Iranian Actress Leila Hatami Apologises for Kissing Cannes President on the Cheek

Ms Hatami underlined her respect for Islamic rules of behaviour
in public, but festival president Gilles Jacob, 83, "had forgotten the
aforementioned rules, which comes with old age"

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Iranian actress who kissed the 83-year-old president of the Cannes film festival on the cheek has apologised to her country, after a photo of the red carpet incident caused outrage

Leila Hatami, the Iranian actress who angered authorities in Iran by kissing the Cannes film festival's president on the cheek, has apologised to her country.

"I am so sorry for hurting the feelings of some people," she wrote in a letter to Iran's cinema organisation, and reported by the state media agency.

Ms Hatami underlined her respect for Islamic rules of behaviour in public, but festival president Gilles Jacob, 83, "had forgotten the aforementioned rules, which comes with old age".

"My pre-emptive action of hand shaking was fruitless," she wrote, explaining the kiss.

"Although I am embarrassed to give these explanations, I had no choice but to go into details for those who could not understand the inevitable situation that I was stuck in," she said. » | AFP | Saturday, May 24, 2014

What Can You Be Flogged For In Iran? »

EU Elections 2014: 'Toxic' Marine Le Pen Blamed for Geert Wilders Defeat

Geert Wilders (right) with Marine Le Pen last year

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: EU election defeat for Geert Wilders blamed on his decision to link with French Front National rather than Nigel Farage

A disastrous European Union election vote for the Dutch far-Right has been blamed on a "toxic" Marine Le Pen and is seen as vindication of Nigel Farage's refusal to work with the French Front National.

The result is a blow to Miss Le Pen and will be widely seen as the consequence of her failure to break from the Front National's extremist past, a legacy embodied by her father Jean-Marie who remains an MEP and honorary president of the party.

His close alliance with Miss Le Pen is seen as the key factor in the unexpected defeat of Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) on Thursday night after Dutch exit polls put him in fourth place behind all the pro-EU Dutch political parties. » | Bruno Waterfield in Scheveningen and Henry Samuel in Paris | Friday, May 23, 2014

Who, What, Why: What Can You Be Flogged For In Iran?

Leila Hatami

BBC: A campaign has begun in Iran to get an actress flogged after she was seen being kissed at the Cannes Festival. Flogging is common in Iran - but what offences in Iranian law are punished with the lash, asks Tom de Castella.

It was a normal French greeting. The actress Leila Hatami - best known for starring in the Oscar-winning film, A Separation - received a kiss on the cheek from festival president Gilles Jacob. But she has come under attack from religious hardliners for accepting the greeting rather than ducking away.

Radical students have condemned her "sinful act of kissing a strange man in public" and demanded she be flogged under article 638 of the criminal code, which deals with public morality.

Adultery, kissing in public, theft, homosexual acts, drinking or selling alcohol, and blasphemy are all grounds for flogging in Iran. Offenders are usually sentenced to between 10 and 100 lashes across the back, carried out with a one-metre (three-foot) whip. The pain is so severe that they often faint after seven or eight strokes, says Anicee Van Engeland, a specialist in Iranian law at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies. » | Who, What, Why | BBC News | Friday, May 23, 2014

Farage: Cameron Needs to Go for Tories to Win the Next Election

Lawmakers Press Obama Team on Asylum for Sudanese Mom Sentenced to Death

Read the FoxNews article here | Lisa Daftari | FoxNews | Friday, May 23, 2014

Crown Prince of Thailand Takes Refuge in Five-star Hampshire Hotel

Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his entourage take over a wing of grade-II listed Tylney Hall in the village of Rotherwick as martial law is declared in Thailand

The Crown Prince of Thailand has escaped the political turmoil in his own country and is staying in a five-star hotel in the Hampshire countryside.

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his 30-strong royal entourage have taken over a wing of grade-II listed Tylney Hall in the village of Rotherwick, the Evening Standard reported.

Prince Vajiralongkorn, the heir apparent and only son of King Bhumibol Adulyade.

Tylney Hall, where room start at £250 a night, rising to £530 for the Duke and Duchess Suites with four-poster beds and whirlpool baths, declined to comment on their royal guest.

“We never discuss our guests and will not be making any comment about this,” said a spokesman. » | Keith Perry | Friday, May 23, 2014

Iranian Women Who Posted Photos Without Hijabs Face Conservative Backlash

Picture of women posing without their hijabs posted on the Facebook page 

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Women who posted pictures of themselves without their hijabs on in the strict Islamic Republic are facing a growing online backlash

Iranian women who posted pictures online of themselves with their hair uncovered are facing a growing backlash from conservative sections of the Islamic Republic.

Dozens of women posted photos of themselves on a Facebook page flouting the Islamic dress code in parks, at the seaside and in the streets.

The My Stealthy Freedom group was set up by London-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad with the aim of sparking debate on whether women should have the right to choose what to wear.

Within the first two days of its creation, 30,000 women posted photos of themselves.

“This is Iran… The feeling of the wind blowing through every strand of hair, is a girl’s biggest dream,” the caption on the page read.

Ms Alinejad was inundated with international messages of support, but the reaction at home has been less positive. » | Josie Ensor | Friday, May 23, 2014

UKIP Candidate: Gays Will Stop Marrying Because They Are ‘Promiscuous Prisoners’

Kohn Kearney: 'Marriage for gays will gradually
fall in numbers'

PINK NEWS: A UKIP candidate who believes gay people are “promiscuous” and resemble “prisoners who need freedom” will not face disciplinary action.

John Kearney is standing for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in the ward of Winklebury.

The Basingstoke Gazette reports on 29 March, the same day in which same-sex couples could begin marrying in England and Wales, he wrote on his blog: “Marriage for gays will gradually fall in numbers since it is against the promiscuous nature of that community.

“The Church of England will fall very soon and be conducting gay weddings and we will have the neo-Catholics in our church ‘giving us their compassionate views’, but the Church will stay strong despite their onslaught.

“We must pray for the gay community that they will see that they are indeed prisoners who need freedom.”

Mr Kearney, a Catholic, has also made outspoken remarks about Islam.

In August last year he wrote: “Today we have the rise of Islam and a contempt for human life among a large number of people of that faith. They seek world domination and are more evangelical in their cause than Christians have been in the past 40 years. » | Scott Roberts | Thursday, May 22, 2014

Tennessee To Use Electric Chair When Lethal Drugs Unavailable

Read the CNN article here | Ed Payne, CNN | Friday, May 23, 2014

Nigel Farage: 'The Ukip Fox Is in the Westminster Hen-house'

Nigel Farage

THE INDEPENDENT: Farage believes his party will win double the number of seats predicted in the local elections as his opponents fear the birth of 'four-party politics'

A jubilant Nigel Farage has declared “the Ukip fox is in the Westminster hen-house”, after two of the largest parties in Westminster began losing control of councils as a result of gains for the Ukip leader’s “people's army”.

The surge in support for Ukip led Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander to comment the country appeared to have entered a period of "four-party politics" as Farage’s party shrugged off a campaign blighted by controversies to win seats in Conservative and Labour strongholds.

In a sign the party could do well in elections to the European Parliament too, Ukip won more new seats than any other party in local elections in England, according to partial results from around a quarter of councils.

Reacting to the first confirmed results, a "very pleased" Farage insisted Ukip are set to be "serious players" at the general election. » | Heather Saul | Friday, May 23, 2014

Prince Charles Attacked by Russian-funded TV Channel over Putin Remarks

Prince Charles has been criticised by Russian-backed TV station
for comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler

THE GUARDIAN: 'If anyone knows real Nazis, it's the British royal family,' says Russia Today, before introducing explanatory video

A Kremlin-funded news channel has hit back at Prince Charles likening Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler by highlighting the royal family's historical links to the Nazis.

The unashamedly pro-Russian broadcaster Russia Today said Charles should look to his own family history before criticising Putin over Russia's actions in Ukraine.

"If anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family," said RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai on its In the Now programme. She then introduced a slick video graphic of a mocked-up photo album providing a pictorial guide to the House of Windsor's Nazi links. Read on and comment » | Matthew Weaver | Friday, May 23, 2014

European Election Upset for Geert Wilders as Dutch Turn Cold on Anti-EU Party

Dutch right-wing 'Partij voor de Vrijheid' (PVV) leader Geert Wilders
poses for the media after voting for the European Parliament

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dutch exit polls confound predictions to leave far-Right and anti-Islam leader with 12.2 per cent of vote, behind all pro-EU mainstream political parties

Geert Wilders came fourth in European elections in the Netherlands on Thursday night, confounding predictions that he would lead a populist and far-Right backlash against the European Union across the continent.

Dutch exit polls put the far-Right and anti-Islam leader on 12.2 per cent of the vote, putting him behind all the pro-EU mainstream political parties.

'Definitive' exit polls put him behind the ruling centrist VVD on 12.3 per cent and almost three per cent behind the pro-EU D66 liberals and Christian Democrats, each on over 15 per cent.

Previous opinion polls had put Mr Wilders in the lead but there was widespread controversy over his alliance with the France’s Front National and the exit polls suggested that his share of the vote fell, compared with 2009, by 4.8 percentage points.

The result is a major blow to Mr Wilders who will lose a seat in the European Parliament with his MEPs now reduced to three out a total of 26 Dutch representatives. » | Bruno Waterfield, Scheveningen | Thursday, May 22, 2014

Thailand Coup: Tourists Confined to Hotels and City Streets Deserted after Curfew Announced

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: TV and radio stations forced off the air and military patrols enforce night-time curfew across the nation

A nationwide curfew was imposed across Thailand on Thursday emptying city streets of their population, closing down bars, businesses and restaurants and forcing tens of thousands at tourist resorts across the country to remain in their hotels.

The dramatic move followed the Thai military's declaration of martial law, defying international pressure by taking over a civilian government which was entrenched in political deadlock.

The head of the military, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, appeared on television, flanked by other armed services chiefs and proclaimed the army would act to resolve those political divisions that have paralysed the state for almost a decade.

Within hours of his appearance TV and radio stations were blocked with the reported threat of an internet and social media blackout to come.

Tourists arriving in the country from Britain and elsewhere were greeted by fleets of vehicles commandeered to ferry visitors after the 10pm start of the curfew between airports and hotels. Read on and comment » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, May 22, 2014

Mandelson Tells Putin's Cronies: Russia Will Suffer for Crimean Invasion

Lord Mandelson has said that the invasion of Crimea was an illegal
annexation that will be cutting the country off from foreign investment

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lord Mandelson warns Kremlin loyalists the invasion of Crimea will become a 'self-inflicted economic wound' for Russia

Lord Mandelson has told members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle that the invasion of Crimea was an illegal annexation that would become a “self-inflicted economic wound” for Russia by cutting the country off from foreign investment.

The former Labour business secretary was speaking at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, a gathering designed to mirror the Davos convention and dubbed a “vanity summit” for Putin as he attempts to mask Russia economic malaise.

He was appearing alongside Kremlin loyalists including Sergei Glazyev, Putin’s chief adviser on Ukraine and Vladimir Yakunin, the president of Russian Railways and a potential successor to his friend, the president . Both men are subject to Western travel bans and asset freezes.

Alexei Uljukaev, the economic development minister, Anton Siluanov, the finance minister, and Anatoly Chubais, the architect of the mass privatisations in the 1990s that created Russia’s oligarch class were also on the panel.

The invasion will become a “Pyrrhic victory” for Moscow and the country cannot turn its back on markets and finance from the rest of the world, Lord Mandelson said. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent | Thursday, May 22, 2014

'Islamic Jew-hatred' Ads with Hitler & Palestinian Leader Adorn DC Buses

Bus ads linking "Islamic Jew-hatred" with Adolf Hitler are rolling through the streets of Washington, DC, with First Amendment protections guaranteeing they will remain a regular sight on the beltway for some time to come.

Prince Charles's Putin-Hitler Comparison Is Outrageous, Says Russia

Prince Charles and Camilla in Winnipeg on their official visit to Canada.

THE GUARDIAN: Foreign ministry says future monarch's use of media to spread propaganda against Russia is unacceptable and low

Russia has accused Prince Charles of making outrageous and low remarks in comparing Vladimir Putin with Adolf Hitler, as the fallout from the comments threatens to descend into a diplomatic row.

The delayed but furious response to the prince's comments came before a meeting with the Foreign Office which was demanded by the Russian embassy in London.

In a statement on Thursday, the embassy said: "The outrageous remarks made by Prince Charles in Canada will be among the questions raised. The embassy asked the FCO for official clarifications on that yesterday."

Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, underlined the Kremlin's anger.

"If these words were truly spoken, then without doubt, they do not reflect well on the future British monarch," he told a news conference.

"We view the use of the western press by members of the British royal family to spread the propaganda campaign against Russia on a pressing issue – that is, the situation in Ukraine – as unacceptable, outrageous and low," he said. » | Matthew Weaver | Thursday, May 22, 2014

Preacher Who Said ‘Islam Is Satanic’ Is Facing Police Probe Over ‘Hate Mongering’

Pastor James McDonnell of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast

MIRROR: Fundamentalist pastor James McConnell said he doesn't trust Muslims at church attended by Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson

A fundamentalist preacher who said “Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell” has been accused of “hate mongering” as the police confirmed they are investigating a possible hate crime.

The PSNI launched an investigation after Pastor James McConnell branded Islam “satanic” at the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in North Belfast.

The church, which is attended by First Minister Peter Robinson, heard McConnell say he doesn’t trust Muslims.

Asked about the incident, a PSNI spokesman said: “Police are aware of an incident at premises at the Shore Road on Sunday, May 18. Enquiries are continuing and at this stage, police are investigating a hate crime motive.”

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said “this type of hate mongering must be condemned in the strongest possible terms”.

He added: “Coming in the wake of recent spate of disgraceful racist attacks against families in parts of Belfast and elsewhere, such inflammatory comments only serve to fuel hatred.” » | By Mirror.co.uk | Thursday, May 21, 2014



Belfast Pastor Denounces Islam as the Devil’s Doctrine »

Pakistan's Geo News Becomes Latest Target in Blasphemy Accusation Trend

THE GUARDIAN: Widespread calls for popular TV channel to be shut down after using Sufi song on broadcast of mock celebrity wedding

Young children, religious minorities and people with mental health problems have all been accused of the crime of blasphemy in Pakistan.

Now the country's most popular television station has shown that even one of Pakistan's most powerful institutions is not immune from a growing trend.

Ever since Geo News was accused of airing blasphemous material on one of its morning shows last week the channel has taken extraordinary security precautions, including removing its corporate branding from the side of its broadcast trucks.

"It's a very dangerous situation because it puts all our staff at risk," said Imran Aslam, president of the channel. "This is not just about the destruction of property or the shutting down of the channel, but lives." » | Jon Boone in Lahore | Thursday, May 22, 2014

Nicolas Sarkozy Calls for End of Europe's Visa-free Schengen Area

Nicolas Sarkozy

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Former French president calls for more exclusive "Schengen II" and the return of powers to national governments from Brussels

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has called for the end of Europe's visa-free Schengen area in order to protect the country's ailing social system.

Writing in an opinion piece in Le Point magazine on Thursday, Mr Sarkozy also called for powers to be handed back to national governments from Brussels. » | Andrew Marszal, and AFP | Thursday, May 22, 2014

EXCLUSIF. Sarkozy au "Point" : "Nous devons être européens et français" »

Diplomatic Row as Russia Demands 'Clarification' on Prince Charles 'Hitler' Comments

Prince Charles likened Russia's annexation of Crimea to the
actions of Nazi Germany

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Russia demands Foreign Office clarifies 'official position' after Prince Charles likens President Putin to Hitler

A senior Russian ambassador is to meet an official from the Foreign Office on Thursday after the Prince of Wales caused a diplomatic row by comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

The Prince made his remark, in which he likened Russia’s annexation of Crimea to the actions of Nazi Germany, during a visit to a museum of immigration in Halifax, Canada.

He told a woman whose relations were murdered in the Holocaust: “And now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler.”

Russian diplomats contacted the Foreign Office on Wednesday night seeking an urgent meeting to clarify whether Prince Charles’s provocative remarks amounted to an “official position”.

As a result, Russia’s deputy ambassador will meet a senior FCO official on Thursday, The Telegraph understands. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent, Gordon Rayner, Roland Oliphant | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Ägypten: Mubarak zu drei Jahren Haft verurteilt

Hosni Mubarak

DIE PRESSE: Ex-Präsident Hosni Mubarak ist auch unter dem neuen Militärregime nicht vor Strafen gefeit. Er muss wegen Veruntreuung staatlicher Gelder hinter Gitter.

Kairo. Ein Strafgericht in Kairo hat am Mittwoch Hosni Mubarak zu drei Jahren Haft verurteilt. Der Richter befand den ägyptischen Ex-Machthaber, der im Februar 2011 durch sein Volk zum Rücktritt gezwungen worden war, schuldig, für den Ausbau seiner privaten Residenzen seit 2002 öffentliche Mittel in Höhe von 12,5 Millionen Euro veruntreut zu haben. Mubaraks mitangeklagte Söhne Alaa und Gamal erhielten vier Jahre. Die Verurteilten müssen den gesamten Schaden ersetzen und eine Geldstrafe von 2,2 Millionen Euro zahlen. » | Die Presse | Mittwoch, 21. Mai 2014

Prince Charles 'Should Abdicate' after Comparing Putin to Hitler, Says MP

Prince Charles (right) pictured with the Russian president
Vladimir Putin in 2003

THE GUARDIAN: Labour MP Mike Gapes calls for prince to 'abdicate and stand for election' if he wants to make controversial statements

Prince Charles is facing a call for his abdication and a frosty response in Moscow after reportedly comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler over Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Charles blundered into the international crisis over Russia's actions in Ukraine during a tour of Canada, when he spoke to a woman who fled the Nazis and lost family members during the Holocaust.

According to the Daily Mail, the prince compared the Russian president to the Nazi leader when talking to Marienne Ferguson, a museum volunteer who moved to Canada with her Jewish family when she was just 13. "Now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler," Charles is reported to have said.

Charles's remarks have been criticised across the political spectrum in Britain: the Labour MP Mike Gapes called for his abdication, while the outspoken Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, said the prince was wrong to get involved. Read on and comment » | Matthew Weaver, Rowena Mason and agencies | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Pharrell Williams - Happy

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24 Hours of Happy »

Jean-Marie Le Pen: Ebola Epidemic Would Solve Immigration Problems

Founder and honorary president of the French far-right Front National,
Jean-Marie Le Pen, speaks at a campaign meeting in Marseille

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Front National founder shocks France by saying a deadly Ebola epidemic would solve the country's problems with immigration and world's population 'explosion'

The deadly Ebola virus could solve France's immigration problems "in three months", Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder and honorary president of France's far-Right Front National, has said in remarks which have shocked the country's political establishment.

Speaking on Tuesday night in Marseille shortly before a joint rally with Marine Le Pen, his daughter and current party leader, Mr Le Pen, 85, said: "There is a demographic explosion in the world and a risk of submersion. A replacement of (the national population) is under way."

However, he added: "Monsieur Ebola can solve the problem in three months." » | Henry Samuel | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Ebola : la solution finale, selon Jean-Marie Le Pen »

Young Iranians Arrested for 'Vulgar' Pharrell Williams' Happy Dance

Six Iranians, some of whom were filmed without veils, forced to apologise to state for 'vulgar clip which hurt public chastity'

Read the Telegraph article here | Josie Ensor and Ahmad Vahdat | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Nazi Salute 'Not Always Punishable' as Racial Discrimination, Swiss Court Rules

An anti-racism law in 1995 forbids the public display and
dissemination of racist symbol, but only in cases when they are
used to promoted racist ideologies

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Nazi salute not illegal racial discrimination if done as personal statement, court in Switzerland rules

A Nazi salute is not illegal racial discrimination provided it is intended as a personal statement, Switzerland's top court ruled on Wednesday.

The Federal Tribunal's ruling, entitled "Hitler salute in public not always punishable," said the gesture is a crime only if someone is using it to try to spread racist ideology to others, not simply declaring one's own conviction.

The ruling by the Lausanne-based court overturned a lower court's conviction last year of a man who was charged with racial discrimination after he took part in an August 2010 demonstration with 150 participants.

The demonstration was held a week after the Swiss National Day on the famous Ruetli Meadow above Lake Lucerne where, according to legend, the modern Swiss Confederation was born in 1291. » | AP | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

A Terrorist Storm Is Heading for the West, and the Brutal ISIS Is Behind It

Read and comment on the Telegraph blog here | Tom Rogan | Wednesday, May 21, 2014
My comment:

Isn't this multiculturalist thingy such a boon to UK society? Hasn't it enriched our society so much? Oh the joys of diversity! What the hell have idiotic Western politicians inflicted upon the poor, innocent British population? This is an intractable problem for us to deal with, and it will take decades to solve – if indeed it ever will be solved. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

Belfast Pastor James McConnell Denounces Islam as the Devil's Doctrine at Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Church Sermon

BELFAST TELEGRAPH: Controversial clergyman tells audience "people say there are good Muslims in Britain — that may be so — but I don’t trust them"

An outspoken evangelical pastor has defended describing the Islamic faith as "satanic" and a "doctrine spawned in hell".

Senior Pastor James McConnell made the remarks as he addressed his congregation at the Whitewell Tabernacle Metropolitan Church on Sunday evening.

They were described as "very offensive", "hurtful" and "irresponsible" by a representative from the Belfast Islamic Centre.

There has also been an outcry on social media, with some calling for a police investigation into his comments.

One posted: "If this was a Muslim Imam speaking about Christianity, he would be arrested for inciting hatred."

During his sermon, the clergyman said: "Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell." (+ video) » | Claire Williamson | Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Austrian Town Produces Guide for Arab Tourists: 'Don't Haggle, and Don't Eat on the Floor'

The Austrian ski resort of Zell am See

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Austrian holiday town has produced a special guide for Middle Eastern visitors including advice to avoid haggling and not eat on the floor in hotel rooms

Austria's alpine towns of Zell am See and Kaprun have been criticised for producing an eight-page guide for Middle Eastern tourists, featuring "cultural advice" on how to behave.

The booklet, in English and Arabic, features tips such as the idea that Austrian shopkeepers do not expect haggling over prices, and that eating on the floor in hotel rooms is a "no-no". Drivers are informed that wearing seatbelts is compulsory, and they will be given guidance on understanding road signs, to reduce their risks while driving.

Visitors are also advised not to wear burkas, and to "adopt the Austrian mentality".

The guide states: "Austrian women are free to choose their own dress style, and this is visible in their choice of modern, colourful clothes. Here the colour black symbolises mourning, and is rarely worn in daily life.

"In our culture, we are accustomed to look into the smiling face of the person opposite us in order to gain a first impression and establish mutual trust. It would be a great pleasure for us if you could join us in celebrating the uniquely joyful Austrian mentality and show us your colourful scarves and dresses and, in this way, show us your smile." » | Harriet Alexander | Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Salzburg under fire for leaflet to Arab visitors telling them to stop haggling over prices, eating on hotel floors and wearing burkas »

Apostasy Case: Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey Calls on British Muslim Leaders to Back the Right to Convert from Islam

Lord Carey said some ex-Muslims in the UK were forced
to 'almost go underground'

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has called on leading British Muslims to support the right to convert from Islam to another religion after a court in Sudan sentenced a woman to death for apostasy.

The peer said it was “accepted doctrine” that Muslim converts should face the death penalty. He also said there were examples of ex-Muslims in Britain who had been forced to “almost go underground”.

“Isn’t there something fundamentally wrong with Islam at its core that it cannot allow people to change their religion?” he told The Sunday Times.

“It is accepted doctrine in Islam [that] you don’t convert and if you do the penalty may be death.” He added: “I want to hear Muslim leaders say ‘we allow Muslims to become Christians if they wish to’.” » | Ian Johnston | Sunday, May 18, 2014

Apostasy: What you need to know »

Global outcry as Sudanese woman sentenced to death for renouncing Islam »

Abu Hamza Trial: London Cleric Found Guilty on Terror Charges by US Jury

Muslim cleric, Abu Hamza al-Masri, was on trial in New York
on terror charges

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jury takes less than two days to find radical preacher guilty on terror and kidnapping charges

Abu Hamza, the radical hook-handed cleric, has been found guilty on terrorism charges by a New York court.Br />
A jury delivered their verdicts in 11 criminal counts, including assisting Yemeni militants who took a group of Western tourists hostage in 1998.

The jury also returned a guilty verdict on charges of sending followers to Oregon to establish a training camp and to Afghanistan to assist al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

He now faces a possible life sentence in the federal “supermax” high-security prison in Colorado that already houses several other convicted terrorists. A judge will sentence him at a later date.

The jury of eight women and four men delivered their verdicts on the second day of deliberation after a five-week trial in a federal courtroom just a few blocks from the scene of the World Trade Centre attacks on Sept 11, 2001. » | Philip Sherwell, New York | Monday, May 19, 2014

New York relève à 21 ans l'âge pour acheter des cigarettes

LA PRESSE: «Vous avez une pièce d'identité?»: le buraliste scanne la carte de sa jeune cliente et vérifie son âge avant de lui tendre un paquet de cigarettes. Depuis dimanche à New York, il faut avoir 21 ans pour acheter du tabac.

«En dessous de 21 ans, pas de tabac», prévient un petit panneau à l'entrée du magasin Bouverie Iconic Magazine, qui vend tabac, journaux, bonbons, café et pâtisseries, dans le quartier de Nolita. Et pas question de tricher. La carte d'identité est passée au scanneur, et sans pièce d'identité, pas de cigarettes.

La mesure est sans précédent dans une grande ville américaine. Elle relève l'âge légal de 18 à 21 ans pour acheter cigarettes, tabac ou cigarettes électroniques. Signée le 19 novembre par l'ancien maire Michael Bloomberg, elle a pris effet six mois plus tard. » | Brigitte Dusseau | Agence France-Presse | New York | dimanche 18 mai 2014

Africa Leaders Declare 'War' on Nigeria Boko Haram

BBC: African leaders meeting in Paris have agreed to wage "war" on Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamic militants.

President Hollande of France, who hosted the summit, said regional powers had pledged to share intelligence and co-ordinate action against the group.

Last month it abducted 223 schoolgirls in north-eastern Nigeria, where it is based. Fresh attacks were reported in Nigeria and Cameroon overnight.

Thousands of people have been killed by Boko Haram in recent years.

The Paris summit brought together President Francois Hollande, Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan, and their counterparts from Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Afterwards, Mr Hollande said participants had agreed on a "global and regional action plan". (+ video) » | Saturday, May 17, 2014

Ads Linking Hitler to Islam to Run on DC-area Buses

Pamela Geller: 'My intent is to leapfrog over a media that is not even-handed'
WND: An organization run by an anti-Mulsim blogger has purchased billboards on the sides of twenty Washington DC Metro buses featuring Adolph [sic] Hitler and calling for an end to ‘all aid to Islamic countries.’

The ads are paid for by American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization devoted to fighting “global jihad and Islamic supremacism,’ and headed by Long Island-based Atlas Shrugs blogger Pamela Geller, according to WJLA. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, May 18, 2014

Netherlands: Saudi Arabia May Curb Trade Ties Over Wilders' Anti-Islam Slogans

Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders speaks during an
interview with Reuters in The Hague April 17, 2014

REUTERS.COM: Saudi Arabia is considering trade sanctions against the Netherlands because of stickers printed by far-right politician Geert Wilders which display anti-Islam slogans in the colors of the Saudi flag, a Dutch foreign ministry spokesman said.

Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration Dutch Freedom Party, is tied in first place with the Democrats in national opinion polls before European Parliament elections that will be held in the Netherlands on Thursday.

His virulent anti-Islam statements have angered many and Wilders has lived under round-the-clock armed guard since he received death threats in 2004.

"We have indications that Saudi Arabia is considering measures because of the insults to its flag and religion by Geert Wilders," Foreign Ministry spokesman Friso Wijnen said. » | Reuters | Amsterdam | Saturday, May 17, 2014

Saudis drohen Den Haag mit Sanktionen wegen Islamkritik »

Dick and Lynne Cheney Talk Ukraine, Benghazi and Hillary

May. 18, 2014 - 11:53 - First joint interview since leaving the White House

'Hump Day' Under Fire from PC Police

May. 18, 2014 - 3:39 - Has political correctness gone overboard?

Saudis drohen Den Haag mit Sanktionen wegen Islamkritik

DIE PRESSE: Der niederländische Rechtspopulist Geert Wilders verbreitet Aufkleber gegen den Islam. Riad stellt wirtschaftliche Strafen in den Raum.

Den Haag/Riad. Die diplomatischen Spannungen zwischen den Königreichen der Niederlande und Saudiarabien verschärfen sich: Nachdem der niederländische Populist und Islamkritiker Geert Wilders mit einer neuen Anti-Islam-Aktion Aufsehen erregt hat, will Saudiarabien Wirtschaftssanktionen gegen Den Haag. „Wir nehmen diese Drohungen aus Riad sehr ernst und beraten uns über eine Antwort“, sagte der niederländische Ministerpräsident Mark Rutte am Wochenende.

Sein Stellvertreter, der Sozialdemokrat Lodewijk Asscher, war weniger diplomatisch: Er verteidigte den Rechtspopulisten Wilders und sagte: „In den Niederlanden besteht Meinungsfreiheit. Es ist glasklar, dass Herr Wilders nicht den Standpunkt der Regierung vertritt. Die Drohungen aus Saudiarabien nenne ich daher schwachsinnig.“ » | Die Presse | Sonntag, 18. Mai 2014

Isa Haider Alaali Case: Bahraini Teen Fears Torture After Losing Asylum Claim

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: A Bahraini teenager fears he will be tortured when he is deported to the repressive Gulf state this week after his asylum application was rejected by the British Government.

Isa Haider Alaali’s deportation comes as the Royal Family have been playing host at the Royal Windsor Horse Show to the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and his son Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who faces a High Court judicial review over whether he has immunity from prosecution for alleged torture.

Activists staged protests over the weekend at an equestrian event as Prince Andrew – long criticised for his cozy relationship with the Gulf state – entertained Bahraini royals at Windsor on Friday.

Home Office documents obtained by The Independent show the 19-year-old is due to be flown back to Bahrain on Thursday morning. Mr Alaali, who was sentenced to five years in prison in absentia by a Bahraini court in March on charges of illegal gathering and rioting, is unable to appeal the decision. » | Alex Delmar-Morgan | Sunday, May 18, 2014

Sunday Times Rich List: Wealthiest Britons Own a Third of the Nation’s Wealth

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: The richest people in Britain are better off than ever before with the top 1,000 individuals owning a third of the nation’s wealth.

The 1,000 wealthiest Britons now own £518.975 billion - the equivalent of a third of Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP) - with their combined worth rising 15.4 per cent on last year's total of £449.654 billion, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

The top 64 names have a combined fortune of £255 billion, which is equivalent to the combined wealth of the poorest 30 per cent.

Chris Leslie, Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “No wonder the super-rich have got much richer over the last year when David Cameron has given millionaires a huge tax cut.

“Yet at the same time working people have continued to face a cost-of-living crisis and are £1,600 a year worse off since 2010.” A minimum of £85 million is needed to even be considered for the list this year - compared to £80 million in 2008 at the height of the pre-crash boom and £75 million last year. » | William McClennan | Sunday, May 18, 2014

'Trojan Horse' Teacher Breaks into Girl's Phone

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Parent complains to police over school's action to uncover 'forbidden' relationship with a fellow 16-year-old pupil

A teacher at one of the Birmingham state schools allegedly taken over by Muslim radicals in the so-called “Trojan Horse” plot has been reported to police after he broke into a female pupil’s mobile telephone to prove she was having a “forbidden” relationship with a boy.

The girl, who at 16 is over the age of consent, had her telephone confiscated by the teacher during a Sunday event at Park View School last month. Two members of staff told The Telegraph the device was then taken, without her permission, to a shop for its passcode to be broken, and its contents unlocked and examined by the school.

Images of the girl with the boy, a fellow Year 11 pupil at Park View, and text messages between them, obtained from the phone, were used by the school as evidence to suspend her, weeks before her GCSE exams. The boy was also suspended, but more briefly. » | Andrew Gilligan | Sunday, May 18, 2014

Panorama: From Jail to Jihad

The current affairs programme investigates the radicalisation of some Muslims within the prison system, as Raphael Rowe interviews extremists about their experiences inside.
Watch the programme here | Monday, May 12, 2014

ABBA: Super Trouper

ABBA: Angel Eyes

ABBA: Our Last Summer

Immigrants Must Learn to Be British, Says Asian Tory

Sajid Javid says voters have legitimate fears over 'excessive' immigration

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Culture minister Sajid Javid, the first Asian Secretary of State, says those coming to the UK must learn English and "respect our way of life"

Immigrants must learn English and “respect our way of life”, the new Culture Secretary says as he criticises migrants who have lived here for years but still cannot speak the language.

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Sajid Javid says voters have legitimate fears over “excessive” immigration and are justified in wanting Britain to have more control over its borders.

Mr Javid, the first Asian Secretary of State, defends Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party, against charges of racism but insists that only the Conservatives can deliver the reforms to European Union laws needed to cut immigration.

“People want Britain to have more control over its borders, and I think they are right,” Mr Javid, who is the son of Pakistani immigrants, says.

“People also say, when immigrants do come to Britain, that they should come to work, and make a contribution and that they should also respect our way of life, and I agree with all of that. It means things like trying to learn English.” The tough message on immigration, coming from Britain’s highest ranking Asian MP, who is also the Minister for Equalities, will provoke debate on controls to migration in a crucial week of elections. » | Tom Ross, Political Correspondent | Saturday, May 17, 2014

Educated Jews Harassed and Attacked in Malmö Sweden by Unproductive Muslim Immigrants

German TV special about Jews facing tremendous harassment in Swedish city of Malmö. Upper and middle class, highly educated professional Jews of Malmo, Sweden are leaving that city as the growing unemployable, unproductive Moslem immigrants harass and attack them. The Muslims of Sweden learn their anti-Jewish hatred from the Quran, hadiths, imams and their mosques. The Swedes are allowing hatred, ignorant prejudice against the Jewish people by not addressing this growing problem. The main source of this hatred is the cult of Islam that teach lies against the Jewish people. Islamic doctrine teaches Muslim people that the Jew is evil and against Allah. The Swedish government needs to address this hatred and ignorant prejudice or it will get worse and turn on them.

This is not only happening in Sweden, but all across Europe. Jews are fleeing France, Germany, England, UK, Norway, Nederlands, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia, Canada, Ireland, Dutch, Belgium, USA, Wales, Great Brittan, Australia, Austria, and other Western European countries.

French National Front: Far-right – Or Hard-left?

Marine Le Pen succeeded her father, but she has projected a softer image

BBC: At the May Day rally, the politician accused the government of "helping the richest 1%, to reassure credit ratings agencies and international finance".

She inveighed against a "draconian policy of austerity" that favoured "globalised elites at the expense of the people".

The speaker was not a left-wing firebrand, but the leader of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen.

The Front first emerged in the 1980s as a mainly anti-immigration group. Ms Le Pen is careful not to neglect this core issue, but nowadays she frames her nationalist message in anti-globalisation terms.

Under both the right and the left, she contends, France has surrendered its sovereign powers to EU bureaucrats who are setting interest rates and tearing down borders for the sole benefit of big business.

"The grave diggers of Brussels," as Ms Le Pen put it, "are setting France on the path to under-development".

She found a receptive audience among the struggling workers who had come from all over France to hear her speak. (+ video) » | Henri Astier | BBC News | Paris | Friday, May 16, 2014

British-born Boko Haram 'Ringleader' Was 'Radicalised at UK University'

Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche was held in Sudan on an
international arrest warrant

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, arrested on suspicion of carrying out bomb attacks in Nigeria, threatened to cut off hands of non-believers while living in Britain

A British-born "ringleader" of the Islamist group responsible for the kidnapping of hundreds of school girls in Nigeria was radicalised while studying at a UK unversity, according to friends.

Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, 29, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with two recent bombings carried out by Boko Haram in the Nigerian capital Abuja that killed nearly 100 people.

He is suspected of co-masterminding the attacks - one in the suburb of Nyanya that killed 75 people on April 14 and a second attack just yards away which killed 19 earlier this month.

Interpol put out an international arrest warrant for Mr Ogwuche, who was discovered after a reward of £100,000 led to his discovery in Sudan.

Mr Ogwuche, who is the son of a retired Nigerian colonel, was said by fellow students at University of Glamorgan in Wales to call himself "The Lion of God" and threatened to cut the hands and feet of non-believers while living in Britain. » | Josie Ensor, and Colin Freeman | Friday, May 16, 2014

Volksabstimmung: Schweiz entscheidet über höchsten Mindestlohn der Welt

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Am Sonntag stimmt die Schweiz über eine Mindestlohninitiative ab. 18 Euro pro Stunde sind vorgesehen, so viel gibt es sonst nirgendwo. Wirtschaftsvertreter bangen schon um die Zukunft ihres Landes.

Bern/München - Vom Ende der Welt kommen derzeit Signale, über die manche Schweizer nur lächeln können: In Australien wächst die Kritik an der Höhe des dortigen Mindestlohns. Derzeit liegt er bei 16,37 australischen Dollar (rund 11,20 Euro). Die Regierung in Canberra hat der für die jährliche Festlegung zuständigen Kommission zuletzt Zurückhaltung empfohlen.

Die Schweiz dagegen würde in die Vollen gehen, sollte die Initiative der Gewerkschaften für eine gesetzliche Lohnuntergrenze am Sonntag eine Mehrheit finden: Stimmen die Eidgenossen dafür, gilt in der Schweiz künftig ein Mindestlohn in Höhe von 22 Franken (rund 18 Euro) pro Stunde. Es wäre der höchste der Welt. Die 8,50 Euro, die künftig in Deutschland gelten und lange Zeit politisch umstritten waren, würden sich dagegen geradezu mickrig ausnehmen.

"Ein starkes Land braucht faire Löhne", erklärt der Schweizerische Gewerkschaftsbund (SGB). Rund 330.000 Menschen würden in der Schweiz zu Stundenlöhnen von weniger als 22 Franken arbeiten, ohne davon "anständig leben" zu können. Ein Ja zur Mindestlohn-Initiative würde nicht nur für mehr Gerechtigkeit sorgen, sondern auch Kaufkraft und Arbeitsplätze schaffen. » | Von Björn Hengst | Freitag, 16. Mai 2014

Inside Story: UK Bill: Passport to Statelessness?

Proposed law would give government more power to strip terror suspects of citizenship.

Barack Obama Aide Condemned Norway for 'Fawning' over President by Awarding Him Nobel Prize

The decision to give Obama the Nobel prize was met with
considerable derision and criticism

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Rahm Emanuel launched verbal assault on Norway's then ambassador after President was awarded peace prize early in his first term

A senior Norwegian diplomat says his country's former ambassador to the United States was given a verbal lashing by Barack Obama's chief of staff when the president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

Morten Wetland said Thursday the ambassador, Wegger Stroemmen, was approached by Rahm Emanuel, now Chicago's mayor, who accused Norway of "fawning" to the newly elected U.S. leader.

Wetland, the Norwegian ambassador to the United Nations at the time, told The Associated Press he did not witness the dressing down but said there was an air of embarrassment in Washington that Obama had been given the award so early in his presidency. » | AP | Thursday, May 15, 2014

Pregnant Woman Faces Death in Sudan for Apostasy

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Christian woman sentenced to death for refusing to convert to Islam after being raised as a Christian

A Christian doctor has been sentenced to hang for apostasy, or the abandonment of religion, by a court in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, 27, who was born to a Muslim father but brought up a Christian by her mother, was convicted on Sunday and given three days to recant her faith or face a possible death sentence.

“We gave you three days to recant but you insist on not returning to Islam. I sentence you to be hanged,” Judge Abbas Mohammed Al-Khalifa told Mrs Ibrahim, addressing her by her father’s name, Adraf Al-Hadi Mohammed Abdullah. » | Lucy Kinder | Thursday, May 15, 2014

Ukip Candidate Lambasts Islam as 'Totalitarian Ideology'

THE GUARDIAN: Email emerges in which Brent Ukip candidate Heino Vockrodt says Islam is against everything modern Britain stands for

The UK Independence party has become embroiled in a fresh race row after it emerged that one of its local election candidates has described Islam as a "totalitarian ideology" that is "against everything modern Britain stands for".

Labour said the "deeply offensive" views – aired in an email apparently sent last year by Heino Vockrodt to the London council on which he wishes to sit – undermined Nigel Farage's insistence that he did not lead a racist party.

In a diatribe complaining about an alleged planning breach by the Afghan community in Brent, north London, Vockrodt said parts of the borough resembled Afghanistan's Helmand province.

"Being Muslims, they ignored both refusals and did it anyway," he wrote of what he said were unlawful changes to a cultural centre.

Political correctness was preventing the council taking action, he alleged, "for fear of being called racists, when, just like in all the other cases where Muslims are grooming children to be sex slaves under the eyes of the authorities, the council does nothing".

He claimed the neighbourhood was "already exploding under the weight of segregation" and shopkeepers had been "squeezed out by Muslims".

"The entire parade – once lovely owner/occupier shops – resembles Helmand province now. Time to call in MI5 and MI6 for sure," he wrote.

"Islam is a mono-cultural, totalitarian ideology," he added. "It is NOT a religion. It is against multi-culturalism and only promotes its own culture. It is against everything modern Britain stands for." » | Press Association | Thursday, May 15, 2014

Turkey Mine Explosion: PM's Aide Pictured Kicking Protester in Mining Town

A protester is kicked by Yusuf Yerkel, advisor to Tayyip Erdogan,
as Special Forces officers hold him down

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Recep Tayyip Erdogan is embroiled in row after an aide was seen kicking a grieving relative during scuffles while visiting the Soma mine disaster

Fury has erupted in Turkey after a close aide to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan brutally assaulted a man thought to be grieving for relatives in the mining town where almost 300 people lost their lives underground.

Mr Erdogan, who has led Turkey for 11 years, was visibly shocked by the hostile reaction in Soma during a visit on Wednesday when he was forced to take refuge at a supermarket.

Video published in Turkey showed scuffles around the prime minister and one of his staff, Yusuf Yerkel, kicking a man being held down by paramilitary police. Mr Yerkel, who was a PhD candidate at Soas in 2010, told BBC Turkish that he would be making a statement about the image on Thursday.

The angry crowds in Soma called Mr Erdogan a murderer and thief and booed strongly. » | Damien McElroy | Thursday, May 15, 2014

EU Elections 2014: 'I Can Hear the Boots of the 1930s Marching through Europe'

Christer Havung in his bakery in Malmö

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Far-Right parties are poised to make unprecedented gains at the European elections. Jake Wallis Simons explores how fear and loathing is winning votes

Christer Havung is not happy.

“The situation in Sweden is very worrying,” says the 51-year-old as he arranges croissants on the counter at the Bread and Friendship café in Malmö. “You can almost hear the boots from the Thirties marching in the streets.”

Through the window of his café, the slogans “fight for Malmö” and “fight for Showan” can be seen scrawled on walls and lampposts. In April, Showan Shattak, a 25-year-old man of Iranian origin, was stabbed by four neo-Nazis two miles away. This sparked the biggest anti-fascist demonstrations the city has ever seen, with more than 10,000 people taking to the streets. The city is a tinderbox; and today the far-Right is coming to town.

Traditionally, Sweden is one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, with a long-standing open door policy towards refugees. But tensions have been building. Racist violence is becoming more frequent; concerns are growing over the non-integration and segregation of immigrants; and a far-Right party, Sweden Democrats, has become the third largest in the country, gaining 20 parliamentary seats.

As the European election approaches, a similar story is playing out in much of the northern and eastern parts of the continent. According to the latest polls, radical Right parties from 12 out of the 28 European Union countries are expected to win representation. This will amount to up to 44 far-Right MEPs – an increase of almost 20 per cent since the last elections in 2009. » | Jake Wallis Simons, Malmö | Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Italian Girls Fined $3,500 Each for Wearing Swimsuits Near Muslims on Italian Beach

THE DAILY DOSE: The encroachment of Sharia Law continues virtually unchecked or, as in this case, aided by a complicit Italian court. It appears that when one goes to the beach in Italy, it is wise to pack a complete wardrobe containing other country beach attire and then conduct a survey of those on the beach to determine the lowest common denominator of flesh to be exposed in order to avoid offending foreigners; Especially rich ones who consider themselves superior to women and the local population in general.

A justice of the peace in Messina, Italy has fined three girls an amount of approximately $3,500 each for wearing what is considered common beach wear in Italy, based upon the supposed offense to the sensitivities it created for some Saudi Arabian tourists who were also at the private resort of Taormina.

It has become common place for Muslims to make demands upon others to adhere to their standards, so it should not come as too great of a surprise that they filed their complaint. What is surprising is that the Italian court concurred and fined their citizens for engaging in normal behaviour.

Until the judges come to their senses, the ladies of Italy should make certain they pack a sheet and a hajib with their towels and sunscreen. It’s a lot less than $3,500. » | Rick Wells | Posted on May 12, 2014

Jobs for the Boys: Biden's Son Signs for Ukraine Gas Giant

A son of the US Vice-President has joined the board of directors of Ukraine's largest private gas producer. Hunter Biden now leads the company's legal unit - getting the position a few weeks after his father's trip to Kiev. And, as Marina Portnaya explains, this could be more than just a coincidence.