'Muslims in Germany Have Rights and Obligations'
DEUTSCHE WELLE: For the first time in Germany, a Muslim community has been granted 'corporation under public law' status. Abdullah Uwe Wagishauser, its chairman, tells DW that this includes rights as well as responsibilities.

The Culture Ministry in the state of Hesse has granted Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat (AMJ) in Frankfurt, a Muslim religious community, the status of 'corporation under public law' - a first in Germany.

Legally, the new status puts it on par with the major Christian churches and the Jewish community in Germany. Public corporation status gives the communities certain rights, including the right to pass laws for their organization and raise taxes from members.

Abdullah Uwe Wagishauser has served as AMJ chairman since 1984. Active in Germany since the 1950s, the AMJ, with its 39 mosques and more than 35,000 members in about 225 communities, is regarded as a moderate Muslim reformist movement. » | DW.DE | Interview: Klaus Krämer / db | Editor: Michael Lawton | Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Obama and Putin: The Best of Friends

Source: The Daily Telegraph »

Stalingrad: WWII Documentary
The Battle of Stalingrad, which cost the lives of at least a million German soldiers, Red Army troops and Soviet civilians, was the bloodiest of the decisive battles in the "war of extermination" which Hitler had unleashed. The annihilation of the German Sixth Army brought home to many Germans with a terrible shock the fact that, despite the propaganda which filled their ears, the war would inevitably be lost in the end. For both Germany and Russia, Stalingrad signified the psychological turning point in World War II. This three-part documentary, employing previously unreleased film footage and brutally frank statements from survivors on both sides, explains exactly how the catastrophe came about and describes the gruesome consequences of the battle for the soldiers and the inhabitants of the city.

Listening Post: Bradley Manning: Truth On Trial?
We examine the implications of Manning's trial and speak exclusively to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Inside Story Americas: Arming Syria's Opposition
What are the issues behind the US decision to provide 'direct military aid' to the Syrian opposition now?

Brazil Protests: Violence Erupts During Nationwide Marches
There were mass protests in Brazil on Monday night as up to 200,000 people angry with high costs and poor public services took to the streets. Protesters in Rio de Janeiro burned cars and looted buildings as police attempted to disperse them with teargas and rubber bullets. Aerial images showed thousands of people attempting to storm the congress building in Brasilia. The rallies, which come during the Confederations Cup football tournament, are some of the biggest ever seen in the country

Read the Guardian article here | Jonathan Watts in Rio de Janeiro | Tuesday, June 18, 2013

'Intervention Will Make Syria 10 Times Worse Than Extremist-ravaged Libya'
Assad troops have made a strong push in recent weeks, and rebel leaders say they are in dire need of support. They've already got al-Qaeda-linked militants and foreign mercenaries fighting on their side, and are now set to start getting weapons from the West. Meanwhile, government forces have the backing of Lebanon's Hezbollah, and may soon get a four-thousand-strong troop reinforcement from Iran. The British National Party's Nick Griffin was part of a European fact-finding delegation that's just returned from Damascus. He told RT that any third-party involvement only aggravates the conflict.

My comment:

I smell the scent of Saudi behind this ludicrous decision to arm the rebels. The Saudis are pulling the strings here, if I am not greatly mistaken. In a few words, Cameron is the Saudi stooge, as is Obama. Remember that obsequious bow he made to the Saudi king? – © Mark

This comment is also to be found here

Obama's Soft Totalitarianism: Europe Must Protect Itself from America

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Is Barack Obama a friend? Revelations about his government's vast spying program call that assumption into doubt. The European Union must protect the Continent from America's reach for omnipotence.

On Tuesday, Barack Obama is coming to Germany. But who, really, will be visiting? He is the 44th president of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. He is an intelligent lawyer. And he is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

But is he a friend? The revelations brought to us by IT expert Edward Snowden have made certain what paranoid computer geeks and left-wing conspiracy theorists have long claimed: that we are being watched. All the time and everywhere. And it is the Americans who are doing the watching.

On Tuesday, the head of the largest and most all-encompassing surveillance system ever invented is coming for a visit. If Barack Obama is our friend, then we really don't need to be terribly worried about our enemies. » | A Commentary by Jakob Augstein | Monday, June 17, 2013

Barbra Streisand Criticises Treatment of Women by Orthodox Jews

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Barbra Streisand waded into one of Israel's touchiest issues on the first major stop of her tour of the country – Jewish religious practices that separate men and women.

Speaking at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Monday, the 71-year-old took aim at cases of ultra-Orthodox Jews targeting women.

"It's distressing to read about women in Israel being forced to sit in the back of the bus," she said, "or when we hear about 'Women of the Wall' having metal chairs thrown at them when they attempt to peacefully and legally pray."

She was referring to isolated incidents in which ultra-Orthodox men tried to force women to sit separately at the rear of buses that go through their neighbourhoods, as well as more serious clashes in which ultra-Orthodox Jews tried to prevent women donning prayer shawls and carrying Torah scrolls from praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest site where Jews can worship. » | Associated Press | Edited by Chris Irvine | Monday, June 17, 2013

Golan Frights: Israelis Shiver as Iran Plans to Deploy Troops to Syria
Iran is reportedly gearing up to send thousands of troops to Syria to beef up government forces against the rebels. It also went as far as proposing a new military frontier in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. And, coupled with American intentions to arm the Syrian opposition, Israelis living in the area fear they're in for some big trouble, as Paula Slier reports.

Big Phish: Snowden's Leaks Could Be Just Tip Of Iceberg
The revelations of the G20 spying come as the scandal caused by Snowden's earlier disclosures - on the extent of US surveillance after its own and foreign citizens - is gaining momentum. Dozens of lawsuits are being filed against the government's practices - while many lawmakers continue to defend the operation. It has also emerged that the scope of the surveillance - and the help it received from corporations - may have been underestimated.

NSA Leaks: US Spied On Former President Medvedev at 2009 G20 Summit
As Britain readies to host the G8 summit, the documents uncovered by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden have revealed that back in 2009 US spies intercepted top-secret communications of then Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, during his visit to London.

Syriens Machthaber Assad im F.A.Z.-Gespräch: „Europa wird den Preis für Waffenlieferungen zahlen“
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: In einem exklusiven Interview mit der F.A.Z. warnt Syriens Präsident Assad vor einem Export des Terrorismus nach Europa. Assad spricht über Waffen für die Rebellen, den Einsatz von Giftgas, die Rolle ausländischer Mächte und die Genfer Konferenz.

Baschar al-Assad im Gespräch mit Rainer Hermann » | Quelle: F.A.Z. | Montag, 17. Juni 2013

US Options for Arming, Training Syrian Rebels
Insight from Fox News military analyst Maj. Gen. Bob Scales

Obama Idolatry Falling Apart
Tim Graham and Erik Erickson on the drastic decline of liberalism

Moderate Muslims Struggle to Make Their Voices Heard
What is the true face of Islam?

Turquie : le gouvernement menace de recourir à l'armée
LE POINT: Le régime d'Ankara entend empêcher l'organisation d'éventuelles nouvelles manifestations à Istanbul ainsi que dans tout le reste de la Turquie.

Le gouvernement turc a menacé vendredi de faire intervenir l'armée pour empêcher les éventuelles manifestations à Istanbul et dans toute la Turquie, a indiqué lundi le vice-Premier ministre Bulent Arinç. "Tout d'abord, un policier n'est pas un vendeur de rues, mais un membre des forces de l'ordre. Les policiers useront de tous les moyens qui leur sont conférés par la loi", a déclaré Bulent Arinç dans un entretien accordé à la télévision A Haber, ajoutant que "personne ne peut se plaindre de la police". "Si cela ne suffit pas, même les forces armées turques peuvent être utilisées dans les villes sous l'autorité des gouverneurs" de régions, a-t-il ajouté. » | Source AFP | lundi 17 juin 2013

LE POINT: Presque la moitié des Turcs jugent leur gouvernement plus autoritaire : Selon un sondage, une majorité de la population turque estime également que l'exécutif intervient de plus en plus dans son mode de vie. » | Source AFP | lundi 17 juin 2013

Kemalismus: Atatürk – Erdogans großes Vor- und Feindbild

DIE WELT: Nie hat ein Politiker mit solcher Radikalität eine Gesellschaft verändert wie Kemal Atatürk, der Gründer der Türkei. Sein westlicher, säkularer Wertekanon ist heute durch Erdogan in Gefahr. Von Dietrich Alexander

Zu den Pflichtveranstaltungen hoher Staatsgäste in der Türkei gehört es, das Mausoleum des Republikgründers zu besuchen: Mustafa Kemal Pascha, genannt Atatürk. Beeindruckend ist Anıtkabir, das Denkmal, rund um die Uhr von Soldaten bewacht. Wachwechsel im Stechschritt, ein Statement in Stein, ewige Ruhe im 42 Tonnen schweren Sarkophag.

"Vater der Türken" heißt Atatürk übersetzt. Als solcher begreift sich der Soldat, Revolutionär, Visionär und Politiker wohl, als er sein Land aus den Trümmern des Osmanischen Reiches erhebt und ihm ab der Proklamation der Republik am 29. Oktober 1923 einen neuen, seinen Stempel aufdrückt. Der Weg des Mustafa Kemal Pascha zu Atatürk aber ist heftig, kontrovers und dauert bis zum Jahr 1934. Erst in dem Jahr verleiht ihm die Große Nationalversammlung den Ehrentitel, den niemand sonst je tragen darf und wird.

Um zu begreifen, welchen elementaren kulturpolitischen Wandel Kemal Mustafa Pascha seinem Land verordnet, muss man die Figur des Mannes studieren, der am 19. Mai 1881 unter dem Namen Mustafa in Saloniki (heute: Thessaloniki, Griechenland) als Sohn des Holzhändlers und ehemaligen Zoll-Leutnants Ali Riza sowie dessen Frau Zübeyde Hanim in einfachen Verhältnissen geboren wird. Kemal heißt auf Arabisch Vollendung » | Von Dietrich Alexander | Montag, 17. Juni 2013

Turkey Unrest: Unions Call Strike Over Crackdown

BBC: Turkish unions have called a strike to protest against the police crackdown on demonstrators.

Turkey's Prime Minister has angrily defended the eviction of protesters from Gezi Park on Saturday night.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan told hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally in Istanbul on Sunday that the protesters were manipulated by "terrorists".

On Sunday there were continued sporadic clashes between protesters and police in Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

The Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) and Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK), along with three professional organisations, have announced what they call a one-day work stoppage to demand an end to "police violence".

The unions have called for a march and a rally in Istanbul on Monday afternoon.

Lawyers from the Turkish bar association say that close to 500 people have been detained as part of the police operation against the demonstrators. (+ videos) » | Monday, June 17, 2013

Proteste: Merkel erschrocken über türkische Polizeigewalt

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mit deutlichen Worten hat Kanzlerin Merkel den harten Kurs der türkischen Sicherheitskräfte kritisiert. Die Gewalt gegen Demonstranten nannte sie "erschreckend", den Kurs der Regierung "viel zu hart". Das Auswärtige Amt ruft Türkei-Reisende zu besonderer Vorsicht auf.

Istanbul - Seit Wochen gibt es in der Türkei wütende Proteste gegenRecep Tayyip Erdogan - doch der Ministerpräsident bleibt bei seiner harten Linie gegen die Regierungsgegner. Auch auf höchster politischer Ebene wächst die Kritik am Kurs der Regierung. Nun hat Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) das gewaltsame Vorgehen der türkischen Polizei in Istanbul verurteilt.

Aus ihrer Sicht seien die Sicherheitskräfte dort "viel zu hart vorgegangen", sagte Merkel vor ihrer Abreise zum G-8-Gipfel am Montag im Fernsehsender RTL. "Das, was im Augenblick in der Türkei passiert, entspricht nicht unseren Vorstellungen von Freiheit der Demonstration, der Meinungsäußerung." Zu den Fernsehbildern von der Räumung des Gezi-Parks in Istanbul sagte sie: "Ich bin erschrocken, wie viele andere Menschen auch." » | jok/fab/dpa/Reuters | Montag, 17. Juni 2013