Eastleigh By-election: Open Tory Revolt to David Cameron's Leadership after UKIP Thrashing
LONDON EVENING STANDARD: Right wingers demand tougher policies as Lib Dems cling on to seat / Late Ukip surge fails to defeat Lib Dems / Embarrassment for Tories as they finish in third place / Mike Thornton held on to the seat vacated by disgraced ex minister Chris Huhne

Tory MPs were in open revolt against David Cameron’s touchy-feely leadership style today after being thrashed into third place behind Ukip at the Eastleigh by-election.

Right-wingers said Mr Cameron brought on the disaster by trampling on traditional Conservative values with policies like gay marriage and husky hugging.

In a strongly worded warning, backbencher Stewart Jackson, who quit as a ministerial aide over Europe, told the Standard: “Unless things are demonstrably different in terms of public perception by the early summer he will have great difficulty in persuading the electorate that we can win a general election.

“He is out of touch with the party. Both gay marriage and EU migration feed into a narrative that too much emphasis is going to the Liberal metropolitan elite and not enough to the blue-collar working vote that Margaret Thatcher had the support of.” Epping Forest’s Eleanor Laing said: “Loyalty is a two-way thing and the leadership of the Conservative Party asks for loyalty from our supporters but those supporters don’t feel that they’re getting loyalty back.”

Tory supporters felt “hurt and left out” and MPs were “in despair about the number of people who are resigning from the Party”, she told the BBC’s World at One. Backbencher Douglas Carswell urged the PM: “Don’t alienate base in return for pundit applause. Pundits don’t have many votes.”

There were calls for tougher policies on immigration, Europe and marriage. Ominously, some MPs said Mr Cameron was now on probation and a full-blown leadership crisis would blow up if the party is routed in May’s council elections. The Tory day of anger followed a night of pure drama in Eastleigh. » | Joe Murphy | Friday, March 01, 2013

How Christianity Spread Throughout The Roman Empire

Prince John, The Windsors’ Tragic Secret

The Changing Face of America: The New American Muslim from Judaism/Christianity to Islam

Barack Obama's Half-brother Malik Runs for Office in Kenya

THE GUARDIAN: Malik Obama is running for a governor's position in Kenya's nationwide elections on Monday

A politician named Obama who is running for governor in Kenya can boast of one big claim to fame on the campaign trail: blood relations with the president of the United States.

Malik Obama, 54, a half-brother of Barack Obama, is running for a governor's position in the country's nationwide elections on Monday. He said he was not sure what impact his relationship to the US president had on his campaign.

"I'm going into it as Malik Obama," he said in a phone interview from western Kenya. "I can't run away from my name and association with my brother, but I have the feeling that people somewhat want to see who the brother of Obama is."

He has invoked the message that Barack Obama leaned on during his 2008 presidential campaign: change. Malik Obama says his platform is poverty eradication, infrastructure development and industrialisation. » | Associated Press in Nairobi | Friday, March 01, 2013

‘Obama Family Is a Symbol of Religious Tolerance’
SAUDI GAZETTE: JEDDAH: Abdul Malik Obama, the brother of US President Barack Obama, has described their family as a symbol of religious coexistence and tolerance.

Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Abdul Malik Obama said the family is a perfect example of this mindset because the US president has embraced Christianity while the rest of the family are Muslims and are leading Da’wa work, the religious call, in Africa.

Abdul Malik Obama said that coexistence between religions, preventing sedition, conflicts and wars, is important for the well-being of humanity. He confirmed that he has observed up close that President Obama loves and respects Islam and Muslims.

He said his brother has always remained in contact with the family and his roots in Africa, especially after his 2006 visit to Kenya and the birthplace of his father, Hussein Obama, in Kogelo village.

During the visit, he met his grandmother, Sara Obama; his sister, Obama Obama; his uncle, Sa’iy Obama; and his cousin, Omran Obama. He said his brother donated money to build a school bearing the name “Senator Obama.”

Abdul Malik Hussein Obama is spending most of his time in serving about 10 million Kenyan Muslims, who represent 35 percent of the country’s population, through Islamic centers and charitable societies he supervises.

He is also working as the executive secretary of the Islamic Da’wa Organization in Kenya. » | Naeem Al-Hakim | Thursday, December 09, 2010

„Der radikale Islam passt nicht zu uns“
KURIER: Mustafa Ben Jafaar: Tunesiens Parlamentspräsident im KURIER-Gespräch.

Die Ermordung von Oppositionspolitiker Chokri Belaïd, die zu landesweiten Protesten und dem Rücktritt der Regierung geführt hatten, sei eine „große Tragödie“ gewesen, sagt Tunesiens Parlamentspräsident Mustafa Ben Jafaar (73). Dennoch werde das „postrevolutionäre Tunesien“ in seiner schwierigen Übergangsphase keinen Schritt zurück machen. Mit dem KURIER sprach Ben Jafaar in Wien über...

... die Gefahr religiöser Radikalisierung In Tunesien gibt es keine Tradition des Extremismus. Der radikale Islam passt überhaupt nicht ins religiöse Profil unseres Landes. Die Gesellschaft ist offen und moderat gegenüber anderen. Aber beeinflusst über andere Wege gibt es auch bei uns eine extreme Minderheit an gewaltbereiten Dschihadisten. Dabei ist es nicht ihre Anzahl oder ihre Größe oder ihre Inhalte, die uns Sorgen bereiten – sondern das Klima einer gewaltbereiten Umgebung. Man muss nur sehen,was in Mali vor sich ging, zuletzt in Algerien, und es gibt auch einige Tunesier, die in Syrien mitkämpfen. » | Donnerstag, 28. Februar 2013

Russian Banker Claims He Is Granted Asylum in UK
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A prominent Russian banker claims he has received political asylum in Britain after claiming he was being subjected to a campaign of persecution led by former President Dmitry Medvedev.

Andrei Borodin, 45, the former president and co-owner of the Bank of Moscow who is wanted in Russia for alleged fraud, told the Vedomosti daily that he had been granted asylum by UK authorities in the last few days.

The news drew a sharp condemnation of the British government from Mr Medvedev's spokesman.

If true, the asylum decision is likely to cause fresh tension in the already fraught UK-Russia relationship. The Kremlin was furious when Britain gave asylum to fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky and Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev.

"My lawyers put in an application for political asylum to the UK Home Office indicating that the pursuit of me and my colleagues in Russia is politically motivated," Mr Borodin told the newspaper.

"Behind it are politicians including the former president, Dmitry Medvedev, who is the chief initiator of all this persecution and victimisation. We said that all the criminal cases against me in Russia are nothing but a weapon of that illegal, politically motivated persecution, and the British government decided to give me asylum." Mr Medvedev served for one term as president from 2008 to 2012 before handing back the Kremlin to his ally, Vladimir Putin. He is now prime minister. » | Tom Parfitt, Moscow | Friday, March 01, 2013

Hugo Chavez Is Fighting for Life, Says Vice President
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is fighting for his life in a Caracas military hospital 10 days after returning from cancer treatment in Cuba, his vice president said.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro did not provide more details, but the government said last week that Chavez was still suffering from a respiratory infection and that the trajectory was not favorable.

As he presented subsidised homes on state-run television, Maduro said that Chavez was "battling for his health, for his life, and we are accompanying him," adding later that the president was in a "complex and difficult" stage. » | Friday, March 01, 2013

Dozens Killed in Bangladesh after Islamist Leader Is Sentenced to Death
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: At least 44 people have died in clashes throughout Bangladesh after the leader of an Islamic party was sentenced to death for rapes and murders committed during the country's 1971 war of independence.

Violence continued on Friday in a series of battles between police and supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh's fourth largest political party, in the capital Dhaka and Chittagong.

More than 20 of the dead are believed to have been killed by police who opened fire on protesters with rubber bullets.

The violence erupted amid already heightened tensions in Dhaka where thousands of anti-Jamaat protesters have been gathering daily to demand that those convicted of war crimes be hung. » | Dean Nelson, David Bergman in Dhaka | Friday, March 01, 2013

Vatican Wakes Up with No Pope
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Catholic Church has awoken with no leader following Benedict XVI's resignation, in which he described himself as "simply a pilgrim" starting the final part of his life.

Now begins a period known as the "sede vacante" or "vacant see" - the transition between the end of one papacy and the election of a new pope.

The Vatican post office issued a set of stamps for use during the "Sede Vacante". The unusual interregnum stamps, a series of four, include the Vacant See symbol - a striped umbrella over crossed keys - as well as the words Sede Vacante, Citta del Vaticano and MMXIII, the year in Roman numerals.

The stamps have a face value of 70 euro cents for Italy, 85 cents for Europe and the Mediterranean, two euros for Africa, Asia and the United States and 2.50 euros for Australia.

During these few days - no more than 20 - a few key players take charge running the Holy See, guiding the College of Cardinals in their deliberations and organising the conclave to elect Benedict's successor. » | Source: AP | Friday, March 01, 2013

Basketball Star Dennis Rodman: Kim Jong-un Is 'Awesome'
Before he left Pyongyang, former US basketball star Dennis Rodman heaped praise on the North Korea leader Kim Jong-un and called him "really awesome."

La monarchie espagnole en difficulté
LE MONDE: La monarchie espagnole résistera-t-elle au parfum de scandale qui l'enveloppe ? Eclaboussée par l'affaire de corruption qui touche le gendre du roi, Iñaki Urdangarin, ébranlée par les soucis de santé de Juan Carlos Ier, qui doit subir, le 3 mars, sa quatrième opération en un an, critiquée par plusieurs partis politiques, lacasa real (le palais royal) est affaiblie. [€] » | Par Sandrine Morel - Madrid Correspondance | vendredi 01 mars 2013

La Norvège veut dépénaliser l'inhalation d'héroïne
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L'inhalation d'héroïne est une méthode moins dangereuse que l'injection. Le gouvernement entend réduire le nombre de surdoses dans un pays où la drogue tue davantage que la circulation routière.

Le gouvernement norvégien a annoncé vendredi qu'il souhaitait dépénaliser l'inhalation d'héroïne, une méthode moins dangereuse que l'injection, afin de réduire le nombre de surdoses dans un pays où la drogue tue davantage que la circulation routière. » | afp/Newsnet | vendredi 01 mars 2013

Israel Condemns Zionism Comments by Turkey's PM Erdogan
BBC: Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been heavily criticised by the US, Israel and the UN for branding Zionism a "crime against humanity".

He told a UN forum this week: "As with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity."

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called the comments "dark and mendacious".

New US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to raise the issue when he meets Turkey's leaders on Friday.

He is in Ankara for talks on the crisis in Syria.

But his visit has been overshadowed by Mr Erdogan's comments, comparing Zionism with fascism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, at a meeting of the UN Alliance of Civilisations Forum in Vienna earlier this week.

His words drew strong condemnation from Mr Netanyahu's office, which called them "a dark and mendacious statement the likes of which we thought had passed from the world". » | Friday, March 01, 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Reaktionen aus USA und Israel: Scharfe Kritik an Erdogans Zionismus-Entgleisung – Israel und die USA sind empört über die Äußerungen, auch Uno-Generalsekretär Ban Ki Moon stellt Türkeis Regierungschef an den Pranger: Ministerpräsident Erdogan bezeichnete den Zionismus als "Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit". » | als/Reuters/AFP | Freitag, 01. März 2013

Happy St. David’s Day! | Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Welsh visitors a very Happy St. David’s Day! Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus i chwi gyd!

St David's Day: recipes for a feast – Delicious recipes from Welsh chef Bryn Williams »
Saint David's Day »
Happy St David’s Day »
Saint David »

EU Council Leader Attacks UK Plans to Rewrite Membership
THE GUARDIAN: European council president Herman Van Rompuy says no other leader likely to back plan to change terms and put to referendum


David Cameron has been put on notice that no other EU leader is likely to support his campaign to rewrite the terms of British membership of the union and then put the outcome to a referendum.

As Britain faces a fresh EU battle over a proposal to cap bankers' bonuses, Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European council, attacked the way the prime minister was waging his campaign for a "new settlement" in Britain's 40-year membership of the EU.

The president said he presumed leaders of other EU countries "neither particularly like ... nor particularly fear" Cameron's plans to demand the repatriation of powers during a future revision of the Lisbon treaty.

"How do you convince a room full of people, when you keep your hand on the door handle? How to encourage a friend to change, if your eyes are searching for your coat?" he asked at a Policy Network conference in London.

The intervention by Van Rompuy, who chairs and organises the regular EU summits, came as Cameron served notice that Britain would challenge an EU agreement to slash bankers' bonuses at a meeting of European finance ministers next week.

Amid fears that the EU agreement could deal a hammer blow to the City of London, Cameron said EU regulations needed to be flexible enough to allow international banks to operate in Britain and the rest of the EU. » | Ian Traynor, Europe editor | Thursday, February 28, 2013

Castel Gandolfo: Die Sommerresidenz der Päpste
Zwischenzeitlicher Ruhesitz: Papst Benedikt XVI. wird zwei Monate in der Sommerresidenz in Castel Gandolfo verbringen, bis er in das Kloster Mater Ecclesiae einzieht.

Im Porträt: Der lange Weg von Benedikt XVI.
Von den ersten Schritten in einer bayerischen Kleinstadt bis zum Kirchenoberhaupt: Das waren die wichtigsten Momente im Leben von Papst Benedikt XVI.

Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity at Cambridge on Pope Benedict’s Legacy

Pope Benedict Arrives at Castel Gandolfo

Pope Benedict's Last Day: Pontiff Leaves the Vatican for the Final Time
The Pope has left the Vatican City for the final time, arriving at Castel Gandolfo after a half-hour journey by helicopter and motorcade.

Benedict XVI Resignation: The Two-pope Problem

BBC: The Pope has resigned because he felt he was no longer up to the demands the office made on him.

That hasn't happened in 600 years.

In 1294 the hermit Pietro da Morrone, elevated to the papacy with the title of Celestine V because the cardinals couldn't agree on anyone else, felt likewise after only six months in the job, and gave up.

He wanted to return to his hermitage, but Boniface VIII, his successor, thought it wiser to lock him up in a convenient castle for the rest of his life, fearing he might become a rallying-point for the disaffected.

And, as it turned out, there was no shortage of disaffection during Boniface's pontificate.

One of the arguments marshalled by Boniface's many enemies was that, because popes could not resign, he wasn't the legitimate heir to St Peter.

Electing an antipope?

That may have been a long time ago but the same arguments are beginning to appear.

Two distinguished Italian theologians have called on Benedict XVI to withdraw his resignation, one arguing he ought not to resign, the other claiming a pope cannot resign.

In the latter case, when the cardinals proceed to elect a successor they are, according to Enrico Maria Radaelli, electing an antipope, an impostor on the chair of St Peter. » | Michael Walsh * | Papal historian | Thursday, February 28, 2013

* Michael Walsh is a papal historian and author of several books about the Papacy, including The Popes: 50 celebrated occupants of the throne of St Peter

New ‘Muslim-friendly’ Nail Polish a Surprise Hit
DAWN: PRZEMYSL: Poland, for Zaida Saleh, like for many observant Muslim women, manicures have long posed a religious problem.

With prayers five times a day, and the pre-prayer ritual of “wudhu” that requires washing the hands and arms, traditional fingernail polish has been mostly off limits because it prevents water from making contact with the nails. A new ”breathable” nail polish by a Polish company, Inglot, is changing that.

The company and some Muslims say the polish is the first of its kind because it lets air and moisture pass through to the nail. A craze has built up around it with Muslim women in recent months after an Islamic scholar in the United States tested its permeability and published an article saying that, in his view, it complies with Muslim law.

”It’s huge,” said Saleh, a 35-year-old who hadn’t polished her nails in many years but immediately went out and bought the product in five colours, including a bright pink, a burgundy and a mauve. ”I am excited. I feel more feminine – and I just love it.”

The news of Inglot’s breathable polish has in recent months spread quickly from woman to woman and over the Internet. It also has given Inglot a boost in sales of the product, called O2M, for oxygen and moisture.

The nail polish now stands as one of the final life achievements of Wojciech Inglot, a Polish chemist and entrepreneur who developed it to create what he billed as a healthier alternative to traditional nail enamels, which block the passage of moisture and oxygen to the nail. He died suddenly on Saturday at the age of 57 after suffering internal hemorrhaging.

Though the Holy Quran, does not specifically address the issue of nail polish, some Islamic scholars have said that water must touch the surface of the nail for the washing ritual to be done correctly.

Nobody was more surprised by the splash it made with Muslims than Inglot himself. » | AP | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Russie : atmosphère glaciale au Kremlin pour la rencontre entre Hollande et Poutine
LE POINT: En visite à Moscou, le président français a insisté sur le fait qu'une solution au conflit syrien dépendait "beaucoup" de la position de son homologue russe.


François Hollande, en visite de travail jeudi à Moscou, espère avancer vers une solution politique au conflit syrien avec son homologue russe Vladimir Poutine, avec lequel il entend aussi parler droits de l'homme. La relation entre la France et la Russie est "majeure parce que nous sommes deux grands pays membres du Conseil de sécurité (de l'ONU) et qui ont des responsabilités pour régler des conflits planétaires", a déclaré le président français au début de ses entretiens avec Vladimir Poutine au Kremlin. Le président russe a indiqué pour sa part que la France restait un "partenaire privilégié" de Moscou, que les relations étaient "très bonnes" et le dialogue politique "très bon". Mais l'ambiance sous les ors du Kremlin était glaciale entre les deux hommes qui ont à peine croisé le regard pendant leurs deux interventions de près d'une dizaine de minutes devant les journalistes. » | Source AFP | jeudi 28 février 2013

Vatican: Les candidats potentiels au trône de Saint-Pierre
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le mystère reste entier sur le nom de celui qui sera choisi par les cardinaux réunis en conclave. Une dizaine de noms de «papabili» circulent déjà dans les coulisses du Vatican. » | afp/Newsnet | jeudi 28 février 2013

One Year's Salary : Europe Caps Banker Bonuses
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In a bid to address widespread public outrage over greed in the financial sector, European officials have agreed to legislation capping bankers' bonuses at a maximum of a year's salary. Great Britain fought to prevent the measure, but failed to rally enough support.

Starting in 2014, banks in the European Union must limit bonus payments for their employees. After some 10 months of tough negotiations, top European officials agreed late on Wednesday in Brussels to cap bonuses at a maximum of one year's base salary.

"For the first time in the history of EU financial market regulation, we will cap bankers' bonuses," said the European Parliament's head negotiator, Austria's Othmar Karas, in a statement. "The essence is that from 2014, European banks will have to set aside more money to be more stable and concentrate on their core business, namely financing the real economy, that of small and medium-sized enterprises and jobs."

The bonus cap was part of a package of financial laws hammered out between EU officials, the European Commission and representatives of the 27 member states in negotiations led by Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan. The goal is to prevent bankers from taking excessive risks, which can shake the financial industry.

"This overhaul of EU banking rules will make sure that banks in the future have enough capital, both in terms of quality and quantity, to withstand shocks," Noonan said. "This will ensure that taxpayers across Europe are protected into the future." Fierce Resistance from London » | kla -- with wire reports | Thursday, February 28, 2013

Pope Benedict's Last Day: Clock Runs Down on Pontiff's Historic Resignation
The Pope has pledged his "unconditional obedience" to his successor, in his final meeting with cardinals, hours before he formally resigns.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Letzter Arbeitstag als Papst: Benedikt verspricht Nachfolger bedingungslosen Gehorsam – Der nächste Papst kann mit der vollen Unterstützung seines Vorgängers rechnen: Benedikt XVI. hat bei einem Abschiedstreffen mit Kardinälen gesagt, er werde seinem Nachfolger bedingungslos Ehrfurcht und Gehorsam erweisen. » | Donnerstag, 28. Februar 2013

Pope Resignation: Cardinal Criticises Benedict XVI on Last Day
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic, has criticised the Pope on his last day, describing his historic resignation as destabilising, while questioning his political prowess.

Cardinal Pell, Australia's representative at next month's secret conclave to elect a successor, said Benedict XVI was a "brilliant teacher" but "government wasn't his strong point" in a candid interview on the eve of the pope's departure.

"I think I prefer somebody who can lead the Church and pull it together a bit," Cardinal Pell said.

He pointed to the so-called "Vatileaks" scandal, in which Benedict's butler leaked secret papal memos revealing intrigues between rival groups of cardinals, though he said it was "very easy to be wise after the event".

"I think the governance is done by most of the people around the Pope and that wasn't always done brilliantly. And I'm not breaking any ground there – this is said very commonly," Cardinal Pell added in a later radio interview from the Vatican.

Australia's most senior Catholic cleric also said the 85-year-old pontiff's decision to resign – the first pope to do so since the Middle Ages – set a worrying precedent for the Church. » | Source: AFP | Thursday, February 28, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI's Last Day - Watch Live
Watch live throughout the day as Pope Benedict XVI says goodbye to his cardinals and leaves the Vatican for Castel Gandolfo where he will spend his final hours as leader of 1.2 billion Catholics before he becomes the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.

The World Bids Farewell to Pope Benedict XVI
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Part funeral, part jubilee, the Vatican had never witnessed an event like this before. People flocked from all over the globe to acknowledge the retiring Pope Benedict


For a man surrounded by so many thousands of well-wishers in St Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict looked small and very lonely in the shade of a utilitarian metal canopy on the steps before the vast baroque facade. The morning sun caught the lower part of his white cassock as mothers with little children waved flags.

“The Pope is not the only steersman in the barque of Peter,” he said. But the very setting suggested that he was the unmistakable captain. Bang in the centre of that stone outdoor theatre he sat, a few paces from the prelates who flanked him.

Benedict had read his obituaries in the past few days, hurriedly converted into analyses of his papacy. Now he was presiding at his own funeral, or something like it: the last public ceremonial of his papacy. But the atmosphere was more like a royal jubilee. When he paused in speaking, the continuous sound of applause in the column-hugged square was like heavy rain on a roof. No other pope has gone through anything like yesterday’s farewell. Celestine V ran away into the hills in 1296; Gregory XII in 1415 left his throne empty for a successor to be elected after his death.

In Britain we are used to monarchy. “The King is dead,” says the proclamation. “God save the King.” No sooner is one monarch lifeless than the next begins his reign. But between popes there is a sede vacante (Latin: ablative absolute, “the chair being empty”). It has always been connected in thought with the death of a pope. » | Christopher Howse, Rome | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Panic in Greek Pharmacies as Hundreds of Medicines Run Short
THE GUARDIAN: Pharmaceutical companies accused of cutting supplies because of low profits and unpaid bills

Greece is facing a serious shortage of medicines amid claims that pharmaceutical multinationals have halted shipments to the country because of the economic crisis and concerns that the drugs will be exported by middlemen because prices are higher in other European countries.

Hundreds of drugs are in short supply and the situation is getting worse, according to the Greek drug regulator. The government has drawn up a list of more than 50 pharmaceutical companies it accuses of halting or planning to halt supplies because of low prices in the country.

More than 200 medicinal products are affected, including treatments for arthritis, hepatitis C and hypertension, cholesterol-lowering agents, antipsychotics, antibiotics, anaesthetics and immunomodulators used to treat bowel disease.

Separately, it was announced on Tuesday that the Swiss Red Cross was slashing its supply of donor blood to Greece because it had not paid its bills on time.

Chemists in Athens describe chaotic scenes with desperate customers going from pharmacy to pharmacy to look for prescription drugs that hospitals could no longer dispense.

The government list includes some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi all said a few products had been withheld. GSK and AstraZeneca denied the claims. » | Elizabeth Sukkar and Helena Smith in Athens | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Drei Tote nach Schüssen in Luzerner Holzfabrik
Ein langjähriger Mitarbeiter des Holzverarbeiters Kronospan in Menznau (LU) hat im Betrieb zwei Arbeitskollegen erschossen und sieben verletzt. Er wurde danach tot aufgefunden. Das Motiv der Tat ist unklar.

Emotionaler Abschied von Benedikt XVI.
Auf dem Petersplatz in Rom hat der Papst vor zehntausenden Katholiken seine letzte Generalaudienz gehalten. Bei strahlendem Winterwetter wandte sich Benedikt XVI. mit sehr persönlichen Worten an sein Publikum. Am Donnerstag tritt er offiziell zurück.

Berlusconi will an die Macht
Der Ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi schliesst nach der Wahl nicht aus, zusammen mit der Links-Allianz zu regieren. Populist Beppe Grillo will dies verhindern.

Pope Benedict XVI Thanks Queen Elizabeth II for UK Welcome
Pope Benedict XVI has thanked the Queen Elizabeth II for her 'warm welcome' during a speech at Holyrood House.

Queen Elizabeth II Welcomes Pope Benedict to the United Kingdom
The Queen has said she is "delighted" to welcome Pope Benedict to Edinburgh.

Gespräch mit Papst Benedikt XVI in Castel Gandolfo
Gespräch mit Papst Benedikt XVI in Castel Gandolfo

Pope 'Suffered' Over Decision to Resign
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: VATICAN CITY—Pope Benedict XVI held the final audience of his pontificate before a sea of spectators in Saint Peter's Square on Wednesday, a farewell he said would not mark the end of his life in public.

Addressing the crowd, Pope Benedict, 85 years old, said he had "suffered" over his decision to relinquish control of Roman Catholicism's one billion followers as of Thursday evening, adding that his resignation was in the best interest of the Church.

Though he plans to retire to a life of study and prayer once he steps down, the pontiff told the crowd on Wednesday there was no going back to his pre-papal life, noting that his election eight years ago marked the end of "all privacy."

"There is no return to the private. My decision to renounce the active exercise of ministry doesn't revoke this. I'm not returning to a private life," Pope Benedict said, addressing the square, which thronged with banners from around the world. "I'm not abandoning the cross, but remaining in a new way beside the crucified Lord," he said. » | Stacy Meichtry | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ABC Hacked in Protest at Wilders Interview
ABC NEWS [AU]: The ABC has gone into damage control after it was discovered the website of one of its television programs was targeted in a hack that has affected thousands of viewers.

A Twitter user going by the name of Phr0zenMyst claimed ownership of the attack, framing it as a response to the ABC's recent coverage of the visit by right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

The hacker, based overseas, said they were upset by the ABC's decision to "[give] a platform for Geert Wilders to spread hatred".

The hack exposed the user names, email addresses and some personal information of more than 40,000 people - viewers who had logged in and commented on the website of the 2010 program Making Australia Happy.

The ABC was forced to scramble for answers, saying the website in question was shut down as soon as the breach was detected.

It has promised to contact each of the web users exposed. (+ video) » | Hayden Cooper | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Cardinal Collins on the Teaching Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

Pope: There Were Times When It Seems [sic] God Was Sleeping
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Pope has told a huge crowd of followers that his papacy had moments of joy but at times is "seemed like the Lord was sleeping", in his last audience in St Peter's Square.


Addressing an estimated 150,000 people in St Peter's Square the day before he steps down, Benedict said his crisis-hit papacy had included moments of joy but also difficulty when, "It seemed like the Lord was sleeping."

Benedict XVI referred to "stormy waters and headwinds" during his pontificate, but he said God would not let the Church "sink".

"The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good. There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds," he said.

Benedict thanked his cardinals, colleagues and ordinary faithful for their support and for respecting his decision to become the first pope in 600 years to resign. He said that "to love the church means also to have the courage to take difficult, painful decisions, always keeping the good of the church in mind, not oneself."

He told thousands that his decision to resign "is the fruit of a serene trust in God's will and a deep love of Christ's church." » | Chris Irvine, and Nick Squires in The Vatican City | Wednesday, February 27, 2013


My comment:

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I firmly believe that Pope Benedict XVI has been a wonderful pope. His words have often touched me profoundly. That has never happened to me before.

This man has charisma – in German, one might call it eine Ausstrahlung – that is quite unique. For his age, he is a very handsome man, with a truly wonderful smile and warmth.

His erudition is remarkable, as is his dedication to the RC Church and faith. For me, this is a sad day, though I respect fully his reasons for resigning.

It is to be hoped that he will be able to enjoy his retirement, with sound health. I feel sure that the rest of his life will be dedicated to the Church.

May God bless Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. – © Mark

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THE GUARDIAN: Pope Benedict XVI's final audience - in pictures »

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: „Gott wird seine Kirche nicht kentern lassen“: Unter dem Jubel Hunderttausender hat Benedikt XVI. auf dem Petersplatz seine letzte Generalaudienz eröffnet. In seiner Audienz dankte Benedikt den Gläubigen - und sprach von „schwierigen Momenten“ in seinem Pontifikat. » | Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2013

LE FIGARO: Les adieux émouvants du pape Benoît XVI : À la veille de sa démission historique, Benoît XVI a été acclamé par une foule chaleureuse, mercredi au Vatican. Il a assuré que «Dieu ne laisse pas couler la barque» de l'Eglise. » | Envoyé special du Figaro à Rome | mercredi 27 février 2013

Live at the Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI Gives Final Audience
Watch live as Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience on the day before he leaves office.

Tony Blair: People Are Still 'Very Abusive' to Me 10 Years After the Iraq War

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair has told how people are still “very abusive” to him 10 years after the Iraq War, adding that he has given up trying to “persuade people it was the right decision”.

In comments which could be interpreted as self-pitying Mr Blair said that it did not matter whether the continuing controversy about Iraq had “taken a toll on me”.

He said that Iraq’s Saddam Hussein was “20 times as bad” as Syria’s President Assad but admitted that it would take a “generation” to make Iraq safer than it was in 2003.

Mr Blair is still cr[i]ticised for sending British troops into Iraq on March 20, 2003 in the mistaken belief that its Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

In the weeks leading up to the invasion, more than one million people marched through London against the Iraq invasion.

Asked in a candid interview on BBC2’s Newsnight whether he minded if “people call you a liar, some people call you a war criminal, protesters follow you; it’s difficult to walk down the street in a country”, he replied: “It really doesn’t matter whether it’s taken its toll on me.

“The fact is yes there are people who will be very abusive, by the way I do walk down the street and by the way I won an election in 2005 after Iraq. However, yes it remains extremely divisive and very difficult.”

Mr Blair conceded that he had “long since given up trying to persuade people it was the right decision”. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Hitler's Welsh Girlfriend Revealed

BBC: A Welsh woman who married into one of Germany's most prominent musical families nearly became Adolf Hitler's wife, a BBC Wales programme has revealed.

Winifred Williams, the daughter of a journalist from Brecon and his German wife, was adopted by relatives of her mother after being orphaned and went to live in Germany in 1908.

By 17, she was married to composer Richard Wagner's homosexual son Siegfried and met one of Wagner's greatest fans - future Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

They grew so close that it was actually Winifred who provided the paper on which Hitler wrote his infamous tract, Mein Kampf, while in jail in the early 1920s.

Following her husband's death in 1930, Hitler and Winifred's friendship intensified and he was described as being like a second father to her four children.

At the time, there was even talk of them getting married. » | Tuesday, February 03, 2004

Ban Smoking in Cars, Says Health Minister
BBC: Smoking should be banned in cars carrying children, says England's public health minister.

Anna Soubry said her personal view was that it was justified on "child welfare" grounds.

Several health groups have called for the move, but it has been resisted so far by the government.

The prime minister has said while he supports the smoking ban in pubs and clubs, he is "more nervous" about legislating what happens in cars.

At the Local Government Association's annual public health conference, Ms Soubry said: "I would ban smoking in cars where children are present.

"I would do that for the protection of children. I believe in protecting children. I would see it as a child welfare issue. » | Nick Triggle | Health Correspondent | BBC News | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Was Hitler Homosexual? - The Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality
Hidden Führer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality is a documentary film based on the research of German Professor Lothar Machtan for his 2001 book The Hidden Hitler that claimed Adolf Hitler was a homosexual.

Benedict XVI to Be Known as 'Pope Emeritus'

BBC: Pope Benedict will be known as "pope emeritus" and will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after he abdicates on Thursday, Vatican officials say.

He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Josef Ratzinger.

He will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings.

He will surrender his gold ring of office, known as the fisherman's ring, and his personal seal will be destroyed as tradition dictates.

He will also give up wearing his specially-made red leather loafers, instead wearing brown shoes hand made for him by a Mexican craftsman during a brief visit to Mexico last year.

Benedict XVI's resignation is the first by a pope for some 600 years. » | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Popstar Janet Jackson: Heimliche Hochzeit

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Janet Jackson weiß offenbar bestens, wie man ein Geheimnis hütet: Die US-Sängerin ließ jetzt verlauten, dass sie bereits seit vergangenem Jahr verheiratet ist - mit einem aus Katar stammenden Milliardär.

New York - Janet Jackson hat sich mal wieder getraut: Der US-Popstar ist bereits seit vergangenem Jahr verheiratet, ohne dass dies bis jetzt öffentlich bekannt war. Ihr Management bestätigte nun die Trauung mit dem Geschäftsmann Wissam Al Mana, 37. Es sei eine "ruhige, private und wunderschöne Feier" gewesen, hieß es in einer gemeinsamen Erklärung des Paares. "Wir würden es begrüßen, wenn unsere Privatsphäre respektiert werden würde und wir diese Zeit der Freude genießen könnten." » | wit/AP/dpa | Dienstag, 26. Februar 2013

Video of 'French Citizens Kidnapped in Cameroon' Released
A video uploaded to Youtube on Monday purports to show seven French citizens who were kidnapped near the border of Nigeria and Cameroon on Tuesday. A male member of the French family reads a short statement into camera before a second man, claiming to be one of the kidnappers, makes hostage demands. It is thought jihadist group Boko Haram seized the party as retaliation for France's military intervention in Mali. This video has not been independently verified | Source: Reuters | Monday, February 25, 2013

Meet Americas First Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison - Documentary Muslims America

Stuart Wells: My Journey to Islam

Debate video: Robert Spencer vs. Mubin Shaikh on Whether the Qur'an Teaches War

Interview with Inga Rennevik and Her Daughter, Sarah: Converts to Islam

Interview with Amin Craig Harper: British Convert to Islam

Interview with Max Abdus Salaam Dahlstrand: Swedish Convert to Islam

Pat Condell Talks about Rising Anti-Semitism in Europe

The Dark Ages
At its height in the second century A.D., the Roman Empire was the beacon of learning, trade, power and prosperity in the western world. But the once-powerful Rome, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors who came in wave after wave of invasion, slaughtering, stealing, and ultimately, settling. As chaos replaced culture, Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. THE DARK AGES profiles those who battled to shape the future, from the warlords whose armies threatened to case the demise of European society, like Alaric, Charles the Hammer, and Clovis.

Britain’s Senior Catholic Cleric Resigns
Cardinal Keith O'Brien steps down but rejects claims by three priests and a former cleric of inappropriate behaviour.

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Interactive: The Rise of Europe's Far-right Voices
Assessing key nationalist political parties across the continent, including Italy, which is voting for a new parliament.
Click here

Italians Vote in Unpredictable Election
Millions urged to cast ballot in closely watched race, amid disillusion with politicians and fears over economy.

Barack Obama Thinks Austrian Is a Language!

John Kerry Invents a New Country: Kyrzakhstan

'Russia Treats Smokers Like Animals' – Doctor

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Grammar Nazi Style: Russian MPs Aim to Ban Foreign Words
RT.COM: The Russian language needs legal protection from the “conquering march” of foreign words, sponsors of a bill before the State Duma believe. It seeks to ban all words borrowed from other languages and fine those who dare to use them in public.

The bill submitted by members of the Liberal Democrat party goes even further, administering punishment for any “violation of the norms of the contemporary Russian language.”

According to the justification for the proposed legislation submitted by the lawmakers, their vocabulary condemnation targets words that came into Russian from English after the late 1980s and the collapse of the Soviet Union. They specifically mention the Russian words that ended up as ‘dealer’, ‘boutique’, ‘manager’, ‘single’, ‘OK’ and ‘wow’. The legislators suggest Russians use – sometimes archaic – substitutions or face a penalty. Ordinary linguistic offenders would have to pay up to an $80 fine, while organizations would have to fork out as much as $1,650. The latter are even threatened with “confiscation of the object of the administrative violation,” whatever that means.

The document apparently aims to snap freeze Russian. As with any other tongue, it undergoes natural evolution, with some words becoming archaic and phasing out of use and others being born and gaining popularity. » | Thursday, February 21, 2013

Vladimir Putin Bans Smoking in Public Places in Russia
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning smoking in public places in Russia from June, a cornerstone of the government's bid to improve public health in the nicotine-addicted country.

The law makes smoking illegal in restaurants, cafés, hotels, trains and a host of other places and will take effect in two stages.

From June 1, 2013, it will be illegal to smoke in Russia on municipal transport, at railway stations, in lifts and bus stations, administrative buildings as well as any place of education or health.

From June 2014, the ban will be stepped up to include ships, long distance trains, train platforms, hotels, cafés and restaurants in what will mean a major lifestyle change for many Russians. » | Source: AFP | Monday, February 25, 2013

John Kerry: Bashar Al-Assad Must Step Down in Syria
During his first visit to the UK as new US secretary of state, John Kerry condemns the "indiscriminate killing of innocent civillians" in Syria.

Tom Elliott Calls Out the Hypocrisy of Geert Wilders Protesters
3AW 693: The organiser of last week's protest against anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders has been accused of hypocrisy, selectivity and astonishing double-standards by 3AW Drive Presenter Tom Elliott.

After blockading and shoving spectators at Mr Wilders' speech in Somerton, self-professed anti-capitalist Louise O'Shea and fellow protesters have decided not to target the Islamic Peace Conference next month in Melbourne, despite the conference hosting a number of radical Imams who publicly condemn Jews, advocate jihadist terrorism and encourage female genital mutilation and polygamy.

One Imam invited to the conference, Dr Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, had this to say about Jewish people: » | Ned Franklin | Monday, February 25, 2013

Cardinal Keith O’Brien Resigns as Archbishop

SCOTSMAN: Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Britain stepped down today amid allegations of his “inappropriate behaviour” with three priests and one former priest.

The decision to bring forward the 74-year-old cardinal’s resignation by three weeks was made personally by the pope.

In a statement this morning he said: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today.”

“I thank Pope Benedict XVI for his kindness and courtesy to me and on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Scotland, I wish him a long and happy retirement. I also ask God’s blessing on my brother Cardinals who will soon gather in Rome to elect his successor.”

“I will not join them for this conclave in person. I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor. However, I will pray with them and for them that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they will make the correct choice for the future good of the Church.” He added: “I have valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest.” » | Monday, February 25, 2013

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal Keith O'Brien resignation: statement issued by Scottish Catholic Media Office: The Pope has accepted Cardinal Keith O’Brien's resignation as he fights allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour with priests. Read the statement issued by the Scottish Catholic Media Office here. » | Telegraph reporters | Monday, February 25, 2013

Related »

Breaking News! Cardinal Keith O'Brien Resigns over Allegations of 'Inappropriate' Behaviour
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal Keith O’Brien has resigned as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh amid allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour with priests.

The 74-year-old, who was due to retire, has denied he allegations but is stepping aside amid the controversy. » | John Bingham and Simon Johnson | Monday, February 25, 2013

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Geert Wilders Australian Interview

Who is this guy interviewing Geert Wilders? He is totally off-the-wall; in fact, he is idiotic, totally misinformed. He really needs to WAKE UP! – © Mark

Lateline: Geert Wilders Interview: ABC TV Australia
Australian interview with controversial anti-Islamic Dutch politician Geert Wilders, interviewed before he visited Australia in February 2013. Wilders advocates the stopping of migration of Muslims to the West, amongst many other anti-islamic views. This interview raised many complaints to the ABC after it was broadcast on 13 Feb 2013.

The man interviewing Geert Wilders here is very badly-informed. He has NO or LITTLE understanding of the true nature of Islam. This is sad, but very typical of those employed by the MSM. – © Mark

Geert Wilders persona non grata en Australie

Pope Benedict's Last Sunday Prayer Service

Cowardly Critics of Geert Wilders Shame Our Country

HERALD SUN: IF Geert Wilders is wrong, let his critics explain next month's "Islamic Peace Conference" at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

I've checked what huge billboards around Melbourne claim is the "largest ever Islamic Conference in the history of Australia", at which 20,000 people are expected.

I've checked what the "chief guest" - Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais, imam of Mecca's Grand Mosque - has said of Jews: "The scum of the human race, the rats of the world, . . . the offspring of apes and pigs" whom God should "terminate".

I've checked what other invited speakers have said about killing gays, beating women to make them "shape up", executing apostates and supporting terrorists.

And the evidence is damning: Wilders' critics owe him an apology for having been so blind. So cowardly.

Wilders is the eloquent leader of Holland's third-largest political party and last week tried to conduct a speaking tour of Australia to argue Islam is incompatible with Western values and freedoms.

Wilders might know. For nine years, he has had to live under constant police guard after criticising Islam.

Islamists have been jailed after plotting his death. Another Islamist used a knife to pin a note to the body of slaughtered film director Theo van Gogh, warning Wilders would be next.

Yes, most Muslims are moderate, Wilders agrees, but their "violent Islamic ideology" is not and commands followers not to be, either.

If so, mass immigration to the West of followers of such an ideology is a danger. » | Andrew Bolt | Sunday, February 25, 2013

ANDREW BOLT'S BLOG: Wilders’ cowardly critics must explain this conference »

The Australians should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves for the shabby way they treated Geert Wilders last week. The protesters behaved liked morons, and the politicians behaved as if they had no balls. Never mind, the cowards can look forward to the Islamic Conference soon to be held there. Then they can welcome the real peace-lovers! – © Mark

A Rare Glimpse Inside the Remote Retreat Pope Benedict XVI Is Soon to Call Home

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The pontifical coats of arms are being buffed up with polish, a vineyard has been newly planted and the helipad has been swept.

Even the Papal herd of cows, prized for their milk and yoghurt, are contentedly munching on bales of hay.

All that staff at Castel Gandolfo now await is the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, who will fly to the castle on Thursday evening after he formally steps down as head of the Catholic Church.

The ageing, ailing Pontiff will spend the next two months here, using the magnificent palazzo as a place of prayer and spiritual retreat where he will map out his plans for his final days and reflect on his historic decision to resign.

It is certainly a place well suited to peaceful contemplation. Located an hour’s drive - or ten minutes’ helicopter ride - south of Rome, it is perched on the edge of a volcanic crater that plunges down to a lake fringed with woodland and olive groves.

Within the estate’s extensive grounds are formal gardens, giant holm oaks, fountains, fish ponds and the ruins of a villa built by Diocletian, the Roman emperor. » | Nick Squires, Castel Gandolfo | Saturday, February 23, 2013

Pope Tells Faithful God Called Him To Quit
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI told tens of thousands of pilgrims in St Peter's Square in a voice breaking with emotion that he was resigning because God had called on him to devote himself to prayer


Pope Benedict XVI has given his pontificate's final Sunday blessing from his studio window to the cheers of tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square.

Benedict says even though he's retiring on Thursday from the papacy, the first pope in 600 years to do so, he's "not abandoning the church."

In a voice breaking with emotion that he was resigning because God had called on him to devote himself to prayer but said he would not foresake [sic] a Church role.

Instead he says he'll serve the church with the same dedication he has till now, but will do so in a way "more suitable to my age and my strength."

Benedict, 85, will spend his last years in prayer, meditation and seclusion in a monastery on Vatican City's grounds. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Sunday, February 24, 2013