Dutch Queen Causes Far-right Outcry as She's Pictured in a Headscarf
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dutch Queen Beatrix has sparked a far-right outcry in her country after being pictured wearing a red headscarf on a visit to a mosque in Oman.

"It is really nonsense," the popular 72-year-old monarch said of the furore.

She was quoted by reporters with her on a state visit to Oman, where television pictures showed her at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque sporting a red headscarf draped over her traditional black hat.

She had also worn a headscarf during a visit to Abu Dhabi a few days earlier on the trip accompanied by her son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima, who wore a turquoise headscarf in Oman. » | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Canadian Government Says It Will Not Recognise Foreign Gay Marriages
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands of foreign gay couples who wed in Canada are not legally married, a government lawyer argued in a case involving two lesbians seeking a divorce, according to court documents.

The argument threatens to disrupt the lives of thousands of gay people who moved to Canada because they were unable to get married in their home countries.

The case that prompted the government's position involves two women, one from Florida and the other from Britain, both in their early thirties, who wed in Toronto in 2005 but are now seeking a divorce.

Department of Justice lawyer Sean Gaudet said in a documented response to their application that they cannot be granted a divorce because they were not married in the first place. » | Friday, January 13, 2012

Obama accuse les républicains de vouloir défendre les riches «jusqu'à leur dernier souffle»
LIBÉRATION: Le président américain a entamé mercredi à Chicago une série de réunions de levée de fonds pour sa campagne présidentielle.

Le président Barack Obama a accusé mercredi ses adversaires républicains de vouloir défendre jusqu'à "leur dernier souffle" les allègements d'impôts hérités de son prédécesseur George W. Bush, face à ses partisans à Chicago (Illinois, Nord).

M. Obama, qui entamait une série de trois réunions de levée de fonds pour sa campagne dans son ancien fief, a affirmé que les républicains du Congrès et les candidats à l'investiture du parti pour la présidentielle du 6 novembre n'avaient pas de stratégie pour créer des emplois ou protéger la classe moyenne. » | AFP | mercredi 11 janvier 2012

Nordkoreas Diktator: Bruder verspottet Kim Jong Un als Marionette des Regimes

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Das nordkoreanische Regime feiert den neuen Diktator Kim Jong Un als "Genie der Genies" - sein Bruder hat einen ganz anderen Begriff parat: Bestenfalls als "Symbol" stünde Un an der Spitze des Landes, ätzt Kim Jong Nam aus dem Exil. Die Macht hätten ganz andere inne.

Seoul - Die Propaganda-Maschine für Kim Jong Un läuft wie geschmiert. Als "Genie der Genies" hatte das Regime in Pjöngjang den neuen Machthaber präsentiert, samt schneidiger Bilder: Kim Jong Un im Panzer, auf dem Pferderücken, am Gewehr. Doch nun kommen Misstöne - ausgerechnet aus der eigenen Familie. Der ältere Bruder des neuen nordkoreanischen Diktators sieht diesen lediglich als "Symbol" an der Spitze des Staates.

Sein Halbbruder werde von der herrschenden Elite zur Machtsicherung benutzt, schriebKim Jong Nam in einer E-Mail an die japanische Zeitung "Tokyo Shimbun". "Ich frage mich, wie ein junger Erbe nach lediglich zwei Jahren Ausbildung in der Lage sein soll, die absolute Macht zu übernehmen", schreibt der im Ausland lebende Kim Jong Nam in der Mail vom 3. Januar, die nach Angaben des Blatts authentisch ist. » | jok/AFP/dpa | Donnerstag 12. Januar 2012

Gesetzentwurf: Israel will Nazi-Vergleich unter Strafe stellen
WELT ONLINE: Jemanden als Nazi zu beschimpfen oder Holocaust-Symbole zu benutzen, soll in Israel bald strafbar sein. Der Gesetzentwurf gilt als Reaktion auf den Protest der Ultraorthodoxen.

Der Vergleich mit Nazis und die Benutzung von Holocaust-Symbolen soll in Israel künftig unter Strafe gestellt werden. Einen entsprechenden Gesetzentwurf wolle die Regierung am Mittwoch im Parlament vorlegen, berichtete die Zeitung “Haaretz".

Die Initiative kam gut eine Woche, nachdem sich in Jerusalem ultraorthodoxe Juden bei einer Demonstration als Insassen von Nazi-Konzentrationslagern verkleidet und einen gelben Judenstern an die Brust geheftet hatten. Polizisten wurden als Nazis beschimpft. Dies war als Missbrauch des Holocausts auf scharfe Kritik gestoßen. » | dpa/dapd/AFP/fas | Mittwoch 11. Januar 2012

Präsident unter Druck: Minuten, in denen Merkel in Bellevue Regie führte
WELT ONLINE: Erstmals haben CDU-Politiker wahlweise den Rücktritt oder Transparenz von Wulff verlangt. Das ist kein Zufall. Das Startsignal dafür gab ein enger Vertrauter Merkels.

Dies war vielleicht der seltsamste Tag in der an seltsamen Tagen so reichen, nicht enden wollenden Affäre des Bundespräsidenten.

Christian Wulff lud Vertreter der gesellschaftlichen Gruppen zum Neujahrsempfang ins Schloss Bellevue, wie es Bundespräsidenten seit Jahrzehnten tun. Erstmals aber hat ein Staatsoberhaupt Absagen bekommen.

Die eingeladene deutsche Vertreterin der Anti-Korruptionsorganisation Transparency International blieb dem Empfang demonstrativ fern, genau wie der Vorsitzende des Deutschen Journalisten-Verbandes.

Im Gegensatz zu Wulff finden sie nicht, er habe sich zu dubiosen Krediten, zu Gratisurlauben bei Industriellen, zur möglichen Irreführung des Parlamentes und zum Versuch, Berichterstattung zu unterdrücken, ausreichend geäußert. » | R. Alexander und M. Bewarder | Donnerstag 12. Januar 2012

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: German President Blasted by Party Allies: German President Christian Wulff promised transparency in a television interview last week regarding questions about his personal finances. But since then, he hasn't delivered. Several members of Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats, the party which propelled Wulff into office, have turned on him. » | cgh -- with wire reports | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Clinton Condemns 'Behavior' in Video

Related »

Bradley Manning Moves Step Closer to Full Court Martial

THE GUARDIAN: Investigating officer in pre-trial hearing recommends that 22 charges against WikiLeaks suspect be referred to military trial

Bradley Manning, the US soldier accused of having been the source of the massive WikiLeaks dump of state secrets, is one step closer towards the possibility of spending the rest of his life in military confinement after the officer who presided over his pre-trial hearing recommended he be sent to a full court martial.

Colonel Paul Almanza, the investigating officer at last month's hearing in Fort Meade, Maryland, has written to his superiors recommending that all 22 charges against Manning be referred to a general court martial – the most serious military trial. An announcement from the military district of Washington said that Almanza had found that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that the accused committed the offenses alleged."

A final decision will be made by colonel Carl Coffman of the special court martial convening authority, though he has the option of passing it further up the chain of command to major general Michael Linnington.

The outcome of the pre-trial hearing means that a full military trial is almost certain to follow, and is likely to be held within the next three to four months. That will set the scene for what promises to be a dramatic clash of wills between the Obama administration and the military high command on the one hand, and Bradley Manning and his forceful defence lawyer David Coombs on the other. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Duchess of York Charged by Turkish Authorities over Orphanage Film

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Duchess of York is facing the possibility of more than 20 years in jail after she was charged for secretly filming children in Turkish orphanages.

Turkish authorities have asked the British government to help obtain evidence to prosecute the Duchess over allegations that she breached the privacy of children living in state-run institutions.

The Turkish government accused the Duchess of trying to smear the country’s image three years ago with an investigative television report about conditions in its orphanages.

On Thursday, the office of Turkey’s chief prosecutor announced that it was pressing charges against the Duchess for “violating the privacy” of five children.

If found guilty, the Duchess, 52, could face between seven and a half years and 22 and a half years in prison.

The charge was issued in the Duchess’s absence and accuses her of prying into the private lives of youngsters at the Saray orphanage near Ankara, where more than 700 disabled children are housed. » | Murray Wardrop | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Islamic Viewpoint: Did Jesus Really Teach the Trinity?

Motherhood vs. Career-building - Rasha al-Disuqi

Capital Punishment: Shari'ah vs. Secular Law

Shariah Finance

Brotherhood Dominates Egypt Polls
Egyptians are contining to vote in multi-stage elections to determine the make-up of the country's new parliament. But, the Muslim Brotherhood, a group banned from politics for decades, already looks like the biggest winner from the process. Its Freedom and Justice party has secured close to 50 per cent of the total vote so far. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo.

Austria Blizzard Causes Travel Chaos
Heavy snowfall has severely disrupted transportation across western Austria. The blizzard, named Storm Andrea by meterologists, has forced the closure of main roads and three railway lines, including a major route connecting the country to Switzerland, in the regions of Tyrol and Foralberg [sic]. The storm is also increasing the chances of avalanches in a region renowned for its ski slopes. Charlie Angela reports.

A Third of Mormons Say Mitt Romney's Religion Will Count Against Him

THE GUARDIAN: Almost half of Mormons believe they are more discriminated against than African Americans, poll reveals

One-third of Mormons in the US believe that American voters are not ready to elect Mitt Romney, or any other member of their church, as president.

A survey of adherents to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) released on Thursday found that almost half of Mormons in the US considered themselves more discriminated against than African Americans.

According to the research by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, suspicion spills over to political life with 32% of Mormons believing that Romney's religion will count against him in a presidential election. A little more than half say US voters will accept a Mormon in the White House.

While 97% of Mormons regard themselves as Christians, large numbers of other Americans do not because of the church's origins and some of its practices, including a belief that its present leader is a prophet from God.

Pew said it undertook the latest research because of heightened awareness of the LDS church in American life even though Mormons only make up 2% of the US population.

"With a Mormon candidate among the frontrunners for the 2012 [Republican] presidential nomination, a musical about Mormons playing on Broadway and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints running television ads about ordinary Mormons, America is in the midst of what some media accounts have dubbed a 'Mormon moment'," the report said.

"Many Mormons feel they are misunderstood, discriminated against and not accepted by other Americans as part of mainstream society. Yet, at the same time, a majority of Mormons think that acceptance of Mormonism is rising." » | Chris McGreal in Washington | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Says Capitalism 'In Decay' as He Meets the Castros in Cuba

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed capitalism as bankrupt and called for a new world order on Wednesday on a visit to Cuba, steering clear of the controversy over his country's nuclear programme.

The Iranian leader arrived in Cuba for talks with his counterpart Raul Castro as the Islamic republic blamed Israel and the United States for the killing of a nuclear scientist in a Tehran car bombing.

The scientist's killing heightened already high tensions with the West over Iran's suspect nuclear programme, but a defiant Ahmadinejad flashed the victory sign several times after landing in Havana.

The Iranian leader was greeted by nine girls in traditional Iranian attire as he stepped off the plane that flew him in from Nicaragua on the third leg of his Latin American tour, aimed at shoring up ties in the region.

Ahmadinejad was taken to the University of Havana where he picked up an honorary doctorate and told students in the Americas' only Communist country that capitalism could soon be on its last legs.

"Our shared task, mission and challenge is to make a great effort for justice to be achieved, (otherwise) millions will suffer injustice," Ahmadinejad said.

"We are watching the capitalist system decay ... it is heading toward a dead end," he said, stressing that what is needed is "a new order, a fresh look, that respects all human beings, a way of thinking that is based on justice." » | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Obama: The US Can No Longer Fight the World's Battles

THE INDEPENDENT: President plans to cut half a million troops and says US can't afford to wage two wars at once

The mighty American military machine that has for so long secured the country's status as the world's only superpower will have to be drastically reduced, Barack Obama warned yesterday as he set out a radical but more modest new set of priorities for the Pentagon over the next decade.

After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that defined the first decade of the 21st century, Mr Obama's blueprint for the military's future acknowledged that America will no longer have the resources to conduct two such major operations simultaneously.

Instead, the US military will lose up to half a million troops and will focus on countering terrorism and meeting the new challenges of an emergent Asia dominated by China. America, the President said, was "turning the page on a decade of war" and now faced "a moment of transition". The country's armed forces would in future be leaner but, Mr Obama pointedly warned both friends and foes, sufficient to preserve US military superiority over any rival – "agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats". » | Rupert Cornwell | Washington | Friday, January 06, 2012

US Marines Accused of War Crimes

THE GUARDIAN: Video posted anonymously on YouTube claims to show American troops in Afghanistan urinating on dead bodies

US forces in Afghanistan are facing fresh accusations of war crimes after film emerged of American marines urinating on dead bodies and laughing.

The US military command in Kabul, which was severely embarrassed last year by revelations that Americans soldiers were running a "kill squad" murdering Afghan civilians, said it will investigate the undated video but that if proves to be authentic then desecration of corpses would be regarded as a serious crime.

In the graphic short video, four soldiers in combat gear and carrying weapons are seen acting in unison as they urinate on three bloodied corpses. One of the soldiers sighs with relief, another says "yeah" and a third laughs. One remarks: "Have a great day, buddy". Another says: "Golden, like a shower".

A fifth soldier films the incident.

The video was posted anonymously on Wednesday along with a caption that said: "scout sniper team 4 with 3rd battalion 2nd marines out of camp lejeune peeing on dead talibans".

Military officials confirmed that the soldiers appear to be carrying rifles of a kind issued to sniper teams in Afghanistan.

A US department of defence spokesman, Captain John Kirby, told CNN: "Regardless of the circumstances or who is in the video, this is egregious, disgusting behaviour. It's hideous. It turned my stomach." » | Chris McGreal in Washington | Washington, January 11, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hamid Karzai condemns US Marines urinating video: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Taliban enemy have denounced a video which appears to show American Marines urinating on the blood-soaked bodies of dead insurgency fighters. » | Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor and Zubair Babakarkhail in Kabul | Thursday, January 12, 2012

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Leon Panetta says US Marines urinating video 'utterly deplorable': US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said the behaviour of US Marines in a video which appears to show them urinating on the blood-soaked bodies of dead insurgency fighters is "utterly deplorable". » | Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor, Zubair Babakarkhail in Kabul | Thursday, January 12, 2012

Israel – Knesset: MP Throws Water Over Colleague