Friday, May 23, 2014
Crown Prince of Thailand Takes Refuge in Five-star Hampshire Hotel
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| Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn |
The Crown Prince of Thailand has escaped the political turmoil in his own country and is staying in a five-star hotel in the Hampshire countryside.
Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his 30-strong royal entourage have taken over a wing of grade-II listed Tylney Hall in the village of Rotherwick, the Evening Standard reported.
Prince Vajiralongkorn, the heir apparent and only son of King Bhumibol Adulyade.
Tylney Hall, where room start at £250 a night, rising to £530 for the Duke and Duchess Suites with four-poster beds and whirlpool baths, declined to comment on their royal guest.
“We never discuss our guests and will not be making any comment about this,” said a spokesman. » | Keith Perry | Friday, May 23, 2014
Iranian Women Who Posted Photos Without Hijabs Face Conservative Backlash
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| Picture of women posing without their hijabs posted on the Facebook page |
Iranian women who posted pictures online of themselves with their hair uncovered are facing a growing backlash from conservative sections of the Islamic Republic.
Dozens of women posted photos of themselves on a Facebook page flouting the Islamic dress code in parks, at the seaside and in the streets.
The My Stealthy Freedom group was set up by London-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad with the aim of sparking debate on whether women should have the right to choose what to wear.
Within the first two days of its creation, 30,000 women posted photos of themselves.
“This is Iran… The feeling of the wind blowing through every strand of hair, is a girl’s biggest dream,” the caption on the page read.
Ms Alinejad was inundated with international messages of support, but the reaction at home has been less positive. » | Josie Ensor | Friday, May 23, 2014
UKIP Candidate: Gays Will Stop Marrying Because They Are ‘Promiscuous Prisoners’
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| Kohn Kearney: 'Marriage for gays will gradually fall in numbers' |
John Kearney is standing for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in the ward of Winklebury.
The Basingstoke Gazette reports on 29 March, the same day in which same-sex couples could begin marrying in England and Wales, he wrote on his blog: “Marriage for gays will gradually fall in numbers since it is against the promiscuous nature of that community.
“The Church of England will fall very soon and be conducting gay weddings and we will have the neo-Catholics in our church ‘giving us their compassionate views’, but the Church will stay strong despite their onslaught.
“We must pray for the gay community that they will see that they are indeed prisoners who need freedom.”
Mr Kearney, a Catholic, has also made outspoken remarks about Islam.
In August last year he wrote: “Today we have the rise of Islam and a contempt for human life among a large number of people of that faith. They seek world domination and are more evangelical in their cause than Christians have been in the past 40 years. » | Scott Roberts | Thursday, May 22, 2014
Nigel Farage: 'The Ukip Fox Is in the Westminster Hen-house'
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| Nigel Farage |
A jubilant Nigel Farage has declared “the Ukip fox is in the Westminster hen-house”, after two of the largest parties in Westminster began losing control of councils as a result of gains for the Ukip leader’s “people's army”.
The surge in support for Ukip led Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander to comment the country appeared to have entered a period of "four-party politics" as Farage’s party shrugged off a campaign blighted by controversies to win seats in Conservative and Labour strongholds.
In a sign the party could do well in elections to the European Parliament too, Ukip won more new seats than any other party in local elections in England, according to partial results from around a quarter of councils.
Reacting to the first confirmed results, a "very pleased" Farage insisted Ukip are set to be "serious players" at the general election. » | Heather Saul | Friday, May 23, 2014
Prince Charles Attacked by Russian-funded TV Channel over Putin Remarks
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| Prince Charles has been criticised by Russian-backed TV station for comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler |
A Kremlin-funded news channel has hit back at Prince Charles likening Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler by highlighting the royal family's historical links to the Nazis.
The unashamedly pro-Russian broadcaster Russia Today said Charles should look to his own family history before criticising Putin over Russia's actions in Ukraine.
"If anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family," said RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai on its In the Now programme. She then introduced a slick video graphic of a mocked-up photo album providing a pictorial guide to the House of Windsor's Nazi links. Read on and comment » | Matthew Weaver | Friday, May 23, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
European Election Upset for Geert Wilders as Dutch Turn Cold on Anti-EU Party
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| Dutch right-wing 'Partij voor de Vrijheid' (PVV) leader Geert Wilders poses for the media after voting for the European Parliament |
Geert Wilders came fourth in European elections in the Netherlands on Thursday night, confounding predictions that he would lead a populist and far-Right backlash against the European Union across the continent.
Dutch exit polls put the far-Right and anti-Islam leader on 12.2 per cent of the vote, putting him behind all the pro-EU mainstream political parties.
'Definitive' exit polls put him behind the ruling centrist VVD on 12.3 per cent and almost three per cent behind the pro-EU D66 liberals and Christian Democrats, each on over 15 per cent.
Previous opinion polls had put Mr Wilders in the lead but there was widespread controversy over his alliance with the France’s Front National and the exit polls suggested that his share of the vote fell, compared with 2009, by 4.8 percentage points.
The result is a major blow to Mr Wilders who will lose a seat in the European Parliament with his MEPs now reduced to three out a total of 26 Dutch representatives. » | Bruno Waterfield, Scheveningen | Thursday, May 22, 2014
Thailand Coup: Tourists Confined to Hotels and City Streets Deserted after Curfew Announced
A nationwide curfew was imposed across Thailand on Thursday emptying city streets of their population, closing down bars, businesses and restaurants and forcing tens of thousands at tourist resorts across the country to remain in their hotels.
The dramatic move followed the Thai military's declaration of martial law, defying international pressure by taking over a civilian government which was entrenched in political deadlock.
The head of the military, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, appeared on television, flanked by other armed services chiefs and proclaimed the army would act to resolve those political divisions that have paralysed the state for almost a decade.
Within hours of his appearance TV and radio stations were blocked with the reported threat of an internet and social media blackout to come.
Tourists arriving in the country from Britain and elsewhere were greeted by fleets of vehicles commandeered to ferry visitors after the 10pm start of the curfew between airports and hotels. Read on and comment » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, May 22, 2014
Mandelson Tells Putin's Cronies: Russia Will Suffer for Crimean Invasion
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| Lord Mandelson has said that the invasion of Crimea was an illegal annexation that will be cutting the country off from foreign investment |
Lord Mandelson has told members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle that the invasion of Crimea was an illegal annexation that would become a “self-inflicted economic wound” for Russia by cutting the country off from foreign investment.
The former Labour business secretary was speaking at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, a gathering designed to mirror the Davos convention and dubbed a “vanity summit” for Putin as he attempts to mask Russia economic malaise.
He was appearing alongside Kremlin loyalists including Sergei Glazyev, Putin’s chief adviser on Ukraine and Vladimir Yakunin, the president of Russian Railways and a potential successor to his friend, the president . Both men are subject to Western travel bans and asset freezes.
Alexei Uljukaev, the economic development minister, Anton Siluanov, the finance minister, and Anatoly Chubais, the architect of the mass privatisations in the 1990s that created Russia’s oligarch class were also on the panel.
The invasion will become a “Pyrrhic victory” for Moscow and the country cannot turn its back on markets and finance from the rest of the world, Lord Mandelson said. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent | Thursday, May 22, 2014
'Islamic Jew-hatred' Ads with Hitler & Palestinian Leader Adorn DC Buses
Prince Charles's Putin-Hitler Comparison Is Outrageous, Says Russia
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| Prince Charles and Camilla in Winnipeg on their official visit to Canada. |
Russia has accused Prince Charles of making outrageous and low remarks in comparing Vladimir Putin with Adolf Hitler, as the fallout from the comments threatens to descend into a diplomatic row.
The delayed but furious response to the prince's comments came before a meeting with the Foreign Office which was demanded by the Russian embassy in London.
In a statement on Thursday, the embassy said: "The outrageous remarks made by Prince Charles in Canada will be among the questions raised. The embassy asked the FCO for official clarifications on that yesterday."
Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, underlined the Kremlin's anger.
"If these words were truly spoken, then without doubt, they do not reflect well on the future British monarch," he told a news conference.
"We view the use of the western press by members of the British royal family to spread the propaganda campaign against Russia on a pressing issue – that is, the situation in Ukraine – as unacceptable, outrageous and low," he said. » | Matthew Weaver | Thursday, May 22, 2014
Preacher Who Said ‘Islam Is Satanic’ Is Facing Police Probe Over ‘Hate Mongering’
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| Pastor James McDonnell of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast |
A fundamentalist preacher who said “Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell” has been accused of “hate mongering” as the police confirmed they are investigating a possible hate crime.
The PSNI launched an investigation after Pastor James McConnell branded Islam “satanic” at the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in North Belfast.
The church, which is attended by First Minister Peter Robinson, heard McConnell say he doesn’t trust Muslims.
Asked about the incident, a PSNI spokesman said: “Police are aware of an incident at premises at the Shore Road on Sunday, May 18. Enquiries are continuing and at this stage, police are investigating a hate crime motive.”
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said “this type of hate mongering must be condemned in the strongest possible terms”.
He added: “Coming in the wake of recent spate of disgraceful racist attacks against families in parts of Belfast and elsewhere, such inflammatory comments only serve to fuel hatred.” » | By Mirror.co.uk | Thursday, May 21, 2014
Belfast Pastor Denounces Islam as the Devil’s Doctrine »
Pakistan's Geo News Becomes Latest Target in Blasphemy Accusation Trend
Young children, religious minorities and people with mental health problems have all been accused of the crime of blasphemy in Pakistan.
Now the country's most popular television station has shown that even one of Pakistan's most powerful institutions is not immune from a growing trend.
Ever since Geo News was accused of airing blasphemous material on one of its morning shows last week the channel has taken extraordinary security precautions, including removing its corporate branding from the side of its broadcast trucks.
"It's a very dangerous situation because it puts all our staff at risk," said Imran Aslam, president of the channel. "This is not just about the destruction of property or the shutting down of the channel, but lives." » | Jon Boone in Lahore | Thursday, May 22, 2014
Nicolas Sarkozy Calls for End of Europe's Visa-free Schengen Area
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| Nicolas Sarkozy |
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has called for the end of Europe's visa-free Schengen area in order to protect the country's ailing social system.
Writing in an opinion piece in Le Point magazine on Thursday, Mr Sarkozy also called for powers to be handed back to national governments from Brussels. » | Andrew Marszal, and AFP | Thursday, May 22, 2014
EXCLUSIF. Sarkozy au "Point" : "Nous devons être européens et français" »
Diplomatic Row as Russia Demands 'Clarification' on Prince Charles 'Hitler' Comments
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| Prince Charles likened Russia's annexation of Crimea to the actions of Nazi Germany |
A senior Russian ambassador is to meet an official from the Foreign Office on Thursday after the Prince of Wales caused a diplomatic row by comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.
The Prince made his remark, in which he likened Russia’s annexation of Crimea to the actions of Nazi Germany, during a visit to a museum of immigration in Halifax, Canada.
He told a woman whose relations were murdered in the Holocaust: “And now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler.”
Russian diplomats contacted the Foreign Office on Wednesday night seeking an urgent meeting to clarify whether Prince Charles’s provocative remarks amounted to an “official position”.
As a result, Russia’s deputy ambassador will meet a senior FCO official on Thursday, The Telegraph understands. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent, Gordon Rayner, Roland Oliphant | Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Ägypten: Mubarak zu drei Jahren Haft verurteilt
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| Hosni Mubarak |
Kairo. Ein Strafgericht in Kairo hat am Mittwoch Hosni Mubarak zu drei Jahren Haft verurteilt. Der Richter befand den ägyptischen Ex-Machthaber, der im Februar 2011 durch sein Volk zum Rücktritt gezwungen worden war, schuldig, für den Ausbau seiner privaten Residenzen seit 2002 öffentliche Mittel in Höhe von 12,5 Millionen Euro veruntreut zu haben. Mubaraks mitangeklagte Söhne Alaa und Gamal erhielten vier Jahre. Die Verurteilten müssen den gesamten Schaden ersetzen und eine Geldstrafe von 2,2 Millionen Euro zahlen. » | Die Presse | Mittwoch, 21. Mai 2014
Prince Charles 'Should Abdicate' after Comparing Putin to Hitler, Says MP
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| Prince Charles (right) pictured with the Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2003 |
Prince Charles is facing a call for his abdication and a frosty response in Moscow after reportedly comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler over Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Charles blundered into the international crisis over Russia's actions in Ukraine during a tour of Canada, when he spoke to a woman who fled the Nazis and lost family members during the Holocaust.
According to the Daily Mail, the prince compared the Russian president to the Nazi leader when talking to Marienne Ferguson, a museum volunteer who moved to Canada with her Jewish family when she was just 13. "Now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler," Charles is reported to have said.
Charles's remarks have been criticised across the political spectrum in Britain: the Labour MP Mike Gapes called for his abdication, while the outspoken Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, said the prince was wrong to get involved. Read on and comment » | Matthew Weaver, Rowena Mason and agencies | Wednesday, May 21, 2014
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