Azerbaijan Victims Tell Blair to Cough Up
THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair is under pressure to give to charity a fee of at least £90,000 he was paid for making a speech in Azerbaijan, which is notorious for its human rights abuses.

Tony Blair: His visit was a coup for the country's rulers as his well-known grin beamed out on state television from a press conference to homes throughout the small, oil-rich nation. Photograph: The Telegraph
The former prime minister flew to Azerbaijan where he met the country's president and visited a methanol factory owned by a multi-millionaire businessman.

His visit was a coup for the country's rulers as his well-known grin beamed out on state television from a press conference to homes throughout the small, oil-rich nation.

Now opposition groups and British MPs have complained, that although Mr Blair had every right to visit the country, he missed a golden opportunity to criticise its human rights abuses. They are insisting he should donate his fee to charity.

Earlier this year, David Plouffe, a former senior aide to Barack Obama, was castigated for giving a speech in Azerbaijan - booked through the same Washington-based public speaking agency as Mr Blair. In the wake of the outcry he agreed to hand his fee to a group promoting democracy in the region.

Peter Kilfoyle, a Labour MP who in the mid 1990s helped run Mr Blair's Labour leadership campaign, said: "The very least he can do is donate [h]is fee to a charity that works in the area of human rights.

"He should not be profiting from a country that flagrantly ignores human rights. There have long been questions about the Azeris and their approach to human rights." Tony Blair told by Azerbaijan victims: 'Give your £90,000 speaker's fee to charity' >>> Nick Meo in Baku and Robert Mendick | Sunday, December 13, 2009

Kundgebung von Muslimen gegen Minarett-Verbot in Bern: Zwischen 500 bis 800 Personen protestieren gegen «Islamhetze»
NZZ ONLINE: Mehrere hundert Muslime haben in Bern an einer friedlichen Kundgebung gegen das Minarett-Verbot protestiert. Die Redner prangerten eine Hetze gegen den Islam an. Der umstrittene deutsche Prediger Pierre Vogel, der an der Grenze abgewiesen worden war, soll am 2. Januar in Bern auftreten.

Ein Redner an der Kundgebung der Muslime in Bern. Bild: NZZ Online
Die bewilligte Kundgebung «Islam ohne Vorurteile» begann kurz vor 14 Uhr 30. Zwischen 500 bis 800 Teilnehmer hatten sich bei Temperaturen um die null Grad und leichtem Nieseln auf dem Bundesplatz besammelt. Die Polizei hatte zwar Kastenwagen in den Seitengassen postiert und war mit einigen Männern vor Ort, hielt sich aber im Hintergrund.

Ausser einem kleinen Zwischenfall, bei dem ein Mann von den Sicherheitsleuten der Veranstalter ruhig zur Polizei gebracht wurde, verlief der Anlass friedlich. Der Schweizer Muslim Nicolas Blancho zeigte sich zufrieden. «Wir haben genau das gezeigt, was wir wollten», sagte Blancho, der auch die Eröffnungsrede gehalten hatte. >>> ap/sda | Samstag, 12. Dezember 2009

Blue
One Love
U Make Me Wanna
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

Christian Hoteliers Received Violent Threats over Muslim Guest 'Insult'
THE TELEGRAPH: Christian hoteliers Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang received hate mail after they were accused of insulting a Muslim guest because of her faith.

The Vogelenzangs have five adopted children, including one who is a Muslim. Photograph: The Telegraph
The couple said they have been "living a nightmare" since they were charged in July with a "religiously-aggravated" offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the couple have told of their relief at being cleared of insulting Ericka Tazi, a Muslim woman who was staying at their hotel.

They said that they had suffered emotionally and financially since the prosecution began, received threats warning they would be attacked and nearly lost their business due to an 80 per cent decline in takings at their nine-bedroom hotel, the Bounty House in Aintree, Liverpool.

"The last nine months have been a nightmare for us," said Mr Vogelenzang.

"We've been drained emotionally and financially. We have, sadly, received some threats and hate mail. That has been upsetting.
"Our business has almost been destroyed."

Mrs Tazi, who converted to Islam 18 months ago, stayed at the couple's hotel in March. She claimed they asked her if she was a murderer and a terrorist after seeing her wearing a hijab. She also alleged that Mr Vogelenzang called the Prophet Muhammad a murderer and a warlord and likened him to Saddam Hussein and Hitler.

The hotel had been reliant for much of its business on a local hospital, which routinely referred outpatients to stay, but hospital chiefs put a stop to this once they heard about the court case. >>> Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, December 12, 2009

MAIL ONLINE: 'Our faith is being targeted .... and we've been thrown to the lions': the Christian hoteliers accused of insulting Muslim guest reveal >>> Jonathan Petre and Andrew Chapman | Saturday, December 12, 2009

Sans prononcer le terme, le Tyrol ne veut pas de minarets
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: AUTRICHE | Près de deux semaines après le vote suisse sur l'interdiction des minarets, la question est d'actualité en Autriche.

Crédits photo : Tribune de Genève
Le parti d'extrême-droite FPÖ va proposer une loi la semaine prochaine devant le parlement provincial "préservant le caractère du paysage".

Comme la Carinthie et le Vorarlberg, le FPÖ tyrolien se prépare à faire voter un texte qui, sans nommer les minarets, doit "préserver le caractère local du paysage". "Nous faisons confiance en nos juristes pour formuler la loi d'une manière efficace", a indiqué samedi à l'agence APA le député FPÖ au Parlement provincial Richard Heis.

Le FPÖ prépare d'autre part une initiative visant au "maintien des croix dans les classes", a ajouté M. Heis. Il a critiqué au passage la décision de la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme en novembre de condamner l'Italie pour le maintien des crucifix dans les écoles. >>> ats | Samedi 12 Décembre 2009

Liens en relation avec l'article :

Le dossier de la Tribune de Genève sur l'interdiction des minarets >>>

Die Lehre der Minarette: Bedroht uns [den Schweizern] ein neuer Kulturkampf?
NZZ ONLINE: Das Plebiszit zum Minarettverbot erregt nicht nur in der Schweiz die Gemüter. Ein international weitläufiges Echo zeigt, dass das Thema des Ineinandergehens von Kulturen noch weiterhin für Sprengstoff sorgen wird.

Minarettverbot: Das Thema sorgt für Sprengstoff. Bild: NZZ Online
Einer aufgeklärten Bürgerin, einem welterprobten Zeitgenossen muss das Resultat der Abstimmung über die sogenannte Minarett-Initiative als beunruhigend erscheinen. War tatsächlich zu erwarten gewesen, dass der Souverän eines Landes, dessen Charakter aus Toleranz und Freiheitsliebe auch historisch bekundet ist, nun plötzlich ein Verbot von Minaretten in der Bundesverfassung verankern würde? So aber ist es gekommen, und seit Tagen laufen die Diskussionen: über das Verhältnis von direkter Demokratie und liberalem Rechtsstaat, über das – zu revidierende? – Selbstverständnis der schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft, über mögliche Irrwege der «classe politique», über Fremd- und Eigenwahrnehmung, über Schäden und Folgelasten, über kulturelle Differenz und – einmal mehr – über die Psyche des helvetischen Kollektivs. >>> Martin Meyer | Samstag, 12. Dezember 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy Confronts Radio Host over Question to Carla Bruni
THE TELEGRAPH: Nicolas Sarkozy has confronted a radio presenter who asked his wife, Carla Bruni: "Would you love him so much if he wasn't President of France?"

French first lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy (looking less than glamorous) speaks to journalist Marc-Olivier Fogiel on Europe 1 radio station. Photograph: The Telegraph
Mr Sarkozy is said to have cornered the outspoken radio host, Marc-Olivier Fogiel, at an awards ceremony at the Elysee Palace.

The President was described by witnesses to have "stormed up" to the surprised DJ to defend his wife's honour.

The stand-off came after Mr Fogiel interviewed the French First Lady on his chat show on radio station Europe 1 last week.

He reminded listeners how Mr Sarkozy met Bruni on a blind date at a Paris dinner party more than two years ago, then proposed on Christmas day after a two-month whirlwind romance.

He then bluntly questioned about her love for the 54-year-old President.

The stunning 41-year-old former supermodel replied simply: "That's a bit of a stupid question."

At the Elysee Palace this week, Mr Sarkozy was heard to have told Mr Fogiel: "I don't appreciate the way you spoke to my wife. It was a clumsy question. I won't forget about it." >>> | Saturday, December 12, 2009

Coming Out Is the Best Decision I Made, Says Soldier
Trooper Ben Rakestrow, right, said that colleagues had been supportive. Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: A soldier leaves Afghanistan today after a life-changing six-month tour, having fought the Taleban and told his comrades that he is gay.

Trooper Ben Rakestrow, 21, is one of an unknown number of openly homosexual soldiers in the Armed Forces. He told his unit about his sexuality after a trip to a nightclub during pre-deployment training on Salisbury Plain. “The next morning I arrived for the exercise late because we’d had a bit to drink. The lads all asked if we’d had any luck, then at least our late arrival would have been worth it. I just said, ‘His name was Ryan’. Some of their faces dropped and they asked if I was serious. They couldn’t believe it.”

Trooper Rakestrow, of the Royal Tank Regiment, said that initial uncertainty had given way to acceptance and support from his unit. “I get banter from them all the time, but it’s good banter. They all want to know about my life. I don’t find it hard to talk about it.”

Despite the traditional view of the Army as a homophobic institution, Trooper Rakestrow described the decision as the best one of his life. He advised other gay soldiers considering coming out to talk to close colleagues first. “I would tell guys to find a few close friends and confide in them. Talk about it with them and then, if you’re confident, tell your mates. But the important thing is to tell them when it feels right.” >>> Tom Coghlan | Saturday, December 12, 2009

By Contrast, Being 'Out' Means Being Thrown Out for US Soldiers
Watch AFP video here | Monday, November 02, 2009

Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Labour Treats Us Like Oddballs’
THE TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has accused the Government of treating all religious believers as “oddities” and “eccentric”.


Dr Rowan Williams said ministers were wrong to think that Christian beliefs were no longer relevant in modern Britain and he criticised Labour for looking at religious faith as a “problem” rather than valuing the contribution it made to society.

The Archbishop also suggested that the “political class” was too remote from the concerns of most people, who still had God in their “bloodstream”. In his only interview in the run-up to Christmas, he called on ministers to be more willing to talk about their own beliefs.

Dr Williams told The Daily Telegraph: “The trouble with a lot of Government initiatives about faith is that they assume it is a problem, it’s an eccentricity, it’s practised by oddities, foreigners and minorities.

“The effect is to de-normalise faith, to intensify the perception that faith is not part of our bloodstream. And, you know, in great swaths of the country that’s how it is.”

His comments risked reigniting the public row between the Church of England and Labour over the state’s treatment of faith groups. A Cabinet member was recently forced to deny there was a “secular conspiracy” to silence them.

The Archbishop’s claims that religion was seen only as something for minorities echoed those of a Church-backed report, which accused the Government of paying “lip service” to Christianity while “focusing intently” on Muslims. >>> Martin Beckford and George Pitcher | Friday, December 11, 2009

Woods Wins 'Sex Photo' Court Order
YAHOO! NEWS: Tiger Woods, fighting to fend off intense media scrutiny over allegations he cheated on his wife, has won a British court order banning publication in Britain of any photos or video showing him nude or having sex.

British law firm Schillings, which specialises in protecting the reputations of celebrities, obtained the injunction on Woods's behalf on Thursday at the High Court in London, partner Simon Smith told Reuters. >>> Reuters | Friday, December 11, 2009

TELEGRAPH PHOTO GALLERY: The women linked to Tiger Woods >>>

Tiger Woods to Give Up Golf 'Indefinitely'
THE TELEGRAPH: Tiger Woods has announced that he is giving up golf "indefinitely" in an attempt to patch things up with his wife.

The world's number one player admitted, for the first time, cheating on wife Elin Nordegren and said he was giving up the game so that he could be a "better husband and person".

He said: "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.

"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children.

"I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try." >>> Nick Allen in Los Angeles | Saturday, December 12, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: This break from golf is good for Woods and good for the game >>> John Hopkins, Golf Correspondent | Saturday, December 12, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: Gilette limits Tiger Woods sponsorship deal after affairs scandal: Gillette has announced that it would limit its sponsorship deal with Tiger Woods, following revelations over his private life.

The grooming brand is the first major sponsor to act on the scandal engulfing the golfing star.

Gillette said it would now phase out Woods from their television and print advertising as well as public appearances. >>> Robin Henry | Saturday, December 12, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: Tiger Woods' statement in full >>> | Saturday, December 12, 2009

MAIL ONLINE: Tiger Woods' 'group sex' with prostitutes: Golfer spent tens of thousands on escort girls, claims Hollywood madam: Tiger Woods was accused last night of spending tens of thousands of pounds on high-priced escort girls when he was away from home playing in golf tournaments. >>> David Gardner | Saturday, December 12, 2009

MAIL ONLINE: Tiger Woods' wife is to 'end marriage after Christmas': How giving up golf may have been too little, too late for humiliated Elin >>> | Sunday, December 13, 2009

THE TELEGRAPH: Accenture ends Tiger Woods sponsorship deal: Accenture has ended its sponsorship of Tiger Woods, saying the golfer is “no longer the right representative” after the “circumstances of the last two weeks.” >>> | Sunday, December 13, 2009

THE TELEGRAPH: Tag Heuer appears to backtrack on Tiger Woods support: Tag Heuer, the Swiss watchmaker, has appeared to backtrack on an apparent pledge to stick by troubled golfer Tiger Woods, raising the prospect that it could be next in line to cut ties with the sportsman. >>> | Tuesday, December 15, 2009

MAIL ONLINE: Elin Woods pictured without wedding ring on as she emerges for the first time since Tiger admitted cheating on her >>> Georgina Littlejohn | Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Settlers Attack West Bank Mosque and Burn Holy Muslim Books
The mosque set on fire in the West Bank village of Kfar Yasuf, south of Nablus. Photograph: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Suspected extremist Jewish settlers today attacked a mosque in the northern West Bank, burning holy books and spraying threatening graffiti in Hebrew on the building, Palestinian officials and Israeli police said.

Extremists broke into the mosque in the village of Yasuf, near the city of Nablus, and burned Korans and copies of the Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and prayer carpets, while spraying slogans on the floor reading “Price tag – greetings from Effi.”

A pile of ash on a scorched carpet was all that remained of around 100 holy books, The Times found.

The so-called 'price tag' is the hardline Jewish settlers’ policy of attacking Palestinians and their property in retribution for any Israeli government curb on settlement expansion. Effi is a Jewish name.

Hardliners are furious that the right-wing government of Binyamin Netanyahu has given in to US pressure to try and enforce a temporary freeze on the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, where some 300,000 settlers live. It is feared that the attack may be the beginning of an intensified campaign against the government by the settlers.

While the attackers escaped, the Israeli government was quick to condemn the attack. "This is an extremist act geared toward harming the government's efforts to advance the political process for the sake of Israel's future," said Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, whose department is overseeing the freeze.

When they discovered the desecration of their mosque, Palestinian villagers started throwing stones at Israeli soldiers, whom they often accuse of complicity with settlers when they carry out such attacks on them and their olive orchards. Two Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were hurt in the clashes.

There have been rising tensions since Mr Netanyahu announced the proposed freeze last month, in an effort to meet US and Palestinian demands for a total halt on settlement construction, deemed illegal by the international community but often backed by the Israeli state. >>> James Hider in Yasuf | Friday, December 11, 2009

Schweiz: Islamprediger will trotz Verbot an Kundgebung teilnehmen: Die Grenzwache ist auf dem Posten
NZZ ONLINE: Der umstrittene deutsche Islam-Prediger Pierre Vogel will trotz dem Einreiseverbot an der Kundgebung «Islam ohne Vorurteile» dabei sein. Er werde auf jeden Fall da sein, erklärte der Islam-Prediger in einem Videobeitrag auf seiner Internetseite.

Der umstrittene deutsche Islamprediger Pierre Vogel will trotz Einreisesperre an der Kundgebung vom Samstag in Bern teilnehmen. Die Schweizer Behörden wurden darüber informiert, dass er bereits am Freitagabend einreisen will, wie BfM-Sprecher Michael Glauser sagte. Die Grenzwache sei auf dem Posten.
«Eine Überraschung parat»

Er werde auf jeden Fall da sein, erklärte der Islamprediger in einem Videobeitrag auf seiner Internetseite. Falls wirklich eine Einreisesperre gegen ihn verhängt worden sei, werde man Wege finden. «Wir haben eine Überraschung parat». Vielleicht würden sie auch kurz eingesperrt, das sei aber Berufsrisiko. >>> ap | Freitag, 11. Dezember 2009

Passion Fades for Barack Obama, the Perfect Poster Boy
THE TELEGRAPH: Like many others, I fell for Barack Obama somewhere in the middle of Bush's second term, writes Gill Hornby.

War and peace: President Obama in Oslo. Photograph: The Telegraph
I've probably been in denial for a few months now. Turning a blind eye, trying not to overreact to the little things, even though all the signs were there.

But now it might just be time to face up to it. Another political love affair is over. Another one has let me down.

President Obama's acceptance speech at the Nobel Prize ceremony wasn't the last straw, not exactly. And it certainly wasn't his fault that he won the damned thing. But the text of it – "Some will kill, and some will be killed" – and the headlines – "Obama Defends War as he Picks up Peace Prize": well, it's not exactly what we were hoping for, back in those heady early days. It's change, all right. Just not quite the one we were after.

Like many others, I fell for Barack Obama somewhere in the middle of Bush's second term. One reading of Dreams from My Father, and that was it. A bumper sticker went on the car ("I Got a Crush on Obama"), posters went up in the kitchen, and we gave up domestic news bulletins for CNN and Fox. It was an obsession: David Cassidy all over again.

But say what you like about David Cassidy – he never fudged around on the closure of Guantanamo Bay. Or spent weeks dithering about his policy in Afghanistan, and then came up with a solution that pleased none of the people, none of the time.

Obama's commitment to total health care reform landed in the rough within months. His gift for presentation appeared to vanish the minute he hit office; the rhetoric that left so many of us swooning seems now to have deserted him. His domestic approval ratings collapsed months ago. It's enough to break your heart.

And it's not the first time. The chances are, if you fell for Barack in 2008, you fell for Blair back in 1997. And OK, I admit it: I did. When he stood on that platform at Sedgefield on election night, paused, gulped and promised: "I will not let you down", I actually believed him. >>> Gill Hornby | Friday, December 11, 2009

L'Union européenne appelle Israël à partager Jérusalem
La seule voie d'une paix véritable est une négociation «pour résoudre le statut de Jérusalem comme future capitale de deux États», écrivent les ministres européens. Crédits photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Les vingt-sept ministres des Affaires étrangères ont choisi de rester flous dans la définition d'un futur État palestinien.

L'Union européenne appelle Israël à partager Jérusalem comme capitale conjointe de deux États hébreu et palestinien, dans un appel urgent à la négociation lancé mardi par les vingt-sept ministres des Affaires étrangères.

Au risque de braquer le gouvernement Nétanyahou et les partisans de l'unité de la ville sous férule israélienne, les Vingt-Sept assurent qu'ils «ne reconnaîtront aucun changement autre que négocié» au statut d'avant 1967, c'est-à-dire antérieur à l'annexion de Jérusalem-Est. La seule voie d'une paix véritable est une négociation «pour résoudre le statut de Jérusalem comme future capitale de deux États», écrivent les ministres dans leurs conclusions. >>> Jean-Jacques Mével, correspondant du Figaro à Bruxelles | Mardi 08 Décembre 2009

Deadly Storm Sweeps across America
THE TELEGRAPH: At least 17 people have died after a huge storm swept across the American Midwest and New England.

In Madison, Wisconsin, the worst affected area, more than 19 inches of snow fell. Photo: The Telegraph
More than a foot of snow has fallen in 12 states as blizzard conditions buried cars under snowdrifts as much as 15 feet deep.

Most of the deaths were due to traffic accidents. In Kansas, visibility dropped to only 50 feet while in Iowa a major highway was closed, leaving lorry drivers stranded.

Hundreds of schools closed, thousands of homes lost power and flights have been cancelled across a wide area.

The Midwest is accustomed to bitterly cold winters but the strength of the storm, which also brought ice and 50mph winds, still took the region by surprise.

In Madison, Wisconsin, the worst affected area, more than 19 inches of snow fell and the local university was closed for the first time in nearly 45 years. >>> Tom Leonard in New York | Thursday, December 10, 2009

Muslim Men Who Force Their Wives to Wear the Burkha Are Not Welcome in France, Says Justice Minister
MAIL ONLINE: Muslim men who force their wives to wear a burkha are not welcome in France, the country's justice minister has said.

Michelle Alliot-Marie said husbands making their wives wear a full body coverings did not 'share the nation's values'.

They would have their citizenship requests rejected, she said.

Her remarks come as a French government committee is considering whether to make it illegal to wear burkhas and niqabs on the streets of France.

The burkha is a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan with a mesh screen over the eyes, and the niqab is a full-body veil with slits for the eyes.

President Nicolas Sarkozy called them 'a sign of subservience and debasement that imprisoned women', saying they were not not welcome in France.

The country's immigration minister Eric Besson described them as 'an affront to national identity'.

Women's rights groups and left wing MPs went even further, describing them as a 'walking coffin'.

Mrs Alliot-Marie said today she would await the findings of the commission on the burkha, due later this month.

But she added: 'There are still a certain number of basics on which we must stand firm.

'The wearing of the niqab or burkha is a problem that affects our ability to live together, the values of the republic and in particular human dignity.

'For instance, someone who would be seeking French citizenship and whose wife wears the full veil is someone who would not appear to be sharing the values of our country.

'Therefore in a case like that one, we would reject his request.' >>> Ian Sparks | Thursday, December 10, 2009

Vatican Tells Clergy Not to Show Off on Television
TIMES ONLINE: Media-friendly priests and bishops beware: the Vatican has warned clergy who appear on television to remember they are not glamorous “stars" or “showmen" but only communicators bringing the Christian message to a mass audience.

Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, secretary of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, said “evangelisation does not need showmen priests who go on television." He was speaking after a conference on “Communication and the Mission of the Priesthood" at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

“Communication should foster communion in the Church," Monsignor Piacenza said. Television and radio were “not a platform for individuals showing off" and becoming “the centre of attention".

Such behaviour not only interfered with the message itself but “what is more serious still, it introduces division".

He urged priests “not to improvise" on television, and to avoid “banal sentimentality", saying that their message should be based on “2000 years of communion in the faith," a message which “can only be transmitted through one's own experience and interior life". >>> Richard Owen in Rome | Thursday, December 10, 2009

Austrian Parliament OKs Gay Civil Unions
ASSOCIATED PRESS: VIENNA — Austria's parliament passed legislation Thursday allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, a move hailed by proponents as a historic win for gay rights in the country.

The bill, slated to become law Jan. 1, will give same-sex couples many of the rights enjoyed by their heterosexual counterparts, including access to a pension if one partner dies and alimony in the event of a split.

"We are living in the 21st century and I'm very glad this step is being taken today," Justice Minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner said during parliamentary debate leading up to the vote.

Christian Hoegl, co-president of the Homosexual Initiative Vienna, Austria's oldest group of gays and lesbians, agreed.

"It's a relief, a big success and a reward for two decades of lobbying," Hoegl said. >>> Veronika Oleksyn (AP) | Thursday, December 10, 2009

Strache: "Homo-Ehe gegen Willen der Österreicher"
DIE PRESSE: Mit den Stimmen von SPÖ, ÖVP sowie einigen Abgeordneten von BZÖ und Grünen hat der Nationalrat das Gesetz zur Eingetragenen Partnerschaft für Homosexuelle beschlossen. Die Debatte war teils emotional.

Mit den Stimmen von SPÖ, ÖVP, sowie je drei Grün- und zwei BZÖ-Stimmen, hat der Nationalrat am Donnerstag das Gesetz beschlossen, das homosexuellen Paaren künftig die Eintragung ihrer Partnerschaft ermöglicht. Während die Wiener Homosexuellen-Initiative mit rosa Punschkrapfen für ein Ja zum Gesetzesentwurf warb, und Justizministerin Claudia Bandion-Ortner einen "großen, historischen Schritt" lobte, ist die Opposition - aus unterschiedlichen Gründen - nicht ganz glücklich über den Entwurf. FPÖ: Geheule des Zeitgeists >>> beba | Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2009

Schweiz: Einreisesperre für Islamisten
NZZ ONLINE: Demo einer Splittergruppe in Bern

Auch das Demonstrieren gegen einen Volksentscheid gehört zum guten Recht von Demokraten. Doch man sollte wissen, was man mit seiner Präsenz zum Ausdruck bringen will und mit wem man sich einlässt. Am Samstag ist, wie die Gratiszeitung «20 Minuten» meldete, eine Kundgebung «gegen die Islamhetze» in Bern angesagt. 500 Menschen sollen sich auf Facebook bereits angemeldet haben. Organisiert wird der Anlass vom Islam-Zentral-Rat Schweiz.

Als Gastredner angekündigt war der aktive Islamist Pierre Vogel aus Deutschland. Er ist ein zum Islam konvertierter Ex-Profiboxer, der sich an ein junges Publikum wendet, um zum Glaubensübertritt zu animieren. Er soll es verstehen, junge Menschen in seinen Bann zu ziehen. Das Bundesamt für Migration hat nun aber gegen ihn, wie es zu einem Beitrag von «10 vor 10» des Schweizer Fernsehens mitteilt, eine Einreisesperre verhängt. Laut Gesetz ist dies aus Gründen der öffentlichen Sicherheit und Ordnung möglich. >>> cs | Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2009

Laid Bare: The Sex Life of the Ancient Greeks in All Its Physical Glory
THE GUARDIAN: An Athens exhibition looks unflinchingly at classical perceptions of love and lust

A marble statuette of a sleeping Eros and a lion next to him on display at the Cycladic Art museum in Athens. Photograph: The Guardian
The ancient Greeks were never at a loss for words when it came to love and lust – and an exhibition that opened in Athens today laying bare the practice of sex in classical times through an unprecedented collection of eye-popping art partly explains why.

Eros, the god of love and the great loosener of limbs, was many things: irresistible, tender, beautiful, excruciating, maddening, merciless and bittersweet. There was no position, no touch, no predilection too outre to pay homage to him. From the affectionate embrace to group sex, love came in many forms.

"The Greeks were anything but prudes," said Nicholaos Stampolidis, director of the Museum of Cycladic Art, where the show will run for six months. "Theirs was a society of great tolerance and lack of guilt."

Standing before a giant marble phallus that once graced the facade of an ancient Greek home, he added: "It had what I call balance."

By amassing some 272 objets d'art, including masterpieces from more than 50 international museums which date from the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD, Stampolidis has pulled off the impressive feat of telling the story of love in antiquity.

"The concept of Eros – love – was very broad in ancient times," the archaeologist said. "Sexual desire was, of course, a component but it was also a unifying force that encompassed the desire for anyone or indeed anything."

Accordingly, the exhibition has sought to survey the changing perceptions of Eros from the 8th century BC, when he is seen as a powerful god, to Roman times when, less potent, under the name of Cupid he becomes a mere companion to Venus. >>> Helena Smith in Athens | Wednesday, December 09, 2009