Crise de la dette: Angela Merkel met en garde contre la «médiocrité» en Europe
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La chancelière allemande, très attaquée en particulier en France pour sa défense de la rigueur, a réagi vivement en déplorant un «manque de confiance» entre dirigeants de la zone euro.

Angela Merkel a déploré devant la fédération des entreprises familiales un «manque de confiance entre les acteurs» de la zone euro, qui ne peut être résolu qu’en s’attaquant «aux racines de la crise», à savoir «l’endettement et les écarts de compétitivité». «Il y a un faux débat qui est apparu, opposant la croissance et la rigueur budgétaire. C’est n’importe quoi», a-t-elle tempêté. » | ats/afp/Newsnet | vendredi 15 juin 2012

British PM Appears Before Media Inquiry
The cosy relationship between British Prime Minister David Cameron and Rupert Murdoch's media empire has been exposed at a government inquiry in London. Cameron has been facing uncomfortable questions over his ties to Murdoch's UK operation, and its former head Rebekah Brooks. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports from London.

New Dark Age Alert! Kuwait: New Death Penalty for Blasphemy
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: So what should international human rights organization regard as the threat: the Quran, Quranic instructions, or the people who are just following its recommended path?

Kuwaiti lawmakers have passed a legal amendment authorizing the death penalty for Muslims who curse their God or the Quran, or who defame their Prophet Mohammed or his wife. In the amended article, if the defendant publicly repents and apologizes for the crime, the penalty will be reduced to five years in jail, a fine of 10,000 Kuwaiti Dinars (KD), or both.

The approved article states that non-Muslims who commit the same crime face at least 10 years in jail. Some MPs demanded the death penalty should also apply to them as well. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan boast the same death penalty law for blasphemy. In other Muslim countries, there are different interpretations to executing people who are outspoken and have different opinion. The Islamic States also never tolerate apostasy, conversion, or freedom from religion.

Islam is a belief. It is not clear in any Muslim country why a man before a court in any Muslim country would be termed Muslim if he does not believe in the religion, or possibly any religion, just because he happened to be born into a home in which Islam happened to be the religion of the family living there.

Overriding Kuwaiti disapproval, international human rights organizations, including the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, expressed deep concern. The Chairman of USCIRF, Leo Leonard, said he judged these penalties as alarming and contrary to international human rights standards.

As the commission recognizes the Quran as a holy script for the Muslims, however, the question arises as to how can the commission can feel concerned about the new law if the law has been derived from the Quranic instructions of which they ostensibly approve?

Although most Islamists formally say that the Quran itself does not prescribe any earthly punishment for apostasy, in fact Sharia Law and Islamic schools of jurisprudence strongly advocate that an apostate must be either executed or imprisoned until he or she re-converts to Islam. In the last 1400 years, Islam has been always harsh and brutal to non-believers, apostates and people who might have different opinions. Here is what Quran says on these issues: » | Mohshin Habib | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Barack Obama Holds Telephone Call with Saudi King as Syrian Diplomacy Row Intensifies
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: US President Barack Obama spoke to Saudi King Abdullah on Thursday, as regional diplomacy intensifies over Syria's escalating civil war and Iran's nuclear programme.

The White House declined to give details of the conversation, or to say exactly which issues Obama and Abdullah discussed.

"The two leaders reaffirmed the strong and enduring bilateral relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia," said a statement issued by Obama's press secretary Jay Carney.

The two leaders also discussed "a range of issues of mutual interest as part of their ongoing consultations," a White House statement said. » | Source: agencies | Friday, June 15, 2012

Hinweise von Freunden: Waldjunge Ray ist Robin aus den Niederlanden
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Seit Tagen füllt seine Geschichte die Medien. Monatelang rätselte die Polizei: Wer ist Ray? Nun lieferten Freunde und Bekannte entscheidende Hinweise: Der selbsternannte Waldjunge stammt aus den Niederlanden.

Berlin - Ray heißt in Wirklichkeit Robin. Er ist nicht 17 Jahre alt, sondern 20. Und er lebte nicht jahrelang im Wald, sondern in der niederländischen Stadt Hengelo. Neun Monate nach dem Auftauchen eines unbekannten jungen Mannes in Berlin ist das Rätsel um seine Herkunft offenbar gelöst. Robin wurde von Schulfreunden und Angehörigen identifiziert, nachdem die Berliner Polizei Fotos veröffentlicht hatte.

"Ray hat zugegeben, dass er Robin ist", sagte eine Polizeisprecherin. Der junge Mann sei am Freitagmorgen befragt worden. "An seiner Geschichte stimmte nichts." » | siu/hut/dpa | Freitag, 15. Juni 2012

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Berlin's Mysterious 'Forest Boy' Identified: A mysterious young man dubbed "forest boy" by the German media has finally been identified after some 10 months following the publication of his photo. His relatives in the Netherlands recognized him, police said. » | kla -- with wires | Friday, June 15, 2012

L’EXPRESS.fr: L'enfant des bois est mythomane : Le jeune homme de 20 ans, apparu dans le centre de Berlin en septembre 2011, prétendait avoir vécu dans la forêt pendant cinq ans et ne se souvenir ni de son nom ni de son adresse. Son mensonge aura duré 10 mois. » | Par LEXPRESS.fr | Avec AFP | vendredi 15 juin 2012

Related here, here, and here.

UAE Considers Crack Down on Skimpy Dressers
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Authorities in Abu Dhabi are considering introducing a national law that would enforce a dress code in public places within the UAE.

The debate about preventing skimpy attire being worn in shopping malls and on the streets has recently been brought to the fore by various campaign groups. The issue has also been fiercely debated in the social media.

The proposed law is currently with the cabinet after a recommendation from the Federal National Council (FNC) was backed by Dr Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, on Tuesday.

The politicians involved have so far agreed that expatriate residents are most likely to walk around in inappropriate clothing, rather than tourists.

“In the UAE we are a conservative society. We hold on to our traditions. I speak as the head of the national tourism council and our powers are limited”, said Dr Al Owais, reported in the newspaper The National. » | Thursday, June 14, 2012

British Suspected Islamic Terrorist Arrested in Germany
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A major German security operation targeted "dangerous" Islamist extremists in dawn raids by 850 police officers on 70 mosques, schools and homes across Germany.

Hans-Peter Friedrich, Germany's interior minister, banned one Salafist network, Millatu Ibrahim, for "working against our constitutional order and against understanding between peoples".

He also announced an investigation into two other networks, Dawa FFM and "The True Religion", with a view to a seeking additional bans.

"We are ready to defend freedom and fundamental rights in this country and I hope this is understood by those who are of a different opinion," he said.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the raids followed a discussion of the risk posed by a pan-European network of Salafist Islamists at an EU meeting of interior ministers, including Theresa May, the Home Secretary, last week.

Last month, the G6 group of interior ministers from the EU's biggest countries met in Munich to discuss "suspicious patterns of movement". » | Bruno Waterfield, Berlin | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Verbunden »

Bahrain King Warns against Insulting Defence Force
GULFNEWS.COM: Stresses zero-tolerance policy against those indulging in army slur

Manama: King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa has warned of a zero-tolerance response to the denigration of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF).

“We have these days heard about voices and platforms fueling hatred and abusing freedom of expression,” King Hamad said. “The matter has worsened to the point of disrespecting the Bahrain Defence Force. Our armed forces are the protectors of the nation’s achievements and everybody must know that whoever disrespects the forces or its leaders is in fact abusing us,” the monarch said as he visited the BDF headquarters and met the top brass on Wednesday.

King Hamad who founded the BDF in 1968 while he was crown prince, said that no irreverence towards Bahrain’s beliefs, social values and armed forces in the name of freedom of opinion would be accepted. » | Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Les salafistes mettent au défi l'État tunisien
LE FIGARO: Une exposition d'art contemporain a servi de prétexte aux extrémistes pour déclencher des émeutes.

Jamais la Tunisie n'avait connu des violences d'une telle ampleur depuis la révolution et les quelques semaines qui suivirent la chute de Ben Ali. Dans la nuit de lundi à mardi puis le lendemain, des émeutiers ont incendié ou vandalisés des commissariats, une annexe de tribunal ainsi que d'autres symboles de l'État tout autour de Tunis et ont été confrontés aux forces de l'ordre. La colère s'est limitée dans un premier temps aux alentours de Tunis, dans les banlieues bourgeoises que sont Carthage ou La Marsa ou dans des quartiers plus populaires de la capitale, avant de s'étendre à d'autres villes du pays comme Sousse ou Jendouba.

Selon plusieurs témoins, des hommes aux attributs salafistes seraient les auteurs de ces troubles. Le ministère de l'Intérieur confirme, précisant toutefois que des voyous, auteurs de pillages, ont gonflé les rangs des émeutiers dont il est difficile d'estimer le nombre.

Un jeune homme de 22 ans, présenté comme salafiste, a trouvé la mort mardi soir à Sousse (Est). Il avait été atteint plus tôt dans la journée d'une balle dans la tête lors d'affrontements entre manifestants et policiers.

Mercredi, les autorités faisaient état de 165 interpellations parmi lesquelles des salafistes mais aussi des personnes sans appartenance partisane déjà connues de la justice. » | Par Thibaut Cavaillès | jeudi 14 juin 2012

Oppositionsführerin Suu Kyi in Genf
Burmas Oppositionsführerin Aung San Suu Kyi ist zum Auftakt ihrer Europareise in Genf eingetroffen. Die Friedensnobelträgerin wird am Abend mit Aussenminister Didier Burkhalter zusammentreffen und über die Lage in Burma sprechen.

Razzien gegen Salafisten in Deutschland
Deutschland geht verschärft gegen die radikal-islamische Bewegung der Salafisten vor. In sieben Bundesländern haben die Behörden Razzien gegen die Islamisten durchgeführt. Zudem hat die Regierung in Berlin die Salafisten-Vereinigung Millatu Ibrahim in Nordrhein-Westfalen verboten.

Verbunden »

Anders Breivik Was Challenging and Aggressive Child, Court Hears
THE GUARDIAN: Forensic psychiatrists give evidence to Oslo court where Breivik is on trial for the murder of 77 people in Norway last year

Norwegian social workers considered removing Anders Behring Breivik from his mother when he was four years old because she was unable to cope with his behaviour, described in court as challenging, clinging, hyperactive and aggressive.

The claim came as it emerged that for a brief period in the 1980s Breivik and his sister were taken away from his mother – who was separated from his father – and put into respite care at her request.

The evidence of social problems beginning in Breivik's childhood came in a detailed psychiatric assessment presented to the Oslo court where Breivik, 33, is on trial for the murder of 77 people in a bombing and shooting massacre in Norway last summer, including scores of young people shot at a political camp on the island of Utøya.

The evidence was being given by two forensic psychiatrists, Torgeir Husby and Synne Sørheim, who controversially ruled that Breivik was suffering from "paranoid schizophrenia" when he carried out the murders. » | Peter Beaumont in Oslo | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Related »

Tony Blair Avoids Attempted Citizen's Arrest in Hong Kong
THE GUARDIAN: British activist interrupts former prime minister's speech with accusations of war crimes

The list of places where Tony Blair must look over his shoulder for protesters during his endless carousel around the global lecture circuit now includes Hong Kong, after a speech on faith and globalisation was interrupted by an activist seeking to make a citizen's arrest on the former prime minister.

Tom Grundy, a Briton living in the Chinese territory, said he walked towards Blair a few minutes into the address at Hong Kong University (HKU) with the intention of apprehending him for alleged offences connected to the Iraq war.

The 29-year-old said he had registered online to attend the talk, which took place on Thursday evening local time. Although Blair makes considerable sums as a paid-for speaker, this event was a more personal engagement, marking a link between HKU and his own Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Grundy carried with him a sheaf of notes about the legal basis for the attempted arrest, covering, he said, alleged violations of the UN charter, the Nuremberg principles, and the Geneva and Hague conventions. » | Peter Walker | Thursday, June 14, 2012

UK's Highest Court Rejects Julian Assange Appeal against Extradition to Sweden
THE INDEPENDENT: The UK's highest court has rejected a move by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to reopen his appeal against his extradition to Sweden where he faces sex crime allegations.

The announcement was made today by the Supreme Court.

It said in a statement that the required period for extradition "shall not commence until the 14th day after today".

Seven Supreme Court justices unanimously dismissed the move as being "without merit". » | Cathy Gordon | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Islamismus in Deutschland: Innenminister Friedrich verbietet Salafistenverein
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die deutschen Behörden greifen hart gegen Islamisten durch. Innenminister Friedrich hat erstmals einen salafistischen Verein verboten, weitere Gruppen sind im Visier der Ermittler. Wichtige Protagonisten der Szene verlieren damit eine bedeutende Propagandaplattform.

Berlin - Salafisten in Deutschland haben bei ihrem Vorhaben, neue Anhänger zu gewinnen, eine bedeutende Plattform verloren. Am Donnerstag hat Innenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) einen wichtigen salafistischen Verein verboten. Es handelt sich um das Netzwerk "Millatu Ibrahim" - es ist das erste Mal, dass ein salafistischer Verein zwangsaufgelöst wird. Gegen zwei weitere salafistische Gruppierungen, "Dawa FFM" und "Die Wahre Religion", wurden vereinsrechtliche Ermittlungsverfahren eingeleitet. Zuvor hatten Ermittler eine Großrazzia gegen die drei Vereine durchgeführt. Es ist die größte Aktion gegen Salafisten in der [Bundesrepublik ?][.]

Die Organisation "Millatu Ibrahim" richtet sich "gegen den Gedanken der verfassungsrechtlichen Ordnung und der Völkerverständigung", sagte Friedrich. Laut dem Innenministerium rufe "Millatu Ibrahim" zum Kampf "gegen unsere freiheitlich demokratische Grundordnung" auf.

"Die aggressiv kämpferische Grundhaltung der Vereinigung manifestiert sich in der Beförderung und Inkaufnahme strafrechtswidrigen Verhaltens, einschließlich des Einsatzes von Gewalt als Mittel im Kampf gegen die bestehende verfassungsgemäße Ordnung" ", sagte Friedrich. Dies belegten exemplarisch die gewaltsamen Ausschreitungen Anfang Mai 2012 in Solingen und Bonn. "Millatu Ibrahim hat diese in sogenannten Kampfvideos legitimiert und zu weiteren Gewalttaten aufgerufen", erklärte der Innenminister. Die Organisation werde nun aufgelöst, ihr Vermögen beschlagnahmt. » | Von Anna Reimann | Donnerstag, 14. Juni 2012


REUTERS.COM: German police raid scores of radical Islamists' homes: About 1,000 police raided scores of buildings across Germany on Thursday in a clampdown on radical Salafist Islamists suspected of plotting against the state. ¶ German officials fear the Salafists, who trace their roots to Saudi Arabiaand want to establish Sharia (Islamic) law in Europe, are fuelling militancy among a small minority of socially alienated young Muslims in Germany. ¶ Announcing the crackdown, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said he had banned one of the Salafists' groups called the Millatu Ibrahim and said the raids may unearth evidence that would allow the outlawing of two other associations. » | Sabine Siebold | BERLIN | Thursday, June 14, 2012

French President's Love-life 'Psychodrama' Rivals His Predecessor's
THE GUARDIAN: One tweet from François Hollande's partner threatens to bring the new president's 'normal' image crashing down

Once it seemed that Nicolas Sarkozy's public love-life sagas were hard to top: his marriage breakdown with Cécilia, her role as his political adviser, their ill-fated bling-encrusted presidential victory celebrations at the posh Fouquet's restaurant and on a billionaire's yacht. Then his reluctant, quickie divorce and speedy re-marriage to the supermodel Carla Bruni barely four months after meeting her. All this churned the stomachs of French voters and sent his popularity plunging to a nadir from which it never recovered.

But the Socialist François Hollande is now at the centre of a rival plotline. He had promised to be the anti-Sarkozy, a sober "Mr Normal" who was prudish about relationship matters and vowed that never again would France see such an outrageous mixing of public and private life.

But one tweet from his partner Valérie Trierweiler, in which she publicly took sides against Hollande's ex, Ségolène Royal, has threatened to bring the president's "normal" image crashing down. French media describe a dangerous love-life "psychodrama", in which the once-nerdy Socialist president is "sandwiched" between two jealous women from his present and past – a "dysfunctional trio" at the highest levels of the French state, said the leftwing Libération. Journalists describe a love-triangle in which there is so much animosity that on stage after Hollande's election as soon as he gave Royal the standard French peck-on-the-cheek, Trierweiler demanded: "Kiss me on the mouth."

This is not just embarrassing for Hollande. It threatens to damage his presidential standing and dent the Socialists' fortunes in crucial parliament elections this Sunday. Instead of asking whether the new French president can handle the euro-crisis or Syria, commentators and politicians are asking whether he can handle his relationships. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Greece's Super-rich Maintain Lavish Lifestyles and Low Profiles
THE GUARDIAN: Since the outbreak of the Greek crisis, the country's moneyed class has been notable mainly by its absence

Scudding across the turquoise waters of the Argo-Saronic gulf, Ioannis Arnaoutis singled out the pearl-white sands of a little bay. The shore glistened in the midday sun. "It was especially imported from Asia by the owner of the mansion above the bay," said the boatman, one hand on the steering wheel of his water taxi, the other pointing in the direction of the cove. "It's a private beach, which is why there is only one umbrella on it."

Nearly three years into their country's worst crisis in modern times, life goes on as normal for Greece's super-rich. As the sun sets, oligarchs, shipowners, singers and media stars gather at the Poseidonion hotel on the island of Spetses opposite the little bay. They tuck into a menu that includes pasticcio laced with foie gras. Among them is a middle-aged man in a T-shirt proclaiming: "More is less".

Three days before Greeks cast their ballots in a make-or-break election, their country could not be more divided. Here there is no talk of the pain of crisis – the only topic of conversation elsewhere in Greek society. The destitution and despair of Athens is a world away – and for many quite clearly it is best kept that way.

"Greeks brought this crisis upon themselves," said a London-based shipowner upholding the sector's vow of silence by insisting on anonymity. "They allowed crooks and corruption to prosper." » | Helena Smith in Spetses | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Argentina's President Renews Claim to Falkland Islands
THE GUARDIAN: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner marks 30th anniversary of end of Falklands war by attempting to reopen sovereignty talks

Argentina's president is pressing her country's claim to the Falkland Islands with a high-profile appearance before a little-known United Nations committee on the 30th anniversary of the end of the war.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's attendance on Thursday at the annual meeting of the UN decolonisation committee is the first by a head of state, and she [is] bringing dozens of supporters with her. By contrast, the Falkland Islands will be represented by two members of the legislative assembly, accompanied by six young islanders.

Argentina claims Britain has illegally occupied the islands they call the Islas Malvinas since 1833. Britain disputes Argentina's claim to the islands and says Argentina ignores the wishes of the island's 3,000 residents who have expressed a desire to remain British. Argentina maintains that the residents do not have the unilateral right to decide what they want the islands to be.

The clash over the islands flared into war in 1982 when Argentina's then-military dictatorship invaded.

Fernandez asked the 24-member decolonisation committee to schedule the annual discussion of the Falkland Islands' status on Thursday's anniversary of Britain's victory that ended the 74-day conflict. » | Associated Press | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Rise of Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Party Leads to Spate of Immigrant Attacks in Greece
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The rise of Greece's far-Right Golden Dawn party has led to a spate of vicious attacks against immigrants that it is feared will only increase after a new election is held on Sunday.

The neo-Nazi group has been blamed for numerous violent incidents since the May 6 vote, when it stunned the whole of Europe by winning 6.97 per cent of the vote and 20 seats in parliament amid deep anxiety about recession, unemployment and high levels of illegal immigration.

Polling data seen by the Daily Telegraph shows that Golden Dawn is on course to perform just as well or even better in the new election, which was called after the first failed to produce a government.

Immigrants groups have said that attacks in Athens have risen in recent weeks, backing up an increase in anecdotal reporting, and fear that once established in parliament the party's black t-shirted vigilantes will feel further emboldened in their campaign of intimidation.

Reza Gholami, the head of association for Afghan immigrants, said: "There are daily beatings. Most incidents are not known because immigrants do not notify authorities. They are afraid for their lives or don't have legal papers or lack the funds to pay the cost of a law suit."

There have been accusations of police bias after it emerged that 50 percent of Athens police officers voted for Golden Dawn. Suspected perpetrators are often arrested but not charged.

In the latest reported attack, a 28-year-old illegal Egyptian immigrant was beaten by men armed with clubs and iron bars as he slept on his roof to escape a summer heat wave. » | Alex Spillius, Athens | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Tausende protestieren gegen Putin

Chávez kandidiert erneut in Venezuela

Falklandkrieg: "Heute hätten wir keine Chance mehr"
DIE PRESSE: Am 14. Juni 1982 endete der Krieg um die Falklandinseln mit der Kapitulation Argentiniens. Admiral Sir John "Sandy" Woodward, Befehlshaber der Schlachtflotte der Royal Navy, sprach mit der „Presse".

Admiral Sir John Forster „Sandy" Woodward war 1982, als Konteradmiral, Befehlshaber jener Schlachtflotte der Royal Navy, die geschickt wurde, um die am 2. April 1982 von argentinischen Truppen besetzten Falklandinseln (Spanisch: Islas Malvinas), seit 1833 britische Außenbesitzung im Südatlantik, zurückzuerobern. Am 21. Mai landeten bei Port San Carlos auf Ostfalkland britische Landstreitkräfte, die Argentinier gaben am 14. Juni nach heftigen Kämpfen und etwa 900 Toten auf beiden Seiten auf. Heute lebt Woodward (80) in dem pittoresken südenglischen Dorf Bosham nahe Portsmouth in einem alten Fischerhaus haarscharf an der Wasserlinie - jeden Tag schwappt dort die Flut an dessen Außenmauern, zieht sich wieder zurück und hinterlässt schräg im Sand liegende Boote. Dort sprach er mit der „Presse" über den Krieg, seine taktischen Lehren und Grausamkeiten, das Leben danach, den heutigen Zustand der Royal Navy und Margaret Thatcher. » | Von Wolfgang Greber (Die Presse) | Mittwoch, 13. Juni 2012

Ben Ali condamné à perpétuité par contumace
LE FIGARO: L'ancien président, qui vit en exil en Arabie Saoudite, a été reconnu coupable de complicité dans la mort de 22 civils lors de la révolution tunisienne.

L'ancien président tunisien, en exil depuis janvier 2011 en Arabie Saoudite, a une nouvelle fois été condamné par la justice de son pays ce mercredi. En début de soirée, le tribunal militaire du Kef l'a condamné à perpétuité pour complicité d'homicides volontaires.

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali était poursuivi pour la mort de 22 personnes, tuées au plus fort de la protestation populaire contre le régime. La peine capitale était requise contre le président déchu dans cette affaire jugée depuis plus de six mois par le tribunal militaire du Kef. Si Ben Ali écope de la prison à perpétuité, son ancien ministre de l'Intérieur, Rafik Belhaj Kacem, est lui condamné à 12 ans d'emprisonnement. En revanche, l'ancien chef de la garde présidentielle Ali Seriati a bénéficié d'un non-lieu. » | Par lefigaro.fr | mercredi 13 juin 2012

Related »

Is There a Place for Gay Muslims?
Dr. Sherman Jackson responds to an audience question regarding Gay Muslims and homosexuality in Islam. Clip from Cultivating an Indigenous Muslim Culture part of the Shuruq 2009 Islam Awareness series held at New York University in April 2009.

New Dark Age Alert! Bilal Philips: Allah Hates Gays

WIKI: Dr. Bilal Philips »

Related »

Controversial Muslim Preacher to Speak in Calgary
LONDON FREE PRESS (CANADA): CALGARY - The controversial Muslim preacher who says homosexuals are evil and advocates for their death is set to speak at an upcoming event in Calgary.

Dr. Bilal Philips, a Canadian-born Muslim preacher with reputed links to terrorists who's been ousted from several countries, is to be a speaker at the Power of Unity Conference.

The event, being held by the Muslim Council of Calgary June 29 to July 1, aims to celebrate multiculturalism and more than a half-century of Islam in Canada.

Pride Calgary spokesman Doug Hass is disappointed Philips, on a roster alongside nearly two dozen speakers, is invited to spread his "hatred" here.

Saying the organization isn't planning any protests, Hass wouldn't be surprised if some people show up to voice their opinion at the event.

"It is a disappointment," he said Saturday.

"We respect freedom of speech and religion. But I believe religion is about peace, love and tolerance, not wishing death against any community." » | Nadia Moharib | QMI Agency | Saturday, June 09, 2012

Inside Story - Just How Corrupt Is Europe?
A new report by anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International says the relationships between businesses and governments are enabling corruption and undermining economic stability in Europe. It blames poor governance and lack of regulations on political lobbying for the eurozone's debt crisis. So just how corrupt is Europe? Guests: Chandu Krishnan, Meghnad Desai, Carl Haglund.

Bahrain: Interview with Abdul Aziz al Khalifa
Al Jazeera interviews Abdul Aziz al Khalifa, from the Bahrain Information Affairs Authority regarding the case of an 11-year-old boy on trial in Bahrain.

Israel to Deport African Migrants
Israeli police have rounded up more than 200 African migrants for deportation since Sunday. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says illegal immigrants threaten the security and identity of the Jewish state. Polls suggest many Israelis agree. Al Jazeera's Nadim Baba reports from Tel Aviv.

Greeks Face Stark Choice at Ballot Box
Greek voters return to the polls on Sunday, after a previous election in May failed to produce a goverment. The result could determine whether Greece sticks to the terms of its international bailout, and remains in the eurozone. Polls suggest the two main parties are running neck and neck, and neither is likely to win enough seats to rule alone. On the one hand conservative New Democracy is experienced but also accused of years of mismanagement. On the other, the left-wing Syriza bloc is an untarnished opposition, but lacking any experience in government. How the two parties are going to reconcile contradictory positions is anybody's guess - and the prospect of failure carries the risk of bankruptcy. Al Jazeera's John Psaropoulos reports from Athens.

Diskussion um Asylgesetz
In der grossen Asyldebatte des Nationalrats ist unter anderem die Idee umstritten, allen Asylsuchenden die Sozialhilfe zu streichen und nur noch Nothilfe zu gewähren. Wie die Nothilfe im Kanton Bern funktioniert und was ein allgemeines Nothilferegime bedeuten würde, zeigt die Reportage aus dem Nothilfezentrum Aarwangen.

Zum Teil in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch) übertragen.

Griechenlands Linken-Star Tsipras: Der Mann, der Europa Angst macht
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Alexis Tsipras lehnt das Sparen ab - und hat gute Chancen, Griechenlands Premier zu werden. Vor der Wahl am Sonntag inszeniert sich der Linke als Antipolitiker, als Vorkämpfer der Demokratie. Doch wenn er gewinnt, droht der Wirtschaft der endgültige Absturz und dem Land das Euro-Aus.

Zum Glück sind die Kunstledersessel im Zappeion halbwegs stabil. In dem klassizistischen Veranstaltungszentrum im Herzen Athens herrscht am Dienstagabend solcher Andrang, dass sich Kameramänner kurzerhand auf die Stühle stellen, um alles ins Bild zu bekommen. Einer platziert sich mitsamt Stativ sogar auf einem Tisch. Als ihm Kollegen trotzdem noch die Sicht versperren, schimpft er in wüstem Englisch los und ist kaum zu beruhigen. Und das alles wegen eines freundlichen jungen Mannes am anderen Ende des Saals. Alexis Tsipras sorgt mal wieder für Aufruhr.

Der 37-Jährige erregt die Gemüter wie kein anderer europäischer Politiker. Er führt das Linksbündnis Syriza an, ein Sieg bei der Parlamentswahl am Sonntag könnte zum Euro-Aus für Griechenland führen. Schließlich lehnt Syriza die Sparprogramme ab, denen sich Griechenland unterwerfen musste, um Finanzhilfen seiner Euro-Partner zu erhalten.

Diese Haltung reicht, um Tsipras für viele zur Persona non grata zu machen. Außer BundeskanzlerinAngela Merkel (CDU) verweigerte ihm auch Frankreichs neuer Präsident François Hollandebislang ein Treffen, obwohl er Tsipras' Kritik am harten Sparkurs eigentlich teilt. Die "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" bilanzierte, Tsipras' Äußerungen seien "eine einzige Abfolge von leerem Gerede, Gewaltverharmlosung und peudorevolutionärem Geschwätz". » | Aus Athen berichtet David Böcking | Mitarbeit: Lamprini Thoma | Mittwoch, 13. Juni 2012

Extremismus: Kölner Salafisten-Prediger erhält keine Sozialleistungen mehr
SPIEGEL ONLINE: 1860 Euro pro Monat hat der umstrittene Kölner Salafisten-Prediger Abou Nagie als Arbeitslosengeld II erhalten. Damit ist jetzt Schluss: Dem 47-Jährigen wurden die Leistungen gestrichen. Die Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen Sozialbetrugs.

Köln - Der umstrittene Kölner Salafisten-Prediger Ibrahim Abou Nagie bekommt Ärger mit der Justiz: Die Staatsanwaltschaft in Köln ermittelt gegen den 47-Jährigen wegen Sozialbetrugs, wie ein Behördensprecher sagte. Eine Prüfung hatte ergeben, dass Abou Nagie über nicht angegebene Einnahmen verfüge und somit keinen Anspruch auf Sozialleistungen habe, hieß es am Dienstag aus Kreisen der Stadt Köln. » | hen/dpa | Dienstag, 12. Juni 2012

Syrie: La Russie accuse les Usa d’armer les rebelles
20 MINUTES ONLINE: Selon le ministre russe des Affaires étrangères, Washington fournit des armes à l'opposition qui combat le gouvernement syrien.

Le ministre russe des Affaires étrangères Sergueï Lavrov a accusé les Etats-Unis de livrer des armes aux rebelles syriens, lors d'une conférence de presse mercredi à Téhéran.

«Les Etats-Unis fournissent à l'opposition des armes qui sont utilisées dans les combats contre le gouvernement syrien», a-t-il affirmé, en justifiant par opposition les ventes d'armement russe à la Syrie qui «ne violent aucune loi internationale» et portent sur «des équipement défensifs». » | afp | mercredi 13 juin 2012

Pétition: Les Saoudiennes réclament le droit de conduire
20 MINUTES ONLINE: Des militantes saoudiennes ont mis en ligne mercredi une pétition adressée au roi Abdallah, réclamant le droit des femmes à conduire, à l'occasion du premier anniversaire de leur campagne.

L'Arabie saoudite, royaume ultraconservateur où une interprétation rigoriste de l'islam est appliquée, est le seul pays au monde où les femmes n'ont pas le droit de conduire. Dans leur pétition, ces militantes demandent au souverain d'autoriser «les femmes ayant des permis de conduire de pays étrangers à commencer à prendre le volant lorsque c'est nécessaire».

Elles lui demandent également d'autoriser «l'ouverture d'auto-écoles réservées aux femmes et de leur permettre d'obtenir des permis de conduire». » | afp | mercredi 13 juin 2012

End of the Honeymoon: Germans Increasingly Disillusioned with Obama
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Germans were ecstatic when Barack Obama took over the keys to the White House from George W. Bush. Now, though, a new Pew Research Center survey shows that disillusionment with the US president is widespread in Germany and that Obama has not lived up to the high expectations Europeans had of him.

In July 2008, in a speech at the base of the Victory Column in Berlin's Tiergarten park, before tens of thousands of deliriously adoring onlookers, then US presidential candidate Barack Obama promised a renewal of America's stature in the world. After his election that November, Germans, other Europeans and many people around the world embraced Obama in large part because he was not George W. Bush. Reversing a half-decade of profound anti-Americanism, support for the new US president and America soared to what has now proven to be unsustainable levels, especially in Germany. Obama's honeymoon with the German people is not over. But now, as he seeks re-election, the first indications of friction in the relationship are emerging.

In a new global survey released on Wednesday, approval of President Barack Obama's policies has declined significantly since he first took office. Overall confidence in Obama and attitudes toward the US have slipped modestly as a consequence. By several measures some of the greatest slippage has occurred in Germany, especially with regard to America's image and Obama's foreign policies. After more than three years in office, Germans are disappointed in the US president's unilateralism; his use of force, particularly drone strikes; his inaction with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian situation and his lack of effort in curbing climate change. » | An Analysis by Bruce Stokes | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Obama frustriert die Deutschen: Weltweit wächst die Enttäuschung über US-Präsident Barack Obama und damit über Amerika - das zeigt die Studie einer renommierten US-Denkfabrik. Bei den Deutschen sorgen vor allem Obamas Drohnenkrieg und sein Versagen beim Klimaschutz für Frust. » | Von Gregor Peter Schmitz, Washington | Mittwoch, 03. Juni 2012

Tunisia's Zine el Abidine Ben Ali Gets 20 Years for Incitement to Murder
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A military court in Tunisia sentenced ousted president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali to 20 years imprisonment in absentia on Wednesday on various charges including incitement to murder, the TAP news agency reported.

Ben Ali, who is exiled in Saudi Arabia, was found guilty of "inciting disorder, murder and looting," the court said in its verdict over the deaths of four youths, shot dead in the town of Ouardanine in mid-January 2011.

Four protesters were shot dead in the eastern coastal town as they tried to prevent the flight of Ben Ali's nephew Kais, a day after the strongman himself flew out of the country on January 14. » | Source: AFP | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Exclusive: Arab States Arm Rebels as UN Talks of Syrian Civil War
THE INDEPENDENT: Saudi Arabia and Qatar 'supplying weapons' to anti-Assad forces, while fears mount for civilians

Syrian rebels are being armed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, The Independent has learnt, in a development that threatens to inflame a regional power struggle provoked by the 15-month-old uprising against the Assad regime.

Rebel fighters from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have received weapons from the two Gulf countries, which were transported into Syria via Turkey with the implicit support of the country's intelligence agency, MIT, according to a Western diplomat in Ankara. Opposition fighters in Syria have hitherto been handicapped by a reliance on an old and inadequate arsenal, while the regime in Damascus has been able to rely on a supply of arms from Russia and Iran. Moscow is arming Syria with attack helicopters, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, claimed yesterday. "We are concerned by the latest information we have that there are attack helicopters on the way from Russia to Syria, which will escalate the conflict quite dramatically," she told a conference in Washington. » | Justin Vela | ISTANBUL | Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Golden Dawn Threatens Hospital Raids against Immigrants in Greece
THE GUARDIAN: Far-right party says it will throw immigrants and their children out on the street, as some hospitals run short of supplies

In an atmosphere that has become increasingly electric before Greece's crucial election, the far-right Golden Dawn has ratcheted up the rhetoric by threatening to remove immigrants and their children from hospitals and kindergartens.

Earning loud applause at an election campaign rally in Athens, Golden Dawn MP Ilias Panagiotaros said: "If Chrysi Avgi [Golden Dawn] gets into parliament [as polls predict], it will carry out raids on hospitals and kindergartens and it will throw immigrants and their children out on the street so that Greeks can take their place."

Medical supplies and beds at some hospitals are running desperately short. The governor of the state-run Nikea hospital, Theodoros Roupas, called on doctors to stop non-essential surgical interventions because of a critical shortage of gloves, syringes and gauze. The order was revoked when Roupas found emergency supplies later in the day.

"The situation is really critical and getting worse every day," said Dr Panaghiotis Papanikolaou, a neurosurgeon at the hospital. "There is not enough medical staff to cope and huge shortages of supplies. There's no money to even service scanners and surgical microscopes … we're talking about a major healthcare crisis – not in the making, it is happening now." » | Helena Smith in Athens | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

GUARDIAN VIDEO: Greece on the breadline: Jon Henley's euro debt tales » | Jon Henley, Alex Healey and Mustafa Khalili | Tuesday, March 27, 2012

IMF Chief Christine Lagarde Warns World Risks Triple Crisis
THE GUARDIAN: Lagarde says world risks falling incomes, environmental damage and social unrest without more sustainable approach to growth

Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, has warned that the world risks a triple crisis of declining incomes, environmental damage and social unrest unless countries adopt a more sustainable approach to economic growth.

Ahead of the Rio+20 Earth summit later this month, she said the rich should restrain their demands for higher incomes while there are still 200 million people worldwide looking for a job and poverty is on the rise.

Giving her clearest backing yet to green taxes and a range of measures to protect the environment, she argued for taxes on petrol-guzzling cars among a range of green measures to tackle climate change.

"It has been 20 years since world leaders first went to Rio to commit to the noble goal of protecting the planet for future generations. And now, 20 years on, we will be journeying back to Rio to affirm our commitment to sustainable development – the idea that we should strive for economic growth, environmental protection and social progress at the same time," she said in a speech in Washington on Tuesday. » | Phillip Inman, economics correspondent | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

China Suspends Ministerial Meetings with Britain over Dalai Lama Row
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: China has indefinitely suspended minister-level meetings with Britain in protest at David Cameron's decision to meet the Dalai Lama.

Two government ministers have been snubbed on their trips to Beijing in the last month. Lord Green, the Trade and Investment minister, and Jeremy Browne, the Foreign Office minister, saw planned meetings with Chinese ministers either cancelled or palmed off on junior officials.

Lord Green, who was visiting China as the head of a trade mission, was reportedly unable to meet with the Ministry of Commerce or with the powerful National Development and Reform Commission, which sets a course for the country's economy.

"What has happened is that things that are normally handled at ministerial level being downgraded or cancelled," said one diplomatic source.

"In some cases the Chinese have said it was because of the [Prime Minister's] meeting with the Dalai Lama, at other times they said they were sorry but something had come up," he added. » | Malcolm Moore, Beijing | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Anders Behring Breivik Tells 'Beautiful Nordic' Prosecutors He Is Their 'Defender'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anders Behring Breivik has demanded that his two ethnic Norwegian prosecutors recognise him as the true "defender of their heritage".

Fixing prosecutors Inga Bejer Ingh and Svein Holden with a direct stare, he attacked their argument that his extreme anti-islamic ideology was the result of "delusions" as "very arrogant."

"Bejer Engh, a beautiful Nordic woman, should recognise the defender of her own heritage," he said. "And Holden, a beautiful young Nordic man, should recognise the defender of his own genealogy."

Judge Wenche Arntzen immediately stopped him, cautioning him for commenting on the prosecutors and not information from the witness.

The 33-year-old extremist has always denied being a racist or a fascist, arguing that he defends the rights of indigenous people across the world, and likening the condition of today's Norwegians to Native Americans in the nineteenth century.

He expressed satisfaction that Randi Rosenqvist, a consulting psychiatrist who saw him in prison, told the court she believed that it was his extreme ideology had led him to plan and carry out last year's brutal massacre, rather than paranoid schizophrenia or another mental disorder. » | Richard Orange, Oslo | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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Incredible! Simply Incredible! Talk about Double Standards! Falkland Islands Plan Referendum 'To Send a Message to Argentina'
The Falkland Islands has announced a referendum to be held next year on its status as a British territory in an effort to fend off aggressive Argentinian claims over the South Atlantic islands.

Read the article and comment here | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Photograph Released of Berlin 'Forest Boy' Nine Months After He Walked Out of Woods
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Berlin Police have released the first photograph of the mysterious "forest boy" who turned to authorities nine months ago with claims he had been living wild in the woods for five years and had did not know who he was.

"We really have no idea of his true identity and hope that releasing this photo will help solve the mystery of the boy known only as Ray," Micheal Gassen of the Berlin Police force told The Daily Telegraph.

"Who knows the person shown in this picture? Who can give any information about his identity? Who can give any information about the person's possible relatives?" read an appeal released with the photograph on Tuesday.

Despite thorough investigations police have been unable to identify the boy, who turned up in Berlin Town hall last September speaking English with a slight accent and only a few words of German.

The boy has unwaveringly stuck to his original story claiming that he had been living in the forest with his father for around five years after his mother died in a car crash. » | Fiona Govan | Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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Obamas' Freedom of Cape Town Honour Divides South Africa
THE GUARDIAN: Decision to honour Barack and Michelle Obama criticised by religious groups amid row over US impact on Middle East

Bestowing an honour on America's first black president might seem an uncontroversial choice for post-apartheid South Africa. But what was good enough for the Nobel peace prize committee is just the latest trigger for acrimony in the polarised city of Cape Town.

Its decision to grant president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, the freedom of the city has provoked a growing backlash from rival parties, churches, Muslim groups and trade unions, who branded it a "political gimmick".

They warn that if the couple ever set foot in Cape Town to accept the award, they will be greeted by mass protests drawing attention to America's human rights record. » | David Smith, Libreville, Gabon | Monday, June 11, 2012

Pat Condell: Sweden Is Gone, Sweden Is Finished

Greek New [sic?] Dawn's Ilias Kasidiaris Sues Women Over TV Row
BBC: The spokesman for Greece's far-right Golden Dawn, who slapped a left-wing politician and threw water over another on a TV debate, is suing his victims.

Ilias Kasidiaris went to an Athens court to announce he would sue the women for defamation.

Mr Kasidiaris is also suing the TV station, Antenna, for illegal detention after staff tried to stop him leaving following the incident last Thursday.

Golden Dawn will be contesting a critical Greek election this Sunday.

Mr Kasidiaris avoided an arrest warrant for the attack, lying low until it expired.

Under Greek law, the arrest warrant for a minor crime must be carried out by midnight the day after the incident took place for an immediate trial - otherwise it goes to judicial procedure and a much later trial date is set. » | Monday, June 11, 2012

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