Locals Help Police Target Homosexuals in Bauchi State, Nigeria

BBC: People in Nigeria who are suspected of being gay could face the death penalty, as parts of the country crack down on practices not consistent with Islamic law.

Homosexuality has long been illegal in the country, with a recent law extending the penalty for those convicted to 14 years in prison.

But in Bauchi State in northern Nigeria, some of those standing trial could face the death penalty.

Will Ross reports. (+ BBC video) » | Thursday, February 06, 2014

Female Genital Mutilation: A Family Speaks Out against the Practice

BBC: Doctors and nurses in the UK will be required to log details of the injuries suffered by victims of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The practice has been illegal in Britain since 1985, but no-one has ever been prosecuted for FGM, which is widely carried out by communities originally from the Middle East, Africa or Asia.

At least 66,000 girls and women in the UK are believed to be victims.

Three generations of one Somali family, scarred by the practice, have spoken out.

Reeta Chakrabarti reports. (+ BBC video) » | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Female genital mutilation: Hospitals to log victims » | Thursday, February 06, 2014

Female Genital Mutilation: 'I Was Screaming'

BBC: A BBC investigation has revealed concerns that girls are being brought to Scotland from overseas to undergo female genital mutilation.

Specialist agencies have warned that the procedure is conducted here because the country is seen as "a soft touch".

Fatou Baldeh, remembers being cut aged seven: "I remember I was screaming for my mum and my grandmother to help me but no-one did."

Lucy Adams has been investigating the issue for BBC Scotland. (+ BBC video) » | Friday, November 15, 2013

Inside Story: Is 'Brand Israel' Under Threat?

As the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement gains traction, how will the country deal with the pressure?

Turkish MPs Endorse Internet Control Law

Turkey's parliament has adopted a new Internet bill roundly criticised as an assault by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on freedom of expression, access to information and investigative journalism. Al Jazeera spoke to Mehmet Karli, assistant Professor of International Law at Galatasary University, in Istanbul.

Related »

Nick Clegg's Ex-headmaster Jailed for Abusing Boys

Roland Peter Wright was led away from court by prison officers

BBC: The former headmaster of a school attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing five pupils.

Roland Peter Wright, 83, of Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, abused boys aged between eight and 13 at Caldicott Preparatory School from 1959 to 1970.

His sentencing went ahead despite the death of another former teacher who had been due to appear with him.

Hugh Henry, 82, apparently threw himself under a train on Tuesday.

Judge Joanna Cutts QC told Wright: "These offences were so serious that it is beyond question that only a custodial sentence can be justified.

"I have to sentence you for multiple offending against each of these victims.

"This was prolonged activity, the boys were groomed by a master at a school responsible for their care."

Mr Clegg was a pupil at the school from 1974 until 1980 and was joint head boy in his final year.

When Wright was convicted in December, Mr Clegg said: "I am shocked and appalled by the gross betrayal of trust and violation of childhood innocence that has been shown to have taken place at Caldicott." » | Thursday, February 06, 2014

Royal Cousins at War: A House Divided

How the tangled relationships and emerging rivalries between Europe's royal houses at the outbreak of the First World War played a crucial role in the conflict.
Watch the BBC documentary here on BBC iPlayer

Ban Ki-moon Condemns Persecution of Gay People in Russia

THE GUARDIAN: Amid criticism of Russia's anti-gay laws, UN secretary-general urges 'speaking out against prejudice' in keynote speech to IOC

The United Nations secretary-general has used a speech ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi to condemn attacks on the LGBT community, amid growing criticism of Russia's so-called "gay propaganda" laws.

Ban Ki-moon, addressing the IOC before Friday's opening ceremony, highlighted the fact that the theme of the UN's human rights day last December was "sport comes out against homophobia".

"Many professional athletes, gay and straight, are speaking out against prejudice. We must all raise our voices against attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people," he said. "We must oppose the arrests, imprisonments and discriminatory restrictions they face."

"The United Nations stands strongly behind our own 'free and equal' campaign, and I look forward to working with the IOC, governments and other partners around the world to build societies of equality and tolerance. Hatred of any kind must have no place in the 21st century." » | Owen Gibson and Shaun Walker | Thursday, February 06, 2014

THE GUARDIAN: Russian laws choking free speech must be repealed now » | The Guardian | Thursday, February 06, 2014

Turkey Pushes Through New Raft of 'Draconian' Internet Restrictions

THE GUARDIAN: New law requiring ISPs to make web user data available to authorities seen as threat to democracy, says opposition party

The Turkish government has been accused of imposing draconian censorship after pushing harsh new internet curbs through parliament. The new internet law was met with outrage in Turkey on Wednesday night, with opposition parties accusing the government of wanting to introduce ever tighter control by bypassing the courts.

The regulations were adopted after a heated Parliamentary debate yesterday, during which one MP of the main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP) compared Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan to Hitler. The law now needs to be signed by Turkish President Abdullah Gül to go into effect.

"When you came into power you talked of increasing democracy in Turkey, but now you are trying to implement fascism," Hasan Ören said. "Remember that Adolf Hitler used the same methods when he rose to power."

The new measures will allow Turkey's telecommunications authority (TIB) to block any website in 24 hours and without first seeking a court ruling. The law also obliges internet providers to store all data on web users' activities for two years and make it available to the authorities upon request.

Deputy prime minister Bülent Arınç rejected all accusations of censorship. "We are freer and have more press freedom than many other countries in the world", he said.

However, critics say that the law violates citizens' rights to freedom of expression and current privacy rights, turning Turkey into an Orwellian surveillance state. » | Constanze Letsch in Istanbul | Thursday, February 06, 2014

Fury as Racist Christian Patrol Drive Armoured Car in Muslim Street Giving Out Booze

DAILY EXPRESS: BRITISH faith leaders have united to condemn a BNP-linked vigilante group called Christian Patrols which drove two armoured vehicles into a Muslim-dominated street and baited residents with alcohol and cigarettes.

The Bishop of Stepney and the chairman of the East London Mosque issued a statement yesterday to call for a halt to the stunt.

They were reacting to a recent incident in which nationalist group Britain First drove two Gulf War armoured Land Rovers down the length of Brick Lane, one of the most famous streets in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets.

The group said they were there to “defend British soil against Muslim extremists”.

They said they were reacting to the so-called “Muslim Patrols” who were convicted in December for threatening non-Muslims in the area.

Britain First’s chairman Paul Golding, a former Sevenoaks councillor for British National Party in Kent, told the East London Advertiser he was deliberately taunting people with beer and cigarettes. (+ video) » | Ted Jeory | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Schröder: "USA haben keinen Respekt vor Deutschen"

KRONE.AT: In der Spionageaffäre um abgehörte Telefonate durch den US- Geheimdienst NSA wird der Ton zwischen Berlin und Washington zunehmend rauher. Nach Berichten, wonach auch Deutschlands Alt- Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder während seiner Amtszeit vom NSA abgehört worden sein soll, erhob der Amtsvorgänger von Kanzlerin Angela Merkel schwere Vorwürfe gegen die US- Regierung. "Die USA haben keinen Respekt vor einem loyalen Bündnispartner und der Souveränität unseres Landes", sagte Schröder der "Bild"- Zeitung.

Da hatte er noch Vertrauen in die USA: Ein Bild aus dem Jahr 2005 zeigt den damaligen deutschen Bundeskanzler lachend bei einem Besuch beim damals amtierenden US- Präsidenten George W. Bush. Doch angesichts neuer Berichte über eine NSA- Abhöraktion gegen ihn in seiner Zeit als Bundeskanzler (siehe Story in der Infobox) dürfte nun auch Schröder die Beziehungen zwischen Berlin und Washington in einem neuen Licht sehen.

Gegenüber der "Bild"- Zeitung bekräftigte Schröder, er habe ein solches Vorgehen der USA "nicht für möglich" gehalten. "Dass sich Staaten gegenseitig ausspionieren, ist zwar keine neue Erfahrung. Aber das Telefon einer Bundeskanzlerin oder eines Bundeskanzlers abzuhören, geht eindeutig zu weit." » | AG/red | Mittwoch, 05. Februar 2014

Wendi Deng's 'Love Note for Tony Blair' Published

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Wendi Deng, former wife of Rupert Murdoch, wrote about loving Tony Blair's "good body" and "piercing blue eyes"

Wendi Deng, the former wife of Rupert Murdoch, allegedly developed a passionate obsession with Tony Blair and wrote a note in which she rhapsodised about his “good body and really really good legs [and] Butt”.

Miss Deng is said to have become infatuated with the former Prime Minister while she was still married to the media mogul.

In the note, Chinese-born Miss Deng wrote in broken English: “Oh, s***, oh, s***. Whatever why I’m so so missing Tony. Because he is so so charming and his clothes are so good.

“He has such good body and he has really really good legs Butt… And he is slim tall and good skin. Pierce blue eyes which I love. Love his eyes. Also I love his power on the stage… and what else and what else and what else… [all sic]”

The contents of the sensational note are detailed in Vanity Fair magazine, which described it as “a steamy, lovelorn missive”.

Mr Blair has denied all allegations of an affair with Miss Deng. Friends of Miss Deng say the pair were never more than friends. » | Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

DAILY EXPRESS: Murdoch spitting blood after 'love' note from ex-wife to Tony Blair surfaces: IT has always been one of the weirdest true stories in modern history. ¶ Time was when Rupert Murdoch and leaders of the Labour Party hated each other with a vengeance but in the mid-Nineties Tony Blair shocked the traditional wing of his own party by jetting off to a shindig hosted by the News Corp tycoon on an Australian island. From then on it was kissy-kissy all the way, with Murdoch a frequent visitor to No 10 once Blair was in power. » | Simon Edge | Thursday, February 06, 2014

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 7: Tactics and Strategy

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 »

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 6: Victory and Despair

For the Allies, 1918 proved to be the costliest year of the war. On the Western Front 2 million British and 3 million French were captured, wounded or killed - over a few miles of French and Belgian mud. On 21 March 1918, General von Ludendorff attacked along a 64-mile front which was to be the greatest attack yet seen in modern industrialized warfare. The Germans advanced 20 miles in 14 days, and von Ludendorff set his sights on Paris and victory. Field Marshall Haig rallied his British troops to fight to the end. Casualties ran at 350 000 for both sides, and the toll taken on von Ludendorff's troops had overstretched his war machine.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 »

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 5: Mayhem on the Eastern Front

When war broke out in 1914 the Eastern Front campaign moved swiftly. Austrian troops invaded Serbia, and Russia, as Serbia's ally, invaded both Germany and Austria. The Austrians quickly retreated, demoralized by the success of the Russian advance. Yet against the Germans, 50,000 Russians were killed or wounded at the battle of Tannenberg. German Generals Hindenberg and Erich von Ludendorff, spurred on by their easy victories against the Russians, dreamed of an extended German empire to the East.

Episodes 1, 2, 3 & 4 »

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 4: Killers of the Sea

In this episode we discover that there was only one major clash of fleets in World War 1. Instead, the war at sea was one of blockades and sinkings and a small but feared U-boat. By August 1914 Germany and Britain were building massive and expensive warships - the dreadnoughts. The British controlled the North Sea, and built up supplies by commandeering all goods heading for Germany. Britain's survival depended on keeping her trade routes open, and for this reason Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare on merchant shipping.

Episodes 1, 2 & 3 »

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 3: Blood in the Air

In the battles of WWI a new theatre of war was to emerge -- the sky. This new warfare was to prove just as deadly as the trenches, where pilots flew into battle with as little as five hours flying experience, with an average life expectancy of 11 days in 1914. Initially the aircraft replaced hot air balloons as a reconnaissance device; spying and photographing deep behind enemy lines, but in 1915 aviation pioneer Fokker revolutionized the aircraft as a weapon when he synchronized a machine gun with a propeller -- allowing German pilots to annihilate French and British planes.

Episodes 1 & 2 »

Merkel sceptique sur une entrée pleine de la Turquie dans l'Europe

Recep Tayyip Erdogan et Angela Merkel à Berlin, mardi 4 février

LE FIGARO: La chancelière allemande, qui accueillait le premier ministre turque Recep Tayyip Erdogan mardi 4 septembre, préférerait que l'UE noue un partenariat privilégié avec Ankara.

En difficulté sur le plan intérieur, Recep Tayyip Erdogan cherche des soutiens étrangers. Après avoir accueilli François Hollande à Ankara il y a une semaine, le premier ministre turc était mardi à Berlin.

C'est en Allemagne que se trouve la plus forte communauté turque d'Europe, avec environ trois millions de personnes. Reçu par la chancelière Angela Merkel, Recep Tayyip Erdogan a une nouvelle fois plaidé pour l'entrée de son pays dans l'Union européenne. «Nous souhaitons que l'Allemagne s'engage plus fortement qu'elle ne l'a fait jusqu'ici, a-t-il déclaré. Une entrée de la Turquie dans l'Union européenne apporterait une contribution considérable à la paix régionale et mondiale.»

Ses arguments n'ont pas tout à fait convaincu. Mardi, Angela Merkel a souhaité que les discussions, «qui ne sont pas soumises à une limite dans le temps», aboutissent à un résultat: «Les négociations d'adhésion avec la Turquie sont un processus dont l'issue est ouverte», a-t-elle expliqué. «Mais je suis sceptique sur un statut d'État membre complet», a-t-elle ajouté. » | Par Nicolas Barotte | mardi 04 février 2014

L'Arabie saoudite s'en prend aux djihadistes

Le roi d'Arabie saoudite Abdullah

LE FIGARO: Pour éviter le départ des djihadistes en Syrie, le roi Abdallah vient de décider que combattre à l'étranger était désormais passible d'une lourde peine de prison.

Craignant un dangereux retour de flammes, le roi Abdallah vient d'adopter un décret qui prévoit des peines de trois à vingt ans de prison pour les Saoudiens qui participent à des conflits à l'étranger. Ce durcissement est d'abord destiné à tarir le flot des candidats à la guerre sainte en Syrie, où les ressortissants du royaume wahhabite sont les plus nombreux parmi les djihadistes qui luttent pour renverser le régime de Bachar el-Assad.

Dans le passé, l'Arabie, patrie d'un islam ultrarigoriste, a souffert du retour de ses ressortissants d'Irak après l'invasion américaine de 2003. La branche locale d'al-Qaida en avait alors profité pour perpétrer de nombreux et sanglants attentats, jurant même de faire tomber la famille régnante, qui vécut de difficiles «années de sang» entre 2003 et 2005.

Selon ce décret, les Saoudiens qui rejoignent ou soutiennent des organisations considérées comme terroristes, à l'intérieur comme à l'extérieur du pays, s'exposeront pour leur part à des peines allant de cinq à trente ans d'emprisonnement. » | Par Georges Malbrunot | mercredi 05 février 2014

London geht gegen Möchtegern-Dschihadisten vor

DIE WELT: Die Teilnahme am Krieg in Syrien wird in Großbritannien scharf geahndet. 2014 wurden bereits 16 Dschihadisten festgenommen. Zudem hat Scotland Yard Muslimgruppen im Auge.

Die Behörden auf der Insel gehen mit neuer Härte gegen britische Staatsbürger vor, die sich am Bürgerkrieg in Syrien beteiligen wollen. Seit Jahresbeginn wurden bereits 16 Möchtegern-Dschihadisten festgenommen, gegen sieben hat die Staatsanwaltschaft Anklage erhoben. Zu den Verdächtigen zählten auch zwei 17-jährige Mädchen, deren geplante Reise in die Region am Flughafen Heathrow endete.

Der Besuch eines Terror-Ausbildungscamps oder die aktive Teilnahme an Kämpfen sei "ein Verbrechen, selbst wenn es um den Sturz eines scheußlichen Diktators geht", sagt die zuständige Londoner Oberstaatsanwältin Sue Hemming.

Die Londoner Ermittlungen passen in das bedrückende Bild, das die UN in einem neuen Bericht von den Ereignissen in Syrien zeichneten. Während das Regime von Präsident Baschar al-Assad für die Folterung von Kindern und Jugendlichen verantwortlich sei, würden Oppositionsgruppen vielerorts Minderjährige zum Kampf mit der Waffe rekrutieren. Gerade in Flüchtlingslagern sähen viele junge Menschen es "als ihre Pflicht an, sich der Opposition anzuschließen", sagte UN-Generalsekretär Ban Ki-moon in New York. "Das Leid der Kinder in Syrien ist inakzeptabel." » | Von Sebastian Borger, London | Mittwoch, 05. Februar 2014

Witness: Ukraine: State of Chaos

Has the eastern European country been returned to the grips of the powerful oligarchs and neighbouring Russia?

CVS Stores to Stop Selling Tobacco

Inside Story: Facebook at 10: Hip or Has-been?

After more than a billion Likes, is the love affair with Facebook fading?

Britain's Military Power Is Waning, Thinktank Warns David Cameron

THE GUARDIAN: Report says arms spending has fallen behind Saudi Arabia's, challenging PM's claim that UK remains in fourth place

Britain's role as one of the world's leading military powers is under threat, an authoritative thinktank warns in a report that directly challenges claims by the prime minister, David Cameron.

The UK has fallen behind Saudi Arabia and is now fifth in the arms expenditure league table, says the latest annual Military Balance survey, published by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Responding to US criticism of cuts in military spending, Cameron repeatedly insisted that Britain still had the fourth biggest defence budget.

"We have the fourth largest defence budget anywhere in the world. We are a first-class player in terms of defence and, as long as I am prime minister, that is the way it will stay," Cameron said last month after the former US defence secretary Robert Gates said cuts meant Britain's armed forces were no longer able to stand by the US as a "full partner".

The IISS survey makes it clear that while military spending is falling in the UK and throughout the west, it is rising fast elsewhere, notably in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Greater defence spending will lead to a relative shift towards Asia and away from Europe in a new balance of military power, the report suggests.

The US remains by far the world's biggest spender on weapons, with a defence budget last year amounting to over $600bn (£370bn), followed by China ($112.2bn), Russia ($68.2bn), Saudi Arabia (an estimated $59.6bn) and the UK ($57bn). » | Richard Norton-Taylor | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

British Girl Leads Guardian Campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation

17-year-old Fahma Mohamed calls on Michael Gove to ensure teachers and parents are informed about horrors of FGM

Read and comment on the Guardian article here | Alexandra Topping | Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Sign the petition here

Tory MP Says Ukip Politician's Call for Muslim Code of Conduct Is Frightening

Gerard Batten, UKIP MEP

THE GUARDIAN: Robert Halfon compares Ukip MEP Gerard Batten's position to asking members of religion to wear yellow star

Gerard Batten, the senior Ukip politician who called for Muslims to sign a code of conduct, has been accused of taking an "unbelievably sinister" position that is comparable to asking members of the faith to wear a yellow star.

Robert Halfon, a Conservative MP, called on the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, to sack Batten for his comments, after it emerged the Ukip MEP had helped write a "charter of Muslim understanding". The document calls on Muslims to sign a declaration rejecting violence and accepting the need to modify the Qur'an.

Halfon, who is Jewish and has spoken out repeatedly against Islamic extremism, told the Guardian he considered Batten's views "unbelievably sinister" and "frightening".

He tweeted: "Big difference btwn lawful Muslims & extreme Islamists. UKIP MEP Batten's statement a 1st step to wearing a Yellow Star."

Sarah Ludford, a Liberal Democrat MEP for London, also criticised the comments, saying they "rip apart Ukip's pretence" that it treats everybody equally.

"His offensive blanket stereotyping of Muslims speaks volumes about Ukip's extremism and should warn voters that voting Ukip means associating with hatred and Islamophobia," she said.

Two prominent Muslim MPs, Sadiq Khan and Rehman Chishti, have also condemned the "offensive" idea of a charter for Muslims. Chishti said Batten, who is Ukip's immigration spokesman, should not be allowed to stand again as an MEP. » | Rowena Mason, political correspondent | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Related »

Head of Mormon Church Thomas Monson Summoned by British Magistrate's Court over Adam and Eve Teaching

Thomas S. Monson, worldwide leader of the Mormon Church

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thomas S Monson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ordered to appear before British magistrate's court amid claims that the organisation's teaching amounts to 'fraud'

A British magistrate has issued an extraordinary summons to the worldwide leader of the Mormon church alleging that its teachings about mankind amount to fraud.

Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been ordered to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London next month to defend the church’s doctrines including beliefs about Adam and Eve and Native Americans.

A formal summons signed by District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe warns Mr Monson, who is recognised by Mormons as a God’s prophet on Earth, that a warrant for his arrest could be issued if he fails to make the journey from Salt Lake City, Utah, for a hearing on March 14.

In one of the most unusual documents ever issued by a British court, it lists seven teachings of the church, including that American Indians are descended from a family of ancient Israelites as possible evidence of fraud.

It also cites the belief that the Book of Mormon was translated from ancient gold plates revealed to the church’s founder Joseph Smith by angels and that Adam and Eve lived around 6,000 years ago.

The document suggests that asking members of the church to make contributions while promoting theological doctrines which “might be untrue or misleading” could be a breach of the Fraud Act 2006. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Ukip MEP Says British Muslims Should sign Charter Rejecting Violence

THE GUARDIAN: Gerard Batten, Ukip's immigration spokesman, proposed ban on new European mosques and says Qur'an needs updating


A Ukip MEP believes that British Muslims should sign a special code of conduct and warns that it was a big mistake for Europe to allow "an explosion of mosques across their land".

Gerard Batten, who represents London and is member of the party's executive, told the Guardian on Tuesdaythat he stood by a "charter of Muslim understanding", which he commissioned in 2006.

The document asks Muslims to sign a declaration rejecting violence and says parts of the Qur'an that promote "violent physical Jihad" should be regarded as "inapplicable, invalid and non-Islamic".

Critics said his comments represent the "ugliest side of Ukip" and "overlap with the far-right", in spite of the efforts of party leader Nigel Farage to create a disciplined election machine ahead of the European elections. » | Rowena Mason, political correspondent | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Is Tony Abbott's Australian Administration the Most Hostile to His Nation's Environment in History?

THE INDEPENDENT: Shark culling, dumping on the Great Barrier Reef and the felling of Tasmanian forests have made the country an ‘international laughing stock’, environmentalists say

In Western Australia, endangered great white sharks are being slaughtered. In Queensland, dredging spoil is to be dumped on the Great Barrier Reef. In Tasmania, ancient forests – harbouring some of the planet’s tallest trees – are in danger of being stripped of their World Heritage listing.

Australians could be forgiven for wondering if the federal government they elected last September is the most conservation-hostile in living memory.

Critics warn that moves by Tony Abbott and his Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, will not only degrade the country’s most outstanding natural assets, but make Australia an international laughing-stock. The UN has already threatened to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” when its World Heritage watchdog committee meets in Qatar in June.

Compounding the right-wing government’s apparent disregard for Australia’s unique environment, say conservationists and scientists, is its resistance to any meaningful action to tackle climate change.

Mr Abbott has axed three key agencies, including one which supported private investment in renewable energy. So contemptuous is he of the science behind climate change – of any science, for that matter – that he has not even bothered appointing a science minister. » | Kathy Marks in Sydney | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 2: Slaughter in the Trenches

This episode looks at trench warfare on the Western Front, which was at stalemate in 1915. Communications proved to be a major drawback for both sides, as messages were sent by runners - who invariably faced death. Two simultaneous battles to push back the Germans were launched at Artois by the French, and by the British at Festubert in May 1915. Both failed and brought the realization that such massive casualties could not be sustained. With a need for more troops, Lord Kitchener went about a recruitment campaign that amassed some one million volunteers. The new volunteer soldiers lacked the discipline of the regulars, and were regarded with some disdain. At the battle of Loos in 1915 a pattern of trench warfare emerged - artillery barrage followed by troops going over the top, and slaughter.

Episode 1 »

World War I in Color & HD: Episode 1: Catastrophe

World War I in Color is a documentary (6 x 50-minute episodes) made with the cooperation of the Imperial War Museum, designed to make the Great War come alive for a 21st-century audience. The events of 1914-18 are authoritatively narrated by Kenneth Branagh, who presents the military and political overview, while interviews with historians add different perspectives. The human cost is conveyed by moving interviews with the now very elderly survivors, and by extracts from letters and memoirs. All aspects of the war, on land, sea and air are covered in separate programmes.

Episode 1- Catastrophe:

This first episode, Catastrophe, looks at the fact that between 1914 and 1918, 65 million men took up arms. Ten million were killed and 20 million were emotionally and physically incapacitated. The war ushered in new terminologies, new and massive weapons and a scale of artillery barrages never before imagined.

Barack Obama en Arabie saoudite en mars

LA PRESSE: Le président Barack Obama se rendra fin mars en Arabie saoudite pour parler sécurité et coopération avec le roi Abdallah, grand allié des États-Unis au Moyen-Orient, a annoncé lundi la Maison-Blanche.

Sur fond d'accord nucléaire intérimaire avec l'Iran, concurrent de Riyad dans la région, M. Obama effectuera cette visite dans la foulée d'une tournée européenne qui le mènera aux Pays-Bas, en Belgique et en Italie, a précisé le porte-parole de l'exécutif américain, Jay Carney.

«Le président se réjouit de discuter avec le roi Abdallah des liens durables et stratégiques entre les États-Unis et l'Arabie saoudite, ainsi que de notre coopération pour faire progresser des intérêts communs liés à la sécurité du Golfe et de la région, de la paix au Proche-Orient, la lutte contre l'extrémisme violent et d'autres dossiers» économiques et liés à la sécurité, selon la même source.

M. Obama s'est jusqu'ici rendu une seule fois à Riyad, en juin 2009, soit au début de son premier mandat. Il avait reçu le roi Abdallah dans le Bureau ovale de la Maison-Blanche un an plus tard. » | Agence France-Presse, Washington | lundi 03 février 2014

Clara Sabinne: "Mon fils s'est converti à l'islam, même pas peur..."

FRANCE INFO: Clara Sabinne raconte comment elle a découvert et accepté la conversion de son fils de 18 ans à l'islam. Son témoignage Mon fils s'est converti à l'islam, même pas peur... est publié aux éditions La Boîte à Pandore.


L'invité de 19h15 - Clara Sabinne by FranceInfo
Vous pouvez lire le court article ici | jeudi 30 janvier 2014

New Afghanistan Law to Silence Victims of Violence against Women

Sahar Gul was chained in a basement and starved, burned and whipped

THE GUARDIAN: Small change to criminal code has huge consequences in country where honour killings and forced marriage are rife

A new Afghan law will allow men to attack their wives, children and sisters without fear of judicial punishment, undoing years of slow progress in tackling violence in a country plagued by honour killings, forced marriage and vicious domestic abuse.

The small but significant change to Afghanistan's criminal prosecution code bans relatives of an accused person from testifying against them. Most violence against women in Afghanistan is within the family, so the law – passed by parliament but awaiting the signature of the president, Hamid Karzai – will effectively silence victims as well as most potential witnesses to their suffering.

"It is a travesty this is happening," said Manizha Naderi, director of the charity and campaign group Women for Afghan Women. "It will make it impossible to prosecute cases of violence against women … The most vulnerable people won't get justice now."

Under the new law, prosecutors could never come to court with cases like that of Sahar Gul, a child bride whose in-laws chained her in a basement and starved, burned and whipped her when she refused to work as a prostitute for them. Women like 31-year-old Sitara, whose nose and lips were sliced off by her husband at the end of last year, could never take the stand against their attackers. » | Emma Graham-Harrison | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Going Underground: Inside Britain's Prisons, Cash-crazy MoD & the Answer to Benefits Street

Afshin Rattansi goes underground on the real conditions inside Britain's prisons. And who better to give insider knowledge than Vicky Pryce, Chris Huhne's ex wife, who went to jail for perverting the course of justice. Now a campaigner for prisoner rehabilitation, she's also landed herself a role as Vince Cable's new advisor! The MoD is charging you millions to sort out its IT mess. Plus, how the rich are siphoning off more money than those on benefits -- and the website that's out to set things straight. And the Queen's so broke, she's selling off the Royal Ascot -- to Qatar!

Deutschland vor dem ersten Weltkrieg 1913

(Ein dokumentarischer Animationsfilm mit Archivbildern aus der Zeit des Kaiserreichs)

Kaiser Wilhelm II. inszeniert eine beispiellose Jubelfeier: die Hochzeit seiner einzigen Tochter Prinzessin Viktoria Luise mit dem Welfenprinzen Ernst August von Hannover. Der Kaiser ruft und der europäische Hochadel kommt -- sogar seine Cousins, König George V. von England und der russische Zar Nikolai II.. Die drei mächtigsten Monarchen der Welt sind nach Kaiser Wilhelms Überzeugung Garanten für Sicherheit und Frieden in Europa. Das Berliner Stadtschloss wird zur Bühne eines ebenso prunkvollen wie extravaganten Heiratsspektakels.

Doch hinter der glänzenden Festfassade gehen Risse durch das Fundament der "Alten Welt". Die Regierungen erwarten einen grossen Krieg und überbieten sich im Rüstungswettlauf. In den Industriestädten drängen ausgebeutete Arbeitermassen aus ihren Elendsquartieren auf die Strassen. Terroristen zielen mit blutigen Attentaten auf das Leben von Monarchen.

Ein einziger Vorfall während der Feierlichkeiten könnte Europa in die Katastrophe stürzen -- für den Berliner Polizeichef Traugott von Jagow und Oberhofmarschall August Graf zu Eulenburg ist die Hochzeit ein organisatorischer Albtraum. Aber für Wilhelm II. sind Schauspiel und Selbstdarstellung wesentlicher Teil seiner Politik.

Das grandiose 
Vermählungstheater im Preussenstil bis hin zum skurrilsten aller Hochzeitsrituale, dem mittelalterlichen "Fackeltanz", ist ein Tanz auf dem Vulkan.

Ein Jahr später stürzt Europa in den Abgrund des Ersten Weltkriegs, der Wilhelm und Nikolai Krone und Reich kosten wird. Und 30 Jahre nach Kriegsende wird das Stadtschloss restlos zerstört.


Welfen »

Erster Weltkrieg »

Sale of Ultra-cheap Alcohol to Be Banned in England and Wales

THE GUARDIAN: New rules will ban deep discounting, which has resulted in cans of lager being sold more cheaply than water in supermarkets

The government is to ban the sale of the cheapest alcohol in England and Wales, the Home Office has announced. Ministers hope the move, which will come into force on 6 April, will stop the worst instances of deep discounting, which has resulted in cans of lager being sold more cheaply than water in supermarkets.

An official impact assessment says that the ban on sales of alcohol at below cost, defined as duty plus VAT, will mean an ordinary 440ml can of beer or lager cannot be sold below 50p.

The new "floor price" for a bottle of wine will be £2.24; a bottle of vodka or other spirits will cost a minimum of £10.16.

Low-strength beers that have an alcoholic content of 1.2% or less will be exempt from the policy, as will duty-free sales on ships, aircraft and in airports. Read on and comment » | Alan Travis, home affairs editor | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Spain's Royal Family Sees Its Budget Cut Once More

Princess Cristina

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Spanish royal household has seen its budget cut for the fourth consecutive year, as it unveiled the accounts of senior royals in a bid for greater transparency amid faltering public support.

Damaged by a series of scandals and ahead of the appearance on Saturday of the King's youngest daughter in court to answer financial fraud allegations, Spain's Royal Palace on Monday published a breakdown of its annual spending in an attempt to stem growing criticism of the monarchy.

The belt-tightening has seen Spain's royal budget slashed from nearly €9.4 million (£7.8m) five years ago to €7.78 million (£6.44m) in 2014 – a cut of two per cent from last year under the state-spending plan approved by parliament.

The salary of King Juan Carlos has been frozen for the third year running at €140,519 plus a further €152,233 to cover the "cost of representation" including the wardrobe needed for official functions.

The 76-year-old monarch's medical bill for three surgical operations at a private clinic during 2013 amounted to €165,189, a figure that also came out of the palace budget.

Crown Prince Felipe who has increasingly stepped in to represent the Crown during the past year while his father battled with ill health, is again to receive an amount equal to half his father's salary and expenses. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Venice At War Over Islamic Heritage

Grand Canal, Venice

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Venice unveils controversial plans to build an Islamic museum

Centuries after providing a massive armada for the crusades against the Saracens and battling the Ottomans, a fight has broken out in Venice over plans to build a museum of Islamic art on the banks of the Grand Canal.

The initiative was announced by Enrico Letta, the prime minister of Italy, during a diplomatic and trade visit to Qatar.

Speaking in Doha, Mr Letta said his government had "made a commitment to explore the opportunity to build an Islamic museum in Venice on the Grand Canal".

But the plan was immediately attacked by the separatist Northern League, which counts the Veneto, the region around Venice, as one of its strongholds.

Luca Zaia, the governor of the region and a senior member of the League, said he found it hard to believe that the government in Rome had “money to throw at an Islamic museum” when Venice had so many other problems, with its cultural heritage under threat from rising sea levels and the crushing weight of mass tourism. The museum would be “a waste of resources”, he said.

“I’m amazed that with all the problems that Italy has, from sky-high unemployment to businesses closing down because of excessive taxes and the worst economic crisis since the Second World War, that they could even think of putting money into a new, useless museum. “Is this really the priority?”

Massimo Bitonci, a senator in the anti-immigration party, said: “We don’t want any Islamic museum in Venice. Letta would do better to focus on the economic crisis instead of thinking (of ways) to spread Islam.” » | Nick Squires, Rome | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Extremismus: Mein Sohn, der Salafist

In Berlin beteten Salafisten vergangenes Frühjahr auf dem Potsdamer Platz

WIENER ZEITUNG: In Deutschland bieten Experten Hilfe für radikalisierte Jugendliche des Politischen Islams / Einrichtung einer Ombudsstelle in Österreich für 2014 geplant.

Wien. Wenn Ahmad Mansours Telefon klingelt, geht es um alles: Andreas isst plötzlich kein Schweinefleisch mehr. Er will auch nicht mehr Weihnachten feiern, Alkohol trinken oder seinen weiblichen Verwandten die Hand geben. Seinen deutschen Vornamen hat er abgelegt, ebenso wie seine Jeans, die er durch eine lange Baumwollhose ersetzt hat.

"Meistens rufen mich die Mütter an. Die Väter spielen zu diesem Zeitpunkt meistens schon keine Rolle mehr in der Familie", sagt Mansour. Der israelisch-palästinensische Psychologe arbeitet bei der Berliner Beratungsstelle "Hayat". Es ist die letzte Anlaufstelle für Eltern, deren Kinder Gefahr laufen, in den Salafismus abzugleiten - oder bereits abgeglitten sind.

Eltern fühlen sich von ihren Kindern gekränkt

Der Salafismus ist eine radikale Strömung innerhalb des Islams. Seine Anhänger berufen sich auf die Zeit des Propheten Mohammed, interpretieren den Koran wortwörtlich und nehmen ihn als Leitfaden für alle Lebensbereiche. Sie streben einen Gottesstaat an, in dem ein islamisches Rechtssystem, gilt - und sie lehnen jegliche Lebensweise ab, die dem Westen zugeschrieben wird.

So viel zur Theorie. Mansour kennt die Praxis. Wer mit ihm spricht, der kann viel lernen über die Radikalisierungsprozesse - und wie sie in den Familien Betroffener ablaufen. Seit zwei Jahren gibt es die Beratungsstelle "Hayat" (arabisch für "Leben"). Eltern, die sich bei "Hayat" melden, haben nicht nur Angst um ihre Kinder. In der Regel fühlen sie sich tief von ihnen gekränkt, weil sie von ihren eigenen Kindern abgelehnt werden. Sie reagieren darauf, indem sie den neuen Glauben ihrer Kinder abwerten, drohen sogar mit dem Abbruch der Beziehung. Die Kinder wiederum sind meist seit Jahren unglücklich und frustriert, sie kämpfen um gesellschaftliche Anerkennung und Zuwendung und vermissen oftmals eine Vaterfigur. All dies finden sie in der schwarz-weiß gestrickten Welt der Salafisten. Übrigens betrifft das nicht nur die Söhne der verängstigten und wütenden Eltern, sagt Mansour, dessen Beratungsstelle mit dem deutschen Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge zusammenarbeitet: In rund einem Drittel der Fälle sind auch Töchter betroffen. » | Von Mona El Khalaf | Mittwoch, 08. Januar 2014

EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen mit Türkei: Merkel lässt Erdogan abblitzen

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der türkische Premier Erdogan fordert von Berlin mehr Unterstützung für den EU-Beitritt. Doch Kanzlerin Merkel gibt sich zurückhaltend, sie spricht weiterhin von einem "ergebnisoffenen Prozess". Die Charme-Offensive des Kollegen aus Ankara verpuffte.

Berlin - Es soll eine große Werbetour für sein Land und vor allem ihn sein: Der türkische Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan hat sich am Dienstag in Berlin selbstbewusst präsentiert. Er verlangt von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) mehr Einsatz bei den stockenden EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen. Doch die Regierungschefin zeigte sich auf einer gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz am Mittag zurückhaltend.

Die schwarz-rote Bundesregierung sehe die Beitrittsverhandlungen als einen ergebnisoffenen Prozess, betonte Merkel. "Er ist zeitlich nicht befristet", sagte sie auf Nachfrage. "Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass ich einer Vollmitgliedschaft skeptisch gegenüber stehe." » | heb/vek/dpa | Dienstag, 04. Februar 2014

FOCUS ONLINE: Erdogan: Die EU braucht die Türkei - nicht umgekehrt: Seit 1999 ist die Türkei EU-Beitrittskandidat. Die Verhandlungen laufen seit 2005, kommen aber nur schleppend voran. Bei seinem Deutschland-Besuch geht Ministerpräsident Erdogan nun in die Offensive: In seinen Augen sei die Europäische Union auf sein Land angewiesen. » | Dienstag, 04. Februar 2014

Ganze Dörfer in Tirol sitzen im Schnee-Gefängnis

FOCUS ONLINE: Massen von Neuschnee stellen die Menschen in den südlichen Alpen vor große Probleme: Noch immer sind Dörfer von der Außenwelt abgeschnitten. Nicht einmal ein Helikopter erreicht die eingekesselten Orte Osttirol, denn das Wetter erlaubt keine Flüge.

Nach dem Schneechaos der letzten Tage entspannt sich die Gefahrenlage in weiten Teilen der Alpen am Sonntag nur leicht. So war mancherorts binnen 24 Stunden mehr als ein Meter Schnee gefallen. In Österreich und in der Schweiz besteht deshalb weiterhin hohes Lawinenrisiko. Zudem könnten nasse und daher besonders schwere Schneemassen Dächer zum Einsturz bringen, erklärten Behördenvertreter. In Österreich waren Tausende von Soldaten im Schneeräumeinsatz. » | Sonntag, 02. Februar 2014

Queen to Meet Pope Francis in Rome

The Queen made her third visit to the Vatican in 2000

BBC: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are to visit Rome later this year for an audience with Pope Francis, Buckingham Palace has said.

The royal couple will also have a private lunch with Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.

The one-day trip in April was originally planned for last year but was postponed when the Queen fell ill.

The BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the Queen's "relaxed" meeting with the Pope will be at his residence.

He added that the Queen would not wear black or a veil, as she has done on three previous visits to the Vatican in deference to convention.

In 1980, the Queen dressed entirely in black, with a tiara holding a cascade veil in place, to meet Pope John Paul II in Rome, just as she had done on her visit to Pope John XXIII in 1961.

And in 2000, the Queen wore black again and a hat with a veil.

This was despite royal tradition that female members of the Royal Family do not wear black. » | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Slovenia Hit by Severe Blizzards

BBC: A quarter of Slovenians have been left without electricity, as parts of Europe battle some of the worst winter blizzards for decades.

Around 40% of the country's schools have been closed, transport is disrupted and residents in some areas have been advised not to drink tap water.

Parts of Croatia, Serbia, and Germany have also been severely affected by snow.

Alpa Patel reports. (+ BBC video) » | Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Europe-wide Move to End FGM 'Barbarism'

LONDON EVENING STANDARD: The European parliament is set to debate sweeping plans to eradicate female genital mutilation across the continent.

Politicians will discuss proposals to eliminate the practice, which affects around 500,000 women and girls in Europe, as part of zero tolerance day on Thursday, a UN-sponsored awareness day.

Members of the gender equality committee want Europe to toughen its stance. This week they will call for all member states to prosecute those who carry out FGM and for the number of victims to be recorded properly.

They want it to be formally recognised that FGM, which involves the partial or total removal of female genitalia, is a “gross form of violence against women and violence against the child”. » | Anna Davis | Monday, February 03, 2014

Syria Conflict: Clashes between Rebels and Army Edge Near to Iconic Crusader Castle Krak des Chevaliers

THE INDEPENDENT: As the fighting creeps ever nearer to Syria’s landmark fortress of Krak des Chevaliers, Patrick Cockburn reports from Homs on a civil war in which no historic monument – however famous – is safe from the threat of destruction

The battle lines of the Syrian civil war are edging closer to Krak des Chevaliers, the most famous Crusader castle ever built. The massive walls and towers of the great fortress on its hilltop glistened white in the sunshine yesterday, as the Syrian Army fought rebels in the valleys below.

The rebels hold the castle and the two nearby villages of al-Zara and al-Hosn while much of the rest of this area, 25 miles west of Homs city and just north of the Lebanese border, is inhabited by Christians who support the government. The 13th century castle was damaged by a Syrian air force attack and mortars last year and the Syrian government says it is eager to prevent further damage.

“We launched an operation to retake this area last week,” the governor of Homs, Talal al Barazi, told The Independent. He said that so far the army had taken 50 per cent of al-Zara “and we think the rest of it will be in our hands within a week.” Syrian army officers on the spot were more cautious on how long the fighting was going to last, saying it might be a week or two.

The reason why the Syrian army is attacking has less to do with Krak des Chevaliers’ strength as a defensive position and more to do with strategic importance of the area in which it stands. This commands the main road between Homs and Tartous on the coast, just as it did in the 13th century when the castle was rebuilt in its present form by the Knights Hospitaller (its original and less romantic name was Crac de l’Ospital). » | Patrick Cockburn | Monday, February 03, 2014

Op-ed: EU Has Found an Efficient Way of Fighting Anti-Semitism – Completely Ignoring Its Existence

YNET NEWS: BERLIN – The European Union has found an efficient way of fighting anti-Semitism: Concealing it by completely ignoring its existence, especially in Europe.

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day which took place last week, Catherine Ashton, the high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the EU, issued a short statement which included only two paragraphs and 120 words in English.

One could find there wordings like: "We honor every one of those brutally murdered in the darkest period of European history," "We also want to pay a special tribute to all those who acted with courage and sacrifice to protect their fellow citizens against persecution," "It is an occasion to remind us all of the need to continue fighting prejudice and racism in our own time," "The respect of human rights and diversity lies at the heart of what the European Union stands for."

Two words were missing from Ashton's laconic statement: Jews and anti-Semitism.

The Holocaust was an exclusive outcome of European anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism which is raising its head again today in the old continent. In Greece, Hungary and Austria, neo-Nazi anti-Semitic parties are sitting in the parliaments again, France is agog over a comedian marketing anti-Semitism as entertainment for the masses, and mass media outlets in Germany, France and Poland are filled with anti-Semitism. » | Eldad Beck | Monday, February 03, 2014

Streit um Siedlungen: Israel debattiert über Boykottdrohungen

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die seit langem schwelende Diskussion über Boykottaufrufe gegen Israel hat in jüngster Zeit Auftrieb erhalten. Die Wirkung eines solchen Protests gegen die Siedlungspolitik ist umstritten. In der Regierung macht sich jedoch Nervosität breit.

Gegen Israel gerichtete Boykottaufrufe haben in Israel in den letzten Wochen Schlagzeilen gemacht. Zeitungen und auch das Fernsehen widmeten sich dem Thema ausführlich. Am Wochenende heizte eine Verstimmung zwischen Israel und den USA die Debatte erneut an. Der amerikanische Aussenminister Kerry erwähnte die Boykottaufrufe gegen Israels Siedlungspolitik, als er vor Konsequenzen eines Scheiterns der Verhandlungen mit den Palästinensern warnte, um deren Gelingen er sich intensiv bemüht. Mitglieder der israelischen Regierung kritisierten Kerry scharf. Wirtschaftsminister Bennett sagte, Amerika müsse Israel zur Seite stehen, statt Boykottforderungen eine Plattform zu bieten. Das amerikanische Aussenministerium liess verärgert verlauten, Kerry lehne einen Boykott ab. Er habe lediglich vor möglichen Gefahren gewarnt. » | Monika Bolliger, Tel Aviv | Montag, 03. Februar 2014

Athener Neonazis gründen neue Partei

TAGES ANZEIGER: Die griechischen Behörden gehen seit Herbst gegen die Neonazi-Partei Goldene Morgenröte vor. Deren Mitglieder wollen einem drohenden verbot der Partei nun zuvorkommen.

Anhänger der griechischen Neonazipartei Goldene Morgenröte (Chrysi Avgi) haben auf einer von den Behörden abgesperrten Hauptstrasse im Zentrum Athens eine Parade abgehalten. Die Rechtsextremen gaben zudem die Gründung einer Alternativpartei bekannt.

Die Gründung der «Nationale Morgenröte» genannten Partei verkündete der Sprecher der «Goldenen Morgenröte», Ilias Kassidiaris, an der Kundgebung. «Die 'Nationale Morgenröte' kann an allen Wahlen teilnehmen, sollte die Partei 'Völkischer Bund - Goldene Morgenröte' verboten werden», hiess es dazu auf der Internetseite der rechtsextremen Partei. » | ajk/sda | Sonntag, 02. Februar 2014

Le Djihad islamique promet de s'opposer à tout accord entre Israéliens et Palestiniens

LE FIGARO: Ahmed al-Mudallal, un haut responsable de l'organisation, est hostile aux négociations entre les deux peuples et assure qu'il détruirait tout accord qui légitimerait l'occupation sioniste de la Palestine.

Le Djihad islamique, dont la branche armée compte quelques milliers de combattants et demeure la deuxième faction la plus influente, après le Hamas, dans la bande de Gaza, promet de s'opposer de toutes ses forces à un éventuel accord entre Israéliens et Palestiniens. «Nous sommes totalement hostiles à ces négociations, qui ne peuvent rien apporter de bon, affirme ­Ahmed al-Mudallal, haut responsable de l'organisation. Comme nous avons par le passé combattu le processus d'Oslo, nous détruirons tout accord qui légitimerait l'occupation sioniste de la Palestine. Nous ne transigerons pas car notre raison d'être est la libération de notre terre, de notre peuple et de nos lieux saints.» » | Par Cyrille Louis | dimanche 02 février 2014

L'Iran condamne l'Holocauste

LE POINT: Un ministre iranien a affirmé que l'extermination des Juifs sous le régime nazi avait été une "cruelle tragédie qui ne doit jamais se reproduire".

Le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Mohammad Javad Zarif, a affirmé dimanche à la télévision allemande que l'extermination des Juifs sous le régime nazi avait été "une cruelle tragédie funeste qui ne doit plus jamais se reproduire". "Nous n'avons rien contre les Juifs et le plus grand respect pour eux à l'intérieur de l'Iran et en dehors. Nous ne nous sentons menacés par personne", a déclaré, sur la chaîne de télévision allemande Phoenix Mohammad Javad Zarif, après avoir participé à la conférence sur la sécurité de Munich (sud). » | Source AFP | lundi 03 février 2014

Tower Block Detonated in One of Europe's Biggest Ever Explosions

Frankfurt University destroys one of its buildings in a controlled detonation, making it one of Europe's tallest buildings ever to be demolished in this way

Arms Exports: Berlin Backs Large Defense Deal with Saudi Arabia

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Berlin has often been criticized in recent years for selling weapons to questionable regimes. Now, the German government is backing a billion-euro deal for 100 patrol boats.

The German government has often drawn serious criticism for supporting defense deals with countries known to have democratic deficiencies. In the latest controversial move, SPIEGEL has learned that the new government in Berlin wants to secure a major defense deal with Saudi Arabia by offering Hermes export credit guarantees.

The information comes from a classified letter from a senior official in the Finance Ministry to the German parliament's budget committee. The letter states that the German government intends to provide guarantees for the planned export of more than 100 patrol and border control boats to the Gulf state with a total value of around €1.4 billion ($1.9 billion). In the letter, official Steffen Kampeter writes of the "high importance in terms of economic and employment" of the deal, which includes contracts for the Bremen-based Lürssen Shipyard. Kampeter, a politician with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union, asked for the "confidential handling of the business data" because negotiations are still in progress and competition is expected from other countries. » | dsl/SPIEGEL | Monday, February 03, 2014

Lost Youth: UK Voters Back Away from Ballot Box, Losing Faith in Mainstream Politics

Brits just can't get themselves fired up about voting anymore with turnout on elections in recent years on a downward slide. And it's young people in particular who are backing away from the ballot box, only 10% say they'll definitely take part in next year general election.

Bill O'Reilly Interviews President Obama before the Super Bowl

Bill O'Reilly sits down with President Obama at the White House to discuss the IRS scandal, Benghazi, the Affordable Care Act and the Super Bowl.

Cigarette Plain Packaging ‘Fuelling Black Market’

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Plain packaging for cigarettes in Australia has not cut smoking and boosted sales of black market products, tobacco industry report claims

Forcing shops to sell cigarettes in plain packaging does not in itself cut smoking levels but boosts sales of smuggled packets, a Government review has been told.

According to a report commissioned by the tobacco industry, initial evidence from Australia – the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging laws – suggests that overall smoking levels are unchanged.

But it estimates that the country has missed out on the equivalent of £530 million of tax as smokers switch to cheaper, illegal varieties – often in packaging which resembles traditional boxes.

The report has been submitted to a government review investigating evidence for introducing a similar policy in the UK. » | John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor | Monday, February 03, 2014

Muslim Cartoon Row – Maajid Nawaz

"A Liberal Democrat candidate who tweeted a cartoon featuring Jesus and Muhammad has received death threats and faces calls to be deselected from contesting the 2015 general election.

Maajid Nawaz, chosen for the London seat of Hampstead and Kilburn and founder of the anti-extremist think-tank Quilliam Foundation, has faced a petition against him, and told the BBC he was advised by police not to appear on TV to debate the issue.

Andrew Neil spoke to Mohammed Shafiq, a member of the Liberal Democrats Ethnic Minority group calling for deselection, and to Kenan Malik, who writes about multi-culturalism and free speech."

Maajid Nawaz Explains the Difference between Islam and Islamism to Bill Maher and Richard Dawkins

Maajid Nawaz is the co-founder and Executive Director of Quilliam, the world's first counter-extremism think tank. He is also the co-founder of Khudi, a counter-extremism social movement working towards the promotion of social democratic change in Pakistan. This clip is from "Overtime" with Bill Maher where he has a discussion about the roots of islamism and the difference between islamism and islam with Maher, Richard Dawkins, Michael Moore, Valerie Plame and Al Sharpton. From "Overtime" with Bill Maher, October 25, 2013.

John Kerry Labelled 'Anti Semite' for Warning of Possible Boycott of Israel

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: US Secretary of State has been labelled an 'anti Semite' for warning of a possible economic boycott if Israel failed to reach a peace accord with the Palestinians

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, triggered an angry backlash from Israeli leaders on Sunday after warning Israel faces economic boycott if it failed to reach a peace accord with the Palestinians.

The uproar came as Mr Kerry held cordial talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Munich at which the pair vowed to intensify nuclear diplomacy.

Ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet accused Mr Kerry of effectively endorsing "anti-Semitic" efforts to impose sanctions on Israel by issuing the warning.

"The risks are very high for Israel," Mr Kerry told the conference. "People are talking about boycott. That will intensify in the case of failure.

"Do they want a failure that then begs whatever may come in the form of a response from disappointed Palestinians and the Arab community?"

While the US secretary of state's remarks were made against a backdrop of new EU regulations barring deals with Israeli businesses based in West Bank settlements, they provoked accusations that he was threatening Israel in on-going peace talks with the Palestinians. » | Robert Tait, Jerusalem | Sunday, February 02, 2014

Freedom of Speech: Is It My Right to Offend You?

THE INDEPENDENT: Last week, a political figure tweeting a cartoon about Mohamed prompted death threats. In a civilised society, we need to know how to express views without censorship

Maajid Nawaz is a former Islamist who now campaigns against extremism as the executive director of the Quilliam Foundation. He is also a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate. Three weeks ago, he appeared on the BBC's religious debate programme, The Big Questions. On that show, two atheist students wore T-shirts featuring cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed. Nawaz declared that he was not upset by the images. After the show, he tweeted one of the cartoons, declaring that his God was greater than to feel threatened by it. And then everything went mad.

Nawaz has faced an appalling string of death threats. About 22,000 people have signed a petition calling for his deselection. Thousands more have leapt to his defence. Last week, Nick Clegg promised that he would not be deselected. But as various media outlets have reported on the subject, they, too, have faced criticism for their squeamishness: no one has shown uncensored the cartoon at the centre of the storm.

There is so much to unpack here. Where to begin? Well, how about, for the record, a simple declaration: Maajid Nawaz has an absolute right to tweet a picture of the Prophet Mohamed. I would not vote for any political party that dismissed him for doing so. But actually, this is the least interesting, least fruitful aspect of the whole discussion. This is primary school stuff. » | Archie Bland | Sunday, February 02, 2014

Related »

'Jesus and Mo' Debate

After Liberal Democrat prospective candidate Maajid Nawaz pointed out how he is was not offended by the charming satirical comic strip "Jesus and Mo", a mob of fascists and extremists launched a petition to have him deselected, and to (according to the comments from the supporters of the petition) have him executed/beheaded/tortured, etc.