'Fake Sheikh' in £300,000 Plot to Blackmail Saudi Princess after Video of Her 'Smoking with Her Head Uncovered' Is Stolen from Her Laptop

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Princess Basmah went public after the man demanded money / He posed as her friend and tried to trick her into saying 'sexual' things / The human rights campaigner says the video was stolen from her laptop / But she is defiant and claims there is a conspiracy to discredit her

A Saudi Arabian princess is the victim of a blackmail attempt involving a video of her that could anger and shock the establishment in the hardline Islamic state.

Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al Saud - more commonly known as Princess Basmah - is being held to ransom by a man who plans to embarrass her with a video - if she does not pay him £320,000.

The video shows her blowing a kiss and smoking with her head uncovered - taboos in strict Saudi Arabia[.]

But rather than bow to the demands of the man, London-based Princess Basmah, who campaigns for human rights in the kingdom, has exposed the extortion attempt on her website and through social media channels.

The plot began while Princess Basmah was on holiday at Christmas at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, according to The Daily Telegraph.

She received a message on Facebook from a man claiming to be a friend, who she refuses to name but described as a sheikh in his 30s from the United Arab Emirates.

She later discovered the account had been hacked by her blackmailer. Read on and comment » | Sam Webb | Sunday, February 17, 2013

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Saudi princess, the fake sheikh and a plot to silence her: She is the granddaughter of Saudi Arabia’s first king and the youngest daughter of its second ruler. » | Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter | Sunday, February 17, 2013

HRH Princess Basmah »

Violent Tide of Salafism Threatens the Arab Spring
THE OBSERVER: A series of repressive dictatorships have been brought down in north Africa, but the ensuing struggles for power have left a vacuum that has allowed the rise of an extremist movement that is gathering both force and supporters

Late last year, largely unnoticed in the west, Tunisia's president, Moncef Marzouki, gave an interview to Chatham House's The World Today. Commenting on a recent attack by Salafists – ultra-conservative Sunnis – on the US embassy in Tunis, he remarked in an unguarded moment: "We didn't realise how dangerous and violent these Salafists could be … They are a tiny minority within a tiny minority. They don't represent society or the state. They cannot be a real danger to society or government, but they can be very harmful to the image of the government."

It appears that Marzouki was wrong. Following the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid last Wednesday – which plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution – the destabilising threat of violent Islamist extremists has emerged as a pressing and dangerous issue.

Violent Salafists are one of two groups under suspicion for Belaid's murder. The other is the shadowy, so-called neighbourhood protection group known as the Leagues of the Protection of the Revolution, a small contingent that claims to be against remnants of the old regime, but which is accused of using thugs to stir clashes at opposition rallies and trade union gatherings. » | Peter Beaumont and Patrick Kingsley | Sunday, February 10, 2013

American Way: Barack Obama Ducked the Chance to Tackle America's Financial Death-spiral

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: When Barack Obama won a second term in office last November a tiny, guttering flame of hope was observed in the breasts of many hard-pressed Americans who wanted common sense to prevail in Washington.

That hope centred not on any naive expectation that Democrats and Republicans would suddenly learn to love each other, but that Mr Obama, freed from having to run for office again and in search of a personal legacy for his presidency, might start to show some leadership.

Last week, sad to report, those hopes flickered and died when Mr Obama delivered a State of the Union address that showed he has absolutely no intention of getting serious about arresting America's long-term financial death-spiral.

This was an infuriatingly dishonest speech. Mr Obama spelled out very clearly America's impending demographic crunch – too many baby-boomers, not enough money to pay for their benefits – but then falsely pretended the problem could be solved by tinkering around the edges.

"Medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms," he allowed, warning that failure to fix America's unsustainable entitlement system would "crowd out the investments we need for our children, and jeopardise the promise of a secure retirement for future generations."

All true, except for that one word, "modest". There is nothing modest about the size of America's financial problems, as Doug Elmendorf, the director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, explained last week when he was up on Capitol Hill spelling out budgetary home truths. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Saturday, February 16, 2013

Doku: Islam: Sieben Staetten der muslimischen Welt
Scharia und Demokratie! Wohin treibt der Islam?

Spiegel TV Doku - Salafist Mohamed Mahmoud

Allahs deutsche Schwerter
Eine kleine Gruppe von radikalen Muslimen in Deutschland hat sehr eigene Vorstellungen davon, wie das Leben zwischen Himmel und Hölle auszusehen hat - und würde auch im Namen Allahs zum Schwert greifen, um ihre Ziele durchzusetzen.

Die 27-minütige Doku von Rainer Fromm und Sarah Müller-Fromm zeigt ein weites Spektrum an Islamisten in Deutschland: Von strenggläubigen Salafisten über die Sauerland-Gruppe, die konkrete Anschläge plante, bis zu Pierre Vogel, dem einflussreichsten deutschen Konvertiten und Hassprediger. Ein Aussteiger berichtet über Ziele und Methoden der salafistischen Szene. Auch die moderatere, vom Verfassungsschutz beobachtete Vereinigung "Milli Görüs" ist Thema.

Ein Film der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Nordrhein-Westfalen, (c) 2012

Pope to Spend Retirement 'Hidden from World'
Vatican officials are dismissing suggestions that the outgoing head of the Roman Catholic Church will exert influence over his successor.

A Look Back at Pope Benedict XVI's Career
Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church has decided to resign from his post due to ill health, the Vatican has announced.

Inside Story: Horsemeat Scandal: Who Is to Be Blamed?
As the scandal involving horsemeat sold as beef widens across Europe, we ask how can consumer confidence be restored.

Schädliches Medikament im Pferdefleisch
Etikettenschwindel noch und noch: Erst das falsch deklarierte Rindfleisch, jetzt auch noch Spuren verbotener Arzneimittel in Pferdefleisch. In Grossbritannien wurden drei Personen festgenommen.

In Canada Lesbian Kathleen Wynne Reached Out To Islamofascists During Liberal Convention
Tarek Fatah and Ezra Levant discuss how progressive Liberals in Canada are naively reaching out to hardcore Islamic Islamofacists. The strict Canadian Islamists are targeting Liberal Muslims in Canada, like Tarek Fatah. Islamists in Canada are anti-gay and homophobic so why would a Lesbian woman like Kathleen Wynne reach out to conservative members of the Moslem community? The same Islamic groups who are against gay and lesbian human rights and gay marriage.

Related »

Gore, Current Silent as Cleric Affirms Death Penalty for Leaving Islam on Al-Jazeera
THE DAILY CALLER: Aides to former Democratic Vice President Al Gore have failed to respond to a recent Al-Jazeera TV broadcast, in which a top imam affirmed the Death Penalty [sic] for anyone who quits Islam.

Gore sold his Current TV Network to Al-Jazeera, which now plans to extend its broadcast into the United States this summer, according to Ashok Sinha, vice president of corporate communications at Current TV/Al-Jazeera America.

Gore reportedly sold Current TV for $500 million and endorsed Al-Jazeera’s news programs.

Western critics of Islam highlighted a recent broadcast of the network’s regular “Shariah and Life” show, which has an estimated audience of 60 million viewers worldwide.

The show’s host is Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent Sunni Islamic cleric.

He declared that Islam’s mandated death-penalty for apostasy has kept Islam alive since the 1400s. “If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment Islam wouldn’t exist today,” Qaradawi said on the show.

Qaradawi cited specific verses and narrations by Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, and the recorded testimony of his companions, that mandate the death penalty for anyone who tries to leave Islam. » | Nicole Lafond | Tuesday, February 12, 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: After the Arab Spring: Al-Jazeera Losing Battle for Independence – For over a decade, the Arab television broadcaster Al-Jazeera was widely respected for providing an independent voice from the Middle East. Recently, however, several top journalists have left, saying the station has developed a clear political agenda. » | Alexander Kühn, Christoph Reuter and Gregor Peter Schmitz | Friday, February 15, 2013

Pat Robertson: Islam Is 'Demonic'; It's 'Not A Religion'. It's an Economic System

Robertson: God Will Punish Us for Supporting Gay Rights

Beck: Its 'Plausible' That John Brennan Converted to Islam and 'Reasonable' to Ask Questions

The Last Supper: Germany's Great Church Sell-Off
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Dwindling church attendance and dire financial straits are forcing the Catholic and Protestant Churches in Germany to sell off church buildings en masse. Some are demolished, while others are turned into restaurants or indoor rock climbing centers.

The crew tasked with demolishing the Holy Family Church in the northern German town of Barmstedt arrived bright and early and began by removing the baptismal font. Next, a bulldozer moved in and knocked down the main church hall and the bell tower. In the space of a just a few hours, this house of worship to the Almighty was reduced to a pile of rubble.

"Very painful," is how Rev. Stefan Langer describes the demolition of this church north of Hamburg. For years, Langer oversaw baptisms, weddings and services here, but now the former church grounds stand nearly empty. The congregation has put the plot of land up for sale, advertising the property as "developable land" in a "prime location," and asking a price of €310,000 ($416,000).

"Upon this rock, I will build my church," Jesus said with confidence. He said nothing, though, about demolishing those churches.

Two millennia later, churches are being forced to make dramatic cuts due to dire financial straits and declining membership. "Between 1990 and 2010 we closed 340 churches, and of those 46 were demolished," says Thomas Begrich, head of finances for the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), Germany's largest federation of Protestant churches. This, Begrich says, is only the beginning. "It may be necessary to give up an additional 1,000 buildings," he said.

Churches are being demolished throughout Germany. Take, for example, the city of Frankfurt am Main. In the 1950s, when Konrad Adenauer was German chancellor, there were 430,000 Protestants living in the city. Today, that number is 110,000. These declining numbers have forced the Church's regional authorities to close every fourth house of worship. » | Matthias Schulz | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Thursday, February 14, 2013

How Will Bute Being Found in Horsemeat Affect the Food Chain?
Eight horses slaughtered in the UK have tested positive for the veterinary painkiller bute, according to the Food Standards Agency. Phenylbutazone can cause rare, life-threatening conditions in humans, such as blood dyscrasia. Special correspondent Felicity Lawrence explains the significance of the drug entering the food chain

Egypt's Alcohol Ban Raises Tourism Doubts
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Holidaymakers to Egypt have been reassured about the future of the country as a tourist destination after authorities moved to restrict the sale of alcohol.

This week the government – led by Mohamed Morsi of the Freedom and Justice Party, which has strong links to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood – said it will no longer issue licenses to sell alcohol in some urban areas, including newly-built “satellite cities” on the outskirts of major population centres.

Announcing the move, Nabil Abbas, vice-president of the New Urban Communities Authority, said: “We cannot allow stores spreading debauchery in our society.”

Although the ban is unlikely to affect any key holiday destinations – particularly Red Sea resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh – it has raised fears that growing conservatism could soon affect those travellers wishing to visit the country and enjoy a drink. One Cairo-based news website described the move as “the end of alcohol in Egypt”. » | Oliver Smith | Friday, February 15, 2013

Horsemeat Scandal in Britain in 1948 - British Pathé Video
This news report from 1948 from the British Pathé archives shows how horses were killed and sold on the black market to back-street restaurants, who then served it to customers who thought they eating steak or veal. The problem was so bad that some breeds of horse were even threatened with extinction

NRA's Wayne LaPierre's Gun Warning for Obama: 'We Don't Want to Be Like England'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: America's most prominent pro-gun activist has urged the country's shooters to fight efforts by President Barack Obama to make the US "like England" with tougher laws regulating firearms.

Wayne LaPierre, the chief executive of the National Rifle Association (NRA), warned gun enthusiasts that Mr Obama's plans for an assault weapons ban and background checks would make them pariahs.

"We don't want America to become like England, where some of that nation's outstanding rifle competitors keep their hobby a dark secret from their neighbours for fear of social disapproval," said Mr LaPierre. "We're not going to let the anti-gunners push us into that zone."

His remarks, in an article for The Daily Caller website, were sharply rejected as "absolute rubbish" by Phil Scanlan, the performance director for British Shooting, the national gun sports organisation.

"Of course you have to go through a series of checks to obtain a licence," Mr Scanlan told The Daily Telegraph. "But if you want a gun for legitimate sporting purposes there are no real barriers."

Mr Scanlan pointed to last summer's London Olympics – where Briton Peter Wilson won gold in the double trap, and "shooting events were sold out every day" – as proof of healthy gun-sports culture. » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Thursday, February 14, 2013

THE DAILY CALLER: Stand and Fight » | Wayne LaPierre | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Mad Men of Smith Square: A Lonely Battle To Save Europe in Britain
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Contempt for Europe is rising all across Britain, driven by politicians and media who blame Brussels, often absurdly, for everything from the declining economy to male impotence. A small group of pro-Europeans are waging a bizarre campaign against the country's agitated majority.

A group of men, all clad in dark suits, have gathered in a central London conference room to save Europe. They have responded to an invitation proclaiming that "the fight back begins" -- and the seriousness of the situation is reflected in their faces. It is late on a Wednesday afternoon a fortnight ago -- one week after British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a referendum will be held on Britain's membership in the European Union. That has opened the door for the country to exit the EU, which is something that the men in this room want to prevent at all costs. Ever since the day when Cameron said it was time to "settle the question" of Britain's relationship with Europe, these men have had a mission.

The building in which they are forging their plans is Europe House -- a political flashpoint. Up until just a few years ago, this was the Conservative Party's headquarters. Margaret Thatcher once planned her attacks against Brussels here, and Cameron used to have an office on the premises. Now, the building on Smith Square houses the offices of the European Parliament and the European Commission. The mass-circulation Daily Telegraph has dubbed it the "propaganda headquarters." This should actually be a good place to defend the European ideal against its adversaries, but it's a lonely place -- the last bastion.

Fat, Battle, War

Not many people have come to the meeting, 150 perhaps, and they can all easily fit into the windowless room. Members of the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party are attending the event. This is a cross-party movement primarily of older men with thinning hair, and very few women. The event was organized by Peter Wilding, who now grabs the microphone. Wilding, who has the charisma of a brush salesman, is the director of the Center for British Influence through Europe, a newly founded group that is lobbying for Britain to remain in the EU. He shouts into the room: "Help us to win, help us to fight back."

He says he wants to assemble an "army of supporters" to fight Europhobia in Britain. Wilding's voice has the pitch of a general who has to lead his troops into a decisive battle. » | Juan Moreno and Christoph Scheuermann in London | Thursday, February 14, 2013

Kate Bikini Photos' Publication Defended By Australian Magazine Editor
Fiona Connolly, editor of Australian magazine Woman's Day, defends publishing pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge in a bikini on holiday in the Caribbean. Connolly decided to run the photographs after they were published by an Italian magazine on Wednesday, claiming that the duchess was on a public beach when the pictures were taken

Inside Story: The Two Sides of Barack Obama
With the US president trying to appeal to all sides, what does his State of the Union speech offer for the year ahead?

EU Ministers Urge Action After Horsemeat Scandal
Processed beef products across the European Union are to be DNA tested for traces of horsemeat.

Human Chain Blocks Dresden Neo-Nazi March on Firebombing's Anniversary

Saudi Princes Warn of Damage to UK Relations If Allegations Emerge in Trial
THE GUARDIAN: Royals try to stop 'outrageous' and 'wholly false' allegations about business deals surfacing in London trial

Relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia will suffer if what are said to be highly damaging allegations about business deals surface during a London trial, lawyers for two Saudi princes have warned the high court.

The resort to political justifications – among other reasons – for suppressing the disputed claims is revealed in a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Mr Justice Morgan. The judgment upholds, in principle, requests by the Guardian and Financial Times to be given documents detailing the disputed transactions involving Saudi interests in Beirut and Nairobi.

The allegations are said to be so serious that if published they would upset relations not only between the oil-rich kingdom and the UK but also have an "adverse effect" on Saudi links with the US. The Saudis have dismissed them as untrue, "outrageous" and "scandalous".

The companies court judge has given the Saudis time to appeal against his decision. A confidential annex to the judgment is, therefore, not yet being made public; it remains temporarily closed pending an appeal.

The dispute, which has erupted over the sale of $6.7m (£4.3m) worth of shares, has "thrown up a nuclear mushroom cloud" of litigation, Mr Justice Morgan said.

Lawyers for Prince Mishal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, his son, Prince Abdulaziz, and others have indicated they will go to the court of appeal to challenge the decision and prevent details of the allegations being released. » | Owen Bowcott, legal affairs correspondent | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Bill Maher On Islam

Terrorfurcht in Norwegen: Mann droht mit Anschlag auf Parlament in Oslo
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Polizei riegelte Oslos Zentrum zeitweise weitgehend ab: Ein Mann hat damit gedroht, das Parlament in der norwegischen Hauptstadt zu sprengen. Sicherheitskräfte nahmen einen Verdächtigen fest, mussten ihn kurz darauf aber wieder freilassen.

Oslo - Rund eineinhalb Jahre nach den Anschlägen des Anders Behring Breivik hat eine Bombendrohung die Bürger Oslos in der Nacht zum Mittwoch erneut in Angst versetzt. Dem Polizeichef der norwegischen Hauptstadt, Johan Fredriksen, zufolge sei die "nicht spezifizierte Drohung" durch einen Buspassagier ausgesprochen worden. Die Angaben des Busfahrers habe man als ernstzunehmend eingestuft. » | fdi/dpa | Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2013

«Un pape ne démissionne pas»
Une grande partie des fidèles salue le «courage» du Souverain Pontife et juge son choix «lucide», mais d'autres croyants comprennent mal sa décision.

John Brennan Converted to Islam in Saudi Arabia

Obama Advisor John Brennan Speaks about the Beauty of Islam

Barack Obama's Choice for CIA Chief 'Converted to Islam' Former FBI Agent Claims
MAIL ONLINE: John Guandolo claims John Brennan converted while in Saudi Arabia / Former FBI agent says Mr Brennan visited Mecca and Medina during Hajj

The incoming head of the CIA converted to Islam while working as a station chief in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, a former FBI agent has claimed.

John Guandolo, who retired from the FBI in 2008, said in a radio interview that John Brennan - who has been nominated by Barack Obama as the new director of the CIA - visited the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina accompanied by Saudi officials who may have persuaded him to convert.

Mr Guandolo's tale echoes elements of the plot of hit show Homeland, in which U.S. Marine Nick Brody converts to Islam while being held prisoner by al-Qaeda, only to begin working for the CIA after his release.

Mr Guandolo told the Trento Radio Show via Skype that Mr Brennan visited the holy sites during the Hajj season - in sees hundreds of thousands of Muslims converge on the cities to perform a series of rituals - while serving as CIA station chief in Riyadh between 1996 and 1999, a report on Al Arabiya News said.

Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering Mecca, and are not permitted to enter the city centre, or sacred core, of Medina.

The ex-FBI agent told the radio station Mr Brennan was 'unfit' to take charge of the CIA, and claimed U.S. government officials based in Saudi Arabia during that period 'were direct witnesses to his growing relationships with individuals who work with the Saudi government and they witnessed his conversion to Islam'. Read on and comment » | Kerry McDermott | Tuesday, February 12, 2013


HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »

Muslim Brotherhood's Grip on Power Slipping
Less than six months after assuming power, Muslim Brotherhood faces calls for President Morsi to resign.

Kirche in Bethlehem droht Zerfall: Palästinenser wollen Geburtsstätte Christi retten
Die Geburtskirche in Bethlehem ist einer der heiligsten Orte des Christentums - Jesus soll dort geboren worden sein. Doch die alten Gemäuer zerfallen immer mehr. Mit einem Antrag auf Aufnahme in die Liste der Weltkulturerbe wollen die Palästinenser das Bauwerk retten.

Nach Rücktrittserklärung: Papst hält Generalaudienz
Papst Benedikt XVI. hat bei der Generalaudienz das erste Mal nach seiner Rücktrittsankündigung gesprochen. Mehr als 8000 Menschen lauschten den Worten des Oberhauptes der katholischen Kirche.

Ernährungstipps: So fasten Sie auf gesunde Weise
Nach der närrischen Zeit beginnt die Fastenzeit: Viele üben von Aschermittwoch bis Ostern den Verzicht. Doch Fasten kann auch gefährlich sein. Ernährungsmediziner erklären, worauf zu achten ist.

Horse Meat Scandal: Welsh Plant Vows to Stay Open
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The owner of a Welsh processing plant at the centre of the horse meat scandal remained defiant today, insisting he would continue operations despite being suspended by authorities.

Farmbox Meats' owner Dafydd Raw-Rees, vowed to stay open and said his employees were continuing to "bone" horse meat despite a ban imposed by the Food Standards Authority.

Further raids were conducted on the plant today and more meat seized from the plant after officials said a consignment had appeared to be "moved" from the premises.

The Daily Telegraph discovered several pallets of meat carcasses stored behind the plant's offices on the outskirts of Ceredigion, near Aberystwyth, West Wales.

The meat, some of which appeared to be bloodied, was covered in plastic sheets and stored under tarpaulins.

This morning, men were seen moving some of the pallets into vans. It remains unclear what sort of meat it was or whether they were company employees. » | Andrew Hough, in Ceredigion, and Steve Swinford | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Says He Has Resigned 'For Good of the Church'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI made his first public appearance on Wednesday since his shock resignation announcement, asking thousands of cheering pilgrims at the Vatican to "keep praying for me".


The 85-year-old pontiff was greeted by a standing ovation and chants of "Benedetto", his name in Italian, at his weekly audience in the Paul VI auditorium, with a prominent banner reading "Thank You, Holiness". Benedict, looking drawn and tired but appearing relieved to have put the momentous announcement behind him, said he had made his decision "for the good of the Church" adding: "Keep praying for me, for the Church and for the future pope." The Pope has also sent his first tweet since the announcement: » | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Kate Middleton 'Baby Bump' Photos Published by Italian Magazine
THE GUARDIAN: Royal family protests as Chi prints shots of pregnant Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing in a bikini

An Italian magazine has infuriated the royal family after publishing paparazzi pictures of a pregnant Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing in a bikini on a private holiday in the Caribbean.

The publication of the first royal "baby bump" photos comes months after the same gossip magazine, Chi, published topless pictures of the Duchess on a private holiday in France.

A royal spokeswoman said the publication was "a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy".

"We are disappointed that photographs of the duke and duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas. This is a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy," added the spokeswoman for St James's Palace.

The pictures were taken on the Caribbean island of Mustique where the duchess and her husband, Prince William, are on holiday. They are said to show the duchess, formerly Kate Middleton, walking in the surf alongside the prince.

It is unclear whether the photographer was on the island or whether they were taken from a boat offshore. » | Lisa O'Carroll and Roy Greenslade | Tuesday, February 12, 2013

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australian magazine to publish pictures of pregnant Duchess: An Australian magazine is to publish the photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge which have become the centre of a privacy storm. » | Hayley Dixon | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

L'Assemblée nationale dit "oui" au mariage gay
LE POINT: Les députés ont approuvé le texte après dix jours d'une bataille parlementaire intense menée par l'UMP. Les sénateurs l'examineront à partir du 2 avril.

L'Assemblée nationale a adopté mardi, en première lecture, par 329 voix contre 229 et 10 abstentions, le projet de loi ouvrant le mariage et l'adoption aux couples de même sexe. Dès que l'issue du vote a été annoncée, les députés de la majorité ont scandé : "Égalité, égalité !" Sans surprise, les députés de la majorité ont voté pour le projet de loi, tandis que la grande majorité des députés UMP et UDI ont voté contre, malgré quelques exceptions notables. » | Le Point.fr | mardi 12 février 2013

Lebanese Journalists Come to Blows on Hizbullah TV (February 8, 2013)

Liberal Lebanese Journalist Ziad Noujeim: If God Exists, It May Be Female; We Live in a Garbage Dumpster (January 13, 2013)

Former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner: If Iran Gets Nuclear Weapon, It Will Not Hesitate to Use It; World Should Protect Israel (January 4, 2013)

Mali: Al-Qaïda dans la péninsule arabique appelle au djihad
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La branche d'Al-Qaïda basée au Yémen a appelé au djihad (guerre sainte) contre l'intervention française au Mali, a rapporté mardi le centre américain de surveillance des sites islamistes SITE.

Une «déclaration de guerre contre l'islam et les musulmans». C'est ainsi qu'Al-Qaïda dans la péninsule arabique (Aqpa) a qualifié l'opération française au Mali. Du coup, le groupe radical appelle «tout musulman» à «soutenir les musulmans au Mali» quitte à «payer de leur vie» ou, à défaut, «contribuer financièrement».

«La croisade contre l'islam» menée par la France au Mali «n'est en aucun cas justifiée», affirme l'Aqpa dans son communiqué. Basée au Yémen, l'Aqpa est issue d'une fusion des branches saoudienne et yéménite du réseau. » | ats/Newsnet | mardi 12 février 2013

Rücktrittsgründe: Papst Benedikt XVI. erst vor kurzem am Herzen operiert

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Nach der unerwarteten Rücktrittsankündigung von Papst Benedikt XVI. kursieren Gerüchte: Waren es tatsächlich nur sein Alter und die fragile Gesundheit, die ihn zu der Entscheidung trieben? Jetzt wurde bekannt: Erst vor knapp drei Monaten unterzog sich der Papst einer Herz-OP.

Rom - Am Montagvormittag verkündete der 85-jährige Papst Benedikt XVI. seinen freiwilligen Rücktritt vom Amt - weil "meine Kräfte infolge des vorgerückten Alters nicht mehr geeignet sind, um in angemessener Weise den Petrusdienst auszuüben", wie er es formulierte. Auch sein Bruder Georg, 89, bestätigte, dass Joseph Ratzinger sich nach mehr Ruhe im Alter sehne. Er selbst trage wegen Herzrhythmusstörungen einen Herzschrittmacher, sagte er SPIEGEL ONLINE.

Am Dienstag berichtet die Online-Ausgabe der italienischen Zeitung "Il Sole 24 ore", dass Benedikt XVI. sich erst vor drei Monaten in der römischen Privatklinik Pio XI. einer Operation unterzogen habe. Dabei sei sein Herzschrittmacher ausgetauscht worden, hieß es. Über den Eingriff wurde absolutes Stillschweigen bewahrt - offenbar, um zu verhindern, dass Benedikts seit fast einem Jahr gehegter Plan, das Amt abzugeben, nicht publik werden zu lassen. » | ala/dpa | Dienstag, 12. Februar 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Resignation: The Life and Times of Joseph Ratzinger
As Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation, we look back at some of the highs and lows of his eight-year tenure as the head of the Catholic church. From his controversial remarks about Islam and the use of condoms in the fight against HIV and Aids in Africa, to the first ever papal tweet

Who Will Be the Next Pope? The Contenders for Vatican's Top Job
THE GUARDIAN: Two cardinals from Africa, a Canadian and an Italian are among those being tipped to succeed Pope Benedict XVI

With Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, speculation about who might succeed him when the conclave meets in March has begun. Any baptised Roman Catholic male is eligible for election as pope, but only cardinals have been selected since 1378. Among those who have been mentioned as potential successors are the following: » | Sam Jones and Afua Hirsch | Monday, February 11, 2013

Cardinal Wuerl: Pope's Timing 'Appropriate'
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington answered questions about Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. As a member of the conclave to elect the next pope, he says the choice will be driven by God and the candidate's qualifications. (Feb. 11)

Pope's Resignation Sparks Conspiracy Theories
Benedict XVI's shock resignation has set tongues wagging as some Italians question why he has become the first Pope for nearly 600 years to step down.

Pope Benedict XVI: Resignation in Latin
Listen to the Pope’s resignation in Latin here

Wie aus Joseph Ratzinger Benedikt XVI. wurde
«Wir sind Papst!», jubelte die «Bild»-Zeitung am 20. April 2005. 78 Jahre alt war Joseph Ratzinger damals, auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Karriere angekommen. In die Kirchengeschichte eingeschrieben hatte sich Ratzinger damals längst schon.

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Five Members of British Family Die in Car Crash on Pilgrimage to Mecca But One-year-old Baby Survives
MAIL ONLINE: Baby survived but grandparents, aunt, father and pregnant mother killed / Found 'miraculously' alive in arms of dying grandfather who 'saved his life' / Aunt, due to marry days later, sent last text saying driver going 'too fast' / Taxi driver 'fell asleep' at wheel with three generations of same family in car

Five members of a British family were killed in a car crash on a pilgrimage to Mecca - but a one-year-old baby miraculously survived in the wreckage.

The three generations of the family were making the 3,000 mile trip to Saudi Arabia for the religious journey when their taxi crashed.

The only survivor of the horror smash was Mohammed Eisa Danial Hayat, one, who lost both his parents, grandparents and aunt in the crash.

Baby Mohammed was found being cradled in the arms of his dying grandfather in the crash.

Grandfather Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, his wife Abida, 47, and their children, Mohammed Isshaq Hayat, 33, and Saira Zenub Hayat, 30, died in the smash. » | Emily Davies | Monday, February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28th, a Vatican spokesman has announced.

"The pope announced that he will leave his ministry at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on February 28," said the spokesman, Federico Lombardi.

Last year the Pope started using a cane on occasions and recently he appeared to have trouble reading the text of an address he delivered in Rome.

There was no immediate official comment from the Vatican. » | Barney Henderson | Monday, February 11, 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Sensation im Vatikan: Papst Benedikt XVI. tritt zurück – Papst Benedikt XVI. tritt zurück. Der 85-Jährige wird sein Amt nach Vatikan-Angaben zum Ende des Monats niederlegen. Er ist erst der zweite Pontifex in der Geschichte der Katholischen Kirche, der sich zu diesem Schritt entschieden hat - nach Coelestin V. im Jahr 1294. » | Montag, 11. Februar 2013

LE FIGARO: EN DIRECT – Le pape Benoît XVI va démissionner: Le pape invoque son état physique, ont confirmé des sources du Vatican au Figaro. Il quittera ses fonctions le 28 février. » | lundi 11 février 2013

Yasser Arafat's Widow Says Her Marriage Was 'A Big Mistake'

THE GUARDIAN: Suha Arafat says she tried to leave hundreds of times and would not have married if she had known what was in store

Yasser Arafat's widow has said she tried to leave her husband hundreds of times and that had she known what marriage to the Palestinian leader would be like, she would never have gone through with it.

Suha Arafat told the Turkish newspaper Sabah that she had loved her husband but the marriage "was a big mistake and I regret it". "I know there were a lot of women that wanted to marry Arafat, but he wanted only me. It was my fate," she said.

The couple married secretly in Tunisia in 1990, when Suha was 27 and Arafat 61. Their daughter Zahwa was born five years later.

Her mother had opposed the match, she said. "Later I understood why. Had I known what I would endure, I clearly wouldn't have married him … True, he was a great leader, but I was lonely."

"I tried to leave him hundreds of times, but he wouldn't let me. Everyone knows how he wouldn't permit me to leave. Especially those in his servitude, they know very well what it was like."

Suha converted from Christianity to Islam at the time of her marriage. She led an isolated life for security reasons, she said. "I had to be careful in my phone conversations because of bugging, and we were always moving from one location to another," she added. "My identity was completely destroyed." » | Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem | Sunday, February 10, 2013

Celine Dion Performs in Mandarin for Chinese New Year
Celine Dion performs at a Chinese new year gala in Beijing as millions across the world welcome in the year of the snake on Sunday. The Candian singer performs the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower in Mandarin on Chinese state TV, with Chinese soprano Song Zuying. The performance followed a massive fireworks display that lit up the Beijing skyline

Sweden's Jewish Community Under Siege
A strong police presence surrounded this year's Hanukkah celebrations in Sweden which concluded on Sunday after to a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes which has sparked calls for greater tolerance from the Jewish community.

Sweden: Frightening Muslim Antisemitism Spreading in Malmö

Sweden Begins To Realise What A Serious Muslim Infiltration Means

The Problem of Islam in Sweden

Qatar a 'Slave State' for World Cup Workers, Says Unionist
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Scores of migrant labourers facing 'slavery' conditions will likely die to build Qatar's stadiums for the 2022 World Cup, a prominent trade unionist warned Sunday.

"More labourers will die during construction than the footballers who will step on the pitch," said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation.

"Qatar is a 21st-century slave state," the 58-year-old told left-wing Avgi daily in an interview.

Burrow, a former president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, said construction workers faced temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) outdoors during the summer months.

Nepal alone had recorded 191 deaths among its nationals in 2010, most of them heart attacks, she said. » | AFP | Monday, February 11, 2013

Mosque to Be Built on Cameron's Doorstep Despite Residents' Concern over 'Noise and Parking
MAIL ON SUNDAY: Muslims have been given permission to build a mosque in David Cameron’s home town.

Worshippers faced opposition from residents in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, who expressed concern about noise and parking.

However, councillors voted in favour of transforming a shop into a mosque a few miles from the Prime Minister’s home, although the market town has fewer than 40 practising Islamic residents, according to Census records. » | Mail On Sunday Reporter | Saturday, February 09, 2013

St. Petersburg: Russische Behörden nehmen fast 300 Muslime fest
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Sicherheitskräfte sprechen von einem Schlag gegen den Terror: In St. Petersburg sind 271 Personen muslimischen Glaubens festgenommen worden. Darunter befinden sich auch viele Menschen aus der Unruheregion Nordkaukasus - aus der Russland neue Anschlagsgefahr fürchtet.

St. Petersburg - Es war ein großangelegter nächtlicher Zugriff im Zentrum der russischen Metropole. Wegen Terrorverdachts sind in St. Petersburg fast 300 Muslime festgenommen worden. Zu den 271 Verdächtigen zählten usbekische, tadschikische und aserbaidschanische Staatsbürger, teilte die Ermittlungsbehörde am Samstag mit.

Auch Muslime aus dem Nordkaukasus sowie ein Ägypter und ein Afghane würden wegen ihrer mutmaßlichen Verwicklung in "terroristische Aktivitäten" überprüft. Schon länger wächst in Russland die Sorge, dass von derUnruheregion Nordkaukasuseine neue Terrorgefahr für das ganze Land ausgehen könnte. Den Festgenommenen werde "Aufruf zu Terrorakten" oder "Aufstachelung" vorgeworfen, hieß es in der Mitteilung. » | jok/AFP | Samstag, 09. Februar 2013

Preachers of Hate Who Spread Their Violent Word on British TV Channels
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslim fundamentalists have used British television channels to preach in favour of violent crime and killing “apostates”.

The communications watchdog, Ofcom, has made a series of rulings against channels which allowed “inflammatory” material to be broadcast in breach of rules which forbid extreme opinions gaining a platform on British television.

The cases, disclosed today, include examples of an imam telling viewers that those who disrespect the prophet Mohammed should be killed, and another broadcaster saying homosexuals should be beaten and tortured.

The stations were found to have committed serious breaches of the broadcasting code by allowing the extreme opinions to be aired unchallenged.

Last night experts warned that the extent and seriousness of the broadcasting breaches raises questions over whether extreme Muslim speakers who were previously confined to small audiences in mosques are able to reach thousands more people by broadcasting intolerant teachings on television.

Although the channels have tiny audiences compared to the mainstream, they are targeted at Muslim communities, including people of Pakistani background, with some of the content being broadcast in Urdu and other languages. » | David Barrett, and Ben Leach | Saturday, February 09, 2013

Hitler’s Pope Helped Jews, Book Says

THE OBSERVER: Author uncovers evidence on Pius XII's wartime efforts to save Jewish refugees

Pius XII has long been vilified as "Hitler's pope", accused of failing publicly to condemn the genocide of Europe's Jews. Now a British author has unearthed extensive material that Vatican insiders believe will restore his reputation, revealing the part that he played in saving lives and opposing Nazism [sic]. Gordon Thomas, a Protestant, was given access to previously unpublished Vatican documents and tracked down victims, priests and others who had not told their stories before.

The Pope's Jews, which will be published next month, details how Pius gave his blessing to the establishment of safe houses in the Vatican and Europe's convents and monasteries. He oversaw a secret operation with code names and fake documents for priests who risked their lives to shelter Jews, some of whom were even made Vatican subjects. Vatican hopes secret files exonerate 'Hitler's pope' » | Dalya Alberge | Saturday, February 09, 2013

Violent Tide of Salafism Threatens the Arab Spring
THE OBSERVER: A series of repressive dictatorships have been brought down in north Africa, but the ensuing struggles for power have left a vacuum that has allowed the rise of an extremist movement that is gathering both force and supporters

Late last year, largely unnoticed in the west, Tunisia's president, Moncef Marzouki, gave an interview to Chatham House's The World Today. Commenting on a recent attack by Salafists – ultra-conservative Sunnis – on the US embassy in Tunis, he remarked in an unguarded moment: "We didn't realise how dangerous and violent these Salafists could be … They are a tiny minority within a tiny minority. They don't represent society or the state. They cannot be a real danger to society or government, but they can be very harmful to the image of the government."

It appears that Marzouki was wrong. Following the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid last Wednesday – which plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution – the destabilising threat of violent Islamist extremists has emerged as a pressing and dangerous issue.

Violent Salafists are one of two groups under suspicion for Belaid's murder. The other is the shadowy, so-called neighbourhood protection group known as the Leagues of the Protection of the Revolution, a small contingent that claims to be against remnants of the old regime, but which is accused of using thugs to stir clashes at opposition rallies and trade union gatherings.

The left accuses these groups of affiliation with the ruling moderate Islamist party, Ennahda, and say it has failed to root out the violence. The party denies any link or control to the groups. But it is the rise of Salafist-associated political violence that is causing the most concern in the region. Banned in Tunisia under the 23-year regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, which ruthlessly cracked down on all forms of Islamism, Salafists in Tunisia have become increasingly vocal since the 2011 revolution. » | Angelique Chrisafis, Patrick Kingsley and Peter Beaumont | Saturday, February 09, 2013

German Minister Annette Schavan Quits Over Plagiarism
BBC: German Education Minister Annette Schavan has resigned after a university stripped her of her doctorate for plagiarism.

Duesseldorf's Heinrich Heine University voted last Tuesday to remove her doctorate following a review.

Ms Schavan, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, insisted she would still fight the university's ruling. » | Saturday,, February 09, 2013

DIE WELT: Bildungsministerin Annette Schavan tritt zurück: Die in der Plagiatsaffäre unter Druck geratene Bundesbildungsministerin Annette Schavan stellt ihr Amt zur Verfügung. Sie verkündete ihre Entscheidung gemeinsam mit Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel. » | AFP/ks | Samstag, 09. Februar 2013

Robert Spencer on Michael Coren's Show: Worcester and the Leftist/Islamic War on Free Speech

Jihad Watch »

Independent Exclusive: Royal Books Face MPs' Scrutiny for First Time

THE INDEPENDENT: Westminster watchdog’s historic inquiry set to expose Queen’s aides to questioning

The Queen’s closest aides face the prospect of a historic public grilling by MPs about whether the Royal Family is providing value for taxpayers’ money.

Parliament’s most powerful watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee, is expected to launch an inquiry later this year into the finances of the Queen and the Royal Family. This follows a change in the law which, for the first time, gives MPs oversight of royal finances.

Such an inquiry will cause trepidation in Buckingham Palace because of the committee’s formidable reputation for lambasting civil servants and government departments if it deems they have misused public funds. Read on and comment » | Oliver Wright | Saturday, February 09, 2013

Schneesturm "Nemo": Blizzard legt Teile der US-Ostküste lahm
09.02.2013 - Der Wintersturm "Nemo" fegt über die US-Ostküste, der Verkehr ist fast vollständig lahmgelegt: Flüge sind gestrichen, Straßen gesperrt, der Bahnverkehr ist gestoppt. Fünf Bundesstaaten riefen den Notstand aus, Hunderttausende Haushalte sind ohne Strom.

Leon Panetta Supports Hillary Clinton Plan to Arm Syrian Rebels

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama rejected calls from four of the most senior members of his foreign policy team to arm the rebels fighting to overthrow the Syrian regime, it emerged on Thursday night.

Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, disclosed that he and the Pentagon supported a proposal by Hillary Clinton before she stood down as Secretary of State last week to supply rebel forces with weapons,

Gen Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, also agreed with Mrs Clinton's plan, which received the further backing of David Petraeus, Mr Obama's CIA director until late last year.

Answering questions at a Senate committee hearing, Mr Panetta became the first senior Western official publicly to propose arming the rebels to oust President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces are estimated to have killed 60,000 in a bloody civil war.

"How many more have to die before you recommend military action?" he was asked by John McCain, the veteran Arizona senator. "Did you support the recommendation by then-Secretary of State Clinton and then-head of CIA General Petraeus that we supply weapons to the resistance in Syria?"

"We do," answered Mr Panetta. "We did," added Gen Dempsey. » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Thursday, February 07, 2013

Anyone who wants to arm the Jihadist rebels has got to be stupid! – © Mark

Are Female Converts to Islam Part of a New Wave of Feminism?
THE INDEPENDENT: You’d think after watching BBC Three’s Make me a Muslim documentary, being a female convert to Islam is so riddled with fault lines. Not really. My recent interviews with Muslim converts offered a rare glimpse into the lives of three women who would flatly reject such comparisons. And they’re all buzzing with spiritual ecstasy, retelling what caused them to halal-ify their wardrobes and Islamise dress codes.

“Being Muslim keeps me from wanting to impress others and gives me more personal confidence,” says Chantelle, a 19-year-old convert from Hackney. Today, she goes by the name Khadija, as a sign of respect for Muhammad’s first wife and insists there’s more to British women trading bare midriffs for abayas than what meets the eye. “I wear the hijab because I want to. Because it’s between me and Allah. It’s not a fashion statement. Yes, I don’t go to clubs and don’t sleep around. It gives me a comfort which I know so many of my friends would love to have.” » | Hasnet Lais | Friday, February 08, 2013

The Church has a hell of a lot to answer for. Church leaders have abandoned their purpose, have abandoned their raison d’être. Namely, the preaching of the Gospel, which states that there is no salvation but through Jesus Christ. Instead, they have taken rôles as left-wing political activists. And this is the result: People looking to other faiths for their spiritual sustenance. How stupid and traitorous the Church has been! The Protestant Church has been defiled by the progressives. Little wonder there is a mass exodus from mainline Protestant Christianity. Many Catholics are converting to Islam because of disillusion. Catholics have a lot to answer for too. In a Western society where women have to look to Islam for spiritual sustenance, there is a deep underlying problem. That problem is NOT being addressed. And with current leadership, it won’t be. Expect to read about more Christian converts to Islam! – © Mark

Russia: Orthodox Corruption?
After decades of suppression, the Russian Orthodox Church appears to be back in favour with the country's leadership.