Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Inside Story: Russian Defence or Dominance?
Russia Today Host Who Criticised Kremlin Sent to Crimea
A TV presenter working for a Kremlin-funded channel who spoke out against Russia's military invasion in Ukraine live on air has been sent by the broadcaster to Crimea to "better her knowledge" of the situation.
In an off-message tirade, Abby Martin, a Washington-based American news anchor for Russia Today, shocked mostly pro-Russian viewers by announcing she "cannot stress enough" how strongly she felt about presence of its troops in Crimea, saying "Russia was wrong".
The host addressed the camera in unscripted remarks at the end of the station's Breaking the Set segment, saying: "Just because I work here, for RT, doesn't mean I don't have editorial independence and I can't stress enough how strongly I am against any military intervention in sovereign nations' affairs.
"I will not sit here and apologise or defend military aggression," she went on.
The English-language Russia Today is widely perceived as the voice of the Kremlin, with Reporters Without Borders describing it as a "step of the state to control information." » | Josie Ensor | Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Obama: Russia's Actions Are Not a Sign of Strength
Team Obama Wins Fight to Have Christian Home-school Family Deported
They wanted to live in a country where they could raise their children in accordance with their Christian beliefs.
The Romeikes were initially given asylum, but the Obama administration objected – claiming that German laws that outlaw homeschooling do not constitute persecution.
“The goal in Germany is for an open, pluralistic society,” the Justice Department wrote in a legal brief last year. “Teaching tolerance to children of all backgrounds helps to develop the ability to interact as a fully functioning citizen in Germany.”
On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear the Romeike’s appeal – paving the way for the Christian family of eight to be deported. » | Tod Starnes | Todd’s American Dispatch | Monday, March 03, 2014
Tory Councillor Who Shared Burka Joke on Facebook Expelled from Party
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| Tory councillor Chris Joannides has been expelled from his party after comparing Muslim children wearing burkas to bin[-]bags on Facebook |
A Tory councillor has been expelled from his party after comparing Muslim children wearing burkas to bin[-]bags on Facebook.
Chris Joannides, a councillor for Enfield, in north London, also upset colleagues by complaining that his job as a local councillor was interfering with his social life.
Conservative Central Office has now dropped him as a candidate for the local elections in May and expelled him from the party for 12 months.
The decision comes after Mr Joannides posted a photograph showing a woman and child dressed in the traditional Muslim clothing standing next to two bin[-]bags.
A caption read: "I saw her standing there and I told her she had three beautiful children. She didn't have to get all ****** off and threaten me. It was an honest mistake!" » | Hayley Dixon | Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Did Sarah Palin Predict the Ukraine Crisis Back in 2008?
Judge Jeanine: Obama's Policies Reducing US to Paper Tiger
Sen. Inhofe Concerned with 'Weakened Condition' of US Abroad
Monday, March 03, 2014
Krim-Konflikt: Europas Ohnmacht gegenüber Russland
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| Wladimir Putin und Premierminister Dmitri Medwediew |
Wie soll der Westen auf den Aufmarsch der russischen Armee auf der Krim und auf die unverhohlene militärische Drohung des Kreml gegen die Ukraine reagieren? In den europäischen Hauptstädten und in Washington herrscht Rat- und Hilflosigkeit. US-Präsident Barak Obama warnt Wladimir Putin zwar davor, sich zu isolieren. Und die Europäer mahnen beide Seiten, den Konflikt nicht weiter anzuheizen. Doch Obamas Drohung wird Putin kaum beeindrucken und auch Europa kann oder will nicht mit Konsequenzen drohen.
Denn militärisch werden sich weder die USA noch die Europäer in der Ukraine engagieren. Die neue Führung in Kiew und die ukrainische Armee haben dem russischen Riesen ebenfalls kaum etwas entgegenzusetzen. So kann Russland ungestört Truppen auf die Krim verlegen. Faktisch hat es die ukrainische Halbinsel, die jahrhundertelang zum russischen Reich gehörte, annektiert und dort auch politisch über eine Marionetten-Regierung in der Provinzhauptstadt die Macht übernommen.
Noch weiß niemand, ob sich das russische Expansionsstreben auf die Krim mit ihrer russischsprachigen Bevölkerungsmehrheit beschränkt, oder ob Putin versuchen wird, auch die Ostukraine mit ihrer Schwerindustrie und ihren engen Beziehungen zu Russland unter Kontrolle zu bringen. Auch in diesem Fall könnte er sich auf Hilferufe der russischsprachigen Bevölkerung berufen. Das Land würde damit zweigeteilt – ein Alptraum für die meisten Menschen in der Ukraine, aber auch für den Westen. » | Ein Kommentar von Ludwig Greven | Sonntag, 02. März 2014
Crisis in the Ukraine: What Is Putin's Endgame?
Ukraine: What Should US Do Now?
As Moscow tightens its grip on the Crimean Peninsula, Washington is facing up to a harsh reality: In Ukraine, there’s a vast imbalance in power and national interests between the United States and a resurgent imperial Russia.
After the cold war, the influence of the West expanded quickly up to Russia’s borders. Moscow had to accept a unified Germany, as well as NATO memberships for nations that used to be the USSR’s buffer zone, from Poland to Latvia. Now Vladimir Putin has seized on an opportunity to push back: He’s poured thousands of troops into Crimea in an apparent attempt to destabilize a new Western-oriented Ukrainian government.
America’s problem is that it is no longer 1997. Russia is not preoccupied with internal political and economic turmoil. And in past decades, the West expanded its influence beyond the area it is prepared to use force to defend. Mr. Putin understands this – and so do President Obama and his Republican critics.
Thus there’s little saber rattling in Washington. GOP lawmakers are talking about responses that differ only modestly from the Obama administration’s: draw up economic sanctions, put planning for the upcoming G8 summit in Sochi, Russia, on hold, and so forth.
“There [are] not a lot of options on the table,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R) of Michigan, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Instead, Republicans are using the crisis as an opportunity to talk more broadly about what they say is Mr. Obama’s overall foreign policy weakness. Their question essentially is less “what next?” than “who lost Sevastopol?” » | Peter Grier, Staff Writer | Washington | Monday, March 03, 2014
Pope Francis Drops F-bomb
Pope Francis inadvertently demonstrated his own fallibility during an address in St Peter’s Square when he mistakenly said the Italian word for “f**k”.
In the 12 months since he was elected, the Argentinean Pope, who worked with the poor in the slums of Buenos Aires being before [sic] made pontiff, has shown a healthy sense of humour and an unerring ability to connect with ordinary people.
But he accidentally went a little too far in using the language of the street after mispronouncing the word “caso”, which means example, as “cazzo” – Italian for f--- or, in other contexts, cock.
“If each of us were to accumulate wealth not only for ourselves but to put at the service of others, in this f--- [pause], in this case God’s providence would manifest itself in this gesture of solidarity,” he told a large crowd, delivering his ‘Angelus’ address from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square.
The 77-year-old Jesuit Pope corrected himself almost immediately after making the gaffe during the audience at the Vatican on Sunday, but it was posted by Italians on YouTube and other social media and has since spread round the world. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Monday, March 03, 2014
New Cold War? Obama, Putin Are Split
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: There are many differences in style and substance between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the Ukraine crisis has brought into sharp relief the most important one: The American leader believes the world has moved beyond the Cold War, and his Russian counterpart seems more comfortable moving back into it.
In fact, this difference probably is true of the countries the two men lead, not just of the leaders themselves. Americans tend to see the Cold War in the rearview mirror as a wildly expensive period of ideological struggle that was settled decisively in favor of the rightful victor, democratic capitalism. Russians tend to view it as a period in which Moscow played its rightful role as a superpower with a large and clearly defined sphere of influence and an important voice on every world issue.
The differences help explain the depth of the disconnect between the U.S. and Russia as they circle each other warily over the future of Ukraine. By the American reckoning, a new set of standards ought to apply to 21st century international behavior, and the grounds for excusing one superpower's behavior because it believes it is involved in an existential struggle against the other have largely disappeared. By the other reckoning, the Russian one, big nation-states still have the clear right to protect their regional influence and interests. » | Gerald F. Seib | Monday, March 03, 2014
Did Obama's Foreign Policy Stumbles Lead to Ukraine Crisis?
Republicans Call for an About Face on US Policy on Russia
Ukraine Crisis: Russia Gives Ukraine 3am Deadline to Get Out of Crimea or ‘Face Storm’
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| A Russian army vehicle outside a Ukrainian border guard post |
Russia has told Ukrainian forces to surrender its control of the strategic Crimean region by 3am on Tuesday or face military assault, amid the worst diplomatic crisis since the Cold War.
The forces in the region are also demanding that the crew of two Ukrainian warships in Sevastopol harbour surrender within the hour, or face being stormed and seized by Russian forces.
Relations between East and West continued to plummet as the Russian Government continued to ignore calls from Western leaders to leave the Ukrainian area.
This morning, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, justified the military incursion claiming it was necessary in order to protect his country's citizens living there. "This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots, ensuring human rights, especially the right to life," he said. » | Kashmira Gander | Monday, March 03, 2014
Inside Story: Ukraine: Warnings of War
Kerry Tells Russia 'One Doesn't Invade A Country On A Phony Pretext'
Russian Markets Hit as Putin Tightens Grip on Crimea
The Moscow stock market fell by 10 percent and the central bank spent $10 billion of its reserves to prop up the rouble as investors took fright at escalating tensions with the West over the former Soviet republic.
Ukraine said Russia was building up armoured vehicles on its side of a narrow stretch of water closest to Crimea after Putin declared at the weekend he had the right to invade his neighbor to protect Russian interests and citizens.
On the ground in Perevalnoye, half way between the Crimean capital of Simferopol and the Black Sea, hundreds of Russian troops in trucks and armoured vehicles - without national insignia on their uniforms - surrounded two military compounds, confining Ukrainian soldiers as virtual prisoners.
Ukraine called up reservists on Sunday and the United States threatened to isolate Russia economically after Putin's action provoked what Britain's foreign minister called "the biggest crisis in Europe in the twenty-first century". » | Lidia Kelly and Alissa de Carbonnel | Moscow/Perevalnoye, Ukrain | Monday, March 03, 2014
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Radical Islam: The Children Taught At Home about Murder and Bombings
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| Michael Adebowala and Michael Adebolajo as they were found guilty of the murder of Fuselier Lee Rigby |
It must have been dreadful for the family of Drummer Lee Rigby to listen to the ravings of his killers as they were finally hauled away to the cells and, one hopes, to a lifetime of incarceration. If those relatives have one consolation, it is that they were just about the last words those men will ever pronounce in public; the last time we will have to hear them pervert the religion of Islam – and the most important question now is how we prevent other young men, and women, from succumbing to that awful virus: the contagion of radical Islamic extremism.
Every day in London and other big cities, there are thousands of counter-terrorism officers doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe. They have to work out who are the most vulnerable young people, who are the most susceptible – and they have to stop the infection of radicalisation before it is too late. That will sometimes mean taking a view about what is happening to them in their homes and families – and I worry that their work is being hampered by what I am obliged to call political correctness. » | Boris Johnson | Sunday, March 02, 2014
The Andrew Marr Show
Former PVV-er Returns with Anti-Gay, Pro-Islam Party
In an interview with Algemeen Dagblad last week, he said that since quitting the anti-Islam party, he has now actually converted to the religion and started his own Islamic Party for Unity, with which he is contending for three seats during the municipal elections on March 19.
His party is against the anti-Muslim atmosphere in The Hague and also against the pro-homosexuality tendencies. “They promote homosexuality. You don’t have to go out and promote how fantastic that lifestyle is,” he said about how much focus there is in the manifestos of GroenLinks, D66 and PvdA for equality for gays. Personally he would rather see an end to the municipal support for promotional campaigns and gay-events like Pink Saturday.
When AD asked him if what he thinks about two gays walking hand in hand in the city, he didn’t have an answer ready. “Let’s just say that people should be reserved about the affection they show each other in public. Don’t provoke with it. Keep your private life private,” he said. He explained that he does not discriminate gays. “We are against discrimination of gays as people. But we reject homosexual actions,” he said, adding that this comes from the Islamic ideologies his party is founded on. » | Marvin Hokstam | Sunday, March 02, 2014
Inside a Nigerian Private Jet
More than 100 private planes are said to operating in there - many of them owned by the country's growing number of rich businessmen and women.
Tomi Oladipo reports from Lagos airport. (+ BBC video) » | Sunday, March 02, 2014
Ukraine Mobilizes for War as Crimea Taken Over by Russia
Far-right 'Christian Patrols' in UK Spark Stand-off with Muslims Using Leaflets & Beer
Kerry Threatens Sanctions If Russia Doesn't Withdraw from Ukraine
The decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to send troops to Crimea, a region of Ukraine, “is really a stunning willful choice by president Putin to invade another country,” said Kerry, speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” one of several Sunday morning public affairs shows on which he appeared.
Kerry and Republican members of Congress made clear the U.S. was not considering a military move to counter Putin’s action. On ABC’s “This Week” program Kerry said that “the hope of the U.S. and everybody in the world is not to see this escalate into a military confrontation.”
“Nobody wants this to spiral in a bad or a worse direction,” he said.
“The invasion of Crimea has already happened,” Kerry said. “And we believe that President Putin should make the decision to roll it back.” » | Joseph Tanfani | Sunday, March 02, 2014
Krauthammer on Voters' Remorse on Obama
CNN Pulls Plug on Piers Morgan's Prime-Time Talk Show
President Obama and Vladimir Putin Speak
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Rouhani Says Iran Will Not Acquire Nuclear Weapons 'On Principle'
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| President Hassan Rouhani has told Iran's generals to avoid provocative military manoeuvres. |
Iran’s president said on Saturday the Islamic Republic has decided not to develop nuclear weapons out of principle, not only because it is prevented from doing so by treaties.
President Hassan Rouhani also urged Iran’s military leaders to let diplomacy prevail in dealing with potential foreign threats, in a clear reference to efforts to end the nuclear dispute and decades of hostile relations with the west.
“It is very important to formulate one’s sentences and speeches in a way that is not construed as threat, intention to strike a blow,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Iran’s top military echelon.
“We must be very careful in our calculations. Launching missiles and staging military exercises to scare off the other side is not good deterrence, although a necessity in its proper place,” the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying. “A misfire could burst into flames and wreak havoc to everything.” » | Agencies in Tehran | Saturday, March 01, 2014
Ukraine: Prime Minister of Ukraine Says Russian Military Intervention Would Lead to War
Krise auf der Krim: Merkel stärkt Ukraine den Rücken
Is Obama the Rodney Dangerfield of World Leaders?
Krauthammer on Ukraine: 'Everybody Is Shocked by the Weakness of Obama's Statement'
Russia Approves Use of Military in Ukraine
The motion follows President Barack Obama's warning Friday "there will be costs" if Russia intervenes militarily, sharply raising the stakes in the conflict over Ukraine's future and evoking memories of Cold War brinkmanship.
"I'm submitting a request for using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country," Putin said in his request sent to parliament.
Russia's upper house also recommended that Moscow recalls its ambassador from Washington over Obama's comments.
Ukraine had already accused Russia on Friday of a "military invasion and occupation" in the strategic peninsula of Crimea where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk called on Moscow "to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations," according to the Interfax news agency. "Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine." (+ video) » | David McHugh and Vladimir Isachenkov | Associated Press | Kiev | Saturday, March 01, 2014
Russia Wresting Control of Crimea from Ukraine
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| Pro-Russian protesters with Russian flags take part in a rally in central Donetsk March 1, 2014. |
Putin asked the upper house of parliament to approve sending armed forces to the Ukrainian territory, which has a majority ethnic Russian population. But Crimea had already begun to slip from Kiev's control with closure of the main airport and deployment of pro-Russian guards at key buildings.
Putin's statement, and remarks from a pro-Russian leader installed in Crimea this week, effectively confirmed what most people in the region had assumed: that military units who had seized control in the past two days were indeed Moscow's.
Ukraine accused Russia of sending thousands of extra troops to Crimea, largely hostile to the Kiev government which emerged from the overthrow of president Viktor Yanukovich last weekend. It placed its military in the area on high alert.
After Yanukovich's overthrow, Crimea quickly became the focus of a crisis bearing perils for the entire region.
Ukraine teeters on the brink of economic disaster, mired in debt. Any further spread of separatist sentiment to industrial, Russian-speaking eastern territories could raise the risk of disintegration with serious implications for surrounding states including Russia, Poland and Belarus.
Putin turned to parliament after a day of events viewed with deep concern in Europe and the United States. British foreign minister William Hague said he had spoken to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and called for a 'de-escalation' of tensions. U.S. President Barack Obama said any Russian intervention in Ukraine would carry costs for Moscow. » | Pavel Polityuk and Alissa De Carbonnel | Kiev/Balaclava, Ukraine | Saturday, March 01, 2014
Poutine veut envoyer des troupes en Ukraine
Le Conseil de la Fédération russe a commencé à débattre samedi en session extraordinaire du recours à l'armée russe en Ukraine, à la suite d'une demande en ce sens du président Vladimir Poutine. Le président russe Vladimir Poutine a demandé samedi au Conseil de la Fédération (chambre haute du Parlement) d'approuver "le recours à l'armée russe en Ukraine" jusqu'à la normalisation de la situation.
"En raison de la situation extraordinaire en Ukraine et de la menace pesant sur la vie des citoyens russes, de nos compatriotes, des forces armées russes déployées en Ukraine", Vladimir Poutine a demandé au Conseil de la Fédération d'autoriser "le recours aux forces armées russes sur le territoire de l'Ukraine, jusqu'à la normalisation de la situation politique dans ce pays", selon un communiqué du service de presse du Kremlin. » | Source AFP | samedi 01 mars 2014
Putin "No One Should Have Any Illusions Of Gaining Military Superiority Over Russia" (December 2013)
Is a Modern Day Cold War upon Us?
The Obama Effect: America at a Tipping Point
Christians Line Up to Break US Box Office for Jesus
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Ukraine: Russia Launches ‘Arned Invasion’; Obama Delivers Blunt Warning to Russia; Warns of Consequences
Friday, February 28, 2014
Keep Your Gays and Keep Your Aid, Uganda Tells the West
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| Supporters celebrate after Uganda's President Museveni signed a law imposing harsh penalties for homosexuality in Kampala |
Uganda is willing to give up all international aid to keep its new anti-homosexuality law and “save gays from damnation”, its ethics minister said as the World Bank followed other donors and froze a £60 million new loan to the country.
“We will not shy away from this, we want to rid this country of homosexuality and if that means these people - Obama, Hague, you name them - want to stop their aid then let them,” Simon Lokodo told The Telegraph.
“We don’t need it, we won’t die poor, and we will at least be able to save these gays from damnation.
“Homosexuality cannot be accommodated in our culture. We have taken that position as a government because this is a democracy and it is what the people want.”
Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s president of 28 years, signed the new Anti-Homosexuality Act into law on Monday, immediately prompting outrage from Western nations. » | Mike Pflanz, Kampala | Friday, February 28, 2014
Inside Story: Uganda Punished Over Anti-gay Law
Brunei Sultan Hits Back at Rare Criticism over Sharia
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| Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah |
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah -- one of the world's wealthiest men -- announced last October that Brunei would phase in sharia law punishments such as flogging, severing limbs and death by stoning beginning April 1.
The move has sparked a growing outcry on social media, the only outlet for public criticism of authorities in the Muslim country where questioning the 67-year-old sultan is taboo.
In a weekend speech, the sultan issued a clear threat to the critics.
"They cannot be allowed to continue committing these insults, but if there are elements which allow them to be brought to court, then the first phase of implementing the Syariah Penal Code Order in April will be very relevant to them," he said, according to a copy of his speech published by state media. » | AFP | Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Muslim Boys’ School Bans Women from Applying for Job as Science Teacher
A Muslim boys’ school is facing claims of segregation after advertising for a temporary science teacher but making clear that women need not apply.
The advert published by the outsourcing company Capita requested a “Male Science Teacher” to cover lessons, including some mathematics classes, until the end of the current academic year on a short term contract for up to £150 a day.
Secular campaigners said the advertisement was just the latest in a series of demands for religious customs and practices to be “accommodated” in the education system as a result of giving faith groups the power to run schools.
It follows a storm over allegations that non-Muslim female staff at the Al-Madinah free school in Derby had been forced to wear headscarves in line with strict Islamic practices.
There have also been concerns that girls at other Islamic schools are being required to wear full veils as well as questions over segregation in classes.
Capita argued that the exclusion of women could be legally justified but the advert was later withdrawn after a warning from the Department for Education over the need to comply with equality law.
The National Secular Society said it had been alerted to the advertisement by a female science teacher who had been looking for work in the Leicester area. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Thursday, February 27, 2014
Alice: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
"The Lady in Number 6" is one of the most inspirational, uplifting stories of the year. 109 year old, Alice Herz Sommer, the world's oldest pianist and oldest holocaust survivor in the world shares her views on how to live a long and happy life. She discusses the importance of music, laughter and having an optimistic outlook on life.
Watching this film will literally show you how to live longer and happier! Guaranteed Nick Reed Producer
WIKI: Theresienstadt »
Related »
«La criminalisation de l'homosexualité gagne du terrain en Afrique»
Après la promulgation la veille d'une loi durcissant la répression de l'homosexualité dans le pays, un journal ougandais a publié mardi une liste de 200 personnes qu'il dit être homosexuelles. Une chasse aux sorcières qui atterre les défenseurs des droits LGBT, mais qui n'est pas une exception. Le mois dernier déjà, le Nigeria avait promulgué une loi prévoyant 10 ans d'emprisonnement contre les personnes de même sexe affichant publiquement leur relation. Selon un rapport d'Amnesty International publié en juin 2013, l'homosexualité reste passible des tribunaux dans près de trois quarts des 54 pays africains. Une criminalisation qui a des conséquences graves sur la santé publique, explique Dorothée Delaunay, responsable de la commission Orientation sexuelle et identité de genre pour l'ONG Amnesty International France. » | mercredi 26 février 2014
Merkel für Verbleib Großbritanniens in der EU
Die Briten haben den roten Teppich ausgerollt und die Bundeskanzlerin am Donnerstag (27.02.2014) mit einer Charme-Offensive begrüßt. Angela Merkel hatte die Ehre, vor beiden Parlamentshäuser in Westminster zu reden, bevor sie am Nachmittag eine Verabredung zum Tee mit Königin Elisabeth hatte. Das alles machte ihren Status als Europas mächtigste Politikerin deutlich. Dennoch dämpfte sie vor ihrer 30-minütigen Rede in der Royal Gallery in London die Erwartungen: "Ich möchte lediglich meine Gedanken über Europa mit Ihnen teilen", sagte sie, wechselte in ihrer Rede immer wieder zwischen Deutsch und Englisch und machte mit Nachdruck deutlich, dass sie Großbritannien unbedingt weiterhin in der EU sehen will.
Premier schon im Wahlkampfmodus
Premierminister David Cameron dürfte eher unzufrieden mit der Rede gewesen sein. Er will Merkel auf seiner Seite haben, wenn die beiden Regierungschefs über europäische Politik diskutieren. Cameron steht unter Druck: Er muss das Versprechen an die britischen Wähler einhalten, EU-Reformen voranzutreiben. Zudem sagte er erneut, er wolle den Briten die Möglichkeit geben, 2017 über die EU-Mitgliedschaft abzustimmen.
Das öffentliche Misstrauen gegenüber der EU im Vereinigten Königreich ist groß und 2015 stehen Wahlen an. Cameron sieht sich den steigenden Umfragewerten der Anti-EU-Partei UKIP gegenüber. Eine Änderung in der EU-Politik, für die sich Cameron stark macht: Die Einschränkung der Rechte von Migranten ärmerer Mitgliederstaaten, die in wohlhabende Länder wie Großbritannien ziehen, um von deren Sozialsystemen zu profitieren. » | Von Kitty Logan | Donnerstag, 27. Februar 2014
Polish MEP Arrested for Shouting 'Heil Hitler' at Airport
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| Jacek Protasiewicz was detained and handcuffed by police at Frankfurt airport |
A “drunk” Polish MEP was detained and handcuffed by police at Frankfurt airport after allegedly shouting “Heil Hitler” at a customs officer and telling him he "should go to Auschwitz”.
The incident occurred as Jacek Protasiewicz, a politician from Poland’s Civic Platform party, passed through customs control at Germany’s biggest airports, and was reported by the German newspaper Bild as a “Nazi Scandal”.
Eye-witnesses quoted in paper said he appeared “very drunk” and had also snatched a luggage trolley from a fellow passenger before getting into the altercation with customs staff. The MEP, allegedly, called an officer “Hitler” and a “Nazi”, after being stopped in the green customs channel. Police then arrived and the politician was handcuffed and led away. » | Matthew Day, Warsaw | Thursday, February 27, 2014
Syria Crisis: ISIS Imposes Rules on Christians in Raqqa
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) said it would give Christian residents "protection" if they agreed to the list of conditions.
The announcement came in a statement posted online.
Correspondents say ISIS is trying to implement an extreme interpretation of Islamic law in areas it controls.
Raqqa, seized by ISIS last year, was the first provincial capital to be completely in the hands of rebels.
'Risking the sword'
The directive from ISIS, citing the Islamic concept of "dhimma", requires Christians in the city to pay tax of around half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety.
It says Christians must not make renovations to churches, display crosses or other religious symbols outside churches, ring church bells or pray in public.
Christians must not carry arms, and must follow other rules imposed by ISIS (also known as ISIL) on their daily lives.
The statement said the group had met Christian representatives and offered them three choices - they could convert to Islam, accept ISIS' conditions, or reject their control and risk being killed. » | Thursday, February 27, 2014
Germany's Angela Merkel Urges 'Strong' UK in EU
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| The German Chancellor told political and business leaders there were "very special expectations of my speech here today" |
In an historic address to both Houses of Parliament, she said Britain and Germany shared the goal of a "strong and competitive" European Union.
"United and determined", they could act as a beacon to the rest of the world.
But she stopped short of committing to specific reforms saying it had to be a "step-by-step" process.
David Cameron is pulling out all the stops during Mrs Merkel's one-day visit because he sees the German leader as crucial to his aims in Europe.
Beginning her address in English, before delivering the main part of her speech in German, she said: "Some expect my speech to pave the way for a fundamental reform of the European architecture which will satisfy all kinds of alleged or actual British wishes. I am afraid they are in for a disappointment.
"Others are expecting the exact opposite and they are hoping that I will deliver the clear and simple message here in London that the rest of Europe is not prepared to pay almost any price to keep Britain in the European Union. I am afraid these hopes will be dashed."
Mrs Merkel hailed the peace and stability she said the European Union had brought, saying war between EU member states was now "inconceivable".
But she stressed that the EU's mission of maintaining peace in Europe was not over as some thought, telling the audience of Britain's political leaders: "We need to stand up resolutely against extremists and the inhumane." (+ BBC video) » | Thursday, February 27, 2014
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Merkels Europa-Rede in London: "Ich fürchte, ich muss Sie enttäuschen" : Wohin steuert die EU? Angela Merkel hat vor beiden Kammern des britischen Parlaments eine Grundsatzrede zur Zukunft Europas gehalten. Die Erwartungen im Vereinigten Königreich waren hoch - vielleicht zu hoch, wie Merkel gleich zu Beginn betonte. » | phw/dpa/Reuters/AFP | Donnerstag, 27. Februar 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
European Union Approves Tough Rules on Electronic Cigarettes
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| The European Parliament adopted rules requiring electronic cigarettes to carry health warnings and be childproof. |
Beginning in mid-2016, advertising for e-cigarettes is to be banned in the 28 nations of the European Union, as it already is for ordinary tobacco products. E-cigarettes will be required to carry health warnings, and must be childproof. The amount of nicotine will be limited to 20 milligrams per milliliter, similar to ordinary cigarettes. » | David Jolly | Wednesday, February 26, 2014
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Packets of ten cigarettes and menthol flavours banned under new EU rules: EU ministers have voted for a raft of tough new rules on tobacco sales in an effort to reduce the number of smokers by 2.4 million. » | Keith Perry | Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Holocaust Survivor Describes the Music of Terezín Concentration Camp
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Qatar's Foreign Domestic Workers Subjected to Slave-like Conditions
Foreign maids, cleaners and other domestic workers are being subjected to slave-like labour conditions in Qatar, with many complaining they have been deprived of passports, wages, days off, holidays and freedom to move jobs, a Guardian investigation can reveal.
Hundreds of Filipino maids have fled to their embassy in recent months because conditions are so harsh. Many complain of physical and sexual abuse, harassment, long periods without pay and the confiscation of mobile phones.
The exploitation raises further concerns about labour practices in Qatar in advance of the World Cup, after Guardian reports about the treatment of construction workers. The maids are not directly connected to Qatar's preparations for the football tournament, but domestic workers will play a big role in staffing the hotels, stadiums and other infrastructure that will underpin the 2022 tournament. » | Rebecca Falconer in Doha | Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Lee Rigby Murderers Sentenced to Life in Prison
The Islamist killers of Drummer Lee Rigby erupted into violence in an Old Bailey courtroom as they were sentenced for murder.
Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, had to be manhandled out of court by security guards after being told by Mr Justice Sweeney that their crime was a "betrayal of Islam".
Michael Adebowale stood up and shouted: "I swear by Allah that America and Britain will never have any safety. Allah Akbar."
His co-defendant, Michael Adebolajo, also stood up and began shouting before eight dock officers grabbed both killers and wrestled them to the floor.
Relatives of Drummer Rigby, sitting just feet away, stood up and cowered away from the violence.
Adebolajo was manhandled down the stairs in the historic Court No 2 but, in scenes lasting several minutes, his co-defendant was held to the floor and cuffed before being carried downstairs head first.
Drummer Rigby's widow Rebecca was left sobbing uncontrollably at the scenes.
Mr Justice Sweeney resumed his sentencing to give Adebolajo a whole life tariff, meaning he will die in jail.
Adebowale was given life with a minimum term of 45 years. The pair had reacted to the judge's comments that after they became extremists they began "espousing a cause and views which ... are a betrayal of Islam".
Adebowale called out "That's a lie" and "It's not a betrayal of Islam, you don't know what Islam is" as the struggle erupted in the dock. » | David Barrett and Claire Carter | Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Nigeria: Dozens of Students Shot and Burned Alive in Islamist Attack on School
Islamic militants have set fire to a locked dormitory at a school in northern Nigeria, then shot and slit the throats of students who tried to escape through windows during a pre-dawn attack Tuesday. At least 58 students were killed, including many who were burned alive.
They "slaughtered them like sheep" with machetes, and gunned down those who ran away, said one teacher, Adamu Garba. » | Wednesday, February 25, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Leaked Tapes Prompt Calls for Turkish PM to Resign
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| Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses MPs in Ankara. |
Turkish opposition parties called on the prime minister to resign on Tuesday as a result of an explosive corruption scandal in which he was allegedly caught on tape ordering his son to get rid of millions of dollars in incriminating cash.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded in characteristically robust form, dismissing the allegations against him as a plot to bring down his government – the latest in a wave of accusations fuelling widespread popular protest against his 11-year rule.
Recordings of phone-tapped conversations leaked on the internet appear to capture Erdogan instructing his 33-year-old son, Bilal, to dispose of large amounts of hidden funds from their private home in the midst of a corruption investigation. » | Constanze Letsch in Istanbul | Tuesday, February 25, 2014
If Spain Welcomes Back Its Jews, Will Its Muslims Be Next?
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| The Alhambra in Granada, Andalusia, was built by Moors beginning around AD 889, who officially stayed in Spain for several centuries. |
Perched dramatically on a rocky mountain, the small city of Toledo overlooks a bend in the Tagus river. Within its maze of cobblestone streets are buildings that once housed mosques, churches and synagogues, hinting at the varied cultures that once called this medieval city home.
Earlier this month, about 50 miles away from Toledo, the Spanish government sought to strengthen its ties with one of these cultures, announcing plans to fast-track the naturalisation of Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors were expelled five centuries ago from Spain.
The bill, said the Spanish government, would "correct a historical wrong". The legislation has yet to be approved by parliament, but already consulates in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem said they have been flooded with requests for information. Up to 3.5 million people around the world are thought to have Sephardic – Hebrew for "Spanish" – Jewish ancestry.
Now the descendants of another group who figured prominently in Spain's colourful past – before also being expelled – say it's only fair that the same right of return be extended to them.
Shortly after banishing the country's Jewish population, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand turned their attention to Spain's Muslims, forcing them to covert to Christianity or face expulsion. The Muslims who converted, known as Moriscos, often did so in name only, holding on tightly to their customs and traditions.
In the early 1600s – nearly 120 years after Jews in Spain were told to leave – the Moriscos were also expelled. An estimated 275,000 people were forcibly resettled, the majority of them heading to Morocco, some to Algeria and Tunisia.
A group representing Moriscos in Morocco recently sent a letter to Spain's King Juan Carlos asking the country to make the same conciliatory gesture to the descendants of Muslims. Speaking from Rabat, the president of L'Association pour la Mémoire des Andalous strongly criticised Spain's double standard in offering to naturalise the descendants of Jews ousted from Spain but not Muslims. The Spanish government "should grant the same rights to all those who were expelled", Najib Loubaris told news agency EFE. "Otherwise the decision is selective, not to mention racist." » | Ashifa Kassam in Madrid | Monday, February 24, 2014
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Signs Anti-gay Bill
At the signing of the law, Yoweri Museveni claimed that "since nature is the main cause of homosexuality, then society can do something about it to discourage the trend".
US President Barack Obama has cautioned the bill would be a backward step. (+ BBC video) » | Monday, February 24, 2014
Eradicating Radicalism: UK Anti-terror Campaign Makes Muslims Scapegoats
Fewer Places to Light Up for Russian Smokers
Monday, February 24, 2014
Scottish Independence: Alex Salmond 'Reveals Currency Plan B'
Uganda President Signs Anti-gay Law
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| Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has signed off a bill introducing anti-gay laws. |
Uganda's president has signed a controversial anti-gay bill that has harsh penalties for homosexual sex, saying the bill is necessary because "arrogant and careless western groups" had tried to "recruit" Ugandan children into homosexuality.
President Yoweri Museveni signed the bill at his official residence in an event witnessed by government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists. The scientists had produced a report saying there was no genetic basis for homosexuality which Museveni has cited as his reason for backing the bill.
"We Africans never seek to impose our view on others. If only they could let us alone," he said, talking of western pressure not to sign.
Government officials applauded after he signed the bill, which was influenced by the preachings of some conservative American evangelicals. In its original form the bill called for the death penalty for some homosexual acts. That was removed from the legislation following an international outcry.
The new law calls for first-time offenders to be sentenced to 14 years in jail. It also sets life imprisonment as the maximum penalty for a category of offences called "aggravated homosexuality," defined as repeated gay sex between consenting adults as well as acts involving a minor, a disabled person or where one partner is infected with HIV. » | AP in Entebbe | Monday, February 24, 2014
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