One Year's Salary : Europe Caps Banker Bonuses
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In a bid to address widespread public outrage over greed in the financial sector, European officials have agreed to legislation capping bankers' bonuses at a maximum of a year's salary. Great Britain fought to prevent the measure, but failed to rally enough support.

Starting in 2014, banks in the European Union must limit bonus payments for their employees. After some 10 months of tough negotiations, top European officials agreed late on Wednesday in Brussels to cap bonuses at a maximum of one year's base salary.

"For the first time in the history of EU financial market regulation, we will cap bankers' bonuses," said the European Parliament's head negotiator, Austria's Othmar Karas, in a statement. "The essence is that from 2014, European banks will have to set aside more money to be more stable and concentrate on their core business, namely financing the real economy, that of small and medium-sized enterprises and jobs."

The bonus cap was part of a package of financial laws hammered out between EU officials, the European Commission and representatives of the 27 member states in negotiations led by Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan. The goal is to prevent bankers from taking excessive risks, which can shake the financial industry.

"This overhaul of EU banking rules will make sure that banks in the future have enough capital, both in terms of quality and quantity, to withstand shocks," Noonan said. "This will ensure that taxpayers across Europe are protected into the future." Fierce Resistance from London » | kla -- with wire reports | Thursday, February 28, 2013

Pope Benedict's Last Day: Clock Runs Down on Pontiff's Historic Resignation
The Pope has pledged his "unconditional obedience" to his successor, in his final meeting with cardinals, hours before he formally resigns.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Letzter Arbeitstag als Papst: Benedikt verspricht Nachfolger bedingungslosen Gehorsam – Der nächste Papst kann mit der vollen Unterstützung seines Vorgängers rechnen: Benedikt XVI. hat bei einem Abschiedstreffen mit Kardinälen gesagt, er werde seinem Nachfolger bedingungslos Ehrfurcht und Gehorsam erweisen. » | Donnerstag, 28. Februar 2013

Pope Resignation: Cardinal Criticises Benedict XVI on Last Day
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic, has criticised the Pope on his last day, describing his historic resignation as destabilising, while questioning his political prowess.

Cardinal Pell, Australia's representative at next month's secret conclave to elect a successor, said Benedict XVI was a "brilliant teacher" but "government wasn't his strong point" in a candid interview on the eve of the pope's departure.

"I think I prefer somebody who can lead the Church and pull it together a bit," Cardinal Pell said.

He pointed to the so-called "Vatileaks" scandal, in which Benedict's butler leaked secret papal memos revealing intrigues between rival groups of cardinals, though he said it was "very easy to be wise after the event".

"I think the governance is done by most of the people around the Pope and that wasn't always done brilliantly. And I'm not breaking any ground there – this is said very commonly," Cardinal Pell added in a later radio interview from the Vatican.

Australia's most senior Catholic cleric also said the 85-year-old pontiff's decision to resign – the first pope to do so since the Middle Ages – set a worrying precedent for the Church. » | Source: AFP | Thursday, February 28, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI's Last Day - Watch Live
Watch live throughout the day as Pope Benedict XVI says goodbye to his cardinals and leaves the Vatican for Castel Gandolfo where he will spend his final hours as leader of 1.2 billion Catholics before he becomes the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.

The World Bids Farewell to Pope Benedict XVI
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Part funeral, part jubilee, the Vatican had never witnessed an event like this before. People flocked from all over the globe to acknowledge the retiring Pope Benedict


For a man surrounded by so many thousands of well-wishers in St Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict looked small and very lonely in the shade of a utilitarian metal canopy on the steps before the vast baroque facade. The morning sun caught the lower part of his white cassock as mothers with little children waved flags.

“The Pope is not the only steersman in the barque of Peter,” he said. But the very setting suggested that he was the unmistakable captain. Bang in the centre of that stone outdoor theatre he sat, a few paces from the prelates who flanked him.

Benedict had read his obituaries in the past few days, hurriedly converted into analyses of his papacy. Now he was presiding at his own funeral, or something like it: the last public ceremonial of his papacy. But the atmosphere was more like a royal jubilee. When he paused in speaking, the continuous sound of applause in the column-hugged square was like heavy rain on a roof. No other pope has gone through anything like yesterday’s farewell. Celestine V ran away into the hills in 1296; Gregory XII in 1415 left his throne empty for a successor to be elected after his death.

In Britain we are used to monarchy. “The King is dead,” says the proclamation. “God save the King.” No sooner is one monarch lifeless than the next begins his reign. But between popes there is a sede vacante (Latin: ablative absolute, “the chair being empty”). It has always been connected in thought with the death of a pope. » | Christopher Howse, Rome | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Panic in Greek Pharmacies as Hundreds of Medicines Run Short
THE GUARDIAN: Pharmaceutical companies accused of cutting supplies because of low profits and unpaid bills

Greece is facing a serious shortage of medicines amid claims that pharmaceutical multinationals have halted shipments to the country because of the economic crisis and concerns that the drugs will be exported by middlemen because prices are higher in other European countries.

Hundreds of drugs are in short supply and the situation is getting worse, according to the Greek drug regulator. The government has drawn up a list of more than 50 pharmaceutical companies it accuses of halting or planning to halt supplies because of low prices in the country.

More than 200 medicinal products are affected, including treatments for arthritis, hepatitis C and hypertension, cholesterol-lowering agents, antipsychotics, antibiotics, anaesthetics and immunomodulators used to treat bowel disease.

Separately, it was announced on Tuesday that the Swiss Red Cross was slashing its supply of donor blood to Greece because it had not paid its bills on time.

Chemists in Athens describe chaotic scenes with desperate customers going from pharmacy to pharmacy to look for prescription drugs that hospitals could no longer dispense.

The government list includes some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi all said a few products had been withheld. GSK and AstraZeneca denied the claims. » | Elizabeth Sukkar and Helena Smith in Athens | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Drei Tote nach Schüssen in Luzerner Holzfabrik
Ein langjähriger Mitarbeiter des Holzverarbeiters Kronospan in Menznau (LU) hat im Betrieb zwei Arbeitskollegen erschossen und sieben verletzt. Er wurde danach tot aufgefunden. Das Motiv der Tat ist unklar.

Emotionaler Abschied von Benedikt XVI.
Auf dem Petersplatz in Rom hat der Papst vor zehntausenden Katholiken seine letzte Generalaudienz gehalten. Bei strahlendem Winterwetter wandte sich Benedikt XVI. mit sehr persönlichen Worten an sein Publikum. Am Donnerstag tritt er offiziell zurück.

Berlusconi will an die Macht
Der Ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi schliesst nach der Wahl nicht aus, zusammen mit der Links-Allianz zu regieren. Populist Beppe Grillo will dies verhindern.

Pope Benedict XVI Thanks Queen Elizabeth II for UK Welcome
Pope Benedict XVI has thanked the Queen Elizabeth II for her 'warm welcome' during a speech at Holyrood House.

Queen Elizabeth II Welcomes Pope Benedict to the United Kingdom
The Queen has said she is "delighted" to welcome Pope Benedict to Edinburgh.

Gespräch mit Papst Benedikt XVI in Castel Gandolfo
Gespräch mit Papst Benedikt XVI in Castel Gandolfo

Pope 'Suffered' Over Decision to Resign
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: VATICAN CITY—Pope Benedict XVI held the final audience of his pontificate before a sea of spectators in Saint Peter's Square on Wednesday, a farewell he said would not mark the end of his life in public.

Addressing the crowd, Pope Benedict, 85 years old, said he had "suffered" over his decision to relinquish control of Roman Catholicism's one billion followers as of Thursday evening, adding that his resignation was in the best interest of the Church.

Though he plans to retire to a life of study and prayer once he steps down, the pontiff told the crowd on Wednesday there was no going back to his pre-papal life, noting that his election eight years ago marked the end of "all privacy."

"There is no return to the private. My decision to renounce the active exercise of ministry doesn't revoke this. I'm not returning to a private life," Pope Benedict said, addressing the square, which thronged with banners from around the world. "I'm not abandoning the cross, but remaining in a new way beside the crucified Lord," he said. » | Stacy Meichtry | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ABC Hacked in Protest at Wilders Interview
ABC NEWS [AU]: The ABC has gone into damage control after it was discovered the website of one of its television programs was targeted in a hack that has affected thousands of viewers.

A Twitter user going by the name of Phr0zenMyst claimed ownership of the attack, framing it as a response to the ABC's recent coverage of the visit by right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

The hacker, based overseas, said they were upset by the ABC's decision to "[give] a platform for Geert Wilders to spread hatred".

The hack exposed the user names, email addresses and some personal information of more than 40,000 people - viewers who had logged in and commented on the website of the 2010 program Making Australia Happy.

The ABC was forced to scramble for answers, saying the website in question was shut down as soon as the breach was detected.

It has promised to contact each of the web users exposed. (+ video) » | Hayden Cooper | Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Cardinal Collins on the Teaching Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

Pope: There Were Times When It Seems [sic] God Was Sleeping
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Pope has told a huge crowd of followers that his papacy had moments of joy but at times is "seemed like the Lord was sleeping", in his last audience in St Peter's Square.


Addressing an estimated 150,000 people in St Peter's Square the day before he steps down, Benedict said his crisis-hit papacy had included moments of joy but also difficulty when, "It seemed like the Lord was sleeping."

Benedict XVI referred to "stormy waters and headwinds" during his pontificate, but he said God would not let the Church "sink".

"The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good. There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds," he said.

Benedict thanked his cardinals, colleagues and ordinary faithful for their support and for respecting his decision to become the first pope in 600 years to resign. He said that "to love the church means also to have the courage to take difficult, painful decisions, always keeping the good of the church in mind, not oneself."

He told thousands that his decision to resign "is the fruit of a serene trust in God's will and a deep love of Christ's church." » | Chris Irvine, and Nick Squires in The Vatican City | Wednesday, February 27, 2013


My comment:

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I firmly believe that Pope Benedict XVI has been a wonderful pope. His words have often touched me profoundly. That has never happened to me before.

This man has charisma – in German, one might call it eine Ausstrahlung – that is quite unique. For his age, he is a very handsome man, with a truly wonderful smile and warmth.

His erudition is remarkable, as is his dedication to the RC Church and faith. For me, this is a sad day, though I respect fully his reasons for resigning.

It is to be hoped that he will be able to enjoy his retirement, with sound health. I feel sure that the rest of his life will be dedicated to the Church.

May God bless Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

THE GUARDIAN: Pope Benedict XVI's final audience - in pictures »

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: „Gott wird seine Kirche nicht kentern lassen“: Unter dem Jubel Hunderttausender hat Benedikt XVI. auf dem Petersplatz seine letzte Generalaudienz eröffnet. In seiner Audienz dankte Benedikt den Gläubigen - und sprach von „schwierigen Momenten“ in seinem Pontifikat. » | Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2013

LE FIGARO: Les adieux émouvants du pape Benoît XVI : À la veille de sa démission historique, Benoît XVI a été acclamé par une foule chaleureuse, mercredi au Vatican. Il a assuré que «Dieu ne laisse pas couler la barque» de l'Eglise. » | Envoyé special du Figaro à Rome | mercredi 27 février 2013

Live at the Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI Gives Final Audience
Watch live as Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience on the day before he leaves office.

Tony Blair: People Are Still 'Very Abusive' to Me 10 Years After the Iraq War

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair has told how people are still “very abusive” to him 10 years after the Iraq War, adding that he has given up trying to “persuade people it was the right decision”.

In comments which could be interpreted as self-pitying Mr Blair said that it did not matter whether the continuing controversy about Iraq had “taken a toll on me”.

He said that Iraq’s Saddam Hussein was “20 times as bad” as Syria’s President Assad but admitted that it would take a “generation” to make Iraq safer than it was in 2003.

Mr Blair is still cr[i]ticised for sending British troops into Iraq on March 20, 2003 in the mistaken belief that its Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

In the weeks leading up to the invasion, more than one million people marched through London against the Iraq invasion.

Asked in a candid interview on BBC2’s Newsnight whether he minded if “people call you a liar, some people call you a war criminal, protesters follow you; it’s difficult to walk down the street in a country”, he replied: “It really doesn’t matter whether it’s taken its toll on me.

“The fact is yes there are people who will be very abusive, by the way I do walk down the street and by the way I won an election in 2005 after Iraq. However, yes it remains extremely divisive and very difficult.”

Mr Blair conceded that he had “long since given up trying to persuade people it was the right decision”. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Hitler's Welsh Girlfriend Revealed

BBC: A Welsh woman who married into one of Germany's most prominent musical families nearly became Adolf Hitler's wife, a BBC Wales programme has revealed.

Winifred Williams, the daughter of a journalist from Brecon and his German wife, was adopted by relatives of her mother after being orphaned and went to live in Germany in 1908.

By 17, she was married to composer Richard Wagner's homosexual son Siegfried and met one of Wagner's greatest fans - future Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

They grew so close that it was actually Winifred who provided the paper on which Hitler wrote his infamous tract, Mein Kampf, while in jail in the early 1920s.

Following her husband's death in 1930, Hitler and Winifred's friendship intensified and he was described as being like a second father to her four children.

At the time, there was even talk of them getting married. » | Tuesday, February 03, 2004

Ban Smoking in Cars, Says Health Minister
BBC: Smoking should be banned in cars carrying children, says England's public health minister.

Anna Soubry said her personal view was that it was justified on "child welfare" grounds.

Several health groups have called for the move, but it has been resisted so far by the government.

The prime minister has said while he supports the smoking ban in pubs and clubs, he is "more nervous" about legislating what happens in cars.

At the Local Government Association's annual public health conference, Ms Soubry said: "I would ban smoking in cars where children are present.

"I would do that for the protection of children. I believe in protecting children. I would see it as a child welfare issue. » | Nick Triggle | Health Correspondent | BBC News | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Was Hitler Homosexual? - The Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality
Hidden Führer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality is a documentary film based on the research of German Professor Lothar Machtan for his 2001 book The Hidden Hitler that claimed Adolf Hitler was a homosexual.

Benedict XVI to Be Known as 'Pope Emeritus'

BBC: Pope Benedict will be known as "pope emeritus" and will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after he abdicates on Thursday, Vatican officials say.

He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Josef Ratzinger.

He will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings.

He will surrender his gold ring of office, known as the fisherman's ring, and his personal seal will be destroyed as tradition dictates.

He will also give up wearing his specially-made red leather loafers, instead wearing brown shoes hand made for him by a Mexican craftsman during a brief visit to Mexico last year.

Benedict XVI's resignation is the first by a pope for some 600 years. » | Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Popstar Janet Jackson: Heimliche Hochzeit

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Janet Jackson weiß offenbar bestens, wie man ein Geheimnis hütet: Die US-Sängerin ließ jetzt verlauten, dass sie bereits seit vergangenem Jahr verheiratet ist - mit einem aus Katar stammenden Milliardär.

New York - Janet Jackson hat sich mal wieder getraut: Der US-Popstar ist bereits seit vergangenem Jahr verheiratet, ohne dass dies bis jetzt öffentlich bekannt war. Ihr Management bestätigte nun die Trauung mit dem Geschäftsmann Wissam Al Mana, 37. Es sei eine "ruhige, private und wunderschöne Feier" gewesen, hieß es in einer gemeinsamen Erklärung des Paares. "Wir würden es begrüßen, wenn unsere Privatsphäre respektiert werden würde und wir diese Zeit der Freude genießen könnten." » | wit/AP/dpa | Dienstag, 26. Februar 2013

Video of 'French Citizens Kidnapped in Cameroon' Released
A video uploaded to Youtube on Monday purports to show seven French citizens who were kidnapped near the border of Nigeria and Cameroon on Tuesday. A male member of the French family reads a short statement into camera before a second man, claiming to be one of the kidnappers, makes hostage demands. It is thought jihadist group Boko Haram seized the party as retaliation for France's military intervention in Mali. This video has not been independently verified | Source: Reuters | Monday, February 25, 2013

Meet Americas First Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison - Documentary Muslims America

Stuart Wells: My Journey to Islam

Debate video: Robert Spencer vs. Mubin Shaikh on Whether the Qur'an Teaches War

Interview with Inga Rennevik and Her Daughter, Sarah: Converts to Islam

Interview with Amin Craig Harper: British Convert to Islam

Interview with Max Abdus Salaam Dahlstrand: Swedish Convert to Islam

Pat Condell Talks about Rising Anti-Semitism in Europe

The Dark Ages
At its height in the second century A.D., the Roman Empire was the beacon of learning, trade, power and prosperity in the western world. But the once-powerful Rome, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors who came in wave after wave of invasion, slaughtering, stealing, and ultimately, settling. As chaos replaced culture, Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. THE DARK AGES profiles those who battled to shape the future, from the warlords whose armies threatened to case the demise of European society, like Alaric, Charles the Hammer, and Clovis.

Britain’s Senior Catholic Cleric Resigns
Cardinal Keith O'Brien steps down but rejects claims by three priests and a former cleric of inappropriate behaviour.

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Interactive: The Rise of Europe's Far-right Voices
Assessing key nationalist political parties across the continent, including Italy, which is voting for a new parliament.
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Italians Vote in Unpredictable Election
Millions urged to cast ballot in closely watched race, amid disillusion with politicians and fears over economy.

Barack Obama Thinks Austrian Is a Language!

John Kerry Invents a New Country: Kyrzakhstan

'Russia Treats Smokers Like Animals' – Doctor

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Grammar Nazi Style: Russian MPs Aim to Ban Foreign Words
RT.COM: The Russian language needs legal protection from the “conquering march” of foreign words, sponsors of a bill before the State Duma believe. It seeks to ban all words borrowed from other languages and fine those who dare to use them in public.

The bill submitted by members of the Liberal Democrat party goes even further, administering punishment for any “violation of the norms of the contemporary Russian language.”

According to the justification for the proposed legislation submitted by the lawmakers, their vocabulary condemnation targets words that came into Russian from English after the late 1980s and the collapse of the Soviet Union. They specifically mention the Russian words that ended up as ‘dealer’, ‘boutique’, ‘manager’, ‘single’, ‘OK’ and ‘wow’. The legislators suggest Russians use – sometimes archaic – substitutions or face a penalty. Ordinary linguistic offenders would have to pay up to an $80 fine, while organizations would have to fork out as much as $1,650. The latter are even threatened with “confiscation of the object of the administrative violation,” whatever that means.

The document apparently aims to snap freeze Russian. As with any other tongue, it undergoes natural evolution, with some words becoming archaic and phasing out of use and others being born and gaining popularity. » | Thursday, February 21, 2013

Vladimir Putin Bans Smoking in Public Places in Russia
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning smoking in public places in Russia from June, a cornerstone of the government's bid to improve public health in the nicotine-addicted country.

The law makes smoking illegal in restaurants, cafés, hotels, trains and a host of other places and will take effect in two stages.

From June 1, 2013, it will be illegal to smoke in Russia on municipal transport, at railway stations, in lifts and bus stations, administrative buildings as well as any place of education or health.

From June 2014, the ban will be stepped up to include ships, long distance trains, train platforms, hotels, cafés and restaurants in what will mean a major lifestyle change for many Russians. » | Source: AFP | Monday, February 25, 2013

John Kerry: Bashar Al-Assad Must Step Down in Syria
During his first visit to the UK as new US secretary of state, John Kerry condemns the "indiscriminate killing of innocent civillians" in Syria.

Tom Elliott Calls Out the Hypocrisy of Geert Wilders Protesters
3AW 693: The organiser of last week's protest against anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders has been accused of hypocrisy, selectivity and astonishing double-standards by 3AW Drive Presenter Tom Elliott.

After blockading and shoving spectators at Mr Wilders' speech in Somerton, self-professed anti-capitalist Louise O'Shea and fellow protesters have decided not to target the Islamic Peace Conference next month in Melbourne, despite the conference hosting a number of radical Imams who publicly condemn Jews, advocate jihadist terrorism and encourage female genital mutilation and polygamy.

One Imam invited to the conference, Dr Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, had this to say about Jewish people: » | Ned Franklin | Monday, February 25, 2013

Cardinal Keith O’Brien Resigns as Archbishop

SCOTSMAN: Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Britain stepped down today amid allegations of his “inappropriate behaviour” with three priests and one former priest.

The decision to bring forward the 74-year-old cardinal’s resignation by three weeks was made personally by the pope.

In a statement this morning he said: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today.”

“I thank Pope Benedict XVI for his kindness and courtesy to me and on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Scotland, I wish him a long and happy retirement. I also ask God’s blessing on my brother Cardinals who will soon gather in Rome to elect his successor.”

“I will not join them for this conclave in person. I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor. However, I will pray with them and for them that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they will make the correct choice for the future good of the Church.” He added: “I have valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest.” » | Monday, February 25, 2013

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal Keith O'Brien resignation: statement issued by Scottish Catholic Media Office: The Pope has accepted Cardinal Keith O’Brien's resignation as he fights allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour with priests. Read the statement issued by the Scottish Catholic Media Office here. » | Telegraph reporters | Monday, February 25, 2013

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Breaking News! Cardinal Keith O'Brien Resigns over Allegations of 'Inappropriate' Behaviour
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cardinal Keith O’Brien has resigned as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh amid allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour with priests.

The 74-year-old, who was due to retire, has denied he allegations but is stepping aside amid the controversy. » | John Bingham and Simon Johnson | Monday, February 25, 2013

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Geert Wilders Australian Interview

Who is this guy interviewing Geert Wilders? He is totally off-the-wall; in fact, he is idiotic, totally misinformed. He really needs to WAKE UP! – © Mark

Lateline: Geert Wilders Interview: ABC TV Australia
Australian interview with controversial anti-Islamic Dutch politician Geert Wilders, interviewed before he visited Australia in February 2013. Wilders advocates the stopping of migration of Muslims to the West, amongst many other anti-islamic views. This interview raised many complaints to the ABC after it was broadcast on 13 Feb 2013.

The man interviewing Geert Wilders here is very badly-informed. He has NO or LITTLE understanding of the true nature of Islam. This is sad, but very typical of those employed by the MSM. – © Mark

Geert Wilders persona non grata en Australie