Pope Francis Calls for 'Respect' for All Religions
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis has called for "friendship and respect" among all faiths at a meeting with representatives of major world religions in the Vatican.


The Roman Catholic Church would "promote friendship and respect between men and women of different religions," the pope said, a day after his formal inauguration in St Peter's Square.

"We can do a lot for the good of people who are poor, who are weak, who suffer... and to promote reconciliation and peace," Francis told them.

Representatives of Orthodox Christianity, Judaism and Islam were among those present at the meeting.

Latin America's first pontiff said they should be united against "one of the most dangerous pitfalls of our time - reducing human beings to what they produce and what they consume." » | Agence France-Presse in Vatican City, edited by Sarah Titterton | Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Lebanese Pop Star Myriam Klink Runs for Parliament: I Am Fed Up with Lebanon, Want to Establish "Klinkistan" | NBN TV (Lebanon) - February 17, 2012

Islamist Palestinian Leaders Warn Obama Not to Visit Al-Aqsa Mosque: He Will Be Pelted with Shoes and Stones | Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar), Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas/Gaza) | March 2013

Hajj - A Journey to the Heart of Islam
Prince Charles at the opening of the exhibition: Hajj - a journey to the heart of Islam, at the British Museum in London (Reporter: Ranii-TV Radio Presenter) | July 2012

Prince Charles Official Opening Speech of the Hajj Exhibition at the British Museum: Official Opening of the Hajj Exhibition at the British Museum, London. Thursday 26th January, 2012 by HRH Prince Charles, Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah and Prince Muhammad bin Nawaf (Saudi Ambassador to the UK). »

The Absolute Best of Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens on Prince Charles

Pedophilia Is OK in Islam

The Hidden Origin of Islam
The Hidden Origins of Islam: New Research into Its Early History by Karl-Heinz Ohlig and Gerd-R Puin (Jul 30, 2009), available at Amazon. ¶ The Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran: A Contribution to the Decoding of the Language of the Koran by Christoph Luxenberg (Mar 2007) ¶ The virgins and the Grapes: the Christian origins of the Koran:

CHIESA: The Virgins and the Grapes: the Christian Origins of the Koran – A German scholar of ancient languages takes a new look at the sacred book of Islam. He maintains that it was created by Syro-Aramaic speaking Christians, in order to evangelize the Arabs. And he translates it in a new way » | Sandro Magister | Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Prince Charles: Follow the Islamic Way to Save the World

MAIL ONLINE: ’Follow the Islamic way to save the world,’ Prince Charles urges environmentalists » | Rebecca English | Thursday, June 10, 2010

Le prince Charles bientôt converti à l'islam ?
SAPHIR NEWS: Le prince Charles, héritier de la couronne britannique, et son épouse Camilla Parker Bowles sont actuellement en visite au Moyen-Orient.

L'occasion pour Camilla de parler de l'intérêt que porte son mari pour l'islam, rapporte des magazines people britanniques. Le prince, qui a commencé à apprendre l'arabe, désirerait se familiariser avec le Coran, aurait déclaré son épouse.

Selon la presse, cette déclaration a surtout pour but d'attirer l'attention sur elle et son couple au détriment de Kate Middleton, dont la grossesse fait les belles heures des paparazzis. Cette dernière, très attachée au christianisme, n'aurait d'ailleurs pas appréciée et considérerait que Camilla veut encore embarrasser la famille royale.

Il faut dire que ses propos alimentent une nouvelle fois la rumeur autour d'une probable conversion du prince héritier à l'islam alors que son statut ne l'y autorise pas car la famille royale dirige l'Eglise anglicane. Toutefois, son intérêt pour l'islam perdure visiblement.

Après une visite en Jordanie puis au Qatar, le couple est arrivé, vendredi 15 mars, en Arabie Saoudite, non sans controverse, deux jours après l'exécution de sept jeunes hommes condamnés à mort. » | Rédigé par La Rédaction | lundi 18 mars 2013

Head of Colorado’s Prisons Is Fatally Shot at Home
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The head of Colorado’s Department of Corrections was fatally shot Tuesday night as he opened the front door of his home, the authorities said, hours before Gov. John W. Hickenlooper was scheduled to sign into law a series of restrictive gun control measures.

The department’s executive director, Tom Clements, 58, lived with his family in Monument, near Colorado Springs in central Colorado, the authorities said. The police have not identified a suspect. » | Timothy Williams | Wednesday, March 20, 2013

King Abdullah: Beware Rise of Muslim Brotherhood

Bibles Burned in Welsh Church
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A vicar has spoken of his shock after intruders broke into his church and set fire to the Bibles.

None of the church's valuable items were taken during the break-in, but a stained glass window was smashed using a vase from the graveyard and Bibles and hymn books were burned.

Rev Goronwy Evans, minister at the church for 46 years, believes that they burned the holy books in an “abysmal” attempt to set the church on fire.

"In this day and age break-ins are a part of life, but it was shocking to see what they had done," he said.

The scene was discovered by a woman who was bringing flowers to her mother's grave in the churchyard at Brondeifi Unitarian Chapel, in Lampeter, Ceredigion, south west Wales. » | Hayley Dixon | Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Obama Makes First Trip to Israel as President

CNN: Jerusalem -- U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Israel on Wednesday as concerns about Iran's nuclear progress percolate. The trip, his first to the country as president, is part of his sweep across the Middle East, which will include visits to the West Bank and Jordan. » | CNN Staff | Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Cyprus Turns to Russia after Parliament Rejects Levy on Bank Savings
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cyprus turned to Russia for help on Tuesday night after the country's parliament overwhelmingly rejected a tax on the deposits of bank savers.


With protesters celebrating in the streets, the rejection of a draconian levy left a planned £8.5 billion eurozone bail-out to save the Mediterranean island in chaos.

The country's finance minister defied explicit warnings from Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and left Cyprus for urgent talks in Russia.

Michael Sarris flew to Moscow to plead for aid, despite Mrs Merkel warning Cyprus not to enter into negotiations with Russia, raising the spectre of eurozone disintegration.

"The chancellor once again emphasised that the negotiations are to be conducted only with the troika (the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund)," said her spokesman.

Not a single Cypriot MP voted in favour of a eurozone rescue package that had been made conditional by Germany on the Cypriot government finding £5 billion to pay off its debts by raiding bank deposits, including the savings of up to 60,000 Britons.

Under the original eurozone deal at the weekend, Cyprus agreed to impose a levy of 6.75 per cent on bank accounts up to €100,000 (£85,000) and 9.9 per cent for larger deposits.

Despite a compromise proposal not to tax any bank deposit less than €20,000 (£17,000), the country's 36 MPs rejected a deposit tax that has rattled financial markets and threatened the island's future as an offshore banking haven for Russian investors, with 19 MPs abstaining from the vote.

"There can only be one answer: no to blackmail," Yiannakis Omirou, the speaker of the Cypriot parliament said. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels, Richard Spencer in Nicosia and Robert Tait in Limassol | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Complete Inaugural Mass of Pope Francis
Pope Francis was installed Tuesday in an inaugural Mass attended by 132 government delegations, representatives of all the major faiths of the world and thousands of other well-wishers and onlookers.

Syria: Regime Accuses Rebels of Killing 25 in Chemical Weapons Attack
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Residents of an area that has been reportedly targeted with chemical weapons in Syria were said to be showing symptoms including breathing difficulties in an incident that could cross US "red lines" on intervention in the conflict.

Britain said on Tuesday it was aware of media reports about a chemical weapons attack in Syria, adding that the use or proliferation of chemical weapons there would demand a serious response from the international community.

Syria’s regime accused rebel fighters of firing a chemical weapon at a town in the country’s north, hours after the opposition had chosen a prime minister to oversee areas freed from government control.

But a spokesman for Syria's rebel command said the regime had fired Scud missile equipped with a chemical warhead on the area.

The official newsagency, Sana, said the attack had occurred in Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, killing 25 people. Syria has one of the world’s largest stockpiles of chemical weapons and both sides have made claim and counter-claim about use of the weapons. » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Confronting Sharia Law in Belgium
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Islamic Sharia law is "incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy." — European Court of Human Rights

After members of the newly established Islam Party vowed to implement Islamic Sharia law in Belgium, Members of Parliament introduced a bill that would limit the power of Muslim extremists who win elected office at the local or national levels and isolate themselves from the political mainstream.

Addressing the Belgian Parliament on February 28, Alain Destexhe, an MP with the Reformist Movement[Mouvement Réformateur], the largest French-speaking classical liberal party in Belgium, and Philippe Pivin, a liberal MP who is also the deputy mayor of Koekelberg, a suburb of Brussels, said it is imperative to curb the power of elected Muslims whose beliefs are inconsistent with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights ruled in February 2003 that Islamic Sharia law is "incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy." The court said that a legal system based on Sharia law "would diverge from the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly with regard to the rules on the status of women, and its intervention in all spheres of private and public life in accordance with religious precepts."

The legislative proposal, which is currently open for signatures by other Members of the Belgian Parliament, argues that ultra-conservative Muslims who are elected to public office are unsuitable to run local governments or community bodies and should be impeached.

Destexhe said that as Muslim politicians in Belgium are creating isolated communities and parallel societies, the measure is necessary. He said: "The people of the Islam Party refuse to shake hands with women. They do not want to mix with others in public transport and other communal places. They advocate getting married and wearing a veil at 12 years old, based on Islamic law."

Destexhe continued: "Members of the Islam Party have refused to shake hands with Françoise Schepmans, the mayor of Molenbeek [a primarily Muslim neighborhood in Brussels]. I feel that some people do not understand how similar this is to the behavior of the extreme right, and how they are creating their own isolated community." » | Soeren Kern | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A Liberal View of the RC Church: Theologian Hans Küng on the Pope's Challenges
BBC: On the day of the inauguration of Pope Francis, the Catholic theologian, Professor Hans Ku[e]ng tells Today presenter John Humphrys about the challenges facing the new pontiff.

Prof Ku[e]ng explained that recent and historical sex abuse scandals have severely damaged the church, which also faces the challenge of evangelical churches in South America, which many former Catholics are now joining.

"We need a Pope who is not for riches, pomp and splendour. We need a church of transparent financial policies. A modest church."

He added that many people have left the Catholic Church because [:] "the liturgy is boring and the clergy are dominating." BBC audio » | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Darling: Cyprus Savings Raid Could Trigger Bank Runs Across Europe
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bank runs and financial panic could spread across Europe after Cyprus proposed raiding people's savings for a new bail-out, Alistair Darling has said.

The former Chancellor said Cyprus is doing "everything you should not do" after the tiny country decided to seize around 6.75 per cent from smaller deposits and almost 10 per cent from larger ones.

The country is currently deciding whether to make richer savers pay a bigger proportion of the bill but Mr Darling said the whole idea of taking money from ordinary savers is dangerous.

He said EU should not be letting Cyprus "blow apart" the principle of protecting deposits under €100,000, as people will start pulling their cash out of banks if they fear this elsewhere.

"It seems to me to make it more likely that if you’re a saver in Spain or Italy, if you have a sniff of the EU or the IMF coming your way you’ll take your money out and you’ll get a run on the bank," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

"So what they’re doing is everything you should not do when you’re trying to solve a problem like this." » | Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Israel PM Warns of 'Enormous Threats' in Region on Eve of Obama Visit
THE GUARDIAN: Binyamin Netanyahu vows to guarantee future of Jewish people as Israel, prepares for Barack Obama's first visit as president


The new Israeli government will use Barack Obama's visit to Jerusalem this week as an opportunity "to show our gratitude to the American people", said Binyamin Netanyahu before being sworn in for a third term as prime minister on Monday.

"Obama's visit will be an opportunity to thank him," Netanyahu said after warning that Israel faced "enormous threats" in the region and pledging to "guarantee the future of the Jewish people by guaranteeing the future of the state of Israel, the root of our existence".

The government was sworn in almost eight weeks after the election on 22 January, and just two days before Obama is due to arrive in Israel for his first visit as president. » | Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem | Monday, March 18, 2013

British Press Laws Are 'Just Crazy', Say Shocked Americans
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain’s new press regulations were roundly condemned across the world this morning as a threat to free speech.

The new rules left American commentators “horrified and shocked” at what they considered to be a “crazy idea”.

They said that the “shameful compromise” would never be allowed in the USA because it breaches the First Amendment[.]

The Kremlin-funded broadcaster Russia Today described the guidelines as a “threat to press freedom”.

The reaction came after the cross-party agreement was attacked by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the international body that polices human rights.

Britain, with its long running democracy, is often held up as a beacon of liberty.

But the changes in the law have left many dismayed. » | Richard Alleyne | Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Russians Prepare to Withdraw from Cyprus

Twitter Co-founder’s Dream Job: NYC Mayor

Bloomberg, Tobacco Targets Teens, Poor

Obama ‘Look-alike’ as Satan Causes Stir

Zypern: So gefährlich ist die Zwangsabgabe
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In der Euro-Krise ist die Angst wieder da: Die internationalen Gläubiger haben Zypern eine Zwangssteuer auf Sparguthaben verordnet. Investoren und Politiker fürchten Auswirkungen auf Banken in ganz Europa.

Hamburg - Ein Schock geht durch Europas Finanzsystem - ausgelöst vonZypern, einem kleinen Staat am Rande der Währungsunion. Erstmals in der Geschichte der Euro- und Finanzkrise sollen nicht mehr nur die europäischen Steuerzahler, Aktionäre oder private Gläubiger für die Probleme eines Landes und seiner Banken zahlen, sondern die Bankkunden. Sie sollen über eine einmalige Steuer an den Kosten der Rettung beteiligt werden. Das gab es so noch nie.

Entsprechend heftig sind die Reaktionen an den Finanzmärkten: In ganz Europa brachen am Montag die Kurse von Bankaktien ein. Zu den größten Verlierern gehörten Institute von Krisenländern wie die spanische Bankia, die zweitweise um mehr als acht Prozent abstürzte. Aber auch die Aktie der Deutschen Bank verlor zwischenzeitlich fast vier Prozent. Investoren flüchteten in vermeintlich sicherere Anlagen wie deutsche Staatsanleihen oder Gold .

Auch Experten sind schockiert. Der amerikanische Nobelpreisträger Paul Krugman spricht von einer "gefährlichen Lösung" und warnt vor "Ansteckungsgefahren". Die Sparer in Ländern wie Griechenland und Italien würden geradezu aufgefordert, ihr Geld von den Banken abzuziehen. Der deutsche Wirtschaftsweise Peter Bofinger schlägt im Interview mit SPIEGEL ONLINE Alarm: "Europas Bürger müssen nun um ihr Geld fürchten." » | Von Stefan Kaiser | Montag, 18. März 2013

Il snub? David Cameron Shuns New Argentine Pope's Inauguration
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron and the Queen will not be joining dozens of world leaders heading to the Vatican for the inauguration of the new Pope Francis.

The Duke of Gloucester will be the highest ranking member of the royal family to attend on Tuesday. The Prime Minister is sending two cabinet ministers, Baroness Warsi and Ken Clarke, in his place.

It comes just days after it emerged that the new Argentine pope once described the British as "usurpers" of the Falklands Islands.

Downing Street sources said the Prime Minister's decision not to go does not have any relation to the Falklands issue as other high-ranking officials are taking his place.

Another Number 10 official insisted sending the Duke of Gloucester and two ministers is "not a snub" but declined to give a reason why Mr Cameron will not be attending.

"The Government is being represented by senior Cabinet members," he said.

It is understood Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, will be at the ceremony, along with the French and Spanish prime ministers. The United States will be represented by Joe Biden, the Vice President, who said Barack Obama would have attended if he had not had a prior commitment to go to Israel.

Last week, Mr Cameron publicly clashed with the new Pope over Argentina's claim of sovereignty over 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. » | Rowena Mason, and Nick Squires in Rome | Monday, March 18, 2013

Our Queen: An ITV Landmark Documentary (Sunday March 17, 2013)
This new landmark documentary paints an in-depth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II during one of the most momentous years of her reign. The first feature length royal documentary in more than 20 years, Our Queen features unique access during the Diamond Jubilee year to members of the Royal Family, to Her Majesty's staff - some talking for the first time - to her Prime Ministers and to her residences. Made by the award-winning producer-director, Michael Waldman, and the best-selling royal author and writer, Robert Hardman, for Oxford Film and Television, the documentary follows the Jubilee from the inside. It also explores the modern Monarchy, delivering an insight into the way the world's most famous woman leads the world's best-known royal house, how she balances tradition with modernisation, and how her level of public affection is maintained amid the ever-changing political and social landscape of her reign.

Filmed throughout 2012, this observational two-hour documentary is a study of leadership, judgement and character, set against the spectacular pageantry of the Diamond Jubilee year, which sets out to provide a close perspective of Our Queen and what she means to Britain and the world.

Douglas Murray on the Left, Radical Islam, Shariah Law and the EDL

Richard Dawkins Debates Flying Horses with Muslims
Professor Richard Dawkins debates devout muslim Medhi Hassan about his firm belief in flying horses (Al -Buraq)

Sahih Bukhari 5:58:227 "...Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me." ... "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. ..."

The Church That's Opened Its Doors to Islam: Christians Roll Out Welcome to Muslims Who Were Having to Pray in the Wind and Rain Because Their Mosque Was So Small

MAIL ONLINE: The Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque was too small to fit everyone in / Church minister Rev Isaac Poobalan saw worshippers praying outside / Now he has handed over part of St John's Episcopal Church in Aberdeen / Bishop says: 'It would be good to think we can change the world'

A Scottish church has become the first in the UK to share its premises with Muslim worshippers.

St John’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen now welcomes hundreds of Muslims praying five times a day in their building as the nearby mosque was so small that they were forced to worship outside.

The minister of St John's, Rev Isaac Poobalan, has handed over part of the church hall to Chief Imam Ahmed Megharbi and the imam has led prayers in the main chapel.

Rev Poobalan said today that he would not be true to his faith if he did not offer to help.

He said: 'Praying is never wrong. My job is to encourage people to pray.

'The mosque was so full at times, there would be people outside in the wind and rain praying.

'I knew I couldn’t just let this happen - because I would be abandoning what the Bible teaches us about how we should treat our neighbours. » | Helen Lawson | Monday, March 18, 2013

Hillary Clinton Endorses Same-Sex Marriage

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THE CAUCUS (BLOG): Hillary Clinton Endorses Same-Sex Marriage: Saying that “gay rights are human rights,’’ Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former secretary of state and potential 2016 presidential candidate, has endorsed same-sex marriage. » | Sheryl Gay Stolberg | Monday, March 18, 2013

Radical Islam Spreads in Germany

Wiener Islamist Mohamed Mahmoud im Porträt - Spiegel TV

DIE PRESSE: Austro-Islamist: Drohvideo beschäftigt Ermittler – Verfassungsschutz wird im Fall von Mohamed Mahmoud aktiv. Die Staatsbürgerschaft verliert er auch nach Verbrennen seines Passes nicht. » | Philipp Aichinger und Helmar Dumbs | Die Presse | Sonntag, 17. März 2013

Horrifying Scenes as Lynch-mob Strip, Beat and Hang Two Men Accused of Stealing in Egypt
EXPRESS: Shocking images have shown an Egypt where anarchy rules the streets, as a baying mob stripped, beat and hung two men accused of stealing.

In an extreme case of vigilantism, the two young men - accused of stealing a motorised rickshaw - were attacked by a 3,000- strong mob reportedly chanting "kill, them, kill them!"

Shockingly, amidst the crowd, children can be seen laughing and taking pictures of the dying men.

The lynchings came a week after the attorney general's office encouraged civilians to arrest lawbreakers and hand them over to police.

The worsening security in Egypt, coupled with a police strike, prompted the attorney general's call for citizens' arrests last week.

Egypt's Minister of Justice Ahmed Mekki described the incident as an indication of the state's demise following the 2011 uprising.

The minister condemned the deaths, explaining that residents applied the 'Haraba penalty' of Islamic law. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT » | Charlotte Meredith | Monday, March 18, 2013

Expats in Cyprus Furious at 'Legalised Theft' of Their Savings
Britons living in Cyprus are outraged by the Cypriot government's plans to impose a levy on bank deposits, with many desperately trying to withdraw their savings before tax is enforced.

Ärger über Zwangsabgabe: Zypern-Rettung gerät zur Zitterpartie
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Zwangsabgabe aufs Ersparte sorgt für massiven Ärger in Zypern. Die Bankkunden sind empört, die politische Mehrheit für die Sondersteuer wackelt. Auch in Deutschland kann sich Kanzlerin Merkel der Unterstützung für die Rettung des Inselstaats nicht sicher sein.

Berlin - Nein, neue Freunde haben Angela Merkel und Wolfgang Schäuble in Zypern nicht gewonnen. Sicher, das krisengeplagte Land wird gerettet, aber zu welchem Preis? Wütend, empört, schockiert - so reagieren die Menschen auf der Mittelmeerinsel, die am Wochenende an den Geldautomaten der Banken ihr Erspartes zu sichern versuchen. Es ist ein Akt der Verzweiflung, denn sie können zwar Bargeld abheben, Transaktionen aber sind nicht mehr möglich. Ein Teil des Geldes ist längst eingefroren.

Mit 6,75 Prozent ihrer Einlagen auf zyprischen Kreditinstituten sollen Bankkunden zur Rettung des taumelnden Euro-Landes beitragen. Wer mehr als 100.000 Euro dort liegen hat, muss sogar 9,9 Prozent abgeben. Die Zwangsabgabe haben die Euro-Partner zur Bedingung für ein zehn Milliarden schweres Hilfspaket gemacht. Vor allem Deutschland drängte darauf - zähneknirschend hat die zyprische Regierung zugestimmt.

Doch das Drama um den Inselstaat ist damit nicht vorbei. Der Unmut über die Sondersteuer ist nicht nur unter den Bankkunden groß, auch eine politische Mehrheit für das entsprechende Eilgesetz ist keineswegs sicher. Präsident Nikos Anastasiades verschob am Sonntag die eigentlich geplante Abstimmung der Abgeordneten um einen Tag auf Montag - offenbar aus Furcht vor einer Ablehnung des Gesetzes. Anastasiades' konservative Partei DISY hat nur 20 der insgesamt 56 Parlamentssitze, der Koalitionspartner DIKO stellt neun Abgeordnete. Nur ein Abweichler könnte für ein Patt im Parlament sorgen. Die Oppositionsparteien haben bereits ihr Nein angekündigt.

Der Aufschub der Abstimmung ist möglich, weil die Banken in Zypern wegen eines Feiertages am Montag geschlossen sind. Die Regierung erwägt aber bereits, die Geldinstitute am Dienstag ebenfalls nicht zu öffnen, sollte das Parlament auch am Montag zu keiner Entscheidung kommen. Andernfalls wird ein Massenansturm empörter Sparer befürchtet, die in Panik ihre Konten leerräumen. » | Von Philipp Wittrock | Sonntag, 17. März 2013

Testimony of Saudi Ex-Muslim(ah) Mariam

Worlds Apart: Dedicated Muslim Converts to Christianity – Dr. Daniel Shayesteh

John Boehner Can't Imagine Ever Supporting Marriage Equality
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says he cannot imagine a situation where his opposition to same-sex marriage would change, not even if a child of his or another loved one came out as gay.

Boehner's remarks come in response to Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, also of Ohio, who reversed his longtime opposition to marriage equality this week, after announcing that his son Will is gay.

Preacher In Victim ‘Rant’ Over Brit Dart
THE SUN: HATE cleric Anjem Choudary has described white Islamic extremist Richard Dart as a “victim” and said his terror plot was an act of “resistance”.

Bearded Dart, 29, is one of three fanatics facing long jail terms for a string of hate crimes.

Last week a court heard how ex-BBC security guard Dart and self-confessed terrorist Imran Mahmood plotted to target Royal Wootton Bassett, Wilts, where people line the streets to welcome home the bodies of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan. » | Andy Crick | Sunday, March 17, 2013

LONDON EVENING STANDARD: Man due for sentence over terrorism: Muslim convert Richard Dart is facing a long prison sentence admitting getting involved in terrorism. ¶ Dart became involved in extremism after converting to Islam. He was featured in a BBC Three documentary made by his stepbrother. ¶ He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey with Imran Mahmood and Jahangir Alom to engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorism. They plotted to go to Pakistan to train at a terrorist camp and to travel abroad to commit acts of terrorism. » | Friday, March 15, 2013

Cyprus: Panic As Savings Levy Is Imposed
THE GUARDIAN: Cypriots rush to ATMs before savings are docked as part of a bailout deal agreed in Brussels


Cypriots reacted with shock that turned to panic on Saturday after a 10% one-off levy on savings was forced on them as part of an extraordinary 10bn euro (£8.7bn) bailout agreed in Brussels.

People rushed to banks and queued at cash machines that refused to release cash as resentment quickly set in. The savers, half of whom are thought to be non-resident Russians, will raise almost €6bn thanks to a deal reached by European partners and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is the first time a bailout has included such a measure and Cyprus is the fifth country after Greece, the Republic of Ireland, Portugal and Spain to turn to the eurozone for financial help during the region's debt crisis. The move in the eurozone's third smallest economy could have repercussions for financially overstretched bigger economies such as Spain and Italy.

People with less than 100,000 euros in their accounts will have to pay a one-time tax of 6.75%, Eurozone officials said, while those with greater sums will lose 9.9%. Without a rescue, president Nicos Anastasiades said Cyprus would default and threaten to unravel investor confidence in the eurozone. The Cypriot leader, who was elected last month on a promise to tackle the country's debt crisis, will make a statement to the nation on Sunday.

The prospect of savings being so savagely docked sparked terror among the island's resident British community. At the Anglican Church's weekly Saturday thrift shop gathering in Nicosia, Cyprus's war-divided capital, ex-pats expressed alarm with many saying that they had also rushed to ATMs to withdraw money from their accounts. "There's a run on banks. A lot of us are really panicking. The big fear is that there soon won't be cash in ATMs," said Arlene Skillett, a resident in Nicosia. "People are worried that they're automatically going to lose ten present [sic] [of their savings] in deposit accounts. Anastasiades won elections saying he wouldn't allow this to happen." » | Paul Gallagher and Helena Smith | Saturday, March 16, 2013

Prophet of Islam: Mohamed Gets the Biopic Treatment
THE INDEPENDENT: Two directors are undertaking the delicate task of making films about the Prophet of Islam

There are controversial subjects, and then there is Mohamed. Yet the fear of controversy appears not to have deterred film-makers in Iran and Qatar, who are producing a pair of rival biopics of the seventh-century Prophet of Islam.

As a protagonist, the Prophet poses a unique challenge: much of the Muslim world forbids his depiction on screen. The Iranian director Majid Majidi, whose $30m (£19.8m) biopic began shooting last October, reportedly intends to show parts of the Prophet's body, though not his face. While Iran's Shia population may be flexible about such imagery, Sunni Muslims elsewhere are not. Cairo's Sunni-led al-Azhar University has already demanded the unfinished film be banned.

In December, in Sunni-majority Qatar, Alnoor Holdings, the media arm of al-Hashemi construction group, announced plans to spend $1bn on its own series of epic movies about the life of Mohamed. The team has hired the Islamic theologian Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Lord of the Rings producer Barrie Osborne as technical advisers. "They are being understandably very cautious," Mr Osborne told The Hollywood Reporter.

And so they should be. Last September, when clips from a low-budget US-made film about Mohamed surfaced on YouTube, there were angry protests across the Muslim world. Innocence of Muslims portrayed the Prophet in a negative light, yet even positive depictions have proved divisive. In 1977, the Syrian-American producer Moustapha Akkad was forced to go to the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to gather funding for his Mohamed biopic The Message, after Americans backed away from the project. » | Tim Walker | Sunday, March 17, 2013

Qataris 'Planning to Make £8billion Takeover Bid for Iconic High Street Chain Marks and Spencer'
THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: State-owned Qatar Investment Authority reportedly planning a takeover bid / Trading soared on Thursday and Friday amid rumours of a move on M&S / Iconic High Street chain reported a 1.8 per cent slump in Christmas sales

Marks and Spencer is bracing itself for an £8billion takeover bid from Qatar, according to reports.

The state-owned Qatar Investment Authority is reportedly planning to make a move on the iconic High Street chain and is forming a consortium.

The Gulf nation's sovereign wealth fund already owns Harrods, which it bought in 2010, and has a 26 per cent share in Sainsbury's.

It also has a stake in Heathrow Airport.

The bid would equate to £5 a share and rumours in the City on Thursday and Friday helped fuel soaring trade.

The Qataris are attempting to form a consortium and have approached private equity houses and banks, according to 'senior City sources' quoted by The Sunday Times. » | Becky Evans | Sunday, March 17, 2013

Saudi Prince to Fight Forbes Over Rich List
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: In a rare interview, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal tells Christian Sylt about his anger over the Forbes Rich List, which estimated that he is worth $20bn – $9.6bn less than he claims and not enough to place him in the coveted top 10.


There is something about the world’s wealthiest people and it tends to show.

An army of waiters swarmed around hotelier Sir Rocco Forte when I interviewed him in the Grill at London’s Savoy hotel. Bernie Ecclestone prefers to meet journalists in his personal playground, the Formula One paddock, whilst Guy Laliberté, billionaire founder of circus company, Cirque du Soleil, chooses his penthouse suite which sits atop the Metropolitan hotel and has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Hyde Park. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal outdoes them all.

Prince Alwaleed is the 58-year-old grandson of the founder of Saudi Arabia but not one drop of his fortune comes from oil or inheritance. Instead, he made his money by investing in global brands at a time when their share prices were depressed. Along the way he has built up significant stakes in trophy assets such as Apple, Citigroup, Disney and the Savoy Hotel in London. His portfolio spans the globe and he likes people to know it.

When I first interviewed Prince Alwaleed in 2002 we met on his glitzy 282-ft yacht which was moored off the coast of Cannes. He bought it from Donald Trump in 1991 and the two are kindred spirits.

On board there is a room containing a long golden table laden with magazines showing Prince Alwaleed on their covers. On another occasion, the interview took place at the historic George V hotel in Paris, which Alwaleed rescued in 1996. We met in a reception area lined with 17th century tapestries and armed bodyguards.

Given his penchant for displays of grandeur it is not hard to imagine how he must have felt when, two weeks ago, Forbes, the business magazine, published its annual ranking of the world’s billionaires. It estimated that Prince Alwaleed is worth $20bn – which is $9.6bn less than he claims and not enough to place him in the coveted top 10. » | Christian Sylt | Saturday, March 16, 2013

Vatican : les institutions musulmanes renouvellent leur appel au dialogue
SAPHIR NEWS: Depuis l'élection du nouveau pape mercredi 13 mars, les organisations musulmanes ont été nombreuses à réagir pour féliciter le monde catholique. Par-delà ces félicitations, toutes en appellent le souverain pontife François à un renouveau du dialogue islamo-chrétien, mis à mal sous le pontificat de Benoît XVI.

Le cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio est devenu pape François mercredi 13 mars.

Au lendemain de cette nouvelle d'importance pour le monde catholique, le Conseil français du culte musulman (CFCM) et la Grande Mosquée de Paris ont tous deux salué l’élection du pape et adressent leurs vœux à ses fidèles, avec l'espoir affiché que ce nouveau pontificat renforce le dialogue islamo-chrétien.

Le CFCM « adresse à sa Sainteté le pape François, ses chaleureuses félicitations et ses sincères vœux de réussite dans la mission qui lui a été confiée à la tête de l’Eglise catholique romaine », déclare son président Mohammed Moussaoui dans un communiqué au lendemain de l’élection.

« Le CFCM espère que ce nouveau pontificat soit l’occasion de renforcer et de consolider le dialogue entre toutes les religions et toutes les convictions au service de la justice, de la paix, de la solidarité et de la fraternité dans le monde », poursuit-il.

Même ton dans le communiqué de la Grande Mosquée de Paris. « A l’heureuse annonce pour les catholiques "Habemus papam", les musulmans de France posent la question "Qualem papam habemus ?", en espérant que la symbolique du nom de François qu’il s’est choisi puisse le rattacher spirituellement à Saint-François d’Assises qui, au début du 13ème siècle, a volontairement initié le premier dialogue islamo-chrétien de l’histoire », fait savoir l’institution. » | Rédigé par La Rédaction | jeudi 14 mars 2013

Norvège : jusqu’à 30% de porc dans la viande halal
SAPHIR NEWS: Après l’Allemagne et la Suisse, c’est au tour de la Norvège d’être éclaboussée par un scandale alimentaire de taille pour les musulmans.

Dans le cadre de contrôles effectués après le scandale de la viande de cheval retrouvée dans des plats préparés supposés être au bœuf, le Mattilsyn, l’autorité national de contrôle alimentaire, dit avoir détecté du porc, dans une proportion comprise entre 5 et 30 % dans de la viande « halal » commercialisée auprès des vendeurs de kebabs, rapporte l'AFP. » | Rédigé par La Rédaction | vendredi 15 mars 2013

Australia: Muslim Woman Spat On, Verbally Abused At Service Station

THE NORTHERN STAR: A WOMAN said she was terrified after she was spat on and called a terrorist at a Murwillumbah service station this week.

The practicing Muslim, who requested to remain anonymous, said she was fuelling her car up when a hostile man pulled up and began to scream abuse at her on Wednesday.

"A man got out (of the car) ... He came towards the bowser and I wasn't sure if he was going to head butt me or punch me, or pour petrol on me and light me up," she said.

"But I knew there was going to be trouble."

She said the man approached her and started to call her a "terrorist" and told her to "go back to where you f***ing came from."

The Tweed Coast resident couldn't believe the man was treating her in such a way and believed it was because she was wearing a traditional Islamic face cover known as a niqab.

"(He was) calling me a terrorist when he was terrorising me," she recalled.

"Calling me oppressed yet he was oppressing me."

"He was loud and he was screeching." » | Emma Galliott | Saturday, March 16, 2013

Kein Schatz ist wertvoller als der Islam -- Sven Lau

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Mein Weg zum Islam - Sven Lau alias Abu Adam

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Royal Funeral: Princess of Wales

Death of Princess Diana BBC News (August 31, 1997): Diana's Body Is Flown to England
BBC rolling news coverage from 10pm the day Princess Diana died. Newscaster is Peter Sissons. Gives one a glimpse of how the tragedy was unfolding on that sad day: 31 August 1997.

The Princess's body is flown back to London having been collected in Paris by Prince Charles and Diana's two sisters Sarah and Jane. They are greeted by Prime Minster Tony Blair and Defence Secretary George Robertson, who later became Secretary General of NATO. Kate Adie Reports from Paris and describes how Diana died and the efforts to save her.

Royal Wedding Day Marriage Ceremony for Prince Charles & Lady Diana, 1981
St. Paul's Cathedral, London. July 29, 1981. This is the live BBC broadcast of the event. Commentary by Tom Fleming.

Saudi's First Women MPs Get Camilla's Royal Seal of Approval
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, met some of the first Saudi Arabian female MPs during her visit to the kingdom.

Camilla greeted the female members of the Saudi parliament, or Consultative Assembly, at the lavishly decorated Majlis Ash Shura building, saying: “Beneath all those pretty smiles there are a lot of very powerful women here.”

The Duchess was later joined by the Prince of Wales as they were given a tour of the gold encrusted parliament building, in Riyadh.

Hanan Al Ahmadi, one of the female MPs, told the Duchess her visit was an endorsement of the work they were doing as women politicians in what has been a traditionally male dominated society.

She said: “We have been waiting for this for a very long time. It is an emotional and very proud moment for us and carries a great deal of responsibility. You coming here to meet us is an endorsement of what is happening here.”

The Duchess replied: “I am so impressed. You are all so clever and well-educated and are blazing such a trail.” » | Patrick Sawer | Saturday, March 16, 2013

USA: Republikanischer Familienkrach
DIE PRESSE: Die „Grand Old Party“ war noch nie so unbeliebt wie heute. Ihre neuen Hoffnungsträger Rubio, Ryan und Paul eint nur die Abneigung gegen das alte Parteiestablishment.

Washington. Hier ist die gute Nachricht für die republikanische Partei: Heute bekennen sich 24 Prozent der Amerikaner als Republikaner – genau so viele wie vor 30 Jahren, als Ronald Reagan im Weißen Haus amtierte.

Und hier ist die schlechte Nachricht: Noch nie in ihrer Geschichte war die „Grand Old Party“ beim Rest der Bürger so unbeliebt wie heute. 62 Prozent der Amerikaner erklärten neulich in einer Umfrage des Pew Research Center, dass die Republikaner den Bezug zu den Menschen verloren haben. 52 Prozent finden sie zu extrem. Und was besonders schwer wiegt: 58 Prozent der unabhängigen Wähler lehnen die Partei ab. Doch das sind genau die Menschen in der Mitte, die man ansprechen muss, wenn man Wahlen gewinnen will. Nur jeder dritte Amerikaner hat heute eine gute Meinung von den Republikanern: so wenige wie noch nie. » | Oliver Grimm, Korrespondent der Presse | Freitag, 15. März 2013

FRANCE 24 Reporters : SYRIE - DOCUMENTAIRE : Aux origines de l'horreur
Deux ans après les premières manifestations à Deraa, FRANCE 24 vous propose un documentaire inédit consacré aux origines du conflit en Syrie. Pourquoi, après deux ans de guerre et plus de 70 000 morts, le pays est-il toujours à feu et à sang ?

Avec les équipes de France 24 et nos grands reporters aux 4 coins du monde, découvrez des reportages grand format sur des sujets d'actualité internationale.

Avec les équipes de FRANCE 24 et nos grands reporters aux quatre coins du monde, des reportages grand format sur des sujets d'actualité internationale décryptés par leurs auteurs en plateau à l'issue de leur diffusion. Emission présentée par Antoine Cormery.

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

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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