Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Abdicates in Favour of Son

THE GUARDIAN: Beatrix to relinquish crown at end of April after 33 years, leaving monarchy to Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the oldest reigning Dutch monarch, announced her abdication on Monday evening in a sudden move three days before her 75th birthday. After 33 years on the throne following her mother's abdication in 1980, Beatrix said she would relinquish the crown at the end of April, leaving the monarchy to Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander, the oldest of her three sons.

The queen went on national television and radio on Monday evening to announce the departure, having recorded the broadcast earlier in the day. The prime minister, Mark Rutte, delivered a statement on television shortly afterwards, with both stressing that the crown prince had been intensively prepared for the role of monarch.

"The queen was there for us in good times, but also in bad times. Her knowledge and compassion made her an icon of the Netherlands," Rutte said in his statement.

The popular 74-year-old has kept a relatively low profile, aspiring to an image of homely normality by, for example, riding her bike in The Hague. She is also said to be a member of the Bilderberg Group and is ranked among Europe's wealthiest royals. » | Ian Traynor, Europe editor | Monday, January 28, 2013


FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Übergabe nach dreiunddreißig Jahren: Nur drei Minuten brauchte Königin Beatrix, um ihrem Volk die eigene Abdankung nach 33 Jahren Regentschaft zu erklären. Auch im Abschied bleib sie sich treu, auf ihre Weise hat sie sich die Zuneigung der Niederländer erarbeitet. ¶ Dreiunddreißig Jahre wird Königin Beatrix die Niederlande regiert haben, wenn sie in drei Monaten zugunsten ihres Sohnes Prinz Willem-Alexander abdanken wird. Und nur drei Minuten hat sie benötigt, um diese Entscheidung dem Volk mitzuteilen. Ihrem Stil blieb Beatrix in der aufgezeichneten Ansprache treu: sachlich, stolz und doch demütig gegenüber dem Volk. » | Von Andreas Ross | Montag, 28. Januar 2013

Niederländische Monarchie: Königin Beatrix will abdanken

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die niederländische Königin Beatrix will sich am Montagabend überraschend an ihr Volk wenden. Das Königshaus kündigte eine Ansprache an, nannte aber keine Details. Niederländische Medien rechnen damit, dass die 74-Jährige zugunsten ihres Sohnes Willem-Alexander abdankt.

Amsterdam - Dankt die niederländische Königin Beatrix ab? Die Regentin will sich Montagabend überraschend an ihr Volk wenden. Dies teilte das Königshaus am späten Nachmittag mit. Details wurden nicht genannt.

Die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters verbreitete die Nachricht, dass die niederländische Königin abdanken will. Und auch der niederländische "Telegraaf" berichtete unter Berufung auf Palastkreise, die Regentin werde ankündigen, zugunsten ihres Sohnes Prinz Willem-Alexander abzudanken. Beatrix wird am Donnerstag 75 Jahre alt.

Der Palast Huis ten Bosch hat für 19 Uhr eine Pressekonferenz angekündigt. Die Ansprache werde über Radio und im Fernsehen übertragen. » | siu/ala/Reuters | Montag, 28. Januar 2013

An Islamic Response to 'Muslim Street Patrols'
This Friday sermon presents an Islamic response to the so called Muslim vigilantism being carried out by a minority of Muslims who claim to be implementing a 'shari'ah patrol' in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslims condemn behaviour of Islamic vigilantes: Vigilante gangs of Islamic extremists have been branded “complete bigots” by fellow Muslims. » | Monday, January 28, 2013

Marriage gay: Le baiser de deux députés enflamme la France

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Deux politiciens socialistes se sont embrassés dimanche en guise de soutien au mariage entre homosexuels. Plusieurs stars s'y sont mises aussi, comme lundi Anne Roumanoff.

Trois mois après le fameux «baiser de Marseille» devenu une photo culte des partisans du mariage gay, les députés socialistes français Yann Galut et Nicolas Bays, ceints de leur écharpe tricolore, se sont embrassés sur la bouche dimanche lors de la manifestation en faveur du mariage homosexuel, en qualifiant ce baiser de "bisou de solidarité" avec les homosexuels. » | Par Christine Talos avec AFP | Newsnet | lundi 28 janvier 2013

Immigration: Romanian or Bulgarian? You Won't Like It Here
THE GUARDIAN: Ministers consider launching negative ad campaign in two countries to persuade potential immigrants to stay away from UK

Please don't come to Britain – it rains and the jobs are scarce and low-paid. Ministers are considering launching a negative advertising campaign in Bulgaria and Romania to persuade potential immigrants to stay away from the UK.

The plan, which would focus on the downsides of British life, is one of a range of potential measures to stem immigration to Britain next year when curbs imposed on both country's citizens living and working in the UK will expire.

A report over the weekend quoted one minister saying that such a negative advert would "correct the impression that the streets here are paved with gold".

There was no word on how any advert might look or whether it would use the strategy of making Britain look as horrible as possible or try to encourage would-be migrants to wake up to the joys of their own countries whether Romania's Carpathian mountains or Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts. With governments around the world spending millions on hiring London-based consultants to undertake "reputation laundering" there would be a peculiar irony if Britain chose to trash its own image perhaps by highlighting winter flooding of homes or the carnage of a Saturday night A&E ward.

There are precedents. In 2007, Eurostar ran adverts in Belgium for its trains to London depicting a tattooed skinhead urinating into a china teacup. It remains unknown if any discussions have taken place over personalities who could carry off a similar exercise in anti-nation branding. » | Rajeev Syal | Sunday, January 27, 2013

My comment:

Showing videos of Muslim vigilantes in Whitechapel should probably be enough to frighten them away. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

La Turquie bannit le narguilé des lieux publics
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Une coutume ancestrale est morte ce dimanche en Turquie: les gens n’ont plus le droit de fumer le narguilé dans les lieux publics.

Cette fois, la marche forcée vers l’européanisation n’y est pour rien. La mesure anti-narguilé s'inscrit dans le cadre d'une nouvelle réglementation du gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc afin de lutter contre le tabagisme. Selon cette mesure, fumer le narguilé, la pipe à eau, dans les endroits publics est désormais proscrit, et les contrevenants encourent une amende, aux termes du décret gouvernemental publié dans le journal officiel.

En 2009, le gouvernement d'Ankara s'était attaqué au tabagisme, interdisant de fumer dans tous les lieux publics - bars, restaurants et cafés. Le narguilé avait été interdit aux mineurs de moins de 18 ans. » | ats/afp/Newsnet | dimanche 27 janvier 2013

Ontario Liberals Pick Province's First Woman Premier
REUTERS CANADA: TORONTO (Reuters) - Ontario's Liberals on Saturday chose a former Cabinet minister to become the province's first female premier and first openly gay leader of a Canadian province.

In her acceptance speech as the new provincial Liberal Party leader, Kathleen Wynne, 59, a former Ontario education minister, thanked her partner, Jane, for her support during a three-month campaign. Ontario was one of the first Canadian provinces to allow same-sex marriage.

Wynne's victory means Canada's four most powerful provinces will all be led by women. British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec already have female premiers. Women are also at the helm in the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the thinly populated Arctic territory of Nunavut. » | Claire Sibonney and Janet Guttsman | Saturday, January 26, 2013

Merkel: Germany Has ‘Everlasting Responsibility’ for the Holocaust

EUROPEAN JEWISH PRESS: BERLIN (EJP)---Germany has an “everlasting responsibility for the crimes of National Socialism, for the victims of World War II and, above all, for the Holocaust,” Merkel declared in a video message Saturday.

“And this must be made clear from generation to generation and it must be said with bravery and moral courage, every individual can make a contribution so that racism and anti-Semitism have no chance,” she said.

On January 30, Merkel will visit Berlin’s Topography of Terror Documentation Center, built on the foundations of the headquarters of the Secret State Police — the SS — and the Reich Security Main Office, which were destroyed during the war.

Exactly 80 years ago — on Jan. 30, 1933 — Hitler, leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, was sworn in as chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg.

In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI warned that "the memory of this immense tragedy, which above all struck so harshly the Jewish people, must represent for everyone a constant warning so that the horrors of the past are not repeated." » | EJP | Sunday, January 27, 2013

Holocaust Survivor Testimonies: Selection in Auschwitz

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Opera Depicting Atrocities in Austria Debuts
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: Many children who fell short of the Nazis’ Aryan ideal were killed alongside other ‘unworthy lives’

Thousands of children were murdered by the Nazis because they fell short of the Aryan ideal. Now, a hushed audience has gathered in Austria’s parliament to watch the world premiere of an opera depicting how the Nazis methodically killed mentally or physically deficient children at a Vienna hospital during the second world war.

The killings were part of a greater campaign that led to the deaths of about 75,000 people – homosexuals, disabled people, or others the Nazis called “unworthy lives” – and served as a prelude to the Holocaust.

Austrians played a huge role in these and other atrocities of the era – nearly 800 children were killed at Vienna’s Spiegelgrund psychiatric ward – and the premiere of the opera Spiegelgrund was the latest instalment of a national effort to atone for such acts in word and deed.

The timing was picked to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, which will be observed worldwide today, and the performance was streamed live on the internet for international audiences. But the parliamentary venue was chosen for a particularly Austrian reason: as a reminder of how the country’s politicians fomented the atmosphere of intolerance and authoritarianism that allowed Hitler’s troops to walk in in 1938, and a determination to not let history repeat itself. » | Associated press in Vienna | Sunday, January 27, 2013

Der Norden gedenkt der Holocaust-Opfer

NDR.de: Im ganzen Land wird heute der Opfer des Nationalsozialismus gedacht. Anlass ist der Holocaust-Gedenktag, mit dem weltweit an die Verbrechen des NS-Regimes erinnert wird. Die zentrale Veranstaltung für Schleswig-Holstein fand in Rendsburg statt. Dabei legte Landtagsvizepräsident Bernd Heinemann (SPD) einen Kranz für die Opfer des Holocaust nieder. Ein jüdischer Rabbiner und ein christlicher Propst sprachen Gebete für die Opfer. Heinemann ies in seiner Rede darauf hin, dass immer weniger überlebende Zeitzeugen von den Verbrechen erzählen können. "Deswegen müssen wir gemeinsam als Europäer eine Kultur des Erinnerns etablieren, die die Verantwortung von uns ausgehend auf Europa überträgt, uns Frieden sichert und vor allem auch menschliche Umgangsformen sichert für die Zukunft", forderte der SPD-Politiker. » | Sontag, 27. Januar 2013

Holocaust Memorial Day Marked in UK
BBC: The millions of Jews and others killed during the Holocaust are being remembered in services across the UK, as part of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Candles have been lit at ceremonies in London and Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum, 68 years after Auschwitz was liberated.

More than one million people, mostly Jews, died at the Nazi camp before it was liberated by allied troops in 1945.

Organisers say the day also honours victims of genocide around the world.

Some 1,500 events are taking place around the UK on Sunday for Holocaust Memorial Day. » | Sunday, January 27, 2013

«L’Allemagne ne refoule rien»

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La chancelière Angela Merkel a rappelé la «responsabilité permanente» de son pays face au nazisme à quelques jours du 80e anniversaire de l'arrivée au pouvoir d'Adolf Hitler.

«Naturellement, nous avons une responsabilité permanente pour les crimes du national-socialisme, pour les victimes de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, et avant toutes choses, également, pour l'Holocauste», a déclaré la chancelière, dans un podcast, diffusé samedi sur son site internet alors que mercredi marquera le 80e anniversaire de l'arrivée au pouvoir d'Adolf Hitler, le 30 janvier 1933. » | ats/Newsnet | samedi 26 janvier 2013

Russland will «Homosexuellen-Propaganda» verbieten
TAGES ANZEIGER: Die russische Staatsduma hat einem landesweiten Verbot von öffentlichen homosexuellen Veranstaltungen zugestimmt. Vor dem Entscheid attackierten Orthodoxe Schwule und Lesben mit Eiern.

Schwule und Lesben sollen in Russland künftig nicht mehr über ihre Sexualität reden dürfen. Nachdem bereits mehrere Grossstädte «Homosexuellen-Propaganda» unter Strafe gestellt haben, droht nun ein landesweites Verbot.

Begleitet von Zusammenstössen zwischen Homosexuellen und Ultraorthodoxen nahm die russische Staatsduma erwartungsgemäss in erster Lesung das umstrittene Verbot an. Nur ein Parlamentarier lehnte das Gesetz ab, ein weiterer enthielt sich. » | rbi/sda | Freitag, 25. Januar 2013

Deutsche Dschihadisten: Die Gotteskrieger vom Nil
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Ägypten ist das neue Lieblingsziel deutscher Dschihadisten. Es ist eine Drehscheibe für Ausbildungslager in anderen Staaten geworden. Kairo reagiert nicht. In wenigen Tagen kommt Präsident Mursi zu Besuch nach Berlin.

Ist es nicht Zeit, dass du die Pflicht des Dschihad erfüllst? Ist es nicht Zeit, dass du deine Waffe in die Hand nimmst?“ Der Mann in der Tarnuniform, mit dem schwarzen Vollbart und dem Gewehr auf dem Rücken ist Abu Usama Al-Gharib. Gott sei gepriesen, ruft er auf Arabisch. Immer dann, fährt er auf Deutsch fort, wenn die Mudschahedin die Ungläubigen abschlachteten, wenn eine Kugel den Feind treffe.

Es sind solche Hasspredigten, die Mohamed Mahmoud, wie der Mann aus dem Video heißt, bekanntgemacht haben. Der Österreicher mit ägyptischen Wurzeln hatte von 2007 bis 2011 für seine Aufforderung zur Gewalt, die er unter der Marke Globale Islamische Medien Front (GIMF) verbreitete, eine Haftstrafe in Österreich abgesessen. Nach deren Verbüßung ging er nach Deutschland, scharte in Solingen eine Gruppe radikaler Anhänger um sich und warb weiter für den Heiligen Krieg gegen Ungläubige und Kreuzzügler. Sein salafistischer Verein „Millatu Ibrahim“ wurde im Juni vergangenen Jahres von Bundesinnenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich verboten. Seiner Ausweisung kam Mahmoud zuvor, indem er mit seiner Frau, der Konvertitin Miranda K., vom hessischen Erbach nach Ägypten zog. » | Markus Wehner | Samstag, 26. Januar 2013

Les Français veulent que le Royaume-Uni reste dans l'UE
leJDD.fr: SONDAGE – Les Britanniques ne doivent pas quitter l'Union européenne pour 58% des Français, selon une enquête Ifop parue dimanche dans le JDD. Si les sondés refusent une Europe à la carte, une majorité estime toutefois que l'UE coûte plus à la France qu'elle ne lui rapporte.

Les Français veulent toujours de leurs voisins britanniques au sein de l'Union européenne. Selon notre sondage Ifop à paraître dans Le Journal du Dimanche, 58% d'entre eux souhaitent que le Royaume-Uni reste dans l'UE, quand 42% des personnes interrogées préféreraient qu'il la quitte à l'horizon 2015-2017. En cas de réélection en 2015, le Premier ministre David Cameron a en effet décidé mercredi d'organiser d'ici quatre ans un référendum sur cette question, dans le cas où l'Union ne se réformerait pas. » | Arnaud Focraud - Le Journal du Dimanche | samedi 26 janvier 2013

Europeans Increasingly Converting to Islam
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Irish actor Liam Neeson says he is thinking about becoming a Muslim after undergoing a spiritual awakening in Turkey.

Neeson, who was born into a Roman Catholic family in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, told the London-based newspaper The Sun that he was impressed by the religious atmosphere in Istanbul while filming a movie in the city.

He said: "The [Islamic] call to prayer happens five times a day, and for the first week, it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit, and it's the most beautiful, beautiful thing. There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning, and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim."

Neeson is just one of hundreds of thousands of Europeans who are trading their Christian heritage for the supposed exoticism of Islam. The surge in conversions is contributing to the mainstreaming of Islam in Europe and contributing to the Islamization of the continent.

In Britain, the number of Muslim converts recently passed the 100,000 mark, according to a survey conducted by an inter-faith group called Faith Matters. The survey revealed that nearly two thirds of the converts were women, more than 70% were white and the average age at conversion was just 27.

The survey, conducted by Kevin Brice from Swansea University in Wales, asked converts for their views on the negative aspects of British culture. They identified alcohol and drunkenness, a "lack of morality and sexual permissiveness" and "unrestrained consumerism."

More than one in four acknowledged there was a "natural conflict" between being a devout Muslim and living in Britain. Nine out of ten women converts said their change of religion had led to them dressing more conservatively. More than half started wearing a head scarf and 5% had worn the burka.

Separately, government authorities revealed that an increasing number of inmates at British prisons are converting to Islam. For example, one-third of the inmates at one of Britain's most notorious youth jails are Muslims and the religion is attracting a large number of converts. » | Soeren Kern | Friday, January 27, 2012

Muslim Gangs Enforce Sharia Law in London
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: "This is not-so-Great Britain, this is a Muslim area. We are vigilantes implementing Islam upon your own necks." — Member, Muslim London Patrol

Muslim gangs have been filmed loitering on streets in London and demanding that passersby conform to Islamic Sharia law.

The self-proclaimed vigilantes, who call themselves Muslim London Patrol, are seen in several videos abusing people for drinking alcohol, for showing too much flesh and for being homosexual.

In one three-and-a-half minute video posted on YouTube on January 17, a number of hooded men are seen repeatedly shouting "this is a Muslim area" towards non-Muslim passers-by.

In the footage, which was shot at night on the weekend of January 12/13 on a mobile phone, in what is believed to be Whitechapel in east London, one gang member is seen telling a young woman who is wearing a short skirt, "you cannot dress like that in a Muslim area, this is a Muslim area."

A few moments later, the vigilantes confront a man carrying a can of beer, telling him "no alcohol is allowed." They then force him to empty out the contents of the can on the sidewalk. One gang member shouts: "Get him to pour it out, pour it out, Muslim area. Alcohol bad. This is a Muslim area. This area is a Muslim area. No drink in this area." He continues: "What this is, is a Muslim Patrol. We are Muslims and we patrol the area. Forbidden … evil. Alcohol is evil. No alcohol. Yes? Have a good day."

A few moments later, the vigilantes accost a woman who, referring to the imposition of Sharia law in the neighborhood exclaims, "I cannot believe it!" The Muslims respond: "We do not care if you believe it or not."

At another point, one gang member admonishes another gang member not to allow non-Muslims to pass along the sidewalk in front of a mosque. He shouts: "You need to control this area and forbid these people from dressing like this and exposing themselves outside the mosque." A few moments later, a gang member accosts two non-Muslims who are passing by. "Remove yourself away from the mosque. Go away now. This is a Muslim area. Muslim patrol. Muslim patrol. Move away from the mosque."

Another Muslim then shouts: "This is democracy, this is freedom, this is secularism, move away from the mosque. We clearly need Islam. Go away and don't come back. Don't come back. Keep your mouth closed."

Next the men then accost a woman passerby. "We do not respect dolls who disobey God, we don't respect them." The woman, stunned, responds, "I am so appalled." The men reply: "We don't care if you are appalled at all." She says: "This is Great Britain." The men reply: "This is not-so-Great Britain, this is a Muslim area. We are vigilantes implementing Islam upon your own necks."

In another video, Muslims are seen harassing a man they perceive to be a homosexual. They aggressively pursue the man and shout at him, "Hello mate, don't you know this is a Muslim area. Why are you dressed like that for." The man responds: "Why are you bothering me." The Muslims respond: "You are walking in a Muslim area dressed like a fag, mate. You need to get out of here." Clearly terrified, the man responds, "I am getting out of here." The Muslims respond, "Get out of here quicker then. You're dirty mate. Admit you're dirty. You're gay, mate. Get out of here, you bloody fag." » | Soeren Kern | Friday, January 25, 2013

My comment:

So what are the police doing about this? Imagine the situation in reverse. Imagine someone shouting out “This is a homosexual area. You’re dirty mate. Muslims not allowed. Get out of here. This is a gay area. Dirty Muslims not allowed. What’s that fuzz you’ve got on your face? Get out of here! Muslims not allowed. This a gay area. Just imagine the outcry if this were to happen! The police would be after you, the Muslims would be after you, and the liberals would be after you. So why aren’t we going after these throwbacks for going against the law of the land? After all, isn’t this supposed to be a pluralistic, multi-cultural paradise? What’s good for the goose, is also good for the gander – © Mark

Czech Election: Milos Zeman Wins Presidential Poll
BBC: Former PM Milos Zeman has won the Czech Republic's presidential election - the first time the position has been decided by direct popular vote.

He won 55% of votes in the second-round poll, compared to Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg's 45%.

Voters had braved freezing conditions to turn out in what was being seen as a nail-bitingly close poll.

Mr Zeman is seen as a hard-drinking, chain-smoking politician, known for his witty put-downs of opponents.

As president, he will represent the Czech Republic abroad and appoint candidates to the constitutional court and the central bank, but the post does not carry much day-to-day power.

Mr Zeman will replace the eurosceptic Vaclav Klaus, who steps down in March after ten years in office.

Both presidential candidates support deeper integration of the European Union. (+ video) » | Saturday, January 26, 2013

Davos 2013: Femen Stage Topless Protest
Ukrainian protest group Femen, angry over what they perceive as sexism and male domination of the world economy, ripped off their shirts and tried to force their way into the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Documentary | The Island of Cyprus - National Geographic

Indicted Tycoon Kim Dotcom Launches New Site
Kim Dot Com, perhaps the United States' most-wanted computer geek, once operated the file sharing website 'Mega Upload'. It's estimated that it accounted for up to four per cent of the world's internet traffic. A year ago, however, US authorities had the site shut down, and charged Dot Com with piracy. He managed to escape extradition to the US, and now he's started a new website that allows users to share files - but also to choose who they share them with.

Related »

Kim Dotcom Wants to Encrypt Half of the Internet to End Government Surveillance (Full RT Interview)

Berlusconi Neither Down Nor Out

France Declares War on English Language

Auschwitz Concentration Camp Tour | Holocaust | January 2006 | Poland

Holocaust Survivor Reflections: Stories of Courage

Holocaust Survivor Henia Bryer: Prisoner Number A26188

BBC: The German invasion of Poland in 1939 ended the happy childhood of Henia Bryer. Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day she recalls how she was sent to four concentration camps, but survived them all.

"They were wearing these black uniforms with a skull on top and they installed loud speakers all over the town spreading hate propaganda," says Henia Bryer of the German army's arrival in Radom, eight days after they crossed the border on 1 September.

"Hitler's speeches went on for hours and hours... he never made any secret of what he was going to do to the Jews."

At first, Bryer's family - including an older brother and a younger brother and sister - survived on the gold coins saved by her father, a shoe factory owner who continued working, but was not paid. Much worse was to come.

In 1941 they were among the 30,000 people confined to a ghetto, set up in the Jewish area. Conditions were very poor, with 10 people living in a single room.

Violence and shootings were commonplace, yet the family managed to stay together.

It did not last. » | Duncan Walker | BBC News | Saturday, January 26, 2013

BBC: A Chance Encounter: A chance encounter in a concentration camp means Henia is thrown an unexpected lifeline. An old family friend is able to provide her with the clothes she so desperatly needs. »

Muslim Abuser Who 'Didn't Know' That Sex with a Girl of 13 Was Illegal Is Spared Jail
MAIL ONLINE: Adil Rashid admitted travelling to Nottingham and having sex with the girl / He met the 13-year-old on Facebook and they communicated by texts and phone for two months before they met / He was educated in a madrassa and 'had little experience of women' / Said he had been taught 'women are no more worthy than a lollipop that has been dropped on the ground' / Added he was reluctant to have sex but that he was 'tempted by [the girl]'

A muslim who raped a 13-year-old girl he groomed on Facebook has been spared a prison sentence after a judge heard he went to an Islamic faith school where he was taught that women are worthless.

Adil Rashid, 18, claimed he was not aware that it was illegal for him to have sex with the girl because his education left him ignorant of British law.

Yesterday Judge Michael Stokes handed Rashid a suspended sentence, saying: ‘Although chronologically 18, it is quite clear from the reports that you are very naive and immature when it comes to sexual matters.’

Earlier Nottingham Crown Court heard that such crimes usually result in a four to seven-year prison sentence.

But the judge said that because Rashid was ‘passive’ and ‘lacking assertiveness’, sending him to jail might cause him ‘more damage than good’. Read on and comment » | Paul Bentley | Friday, January 25, 2013

Deadly Violence Grips Egypt on Revolution Anniversary
THE GUARDIAN: Seven reported dead and scores of civilians and security forces injured as thousands protest for anti-Morsi protests

Fatal clashes continued into the night in several Egyptian cities on Friday as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against President Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and police brutality – exactly two years after the start of the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

According to state media, at least seven people died in Suez and 379 were injured across the country as riots broke out in Cairo's Tahrir Square and cities including Alexandria, Mahalla, and Ismailia. Police repeatedly fired teargas across much of central Cairo and protesters pelted them with stones – bringing parts of the city's road and metro networks to a standstill.

As night fell, medics warned that the amount of teargas in Tahrir Square had reached a "dangerous level". According to Tahrir Bodyguards, a group protecting female protesters, at least nine women were sexually assaulted in the square – prompting memories of some of the worst moments of the Egyptian uprising in 2011. » | Patrick Kingsley and Abdel-Rahman Hussein in Cairo | Friday, January 25, 2013

Race to Save the Language of Jesus: Aramaic in Danger of Becoming Extinct as Number of Speakers of Ancient Tongue Plummets

MAIL ONLINE: Language once widely used in Middle East but speakers are now scattered / Aramaic is believed to have been used by Jesus and his disciples / British linguist Geoffrey Khan developing database of recordings

It is thought to have been spoken by Jesus Christ and his disciples more than 2,000 years ago.

But now Aramaic, an ancient language related to both Hebrew and Arabic, is threatened with extinction as the number of speakers worldwide has dwindled.

Linguist Professor Geoffrey Khan of the University of Cambridge, has launched a quest to record the language before it dies out by visiting the scattered communities where it is still used.

By recording some of the remaining native Aramaic speakers he hopes to preserve the language which is one of a number threatened with extinction worldwide.

The 3,000-year-old language was once common throughout the entire Middle East and was used for trade, government and divine worship from the Holy Land to India and China.

As a key language used in Israel from 539 BC to 70 AD, experts believe it was likely to have been spoken by Jesus.

It is also the language of large sections of the biblical books of Daniel and Ezra, and is the main language of the Talmud (a key Jewish text).

Parts of the ancient Dead Sea scrolls were written in Aramaic. As Jesus died on the cross, he cried out in Aramaic, 'Elahi, Elahi, lema shabaqtani?' ('My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?').

But speakers are now scattered across the globe, with pockets even found in US cities such as Chicago where several thousands Assyrians live. Prof Khan told Smithsonian.com that he felt his 'calling' to record the language after speaking to a Jew from Erbil, a northern Iraqi city.

'It completely blew my mind,' he said. 'To discover a living language through the lips of a living person, it was just incredibly exhilarating.' Read on and comment » | Sam Adams | Friday, January 25, 2013

Duma beschneidet Rechte von Homosexuellen

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Schwule und Lesben sollen in Russland nicht mehr über ihre Sexualität reden dürfen. Nachdem mehrere Großstädte "Homosexuellen-Propaganda" unter Strafe gestellt haben, droht nun auch ein landesweites Verbot. Vor der Duma kam es zu Zusammenstößen zwischen Aktivisten und fanatischen Gläubigen.

Moskau - Die russische Staatsduma hat erwartungsgemäß in erster Lesung ein umstrittenes Verbot von "Homosexuellen-Propaganda" mit breiter Mehrheit angenommen. 388 von 450 Abgeordneten stimmten für den Entwurf. Er sieht für öffentliche Äußerungen über HomosexualitätGeldstrafen bis zu umgerechnet 12.500 Euro vor. Das meldete die Agentur Itar-Tass am Freitag. Für das Gesetz sind eine zweite und dritte Lesung notwendig.

Der Abgeordnete Sergej Dorofejew von der Regierungspartei EinigesRussland sagte vor der Abstimmung, mit dem Gesetz sollten Minderjährige "vor den Auswirkungen der Homosexualität" geschützt werden. Die Abgeordnete Elena Misulina von der liberalen Oppositionspartei Gerechtes Russland sagte, "homosexuelle Propaganda" schränke "das Recht der Minderjährigen zur freien Entwicklung" und zur freien Wahl ihrer sexuellen Orientierung ein.

Dutzende fanatische Gläubige attackierten mit faulen Eiern und Farbe homosexuelle Aktivisten, die sich aus Protest gegen das Vorhaben vor derDuma öffentlich küssten. "Moskau ist nicht Sodom", riefen die Gläubigen gegen "Sünde und Lasterhaftigkeit". Aber nicht die Angreifer kamen in Polizeigewahrsam, sondern die lesbischen und schwulen Aktivisten, die um ihr Recht auf Selbstbestimmung und freie Meinungsäußerung kämpften. "Wir haben auch ein Recht auf Liebe", riefen sie an diesem eisigen Tag. » | ler/dpa/AFP | Freitag, 25. Januar 2013

North Korea Threatens to Attack the South
North Korea threatens to attack the South if Seoul joins a new round of tightened UN sanctions. Pyongyang has declared a boycott of all dialogue aimed at ending its nuclear programme. The country has also vowed to conduct more rocket and nuclear tests following UN security council sanctions for a long-range missile launch in December

Read the article here

Ägypten: Polizei setzt Tränengas gegen Demonstranten ein
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In der ägyptischen Hauptstadt Kairo haben sich Regierungsgegner und Polizei heftige Auseinandersetzungen geliefert. Die Sicherheitskräfte schossen mit Tränengas auf Hunderte Demonstranten - sie haben sich zum zweiten Jahrestag des Revolutionsbeginns auf dem Tahrir-Platz versammelt.

Kairo - Ihr Protest gilt Präsident Mohammed Mursi: Zwei Jahre nach dem Beginn der Massenproteste gegen den damaligen Machthaber Husni Mubarak haben Tausende Ägypter gegen die neue islamistische Regierung demonstriert. » | hen/Reuters | Freitag, 25. Januar 2013

Berlin: Gericht verurteilt Qaida-Mitglieder zu langjährigen Haftstrafen
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Sie ließen sich im afghanisch-pakistanischen Grenzgebiet im Umgang mit Waffen und Sprengstoff ausbilden - und reisten dann zurück nach Europa, um sich "für bestimmte Operationen" bereitzuhalten: Das Kammergericht Berlin hat jetzt zwei Qaida-Terroristen zu mehrjährigen Haftstrafen verurteilt.

Berlin - Rund zwölf Monate dauerte das Verfahren, jetzt hat das Berliner Kammergericht sein Urteil gegen zwei Mitglieder des Terrornetzwerks al-Qaida gesprochen: Ein 23-jähriger Österreicher muss für sechs Jahre und neun Monate ins Gefängnis, ein 27-jähriger Deutscher für neun Jahre. » | hen/dapd/dpa | Freitag, 25. Januar 2013

Iran Creates Fake Blogs in Smear Campaign against Journalists in Exile

THE GUARDIAN: BBC Persian staff victims of online identity theft designed to discredit them, with family in Iran facing harassment as well

Iran has been conducting a smear campaign designed to intimidate Iranian journalists living in exile, including apparent death threats. Cyber-activists linked to the Islamic republic have fabricated news, duplicated Facebook accounts and spread false allegations of sexual misconduct by exiled journalists, while harassment of family members back in Iran has been stepped up by security officials.

Staff at the BBC's Persian service in London are among dozens of Iranian journalists who have been subjected to what appears to be an operation sponsored by the authorities and aimed at discrediting reporters in the eyes of the public in Iran.

It is not the first time the Iranian authorities have resorted to such tactics, but Sadeq Saba, head of BBC Persian, said the number of incidents and level of harassment has increased in the last few weeks.

"In comparison to previous round of harassment, this time the language they were using in Iran [against the family members] was more threatening," he said. According to Saba, members of journalists' families have been summoned to the intelligence service headquarters for questioning. One journalist whose parents were interrogated several times said they were told he should stop working for the BBC or risk being killed. » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Thursday, January 24, 2013

'Muslim Patrol' Gang: Police Arrest Three More After Homophobic Video
THE GUARDIAN: New arrests bring total to five after incidents and YouTube videos in which east London gang harass members of public

Detectives investigating a self-styled Muslim patrol gang have made three more arrests, Scotland Yard has said.

Officers are investigating a string of incidents in east London over the weekend where the group harassed members of the public.

A video posted on YouTube showed the gang hurling homophobic abuse at one man, whom the police have urged to come forward.

In the film, titled "Muslim vigilantes in London harass and taunt gay male", they are heard to shout "get out of here you fag … don't stay around here any more".

In a second video, also posted online, men from the gang in Whitechapel tell another man "no drink in this area, it's a Muslim area" before ordering him to pour away his alcohol.

Det Chief Inspector Wendy Morgan from Tower Hamlets borough said: "The Met takes such homophobic behaviour very seriously. (+ video) » | Press Association | Thursday, January 24, 2013

Fewer Than One In Four People Think Islam Is Compatible With British Life, Faith Minister Warns

MAIL ONLINE: Baroness Warsi accuses critics of Islam of being 'un-British' / She points to polling which shows just 24% think Islam is compatible with being British and 23% ay it is not a threat to Western civilisation

Fewer than one in four British voters believes Islam is compatible with the British way of life, the UK's first Muslim woman Cabinet Minister reveals today.

Baroness Warsi will quote private police figures which show that more than half of race hate attacks in Britain are against Muslims as she condemns critics of Islam for peddling 'hate'.

Lady Warsi sparked huge controversy two years ago when she said Britain's approach to Muslims has made Islamophobia acceptable at middle class dinner parties.

But in a new speech today she accuses critics of Islam of being 'un-British' themselves by grouping ordinary Muslims with extremists.

The Minister for Faith and Communities reveals stark polling conducted by YouGov which found that just 24 per cent of voters think Islam is compatible with being British, while more than half disagree. Only 23 per cent say Islam is not a threat to Western civilisation.

An unrepentant Lady Warsi, whose parents emigrated from Pakistan, said that she was right to speak out before and will use the new evidence to warn that the 'underlying, unfounded mistrust' of Muslims is fuelling extremism. Read on and comment » | Tim Shipman | Thursday, January 24, 2013

David Cameron Europe Speech: Germany's Bild Pays Tribute to 'Crazy Brits'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Germany's Bild newspaper has published an impassioned editorial in defence of the "crazy Brits" and David Cameron's pledge to hold a referendum on the European Union.

Going against the grain of most European press coverage of the Prime Minister's speech, which is hostile, the popular German newspaper, praises Britain for "once again making an extra sausage", or seeking an extra democratic advantage.

"Crazy Brits. The Brits put Europe into a frenzy," the newspaper opines.

"Most EU countries have tacitly agreed to build Europe above the heads of the people. Motto: The European project is simply too important for democratic participation. And then along comes this Cameron!"

The German newspaper upbraids those who are seeking to kick Britain out of the EU and to lecture Britons on their national interest as defined by outsiders in Brussels or elsewhere on the continent.

"Nice that the rest of the world knows better than the Brits do the interests of their country. » | Bruno Waterfield | Thursday, January 24, 2013

BILD.DE: Bitte geht nicht, ihr seid so schön crazy! : Kaum hat Großbritanniens Premier David Cameron eine Volksabstimmung über die Zugehörigkeit der Insel zu EU-Europa angekündigt, steht der alte Kontinent Kopf. » | Mittwoch, 23. Januar 2013

Trillions of Dollars Worth of Oil Found in Australian Outback
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Up to 233 billion barrels of oil has been discovered in the Australian outback that could be worth trillions of dollars, in a find that could turn the region into a new Saudi Arabia.

The discovery in central Australia was reported by Linc Energy to the stock exchange and was based on two consultants reports, though it is not yet known how commercially viable it will be to access the oil.

The reports estimated the company's 16 million acres of land in the Arckaringa Basin in South Australia contain between 133 billion and 233 billion barrels of shale oil trapped in the region's rocks.

The find was likened to the Bakken and Eagle Ford shale oil projects in the US, which have resulted in massive outflows and have led to predictions that the US could overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer as soon as this year.

Peter Bond, Linc Energy's chief executive, said the find could transform the world's oil industry but noted that it would cost about £200 million to enable production in the area. Shale oil is more costly to extract than conventional crude oil and involves the controversial process of fracking, in which water and chemicals are used to break up the rocks.

"If you took the 233 billion, well, you're talking Saudi Arabia numbers," Mr Bond told ABC News. » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Thursday, January 24, 2013

Pentagon Lifts Ban on Women in Combat
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is lifting the military’s ban on women in combat, which will open up hundreds of thousands of additional front-line jobs to them, senior defense officials said on Wednesday.

The groundbreaking decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armor, infantry and other such combat roles, even though in reality women have found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, where more than 20,000 have served. As of last year, more than 800 women had been wounded in the two wars and more than 130 had died.

Defense officials offered few details about Mr. Panetta’s decision but described it as the beginning of a process to allow the branches of the military to put it into effect. Defense officials said Mr. Panetta had made the decision on the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. » | Elisabeth Bumiller | Wednesday, January 23, 2013

This is the West’s unrelenting quest to turn men into women, and women into men. Soon, there will be no masculine men or feminine women left. – © Mark

Prince Harry: 'I Don't Know What Normal Is'

Muslim Patrol: Thugs Abuse Man in Second 'Vigilante' Video
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A second inflammatory video featuring Islamic vigilantes emerged today, which appeared to show members of the group hurling homophobic abuse at a man and telling him to leave their "Muslim area".


The footage, from a group calling themselves Muslim Patrol, shows the gang abusing the unnamed man who was walking by himself in Whitechapel, East London.

Today Scotland Yard said they were investigating the video, which was posted on YouTube. Muslim leaders also condemned the thugs' behaviour.

It comes after the gang uploaded another video called "The Truth About Saturday Night", in which white women were called "naked animals with no self-respect".

In the latest video, hooded thugs shout at the terrified man, who appears to be wearing make-up, before one tells him: "Mate, don't you know this is a Muslim area. What's wrong with your face?"

Another then shouts: "This is a Muslim area get out of here. Get out here you b----- f--. You can't stay round here anymore."

During the latest filmed confrontation, the victim can be heard to say: "I am a homosexual."

A yob then asks: "Why are you dressed like that?"

The same yob then tells the man: "You are walking through a Muslim area dressed like a f--. You need to get out of here. "Get out of here quicker. You're dirty mate."

The man then forces the victim to admit he is dirty, he can be heard saying: "Are you dirty? Say it again." » | Telegraph Reporters | Tuesday, January 22, 2013

EU-Partner zeigen London kalte Schulter

DIE PRESSE: David Cameron droht mit seinem Druckmittel eines Referendums zu scheitern, weil die großen EU-Partner den Briten keine Sonderrechte mehr zugestehen wollen. Ein EU-Austritt wird realistisch.

London. Die Reaktion kam rasch und war eindeutig: Die beiden großen EU-Länder Frankreich und Deutschland wollen Großbritannien keine neuen Sonderrechte mehr zugestehen. Sie möchten sich auf das Druckmittel des britischen Premiers, der am Mittwoch ein Referendum über den Verbleib seines Landes in der EU angekündigt hat, nicht einlassen.

David Cameron hat den Einsatz in der Europapolitik mit seiner Rede in London noch einmal erhöht. Bleiben die EU-Partner hart, werden die Briten möglicherweise Ende 2017 nicht über eine neue Sonderrolle der Insel in der Europäischen Union, sondern lediglich über ein Ende der Mitgliedschaft entscheiden. Ein Recht, das ihnen der Lissabon-Vertrag mit der Austrittsklausel zugesteht. » | Gabriel Rath | Die Presse | Mittwoch, 23. Januar 2013

Thousands Convert to Islam in Dubai

KHALEEJ TIMES: DUBAI — Statistics say that Islam is the fastest growing among over 4,200 religions in the world today, with the emirate of Dubai seeing the conversion of more than 4,000 people last year.

There were 4,229 in all who converted to Islam at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities (Diaca) and the Islamic Information Centre of the Dubai government-run Dar Al Ber Society.

Diaca saw the conversion of 2,322 residents from 77 different countries — 70 per cent of whom were women. Diaca director-general Hamad Al Shaibani said the department spared no effort to convey the tolerant message of Islam, develop awareness about Islamic culture, and enhance national identity.

“We also pay much attention to new Muslims and provide them with an array of lectures, activities and training courses for them and their family members.” » | Ahmed Shaaban | Wednesday, January 23, 2013

EU-Referendum: Lasst die Briten gehen!
STERN.DE: David Cameron hat den Briten ein Referendum zur EU versprochen. Und sie bekommen es. In vier Jahren. Aber es bleibt die Frage: Wird das Land dann noch abstimmen oder ist es nicht jetzt schon raus? Ein Kommentar von Cornelia Fuchs

Während meiner Zeit als Korrespondentin in London habe ich viele Vorträge von Politikern und Politikbegeisterten gehört, die ihre Theorien zur EU vor mir ausbreiteten. Ob dies im Pub passierte oder in einem Vortragsraum - die Mehrheit hatte einen eindeutigen Grundtenor: Wir brauchen Euch nicht, aber Ihr braucht uns.

EU-Gegner riefen dabei nicht selten das alte Empire ins Gedächtnis: Die ehemaligen Kolonien seien eine viel natürlichere Gemeinschaft für das Vereinigte Königreich, der Commonwealth mit dem beliebten, weißen und weisen Oberhaupt Königin Elizabeth II. Oder man folge der Muttersprache und vereine von Indien bis zu den Vereinigten Staaten alle Länder der "Anglosphere", des englischen Einflusses. » | Cornelia Fuchs | Mittwoch, 23. Januar 2013

David Cameron Calls for UK Exemption from EU's 'Ever-closer' Union

THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister strikes at heart of the European project in speech setting out his plans for an 'in or out' referendum by 2017

David Cameron has outlined the scale of his ambition to transform the terms of Britain's membership of the EU by calling for the UK to be exempted from its founding principle: the creation of an ever-closer union.

In his long-awaited speech on the EU, the prime minister cast himself as a modern-day heretic as he pledged to challenge established thinking.

Speaking at the London headquarters of Bloomberg, Cameron confirmed plans to hold an in-out referendum after the next election but warned: "The biggest danger to the European Union comes not from those who advocate change, but from those who denounce new thinking as heresy. In its long history Europe has experience of heretics who turned out to have a point."

The prime minister said that nothing would be off the table when he puts forward demands for the repatriation of a series of powers to Britain if he wins the 2015 general election. A new settlement would then be put to voters in a referendum by the end of 2017.

"I believe in confronting this issue – shaping it, leading the debate. Not simply hoping a difficult situation will go away," he said.

The prime minister concluded by saying that he would campaign with all his "heart and soul" for Britain to remain in the EU if he succeeds in renegotiating its membership terms. "When the referendum comes, let me say now that if we can negotiate such an arrangement, I will campaign for it with all my heart and soul," he said.

But Cameron declined to be drawn on whether he would campaign for a no vote if he failed to secure changes in the negotiations. Read on and comment » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Wednesday, January 23, 2013


My comment:

The Conservatives under David Cameron are playing fast and loose with our future. They dream of re-creating England's past glory. But it's never going to happen, of course. It is becoming ever-clearer now that David Cameron is truly out of his depth. He is a man with little foresight, and still less charisma. If he thinks he is going to move the Europeans over to his way of thinking, he's got another think coming.

The way things are going, the Europeans will soon be telling us to "get on our bikes." Then the UK will find itself truly isolated: it won't have any pull at the top tables in Europe, and the Americans will shun us because we won't have any bargaining power there. Nice one, Dave!

I am old enough to remember a time when the UK was not in Europe; I am old enough to remember the referendum which took us into the club. Although it wasn't stated, anyone with any political savvy knew in his heart of hearts that it would lead to an ever-closer union. It wasn't rocket science. Further, I can add that the UK was an infinitely poorer place to live in. The selection of goods in the shops was as nothing by comparison with what we have today in the way of variety of continental foodstuffs. If you wanted continental foods, you'd have to travel to your nearest large town or city and pay a visit to the expensive, exclusive delicatessen to buy them, and even then the selection was severely limited by comparison with today. If you wanted to travel in Europe, you'd need your papers for different countries; if you were taken ill abroad, you wouldn't have access to local health services; if you wanted to work in a European country, you'd have to go through a great deal of red-tape (if it was even possible at all).

If this is the scenario that cast-iron Dave wants to re-create, then the man is a fool. It's a great shame that he isn't a little bit older. If he were, he'd be able to remember the status quo ante. It would do him a lot of good to have some idea of it. – © Mark

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Mariage pour tous : Chanel fait défiler deux mariées

METRO: SOCIETE - Karl Lagerfeld a présenté mardi matin la collection printemps/été de Chanel au Grand Palais à Paris. L'occasion pour lui de faire un coming-out fashion en plein débat sur le mariage homosexuel.

Comme un pied de nez à l'actualité. Karl Lagerfeld a conclu le défilé haute couture Chanel ce mardi de manière un peu moins traditionnelle qu'à l'accoutumée : avec deux mariées. En plein débat sur le mariage pour tous, effet immédiat garanti. "Je ne comprends même pas cette discussion en France car depuis 1901 l'église et l'Etat sont séparés", a expliqué Karl le couturier de la maison Chanel à l'issue du défilé. "Pourquoi les gens qui vivent ensemble ne peuvent pas avoir la même sécurité que les bourgeois mariés ?".

Dans une interview accordée au magazine anglais Vice il y a deux ans, il se disait pourtant opposé à l’idée du mariage gay. "Je suis contre pour la simple raison que, dans les années 60, tout le monde réclamait le droit à la différence. Et maintenant, soudainement, tout le monde veut une vie bourgeoise" faisait-il valoir alors. » | mardi 22 janvier 2013

Barack und Michelle Obama feiern zweite Amtszeit
Start in Runde Zwei: Bei einer Parade und einem Ball in Washington ließ sich das US-Präsidenten-Paar von seinen Anhängern feiern. Zuvor schwor Barack Obama den Amtseid.

Eis und Schnee sorgen für Chaos an Flughäfen
Schnee und Eisregen haben auch am Montag für Ausfälle im Flugverkehr und starke Behinderungen auf den Straßen gesorgt. In Frankfurt und München mussten zahlreiche Flüge gestrichen werden.

Obama Sounds Historically LGBT-Inclusive Message in Inauguration Speech
THE ADVOCATE: The speech marked the first time a president used the term 'gay' as a reference to sexual orientation in an inauguration speech. Prayers and poems carried messages of inclusion as well.

President Obama’s speech for his second inauguration broke new ground in inclusiveness, with the first use of the word “gay” in reference to sexual orientation and a call for LGBT equality.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said.

He also invoked the Stonewall riots of 1969, which marked the beginning of the modern gay rights movement, as a milestone in civil rights history. “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall,” the president said.

Gay CNN reporter Anderson Cooper commented on the historic nature of the speech. “For a president who only recently, to use his word, evolved on the issue of same-sex marriage, he made very forceful statements in this inaugural address, actually, historic statements on equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans,” Cooper said. » | Trudy Ring | Monday, January 21, 2012

Santorum Blames American Downfall on Gay Agenda in Colleges
THE ADVOCATE: According to Santorum, pop culture and colleges have ruined America.

Former senator and Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum blamed the decline of America on indoctrinating the gay agenda in colleges across the country and the media. » | Michelle Garcia | Saturday, January 19, 2013

'Old People Should Hurry Up and Die', Says Japan Deputy Leader

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Taro Aso, Japan's deputy prime minister, has been forced to pedal back from a suggestion that old people should "hurry up and die" to save the state the cost of providing them with medical care.

Mr Aso, who has a reputation for speaking indelicately, was commenting at a meeting of the National Council on Social Security Reforms on Monday on the heavy burden imposed on the nation's finances by prolonging patients' lives with treatment.

Describing patients with serious illnesses as "tube persons," Mr Aso, who is 72, said they should be "allowed to die quickly" if they want to, Kyodo News reported.

"Heaven forbid I should be kept alive if I want to die," he said. "You cannot sleep well when you think it's all paid by the government. This won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die." » | Julian Ryall, Tokyo | Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Inside Story - Is Israel Leaning Further to the Right?
Talks of Israeli military action over Iran's nuclear programme, but an absence of it in peace efforts with the Palestinians. Will a new coalition be strong enough to form a stable government? Guests: Anshel Pfeffer, Graeme Bannerman, Roee Ruttenberg.

Has Terrorism Become Synonymous with Islam?
Tommy Robinson (EDL Leader) vs Abdullah al Andalusi

Iran Hangs Two for 'Waging War Against God'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran has hanged two men for "waging war against God," over their role in an assault that was filmed and posted on YouTube.

A 37-second video posted on YouTube in December and later shown on Iranian state television showed four masked men approaching the victim on motorcycles, and then two of them assaulting him, taking his bag and jacket.

One of the attackers appeared to be wielding a long knife or machete.

The attack prompted public outrage, and officials vowed to punish those responsible. Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad Ali Sorouri were hanged early on Sunday in the Iranian capital, Tehran, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). » | Source: Reuters | Monday, January 21, 2013

NBC Interview with Queen Farah Pahlavi

McDonald's Settles US Lawsuit Over Islamic Diet
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: McDonald's and one of its franchise owners agreed to pay $700,000 to members of the Muslim community to settle allegations a Detroit-area restaurant falsely advertised its food as being prepared according to Islamic dietary law.

McDonald's and Finley's Management Co. agreed Friday to the tentative settlement, with that money to be shared by Dearborn Heights resident Ahmed Ahmed, a Detroit health clinic, the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn and lawyers.

Ahmed's attorney, Kassem Daklallah, told The Associated Press on Monday that he's "thrilled" with the preliminary deal that's expected to be finalized March 1. McDonald's and Finley's Management deny any liability but say the settlement is in their best interests.

The lawsuit alleged that Ahmed bought a chicken sandwich in September 2011 at a Dearborn McDonald's but found it wasn't halal - meaning it didn't meet Islamic requirements for preparing food. Islam forbids consumption of pork, and God's name must be invoked before an animal providing meat for consumption is slaughtered. » | Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Why Germans Distrust Islam
DEUTSCHE WELLE: Prejudice and the fear of too many foreigners is especially prevalent in Germany. With the growing number of Muslims, distrust of Islam is rising. Why are Germans afraid of the "foreign"?

The cashier at the supermarket wears a headscarf, copies of the Koran are handed out on the streets, and mosques have become part of some cities' landscapes. Islam appears to be encroaching on life in Germany and that bothers a lot of people.

"For decades, woman fought for equal rights, and we have attained something. And now, women are choosing to wear headscarves. I don't want that and it scares me," a unversity-educated woman from Cologne says.

Her attitude is not uncommon. In the long debate over the new Cologne Central Mosque, which will be one of Europe's largest, fear and distrust of Islam have come to light and are widespread. Islamism a "real threat" » | DW.DE | Monday, January 21, 2013