the Republican contender said that his rival’s “big government” policies had failed.

“If there is anybody who fears the American dream is fading away, I have a message for you: America is about to come roaring back,” he said at his first rally of the day in New Hampshire, one of the closest swing states.

“President Obama is offering excuses, I am offering a plan. He is asking Americans to settle [for what they have got]. But Americans don’t settle, we dream, we aspire and we achieve great things.”

Mr Romney is now the candidate offering a sense of hope, prosperity and unity, while the president is visibly on the defensive.

“I will not just represent one party, I will represent one nation,” Mr Romney said. » | Alex Spillius, Portsmouth, New Hampshire | Saturday, November 03, 2012

Israel alarmiert: Syrische Panzer auf den Golanhöhen
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Drei syrische Panzer sind nach israelischen Angaben in die demilitarisierte Zone auf den Golanhöhen eingedrungen. Israel hat daraufhin bei der UNO-Friedenstruppe in der Pufferzone Beschwerde eingelegt.

Die Panzer sowie zwei gepanzerte Transportfahrzeuge seien wenige Kilometer von israelischen Stützpunkten entfernt vorbeigefahren, berichtete die Nachrichtenwebsite Ynet. Eine Armee-Sprecherin bestätigte das Eindringen der syrischen Panzer. » | agenturen/fasc/schubeca | Samstag, 03. November 2012

Ecopop: Weniger Zuwanderung – für die Natur!
Die Gruppierung Ecopop hat die Unterschriften für ihre Initiative zur ökologischen Zuwanderungsbegrenzung heute eingereicht. «10vor10» hat den Initianten, die sich keinem politischen Lager eindeutig zuordnen lassen, auf den Zahn gefühlt.

Zum großen Teil in Schweizerdeutsch.

Besuch in Abuja: Westerwelle fordert Schutz für Christen in Nigeria

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Außenminister Westerwelle hat in einem Gespräch mit Nigerias Präsidenten Jonathan in Abuja seine Sorge über die Sekte Boko Haram geäußert. Nigerias Regierung zeigte sich offen für Verhandlungen mit den Islamisten.

Der deutsche Außenminister Guido Westerwelle hat die nigerianische Regierung aufgefordert, alles zu tun, um die eigene Bevölkerung, insbesondere die christlichen Gemeinden, vor terroristischer Gewalt zu schützen. „Der Terror der islamistischen Sekte Boko Haram erfüllt mich mit großer Sorge“, sagte er vor einem Gespräch mit dem nigerianischen Präsidenten Goodluck Jonathan am Freitag in der Hauptstadt Abuja. Die Menschenrechtsorganisation Amnesty International hatte am Donnerstag kritisiert, dass es beim Einsatz der nigerianischen Sicherheitskräfte gegen die islamistischen Terroristen zu Menschenrechtsverletzungen komme. Es wurde erwartet, dass Westerwelle, der während seines Besuchs auch mit muslimischen und christlichen Vertretern über Glaubensfreiheit und Toleranz diskutieren wird, das Thema in seinen nicht-öffentlichen Gesprächen mit dem Staatsoberhaupt und Außenminister Olugbenga Ayodeji Ashiru anspricht. » | Von Majid Sattar, Abuja | Freitag, 02. November 2012

WARNING! – GRAPHIC IMAGES! Barbarians Doing What They Do Best – Killing: Syria – Saraqeb: Bodies of Dead Soldiers after Being Executed

Präsident Obama an seinen Grenzen: Heilsame Ernüchterung nach der grossen Euphorie

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die Euphorie über den ersten schwarzen Präsidenten ist in den vergangenen vier Jahren vielerorts in Enttäuschung umgeschlagen. Heilsamer wäre eine Ernüchterung. Ob Obama eine zweite Amtszeit anders gestalten könnte, ist ungewiss.

Alles, was Präsident Obama in den fast vier Jahren seit seiner Amtseinsetzung tat oder unterliess, muss sich an der Euphorie messen lassen, die der Senator aus Illinois 2008 in Amerika und auf der ganzen Welt entfachte. Es war diese Euphorie, die ihn als ersten schwarzen Präsidenten ins Weisse Haus schwemmte, die ihn zum Superstar der Politik machte – und zum Empfänger des Friedensnobelpreises ohne wirklichen Leistungsausweis. Der Enthusiasmus ist vielerorts in Enttäuschung umgeschlagen. » | Peter Winkler, Washington | Samstag, 03. November 2012

UNO kritisiert: «Für Nordkorea haben die Streitkräfte oberste Priorität»
TAGES ANZEIGER: Die UNO wirft Pyongyang schwere Verstösse gegen die Menschenrechte vor. Zudem haben 60 Prozent der Bevölkerung des asiatischen Landes nicht genug zu essen. Die Regierung um Kim Jong-un weist die Vorwürfe zurück.

Nordkorea verwahrt sich gegen massive Kritik der Vereinten Nationen (UNO) an der Lage der Menschenrechte auf seinem Gebiet. Die UNOhatte der Regierung in Pyongyang in einem Bericht schwere Verstösse gegen die Menschenrechte vorgeworfen.

«Wir sind stolz auf unser ausgezeichnetes System zur Förderung und zum Schutz der Menschenrechte in unserem Land», erklärte Nordkoreas UNO-Botschafter, Kim Song, gestern in New York. Dies schliesse kostenlose Gesundheitsversorgung und Bildung ein, betonte Kim vor dem Menschenrechtsausschuss der UNO-Vollversammlung. » | chk/sda | Samstag, 03. November 2012

Turquie : Erdogan fête ses dix ans de pouvoir

LE POINT: Le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a célébré la "révolution" turque et vanté son bilan démocratique, samedi.

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a célébré samedi les dix ans de règne de son parti d'inspiration islamiste à la tête de la Turquie, en vantant son bilan démocratique et la "révolution des mentalités" qui a permis d'écarter l'armée de la scène politique. Lors d'un discours prononcé devant les cadres du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP) réunis à Kizilcahamam, dans la banlieue d'Ankara, M. Erdogan a exalté l'importance à ses yeux historique de sa victoire électorale aux élections législatives du 3 novembre 2002, qualifiée de "nouveau départ". » | Source AFP | samedi 03 novembre 2012

Le mariage gay, une "supercherie" pour Mgr Vingt-Trois

LE POINT: Samedi à Lourdes, le cardinal André Vingt-Trois a appelé les croyants à "saisir les élus" devant la "gravité de l'enjeu" du mariage homosexuel.

Le cardinal-archevêque de Paris André Vingt-Trois a appelé samedi les chrétiens à saisir leurs élus de "la gravité de l'enjeu" que représente le mariage homosexuel, "puisque le large débat national qui s'imposait n'a pas encore été organisé". Dans son discours d'ouverture devant l'assemblée plénière de 120 évêques réunis à Lourdes, Mgr Vingt-Trois a consacré de longs passages aux questions éthiques, comme la fin de vie, le respect de l'embryon, les droits de l'enfant. Le mariage homosexuel y a tenu une large place, intervenant, selon le cardinal, alors que "la crise économique atteint de plus en plus l'ensemble de notre société, que des entreprises ferment et que la précarité s'étend". "C'est dans ce contexte préoccupant que le gouvernement fait passer en urgence des mutations profondes de notre législation qui pourraient transformer radicalement les modalités des relations fondatrices de notre société". » | Source AFP | samedi 03 novembre 2012

Hundreds of Libyans Call for Autonomous East

Brésil: Des milliers de fidèles inaugurent la plus grande église

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Des milliers de fidèles ont assisté vendredi à Sao Paulo à l'inauguration de la plus grande église du Brésil, d'une capacité de 100'000 personnes, lors d'une messe géante.

Le père Marcelo Rossi, véritable pop star dans le pays le plus catholique du monde, a célébré une messe géante pour inaugurer la plus grande église du pays.

«Vive Jésus Christ! Vive notre dame, mère de Dieu!», s'est exclamé le père Rossi au début de cette messe dans ce qui est aujourd'hui l'un des plus grands lieux de culte catholiques du monde, toujours en construction après huit ans de travaux et appelé «Sanctuaire de la mère de Dieu (Theotokos)».

La foule fervente a chanté, agité des mouchoirs blancs et acclamé le prêtre, véritable star qui a vendu des millions de disques, DVD et livres au Brésil, où il anime également des programmes de radio et de télévision. (+ vidéo) » | afp/Newsnet | vendredi 02 novembre 2012

German Quits 'Unhygienic, Drug-using' Taliban
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A German who volunteered to fight for the Taliban quit after becoming disheartened by the violence and annoyed with the group's macho and drug-taking world.

The former fighter also complained of the unhygienic conditions in the war-torn lands of Pakistan's Waziristan province and Afghanistan that left him infected with hepatitis, and which were, in his opinion, "incompatible with the teachings of the Koran".

The unflattering portrayal of life in the Taliban came in a statement made by Thomas U. during his trial in Berlin for involvement in a foreign terrorist group.

The 27-year-old had travelled to Waziristan with his wife in the autumn of 2009 with the intention of freeing the area from the "infidel occupiers" after the couple had converted to Islam. » | Matthew Day | Friday, November 02, 2012

'Walk With Me,' Romney Tells America
The Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney promises to bring America "roaring back" as he fights for the White House in West Chester, Ohio.

Canton de Vaud: L'Eglise protestante prête à bénir les couples gays

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L'Eglise protestante vaudoise pourrait devenir la première église romande à proposer une bénédiction pour les couples en partenariat enregistré. Réunis vendredi à St-Sulpice, les délégués au Synode ont accepté d'entrer en matière.

La décision d'entrée en matière a été prise par 55 oui, 31 non et une abstention, au terme de près de trois heures de discussion. Le Conseil synodal, l'exécutif de l'Eglise évangélique réformée vaudoise (EERV), propose au Synode, le législatif, de créer un acte liturgique pour les couples de même sexe liés par un partenariat enregistré.

Cet acte prendrait la forme d'une bénédiction, a précisé le Conseil synodal (CS), qui préconise de l'ajouter dans le règlement. Une liturgie est également proposée, proche de celle de la bénédiction du mariage. » | ats/Newsnet | vendredi 02 novembre 2012

Catholic Leaders Furious at Stonewall's 'Bigot' Award for Cardinal Keith O'Brien

THE GUARDIAN: Gay rights group names Scottish cardinal bigot of the year after he called gay marriage a 'grotesque subversion'

Catholic leaders have reacted furiously after members of the gay rights group Stonewall named Cardinal Keith O'Brien "bigot of the year" for his vigorous attacks on gay marriage.

Stonewall said its 10,000 members had voted "decisively" to give the title to O'Brien, head of the Scottish Catholic church, after he described gay marriage as a "grotesque subversion" of the universal human right which defines marriage as solely heterosexual.

The church, which also alleges that people in gay marriages suffer greater risks of mental illness and premature death, demanded that the Scottish government and two sponsors – the banks Barclays and Coutts – withdraw their sponsorship of the group.

Barclays and Coutts have already warned they will stop financing Stonewall, the UK's largest gay rights group, if the bigot award is proposed again next year. The Scottish parliament is expected to vote to legalise gay marriages next year, despite intense opposition from religious groups. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent | Friday, November 02, 2012

Golden Dawn Takes Advantage of Recession Ravaged Greece
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fascist gangs are turning Athens into a city of shifting front lines, seizing on crimes and local protests to promote their own movement, by claiming to be the defenders of recession ravaged Greece.

Thugs wearing the black T-shirts of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party are carrying out attacks on immigrant markets and in public squares, according to the United Nations, with victims speaking of areas in the capital which are now strictly off limits.

Malik Abdulbasset, an Egyptian-born shopkeeper, found himself the target of one of the mobs on Wednesday night after the barber across the road was stabbed during a robbery.

Golden Dawn members led a crowd of enraged locals in a protest on Mikhail Voda St that turned violent despite the presence of riot police.

While no one witnessed the attack on the barber, residents were adamant the assailant was black.

After battering his Egyptian assistant, the mob turned on Mr Abdulbasset, who had defied police to keep his shop open.

"I had to turn and point to my Greek children and my Greek wife and say, look I am Greek, we are Greek, if you want to kill us we cannot stop you but you are killing your own."

The riot police watched on but did not intervene and threats of more protests were pasted on nearby doors. » | Damien McElroy, Athens | Friday, November 02, 2012

Kashmir Parents Accused of Killing Daughter in Acid Attack

THE GUARDIAN: Couple arrested over 'honour killing' after 15-year-old is reportedly doused with acid for talking to boy outside family home

Pakistani officials have arrested the parents of a 15-year-old girl who died after being doused with acid at her home.

The couple, from Kashmir, reportedly confessed to the killing earlier this week because they believed she had sullied the family's honour.

Such so-called honour killings are common in much of Pakistan, with thousands of women burned, disfigured or maimed in similar attacks every year, according to human rights groups. Such attacks are relatively rare in Kashmir, however.

Zohra Yusuf, chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), said the case was a "classic" example of a family dispute turned horribly violent. "What is really striking is that there really is no regret among members of the family. Justice for the women is very, very rare," she told the Guardian. » | Jason Burke, south Asia correspondent | Friday, November 02, 2012

Michelle Obama, esclave... de son image
Un magazine espagnol crée la polémique

GALA.fr: Message politique ou simple provocation? Un magazine espagnol met à la une un portrait "photoshoppé" de la première dame américaine: Michelle Obama y est figurée sous les traits de la "négresse" de la peintre française Marie-Guillemine Benoist. Une "oeuvre" pour le moins polémique qui illustre un sujet sur le rôle-clé de la First Lady dans la campagne de son époux.

Que Michelle Obama soit dévouée corps et âme à ses devoirs de First Lady ne fait aucun doute. Mais de là à l’imaginer en esclave… Le Magazine de Fuera de Serie – supplément de l'hebdomadaire espagnol L'Expansión - créé pourtant la controverse en publiant sur sa couverture un photomontage de la première dame, représentée dans la posture d’une esclave africaine, seins dénudés, enroulée dans le drapeau américain. » | mercredi 29 août 2012

Salafisten starten neue Gratiskoran-Offensive

WELT ONLINE: Einige Monate war es ruhig geblieben um den Kölner Geschäftsmann Abou Nagie. Doch nun lässt der frühere Hartz-IV-Empfänger wieder Gratiskorane verteilen. Finanziert mit Geld aus einem Golfstaat.

Auf den ersten Blick war es ein erfolgreiches Jahr für Ibrahim Abou Nagie. Der Kölner Geschäftsmann mit palästinensischen Wurzeln sieht sich auf einer Mission. Er will die deutschen Ungläubigen vor dem Höllenfeuer retten.

Sein Heilmittel: der Islam. Im Oktober 2011 startete Abou Nagie deshalb das bislang beispiellose Projekt "Lies!". Ziel der Kampagne: die Verteilung von 25 Millionen Koranen – ein Koran für jeden deutschen Haushalt.

Bundesweit zogen Abou Nagies Anhänger in Fußgängerzonen, auf Marktplätzen, an Schulen, in Moscheen und in Krankenhäusern und verteilten kostenlose deutsche Koranübersetzungen. » | Von Florian Flade | Dienstag, 16. Oktober 2012

Neues Gesetz: Russland startet Totalüberwachung im Internet

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Russland startet umfassende Kontrollen im Internet: Ein neues Gesetz führt eine schwarze Liste für Internetseiten ein. Der gesamte Datenverkehr soll dafür überwacht werden. Kritiker fürchten um Meinungsfreiheit und Datenschutz.

Seit dem 1. November 2012 hat der Kreml ein Werkzeug, mit dem er das gesamte russische Internet kontrollieren kann. Denn jetzt ist ein Gesetz in Kraft getreten, das dafür sorgt, dass nun eine Liste von Websites und Inhalten existiert, die Internetprovider künftig blockieren sollen. Begründet wurde das von Putin verabschiedete Gesetz mit dem Kinderschutz: Die Liste sollte eigentlich Seiten enthalten, auf denen etwa Kindesmissbrauch dargestellt wird, oder solche, die Suizid-Anleitungen enthalten. Doch derzeit betreffen die Sperr-Entscheidungen vor allem Oppositions-Websites und solche, die als extremistisch eingestuft werden. Im Vorfeld hatte es viel Kritik gegeben, die russische Wikipedia hatte schon vor Verabschiedung des Gesetzes mit einem 24-stündigen Streik protestiert - ohne Erfolg.

Doch das Gesetz bringt eine weitere, viel tiefgreifendere Veränderung mit sich: Umgesetzt wird es offenbar mit Hilfe einer Technologie, die es erlaubt, den gesamten Internettraffic aller in Russland ansässigen Nutzer zu überwachen, permanent und automatisiert. E-Mails, Website-Aufrufe, Chats - alles können die Behörden künftig mit geringem Aufwand mitschneiden oder gar manipulieren. » | Von Andrej Soldatow und Irina Borogan, Moskau | Freitag, 02. November 2012

Islam Overtaking Catholicism as Dominant Religion in France
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Meanwhile, the Socialist government in France recently inaugurated a new mega-mosque in Paris as a first step toward "progressively building a French Islam."

A majority of people in France, according to a new poll, believe that Islam is too influential in French society, and almost half view Muslims as a threat to their national identity.

The survey reveals a significant degradation of the image of Islam in France. The findings also show that French voters are growing increasingly uneasy about mass immigration from Muslim countries, which has been encouraged by a generation of political and cultural elites in France dedicated to creating a multicultural society.

The survey conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (or Ifop, as it is usually called) and published by the center-right Le Figaro newspaper on October 24, shows that 60% of French people believe that Islam has become "too visible and influential" in France -- up from 55% in an earlier survey two years ago.

The poll also reveals that 43% of French people consider the presence of Muslim immigrants to be a threat to French national identity, compared to just 17% who say it enriches society.

In addition, 68% of people in France blame the problems associated with Muslim integration on immigrants who refuse to integrate (up from 61% two years ago), and 52% blame it on cultural differences (up from 40% two years ago).

The poll also shows a growing resistance to the symbols of Islam. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of French people say they are opposed to Muslim women wearing the veil or Islamic headscarves in public, compared to 59% two years ago.

Furthermore, the survey shows that only 18% of French people say they support the building of new mosques in France (compared to 33% in 1989, and 20% in 2010).

"Our poll shows a further hardening in French people's opinions," Jerome Fourquet, head of Ifop's opinion department, told Le Figaro. "In recent years, there has not been a week when Islam has not been in the heart of the news for social reasons: the veil, halal food, dramatic news like terrorist attacks or geopolitical reasons," he said.

France, which is home to an estimated six million Muslims, has the largest Muslim population in the European Union. There are now, in fact, more practicing Muslims in France than there are practicing Roman Catholics. » | Soeren Kern | Friday, November 02, 2012

British Families Want Out as More Seek Relaxed Life Abroad
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A majority of middle-class families want to leave Britain because it no longer offers them an adequate quality of life, a new survey has concluded.

Researchers found almost two in three families wanted to emigrate overseas because of the poor weather, rude locals and a celebrity-obsessed culture.

Families say they also want to escape the economic downturn, expensive housing and the “loss of community spirit and neighbourliness” in British society.

The survey, conducted by the University of Huddersfield, also found most wanted a new, more relaxed life in a community with a more optimistic “can do” attitude.

Despite celebrating a year when British national pride is arguably at its highest, families admitted they wanted their “children to grow up in a country with a stronger sense of community than they believe exists in the UK”.

Australia was the first country of choice, with almost one in three wanting to move Down Under, followed by the United States, New Zealand, Canada and a host of European countries such as Spain, France and Italy. » | Andrew Hough | Thursday, November 01, 2012

The Global War On Free Speech

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: It’s not just China and Russia: editors in Greece and Hungary are being harassed, while Britain’s straitened press is in danger of being cowed by powerful interests and excessive regulation

Look back at the big events of the past decade and ask yourself: did we find out too much or too little of what the powerful did in our name? Did we know too much or too little about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Did we enquire too much or too little about the cheating of the bankers?

When I posed this question during my testimony to the Leveson Inquiry back in January, I swear I saw the judge’s eyes roll. I fear Lord Justice Leveson had been persuaded long before that journalism was a problem for society, not part of the solution to its ills. He could have been forgiven for coming to this instant conclusion, having listened to the heart-rending testimony of Milly Dowler’s parents, or Kate and Gerry McCann, or of other victims of hounding and despicable behaviour.

Even though I have worked in the profession, or trade, for more than two decades, I hold no candle for the press as an institution. My concern is broader. Freedom of expression – the bedrock of democracy – is under threat in Britain, as it is around the globe.

Wherever you look, someone with power, somewhere in the world, is trying to prevent the truth from getting out. In dictatorships they often resort to violence. But usually those with power hide behind laws that, while technically legitimate, are designed to chill free speech.

We think such measures are the preserve of places like China and Russia. And they are. In China the media are severely censored. Dissidents are routinely jailed. Western media are blocked online when they become inconvenient, as the New York Times was recently after revealing details of premier Wen Jiabao’s family wealth. » | John Kampfner | Thursday, November 01, 2012

Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid: Hurricane Sandy Is Allah's Punishment for Afghanistan and Iraq Al-Nas TV (Egypt) - November 1, 2012

Egypt Salafists Punish Man for 'Cursing' Islam

ARUTZ SHEVA: Salafist group in Egypt attacks a man for not allowing its member to use his toilet, orders to cut his brother's tongue for “cursing” Islam.

The “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Authority”, a Salafist group in Egypt, has attacked a man for not allowing its member to use his private toilet and ordered to cut his brother's tongue for “cursing” Islam, Al Arabiya reported on Thursday.

The report quoted Ahmed Gharib, a resident of Egypt’s eastern city of Suez, as having told the online newspaper al-Mowjaz that the problem started as he was in his shop when a “bearded man” rushed inside to use the bathroom.

“I told him that he needs to ask for permission to use the toilet,” said Gharib, “but he just responded with ‘we do not ask for permission.’”

A few minutes later, Gharib recalled, a group of 30 “bearded” men came to his shop and said they wanted to “discipline him for insulting a religious figure.”

“They tied me down and assaulted me,” he said. “They tried to cut off my hand for reaching for one of them,” he added.

They were unable to cut off his hand as [a] passersby intervened to stop the fight. Gharib sustained deep cuts.

It did not end there, however. Gharib’s brother, who had reached the shop later, angered with what had happened to his brother, insulted the men. In response, Gharib said, the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” group ordered the cutting of his brother’s tongue, claiming he cursed Islam.

“They tried to catch him to carry out the order but he managed to escape with the help of neighbors,” said Gharib. » | Elad Benari | Friday, November 02, 2012

Virginia: Romney Heckled at Campaign Rally
As Mitt Romney addressed a campaign rally in Virginia, a man pulled out a banner urging an end to 'climate silence', triggering jeers from the audience and chants of 'USA, USA'.

Une école gay en projet à Toronto
LE FIGARO: Le rectorat de la ville canadienne étudie l'ouverture d'un lycée pour les élèves gays. Une première consultation s'est tenue dans une ville où les écoles alternatives sont de plus nombreuses, avec des résultats mitigés.

«Une école pour les gays à Toronto?», s'interrogent ces jours-ci les médias de la Ville Reine. Des étudiants et des professeurs de la communauté homosexuelle de Toronto ont mené une première consultation pour étudier l'ouverture d'une école gay.

Ce lycée accueillerait des lycéens homosexuels âgés de 14 ans à 17 ans. Les deux instigateurs du projet sont un professeur et conseiller du Toronto District School Board, (équivalent du rectorat), Javier Davila et un étudiant torontois, Fan Wu. Si les contours d'une telle école demeurent encore flous, celle-ci recevrait des élèves, des professeurs et des personnels administratifs homosexuels.

«Il y a un réel manque d'éducation et un besoin pour une école qui encourage l'esprit critique, particulièrement dans les domaines du sexe et de la diversité sexuelle», a confié Fan Wu au magazine Torontois Xtra. Outre la mise en valeur d'une culture homosexuelle dans un Canada anglais où les librairies et les bibliothèques ont des rayons de littérature dite gay, les promoteurs du projet estiment que de nombreux étudiants se sentent rejetés ou persécutés et qu'une telle école ferait office de refuge. » | Par Ludovic Hirtzmann | vendredi 02 novembre 2012

Le nouveau visage de l'islamisme en prison
LE FIGARO: L'Administration pénitentiaire et les services de renseignement s'inquiètent aujourd'hui du comportement des prisonniers les plus extrémistes qui, comme ce fut le cas d'un Merah, évitent tout signe ostentatoire pour mieux tromper la surveillance des autorités.

Après le 11 septembre 2001, les spécialistes de l'antiterrorisme inventèrent la «théorie du bon voisin» pour décrire la stratégie des kamikazes qui s'étaient fondus dans la société américaine avant de commettre leurs attentats. La comparaison, toutes proportions gardées, vaut pour la... Cet article est réservé aux abonnés : Se connecter [€] » | Par Marie-Amélie Lombard | jeudi 01 novembre 2012

German Islamists Target Youth on the Internet

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: A growing community of German-speaking Islamists has developed on the Internet. Aiming to find new recruits, they glorify jihad and call for attacks on Germany. A new study warns that such online propaganda might foster a new generation of terrorists.

As a rapper, Denis Cuspert was a bit player, but as a propagandist for jihad he is a star in some circles. He has gained considerable prominence since 2010, when he transformed himself from a Berlin hip-hop artist named Deso Dogg into the Islamist Abu Malik.

Actually, not much has changed since he became a Salafist. He still makes music, and distributes it primarily through the Internet. But instead of performing rap songs like "Gangxta" and "Ich und mein Baby" ("Me and My Baby"), he releases so-called Anasheed, or Islamic vocal music in which he glorifies jihad.

Cuspert's songs have attained cult status among radical Islamists in Germany. At the request of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Berlin, three of his jihadist songs were labeled as being harmful to minors in early 2012.

Today, the ex-rapper is one of the most prominent German-speaking propagandists for jihad on the Internet. A new study by the Berlin-based Foundation for Science and Politics (SWP), which advises the German government, addresses the development of the Islamist scene on the Internet in detail for the first time. » | Christoph Sydow | Thursday, November 01, 2012

Streit über Haushalt: EU-Kommissar will Europa-Bekenntnis der Briten

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Verhandlungen über das nächste EU-Budget drohen am Veto Großbritanniens zu scheitern. Haushaltskommissar Lewandowski geißelt nun die Kompromisslosigkeit der Briten - und fordert eine klare Aussage über ihren Verbleib in der Europäischen Union.

Berlin/London - Die Europäische Kommission hat offenbar genug von den Drohungen aus Großbritannien in den Etat-Verhandlungen. EU-Haushaltskommissar Janusz Lewandowski forderte im Streit über die Ausgaben der Europäischen Union Klarheit von London. "Entweder es sieht für längere Zeit seine Zukunft in der Europäischen Union oder nicht", sagte Lewandowski der "Süddeutschen Zeitung". Die festgefahrenen Verhandlungen über den EU-Etat könnten an einem Veto aus Großbritannien scheitern.

"Das Spiel in der Europäischen Union heißt Kompromiss", sagte der Pole. "Aber natürlich gibt es Grenzen: Wir können nicht mehr Europa mit substantiell weniger Geld schaffen." Die EU-Kommission fordert eine Erhöhung der Ausgaben zwischen 2014 und 2020 auf knapp 1.000 Milliarden Euro. Eine Einigung über den künftigen EU-Haushalt soll beim Sondergipfel Ende November in Brüssel erzielt werden. » | fab/dpa/Reuters | Freitag, 02. November 2012

Muslim Clerics Say Sandy Is 'God's Way of Punishing America for Anti-Muhammed Film

MAIL ONLINE: Some anti-American Muslim clerics have cast the deadly Superstorm Sandy as divine punishment for 'Innocence of Muslims,' a film mocking the Prophet Muhammad or for other perceived ills of American society.

The remarks by some on the fringe brought a backlash from other Muslims who said it was wrong to relish the suff1ering of others.

In Egypt, one radical cleric described the hurricane as revenge from God for the crude, anti-Islam film made in the U.S. that sparked waves of protests in the Muslim world in September.

'Some people wonder about the hurricane in America and its causes,' Egyptian hardline cleric Wagdi Ghoneim tweeted twice this week in the aftermath of the storm.

'In my opinion, it is revenge from God for the beloved prophet,' he added, alluding to the film. » | Associated Press Reporter | Friday, November 02, 2012

Cameron Stance Could Force Britain Out of EU, Clegg Claims

THE GUARDIAN: Deputy prime minister lets rip at Tory demands for a unilateral repatriation of powers from Brussels

An exasperated Nick Clegg gave vent to months of frustration with the Tories on Thursday when he let rip at David Cameron for endangering Britain's membership of the EU by demanding a unilateral repatriation of powers from Brussels.

In a sign of how the EU could destabilise the coalition, the deputy prime minister warned that Cameron was risking "an outright crisis" which could force Britain out of the EU. Hours later, Cameron hit back when he said he was confident he could repatriate powers.

Clegg turned on the Tories in a speech at Chatham House in London after his patience finally snapped earlier this month when the education secretary, Michael Gove, said Britain should "walk out" if EU leaders refuse to sanction the repatriation of powers.

"A grand, unilateral repatriation of powers might sound appealing," the deputy prime minister said. "But in reality it is a false promise wrapped in a union jack." » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Thursday, November 01, 2012

Iranians Burn US Flags to Mark Embassy Seizure

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands of Iranians chanting "Death to America" burnt US flags on Friday to mark the 33rd anniversary of the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran, just days before the American presidential election.

The demonstrators also chanted anti-British and anti-Israeli slogans, and burnt Israeli flags, as they gathered in front of the site of the former embassy, dubbed the "den of spies" by the authorities who sponsor the annual commemoration, an AFP photographer reported.

This year's rally came just days before Tuesday's US presidential election in which Republican challenger Mitt Romney has made Iran's controversial nuclear programme a top foreign policy issue.

"The greatest threat the world faces is a nuclear Iran," Romney said in a campaign debate with Democratic incumbent Barack Obama. » | Source: AFP | Friday, November 02, 2012

Angst vor Knappheit: Irans Regierung verbietet Export von Lebensmitteln
KRONEN ZEITUNG: Der unter internationalen Sanktionen leidende Iran hat den Export von etwa 50 Gütern wie Weizen, Mehl, Zucker und Fleisch verboten. Händler im Iran dürften diese Produkte nicht mehr ausführen, hieß es staatlichen Medienberichten von Dienstag zufolge. Eine Liste mit weiteren Gütern solle folgen. » | AG/red | Dienstag, 30. Oktober 2012

Le maire de New York soutient Obama
LE FIGARO: Le maire de New York, Michael Bloomberg, a appelé aujourd'hui à voter pour Barack Obama à l'élection présidentielle de mardi prochain aux Etats-Unis, en mettant en avant le bilan du président sortant dans la lutte contre le changement climatique.

"Notre climat change. L'augmentation des phénomènes climatiques extrêmes que nous avons vécus à New York et dans le monde peut être, ou pas, le résultat de ce changement, mais le risque existe que ce soit le cas", déclare-t-il dans une libre opinion publiée dans Bloomberg View. "Les dégâts de cette semaine devraient obliger les dirigeants élus à agir immédiatement", ajoute le maire de la ville, particulièrement touchée par la tempête Sandy qui a ravagé le nord-est des Etats-Unis en début de semaine. » | Avec Reuters | jeudi 01 novembre 2012

Alger demande la «repentance» de la France
LE FIGARO: Les responsables algériens font de la surenchère avant la visite de Hollande.

La reconnaissance de la répression du 17 octobre 1961 ne suffira pas à garantir àFrançois Hollande une visite apaisée à Alger. Depuis quelques jours, les officiels algériens multiplient les déclarations pour réclamer «une reconnaissance», voire une «repentance» de la France pour «l'ensemble des crimes coloniaux».

«Les Algériens veulent une reconnaissance franche des crimes perpétrés à leur encontre», a affirmé mardi Mohammed Cherif Abbas, ministre des Moudjahidins (anciens combattants). Farouk Ksentini, président de la Commission nationale consultative de promotion et de protection des droits de l'homme, l'avait devancé lundi: «La colonisation a été un crime massif dont la France doit se repentir si elle envisage d'établir avec l'Algérie de véritables relations délivrées d'un passé tragique, dans lequel le peuple algérien a souffert l'indicible, dont il n'est pas sorti indemne et qu'il ne peut effacer de sa mémoire.» » | Par Mélanie Matarese | jeudi 01 novembre 2012

Britische Liberale: EU-Mitgliedschaft steht auf dem Spiel
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: London (Reuters) - Nach der Abstimmungsniederlage der Regierung im Parlament haben die britischen Liberalen ihren konservativen Koalitionspartner vor einem Konfrontationskurs gegen die EU gewarnt.

Das könne die Mitgliedschaft des Königreichs in der Europäischen Union gefährden, sagte der stellvertretende Premierminister Nick Clegg am Donnerstag In London. "Sie werden niemals etwas erreichen, wenn Sie mit den Füßen stampfen und sagen, 'wir wollen Mitglied in diesem Club sein, aber einseitig die Spielregeln ändern und allein darüber entscheiden, was wir unterschreiben'", fügte der Chef der europafreundlichen Liberal-Demokraten hinzu. Eine solche Haltung könnte die EU in ihrem Haushaltsstreit in die Krise stürzen und Großbritannien an den Rand oder aus der Union drängen. » | Donnerstag, 01. November 2012

Greek Journalist Acquitted in Swiss Accounts Scandal

REUTERS.COM: (Reuters) - A Greek journalist who published the names of more than 2,000 of his compatriots who held Swiss bank accounts was acquitted on Thursday in a case that touched a nerve over the role of tax evasion in the country's debt crisis.

The trial of Costas Vaxevanis, editor of the weekly Hot Doc magazine, had aroused international concern and intense interest among Greeks hit by the impact of the country's economic collapse and angry at the privileges of the elite.

He could have faced up to two year years in prison on charges of violating data privacy laws that Vaxevanis said were politically motivated and the result of politicians protecting an "untouchable" wealthy class.

His speedy arrest and trial following publication of the "Lagarde List" at the weekend - so named for Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund - touched a nerve in near-bankrupt Greece, where rampant tax evasion is undermining a struggle to cut public costs and raise revenue under an EU/IMF bailout deal.

It also enraged many who are already furious over the failure of consecutive governments to crack down on the rich while years of recession have wiped out a fifth of economic output and hammered middle-class living standards. » | Renee Maltezou | ATHENS | Writing by Michael Winfrey, Editing by Michael Roddy | Thursday, November 01, 2012

US Withdraws Support for Syrian Opposition
Hillary Clinton said the Syrian National Council could "no longer be viewed as the visible leader of the opposition."

The Obama administration has said it would push for a major shake-up in Syria's opposition leadership, dismissing the Syrian National Council.

The US wants the opposition to rally wider support and resist attempts by extremists to hijack the revolution against the Assad regime.

Speaking to reporters in Croatia's capital, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the administration was suggesting names and organisations that should feature prominently in any new rebel leadership that emerges from talks starting next week in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

She dismissed the Syrian National Council, a Paris-based group of regime opponents who have lived in exile for decades, saying its leadership days are over, even if it could still play a role. The council was viewed with suspicion by rebels who stayed in Syria and fought the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

"This cannot be an opposition represented by people who have many good attributes but have in many instances not been inside Syria for 20, 30 or 40 years," Clinton said. "There has to be a representation of those who are on the front lines fighting and dying today to obtain their freedom. And there needs to be an opposition leadership structure that is dedicated to representing and protecting all Syrians."

Die Türkei: Merkel verspricht faire EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen

Großbritannien: Eigene Partei stimmt gegen Cameron

Nordkorea: Ri Sol Ju soll schwanger sein

'Iran Offers to Send Aid to Sandy Victims in NY'
THE JERUSALEM POST: Aid workers ready to fly to those affected by hurricane, Fars reports; State Department tells 'NY Times' no official offer made.

Iranian aid workers are ready to fly from Tehran to New York City to provide assistance to those affected by Hurricane Sandy, semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Wednesday.

"Iran's Red Crescent is prepared to help the victims in the US," Mahmud Mozaffar, The Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society's Relief and Rescue Organization, told Fars News Agency.

Mozaffar stressed the preparedness of Iran's Red Crescent, stating: "Given its ample experience in rescuing storms and floods victims, Iran's Red Crescent can provide relief assistance for those affected in New York," Fars quoted him as saying.

According to Fars, Mozaffar added that the society would dispatch its aid and rescue teams, as well as equipments to US cities in need once US officials accept Iran’s offer of assistance. » | JPost.com Staff | Reuters contributed to this report | Thursday, November 01, 2012

Das Land der Milliardäre und Brotlosen (Mittwoch, 31. Oktober 2012)
Während sich ein Milliardär das grösste Haus der Welt errichten lässt, nagen am anderen Ende der USA ganze Pleite-Städte am Hungertuch. Dort, wo die Hoffnung die Menschen verlassen hat, haben Drogenbanden und Gewalt Einzug gehalten. Eine Reportage über den amerikanischen (Alb-)Traum.

Half of Venice Under Water
After days of rain, water in Venice rises to a height of 55 inches above sea level, flooding many shops and buildings.

Greek Journalist Arrested Over Exposing Politicians' Alleged Tax Evasion
Greek police have arrested one of the country's top journalists, after his publication Hot Doc released the so-called 'Lagarde list,' containing the names of some 2,000 Greeks with funds hidden in Swiss bank accounts.

The police arrested Kostas Vaxevanis, the owner and editor of Hot Doc, during a live radio interview on Sunday. "They're entering my house with the prosecutor right now. They are arresting me. Spread the word," Vaxevanis tweeted.

Nétanyahou très satisfait de Hollande

LE FIGARO: DÉCRYPTAGE - La «continuité» entre Nicolas Sarkozy et François Hollande sur la lutte contre l'antisémitisme et le nucléaire iranien a été particulièrement appréciée par le chef du gouvernement israélien.

Benyamin Nétanyahou est très satisfait de son premier contact avec François Hollande. Les deux hommes ne s'étaient croisés qu'une seule fois, en 2003, et encore très brièvement. Établir une bonne relation personnelle avec le président de la République était l'un des trois objectifs du premier ministre israélien pour cette visite à Paris.

Selon son entourage, Nétanyahou a trouvé Hollande «exceptionnellement ouvert et réceptif», «prêt à écouter» et «désireux de trouver des terrains d'entente». La «continuité» entre Nicolas Sarkozy et François Hollande, sur les deux questions prioritaires de la lutte contre l'antisémitisme et du dossier nucléaire iranien, a été particulièrement appréciée par le chef du gouvernement israélien. » | Par Pierre Rousselin | jeudi 01 novembre 2012

Minorities Fear End of Secularism in Egypt

SPIEGEL ONLINE INYERNATIONAL: When he took office as Egypt's new president in June, Mohammed Morsi pledged to follow a pluralist policy that respected the rights of women and non-Muslim minorities. But everything he has done since then indicates that he intends to replace the secularist dictatorship of his predecessor with an Islamist one.

Egypt's president sat cross-legged on a green rug with his eyes closed and hands raised in prayer. His lips moved as Futouh Abd al-Nabi Mansour, an influential Egyptian cleric, intoned: "Oh Allah, absolve us of our sins, strengthen us and grant us victory over the infidels. Oh Allah, destroy the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, disperse them, rend them asunder."

This was a Friday prayer service held in the western Egyptian port city of Marsa Matrouh on October 19. The words of this closing prayer, taken from a collection of sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, seemed quite familiar to Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's new president. A video clip obtained by the US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) shows Morsi murmuring the word "amen" as this pious request for the dispersal of the Jews is uttered.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Morsi, has since removed a note concerning the president's visit to Marsa Matrouh from its website, and the daily newspaper al-Ahram has reported that the president must have been "very embarrassed" over the matter. Are such statements enough to dispel the incident? » | Daniel Steinvorth and Volkhard Windfuhr | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Egyptian Cleric Abu Islam Ahmad Abdallah Explains Why He Ripped Up the Bible The Internet - October 1, 2012

Egyptian Child Preacher Ibrahim Adham Curses Bush and Obama and Prays for the Destruction of Israel Al-Rahma TV (Egypt) - October 19, 2012

Egyptian Cleric ‘Alaa Said Ridicules Christianity and Vows to Instate Islamic Law in Egypt Al-Rahma TV (Egypt) - October 15, 2012

Tausende demonstrieren in Kuwait

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Er sitzt seit mehreren Tagen im Gefängnis, Musallam al-Barrak wird Beleidigung des Emir vorgeworfen: In Kuwait haben Tausende Menschen für die Freilassung des Oppositionsführers demonstriert. Bei den Protesten kam es zu massiven Auseinandersetzungen mit der Polizei.

Kuwait - Das Ziel ihres Marsches war das Gefängnis: In Kuwait sind am Mittwoch Tausende Menschen auf die Straße gegangen, um gegen die Inhaftierung von Oppositionsführer Musallam al-Barrak zu demonstrieren. Die Polizei setzte Augenzeugen zufolge Tränengas und Rauchbomben gegen die Menge ein. » | hen/Reuters | Donnerstag, 01. November 2012

Several Dead in Riyadh Truck Explosion

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: At least 10 dead and 50 injured from explosion when truck carrying flammable liquids crashed in the Saudi capital.

At least 10 people were killed and another 50 injured when a truck carrying flammable liquids crashed in Riyadh causing a large explosion, according to Al Jazeera correspondents.

The truck exploded after it crashed into a concrete flyover in the Saudi capital on Thursday, said a civil defence official at the scene speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

An industrial building, several storeys high, was almost entirely destroyed by the blast while several nearby buildings were damaged, witness said. » | Source: Al Jazeera And Agencies | Thursday, November 01, 2012

Greek Journalists Being 'Muzzled by Government'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Greek journalists caught up in a wave of sackings and arrests believe they have be[en] targeted in a government drive to muzzle the press to prevent publication of a list of senior ministers who have taken bribes from the business sector.

Spiros Karatzaferis, a television presenter, became the latest journalist to face police action in the early hours of Wednesday morning when he was arrested hours after promising to reveal hacked treasury documents that would show Greek officials had systematically deceived the International Monetary Fund about the true state of the economy.

Mr Karatzaferis is the second high profile journalist to be arrested in a week, while a state broadcaster separately sacked two of his rivals for discussing other allegations against the government.

Kostas Vaxevanis, the first journalist arrested, faces court on Thursday morning on a charge of violating privacy laws for publishing the names of overseas bank account holders.

Mr Vaxevanis faces two years in prison for publishing the names and occupations of more than 2,000 Greeks allegedly holding accounts at the Swiss branch of HSBC.

Mr Vaxevanis told the Daily Telegraph that he was being sacrificed by a government manoeuvring behind the scenes to protect an unholy establishment alliance. "This is a selective prosecution," he said. "There is no Greek who believes that I am going [on] trial tomorrow, rather, it is the right that Greeks have to freedom of the press and the right to rock the system. Greece is run by a closed oligarchy of businessmen, politicians and controlled media groups. My publication of the list marked a confrontation, an extreme confrontation. » | Damien McElroy, Anthee Carassava in Athens | Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Turkey Given Reassurance by Germany on Talks
THE NEW YORK TIMES: BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany met with Turkey’s prime minister here on Wednesday and pledged that the European Union would continue to pursue talks “in good faith” over Turkey’s accession to the bloc, despite disagreements that have proved challenging for both sides.

“The E.U. is an honest negotiating partner,” Ms. Merkel said. “These negotiations will continue irrespective of the questions that we have to clarify.”

Her pledge came after the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned that the European Union stood in danger of losing Turkey if it was not granted membership by 2023.

“No other country has been kept waiting, knocking on the door of the E.U., for such a long time,” Mr. Erdogan told a gathering in Berlin late Tuesday, hours after he opened his country’s new embassy to Germany. An ever stronger economic and political force in the region, Turkey has been in negotiations to join the bloc since 1995, and some analysts have worried that a frustrated Turkey might shift from its Western focus to building stronger ties with Moscow and Tehran. » | Melissa Eddy and Chris Cottrell | Wednesday, October 31, 2012

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Erdogan Visit to Berlin Betrays Tensions: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday he wants Turkey to be a full member of the EU by 2023. Chancellor Angela Merkel assured him the talks would be "honest.' Their meeting in Berlin once again showed that relations between Turkey and Germany have become complicated. ¶ At the end of the news conference Angela Merkel narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. Her face seemed to say: What's he talking about? Next to her, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was talking about Cyprus. It was a mistake, he said, to allow "South Cyprus" into the European Union, and he added that the chancellor shared that view. » | With additional reporting by Christoph Sydow | Wednesday, October 31, 2012