Horse Meat Scandal: Welsh Plant Vows to Stay Open
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The owner of a Welsh processing plant at the centre of the horse meat scandal remained defiant today, insisting he would continue operations despite being suspended by authorities.

Farmbox Meats' owner Dafydd Raw-Rees, vowed to stay open and said his employees were continuing to "bone" horse meat despite a ban imposed by the Food Standards Authority.

Further raids were conducted on the plant today and more meat seized from the plant after officials said a consignment had appeared to be "moved" from the premises.

The Daily Telegraph discovered several pallets of meat carcasses stored behind the plant's offices on the outskirts of Ceredigion, near Aberystwyth, West Wales.

The meat, some of which appeared to be bloodied, was covered in plastic sheets and stored under tarpaulins.

This morning, men were seen moving some of the pallets into vans. It remains unclear what sort of meat it was or whether they were company employees. » | Andrew Hough, in Ceredigion, and Steve Swinford | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Says He Has Resigned 'For Good of the Church'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI made his first public appearance on Wednesday since his shock resignation announcement, asking thousands of cheering pilgrims at the Vatican to "keep praying for me".


The 85-year-old pontiff was greeted by a standing ovation and chants of "Benedetto", his name in Italian, at his weekly audience in the Paul VI auditorium, with a prominent banner reading "Thank You, Holiness". Benedict, looking drawn and tired but appearing relieved to have put the momentous announcement behind him, said he had made his decision "for the good of the Church" adding: "Keep praying for me, for the Church and for the future pope." The Pope has also sent his first tweet since the announcement: » | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Kate Middleton 'Baby Bump' Photos Published by Italian Magazine
THE GUARDIAN: Royal family protests as Chi prints shots of pregnant Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing in a bikini

An Italian magazine has infuriated the royal family after publishing paparazzi pictures of a pregnant Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing in a bikini on a private holiday in the Caribbean.

The publication of the first royal "baby bump" photos comes months after the same gossip magazine, Chi, published topless pictures of the Duchess on a private holiday in France.

A royal spokeswoman said the publication was "a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy".

"We are disappointed that photographs of the duke and duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas. This is a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy," added the spokeswoman for St James's Palace.

The pictures were taken on the Caribbean island of Mustique where the duchess and her husband, Prince William, are on holiday. They are said to show the duchess, formerly Kate Middleton, walking in the surf alongside the prince.

It is unclear whether the photographer was on the island or whether they were taken from a boat offshore. » | Lisa O'Carroll and Roy Greenslade | Tuesday, February 12, 2013

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australian magazine to publish pictures of pregnant Duchess: An Australian magazine is to publish the photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge which have become the centre of a privacy storm. » | Hayley Dixon | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

L'Assemblée nationale dit "oui" au mariage gay
LE POINT: Les députés ont approuvé le texte après dix jours d'une bataille parlementaire intense menée par l'UMP. Les sénateurs l'examineront à partir du 2 avril.

L'Assemblée nationale a adopté mardi, en première lecture, par 329 voix contre 229 et 10 abstentions, le projet de loi ouvrant le mariage et l'adoption aux couples de même sexe. Dès que l'issue du vote a été annoncée, les députés de la majorité ont scandé : "Égalité, égalité !" Sans surprise, les députés de la majorité ont voté pour le projet de loi, tandis que la grande majorité des députés UMP et UDI ont voté contre, malgré quelques exceptions notables. » | Le Point.fr | mardi 12 février 2013

Lebanese Journalists Come to Blows on Hizbullah TV (February 8, 2013)

Liberal Lebanese Journalist Ziad Noujeim: If God Exists, It May Be Female; We Live in a Garbage Dumpster (January 13, 2013)

Former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner: If Iran Gets Nuclear Weapon, It Will Not Hesitate to Use It; World Should Protect Israel (January 4, 2013)

Mali: Al-Qaïda dans la péninsule arabique appelle au djihad
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La branche d'Al-Qaïda basée au Yémen a appelé au djihad (guerre sainte) contre l'intervention française au Mali, a rapporté mardi le centre américain de surveillance des sites islamistes SITE.

Une «déclaration de guerre contre l'islam et les musulmans». C'est ainsi qu'Al-Qaïda dans la péninsule arabique (Aqpa) a qualifié l'opération française au Mali. Du coup, le groupe radical appelle «tout musulman» à «soutenir les musulmans au Mali» quitte à «payer de leur vie» ou, à défaut, «contribuer financièrement».

«La croisade contre l'islam» menée par la France au Mali «n'est en aucun cas justifiée», affirme l'Aqpa dans son communiqué. Basée au Yémen, l'Aqpa est issue d'une fusion des branches saoudienne et yéménite du réseau. » | ats/Newsnet | mardi 12 février 2013

Rücktrittsgründe: Papst Benedikt XVI. erst vor kurzem am Herzen operiert

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Nach der unerwarteten Rücktrittsankündigung von Papst Benedikt XVI. kursieren Gerüchte: Waren es tatsächlich nur sein Alter und die fragile Gesundheit, die ihn zu der Entscheidung trieben? Jetzt wurde bekannt: Erst vor knapp drei Monaten unterzog sich der Papst einer Herz-OP.

Rom - Am Montagvormittag verkündete der 85-jährige Papst Benedikt XVI. seinen freiwilligen Rücktritt vom Amt - weil "meine Kräfte infolge des vorgerückten Alters nicht mehr geeignet sind, um in angemessener Weise den Petrusdienst auszuüben", wie er es formulierte. Auch sein Bruder Georg, 89, bestätigte, dass Joseph Ratzinger sich nach mehr Ruhe im Alter sehne. Er selbst trage wegen Herzrhythmusstörungen einen Herzschrittmacher, sagte er SPIEGEL ONLINE.

Am Dienstag berichtet die Online-Ausgabe der italienischen Zeitung "Il Sole 24 ore", dass Benedikt XVI. sich erst vor drei Monaten in der römischen Privatklinik Pio XI. einer Operation unterzogen habe. Dabei sei sein Herzschrittmacher ausgetauscht worden, hieß es. Über den Eingriff wurde absolutes Stillschweigen bewahrt - offenbar, um zu verhindern, dass Benedikts seit fast einem Jahr gehegter Plan, das Amt abzugeben, nicht publik werden zu lassen. » | ala/dpa | Dienstag, 12. Februar 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Resignation: The Life and Times of Joseph Ratzinger
As Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation, we look back at some of the highs and lows of his eight-year tenure as the head of the Catholic church. From his controversial remarks about Islam and the use of condoms in the fight against HIV and Aids in Africa, to the first ever papal tweet

Who Will Be the Next Pope? The Contenders for Vatican's Top Job
THE GUARDIAN: Two cardinals from Africa, a Canadian and an Italian are among those being tipped to succeed Pope Benedict XVI

With Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, speculation about who might succeed him when the conclave meets in March has begun. Any baptised Roman Catholic male is eligible for election as pope, but only cardinals have been selected since 1378. Among those who have been mentioned as potential successors are the following: » | Sam Jones and Afua Hirsch | Monday, February 11, 2013

Cardinal Wuerl: Pope's Timing 'Appropriate'
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington answered questions about Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. As a member of the conclave to elect the next pope, he says the choice will be driven by God and the candidate's qualifications. (Feb. 11)

Pope's Resignation Sparks Conspiracy Theories
Benedict XVI's shock resignation has set tongues wagging as some Italians question why he has become the first Pope for nearly 600 years to step down.

Pope Benedict XVI: Resignation in Latin
Listen to the Pope’s resignation in Latin here

Wie aus Joseph Ratzinger Benedikt XVI. wurde
«Wir sind Papst!», jubelte die «Bild»-Zeitung am 20. April 2005. 78 Jahre alt war Joseph Ratzinger damals, auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Karriere angekommen. In die Kirchengeschichte eingeschrieben hatte sich Ratzinger damals längst schon.

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Five Members of British Family Die in Car Crash on Pilgrimage to Mecca But One-year-old Baby Survives
MAIL ONLINE: Baby survived but grandparents, aunt, father and pregnant mother killed / Found 'miraculously' alive in arms of dying grandfather who 'saved his life' / Aunt, due to marry days later, sent last text saying driver going 'too fast' / Taxi driver 'fell asleep' at wheel with three generations of same family in car

Five members of a British family were killed in a car crash on a pilgrimage to Mecca - but a one-year-old baby miraculously survived in the wreckage.

The three generations of the family were making the 3,000 mile trip to Saudi Arabia for the religious journey when their taxi crashed.

The only survivor of the horror smash was Mohammed Eisa Danial Hayat, one, who lost both his parents, grandparents and aunt in the crash.

Baby Mohammed was found being cradled in the arms of his dying grandfather in the crash.

Grandfather Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, his wife Abida, 47, and their children, Mohammed Isshaq Hayat, 33, and Saira Zenub Hayat, 30, died in the smash. » | Emily Davies | Monday, February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28th, a Vatican spokesman has announced.

"The pope announced that he will leave his ministry at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on February 28," said the spokesman, Federico Lombardi.

Last year the Pope started using a cane on occasions and recently he appeared to have trouble reading the text of an address he delivered in Rome.

There was no immediate official comment from the Vatican. » | Barney Henderson | Monday, February 11, 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Sensation im Vatikan: Papst Benedikt XVI. tritt zurück – Papst Benedikt XVI. tritt zurück. Der 85-Jährige wird sein Amt nach Vatikan-Angaben zum Ende des Monats niederlegen. Er ist erst der zweite Pontifex in der Geschichte der Katholischen Kirche, der sich zu diesem Schritt entschieden hat - nach Coelestin V. im Jahr 1294. » | Montag, 11. Februar 2013

LE FIGARO: EN DIRECT – Le pape Benoît XVI va démissionner: Le pape invoque son état physique, ont confirmé des sources du Vatican au Figaro. Il quittera ses fonctions le 28 février. » | lundi 11 février 2013

Yasser Arafat's Widow Says Her Marriage Was 'A Big Mistake'

THE GUARDIAN: Suha Arafat says she tried to leave hundreds of times and would not have married if she had known what was in store

Yasser Arafat's widow has said she tried to leave her husband hundreds of times and that had she known what marriage to the Palestinian leader would be like, she would never have gone through with it.

Suha Arafat told the Turkish newspaper Sabah that she had loved her husband but the marriage "was a big mistake and I regret it". "I know there were a lot of women that wanted to marry Arafat, but he wanted only me. It was my fate," she said.

The couple married secretly in Tunisia in 1990, when Suha was 27 and Arafat 61. Their daughter Zahwa was born five years later.

Her mother had opposed the match, she said. "Later I understood why. Had I known what I would endure, I clearly wouldn't have married him … True, he was a great leader, but I was lonely."

"I tried to leave him hundreds of times, but he wouldn't let me. Everyone knows how he wouldn't permit me to leave. Especially those in his servitude, they know very well what it was like."

Suha converted from Christianity to Islam at the time of her marriage. She led an isolated life for security reasons, she said. "I had to be careful in my phone conversations because of bugging, and we were always moving from one location to another," she added. "My identity was completely destroyed." » | Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem | Sunday, February 10, 2013

Celine Dion Performs in Mandarin for Chinese New Year
Celine Dion performs at a Chinese new year gala in Beijing as millions across the world welcome in the year of the snake on Sunday. The Candian singer performs the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower in Mandarin on Chinese state TV, with Chinese soprano Song Zuying. The performance followed a massive fireworks display that lit up the Beijing skyline

Sweden's Jewish Community Under Siege
A strong police presence surrounded this year's Hanukkah celebrations in Sweden which concluded on Sunday after to a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes which has sparked calls for greater tolerance from the Jewish community.