Hillary Clinton to Make Her Millions on the Speaking Circuit
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hillary Clinton will turn her experiences as America's Secretary of State and First Lady into millions of dollars by joining the lucrative after-dinner speaking circuit, it has been announced.

Mrs Clinton, who resigned as President Barack Obama's chief diplomat at the end of last month, has joined her husband, former president Bill, at one of the most prestigious speaking agencies in the US.

Having been paid $186,600 (£120,224) per year as Secretary of State, she will command a six-figure sum for less than an hour of anecdotes collected during her 12 years at the heart of Western power.

The 65-year-old will hope to emulate the success of Mr Clinton, who has made an estimated $89 million in fees as one of the prize assets at the Harry Walker Agency since leaving office in January of 2001.

"We are proud to share the exciting news that former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has joined the Harry Walker Agency exclusively for her speaking engagements," the firm – which also represents Dick Cheney, the former US vice-president - said in a brief message posted on its website. Representatives for Mrs Clinton could not be reached for comment.

Mrs Clinton said before stepping down that in addition to public speaking, she expects to write a second memoir and take teaching positions at US universities before considering her long-term future. » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Monday, February 18, 2013

Sean Ali Stone - My Journey to Islam - UMAA Convention 2012

Londres veut trouver «une solution diplomatique» au cas Assange
LA PRESSE: Le Royaume-Uni a réaffirmé sa détermination lundi, au lendemain de la réélection du président équatorien Rafael Correa, à trouver une «solution diplomatique pour sécuriser l'extradition vers la Suède» du fondateur de WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, réfugié à l'ambassade d'Équateur à Londres.

«Le Royaume-Uni est déterminé à trouver une solution diplomatique avec le gouvernement équatorien pour sécuriser l'extradition de Julian Assange vers la Suède», a déclaré le ministre britannique des Affaires étrangères, William Hague, dans un communiqué.

«Je félicite le peuple équatorien et le président Correa pour cette élection qui a été un succès, et je salue la participation élevée et le climat pacifique le jour du scrutin», a-t-il ajouté.

«Le Royaume-Uni et l'Équateur ont une relation bilatérale de grande valeur et nous sommes impatients de travailler davantage avec le gouvernement équatorien sur une variété de sujets», a-t-il encore dit. » | Agence France-Presse | Londres | lundi 18 février 2013

Australia: Praise for Diversity on Eve of Controversial Visit
THE AGE: Multicultural organisations have sung praise for Victoria's cultural diversity on the eve of a controversial talk by anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

Multicultural Affairs Minister Nicholas Kotsiras said Mr Wilders's views were wrong and misinformed.

"Mr Wilders is opposed to the religion of Islam, not so much to the people, and he believes Islam has no place in democratic society which I believe is wrong."

Mr Kotsiras said while he supported freedom of speech he did not support the incitement of violence.

"We don't support the incitement of violence, the incitement of hatred and we have legislation in place that covers that. But we are multicultural and we are proud of it, we have embraced it over many years and are a prime example of how it can work."

The Q Society is funding Mr Wilders's Australian speaking tour, which will involve a talk in Sydney and Melbourne. » | Henrietta Cook | Monday, February 18, 2013

Anti-muslim campaigner coming to Australia: Ahead of his visit to Australia, far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders talks to Tony Jones about his opposition to Muslim immigrants in his country. » | Australian Broadcasting Corporation | Broadcast: Wednesday, February 13, 2013


THE TELEGRAPH (AU): I'm no bigot, says anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders ahead of Australian speaking tour: CONTROVERSIAL Dutch MP Geert Wilders has delivered a message to Australia ahead of a series of speaking events across the nation: "I am not the devil." » | Charles Miranda in The Netherlands | News Limited Network | Saturday, February 16, 2013

Muslim Insurgents Launch 50 Attacks in Thailand's Deep South
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslim insurgents fighting for a separate state in Thailand's deep south launched 50 bomb and arson attacks over the weekend, killing three members of the security forces as violence in the troubled region intensifies.

The three local defence volunteers died after a bomb hidden in a pile of clothes exploded outside a restaurant in Pattani Town on Sunday lunchtime.

Another nine people were injured in the blast.

A coordinated campaign of terror started at 6pm local time on Saturday, when seven bombs were planted outside shops, supermarkets and a karaoke bar in Pattani Town, the capital of Pattani Province, one of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand with a Muslim majority population.

Bomb disposal experts defused five of the bombs. But further devices were detonated later that night and on Sunday, while a wave of arson attacks gutted shops in Pattani Town and targeted mobile phone towers, security cameras and local defence bases elsewhere in Pattani Province.

"Intelligence estimates suggest there were 50 coordinated attacks. We managed to prevent attacks in eight spots," Police Major General Ekkaphob Prasitwattanachai told local media. » | David Eimer, Saigon | Monday, February 18, 2013

Pope Benedect XVI to Receive £2,150 Pension
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Benedict XVI could receive a pension of £2,150 a month once he steps down as Pope at the end of this month and goes into retirement within the walls of the Vatican.

The Vatican has indicated that the most likely title for Benedict after his resignation on Feb 28 will be Bishop Emeritus of Rome.

That would entitle him to a pension of 2,500 euros a month.

The Vatican would not confirm the arrangement, but its official spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said last week that the Pope would want for nothing.

"We will ensure he can live a dignified existence," he said.

It is unclear what Benedict might need to spend the money on. The former nunnery is a grace-and-favour residence inside the Vatican, and he will not have to pay rent.

His meals and daily living expenses will also be paid for by Vatican state finances, and cooking and cleaning will be done by a group of four women from a Catholic organisation called Memores Domini.

Nor is he likely to be jetting around the world in the manner of an ex-US President or British Prime Minister.

The long trips he had to do as Pope, including to Mexico, Cuba and Lebanon last year, were one reason he decided to resign. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Monday, February 18, 2013

Protests Likely as Controversial Dutch MP Geert Wilders Changes Venue
HERALD SUN: POLICE will monitor the comments of controversial anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders as he faces possible unruly protests in Melbourne tomorrow.

Mr Wilders, who opposes the so-called "Islamisation'' of Europe, had been booked to speak at a CBD venue tomorrow night.

But it is understood his meeting will now be held in the outer suburbs after the venue's owners cancelled amid fears of trouble from hard Left protesters.

Victorian Multicultural Commission chairman Chin Tan said Mr Wilders faced possible prosecution under the state's racial and religious hatred laws if his comments were out of line.

"He's entitled to his views, as anyone is in Australia ... but he's got to be very careful that he does not take it beyond the point where it traverses the law of this country and the expectations and what we here in Australia value,'' he said.

"To the extent that he might may say something or in a particular manner that has legal implications, I'm sure someone or the police may take it up.'' » | John Masanauskas | Herald Sun | Monday, February 18, 2013

HERAL SUN BLOG – ANDREW BOLT: If you need this much security for criticising Islam… » | Monday, February 18, 2013

Peter Seewald und Papst-Benedikt XVI. im Gespräch: Das Interviewbuch "Das Licht der Welt"
Peter Seewald im Gespräch mit Papst Benedikt XVI. Daraus entstand das Buch: „Licht der Welt". Der Autor und Papstkenner erzählt von den Rahmenbedigungen des Interviews in Castel Gandolfo.

UK Muslim MPs Scared after Voting for Gay Marriage Bill
THE NEWS (PAKISTAN): LONDON: Extremist websites are abuzz against Muslim members of the British parliament who voted in favour of gay marriage legislation and there are fears that the Muslim parliamentarians could face serious hostility after clerics issued fatwas against these MPs declaring them “apostates”.

On February 5, 2013, the House of Commons voted — by 400 votes to 175, giving the bill a 225 majority — to legalise gay marriage in Britain. Muslim MPs Sadiq Khan, the Labour high-flyer, Rushanara Ali, Sajid Javid, Shabana Mahmood and Anas Sarwar voted for gay marriage. Benazir Bhutto’s former adviser Rehman Chishti voted against the move while Yasmin Qureshi and Khalid Mahmood MP abstained from voting, fearing opposition from their constituents.

At least three Pakistani clerics have said that these MPs needed to repent and renew their faith, which means that they stand expelled from the circle of Islam for supporting same sex marriages. They have also said that their Islamic marriages stand annulled and they needed to read Kalma again to become Muslims. The News understands that police forces in Britain have taken notice of the fatwas and the threats against the MPs. Also, the MPs have privately said that they fear for their lives after the delivery of fatwas on them by clerics. Anjem Chaudh[a]ry, former UK head of extremist group Al-Muhajiroum [sic] who has organised demonstrations against the MPs, said the Muslim MPs have committed “apostasy by declaring war on Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) by voting for gay marriages”. He added: “These MPs have allied themselves with parties that are responsible for the killing of Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.” » | Murtaza Ali Shah | Sunday, February 17, 2013

Cold Reception for Anti-Islam Campaigner

SBS: Right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders has told SBS he is "happy" to be in Australia despite getting a frosty reception from local politicians.

Right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders has told SBS he is "happy" to be in Australia despite getting a frosty reception from local politicians.

"Even your Prime Minister said not the most kind things about me, and your former Minister of Immigration stalled granting me a visa," he said.

"Freedom of speech is one of the most important things in our free society and I am happy to be here."

Wilders is visiting Melbourne at the invitation of Q Society, where he will speak about his anti-Islamic platform in what he calls a warning to Australia. » | Source: SBS Staff | Monday, February 18, 2013

Row over Renaming of Sandhurst Hall after Bahrain Donation
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: A Sandhurst tribute to the fallen of a First World War battle has been abandoned so a donation from the King of Bahrain can be honoured.

Mons Hall, named after the 1914 battle that saw thousands killed, will be renamed the King Hamad Hall after he gave £3 million towards its refurbishment.

Defence chiefs were yesterday accused of betraying the memory of soldiers who gave their lives for their country.

MPs also questioned the ethics of honouring regimes that have dubious human rights records.

It emerged an accommodation block at the Army officer training academy has also been named after the first president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following a £15 million donation from the country.

Andy Slaughter, Labour’s chairman of the Democracy In Bahrain all-party parliamentary group, said: “To change the name of something which commemorates a very tragic episode in British military history and an example of courage and heroism of British soldiers simply because they’re getting a sum of money from a rather dubious source is appalling.

“It reflects the appalling double standards the British Government and institutions have in relation to the Bahraini regime, which is guilty of all sorts of human rights abuses and fundamentally undemocratic.’

The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. » | Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | Sunday, February 17, 2013

Iran Confiscates Buddha Statues in Crackdown on 'Cultural Invasion'
THE GUARDIAN: Officials reportedly seizing statues from shops in Tehran to stop the promotion of Buddhism

Buddha statues have joined Barbie dolls and characters from The Simpsons as banned items in Iran.

Officials are confiscating the statues from shops in the capital, Tehran, to stop the promotion of Buddhism, according to a report in the independent Arman daily.

The Islamic republic has long fought against items such as Barbie toys to block western influence, but this appears to be the first time authorities have shown an opposition to symbols from the east.

The newspaper quoted Saeed Jaberi Ansari, an official for the protection of Iran's cultural heritage, as calling the Buddha statues symbols of "cultural invasion".

He reportedly said authorities would not permit a specific belief to be promoted through such items. Ansari did not say how many Buddhas had been seized, but said the "cleansing" would continue. » | Associated Press in Tehran | Sunday, February 17, 2013

HRH Princess Basmah Bint Saud - A Call for Responsibility
HRH is known to be quite the critic of the élite that runs Saudi Arabia and is a tireless advocate of peaceful but essential reform in the Kingdom and elsewhere.

Saudi Columnist Princess Basma bint Saud bin Abd Al-Aziz Speaks Out against Islamic Extremism

Pope Calls on Catholics to Come Back to God
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Pope called on Catholics around the world to turn back to God, warning against the perils of "pride and egoism", after the Vatican indicated it may move quicker to appoint his successor.


More than 50,000 cheering well-wishers crammed into St Peter's Square for Benedict XVI's Sunday blessing, the first since his shock resignation – the first in 600 years – and penultimate before stepping down on February 28.

"The Church, which is mother and teacher, calls on all its members to renew their spirit, turn against firmly towards God and ignore pride and egoism to live in love," he told the crowd.

As the sun broke through the clouds over Rome, Benedict waved and thanked the larger than normal crowd "for the prayers and support you have shown me in these days." Speaking in Spanish, he then asked for prayers "for the next pope."

Benedict, 85, has cited failing health for his decision to step down and at the weekend it emerged he may now be blind in his left eye. Peter Seewald, a German journalist who interviewed the pope in December, made the claim.

"His hearing had deteriorated. He couldn't see with his left eye," he said. "His body had become so thin that the tailors had difficulty in keeping up with newly fitted clothes ... I'd never seen him so exhausted-looking, so worn down."

Vatican insiders have also claimed Benedict has been worn down by bitter rivalries within the Holy See which came to light when the pope's butler, Paolo Gabriele, leaked papal correspondence detailing alleged power struggles. Gabriele has been pardoned by the pope but sworn never to speak about his thefts. » | Tom Kington, Rome | Sunday, February 17, 2013

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Claim Jihad Seeker’s Allowance
Choudary urges fanatics to scrounge for holy war

THE SUN: SCROUNGING hate preacher Anjem Choudary has told fanatics to copy him by going on benefits — urging: “Claim your Jihad Seeker’s Allowance.”

He cruelly ridiculed non-Muslims who held down 9-to-5 jobs all their lives and said sponging off them made plotting holy war easier.

The Sun secretly filmed him over three meetings also saying leaders such as David Cameron and Barack Obama should be KILLED, grinning as he branded the Queen “ugly” and predicting a “tsunami” of Islamic immigrants would sweep Europe.

Father-of-four Choudary, who has praised terrorist outrages, pockets more than £25,000 a year in benefits — £8,000 more than the take-home pay of some soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

He laughed as he told supporters:

“You find people are busy working the whole of their life. They wake up at 7 o’clock. They go to work at 9 o’clock. They work for eight, nine hours a day. They come home at 7 o’clock, watch EastEnders, sleep, and they do that for 40 years of their life. That is called slavery.

"And at the end of their life they realise their pension isn’t going to pay out anything, the mortgage isn’t going to pay out anything.

"Basically they are going to lose everything, commit suicide. What kind of a life is that, honestly. That is the life of kuffar (non-believer).” (+ video) » | Stephen Moyes | Sunday, February 17, 2013


THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: 'Claim jobseeker's allowance and plan holy war': Hate preacher pocketing £25,000 a year in benefits calls on fanatics to live off the state: Anjem Choudary called benefits 'Jihadseeker's allowance' / The extremist told followers they must hate democracy and freedom / Also listed bizarre sharia laws, including 'not riding cats and sheep' » | Daily Mail Reporter | Sunday, February 17, 2013

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Muslim preacher urges followers to claim 'Jihad Seeker's Allowance': A Muslim preacher is secretly filmed urging followers to take benefits from the state to fund a holy war. » | Melanie Hall | Sunday, February 17, 2013

Le pape Benoît XVI appelle l'Église à se "réorienter"
LE POINT: Des dizaines de milliers de fidèles sont venus assister à l'avant-dernier angélus du pape dimanche, place Saint-Pierre.


Le pape Benoit XVI appelle l'Église à se "renouveler" et à se "réorienter" au moment où des dizaines de milliers de fidèles se dirigeaient dimanche vers la place Saint-Pierre pour assister à son avant-dernier angélus avant son départ le 28 février. Les forces de police ont fermé à la circulation la Via della Conciliazione, la large avenue qui mène au Vatican, alors que selon des estimations des autorités locales, l'affluence pourrait atteindre les 100 000 personnes au moment où le pape se montrera au balcon de la loge centrale de ses appartements, à 12 heures. » | Source AFP | dimanche 17 février 2013

TAGES ANZEIGER: «Wir werden dich vermissen» : Zehntausende haben Papst Benedikt XVI. auf dem Petersplatz zugejubelt. Dieser sprach zum vorletzten Mal den Sonntagssegen. Inzwischen sind die ersten Kardinäle aus dem Ausland im Vatikan eingetroffen. » | ses/mw/sda/AP | Sontag, 17. Februar 2013

'Fake Sheikh' in £300,000 Plot to Blackmail Saudi Princess after Video of Her 'Smoking with Her Head Uncovered' Is Stolen from Her Laptop

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Princess Basmah went public after the man demanded money / He posed as her friend and tried to trick her into saying 'sexual' things / The human rights campaigner says the video was stolen from her laptop / But she is defiant and claims there is a conspiracy to discredit her

A Saudi Arabian princess is the victim of a blackmail attempt involving a video of her that could anger and shock the establishment in the hardline Islamic state.

Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al Saud - more commonly known as Princess Basmah - is being held to ransom by a man who plans to embarrass her with a video - if she does not pay him £320,000.

The video shows her blowing a kiss and smoking with her head uncovered - taboos in strict Saudi Arabia[.]

But rather than bow to the demands of the man, London-based Princess Basmah, who campaigns for human rights in the kingdom, has exposed the extortion attempt on her website and through social media channels.

The plot began while Princess Basmah was on holiday at Christmas at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, according to The Daily Telegraph.

She received a message on Facebook from a man claiming to be a friend, who she refuses to name but described as a sheikh in his 30s from the United Arab Emirates.

She later discovered the account had been hacked by her blackmailer. Read on and comment » | Sam Webb | Sunday, February 17, 2013

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Saudi princess, the fake sheikh and a plot to silence her: She is the granddaughter of Saudi Arabia’s first king and the youngest daughter of its second ruler. » | Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter | Sunday, February 17, 2013

HRH Princess Basmah »

Violent Tide of Salafism Threatens the Arab Spring
THE OBSERVER: A series of repressive dictatorships have been brought down in north Africa, but the ensuing struggles for power have left a vacuum that has allowed the rise of an extremist movement that is gathering both force and supporters

Late last year, largely unnoticed in the west, Tunisia's president, Moncef Marzouki, gave an interview to Chatham House's The World Today. Commenting on a recent attack by Salafists – ultra-conservative Sunnis – on the US embassy in Tunis, he remarked in an unguarded moment: "We didn't realise how dangerous and violent these Salafists could be … They are a tiny minority within a tiny minority. They don't represent society or the state. They cannot be a real danger to society or government, but they can be very harmful to the image of the government."

It appears that Marzouki was wrong. Following the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid last Wednesday – which plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution – the destabilising threat of violent Islamist extremists has emerged as a pressing and dangerous issue.

Violent Salafists are one of two groups under suspicion for Belaid's murder. The other is the shadowy, so-called neighbourhood protection group known as the Leagues of the Protection of the Revolution, a small contingent that claims to be against remnants of the old regime, but which is accused of using thugs to stir clashes at opposition rallies and trade union gatherings. » | Peter Beaumont and Patrick Kingsley | Sunday, February 10, 2013

American Way: Barack Obama Ducked the Chance to Tackle America's Financial Death-spiral

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: When Barack Obama won a second term in office last November a tiny, guttering flame of hope was observed in the breasts of many hard-pressed Americans who wanted common sense to prevail in Washington.

That hope centred not on any naive expectation that Democrats and Republicans would suddenly learn to love each other, but that Mr Obama, freed from having to run for office again and in search of a personal legacy for his presidency, might start to show some leadership.

Last week, sad to report, those hopes flickered and died when Mr Obama delivered a State of the Union address that showed he has absolutely no intention of getting serious about arresting America's long-term financial death-spiral.

This was an infuriatingly dishonest speech. Mr Obama spelled out very clearly America's impending demographic crunch – too many baby-boomers, not enough money to pay for their benefits – but then falsely pretended the problem could be solved by tinkering around the edges.

"Medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms," he allowed, warning that failure to fix America's unsustainable entitlement system would "crowd out the investments we need for our children, and jeopardise the promise of a secure retirement for future generations."

All true, except for that one word, "modest". There is nothing modest about the size of America's financial problems, as Doug Elmendorf, the director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, explained last week when he was up on Capitol Hill spelling out budgetary home truths. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Saturday, February 16, 2013

Doku: Islam: Sieben Staetten der muslimischen Welt
Scharia und Demokratie! Wohin treibt der Islam?

Spiegel TV Doku - Salafist Mohamed Mahmoud

Allahs deutsche Schwerter
Eine kleine Gruppe von radikalen Muslimen in Deutschland hat sehr eigene Vorstellungen davon, wie das Leben zwischen Himmel und Hölle auszusehen hat - und würde auch im Namen Allahs zum Schwert greifen, um ihre Ziele durchzusetzen.

Die 27-minütige Doku von Rainer Fromm und Sarah Müller-Fromm zeigt ein weites Spektrum an Islamisten in Deutschland: Von strenggläubigen Salafisten über die Sauerland-Gruppe, die konkrete Anschläge plante, bis zu Pierre Vogel, dem einflussreichsten deutschen Konvertiten und Hassprediger. Ein Aussteiger berichtet über Ziele und Methoden der salafistischen Szene. Auch die moderatere, vom Verfassungsschutz beobachtete Vereinigung "Milli Görüs" ist Thema.

Ein Film der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Nordrhein-Westfalen, (c) 2012

Pope to Spend Retirement 'Hidden from World'
Vatican officials are dismissing suggestions that the outgoing head of the Roman Catholic Church will exert influence over his successor.

A Look Back at Pope Benedict XVI's Career
Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church has decided to resign from his post due to ill health, the Vatican has announced.

Inside Story: Horsemeat Scandal: Who Is to Be Blamed?
As the scandal involving horsemeat sold as beef widens across Europe, we ask how can consumer confidence be restored.

Schädliches Medikament im Pferdefleisch
Etikettenschwindel noch und noch: Erst das falsch deklarierte Rindfleisch, jetzt auch noch Spuren verbotener Arzneimittel in Pferdefleisch. In Grossbritannien wurden drei Personen festgenommen.

Gore, Current Silent as Cleric Affirms Death Penalty for Leaving Islam on Al-Jazeera
THE DAILY CALLER: Aides to former Democratic Vice President Al Gore have failed to respond to a recent Al-Jazeera TV broadcast, in which a top imam affirmed the Death Penalty [sic] for anyone who quits Islam.

Gore sold his Current TV Network to Al-Jazeera, which now plans to extend its broadcast into the United States this summer, according to Ashok Sinha, vice president of corporate communications at Current TV/Al-Jazeera America.

Gore reportedly sold Current TV for $500 million and endorsed Al-Jazeera’s news programs.

Western critics of Islam highlighted a recent broadcast of the network’s regular “Shariah and Life” show, which has an estimated audience of 60 million viewers worldwide.

The show’s host is Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent Sunni Islamic cleric.

He declared that Islam’s mandated death-penalty for apostasy has kept Islam alive since the 1400s. “If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment Islam wouldn’t exist today,” Qaradawi said on the show.

Qaradawi cited specific verses and narrations by Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, and the recorded testimony of his companions, that mandate the death penalty for anyone who tries to leave Islam. » | Nicole Lafond | Tuesday, February 12, 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: After the Arab Spring: Al-Jazeera Losing Battle for Independence – For over a decade, the Arab television broadcaster Al-Jazeera was widely respected for providing an independent voice from the Middle East. Recently, however, several top journalists have left, saying the station has developed a clear political agenda. » | Alexander Kühn, Christoph Reuter and Gregor Peter Schmitz | Friday, February 15, 2013

Pat Robertson: Islam Is 'Demonic'; It's 'Not A Religion'. It's an Economic System

Robertson: God Will Punish Us for Supporting Gay Rights

Beck: Its 'Plausible' That John Brennan Converted to Islam and 'Reasonable' to Ask Questions

The Last Supper: Germany's Great Church Sell-Off
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Dwindling church attendance and dire financial straits are forcing the Catholic and Protestant Churches in Germany to sell off church buildings en masse. Some are demolished, while others are turned into restaurants or indoor rock climbing centers.

The crew tasked with demolishing the Holy Family Church in the northern German town of Barmstedt arrived bright and early and began by removing the baptismal font. Next, a bulldozer moved in and knocked down the main church hall and the bell tower. In the space of a just a few hours, this house of worship to the Almighty was reduced to a pile of rubble.

"Very painful," is how Rev. Stefan Langer describes the demolition of this church north of Hamburg. For years, Langer oversaw baptisms, weddings and services here, but now the former church grounds stand nearly empty. The congregation has put the plot of land up for sale, advertising the property as "developable land" in a "prime location," and asking a price of €310,000 ($416,000).

"Upon this rock, I will build my church," Jesus said with confidence. He said nothing, though, about demolishing those churches.

Two millennia later, churches are being forced to make dramatic cuts due to dire financial straits and declining membership. "Between 1990 and 2010 we closed 340 churches, and of those 46 were demolished," says Thomas Begrich, head of finances for the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), Germany's largest federation of Protestant churches. This, Begrich says, is only the beginning. "It may be necessary to give up an additional 1,000 buildings," he said.

Churches are being demolished throughout Germany. Take, for example, the city of Frankfurt am Main. In the 1950s, when Konrad Adenauer was German chancellor, there were 430,000 Protestants living in the city. Today, that number is 110,000. These declining numbers have forced the Church's regional authorities to close every fourth house of worship. » | Matthias Schulz | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Thursday, February 14, 2013

How Will Bute Being Found in Horsemeat Affect the Food Chain?
Eight horses slaughtered in the UK have tested positive for the veterinary painkiller bute, according to the Food Standards Agency. Phenylbutazone can cause rare, life-threatening conditions in humans, such as blood dyscrasia. Special correspondent Felicity Lawrence explains the significance of the drug entering the food chain

Egypt's Alcohol Ban Raises Tourism Doubts
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Holidaymakers to Egypt have been reassured about the future of the country as a tourist destination after authorities moved to restrict the sale of alcohol.

This week the government – led by Mohamed Morsi of the Freedom and Justice Party, which has strong links to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood – said it will no longer issue licenses to sell alcohol in some urban areas, including newly-built “satellite cities” on the outskirts of major population centres.

Announcing the move, Nabil Abbas, vice-president of the New Urban Communities Authority, said: “We cannot allow stores spreading debauchery in our society.”

Although the ban is unlikely to affect any key holiday destinations – particularly Red Sea resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh – it has raised fears that growing conservatism could soon affect those travellers wishing to visit the country and enjoy a drink. One Cairo-based news website described the move as “the end of alcohol in Egypt”. » | Oliver Smith | Friday, February 15, 2013

Horsemeat Scandal in Britain in 1948 - British Pathé Video
This news report from 1948 from the British Pathé archives shows how horses were killed and sold on the black market to back-street restaurants, who then served it to customers who thought they eating steak or veal. The problem was so bad that some breeds of horse were even threatened with extinction

NRA's Wayne LaPierre's Gun Warning for Obama: 'We Don't Want to Be Like England'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: America's most prominent pro-gun activist has urged the country's shooters to fight efforts by President Barack Obama to make the US "like England" with tougher laws regulating firearms.

Wayne LaPierre, the chief executive of the National Rifle Association (NRA), warned gun enthusiasts that Mr Obama's plans for an assault weapons ban and background checks would make them pariahs.

"We don't want America to become like England, where some of that nation's outstanding rifle competitors keep their hobby a dark secret from their neighbours for fear of social disapproval," said Mr LaPierre. "We're not going to let the anti-gunners push us into that zone."

His remarks, in an article for The Daily Caller website, were sharply rejected as "absolute rubbish" by Phil Scanlan, the performance director for British Shooting, the national gun sports organisation.

"Of course you have to go through a series of checks to obtain a licence," Mr Scanlan told The Daily Telegraph. "But if you want a gun for legitimate sporting purposes there are no real barriers."

Mr Scanlan pointed to last summer's London Olympics – where Briton Peter Wilson won gold in the double trap, and "shooting events were sold out every day" – as proof of healthy gun-sports culture. » | Jon Swaine, Washington | Thursday, February 14, 2013

THE DAILY CALLER: Stand and Fight » | Wayne LaPierre | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Mad Men of Smith Square: A Lonely Battle To Save Europe in Britain
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Contempt for Europe is rising all across Britain, driven by politicians and media who blame Brussels, often absurdly, for everything from the declining economy to male impotence. A small group of pro-Europeans are waging a bizarre campaign against the country's agitated majority.

A group of men, all clad in dark suits, have gathered in a central London conference room to save Europe. They have responded to an invitation proclaiming that "the fight back begins" -- and the seriousness of the situation is reflected in their faces. It is late on a Wednesday afternoon a fortnight ago -- one week after British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a referendum will be held on Britain's membership in the European Union. That has opened the door for the country to exit the EU, which is something that the men in this room want to prevent at all costs. Ever since the day when Cameron said it was time to "settle the question" of Britain's relationship with Europe, these men have had a mission.

The building in which they are forging their plans is Europe House -- a political flashpoint. Up until just a few years ago, this was the Conservative Party's headquarters. Margaret Thatcher once planned her attacks against Brussels here, and Cameron used to have an office on the premises. Now, the building on Smith Square houses the offices of the European Parliament and the European Commission. The mass-circulation Daily Telegraph has dubbed it the "propaganda headquarters." This should actually be a good place to defend the European ideal against its adversaries, but it's a lonely place -- the last bastion.

Fat, Battle, War

Not many people have come to the meeting, 150 perhaps, and they can all easily fit into the windowless room. Members of the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party are attending the event. This is a cross-party movement primarily of older men with thinning hair, and very few women. The event was organized by Peter Wilding, who now grabs the microphone. Wilding, who has the charisma of a brush salesman, is the director of the Center for British Influence through Europe, a newly founded group that is lobbying for Britain to remain in the EU. He shouts into the room: "Help us to win, help us to fight back."

He says he wants to assemble an "army of supporters" to fight Europhobia in Britain. Wilding's voice has the pitch of a general who has to lead his troops into a decisive battle. » | Juan Moreno and Christoph Scheuermann in London | Thursday, February 14, 2013

Kate Bikini Photos' Publication Defended By Australian Magazine Editor
Fiona Connolly, editor of Australian magazine Woman's Day, defends publishing pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge in a bikini on holiday in the Caribbean. Connolly decided to run the photographs after they were published by an Italian magazine on Wednesday, claiming that the duchess was on a public beach when the pictures were taken

Inside Story: The Two Sides of Barack Obama
With the US president trying to appeal to all sides, what does his State of the Union speech offer for the year ahead?

EU Ministers Urge Action After Horsemeat Scandal
Processed beef products across the European Union are to be DNA tested for traces of horsemeat.

Human Chain Blocks Dresden Neo-Nazi March on Firebombing's Anniversary

Saudi Princes Warn of Damage to UK Relations If Allegations Emerge in Trial
THE GUARDIAN: Royals try to stop 'outrageous' and 'wholly false' allegations about business deals surfacing in London trial

Relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia will suffer if what are said to be highly damaging allegations about business deals surface during a London trial, lawyers for two Saudi princes have warned the high court.

The resort to political justifications – among other reasons – for suppressing the disputed claims is revealed in a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Mr Justice Morgan. The judgment upholds, in principle, requests by the Guardian and Financial Times to be given documents detailing the disputed transactions involving Saudi interests in Beirut and Nairobi.

The allegations are said to be so serious that if published they would upset relations not only between the oil-rich kingdom and the UK but also have an "adverse effect" on Saudi links with the US. The Saudis have dismissed them as untrue, "outrageous" and "scandalous".

The companies court judge has given the Saudis time to appeal against his decision. A confidential annex to the judgment is, therefore, not yet being made public; it remains temporarily closed pending an appeal.

The dispute, which has erupted over the sale of $6.7m (£4.3m) worth of shares, has "thrown up a nuclear mushroom cloud" of litigation, Mr Justice Morgan said.

Lawyers for Prince Mishal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, his son, Prince Abdulaziz, and others have indicated they will go to the court of appeal to challenge the decision and prevent details of the allegations being released. » | Owen Bowcott, legal affairs correspondent | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Bill Maher On Islam

Terrorfurcht in Norwegen: Mann droht mit Anschlag auf Parlament in Oslo
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Polizei riegelte Oslos Zentrum zeitweise weitgehend ab: Ein Mann hat damit gedroht, das Parlament in der norwegischen Hauptstadt zu sprengen. Sicherheitskräfte nahmen einen Verdächtigen fest, mussten ihn kurz darauf aber wieder freilassen.

Oslo - Rund eineinhalb Jahre nach den Anschlägen des Anders Behring Breivik hat eine Bombendrohung die Bürger Oslos in der Nacht zum Mittwoch erneut in Angst versetzt. Dem Polizeichef der norwegischen Hauptstadt, Johan Fredriksen, zufolge sei die "nicht spezifizierte Drohung" durch einen Buspassagier ausgesprochen worden. Die Angaben des Busfahrers habe man als ernstzunehmend eingestuft. » | fdi/dpa | Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2013

«Un pape ne démissionne pas»
Une grande partie des fidèles salue le «courage» du Souverain Pontife et juge son choix «lucide», mais d'autres croyants comprennent mal sa décision.

John Brennan Converted to Islam in Saudi Arabia

Obama Advisor John Brennan Speaks about the Beauty of Islam