La CIA envisage d'utiliser des drones pour liquider les islamistes syriens
L’EXPRESS.fr: Selon le Los Angeles Times, la CIA est actuellement en train de recueillir des renseignements sur des islamistes radicaux en Syrie. L'objectif: les liquider par des frappes de drones, affirme le quotidien.

La CIA recueille actuellement des renseignements sur des islamistes radicaux en Syrie en vue de les liquider ultérieurement par des frappes de drones, rapporte vendredi soir le Los Angeles Times. Citant d'actuels et d'anciens responsables américains, ayant gardé l'anonymat, le quotidien indique que le president Barack Obama n'a pas encore autorisé des attaques de drones en Syrie, mais que le service de contre-terrorisme de la CIA y a récemment affecté plusieurs agents à la surveillance de militants extrémistes. » | Par LEXPRESS.fr | samedi 16 mars 2013

As the Smoke Clears after Saudi Arabia's Latest Mass Execution by Firing Squad... Charles and Camilla Fly In
THE INDEPENDENT: The Prince isn't expected to raise the issue of human rights with his hosts. Perhaps he should, wonders Jerome Taylor

They were led out at dawn today, one by one, to the public killing grounds. The Seven Saudi Arabian men had been sentenced to death following what human rights groups and the UN said were deeply flawed trials conducted under Sharia law. Some of them were juveniles when they were charged with being part of a gang of thieves in the Saudi town of Abha. But that didn’t save them from the firing squad.

A few hours later, just over 1,000 miles to the north, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were visiting the victims of another brutal Middle Eastern dictatorship. At a refugee camp in northern Jordan they met some of the one million people who have had to flee the death and destruction now enveloping Bashar al-Assad’s Syria. Charles described the scene he saw as an “unbelievable and heartbreaking situation” while Camilla hailed the “strength of spirit” shown by the women she encountered.

But anyone expecting the Royal couple to show equivalent sympathy for the victims of Saudi Arabia’s authoritarianism when they visit the Kingdom on Friday as part of their Middle Eastern tour will be disappointed. Human rights are off the agenda. Instead, according to the press release put out by Clarence House, the themes of the visit are “military collaboration, opportunities for women in society, inter-faith dialogue, education and environmental sustainability”.

For the struggling human rights activists and reformists in the Kingdom, visits from the US and Britain are a consistent source of disappointment. While London and Washington berate Moscow for its ongoing support of the Assad regime, they rarely if ever go public with criticisms of the Al Sauds – their closest ally in the Gulf. Last week, both the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and the Attorney General, Eric Holder, returned from separate trips to the Kingdom. Between their visits, the Saudi regime was emboldened enough to press ahead with the jailing of Mohammed Fahd al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamed – two of the country’s most prominent non-violent reform advocates. In the few days between the US delegations and Prince Charles’ arrival, the King also found time to reject clemency for the Abha Seven, despite documented evidence that confessions were extracted under torture, that the men were not appointed adequate legal representation and that most of them were juveniles when they committed their alleged crimes.

Although the Prince is officially apolitical, human rights advocates have expressed dismay that while he is happy to talk about Britain’s military and commercial links to Saudi Arabia, he avoids topics such as the highest execution rates per capita in the world or something as fundamental as a woman’s right to drive. » | Jerome Taylor | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Prince Charles in Row over Saudi Human Rights
Watch the video here

Pope Francis Wants a 'Poor Church for the Poor'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis has thanked thousands of journalists who covered his election as pontiff this week during an audience in the Vatican.


The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, dressed in white vestments, was greeted by applause and cheers of "Viva il Papa" when he entered the Paul VI Hall.

He spoke from a broad stage, flanked by Swiss Guards in ceremonial uniform. The new Pope called for "a poor Church for the poor", saying he chose his papal name because St Francis of Assisi was "a man of poverty and a man of peace".

The special audience was being billed by the Vatican as part of the greater openness that has characterised the first days in office of the former Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first pope from Latin America.

The 76-year-old pontiff has displayed an informal style that contrasts sharply with that of his more academic predecessor Benedict XVI.

Under the simple slogan of "walk, build, confess" and speaking in a folksy Italian, he has urged Catholic leaders to shun worldly glories and lead a spiritual renewal in the Church that will reach "the ends of the earth".

The son of an Italian emigrant railway worker, he has warned them that without action the Church could end up becoming a "castle of sand" and just a charity with no spiritual foundation. » | Nick Squires, Vatican City, and agencies | Saturday, March 16, 2013

The Photos Saudi Arabia Doesn't Want Seen – and Proof Islam's Most Holy Relics Are Being Demolished in Mecca

THE INDEPENDENT: Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites

The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba – the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.

Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in the founder of Islam’s life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the sport where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night. » | Jerome Taylor | Friday, March 15, 2013

Why Is Prince Charles So Attracted to Islam?
RELIGION NEWS SERVICE: A recent story about Prince Charles learning Arabic in order to undertake a deeper study of the Qur’an has created a lot of hubbub in the British media.

The story has raised rumors yet again about the heir to the British throne’s deep fascination with Islam.

A decade ago, Islamophobes were already filled with dread that Prince Charles might have already converted to Islam.

So what is behind this attraction to Islam? What about Islam is proving so appealing to Prince Charles himself? To answer that question, let us listen to some of what he has to say.

Charles approaches Islam not primarily through the lens of security threats and international crises, but rather as a body of spiritual teachings.

He states:

The Islamic world is the custodian of one of the greatest treasures of accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge available to humanity.

Much of his attractions to Islam actually comes from the insights of the Qur’an that come to identify the natural cosmos as a site where God is revealed and experienced: There is a profound truth in that seemingly simple, old saying of the nomads — that “the best of all Mosques is Nature herself.” » | Omid Safi | Friday, March 15, 2013

David Cameron Tells Pope Francis White Smoke Over Falklands Was Clear
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has publicly clashed with the new Pope over the Argentine pontiff’s claim that Britain “usurped” the Falkland Islands.


Pope Francis, who is a former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has previously described the disputed territory as belonging to “the homeland” of Argentina.

However, the Prime Minister told him he should “respect” the islanders’ referendum vote for the Falklands to remain British.

Mr Cameron even dared to make a joke at the expense of the Vatican’s ancient election processes.

“The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear,” he said.

His comments, at a press conference at the European Council summit in Brussels, follow the islanders’ referendum that delivered an overwhelming majority in favour of the Falklands remaining a UK overseas territory. » | Tim Ross, Brussels | Friday, March 15, 2013

My comment:

For Cameron to talk like this shows that he is a boy in a man's world. To talk about "white smoke over The Falklands" in the same breath as white smoke emanating from the Vatican on the selection of a new pope is immature at best and stupid at worst. It just goes to show what a secularist Cameron really is. Each and every time Cameron opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it. This time is no exception. Cameron is an embarrassment. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

The Path to Radicalization: Following a German Salafist to Egypt

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: A year ago, a SPIEGEL editor met a Salafist in Hannover. Following several meetings in Germany, he traveled with him to his new home in Egypt. But he could not have anticipated the danger he would encounter there.

It's still dark in Alexandria, and I can hear the Salafist breathing in the dark. He is tiptoeing across the room.

The man approaching my bed picked me up from the airport yesterday. His name is Dennis Rathkamp, and he is a 24-year-old auto mechanic who used to play guitar in his church confirmation class. He moved to Egypt a few weeks ago to learn how to become a good Muslim.

On this morning, my body is lying between Rathkamp and Mecca. He drops to his knees and lowers his forehead to the floor. It's 6:30 a.m., time for early prayers. I hear Rathkamp moving his lips silently. He promised me he would try to be quiet while praying.

I am lying in this bed in a stranger's apartment because I am searching for an answer to the question of what drives the Salafists, a group of people who are feared in Germany. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence agency, estimates that 60 German Salafists emigrated to Egypt last year. Many chose the city of Alexandria as their new home, and they now live in the Mandara neighborhood in the north of the city.

Rathkamp says that he moved to Alexandria because he wants to learn the language of his prophet -- and because he could no longer endure the discrimination in Germany.

I met him when he was handing out Korans in the northern German city of Hannover last spring. I asked him if he would take me to his mosque, because I wanted to learn more about Islam. I accompanied him to Friday prayers many times after that. We drank tea together and had long conversations. Afterwards, he would drive me to the train station and give me pamphlets explaining women's role in Islam to take home to my girlfriend. » | Takis Würger | Friday, March 15, 2013

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Accused of 'Heresy'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A senior Iranian cleric has accused Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of "heresy" after saying Hugo Chavez would be resurrected with the 12th imam.


Ayatollah Ahmed Janati, the hardline chief of the Guardians Council, told worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran: "Those comments on Chavez's return with Christ were heresy."

Janati was referring to comments by Ahmadinejad on March 6 in which he called Chavez a "martyr" who would "return, along with the righteous Jesus and the perfect human."

The last was an allusion to Shia Islam's 12th imam that Iran's majority faith believes will return with Christ to bring peace and justice to the world.

Janati said Iran's clergy had been "upset" by the remarks.

"Should people say whatever comes to mind? I wish (Ahmadinejad) had spent a few days in a seminary before discussing such issues," he said.

"Chavez was a populist and anti-American. His political agenda was completely acceptable. But he was not a Muslim," Janati added. » | Source: AFP | Friday, March 15, 2013

Challenging the Church - Argentina

The Crescent And The Cross - 52 Minute Documentary - Trailer

Journeyman Pictures: The Crescent and the Cross »

Tony Blair: Head On - UK, October 2002

Father Overhears Son's Plans to Come Out and Writes Letter
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A father accidentally overhead his son agonising over whether he should come out, but spared him the embarrassment by writing a heartfelt letter saying he loved him no matter what.


Nate and his boyfriend Mike were discussing whether the former should tell his father he was gay, something that had clearly been troubling him.

But his father spared him the worry with a simple yet to the point letter.

The father tells his son he has known that he was gay since he was six, but has loved him ever since he was born. » | Harry Alsop | Friday, March 15, 2013

Pope Francis: 'Like Good Wine We Get Better With Age'
Pope Francis urged people to welcome growing old as like being “a good wine that gets better with age”.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien Being Sued By Alleged Abuse Victim
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A former trainee priest is starting legal action against Cardinal Keith O’Brien over allegations he was abused by the disgraced cleric as a teenager.


He is claiming the cardinal groped and kissed him during a visit to an unnamed seminary in the 1980s when he was 19. He made clear his ordeal was not an isolated incident.

The former seminarian is the first of the cardinal’s alleged victims to speak publicly about his experience, having known him since childhood, and said he is prepared to face the cleric in a courtroom to encourage others to come forward.

The man, who is now in his 50s and has asked to remain anonymous, told Glasgow's Herald newspaper he had instigated legal proceedings against both the cardinal and the Catholic Church.

He left the seminary several months after the alleged incident and decided only to break his silence after the recent revelations about the former archbishop’s sexual behaviour indicated there were other victims. » | Simon Johnson | Friday, March 15, 2013

Robert Spencer and Michael Coren Discuss the New Pope and Muslim Persecution of Christians

Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »

San Francisco Leaders Denounce Bus Ads About Islam
SIOUX CITY JOURNAL: SAN FRANCISCO | San Francisco leaders have denounced a series of what they call anti-Islamic advertisements that began appearing on 10 city buses on Monday, calling them racist and offensive.

At least one of the ads contains a quote attributed to the militant Islamic group Hamas that reads: "Killing Jews is worship that brings us closer to Allah."

Mayor Ed Lee, District Attorney George Gascon and other elected officials joined Arab and Muslim community leaders to publicly condemn the ads on Monday.

"These offensive ads serve no purpose than to denigrate our city's Arab and Muslim communities," Gascon said. » | Associated Press | Friday, March 15, 2013


Related »

Former BBC Security Guard Who Converted to Islam Admits Terror Plot to Attack Wootton Bassett and 'MI5 or MI6 Heads'

MAIL ONLINE: Richard Dart, Imran Mahmood, and Jahangir Alom, plead guilty at Old Bailey / Admit preparing for terrorism or assisting another in terrorism, between July 2010 and July 2012 / Trio travelled to Pakistan for terror training and helped others do the same / Conversations reveal targets were Wootton Bassett and secret services

A former BBC security guard today admitted playing a part in a two-year terror plot, which included a possible attack on Wootton Bassett, the small town in Wiltshire used for military funerals.

White Muslim convert Richard Dart, 29, also planned to wipe out members of the security services including 'MI5 or MI6 heads' after receiving training at Pakistani terror camps.

Dart, who calls himself Salahuddin Al Britani, and co-conspirators Imran Mahmood, 21, and Jahangir Alom, 26, have all pleaded guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism during a brief hearing at the Old Bailey.

The charges said they travelled to Pakistan for terror training, travelled abroad to commit acts of terrorism and provided information about travel to Pakistan, terrorism training and operational security while there.

Detectives had recovered computer conversations between Dart and Mahmood identifying one target as Wootton Bassett, whose streets are always lined with mourners when Britain's war-dead are flown back into the UK.

One conversation between the pair went as follows: 'Yes, yes Wootton Bassett, if not that then all combatants if it comes down to it, it is that or even to just deal with a few MI5, MI6 heads.'

Dart, the son of teachers from Dorset, had appeared in a BBC Three documentary made by his stepbrother after he converted to Islam by radical cleric Anjem Choudary. Read on and comment » | Sam Adams and Martin Robinson | Friday, March 15, 2013

Related »

Pope Francis' Run-in with Benedict XVI Over the Prophet Mohammed
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis came close to losing his position within the Catholic Church after he criticised his predecessor seven years ago.

In 2005, then Pope Benedict, while quoting from an obscure medieval text, declared that the Prophet Mohammed, founder of the Islamic faith, was "evil and inhuman", enraging the Muslim population and causing attacks on churches throughout the world before an apology was issued.

Reacting within days to the statements, speaking through a spokesman to Newsweek Argentina, then Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio declared his "unhappiness" with the statements, made at the University of Regensburg in Germany, and encouraged many of his subordinates with the Church to do the same.

"Pope Benedict's statement don't reflect my own opinions", the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires declared. "These statements will serve to destroy in 20 seconds the careful construction of a relationship with Islam that Pope John Paul II built over the last twenty years". » | Alasdair Baverstock | Friday, March 15, 2013

Germany vs. Radical Islamists
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: More recently, Salafists have issued death threats against German politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "The groups aim to change our society in an aggressive belligerent way so that democracy would be replaced by a Salafist system, and the rule of law replaced by Sharia law." — Hans-Peter Friedrich, Ministry of the Interior, Germany

Germany has banned three ultra-conservative Salafist Muslim groups which the Interior Ministry says want to overturn democracy and install a system based on Islamic Sharia law.

The ban, which took effect in the western German states of Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia on March 13, comes amid Islamist death threats against German politicians -- and just days after German intelligence announced that the number of Salafists in Germany has jumped over the past year.

The Interior Ministry said that it had banned the groups "DawaFFM" and "Islamische Audios," as well as "An-Nussrah," which is part of the "Millatu Ibrahim" group that was outlawed in June 2012.

In an effort to enforce the ban, hundreds of German police officers raided the homes of radical Islamists in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Gladbeck and Solingen, and seized computers, cellphones and electronic storage devices, as well as money, documents and Islamic propaganda videos in Arabic and in German.

German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said: "Salafism, as represented in the associations that were banned today, is incompatible with our free democratic order. The groups aim to change our society in an aggressive, belligerent way so that democracy would be replaced by a Salafist system, and the rule of law replaced by Sharia law."

Salafism is a branch of radical Islam based in Saudi Arabia that seeks to establish an Islamic empire (Caliphate) across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe -- and eventually the entire world. The Caliphate would be governed exclusively by Islamic Sharia law, which would apply both to Muslims and to non-Muslims.

Also known as Wahhabis, Salafists believe -- among other anti-Western doctrines -- that democracy must be destroyed and replaced with an Islamic form of government.

Hans-Georg Maaßen, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), told the German newsmagazine Focus on March 10 that the number of committed Salafists in Germany had grown to 4,500 in 2012, compared with 3,800 in 2011.

Although Salafists make up only a fraction of the estimated 4.3 million Muslims in Germany, authorities are concerned that most of those attracted to Salafi ideology are impressionable young Muslims who are especially susceptible to committing suicide attacks in the name of Islam. » | Soeren Kern | Friday, March 15, 2013

Related »

Britons Afraid to Challenge Radical Islam, Says Former Obama Adviser
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British people are too afraid to offend a "vocal and aggressive" section of the Muslim community who demand that their cultural values are accepted by wider society, according to a former adviser to Barack Obama.


Professor Lawrence Krauss said he had been shocked when taking part at a debate hosted by an Islamic group at a leading British university to find that men and women were segregated.

The professor, a leading physicist and prominent atheist, threatened to walk out unless organisers agreed to let men and women sit together, which was eventually agreed - but was then astonished to find himself being accused of intolerance by angry members of the audience.

He said there had been no such problems when he recently took part in a similar debate in Australia.

But he suggested in Britain people were often too polite to object to such practices as well as being cowed by those eager to protest whenever they felt "their cultural norms are not being met".

He said: "People are not only afraid to offend, but afraid to offend a vocal and aggressive group of people.

"There is a segment of the Islamic community that is very vocal about this."

The professor said: "I think the notion that these cultural norms should be carried out within a broader society that not only doesn't share them but that is free and open is a very serious problem." » | John-Paul Ford Rojas | Friday, March 15, 2013

Stand for Peace »

British Radicals 'Are Flocking to Syria'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Radical British Islamists are travelling to Syria in greater numbers than all other theatres of war, a senior British official has said.

The numbers of young British Muslims travelling to fight with extremist groups battling the Syrian regime has escalated to the point where the conflict already poses a "major threat" to Britain's stability and security.

"This is a horrific situation that is now on a grave trajectory," the official said. "We now have more British jihadists going to Syria than all the other areas of conflict, be it Afghanistan, Pakistan or Yemen combined."

The government is examining ways of isolating jihadist groups in Syria, as Whitehall considers plans to increase assistance to rebels, including sending arms.

Security experts fear a new generation of radicals intent on a career of jihadist warfare is gaining training and experience of war in Syria. The exodus from British towns and cities is believed to have risen to levels last seen decades ago when the Bosnian and Afghan conflicts were at their height. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Pope Francis Eschews Trappings of Papacy on First Day in Office
THE GUARDIAN: Former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio ditches Mercedes, ermine and gold cross for simpler style as he begins papacy

It wasn't quite a bus – his days of taking public transport may finally be over – but it certainly wasn't the vehicle of pontiffs, either. The car in which Pope Francis travelled on his first day as head of the Roman Catholic church was a standard-issue, black saloon.

Not for him the Mercedes with the papal number plate SCV1. That – along with the ermine-trimmed mozzetta and the gold pectoral cross – had been left behind. The new pope, said a Vatican spokesman, seemed to have brought "a new style of doing things".

First on the papal agenda on Thursday was a "spontaneous" visit – alluded to on Wednesday night by the just-elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio – to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in central Rome. The church, home to an altar where the Jesuit founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola celebrated his first mass in 1538, had played host to Francis when he was a mere cardinal and archbishop.

Now, he was returning as the world's first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff. Not that there was much difference in the way he behaved, according to one priest, Father Ludovico Melo. "It was a meeting with a father," he said, "and not with a pope." » | Lizzy Davies in Vatican City | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Londres: porc dans des saucisses halal
LE FIGARO: La présence d'ADN de porc a été détectée dans des saucisses halal au poulet au menu d'écoles et de crèches dans le centre de Londres, ont annoncé jeudi les autorités locales. Celles-ci avaient fait faire de leur propre chef des tests dans certaines cantines scolaires de l'arrondissement de Westminster, dans le sillage du scandale de la viande de cheval découverte dans des plats préparés, présentés comme étant au boeuf.

Aucune trace de cheval n'a été détectée, mais ces examens ont montré la possible présence d'ADN de porc dans des saucisses halal au poulet, confirmée ensuite par une deuxième série de tests. "Les résultats ont confirmé aujourd'hui la présence de porc dans un échantillon de saucisses halal qui ont potentiellement été servies dans 19 écoles et crèches" où elles étaient proposées au menu, a expliqué dans un communiqué la municipalité. Des traces d'agneau et de porc ont également été retrouvées dans du boeuf haché non halal utilisé par les cantines de 17 autres établissements du secteur. » | AFP | jeudi 14 mars 2013

REUTERS.COM: Pork found in halal meat in London school – council: Traces of pork were found in halal chicken sausages served in at least one primary school in central London, the local city council said on Thursday. » | Reuters | LONDON | Thursday, March 14, 2013

New Pope Urges Church to Return to Its Gospel Roots

REUTERS.COM: In his first public Mass, Pope Francis urged the Catholic Church on Thursday to stick to its Gospel roots and shun modern temptations, warning that it would become just another charitable group if it forgot its true mission.

In a heartfelt, simple homily, the Argentinian pope laid out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church, which is beset by scandals, intrigue and strife.

Addressing cardinals in the frescoed Sistine Chapel the day after his election there, Jorge Bergoglio said the Church should be more focused on the Gospels of Jesus Christ.

"We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don't proclaim Jesus Christ, something is wrong. We would become a compassionate NGO and not a Church which is the bride of Christ," he said, speaking in Italian without notes.

The first non-European pope in 1,300 years, Bergoglio's initial steps suggested he would bring a new style to the papacy, favoring humility and simplicity over pomp, grandeur and ambition among its top officials.

Whereas his predecessor, Pope Benedict, delivered his first homily in Latin, laying out his broad vision for the Church, Francis adopted the tone of parish priest, focusing on faith.

"When we walk without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we proclaim Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord. We are worldly," he told the massed ranks of cardinals clad in golden vestments.

"We may be bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, all of this, but we are not disciples of the Lord," he added. » | Crispian Balmer and Philip Pullella | VATICAN CITY | Additional reporting by Catherine Hornby, Antonio Denti, Naomi O'Leary, Tom Heneghan, Philip Pullella and Keith Weir; writing by Barry Moody; editing by Alastair Macdonald and Giles Elgood | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Murder Plot: Germany Cracks Down on Salafists
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Islamist extremist in Germany are under scrutiny once again after raids on members of Salafist groups coincided on Wednesday with the foiling of a suspected murder plot by individuals linked to the movement. One senior politician wants to make it easier to deport radicals.

Following police raids of Salafist groups on Wednesday in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia, in addition to the foiling of an apparent Salafist plot to attack senior members of the regional, right-wing populist party Pro-NRW, German conservatives are demanding further action against the Islamist extremists.

Wolfgang Bosbach, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the party's domestic policy expert in parliament, would like to make it easier to deport religious extremists. "It is incomprehensible why the deportation law applies only to politically motivated perpetrators of violence and not for religiously motivated fanatics," he said in an interview with the daily Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, published on Thursday.

Because many of the Salafists in question are also German citizens, he also demanded that more be done to investigate and, where necessary, prosecute extremists.

The call came a day after police arrested four Islamists who were allegedly planning an attack on Markus Beisicht, head of Pro-NRW, in Leverkusen. Two of those taken into custody were seized near Beisicht's home, where they were apparently performing reconnaissance in preparation for an assault. A third was arrested in Bonn, where police also found a firearm and explosive material. The fourth suspect was arrested in Essen. Three of the suspects hold German passports while the fourth is Albanian, according to the public prosecutor's office in Dortmund. » | cgh -- with wire reports | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Related »

Pope Francis, Humble, Authentic and Credible

CNN: (CNN) -- For an institution that moves glacially, instant analysis is as impossible as it is unwise. Yet first impressions are important. Our initial glimpse of the new pope was curiously disconcerting. He stood there impassive and unemotional. He looked stunned, without almost any reaction at all except, perhaps, awe or even fear of the moment.

Suddenly, his eyes seemed to open wide, as if he was really seeing the position for which he had been chosen less than an hour before. And then he spoke, not with the power of physical force or energy but with something stronger: humility.

With the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires as pope, the Roman Catholic Church enters the next chapter of her history. And yet, as often happens in the church, she turns to her past for inspiration and even innovation. So we have the first pope to be elected from the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, who were founded by Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century while Catholicism reeled from Protestant challenges.

Yet this Jesuit takes the name Francis from the humble servant of medieval Assisi who began the Franciscan order 300 years before Ignatius. » | Christopher M. Belitto * | Special to CNN | Thursday, March 14, 2013

* Christopher M. Bellitto, chairman and associate professor of history at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, is the author of "101 Questions and Answers on Popes and the Papacy."

On First Day, New Pope Urges Courage 'To Build the Church with the Blood of Christ'

CNN: Vatican City (CNN) -- Pope Francis on Thursday emphasized church advancement in his first Mass with the cardinals who elected him as pontiff a day earlier.

With solemnity, he delivered a homily about moving the Catholic Church forward to the cardinal electors, who were dressed in light yellow robes. Altar servers burned incense in the Sistine Chapel, the setting for the Mass.

He didn't appear to use a script and kept the sermon short, calling on the cardinals to have courage.

"When we don't walk, we are stuck. When we don't build on the rock, what happens? It's what happens to children when they build a sand castle and it all then falls down," the new pontiff said.

"When we walk without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we confess without the cross, we are not disciples of Christ. We are mundane," he said. "We are all but disciples of our Lord.

"I would like for all of us, after these days of grace, that we find courage to walk in the presence of God ... and to build the church with the blood of Christ," he continued. "Only this way will the church move forward." »

Labour Peer Lord Ahmed Suspended Over Claims He Blamed Imprisonment On 'Jewish Conspiracy'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Labour has suspended a peer who is alleged to have blamed a Jewish conspiracy for the imprisonment he received over a fatal motorway crash.

The Times has reported [£] that Lord Ahmed, a Labour life peer, claimed that he received his prison sentenced because of pressure on the courts from Jews “who own newspapers and TV channels".

Lord Ahmed, who in 1998 became the first Muslim life peer, is said to have claimed that the conspiracy was a result of his support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

He is said to have made the comments in a TV interview in April last year while on a visit to Pakistan.

Labour today suspended the peer "pending an investigation".

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader said: "I think that the comments reported by Lord Ahmed are disgraceful comments.

"There's no place for anti-semitism in the Labour Party, and frankly anybody who makes those kinds of comments cannot be either a Labour lord or a Labour member of Parliament."

Lord Ahmed, who was born in Pakistan, became Baron Ahmed of Rotherham at the age of 40.

In 2007 he was highly critical of the awarding of a knighthood to Salman Rushdie, claiming the author had "blood on his hands."

In 2009 he was jailed for dangerous driving after sending and receiving text messages minutes before being involved in a fatal motorway crash. The Court of Appeal later suspended his 12-week jail sentence. » | Peter Dominiczak, Political Corresponden | Thursday, March 14, 2013

US 'Hair Archaeologist' Recreates Ancient Coiffs
By day, Janet Stephens is a hairstylist in a modern salon. But by night, she's part archaeologist, part hairdresser, meticulously recreating hairdos from the age of antiquity.

Iraqi Christians Fear Being Wiped Out
Iraqi Christians have been repeatedly targeted by militants in the 10 years since Saddam Hussein's overthrow and decimated by emigration that threatens to wipe the ancient community out. Duration:

Papst Franziskus: Ein Hirte des Volkes
14.03.2013 - Gleich bei seinem ersten Auftritt bewies er Humor: Papst Franziskus scherzte, die Kardinäle hätten ihn vom Ende der Welt geholt. Mit Jorge Mario Bergoglio wurde der erste Südamerikaner und der erste Jesuit Pontifex. Der Argentinier prangert vor allem Korruption und Armut an.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Papst aus Argentinien: Franziskus amerikanus: Gegen Abtreibung, Homo-Ehe und die Präsidentin: Der neue Papst Franziskus stärkt die Konservativen in Lateinamerika. Für die progressiven Kräfte des Kontinents ist seine Wahl ein herber Rückschlag. Und: Seine umstrittene Rolle während der argentinischen Militärdiktatur rückt ihn ins Zwielicht. » | Eine Analyse von Ariel Magnus, Buenos Aires | Donnerstag, 14. März 2013

DIE WELT: Franziskus würdigt Vorgänger Benedikt mit Besuch: Den Vormittag seines ersten Tages als Papst verbringt Franziskus noch im stillen Gebet. Doch schon am Nachmittag steht eine Messe mit den Kardinälen an. Und ein wichtiger Besuch. » | KNA/ecb/sara | Donnerstag, 14. März 2013

Sunni Islam's Al-Azhar Eyes 'Better Relations' With New Pope
HINDUSTAN TIMES: Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, Al-Azhar, said on Thursday that it wants "better relations" with the Vatican under Pope Francis.

"We are hoping for better relations with the Vatican after the election of the new pope," Mahmud Azab, adviser for inter-faith affairs to Al-Azhar imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb said.

"As soon as a new policy emerges, we will resume the dialogue with the Vatican which was suspended in early 2011," Azab said. "We congratulate the Church of St Peter and all Catholics around the world."

In 2006, Pope Benedict sparked fury across the Muslim world when he recounted an anecdote in which the Muslim Prophet Mohammed was described as a warmonger who spread evil teachings by the sword. » | AFP, Cairo | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Pope Francis Makes First Outing As Pontiff

The Pope From Far Away Is An Inspiring Choice
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis I, clearly a a man of humility, compassion and learning, faces challenges that will require vision and willpower

The Catholic Church has a pontiff from the New World: “from far away”, as Pope Francis I told the crowds – and the world – when he appeared last night on the balcony in St Peter’s Square. The choice of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, may have come as a surprise to many, but to anyone who appreciates the shift in Catholic demographics from Europe to the developing world, it looks like a wise decision.

Much about Pope Francis suggests continuity. He is Italian-speaking and a man of advancing years – at 76, he breathes with one lung. Moreover, he is a conservative on moral issues and has publicly defended the Church’s position on euthanasia, abortion, homosexuality and priestly celibacy. Liberals will be disappointed.

Yet in many other ways, this Pope is a bold and thrilling choice. He is the first Jesuit pontiff – from an order that normally eschews ecclesiastical honours. He is said to be a simple and honest man, who often speaks out on behalf of the poor and who chose, when made a cardinal, to live in a modest apartment rather than his luxurious official residence. Indeed, upon his appointment in 2001, he discouraged people from spending money to fly out to Rome to accompany him, urging them to donate the funds to alleviate poverty at home instead. » | Telegraph View | Wednesday, March 13, 2013


Why Pope Francis was chosen as new pontiff: Speaking after cardinals elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new pope, US cardinal Timothy Dolan explained why they chose him and the atmosphere inside the Sistine Chapel. » | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Prince Charles Takes Private Arabic Lessons
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: He has long been fascinated by the culture and art of the Middle East, and now the Prince of Wales is taking his interest to a new level by having lessons in Arabic, it emerged today.


The Prince modestly told guests at a reception in Qatar that the language “goes in one ear and out the other”, but an aide disclosed that he is so keen to learn it that he has been having private tuition for more than six months.

Understanding Arabic would enable the Prince, who is passionate about encouraging dialogue between different religions, to read the Koran in its original form.

It would also mean he could decipher Arabic script during visits to mosques and museums of Islamic art.

The Prince was in Doha attending the launch of the Qatar-UK Alumni Network, for Qataris who have attended British universities, when he told a group of guests: “You all speak such good English.”

Dr Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, chairman of the association and Qatar’s energy minister, asked the Prince if he spoke any Arabic, and the Prince said: “I tried to learn it once but I gave up. It goes in one ear and out the other.”

Dr Al-Sada told him: “It’s never too late to learn.”

Later, one of the Prince’s aides confirmed that he has been having lessons in Arabic recently, adding: “He is enormously interested in the region.”

The Prince speaks good French, some German, and has also had lessons in Welsh. » | Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter, Doha | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Habemus Papam: Pope Francis I
New Pope: Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Aged 76. Home: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Career: Academic. Outlook: Moderate. He Will Be Known As Pope Francis I

The archbishop of Buenos Aires is a Jesuit intellectual who travels by bus and has a practical approach to poverty: when he was appointed a cardinal, Bergoglio persuaded hundreds of Argentinians not to fly to Rome to celebrate with him but instead to give the money they would have spent on plane tickets to the poor. He was a fierce opponent of Argentinas decision to legalise gay marriage in 2010, arguing children need to have the right to be raised and educated by a father and a mother. He was created a cardinal by John Paul II on 21 February 2001.

He believes in contraception to prevent the spread of disease, is open to dialogue with other faiths, and is not facing questions over any abuse scandals. Nor is he facing questions over the handling of the Vatileaks scandal. He would make reforming the curia a priority. [Source: The Guardian]

Live: White Smoke Rises: Cardinals Have Elected New Pope
Cardinals in the Vatican City have elected a new Pope as white smoke billows from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel and the bells toll from St Peter's basilica.

Eilmeldung! Weißer Rauch - Ein neuer Papst ist gewählt
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: Dieses Konklave gehörte zu den kürzesten in der Kirchengeschichte. Schon nach dem fünften Wahlgang steigt um 19.07 Uhr weißer Rauch aus dem Schornstein der Sixtinischen Kapelle in Rom auf. Der Name des neuen Papstes wird in dieser Stunde bekanntgegeben.

Die katholische Weltkirche hat einen neuen Papst. Bereits am zweiten Konklave-Tag wählten die 115 Kardinäle am Mittwoch in Rom mit der notwendigen Zweidrittel-Mehrheit einen Nachfolger des zurückgetretenen Papstes Benedikt XVI..

Aus dem Schornstein der Sixtinischen Kapelle, dem von der Öffentlichkeit abgeschotteten Wahlort, stieg nach dem fünften Wahlgang um 19.07 Uhr weißer Rauch auf - das Zeichen der erfolgten Wahl. Auf dem Petersplatz brandete unter tausenden versammelten Menschen großer Jubel auf. Die Glocken des Petersdoms begannen zu läuten. » | Quelle: FAZ.NET | Mittwoch, 13. März 2013

New York : les musulmans espionnés par la police, un impact « dévastateur »
SAPHIR NEWS: Les musulmans de New York s'organisent contre leur profilage par la police.

La Coalition des libertés civiques des musulmans américains (Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition), avec deux autres organisations de défense des droits civiques, ont remis au Département de police de la ville de New-York (NYPD), lundi 11 mars, un rapport de 51 pages dénonçant l'espionnage des musulmans de la ville.

Le rapport, intitulé « L'espionnage du NYPD et son impact sur les musulmans américains » (Mapping Muslims: NYPD Spying and its Impact on American Muslims), réclame une protection législative et judiciaire contre l'espionnage dont les musulmans ont été victimes. Il repose sur les témoignages de 57 Américains de confession musulmane recueillis par les organisations CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility) et AALDEF (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund).

Depuis le 11 septembre 2001, le NYPD a établi dans le plus grand secret un programme de surveillance des musulmans, rappellent les organisations, le jugeant anticonstitutionnel. Mais ce n'est qu'en août 2011, par le biais de l'Associated Press que ce fichage religieux est révélé, choquant alors toute une communauté. L'agence de presse démontre que le NYPD dressait une liste de mosquées, d'associations musulmanes et d'entreprises gérées par des musulmans.

Au nom de la lutte antiterroriste, le NYPD n'a pas hésité à procéder à des infiltrations. Les agents du NYPD ont littéralement scruté la vie des musulmans. Ils ont ainsi décompté combien de fois par jour les étudiants priaient lorsqu'ils étaient en voyage universitaire, le nombre d'entreprises égyptiennes ayant fermé leur portes pour les prières ou encore les restaurants diffusant la chaîne Al-Jazeera, fait remarquer le rapport.

« Leurs pratiques religieuses et leur comportement en dehors de l'islam ont été l'objet d'un examen minutieux », déplorent les auteurs du rapport, où le terme « dévastateur » est employé à de nombreuses reprises. » | Rédigé par La Rédaction | mardi 12 mars 2013

Taqiy[y]a, or the Terrorist ‘Art of Deception'

FRANCE 24: A year after the Toulouse attacks by Mohamed Merah (pictured), French counterterrorism experts are monitoring the practice of "taqiy[y]a" - or deceiving society by concealing one’s faith – and its uses in jihadist circles.

Nearly a year ago, as one of France’s longest-ever police sieges was about to end on the morning of March 22, 2012, Mohamed Merah – also known as “the Toulouse gunman” – uttered a cry that seemed enigmatic to the uninformed, but was weighted with meaning for counterterrorism experts.

“It’s not the money, it’s the deception that’s critical,” said the 23-year-old French-Algerian shortly before he jumped off his Toulouse apartment window and was gunned down by an elite French anti-terror unit.

The somewhat cryptic cry was a likely reference to “taqiy[y]a” – a form of religious dissimulation or legal dispensation in which believers deny their faith or even commit blasphemous acts as a deception if they are seriously threatened or at risk of persecution.

"Concealment is a technique as old as the world," explained French anti-terrorism judge Marc Trévidic in an interview with FRANCE 24. “It’s also an essential component of any war strategy, regardless of the people involved.”

In Islam, taqiy[y]a dates back to the time when Shiite Muslims were hounded and persecuted by the Sunni caliphs following the 7th century schism between the followers of the Prophet’s son-in-law, Ali, and the Sunni caliphate.

For the traditionally persecuted Shiite minority, deception – or taqiy[y]a – was considered a matter of survival. Although the term does not exist in Sunni jurisprudence, there have been rare cases of Sunnis practicing taqiy[y]a in extraordinary circumstances. » | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Mayor Bloomberg on Soda Ban: Judge Couldn't Be More Wrong

Related »

Extreme Anti-Islam Ads Are Now Running On San Francisco's Buses

BUSINESS INSIDER: Anti-Islam ads appeared on 10 public buses in San Francisco on Monday, showing "inflammatory quotes by Islamic fundamentalists" accompanied by "an anonymous terrorist," according to Transportation Nation.

The ads are paid for by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, whose executive director, Pamela Geller, told the New York Observer in December, "I refuse to abridge my free speech so as to appease savages." » | Alex Davies | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sells Off Collection Of Official Gifts
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sold off his collection of official gifts in a charity auction on Wednesday, including a platinum Monc Blanc pen commemorating Charlie Chaplin's life.

The auction of dozens of luxury brand watches and gem-encrusted jewelry appeared to be designed to cement the populist Iranian leader's reputation as a man of the people before he stands down as leader after June's elections.

Proceeds from the sales, held in a palace of the former Shahs of Iran, would be used to build homes for the country's war veterans and single mothers.

Collectors at the event at Sadabad Palace in north Tehran bid for a series of items given to Mr Ahmadinejad by states including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Pakistan. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Andrew Bostom and Robert Spencer Discuss Bernard Lewis and Academic Study of Islam

Far Right 'Stokes Radicalisation'
WALES ONLINE: Far-right movements like the English Defence League (EDL) have the potential to inspire individuals to break off and join more extreme groups, a minister warned.

Delivering a speech at a conference on far-right extremism, security minister James Brokenshire said that the rise of movements such as the EDL was a "worrying phenomenon".

He warned that the EDL and others have the potential to "stoke radicalisation" and could ultimately cross the line into an area that concerns counter-terrorism strategy.

The minister also revealed that more than 2,000 websites had been shut down since 2010 for breaching UK terror laws by the Counter-terrorism Internet Referral Unit.

Mr Brokenshire hit out at groups such as the EDL for "inflaming tensions and spreading hate-filled prejudice within communities".

He said: "The narratives groups such as the EDL use as their capital - engendering fear and distrust about large sections of our communities - have the potential to stoke radicalisation. » | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Arnoud van Doorn: From Wilders to Muhammad
Out of curiosity, Aroud van Doorn started studying the Koran. The more he read of the Koran, the Sunnah (the customs of the Prophet), and the Ahadith (the sayings of the Prophet), the more convinced he became that Islam is a “wise and beautiful” religion.

Because he has a lot to learn, he feels he has returned to school. He says he is humble, because he is just staring his study of Islam and Arabic. But the more you learn. He says, the better it is.

Having been brought up as a Christian, he says that there are many shared values with Islam. It was easier for him to convert to Islam as an ex-Christian, because he already knew about the prophets and the angels. That discipline is necessary for any religion, he says.

He says that the biggest mistake of non-Muslims concerning Islam is their lack of knowledge and their prejudices. He says: “People should learn more before judging.”

He has full confidence that Allah will help and guide him in the difficulties that will lie ahead for him after his conversion. Read the article in Spanish » | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Lien en relation avec la conversion d’Arnoud van Doorn »

Paul Weston Launches New Political Party: Liberty GB

Liberty GB »

Germany Bans Three Salafist Groups as Anti-democratic
THE STAR ONLINE: BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany on Wednesday banned three ultra-conservative Salafist Muslim groups which the Interior Ministry said wanted to overturn democracy and install a system based on sharia, or Islamic law.

The ban, which took effect in the western states of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia in the early morning, is the latest step taken by German authorities who have increased surveillance of Salafists who espouse a radical version of Islam.

The ministry said it has banned the organisations "DawaFFM" and "Islamische Audios", as well as "An-Nussrah", which is part of the "Millatu Ibrahim" group that was outlawed in June.

Some 20 people were searched and assets belonging to the organisations were seized, said the ministry.

"Salafism, as represented in the associations that were banned today, is incompatible with our free democratic order," Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said in a statement. » | Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Kevin Liffey | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

DIE WELT: Großrazzia gegen Salafisten-Vereine: Hunderte Polizisten sind in Nordrhein-Westfalen und Hessen zu Razzien gegen Salafisten ausgerückt. Sie sollen das Vermögen zweier Vereine beschlagnahmen, die Innenminister Friedrich verboten hatte. » | AFP/dpa/jw/ff | Mittwoch, 13. März 2013

Saudi Arabia Executes Seven Men Despite UN Appeal for Clemency
THE GUARDIAN: Human rights activists say men were executed by firing squad, but country's official news agency says they were beheaded

Saudi Arabia has executed seven men for an armed robbery, the interior ministry said, despite an appeal for clemency by United Nations human rights investigators.

The seven, some of whom were under 18 when the crime was committed in 2006, had been due to be put to death last week but were granted a stay of execution while authorities reviewed their case.

Human rights activists in Saudi Arabia said they had been executed by firing squad, but the country's official news agency said they had been beheaded. The original sentences called for death by firing squad and crucifixion.

The men, from Asir province in the south of the country, were convicted of robbery and theft. » | Agencies in Riyadh | Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Frankreichs Präsident Hollande: Monsieur Unpopulär

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Noch nie hat sich ein französischer Präsident so schnell so unbeliebt gemacht wie François Hollande. Nur zehn Monate nach Amtsantritt nähert sich sein Ansehen gefährlich dem Negativrekord von Vorgänger Sarkozy. Eine Reise zum Volk, das ihm seine Berater verordnet hatten, geriet nun zum Desaster.

Es ging fast alles schief, was schief gehen konnte während dieser Reise, die François Hollande in die ostfranzösische Stadt Dijon unternahm. Eigentlich war der Ausflug Anfang der Woche dazu gedacht, die miserablen Beliebtheitswerte des Präsidenten zu verbessern und "den direkten Kontakt mit den Franzosen zu erneuern". Stattdessen sah sich Hollande so deutlich wie nie mit dem Zorn des Volkes konfrontiert - und war damit sichtlich überfordert.

"Monsieur Hollande, wo sind Ihre Versprechungen geblieben?", brüllte ein junger Mann dem Präsidenten entgegen, als der im ärmlichen Quartier Grésilles eintraf. Sofort trugen zwei Personenschützer den Mann gewaltsam aus der Menge. Es war ein verheerendes Bild für die Fernsehkameras. Nicolas Sarkozy hatte einem Zwischenrufer einmal entgegengerufen: "Verpiss dich, du Arsch." Er wurde den Satz nie mehr los.

Die Polizei hatte schon vor der Ankunft des Präsidenten eine Gruppe von Gewerkschaftern vertrieben: Sie hatten auf Hollande mit einem Plakat des sozialistischen Gründungsvaters Jean Jaurès gewartet, um ihn "daran zu erinnern, dass er Sozialist ist". Zum Schweigen gebracht wurde - so "Le Monde" - auch ein Anwohner, der dem Präsidenten entgegenrief: "Wir warten immer noch auf deinen Wandel, François." » | Von Mathieu von Rohr, Paris | Dienstag, 12. März 2013

Just How Ill Is The Queen? Concern Grows As She Fights Off Illness

THE DAILY EXPRESS: THE Queen was forced to pull out of a public engagement yesterday as she struggled to shake off an 11-day illness.

Public concern about her health was heightened after she cancelled her appearance at the annual Commonwealth Day Observance ceremony at the last minute.

Doctors advised the 86-year-old monarch that she might not be up to sitting through the hour-long service in Westminster Abbey, London.

It was the first time in 20 years she had missed the ceremony, which is particularly close to her heart.

Buckingham Palace officials had said on Friday that she would be well enough to attend – and it was back to business as usual after the Queen suffered a bout of gastroenteritis. Last night she did brave the icy weather to attend a Commonwealth reception in London in her first public appearance since she left hospital last week.

Looking pale, she signed the Commonwealth’s new charter at Marlborough House in her role as head of the family of nations.

However, courtiers said she might well have to cancel other engagements this week. » | Richard Palmer | Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Bloomberg Has Hard Time Swallowing Judge’s Decision to Nix Large Soda Ban
The ban on sugary drinks over 16 ounces at city-regulated eateries was supposed to take effect Tuesday. Bloomberg: ‘It wasn’t a setback for me. It’s a setback for the people who are dying.’

Read the New York Daily News article here | Edgar Sandoval | New York Daily News | Tuesday, March 12, 2013
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Prince Charles and Camilla Welcomed to Royal Palace in Jordan
Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall met King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan at the Royal Palace in Amman on Tuesday on the second day of their Middle East tour.

Lord Pearson Warns on islamic Colonisation of UK

Census That Revealed a Troubling Future
STANDPOINTMAG: Imagine yourself back in 2002. The census for England and Wales, compiled the previous year, has just come out, showing the extent to which the country has changed. You decide to extrapolate from the findings and speculate about what the next decade might bring.

"The Muslim population of Britain will double in the next ten years," you conclude. "White Britons will become a minority in their own capital city by the end of this decade."

How would those statements by your younger self have been greeted? The terms "alarmist" and "scaremongering" would certainly have been used, as most likely would "racist" and (though the coinage was in its infancy) "Islamophobe". Safe to say, your extrapolations would not have been greeted warmly. Readers inclined to doubt this might recall that when the then Timesjournalist Anthony Browne made far less startling comments in 2002, they were denounced by then Home Secretary David Blunkett — using parliamentary privilege — as "bordering on fascism".

Yet that widely abused younger self of 2002 would be proved utterly right. The 2011 census, published at the end of last year, revealed the following facts and more. It showed that the number of people living in England and Wales who were born overseas rose by nearly three million in the last decade alone. Only 44.9 per cent of London residents are now white British. And nearly three million people in England and Wales live in households where not one adult speaks English as their main language.

The religious make-up of Britain has altered as well. Almost every belief other than Christianity is on the rise. Only Britain's historic national religion is in freefall. Since the previous census in 2001, the number of people identifying themselves as Christian dropped by 13 per cent, from 72 to 59 per cent. The number of Christians in England and Wales dropped by more than four million, and the number of Christians overall fell from 37 million to 33 million.

And while Christianity witnessed this collapse in its followers, mass migration assisted a near-doubling in size of the Muslim population. Over the last decade the number of Muslims rose from 1.5 million to 2.7 million. These are the official figures. Illegal immigrants make the real numbers far higher.

Despite being hard to digest in a year, the census story passed over in a couple of days. But this is not an ephemeral story. It is an account of our recent past, our immediate present and a glimpse into a troubling future. Perhaps we passed over it so quickly because few people can bear this much reality. » | Douglas Murray | March 2013