Gay Marriage: Bishop of Salisbury Gives Backing to Same-sex Weddings

Bishop of Salisbury, Nick Holtam, issued a statement
supporting gay marriage.

THE GUARDIAN: Bishop Nick Holtam says gay marriage 'embodies virtues that the Church of England wants to see maximised in society'

The Church of England's divisions over gay marriage have been reopened by the Bishop of Salisbury, who has issued a statement praising the couples who will get married and assuring them of his prayers and good wishes.

Nick Holtam's supportive remarks on the eve of the legalisation of gay marriage expresses the views of a significant body of dissent within the Church of England, unhappy with the formal position that prevents Anglican clergy from marrying partners of the same sex.

Gay marriage, the bishop said, "embodies a commitment to be faithful, loving, and lifelong. These are virtues which the Church of England wants to see maximised in society." » | Andrew Brown | Friday, March 28, 2014

Christian Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy in Pakistan

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Arrest of Sawan Masih after drunken row last year prompted Muslim mob to burn hundreds of homes in eastern city of Lahore

A Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan, according to his lawyer, following an incident last year that prompted a Muslim mob to torch hundreds of homes.

It is the latest in a string of convictions prompting calls from religious minorities for the law to be reformed.

Naeem Shakir said his client, Sawan Masih, was convicted during a hearing held in jail for fear of violent protests.

Masih, a cleaner, was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed during a conversation with a Muslim friend in the eastern city of Lahore. Within hours, about 3000 protesters had set light to Christian homes and churches in an area known as Joseph Colony.

His supporters have always claimed the incident was fabricated as part of a plot to seize land. » | Rob Crilly, Pakistan correspondent | Friday, March 28, 2014

Inside Story: Is Religion a Source of Unity or Division?

Religious leaders promote a message of co-operation between followers of different faiths.

Worlds Apart: 'Turkey Losing Its Democracy, Turning Authoritarian': Zaman Editor

Turkey has long been revered as a beacon of democracy in the Muslim world, but the corruption scandal rocking the nation has led to a clampdown by its government. And with the grip tightening on the judiciary, Internet and even Twitter, Turkey's civil society is being put to the test. Will the country live up to its democratic reputation or will it take an authoritarian turn? Oksana is joined by a senior editor at Today's Zaman, Sevgi Akarcesme, to examine these issues.

WIKI: Gülen movement »

First Same-sex Marriages to Be Held in UK. Rainbow Flag to Fly over Cabinet Office and Scotland Office

MP told he has "excommunicated" himself by voting for same sex weddings »

Who Is the Real Nigel Farage? Documentary Spends Six Months with the Ukip Leader

DAILY EXPRESS: HE makes no secret of the fact that he enjoys a few pints and more often than not is to be seen in public puffing away on a cigarette.

Nigel Farage's detractors have also tried to portray him as a clown, who is in charge of a party full of "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists".

One thing is for sure, love or loathe his ideology, the Ukip leader is not to be confused with the countless bland politicians who wander the corridors of Westminster.

Remarkably, in an age dominated by political correctness his maverick approach is paying dividends.

This week he was widely considered to have got the better of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in a live TV and radio debate on Europe.

With Ukip also expected to do well in forthcoming euro elections and party membership growing fast, a new TV documentary examines the remarkable rise of Farage on the eve of his 50th birthday.

Programme maker Martin Durkin spent six months shadowing the Ukip leader, following him to Strasbourg, where his speeches are winning a cult following, and exploring his middle-class roots in Kent. » | Adrian Lee | Friday, March 28, 2014

Nigel Farage: Who Are You? Monday, Channel 4, 7.30pm.

'Noah' Faces Storm of Criticism over Religious Merits

Mar. 27, 2014 - 7:58 - Panel debates the new film

Britischer Rechtspopulist zu Gast: AfD-nahe Junge Alternative läutet Europawahlkampf ein

Rechtspopulist Farage bei der AfD: Euro-Gegner aller Länder, vereinigt euch »

Finanzielle Abhängigkeit vom Westen: Teurer Krim-Coup - Mit der Annexion hat sich Putin selbst geschadet

FOCUS ONLINE: Unter den Augen des entsetzten Westens hat sich Wladimir Putin die Krim gesichert. Zu Hause wird er dafür gefeiert. Doch tatsächlich könnte er Russland einen Bärendienst erwiesen haben. Denn wenn Putin das Vertrauen ausländischer Investoren verliert, sind seine Zukunftsperspektiven düster. (+ Video) » | Von Focus-Online-Experte Ralf-Dieter Brunowsky | Donnerstag, 27. März 2014

Arabie : le roi désigne son demi-frère Moqren prochain prince héritier

LE POINT: Moqren, 2e vice-président du conseil des ministres, sera proclamé souverain "en cas de vacance simultanée aux postes de prince héritier et de roi".

Le roi Abdallah d'Arabie saoudite a désigné jeudi son demi-frère, Moqren Ben Abdel Aziz, prochain prince héritier, lui ouvrant la voie à l'accession au trône à la tête du royaume. Selon un décret du cabinet royal, diffusé en soirée par la télévision d'État El-Ikhbariya, le prince Moqren, actuel 2e vice-président du conseil des ministres, est nommé le prochain héritier du trône. Il sera proclamé souverain "en cas de vacance simultanée aux postes de prince héritier et de roi", selon la décision prise par le Conseil d'allégeance "à plus des trois quarts" de ses 34 membres, des princes de la famille royale. Cette décision est irrévocable, souligne le décret royal. (+ vidéo) » | Source AFP | jeudi 27 mars 2014

Russische Wirtschaft: Auch ohne Krim schon in der Krise

SPIEGEL ONLINE – WIRTSCHAFT: Das Kapital flüchtet, der Rubel bricht ein und es droht eine Rezession: Russlands Wirtschaft driftet allmählich Richtung Abgrund. Doch die Probleme sind nur zu einem kleinen Teil Folge der Krim-Krise. Viel schwerer wiegt, dass der Kreml seinen Modernisierungskurs aufgegeben hat.

mmerhin, für Siemens scheint die russische Welt noch in Ordnung zu sein. Konzern-Chef Joe Kaeser ist nach Moskau gereist, er hat Wladimir Putin getroffen. Der Präsident empfing ihn in Nowo-Ogarjowo, seiner Residenz vor den Toren von Moskau. Kaeser sprach von der "169-jährigen Tradition", die das Unternehmen mit Russland verbinde.

Allein 2,5 Milliarden Euro lässt sich der russische Staat 700 Siemens-Lokomotiven kosten, Siemens-Schnellzüge verkehren zwischen Moskau und Sankt Petersburg, Siemens-Regionalbahnen in der Olympiastadt Sotschi am Schwarzen Meer. » | Von Benjamin Bidder, Moskau | Freitag, 28. März 2014

Hillary Clinton vs. Jeb Bush in 2016 Bad for America?

Mar. 24, 2014 - 4:12 - Analysis of presidential buzz

Landesverteidigung Deutschlands: Brauchen wir doch die Wehrpflicht?

ZEIT ONLINE: Landesverteidigung war gestern? Von wegen. Alte Bedrohungen könnten zurückkehren.

Deutschland lebt, von Freunden umzingelt, friedlich in der Mitte Europas.

Die Bundeswehr wird nicht mehr für die klassische Landesverteidigung gebraucht, sondern dafür, Konflikte außerhalb des Nato-Gebiets zu befrieden.

Und: Der Wandel von einer verteidigungsstarken Abschreckungs- zur global agierenden Einsatzarmee erzwingt das Ende der Wehrpflicht.

Auf diesen drei Glaubenssätzen (und der Tatsache, dass der frühere Minister zu Guttenberg einen Sparbeitrag zum Haushalt bringen musste) basiert der aktuelle Großumbau der deutschen Streitkräfte. Das Problem ist nur: Diese drei Grundsätze erweisen sich möglicherweise gerade als falsch.

Russland hat sich die Krim einverleibt, die Ukraine sucht Zuflucht in der EU. Grenzen werden verschoben, Einflusszonen neu abgesteckt. 25 Jahre nach dem Fall der Mauer geht ein Riss durch Europa, einer, der als überwunden galt, doch jetzt erneut die Weltpolitik bestimmt: hier die Russen, da der Westen. Die einen schwächer geworden und unberechenbarer, der andere größer und selbstgefälliger. Und der bisher mächtigste Teil, die USA, proben gerade den Absprung in den pazifischen Raum. Weiter lesen und einen Beitrag abgeben » | Von Peter Dausend | Donnerstag, 27. März 2014

Yulia Tymoshenko to Run for President – and Take On 'Enemy Number One ' Vladimir Putin

Yulia Tymoshenko

THE INDEPENDENT: IMF pledges $18bn rescue package as interim PM warns of hard-hitting reforms

Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is set to run for president in the upcoming May elections.

Speaking at a press conference, Ms Tymoshenko said she would run as a "candidate for Ukrainian unity" and fight against corruption.

Ditching her princess hairstyle, she claimed none of the other candidates understand "the depth of the lawlessness gripping Ukraine" and insisted Russian president Vladimir Putin remains the "number one enemy".

Often regarded as a divisive figure, she promised to find a "common language" between her pro-European supporters and Russian-speakers, many of whom continue to back former President Viktor Yanukovich, who was ousted by the Ukrainian parliament after more than three months of protests in February. » | Maria Tadeo | Thursday, March 27, 2014

The Marseilles Motif – France (2012)

French election battle enters tense final phase

A Look Back to 2012: How Marine La Pen Helped France Lurch To The Right

Europe's Economic Crisis Is Getting Worse Not Better, Says Caritas Report

The Caritas report says that as a result of economic measures[,]
Greece's political scene has become increasingly toxic.

THE GUARDIAN: Survey shows increase in the number of new poor in seven countries and challenges the official European Union discourse

Far from being over Europe's economic crisis is getting worse with disturbing levels of poverty and deprivation being noted among children and youth, says a report compiled by the Catholic charity Caritas.

The survey, conducted over the course of the past year, not only challenges the official discourse – that Europe is on the mend – but documents a dramatic poor in the seven EU countries worst hit by the policies of austerity.

"We in Brussels keep hearing that the economic crisis is over," Thorfinnur Omarsson, a spokesman for Caritas Europa said in Athens where the network of Catholic relief organisations released the report. "These findings not only doubt that the crisis is over but show it is the poor who are paying for a crisis they did not cause." » | Helena Smith in Athens | Thursday, March 27, 2014

Turkey Moves to Block YouTube Access after 'Audio Leak'

BBC: Turkey has moved to block access to YouTube, a day after a court ordered the suspension of a ban on Twitter, which PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed.

The telecoms authority (TIB) said it had taken an "administrative measure" against the site but another report suggests that talks are under way.

Some users found access blocked while others could still use the site.

Earlier, what appeared to be a leaked audio recording of Turkish officials discussing Syria appeared on YouTube.

It relates to a discussion of possible military operations in Syria, which was apparently attended by Turkey's intelligence chief, its foreign minister and the deputy head of the armed forces. » | Thursday, March 27, 2014

Ukraine: UN Condemns Crimea Vote as IMF and US Back Loans

Russian forces seized Crimea's remaining military bases after
Ukrainian servicemen withdrew this week

BBC: The UN General Assembly has approved a resolution describing the Moscow-backed referendum that led to Russia's annexation of Crimea as illegal.

It comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to a loan deal with Ukraine worth $14-18bn.

The US Congress also passed legislation on Thursday backing a $1bn loan guarantee for Ukraine.

Tensions are high between Russia and the West after pro-Russian troops annexed Ukraine's southern peninsula.

The West has widely condemned the move, with US President Barack Obama warning on Wednesday of "deeper" EU and US sanctions against Russia if it carried out further incursions in Ukraine. » | Thursday, March 27, 2014

Is 'Empire' Vladimir Putin's Endgame?

Mar. 27, 2014 - 4:58 - Signs Russia preparing to further invade Ukraine