Hope Not Hate Letter to Mirror Condemning Far-right Extremists Signed by 33,000 People

DAILY MIRROR: The letter to the Daily Mirror condemns far-right groups using soldier Lee Rigby’s shocking murder for their own agenda

Ed Miliband joined celebrities and more than 33,000 people yesterday in signing a letter to the Daily Mirror condemning far-right groups using Lee Rigby’s death for their own agenda.

The Labour leader joined stars, union bosses and leaders of all faiths in blasting the English Defence League as it planned 90 demonstrations this weekend.

In the letter they said: “We know that the EDL does not speak for all of Britain, just as we know that Muslim ¬extremists do not speak for all Muslims.”

Mr ¬Miliband added: “Today’s Hope Not Hate letter to the Mirror from 33,000 people shows people who spread hatred will fail.”

Anti-racism campaign Hope Not Hate, supported by the Mirror, was behind the message.

Comedian Eddie Izzard urged people to sign the letter and within hours thousands had backed it as the campaign went viral on Twitter.

Among other celebrities to give their support were singers Speech Debelle, Beverley Knight, Billy Bragg and Blue’s Lee Ryan and Duncan James.

Apprentice winner Stella English also got on board and said: “My mum lives moments from where the murder happened so this means a lot to me. I applaud what the Mirror is doing.”

TUC chief Frances O’Grady was among the union bosses to add their names to the letter.

She said: "The fact the EDL is looking to make political capital out of the tragic murder of Lee Rigby shows just how far this organisation is prepared to go to stir up conflict and division.” Letter to the ‘Daily Mirror’ » | Alun Palmer | Saturday, June 01, 2013

We Are The Many »

My view and essay: This Beheading Should Be a Seminal Moment in Our Tolerance of Islam » | Mark Alexander | Thursday, May 23, 2013 and Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Chaos as BNP Supporters and Anti-fascist Campaigners Clash Outside Parliament Over Drummer Lee Rigby's Brutal Killing

MAIL ONLINE: Far-right and opposing groups planned demonstrations for today / A total of 31 arrests made so far in London following clashes / Soldier Lee Rigby's family have appealed for calm in the wake of his death / Ed Miliband signs letter condemning rise in anti-Muslim violence

Rival protesters clashed outside the Palace of Westminster today, as BNP supporters and anti-fascist campaigners came to blows.

At least one man, a BNP activist, suffered a large cut to the nose after fierce shouting from either side of gated barriers spilled into violence.

Dozens of police sought to break up the disorder, at around 1pm today, after the chanting escalated.

Police sniffer dogs were also deployed to help calm the situation, as tempers flared.

The fighting came despite calls for peace from police and the family of soldier Lee Rigby in the wake of his death.

The 25-year-old's family yesterday stressed that the young soldier would not have wanted violent attacks to be carried out in his name, and urged protesters to remain peaceful. » | James Rush | Saturday, June 01, 2013

'Most Violent In Years': Istanbul Protests Spread Across Turkey
The initial protest was prompted by government-backed plans to demolish a park in the center of Istanbul, to build a shopping mall. Since then, it's grown into an Occupy-style rally against the Islamist-leaning government. In the capital, Ankara, police also used tear gas to push back protesters who were trying to reach the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

RT Live Updates »

Pat Condell: Muslims Must Reject Jihad

Turkish Spring? Violent Clashes Rumble Through the Night in Istanbul

Is Turkey's Secular System in Danger?

BBC: Those who founded the Republic in 1923 might well be turning in their graves: their vision of Turkey as a strictly secularist and nationalist state - not just a separation of state and religion, but also the removal of religion from all aspects of public life - is being questioned.

In the lead-up to the 89th anniversary of the Turkish Republic on 29 October, political values have never been more openly debated, thanks to a public consultation process, initiated by Turkey's parliament, for a new constitution.

Generally, society has welcomed the initiative, viewing it as a new political framework, to replace the one that was put in place after the 1980 military coup.

But the process has opened old wounds, with heated debate on the role of religion in politics and the increasingly conservative nature of public life.

Secularism is hard to define in Turkey, according to Fadi Hakura of London-based think tank Chatham House. Turkey is constitutionally a secular state, but secularism seems to have taken a unique shape, because of "historical and geographical circumstances in the country".

For example, while there are clear examples of the symbolic application of secularism in daily life, such as the ban on headscarves in public institutions, there are other aspects of the Turkish state that do not sit with secularism. » | Arash Dabestani, Pinar Sevinclidir and Ertugrul Erol | BBC Monitoring | Wednesday, October 24, 2012

French Far Right Leader Loses Immunity, Faces Charges

BBC: French far right leader, Marine Le Pen, could face criminal charges for inciting racism, the BBC has learnt.

The French authorities opened a case against Mrs Le Pen in 2011 after she likened the sight of Muslims praying in the streets to the Nazi occupation of France.

As a European Parliament member (MEP), she enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

However, this protection was removed by a European parliamentary committee in a secret vote this week.

BBC chief political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue says he has been told that the vote to remove her immunity was "overwhelming".

It will need to be ratified by the full parliament, but that's expected to be a formality, our correspondent says.

When the parliament's legal affairs committee first tried to consider the case, Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far right National Front party, failed to turn up.

This week she sent a fellow French MEP in her place.

The move clears the way for the French authorities to pursue a case against the leader, who steered her party to a record 18% showing in the first round of last year's presidential election. » | Saturday, June 01, 2013

BBC: Paris ban on Muslim street prayers comes into effect » | Friday, September 16, 2011

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Marine Le Pen: Muslims in France 'like Nazi occupation': Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-Right, drew heavy criticism after she said Muslims praying outside were like Nazi occupiers. » | Sunday, December 12, 2010

Turkey Protests Spread after Violence in Istanbul over Park Demolition
THE GUARDIAN: Demonstrations against Erdogan government in several cities as riot officers use tear gas to control protesters in Istanbul


Turkey has been engulfed by a series of protests across several cities after riot police turned Istanbul's busiest city centre hub into a battleground, deploying tear gas and water cannon against thousands of peaceful demonstrators.

In one of the biggest challenges to the 10-year rule of the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demonstrators took to the streets of Ankara, Izmir, Bodrum and several other cities as well as Istanbul to vent their frustration at what is seen to be an increasingly authoritarian administration.

The air of government nervousness was reinforced by the relative lack of mainstream media coverage of the drama in central Istanbul, fuelling speculation that the Erdogan government was leaning on the main television stations to impose a blackout on the ugly scenes.

Following several days of dawn police raids on the protesters seeking to occupy Gezi park on Taksim Square in Istanbul city centre, the clashes escalated violently, leaving more than 100 people injured, several of them seriously.

Police went on the rampage against protesters who had been sitting reading books and singing songs.

There was widespread criticism of the heavy-handed intervention and of the government, which is committed to demolishing the park to erect a shopping centre.

The US state department said: "We certainly support universally peaceful protests, as we would in this case." In Brussels, MEPs called on the EU to act. » | Constanze Letsch in Istanbul | Saturday, June 01, 2013

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Drummer Lee Rigby's Family Reject "Extremist" Groups Using Woolwich Murder for Political Gain
THE INDEPENDENT: Family statement: 'Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others'

Family and colleagues of Drummer Lee Rigby have distanced themselves from “extremist” groups using his brutal murder as an excuse to commit violence and make political gains. The condemnation comes as a blow to groups planning to hold a series of marches across the country tomorrow.

The English Defence League and the British National Party have both planned nearly 60 different demonstrations across Britain and anti-fascists have vowed to oppose them. Unite Against Fascism and Hope Not Hate both told The Independent they would be in London to counter demonstrations by the two groups, while large EDL marches are also expected in Leeds and Manchester.

But the young soldier's relatives urged mourners to show their respect in a “peaceful manner” amid increased tensions between political and religious groups.

In a statement released through the Ministry of Defence, family members including his mother Lyn, stepfather Ian, wife Rebecca and son Jack, said: “We would like to emphasise that Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others.

”We would not wish any other families to go through this harrowing experience and appeal to everyone to keep calm and show their respect in a peaceful manner.“ » | Kevin Rawlinson | Friday, May 31, 2013

Right-wing Buddhist Leading the Campaign to Force Muslims Out of Burma Says He Wants His Group 'To Be Like the English Defence League'

MAIL ONLINE: Venerable Wirathu is leader of Burma's '969' campaign to boycott Muslims / He was jailed for nine years in 2003 for inciting anti-Muslim violence / Says he wants to be like EDL who 'protect the public without violence'

The English Defence League might be the last place you would expect a devout Buddhist monk to turn for inspiration.

But a right-wing spiritual leader in Burma has revealed how he wants to copy the EDL in his bid to rid his country of its Muslim minority.

The Venerable Ashin Wirathu, who was jailed for nine years in 2003 for inciting anti-Muslim violence, says the hardline nationalist party should be applauded for 'not carrying out violence, but protecting the public'.

His comments come a week after more than 1,000 EDL members marched on Downing Street in a protest over the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby in nearby Woolwich, swilling beer, chanting anti-Muslim slogans and clashing with anti-fascist activists. Thirteen people were arrested.

Now, orange-robed Wirathu, who leads Burma's so-called '969' campaign to boycott Islamic businesses and bring an end to inter-marriage with Buddhists, says he wants his gang members to be more like the EDL.

According to The Times, Wirathu said: 'People give me various names: The Burmese bin Laden, the bald neo-Nazi. '[But] do you know the English Defence League? We would like to be like the EDL. Not carrying out violence, but protecting the public.' » | Matt Blake | Friday, May 31, 2013

Turkish Police Break Up Istanbul Park Protest
Riot police use tear gas and water cannon to rout peaceful demonstration against demolition of Gezi park in city centre.

Guantanamo Guard Converts to Islam, Demands Release of Detainees

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Terry Holdbrooks was deployed to the Guantanamo Bay detention center to guard detainees. The Phoenix, Ariz., resident has become a devout Muslim and an unlikely advocate for the prisoners’ rights.

Death threats are just another part of life for Terry Holdbrooks Jr.

The ex-U.S. Army employee converted to Islam in 2003, inspired by the faith of the Guantanamo detainees he was charged with watching. Since then, he says he has lost his friends, received violent threats, and been labeled a “race traitor” online.

But he hasn’t gone quietly. The 29-year-old has done his fair share of media and has even signed on for a job as a speaker for the Muslim Legal Fund of America. Now the devout Muslim is racking up frequent flyer miles and touring the country with what he calls the “truth about Gitmo.”

“Gitmo was supposed to be a cushy deployment since we were just going to babysit detainees,” Holdbrooks said. “But it changed me.”

The Phoenix, Ariz., resident spent the year between 2003 and 2004 guarding U.S. military prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was often given the job of escorting detainees to interrogation rooms. He says he witnessed atrocities committed by his fellow American soldiers that he never thought were possible. (+ video) » | Carol Kuruvilla | New York Daily News | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Britain's Islamic Future
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: The moment that the white British become a minority will symbolize a huge transfer of power -- cultural political, economic and religious -- an "irreversible change in British society, unprecedented for at least a millennium." — David Coleman, Professor of Demography, University of Oxford

Islam is on track to become the dominant religion in Britain within the next generation, according to new census data published by the British government.

The numbers show that although Christianity is still the main religion in Britain -- over 50% of the population describe themselves as such -- nearly half of all Christians in Britain are over the age of 50, and, for the first time ever, fewer than half under the age of 25 describe themselves as Christian.

By contrast, the number of people under 25 who describe themselves as Muslim has doubled over the past ten years: one in ten under the age of 25 are Muslim, up from one in 20 in 2001.

…

David Coleman, a professor of demography at the University of Oxford, said the findings showed that Christianity is declining with each generation. "Each large age group," he said, "as time progresses, receives less inculcation into Christianity than its predecessor ten years earlier."

Coleman contrasts the decline of Christianity through the generations to what happens among Muslims. "We have a Muslim faith where most studies suggest adherence to Islam is not only transmitted through the generations but appears to get stronger," he said. "Indeed, there seems to be some evidence that the second generation Muslims in Britain are more Muslim than their parents."

…

Coleman has warned of the consequences of the ethnic transformation taking place in Britain and other parts of Europe. "History is not sanguine about the capacity of ethnic groups or religions to overcome their differences. The ethnic transformation implicit in current trends would be a major, unlooked-for, and irreversible change in British society, unprecedented for at least a millennium," Coleman said. Read the whole article » | Soeren Kern | Friday, May 31, 2013

Diana West: Soviet Agents Subverted US in 1930s

Read the Daily Caller article here | Ginni Thomas | Sunday, May 26, 2013

Belgians Crack Down on Preacher of Hate - As We Dash to Guard Him: Anjem Choudary Threatened with Deportation to Face Charges Over YouTube Rants

MAIL ONLINE: Belgian police keen to question hate preacher about video footage / Officers took away his wife and children to safe house after alleged threat / Far-right groups demand he is arrested or they will detain him themselves / Choudary said David Cameron has a 'crusade' against Islam / MI5 investigating links between two Woolwich murder suspects and preacher

Belgian police have launched an investigation into hate preacher Anjem Choudary’s YouTube rants, it emerged yesterday.

The married father of four, who receives an estimated £25,000 in benefits, is being probed over allegations he incited violence and threatened terrorist attacks in Britain and Belgium.

Details of the Belgian inquiry emerged days after Scotland Yard officers went to Choudary’s East London home to help his family go into hiding in the aftermath of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

Critics say the Metropolitan Police should concentrate on stopping his hate-filled speeches on the internet, rather than running up costs protecting his family from people furious about the atrocity in Woolwich last week.

In a new outburst unconnected to the Belgian investigation, Choudary yesterday blamed David Cameron for a ‘crusade’ against Islam which is turning young British Muslims into potential terrorists. » | Stephen Wright | Thursday, May 30, 2013

Islam and Muslims in Japan | Japanese Muslims

Allahs Krieger im Westen - wie gefährlich sind radikale Muslime - Anne Will vom 29.05.2013
Über Islamismus in Deutschland diskutieren Joachim Herrmann, Thomas Oppermann, Necla Kelek, Asiem El Difraoui, Nora Illi.

'Abyss of Autocracy': A Protest Movement Simmers in Kuwait

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Why should the citizens of one of the richest countries in the world take to the streets? Fed up with the paternalizing, incompetent leadership of the ruling family, a citizen's movement is waking in Kuwait, much to the fear of its neighbors in the Gulf.

In the beginning was the word. More specifically, in the beginning was a speech. "The speech," says Mundhir al-Habib, a couple dozen words for which he would willingly go to prison. "If need be," he adds.

Ever since al-Habib, a 32-year-old political scientist, took a police boot to the face at a demonstration, his sense of civic engagement has changed. Now he meets with other activists to repeat "the speech" together in public.

It's a dangerous thing to do. "The speech" refers to a handful of thoughts expressed out loud last October by a former member of the Kuwaiti parliament. Too loudly, perhaps. The politician, Musallam al-Barrak, was sentenced in April to five years in prison.

In response, several thousand Kuwaitis gathered in front of a prison at the edge of the city to protest. There were warning shots, tear gas and injuries. Barrak has been out on bail since.

One sentence in particular especially unsettled Sheikh Sabah, the emir of Kuwait, although al-Barrak uttered it in a deferential manner: "We will not allow you, your highness, to take Kuwait into the abyss of autocracy."

These are words every Kuwaiti now knows. They are spread by smartphone or called out spontaneously in parks. Sometimes at night, a car can be heard honking its horn to the rhythm of the sentence: We will not allow you, we will not allow you.

Mundhir al-Habib and 54 others went to stand in front of al-Barrak's house and recite the sentences the former politician had spoken, knowing that doing so would land them in court. There are already three activists in prison for spreading lines of poetry that could be misunderstood or making allegedly insulting comments about the emir.

"Any sentence can be interpreted as criticism," al-Habib says. "You can go to prison for two years for 140 keystrokes." This statement of his, spoken in a tearoom, could be risky as well: "I believe in freedom of speech. So I'm going to start exercising it." 'They Treat Us Like Little Boys' » | Alexander Smoltczyk | Thursday, May 30, 2013

Gay Weddings Pave the Way for Polygamy, Warns Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey

MAIL ONLINE: Lord Carey said same-sex marriage laws could open the door for marriages between siblings / He has been one of the most prominent campaigners against same-sex marriage / Ministers are braced for an attempt to wreck the Marriage Bill next week

A former Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday warned David Cameron that his ‘equal marriage’ reforms open the door for multiple weddings and marriages between siblings.

Lord Carey said that same-sex marriage laws amount to a radical and disturbing upheaval which is likely to lead to unintended consequences.

Among them he listed the inclusion of polygamous and multiple relationships into the definition of marriage, and the right for two sisters living together to demand a legal wedding.

The intervention from Lord Carey, one of the most prominent campaigners against same-sex marriage since the Prime Minister first announced his plan in the autumn of 2011, comes as peers prepare to debate the new marriage law. » | Steve Doughty | Friday, May 31, 2013

Speak Your Mind About Islam Day: Thursday, June 6, 2013

Just this past week we were shocked to witness, in broad daylight, on London streets, the ambush and barbaric murder of Lee Rigby, a British soldier, husband, and father of a young child. Lee was ambushed by two men, one of whom spoke directly to the camera afterwards. This man made it clear that his motivations were based upon Islam and the numerous verses in the Quran that call for violence against non-Muslims.

Afterward, individual citizens from the UK and around the world flooded social media with their sentiments about Islam, the false narrative that it is a “Religion of Peace” and the blatant falsehood put forth by Prime Minister Cameron that the teachings of Islam had nothing to do with this brutal assassination. Several citizens have since been arrested by the government of Great Britain for comments they made under the influence of grief and anger. These actions by the government are an attempt to suppress free speech and must not be tolerated. We ask that you stand with these persecuted individuals as a unified people.

In response to the British government’s attempts to suppress free speech, we wish to declare Thursday, June 6th, 2013 “Speak Your Mind About Islam Day”. June 6th is a day of great significance for the free peoples of the world.

In the 1940’s, American, Australian, Brit, Canadian, Frenchman, Indian, Russian, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Sikh and countless others were bound together by the common goal of eradicating forever the vile ideology of Nazism. On June 6th, 1944, segments of these diverse allied forces bound together and stormed Fortress Europe marking the beginning of the end of the ideology of Nazism as a force among men.

Let June 6th 2013 once again be that day for us.

On Thursday, June 6th, 2013 we ask that you flood social media with your thoughts on and knowledge of Islam as a clear and unmistakable message to our governments around the world that we will NOT be silenced by blasphemy laws, statutes on “community cohesion”, or threats and acts of intimidation carried out by our governments in an attempt to silence us on the issue of Islam and its undeniable ties to religiously motivated acts of terror around the world. Our overwhelming numbers and unified voice must make it clear that we will become increasingly UNGOVERNABLE, without becoming violent, on the issue of Islamic terror. An assault on one will be treated as an assault upon us all; we will stand together as one voice. Political careers will pay a price at the polls for the condescending act of telling us that Islam is what we all know it is not.

Rules of Conduct:

1. Keep it civilized — nothing positive comes from mob-like behavior.

2. Focus on the ideology of Islam, not individuals.

3. No profanity or ad hominem attacks — they cause people to tune out the message because of the messenger.

4. The goal is to unite us, garner group support for the cause, and put our governments on notice that we will not be silenced.

Source and HT: Speak Your Mind About Islam Day: Thursday, June 6, 2013 »

Left-wing Policies Have Promoted the Rise of Barbarism

EXPRESS: THE fashionable progressive agenda is wrecking our once stable, free society. In the name of tolerance, the craven political establishment has promoted barbarism in our midst. For decades, our rulers have presented mass immigration and multi-culturalism as forces for social advancement.

But in the aftermath of the Woolwich atrocity, the malign consequences of this strategy are all too clear. Far from bringing harmony and compassion, the politically correct state has achieved the very opposite. The transformation of our social fabric has led to segregation rather than integration, distrust instead of unity, fear in place of freedom.

Multi-cultural diversity might be portrayed as a liberal policy but in practice it has led to discrimination, misogyny and oppression across our urban areas, while encouraging the growth of extremism.

In a speech in 2011 David Cameron proclaimed that “a genuinely liberal country believes in certain values and actively promotes them: freedom of speech; freedom of worship; the rule of law; and equal rights regardless of race, sex or sexuality.”

His rhetoric was laudable but has hardly been matched by the actions of the Government, which has long shown a craven reluctance to uphold the liberal traditions of Britain.

OBSESSED with the ideology of diversity, our political masters have not only allowed the immigration rate to reach more than 500,000 arrivals every single year, but also have refused to demand that newcomers accept the British way of life.

Instead immigrants have been encouraged to cling to their own cultures and customs.

During their 13 years of misrule, Labour was particularly enthusiastic about enforcing this destructive strategy, partly through their instinctive loathing for their own country, which they liked to portray as outdated and racist, and partly through their desire to expand their client army of supporters, given that 80 per cent of immigrants vote Labour.

What is so tragic is that a party of the Left, trumpeting its supposedly liberal credentials, should have pursued a policy that is so fundamentally illiberal. Labour’s fixation with identity politics and mass immigration had led to the import of deeply reactionary, anti-democratic, superstitious tribalism on an epic scale. Read on and comment » | Leo McKinstry | Thursday, May 30, 2013

Nigeria One Step Away from Banning Gay Marriage

THE GUARDIAN: President yet to sign bill that would jail same-sex couples for up to 14 years amid pressure from UK and US over foreign aid

Nigeria has passed a bill banning gay marriage, outlawing organisations supporting gay rights and setting prison terms of up to 14 years for offenders.

The bill, passed by Nigeria's House of Representatives will now go to the president, Goodluck Jonathan, to be signed into law. Whether he will approve it remains unclear, as both the US and the UK said the move could jeopardise foreign funding for Aids and HIV outreach programs.

Nigeria's Senate passed the bill in November 2011, but it did not emerge in the house until Thursday. Under previous versions of the bill, couples who marry could face up to 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps couples marry could be jailed for 10 years.

The bill also makes it illegal to register gay clubs or organisations criminalises the "public show of same-sex amorous relationships directly or indirectly". Those who violate these aspects would face 10 years in jail. » | AP in Abuja | Thursday, May 30, 2013

One Country, Two Religions and Three Very Telling Pictures: The Empty Pews at Churches Just Yards from an Overcrowded Mosque
MAIL ONLINE: Two photos show Sunday morning services in churches in East London / The third shows worshippers gathered for Friday midday prayers outside a nearby mosque / The difference in numbers could hardly be more dramatic

Set aside the fact that our Queen is the Defender of the Christian Faith. Ignore the 26 Church of England bishops who sit in the House of Lords.

Pay no attention to the 2011 Census that told us 33.2 million people in England and Wales describe themselves as Christians.

For if you want a more telling insight into religion in the United Kingdom today, just look at these photographs. The story they tell is more revealing than any survey. » | Guy Walters | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Suspect 'Admits Soldier Knife Attack in Paris'
BBC: A 21-year-old suspect arrested earlier over the stabbing of a French soldier near Paris on Saturday has admitted to the crime, officials say.

The man, named only as Alexandre, was a convert to Islam who had "wanted to attack a representative of the state", Prosecutor Francois [sic] Molins said.

Police arrested the man on Wednesday morning in the Yvelines region, 45km (28 miles) south-west of the capital.

He was traced thanks to DNA found at the scene, police said.

French anti-terrorist investigators are handling the case.

The victim, Private First Class Cedric Cordier, has been released from hospital, AP news agency reports.

The stabbing took place three days after the killing of British serviceman Drummer Lee Rigby outside a barracks in the Woolwich area of London. (+ videos) » | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

France's First Gay Marriage a Triumph of 'Love Over Hate'
France's first-ever same-sex wedding took place in Montpellier, with the newly-weds calling it a triumph of "love over hate" after months of protests that have divided the country.

Read the article here | Henry Samuel, Paris | Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Bonne chance à vous deux !

Pope Francis Shunned Official Papal Apartments to Live 'Normal Life'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Francis has revealed for the first time the reasons for his decision to shun the official papal apartments and instead live in a much more modest Vatican 'hotel'.

He has told a friend that he likes being in daily contact with ordinary people, does not want to be isolated and enjoys sitting down to meals with visiting clergy.

The Pope, 76, who on first seeing the papal apartments reportedly exclaimed "But there is room here for 300 people!" hinted that the arrangement may be permanent.

The Pope broke with Vatican tradition when he decided, after being elected on March 13 during a secret conclave of cardinals, not to live in the apostolic apartments.

Instead he opted to remain in the Casa Santa Marta, a Vatican residence which accommodates visiting clergy and lay people, where he had stayed with his fellow cardinals during the conclave.

He lives in a suite of rooms in the residence, which sits in the shadow of St Peter's Basilica, on the other side of the Vatican city state to the apostolic apartments. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Homosexualité et islam : le débat télé entre Tariq Ramadan et Ludovic Zahed
SAPHIR NEWS: « Homosexuel et bon musulman. » C’est le thème du débat abordé dans l’émission Hondelatte Dimanche, diffusée sur la chaîne 23 dimanche 26 mai. L’intellectuel suisse Tariq Ramadan s’est retrouvé face à Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, fondateur des associations Homosexuels musulmans de France (HM2F) et de Musulmans Progressistes de France (MPF).

Celui-ci avait crée la polémique au sein de la communauté musulmane après son mariage controversé avec son compagnon célébré, en février 2012, par un imam à Sevran, en banlieue parisienne. Il a depuis ouvert une mosquée dite inclusive dans l’est parisien dans lequel il accueille une vingtaine de fidèles tous les vendredis.

« Dire que l’homosexualité n’est pas acceptée par l’islam ne veut jamais vouloir dire condamner la personne. Je respecte qui vous êtes, je ne suis d’accord avec ce que vous faites », déclare Tariq Ramadan, après avoir rappelé au préalable la position quasi-exclusive en islam condamnant l’homosexualité, à l’instar des autres traditions monothéistes. » | Rédigé par La Rédaction | lundi 27 mai 2013

France's First Gay Marriage Takes Place in Montpellier
BBC: Two men have become the first gay couple to wed in France, just days after President Francois Hollande signed the same-sex marriage bill into law.

Vincent Austin and Bruno Boileau married in the southern city of Montpellier amid tight security, saying "oui" in front of hundreds of assembled guests and media crews. Watch BBC video » | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

French Same-sex Couple: Why We Tied the Knot

CNN: Montpellier (CNN) -- Two men who have become France's first same-sex married couple have opened their hearts about the special qualities in each other that made them want to spend the rest of their lives together.

In the nervous minutes leading up to Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony in the southern city of Montpellier, Bruno Boileau said he adored Vincent Autin's "charisma, his ability to appease me, calm me down ... also his sensibility and his determination."

And returning the warmth, Autin told CNN in the couple's only interview on their wedding day: "What I love about him is his objectivity and the way he protects me. He is my great protector."

But their marriage is not just about their love; they also want to build a family and, perhaps, teach future generations how to break down prejudices.

"We want children, we want to pass down values that are important to us, that we hold dear, that are right. And we want grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a real family," Autin said.

"One of the reasons we want children is because children have no judgement, and we want to break down society's barriers."

He added that "when French children are born into this world, they are born with the same rights as everyone else -- but from the moment you said you were a homosexual, society deprived you of some of those rights. Today the French Republic has given these rights back to us." » | Saskya Vandoorne and Peter Wilkinson, CNN | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

France's First Gay Marriage Ceremony Broadcast Live from Montpellier
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: In a ceremony broadcast live from 4.30pm (BST), Vincent Autin and his partner Bruno Boileau will become the first gay couple to wed under France's newly-liberalised same-sex marriage laws in Montpellier.


Read the short article here | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

British Christianity Dies While Islam Thrives. Why?
TELEGRAM PODCAST: New analysis of the 2011 census makes horrible reading for the Churches – attendance down 15 per cent in a decade. Meanwhile, one in 10 young Britons is a Muslim. In this week's Telegram, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali says politically correct Christianity is to blame, while Damian Thompson argues that part of Islam's appeal is its ability to harness political anger. Listen to the podcast and comment » | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Leading Anglican Bishop: British Churches Have 'Capitulated to Secularism' and Politically Correct Lessons that Whitewash Islam

TELEGRAPH BLOGS – DAMIAN THOMPSON: British schools are helping to boost Islamism with politically correct lessons that tell black pupils that slavery was entirely the fault of English and Americans, and omit the long and vicious history of Arab slave trading, according to an influential Church of England bishop.

In an exclusive interview for our Telegram podcast, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali – a Pakistani-born scholar who resigned as Bishop of Rochester in 2009 in order to train Christians facing persecution – says "the Churches have generally capitulated to secular culture and therefore cannot bring a distinctive voice to public debate".

They have neglected human relations, especially the family, in favour of "welfarism" that teaches that the state should provide all the goods that citizens need. All this adds up to the slow death of people's sense of themselves as spiritual beings – and this affects "even people who go to church".

Bishop Nazir-Ali, a theological conservative who opposes the ordination of actively gay clergy, is now president of Oxtrad, which "prepares Christians for ministry in situations where the Church is under pressure and in danger of persecution". He claims that, in addition to ignoring the current persecution of Christians in the Islamic world, secular Britain brushes aside historical evidence of Muslim aggression. » | Damian Thompson | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

My comment:

This is the man who should have been made the Archbishop of Canterbury. He'd have been the perfect choice. Alas, the prime minister had neither the foresight nor insight to select him. Was he, perhaps, afraid to do so?

The Church of England is so far down the road of political correctness that it believes that all faiths are of equal value; and in so doing, it undermines the reason for its own existence. It could be said that it has become a faith that apologises for itself. It has lost all self-confidence. Islam, by contrast, is a proud, confident, proselytizing 'faith.' It believes that the future belongs to Islam and Muslims. And the way things are going, it is probably true. – © Mark

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Kuba will den Zugang zum Internet erleichtern
DIE WELT: Das Regime will seinen Bürgern jetzt Anschluss ans Datennetz gewähren, allerdings nur in speziellen Internet-Räumen zu sehr hohen Tarifen. Ein eigener Anschluss für Private ist in weiter Ferne.

Kuba will seinen Bürgern den Zugang zum Internet erleichtern, Anschlüsse für Privatpersonen an das weltweite Datennetz soll es aber weiter nicht geben. Es sollten ab kommender Woche im ganzen Land zusätzliche 118 "Internet-Räume" eingerichtet werden, teilte das Kommunikationsministerium des kommunistischen Landes in Havanna mit. Auch weiterhin werde der Web-Zugang aber "nur von den Internet-Räumen aus" möglich sein. » | AFP/flo | Mittwoch, 29. Mai 2013

Far Right Extremist Group Britain First Threatens to Arrest Islamist Cleric Anjem Choudary

THE INDEPENDENT: The creator of a far right extremist group that has promised to ‘arrest’ Islamist cleric Anjem Choudary by 6pm tomorrow if the Met police do not is a Belfast-based anti-abortion militant with close links to paramilitary groups.

Jim Dowson founded Britain First in 2011 as a rival to the British National Party after several senior members of the BNP fell out with its leader Nick Griffin. Dowson is currently on bail awaiting trial in Northern Ireland for his alleged role in helping to organise many of the recent Union flag protests at Belfast City Hall. » | Paul Gallagher | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

MAIL ONLINE: MI5 to Investigate Anjem Choudary »

The U.S. Helps Reconstruct the Ottoman Empire
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Each of these United States military interventions occurred in an area that had been part of the Ottoman Empire, and where a secular regime was replaced by an Islamist one. So far, the German policy of keeping hidden its leadership role in its attempt to reconstitute the Ottoman Empire has succeeded.

Since the mid-1990s the United States has intervened militarily in several internal armed conflicts in Europe and the Middle East: bombing Serbs and Serbia in support of Izetbegovic's Moslem Regime in Bosnia in 1995, bombing Serbs and Serbia in support of KLA Moslems of Kosovo in 1999, bombing Libya's Gaddafi regime in support of rebels in 2010. Each intervention was justified to Americans as motivated by humanitarian concerns: to protect Bosnian Moslems from genocidal Serbs, to protect Kosovo Moslems from genocidal Serbs, and to protect Libyans from their murderous dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Other reasons for these interventions were also offered: to gain for the United States a strategic foothold in the Balkans, to defeat communism in Yugoslavia, to demonstrate to the world's Moslems that the United States is not anti-Moslem, to redefine the role of NATO in the post-Cold War era, among others.

Each of these United States military interventions occurred in an area that had been part of the Ottoman Empire. In each, a secular regime was ultimately replaced by an Islamist one favoring sharia law and the creation of a world-wide Caliphate. The countries that experienced the "Arab Spring" of the 2010s without the help of American military intervention, Tunisia and Egypt, had also been part of the Ottoman Empire, and also ended up with Islamist regimes. Read on and comment » | Robert E. Kaplan * | Wednesday, May 29, 2013

* Robert E. Kaplan is an historian, doctorate from Cornell University, specializing in modern Europe.

Anonymous-linked Groups Publish EDL Supporters' Personal Information

THE GUARDIAN: Statement released in name of hacktivist group accuses EDL of inciting the subjugation of Muslims

Individuals claiming to be part of international hacktivist group Anonymous have published phone numbers and addresses for supporters of the English Defence League (EDL) as part of what they said was the first phase of a campaign to destroy the far-right street protest movement.

An audio statement posted on YouTube on Tuesday in the name of Anonymous UK accused the EDL of using the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby to spread a campaign of hate and bigotry and said that it would begin a "systematic and comprehensive decimation [sic] [sic!]" of the group.

A list of what were said to be mobile phone numbers for senior named EDL figures were published online on Tuesday evening along with addresses of what were said to be donors to the far-right group.

Twitter accounts also re-published leaked details of hundreds of names and addresses linked to the EDL which were circulated on the web in 2010 after hackers broke in to one of the organisation's websites, prompting it to warn members of the potential for reprisals. » | Ben Quinn | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Großbritannien: Wie damals im Weltkrieg

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: In Großbritannien geht die Debatte über den Mord von Woolwich weiter - auch mit starken Vergleichen. Derweil gehen die Diskussionen weiter, ob mit neuen Gesetzen die Gefahren durch islamistische Gewalttäter einzudämmen sind.

Als die Eltern des ermordeten Soldaten Lee Rigby am Sonntag zum ersten Mal den Tatort im Londoner Stadtteil Woolwich besuchten, rief in East Yorkshire, mehr als 300 Kilometer entfernt, ein Häftling zum „Heiligen Krieg“ im Gefängnis auf. Gemeinsam mit zwei weiteren Insassen brachte er einen Gefängniswärter in seine Gewalt und richtete ihn so übel zu, dass er schwer verletzt ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert werden musste. Das Justizministerium bestätigte am Dienstag den Vorfall, nahm aber keine Stellung zu Details - besonders zu der Information mehrerer Blätter, dass es sich bei den Tätern um Muslime gehandelt habe, die vom Attentat in Woolwich „inspiriert“ waren. » | Von Jochen Buchsteiner, London | Dienstag, 28. Mai 2013

New York Goes Nuts for the 'Cronut'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Michael Bloomberg has tried banning supersized fizzy drinks and warned that the cost of treating obesity is going to "bury us all". But that does not appear to have stopped New Yorkers take on the Cronut.

Yet New Yorkers are mounting a frenzied pursuit of the city's latest food fad: an iced doughnut made from deep-fried croissant pastry, rolled in sugar and filled with cream.

The Cronut has become Manhattan's must-have treat since going on sale earlier this month for $5 (£3.30) at the Dominique Ansel bakery in SoHo, where long queues begin forming soon after 6am.

Despite enforcing a six-Cronut limit, the bakery sells out of its 200 daily run within minutes of opening at 8am, leaving some frustrated customers tearful and even abusive towards staff. » | Jon Swaine, New York | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Ireland to Become First EU Country to Ban Cigarette Branding
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Ireland is to become the first country in the European Union to ban branding on cigarette packages by using plain packaging and uniform labelling.

All trademarks, logos, colours and graphics will be removed from tobacco products sold in Ireland under the new rules, the health ministry said, after the proposal secured backing from the government.

Dr James Reilly, the country’s health minister, said while many arguments will be made against the move, he is confident the legislation will be justified and supported purely by the fact that it will save lives.

“Smoking places an enormous burden of illness and mortality on our society, with over 5,200 people dying every year from tobacco-related diseases,” he said.

“One in two of all smokers will die from their addiction.

“To replace the smokers who quit, the tobacco industry needs to recruit 50 new smokers in Ireland every day just to maintain smoking rates at their current level.”

Dr Reilly also admitted that his father and brother, both doctors, died from smoking-related illness. » | Reuters and PA | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

My comment:

They can plain-package cigarettes as much as they like, but they won't make smoking any less sexy. – © Mark

'This Has Brought Our Family Profound Shame and Distress': Relatives of Soldier Murder Suspect Break Their Silence at 'Senseless Killing' of Drummer Lee Rigby
MAIL ONLINE: Family of Michael Adebolajo issue statement condemning terror attack / The 28-year-old remains in hospital after being shot by police / Arrested on suspicion of murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich / 'Nothing we can say can undo the events of last week,' say relatives / 'We send our heartfelt condolences to Lee Rigby's family and loved ones[,]'

The family of Michael Adebolajo, one of the men arrested over the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby, today expressed their 'profound shame and distress' over the 'senseless killing' and sent their 'heartfelt condolence' to the soldier’s relatives.

He and Michael Adebowale, 22, were both shot by police in the wake of Drummer Rigby's death after apparently charging towards armed officers.

Adebowale was discharged from hospital on this afternoon and moved to police custody.

The Adebolajo family said: 'Nothing we can say can undo the events of last week. However, as a family, we wish to share with others our horror at the senseless killing of Lee Rigby, and express our profound shame and distress that this has brought to our family.

'We send our heartfelt condolences to Lee Rigby's family and loved ones.'

They said that they 'wholeheartedly condemn' terrorism, and 'fully expect' that Drummer Rigby's killers will be brought to justice.

The statement said: 'We wish to state openly that we believe that there is no place for violence in the name of religion or politics. We believe that all right thinking members of society share this view wherever they were born and whatever their religion and political beliefs.

'We wholeheartedly condemn all those who engage in acts of terror and fully reject any suggestion by them that religion or politics can justify this kind of violence.

'We unreservedly put our faith in the rule of law and with others fully expect that all the perpetrators will be brought to justice under the law of the land.' » | Steve Robson | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Muslims and Buddhists Clash in Northern Myanmar
REUTERS.COM: (Reuters) - Muslims and Buddhists clashed in Myanmar's northern city of Lashio on Tuesday, witnesses said, as a wave of sectarian violence reached a mountainous region near China's border.

Phone lines were down in the city of about 131,000 people and the extent of the violence was unclear. Witnesses reported several large fires and said a mosque and Buddhist monastery appear to have been torched.

The violence followed unrest between Muslims and Buddhists in other parts of Myanmar over the past year, including fighting in the central city of Meikhtila in March that killed at least 44 people, mostly Muslims, and razed several Muslim neighborhoods. About 12,000 people lost their homes.

Lashio, capital of Shan State, had been spared from the religious unrest. Known for its strong Chinese influence, it is about 190 km (120 miles) from Muse, a city on China's border. » | Reporting by Aung Hla Tun and Jared Ferrie; Writing by Jason Szep; Editing by Pravin Char | Yangon | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Israel Warns Russia Against Arming Syrian Government
THE GUARDIAN: Israel's defence minister signals that its military is prepared to strike shipments of advanced Russian weapons to Syria

Russia has said it will supply one of its most advanced anti-aircraft missile systems to the Syrian government, hours after the EU ended its arms embargo on the rebels, raising the prospect of a rapidly escalating proxy war in the region if peace talks in Geneva fail next month.

Israel quickly issued a thinly veiled warning that it would bomb the Russian S-300 missiles if they were sent to Syria, as such a move would bring the advanced guided missiles within range of civilian and military planes over Israel. Israel has conducted three sets of air strikes on Syria this year, aimed at preventing missiles being brought close to its border by the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah.

"The shipments haven't set out yet and I hope they won't," Moshe Ya'alon, the Israeli defence minister, said. "If they do arrive in Syria, God forbid, we'll know what to do." » | Julian Borger in Ankara | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Mumbai Bans Lingerie-clad Mannequins to Save Men from 'Impure Thoughts'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Mumbai, home of India's increasingly raunchy Bollywood film industry, is to ban mannequins modeling lingerie from its shop windows to stop the city's men having "impure thoughts".

Representatives on the city's local authority have voted to ban the models in a move they believe may reduce the number of rapes and sexual assaults.

Local councillors, known as corporators, said mannequins dressed in lacey underwear, stockings and suspenders, had led to a "pollution of minds" among men in the city, which has India's second highest number of rapes after Delhi.

Opponents said the mannequins were not as suggestive as erotic sculptures and carvings at celebrated temples like Khajuraho, which feature scenes of group sex and bestiality. » | Dean Nelson in New Delhi | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei: The European Races Are Barbaric Races | Channel 1 (Iran) - May 10, 2013

British Islamist Anjem Choudary: As Muslims We Reject Human Rights | The Internet, Press TV (Iran) - April 11, 2013

Leading Sunni Scholar Al-Qaradhawi in Visit to Gaza Calls for Jihad, Prays to Become Martyr | Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar), Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas/Gaza) - May 8-11, 2013

The Grand Deception

Cal Thomas Commentary: Radical Islam Aims to Take Over America
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Following the hacking death of a British soldier by two alleged Islamic extremists, Prime Minister David Cameron said, “There is nothing in Islam that justifies this truly dreadful act."

Winston Churchill thought otherwise, but he lived in a time before political correctness ran amok, and he drew on his personal experiences serving in the Sudan and in the Crimean War.

In his 1899 book The River War, Churchill described what he witnessed in countries where Islam ruled: “ Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.”

Churchill said only Christianity had sheltered Europe and were it not for that faith, “the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.”

Given the secular condition of modern Europe and the huge influx of radical Muslims, many of whom carry with them earthly agendas, which prime minister is more credible?

One of the men arrested in London spoke of his motivation: “The only reason we have killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers.”

What Westerners struggle to figure out is how to distinguish Islamists from moderate Muslims and how to recognize the true Islamist when they are taught to deceive us about their radical beliefs.

A documentary released last fall, but largely ignored, might be a useful guide. It’s called Jihad in America: The Grand Deception. The film by the Investigative Project on Terrorism, (www.granddeception.com), exposes the tangled web of Islamic front groups in America that are backed by the radical Muslim Brotherhood.

The documentary reveals how these groups have penetrated the highest levels of American government and culture. Zuhdi Jasser, who heads the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, says, “ Their dream is the creation of an Islamic state. … Their strategy in America is to use America’s freedom and liberties in order to achieve that dream.” The same might be said of Britain. » | Cal Thomas * | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

* Cal Thomas writes for Tribune Media Services.

Jailed Islamic Extremists 'Stabbed and Battered Warder Hostage after Prison Imam asked Them to Pray for Murdered Soldier Lee Rigby'
MAIL ONLINE: Terrified warder was 'locked in a cleaning room and beaten senseless' / Captive told he was 'going to die and have toilet cleaner poured in his eyes' / Freed by prison's riot squad and taken to hospital with serious injuries / Attack raises concerns about spread of radical Islam in Britain's prisons / Investigation has been taken over by North East Counter Terrorism Unit

Three jailed Islamic extremists stabbed a warder and beat him for four hours after the prison imam called on them to pray for murdered soldier Lee Rigby, it was reported last night.

The trio snatched the warder from E-wing at Full Sutton prison, near York, and held him hostage before stabbing him during a stand-off with guards.

The terrified victim, who is in his 30s, was locked in a cleaning room where he was also apparently beaten with mop handles and told he was going to die.

The prison's National Tactical Response Group were called and eventually managed to free him and he was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

A prison source told the Daily Mirror: 'The fear was that the gang had somehow got hold of knives from the prison kitchen and they would attempt to behead him.

'By the time the attack finished the officer was covered in bruises and blood. He feels very lucky to be alive. He was told they would kill him.' » | Daniel Miller | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Expert: Islam Taking Over, Europe Soon to Be Unrecognizable
YNET NEWS: According to Dr. Mordechai Kedar, European softening, together with demographics, is leading to 'abysmal' change. Dr. Avika Libman: Riots start with preachers demanding Muslim state

The murder of a soldier in London, the stabbing of a soldier in Paris and the violent outbreak in Sweden – Europe's alarm clock has been ringing once again over the past week. The negative birthrate compared to the increase in Muslims, the heavy unemployment and the social-religious isolation of European immigrants are all back on the agenda.

"Europe has lost its will to live as Europe," said Mideast expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar to Ynet. "It is gathered into museums, into history. If the leaders will not put an end to immigration, we will soon be hearing the death throes of the continent as we know it."

Even if it is somewhat demagogic to attempt to bind the three events from the past few days in different European sites under "Islamic extremism," and even if the rage sparks in the weaker classes of immigrants, it is hard to ignore the basic facts. Behind these events are African immigrants from Islamic countries.

Dr. Zvika Libman studies the effects of the Muslim minority in Europe in light of the radical Islam on European countries. When he sees the reality, he said, there is no alternative interpretation for the events. "There is no doubt that the unemployment and the economic hardships lead to rioting, as happened in France. And yes, there is a disadvantage compared to the European bourgeois, but this is not solely bitterness due to the economic situation – because there is unemployment among youngsters who are not Muslim, like in Spain for example.

The Muslims have a fertile ground of mosques that awaken them, preach to them that they are deprived, that they don't belong, that they're not wanted and that the only solution is a country with an Arab majority. This is the starting point for these riots."

According to Dr. Libman, Sweden is an example of the situation in Europe. Penniless immigrants coming from weakened and colonized countries, get housing, education and solid foundations from European welfare countries, and still express their anger at the establishment. » | Roi Mandel | Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Neues Alkoholgesetz in der Türkei: Kein Bier mehr nach zehn Uhr nachts

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Ein neues Gesetz schränkt den Verkauf von Alkohol in der Türkei weiter ein. Säkulare sehen darin einen Beweis für die islamistische Agenda von Regierungschef Erdogan. Wirtschaftsvertreter befürchten einen Imageschaden für das Land.

Bewegt sich die Türkei in Richtung einer islamischen Republik, oder ist sie doch eher auf dem Weg nach Europa? Seitdem die Partei für Gerechtigkeit und Entwicklung (AKP) das Land regiert, spaltet diese Frage die Türken. Eine Neuregelung des Alkoholverkaufs hat dem Streit nun neue Nahrung verliehen. Kritiker sehen darin nicht weniger als eine Aushöhlung der Freiheitsrechte, und der Ton ist teilweise schrill. » | Inga Rogg, Istanbul | Montag, 27. Mai 2013

Related »

Inside Story: Woolwich Attack: An Act of Terrorism?
After a British soldier was hacked to death in the capital London, we analyse the repercussions of this act.