Blair's Dirty Money: As His Tentacles Reach Mongolia, How the Ex-PM Is Making Millions from Some of the World's Most Evil Regimes

MAIL ONLINE: Tony Blair is to advise Mongolian leaders on 'good governance' / The former Prime Minister won't say how much he is earning from the deal / Mr Blair is said to be worth between £60million and £80million

With every passing month, Tony Blair looks more and more like a deposed emperor who has systematically set up his own government in exile.

How else should we view the inexorable rise of his shadowy and quasi-political network of businesses, whose tentacles stretch from his smart offices next to the American Embassy in London into every corner of the globe?

This week, it was revealed the former Prime Minister has added a new country, Mongolia, to his burgeoning portfolio of business interests.

He has signed a contract to advise the Central Asian country’s leaders on ‘good governance’ through his money-making Government Advisory Practice.

And what does Mongolia have in common with most of the places Mr Blair does his business deals?

The answer is: pots of money. The once dirt-poor nation is about to strike it rich, thanks to vast copper and gold mines in the Gobi desert.

Blair won’t say how much he is earning from the tie-up — and his large team of spin doctors routinely deny almost any figures relating to his myriad international deals — but we can be sure it’ll run into millions.

How else could he bankroll 200 employees — a figure he’s set his sights on growing to 500 over the coming years — in his expanding network of offices around the world?

At the centre of this nexus of money and power is 60-year-old Blair himself, who is guaranteed a warm welcome — befitting an international statesman of the highest rank — when he is feted by some of the world’s most dirty and corrupt tin-pot leaders. » | Paul Scott | Saturday, June 15, 2013

Democracy or Theocracy? Robert Spencer vs. Anjem Choudary & Abu Izzadeen

Escobar: Obama Starts Syria War to Deviate from Snowden Scandal
CIA whistle blower Edward Snowden has reportedly been stopped from flying to the UK. The man who lifted the lid on America's secret surveillance activities is being pursued by Washington. For his latest revelation, he told a Hong Kong newspaper that the U.S. repeatedly hacks into Chinese computer networks. For more about the leaks and Snowden's future we're now joined live by Pepe Escobar, a roving correspondent for the Asia Times.

Is Islam a Threat to the West? (2006)

Woolwich Outrage: We Are Too Weak to Face Up to the Extremism in Our Midst
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Despite the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby, David Cameron has failed to act against Islamist terrorism

It is less than a month since Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered in Woolwich, yet already the incident feels half-forgotten. In terms of the legal process, all is well. Two men have been charged. There will be a trial. No doubt justice will be done. But I have a sense that the horror felt at the crime is slipping away.

The media, notably the BBC, quickly changed the subject. After a day or two focusing on the crime itself, the reports switched to anxiety about the “Islamophobic backlash”. According to Tell Mamma, an organisation paid large sums by the Government to monitor anti-Muslim acts, “the horrendous events in Woolwich brought it [Islamophobia] to the fore”. Tell Mamma spoke of a “cycle of violence” against Muslims.

Yet the only serious violence was against a British soldier, who was dead. In The Sunday Telegraph, Andrew Gilligan brilliantly exposed the Tell Mamma statistics – most of them referred merely to nasty remarks on the web rather than actual attacks, many were not verified, no reported attack had required medical attention, and so on. Yet the “backlash” argument has sailed on, with people shaking their heads gravely about the need to “reassure” Muslims. Tell Mamma equates “hate inspired by al-Qaeda” with the “thuggery and hate of the EDL [the English Defence League]”. » | Charles Moore | Friday, June 14, 2013

«Zu brillant»: China feiert Snowden
TAGES ANZEIGER: Im Fall Snowden wartet die Welt auf den Auslieferungsentscheid von China. Glaubt man den Staatsmedien, so darf sich der amerikanische Whistleblower sicher fühlen.

Chinas staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Xinhua hat den NSA-Geheimdienst-Enthüller Edward Snowden in China willkommen geheissen. «Diese Leute sind zu brillant, um eingesperrt zu werden», hiess es in einem heutigem Kommentar der Agentur. Chinesische Spitzenpolitiker äussern sich selten direkt zu aktuellen politischen Ereignissen. Daher werten Beobachter die Veröffentlichungen von Staatsmedien als indirektes Sprachrohr der Pekinger Regierungsspitze.

Darin wurde Snowden in eine Reihe mit dem Wikileaks-Informanten Bradley Manning und Wikileaks-Gründer Julian Assange gebracht. «Sie stehen alle für den tapferen Kampf gegen das System», hiess es. » | mrs/sda | Freitag, 14. Juni 2013

Julia Gillard Scandal :The 'Gender Wars' Down Under

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: It has not been a good week for the reputation of the Australian male.

First, there was the depressing revelation that a menu, printed for an opposition party fundraising dinner, described a dish of quail named after the country's first female prime minister Julia Gillard - a redhead - thus: "small breasts, huge thighs and a big red box".

Political reporters, who have seen some highly grubby antics in their time, declared it one of the lowest moments in the history of Australian politics.

Then came the news that more than 100 members of the Australian defence force had been caught circulating "demeaning, explicit and profane" emails targeting female members of the forces.

It echoed the scandal from 2011 when one cadet filmed himself having sex with a female colleague - without her knowledge - and streamed it live on Skype.

Finally, there was the sleazy questioning of the Prime Minister by a Perth talkback radio host over the sexuality of her boyfriend. Why? Because Tim Matheison - a divorcee with three adult children - is a hairdresser. Would he have asked an unmarried male prime minister if his girlfriend was a lesbian? It seems unlikely that he would have dared. » | Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Friday, June 14, 2013

Massive Syrian Refugee Wave Brings Terror Threat to German Doorstep
While the US is still to decide just how far it might go with Syria, its EU allies are preparing themselves for a possible flood of refugees from the war-torn state. Germany could bear the brunt, giving shelter to some 10000 who've fled Syria. That's as Germany already fears the radical threat potentially posed by the return of hundreds of Europeans, who've gone to fight Assad.

Zuerst! »

Turquie : Erdogan joue l'apaisement
LE POINT: Après deux semaines de vives contestations à Istanbul, le Premier ministre turc promet de suspendre son projet d'aménagement du parc Gezi.

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a promis vendredi de suspendre son projet d'aménagement du parc Gezi d'Istanbul jusqu'au verdict final de la justice. Le dirigeant turc, qui avait qualifié les dizaines de milliers de manifestants réunis quotidiennement place Taksim de "vandales", de "pillards" et d'"extrémistes", a reçu dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi une dizaine d'artistes et de représentants de la société civile dont, pour la première fois, deux porte-parole reconnus de la coordination des protestataires. Le simple fait qu'il reçoive des manifestants constitue une victoire pour le mouvement de contestation, mais les quatre heures de réunion n'ont pas accouché de décisions concrètes permettant de garantir une sortie de crise. » | Source AFP | vendredi 14 juin 2013

La Norvège étend le service militaire obligatoire aux femmes
LE POINT: La décision, prise au nom de l'égalité des sexes et pour diversifier les compétences au sein de l'armée, fait l'objet dans le pays d'une quasi-unanimité.

La Norvège va bientôt devenir le premier pays européen à étendre le service militaire obligatoire aux femmes en temps de paix, conformément à une décision du Parlement norvégien vendredi. Tous les partis, à l'exception du petit parti démocrate-chrétien (KrF), se sont rangés en commission parlementaire derrière une proposition du gouvernement de centre-gauche pour instaurer une conscription militaire "sexuellement neutre". Dans la pratique, cela signifie que le service militaire obligatoire sera étendu aux femmes, vraisemblablement dès 2015 comme le projette actuellement leministère de la Défense. "La Norvège va être le premier pays européen à appeler aussi des femmes sous les drapeaux en temps de paix", a déclaré un porte-parole du ministère de la Défense, Lars Gjemble. » | Source AFP | vendredi 14 juin 2013

Obamas Kurswechsel: Russland bezweifelt Chemiewaffen-Vorwürfe der USA
14.06.2013 - Die USA sind in ihrem Syrien-Kurs umgeschwenkt, jetzt könnten Waffen an die Assad-Gegner gehen. Doch international ist die Unterstützung mäßig. Deutschland verweigert eine Ausrüstung der Aufständischen, Russland wettert offen gegen Obama.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Obamas Kurswechsel: Deutschland schließt Waffenlieferung an syrische Rebellen aus: Die USA sind in ihrem Syrien-Kurs umgeschwenkt, jetzt könnten Waffen an die Assad-Gegner gehen. Doch international ist die Unterstützung mäßig. Deutschland verweigert eine Ausrüstung der Aufständischen, Russland wettert offen gegen Obama. » | jok/cvo/dpa/AFP/Reuters | Freitag, 14. Juni 2013

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Chemiewaffen in Syrien: Russischer Spitzenpolitiker bezichtigt Obama der Lüge: Ein russischer Außenpolitiker greift US-Präsident Obama scharf an. Sein Vorwurf, der syrische Diktator Assad habe Chemiewaffen eingesetzt, sei eine Lüge. Die Informationen seien gefälscht wie einst die Berichte über Massenvernichtungswaffen im Irak. » | kgp/dpa/Reuters | Freitag, 14. Juni 2013

Sharia Law: Tearing The West In Two
What is it and what does sharia mean for Christians and others forced to abide by it? First Gary Lane looks at Islamic law. Then Pat Robertson interviews author Nonie Darwish.

Essay: Islam: The Enemy of Democracy and Freedom » | Mark Alexander | Friday, April 20, 2007

Belgistan? Sharia Showdown Looms In Brussels
The graffiti on a building in Belgium says it all: "Welcome to 'Belgistan." In fact, some are now calling it the Muslim capital of Europe.

'Islamization' Of Paris: A Warning To The West
The French have become increasingly fed up with what they see as the growing Islamization of France.

'Red Line' Crossed: US to Give Military Support to Syrian Rebels
Washington has given the green light for arming the Syrian rebels to prop up the opposition. A plan for a limited no-fly zone over Syria has also been drawn up. It comes after the U.S. administration concluded Assad's forces had used chemical weapons ''on a small scale''

David Woods' Story of Sharia Law in America!
David wood tells of his personal experience in Islamerica (Dearborn, Michigan)

Radical Islam and the Cleric Anjem Choudary
Radical Islam and the attack at woolwich, Anjem Choudary

Assange on NSA Leak: Snowden Will Be Prosecuted for Years (EXCLUSIVE)
The ex-CIA man who blew the lid off America's vast NSA public surveillance net - is promising more explosive revelations. Edward Snowden's supporters are mobilizing too - with tens of thousands signing a petition to pardon the whistleblower. With us now, a man who knows what it's like to blow the whistle in a big way, and incur the wrath of Washington - Julian Assange. He joins talks to RT via broadband from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

'Heavy Crackdown & Witch-hunt Loom as Turkey PM's 24-hr Notice Runs Down'
A man who had been on life support for days after reportedly being hit in the head by a police gas canister, has become the fifth fatality of the crackdown on public protests in Turkey. On Wednesday the country's Prime Minister set a 24 hour deadline for an end to demonstrations in Istanbul and the capital. That runs out in the coming hours. RT discusses this further with Safak Pavey, a Turkish diplomat and a member of the Republican People's Party.

NSA Leaker Snowden Barred from Travel to UK
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The British government has warned airlines around the world not to allow Edward Snowden, who leaked information on top-secret US government surveillance programs, to fly to the United Kingdom.

A travel alert, dated Monday on a Home Office letterhead, said carriers should deny Mr Snowden boarding because "the individual is highly likely to be refused entry to the UK."

The Associated Press saw a photograph of the document taken today at a Thai airport. A British diplomat confirmed that the document was genuine and was sent out to airlines around the world. A Thai airline also confirmed the alert had been issued.

The official said such alerts are issued to carriers that fly into the UK and any carrier that brings Snowden will be liable to be fined 2,000 British pounds. He said Mr Snowden would likely have been deemed by the Home Office to be detrimental to the "public good." » | Associated Press | Friday, June 14, 2013

France's Burkha Ban Sparks Violence across Paris after Police Try to Arrest Woman for Wearing a Veil and Pregnant Woman Is Attacked for Covering Her Face
MAIL ONLINE: Two men put pregnant woman, 21, in hospital - undergoing treatment / Around 60 people attacked police in Argenteuil, north west of the capital / Women guilty of wearing niqabs can be fined the equivalent of around £130

Violent clashes have broken out in a Paris suburb after police tried to arrest a Muslim woman for wearing a veil.

It came as two men today put a 21-year-old pregnant woman in hospital for covering her face with a veil on the same council estate.

In what is being viewed as a severe test of France's burka ban, around 60 people attacked police on Wednesday night in Argenteuil, a commuter town to the north west of the capital.

Under a law which came into force in 2011, women found guilty of wearing niqabs in public can be fined the equivalent of around £130.

But when officers approached the unnamed woman, passers-by became involved in a 'riot' and police used tear gas and flash-ball shots to disperse them, according to a police source.

'The police were attacked' the source told Le Parisien newspaper. 'They were insulted and beaten, including punches'. Two men aged 23 and 37, including a cousin of the young veil-wearer, were arrested and placed in custody under suspicion of violence and public order offences.

In the end, 40 riot police had to be called to the area to restore order, said the source. » | Nabila Ramdani | Thursday, June 13, 2013

ACLU Sues Government Over NSA Surveillance
The fallout of the National Security Agency's surveillance programs continues and now the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Obama administration for its role in scandal. According to the ACLU, the program "represents a gross infringement of the freedom of association and the right to privacy." International human rights attorney Stanley Cohen discusses the most recent developments.

Jihadist Anjem Choudary Threatening to Take Norwegians as Hostages to Free Terrorist Mullah Krekar (May 2012)
The notorious Ilford firebrand Anjem Choudary has called for the kidnapping of Norwegian citizens abroad to exchange for the notorious Oslo firebrand Mullah Krekar, who has been detained after being convicted of death threats towards Norwegian MP Erna Solberg. The translated article from Dagbladet. Encourages Muslims to kidnap Norwegians living abroad...

Istanbul : les manifestants ignorent l'ultimatum d'Erdogan
LE POINT: Malgré les risques de répression, les occupants préfèrent rester sur place, armés de leurs "chansons" et de leurs "poèmes".

Les manifestants qui occupent le parc Gezi à Istanbul, point de départ d'une vaste contestation antigouvernementale, ont annoncé jeudi qu'ils refusaient d'évacuer les lieux malgré le "dernier avertissement" du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan avant une intervention de la police. "Nous resterons au parc Gezi avec nos tentes, nos sacs de couchage, nos chansons, nos livres, nos poèmes et toutes nos revendications", a déclaré lors d'une conférence de presse l'avocat Can Atalay au nom Solidarité Taksim, la principale coordination des manifestants. » | Source AFP | jeudi 13 juin 2013

Julia Gillard Asked by Radio Station If Her Partner Tim Mathieson Is Gay
THE GUARDIAN: In an extraordinary interview with Howard Sattler on Perth radio, prime minister repeatedly quizzed about sexuality of her partner


Julia Gillard has been asked on a Perth radio program whether her live-in partner, Tim Mathieson, is gay.

Controversial talk back radio host Howard Sattler posed the question to the prime minister on Thursday afternoon on the premise of clearing up rumours and things "you hear."

Sattler said to the prime minister he would offer her a chance to clear up ''myths, rumours, snide jokes and innuendo'' during the interview on Perth's 6PR.

"Tim's gay?" Sattler inquired of the prime minister.

"Well that's absurd," Gillard replied. » | Katharine Murphy, deputy political editor | Thursday, June 13, 2013

Inside Story Americas: Is Obama Going Beyond Orwellian?
We examine if American security measures are going too far.

Inside Story Americas: Public Safety or Privacy Intrusion?
We discuss if it is acceptable for the US government to access American citizens' personal data.

The Tor Project »

'EU Shocked & Angry by Unaccountable US Surveillance'
The recent NSA leaks have awakened many Europeans to the "disturbing" privacy violations regularly committed by the US that their own governments facilitated and may have benefited from, Jim Killock, the executive director of Open Rights Group, told RT

Proteste in Istanbul: Erdogan richtet "letzte Warnung" an Demonstranten

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Erst erwägt er eine Volksabstimmung, nun verschärft der türkische Premier Erdogan die Drohungen gegen die Demonstranten im Istanbuler Gezi-Park. Er fordert die Oppositionellen ultimativ auf, das Gelände zu verlassen.

Istanbul - Seit fast zwei Wochen wird gegen ihn demonstriert, jetzt droht der türkische Ministerpräsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan den Protestierenden mit einer härteren Gangart. Er fordert die Demonstranten in Istanbul ultimativ auf, das Camp im Gezi-Park zu verlassen. Der Regierungschef hatte die Demonstranten zuvor mehrfach als "Gesindel" bezeichnet. » | als/dpa/AFP | Donnerstag, Donnertag, 13. Juni 2013

Stakelbeck on Terror: One on One with UK Islamist Anjem Choudary
He's been called Great Britain's most hated man and the face of radical Islam in the UK. Anjem Choudary makes no bones about it--he wants to see Britain become an Islamic state ruled by sharia law.

Related »

Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary: We Will Impose Sharia in British Caliphate

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES: A Muslim majority will one day impose sharia law in Britain, the US and much of western Europe, according to radical cleric Anjem Choudary.

Muslims will dominate the West and impose a return to the harsh moral code of the 13th century Arabian caliphate, Choudary told the US network CBN News. The interview has just emerged on a rightwing website, which has published the interview for the first time in the UK.

The interview was recorded shortly after Choudary's Sharia4UK group was banned by Whitehall.

"Innevitably, I'm convinced, I'm 100% certain that the sharia will be implemented in America and in Britain one day," said the preacher, who had been linked to Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebolawe, the two suspects in the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

"If we have enough authority and power, we are obliged as Muslims to take the power away from the people who have it, and implement sharia law."

Choudary, who trained as a solicitor, founded the al-Muhajiroun extremist group with the militant leader Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad. That group was banned in 2004, but has re-emerged under different names and in various guises.

Choudhary continued: "If people are afraid of having their hands cut, don't steal. If you don't want to be stoned to death, don't commit adultery. » | Timur Moon | Thursday, June 13, 2013

Iranian Youth Ditch Oppressive Islam
Spend some time in the streets of north Tehran, and you will feel the pulse of a vibrant and modern Iran. Images of luxury and wealth are everywhere. This is not quite the image you expect from this deeply religious society. However, the younger generation of Iranians are particularly hungry to experience the outside world.

Turkey Protests: Dangerous Waters with No Sign of Compromise
BBC: It began just after dawn on Tuesday: the thud of tear gas fired across Taksim Square in the biggest police operation here for over a week.

Arcs of water cannon were spewed towards protesters, some of whom responded with petrol bombs and bricks.

For 12 days, the central square in Turkey's biggest city had been under the authority of a growing protest movement. This was the moment that the government decided to retake it.

All through the day, the game of cat and mouse continued.

Once the police retreated, the protesters regrouped. They took refuge in the adjoining Gezi Park, where the unrest was first sparked in response to government plans to redevelop it.

I watched as telecoms trucks were set ablaze, black smoke fusing with the white plumes of tear gas into an acrid mix.

Not listening

What began as a demonstration by environmentalists has mushroomed into something far bigger: a fight by disparate groups for greater freedom in Turkey and a preservation of the country's secular order.

They see a government with an authoritarian, neo-Islamist agenda: the highest number of journalists in the world in prison, restrictions on alcohol sales, massive construction projects prioritised over human rights.

"This is not an Arab spring", one protester, Melis Behlil, told me.

"We have free elections here. But the problem is that the person elected doesn't listen to us." » | Mark Lowen | BBC News, Istanbul | Tuesday, June 11, 2013

No Signal: Greek State TV & Radio Taken Off Air Due to Crisis
The main TV and radio channels in Greece have been taken off air, after the government decided to shut down all state-run broadcasters. All 2500 employees have lost their jobs, while the authorities slammed the company as 'a haven of waste'. Large crowds joined in a protest against the decision, which is the latest in a cost-cutting drive, as Athens' struggles to please international lenders. Panagiotis Sotiris, a social and political expert from the University of the Aegean, says it's not just about the economy any more

'NSA 'Bamboozling' Lawmakers for Access to Americans' Private Data' - Agency Veteran
American citizens hoping to change the way the NSA monitors their everyday activities have little hope of recourse, longtime agency veteran Bill Binney told RT. He said the way the Patriot Act is interpreted is the a big first step toward totalitarianism.

Putin on NSA Leak: Govt. Surveillance Shouldn't Break Law (EXCLUSIVE)
"If surveillance is in the framework of the law, then it's ok. If not it is unacceptable. You can't just listen to the phone call in Russia; you need a special order from court," Putin said answering the question of RT's Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan. Commenting on Obama's statement that "You can't have 100 per cent security and 100 per cent privacy," Putin disagreed, saying it is possible if done within the law.

Proteste in der Türkei: Erdogans harte Linie gefährdet EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Das Vorgehen der Regierung Erdogan gegen die Demonstranten in Istanbul bringt die EU in eine Zwangslage. Einerseits wollen die Europäer die Gewalt nicht tolerieren, andererseits aber die Türkei als Partner halten. Die nächste Runde der Beitrittsgespräche ist in Gefahr.

London/Berlin - Wieder waren es Bilder der Gewalt, die aus Istanbul die Wohnzimmer Europas erreichten. Mit Bulldozern und Wasserwerfern rückte die Polizei in der Nacht zu Mittwoch auf den Taksim-Platz vor. Gasbomben wurden abgefeuert, Wasserwerfer jagten Demonstranten, Tränengasschwaden verhüllten die Straßen. Am Morgen waren die Reste der Schlacht auf dem geräumten Platz zu besichtigen.

Das harte Durchgreifen der Regierung von Ministerpräsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan stellt die EU-Partner vor ein Dilemma. Seit der Eskalation der Bürgerproteste am Gezi-Park Ende Mai schauen die Europäer dem Geschehen hilflos zu. Ein Appell hier, eine Ermahnung da, mehr kam bisher nicht aus Brüssel, Berlin, Paris und London.

Die Partner sorgen sich, dass die Gewaltexzesse alle Fortschritte der vergangenen Monate zunichte machen könnten. Mühsam hatte man sich nach Jahren der Eiszeit wieder aufeinander zu bewegt. Am 26. Juni wollten die EU-Außenminister zum ersten Mal seit drei Jahren ein neues Kapitel in den EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Türkei öffnen. Es wäre das 19. von 35 Kapiteln. Nur eines wurde bislang vorläufig abgeschlossen. Zweifel in Westerwelles Ministerium » | Von Carsten Volkery und Severin Weiland | Mittwoch, 12. Juni 2013

Be Honest about Problem in Islam
THE AUSTRALIAN: THERE is only one view of the murder of the British soldier Lee Rigby on a south London street three weeks ago: horrific.

But there are two views of its significance. One is that it was an act by crazy people, motivated in this case by a perverted notion of Islam, but of no broader significance. Crazy people do crazy things, so don't overreact. The other view is that the ideology that inspired the murder of Rigby is profoundly dangerous.

I am of the latter view. Of course, we shouldn't overreact. But we are deluding ourselves if we believe that we can protect ourselves simply by what we do at home. The ideology is out there. It is not diminishing.

…

But there is a problem within Islam, and we have to put it on the table and be honest about it. There are, of course, Christian extremists and Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu ones. But I am afraid that the problematic strain within Islam is not the province of a few extremists. It has at its heart a view of religion - and of the relationship between religion and politics - that is not compatible with pluralistic, liberal, open-minded societies. At the extreme end of the spectrum are terrorists, but the world view goes deeper and wider than it is comfortable for us to admit. So, by and large, we don't admit it.

This has two effects. First, those who hold extreme views believe that we are weak, and that gives them strength. Second, those Muslims - and the good news is that there are many - who know the problem exists and want to do something about it, lose heart.

Throughout the Middle East and beyond, a struggle is playing out. On one side, there are Islamists and their exclusivist and reactionary world view. They comprise a significant minority, loud and well organised. On the other side are the modern-minded, those who hated the old oppression by corrupt dictators and despise the new oppression by religious fanatics. They are potentially the majority; unfortunately, they are badly organised.

The seeds of future fanaticism and terror - possibly even major conflict - are being sown. Our task is to help sow the seeds of reconciliation and peace. But clearing the ground for peace is not always peaceful.

...

Read the whole article here » | Tony Blair | The Australian | Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Russia’s Duma Waves Through Anti-gay Law – by 436 Votes to 0
THE INDEPENDENT: Gay activists attacked and arrested for protesting against bill that will ban ‘homosexual propaganda’ aimed at young people

Gay activists were attacked and then arrested outside Russia’s parliament as lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a bill that will ban “gay propaganda” aimed at under-18s. The Duma passed the bill, which outlaws the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”, by 436 votes to zero, with one abstention.

The bill will now become law if it is approved by Russia’s upper house of parliament and then signed by President Vladimir Putin, who has already expressed his support for it. The bill is the most criticised element of a series of measures that activists say makes a difficult situation for gay people in Russia even worse. Individuals who violate the law can be fined up to £100, while the penalty for organisations can be up to £20,000. Foreigners found to be promoting gay equality in violation of the law will be arrested and immediately deported. » | Shaun Walker | Moscow | Tuesday, June 11, 2013

THE INDEPENDENT: Russia set to pass strict anti-gay law that could see foreigners deported for 'sexual propaganda': Russia’s parliament will debate a controversial law on Tuesday that could see people arrested for behaviour that is deemed to promote homosexuality. ¶ The bill provides for Russian citizens engaged in the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation” to be fined, while foreigners could be arrested and immediately deported. » | Shaun Walker | Moscow | Monday, June 10, 2013

Whitewashing Islam: 20 Errors on 20/20 (ABC News)
The media can't seem to get their facts straight when they discuss Islam.

A.C.L.U. Sues to Bar ‘Dragnet’ Collection of Phone Records
THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration over its “dragnet” collection of logs of domestic phone calls, contending that the once-secret program — whose existence was exposed by a former National Security Agency contractor last week — is illegal and asking a judge to both stop it and order the records purged.

The lawsuit, filed in New York, could set up an eventual Supreme Court test. It could also focus attention on this disclosure amid the larger heap of top secret surveillance matters that were disclosed by Edward J. Snowden, a former N.S.A. contractor who came forward on Sunday to say he was the source of a series of disclosures by The Guardian and The Washington Post.

The program “gives the government a comprehensive record of our associations and public movements, revealing a wealth of detail about our familial, political, professional, religious and intimate associations,” the complaint says, adding that it “is likely to have a chilling effect on whistle-blowers and others who would otherwise contact” the A.C.L.U. for legal assistance.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. » | Charlie Savage | Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Pope Admits There Is a ‘Gay Lobby’ at the Highest Levels of the Vatican

MAIL ONLINE: Pope Francis acknowledged its long-rumoured existence for the first time / Argentine Pontiff made remarks in audience with Latin American Catholics / He also said there was a 'current of corruption' in the Roman Curia

Pope Francis has acknowledged the existence of a 'gay lobby' inside the Vatican's secretive administration for the first time.

Speaking during an audience with Latin American Catholics, the Argentine Pontiff said that there was a 'current of corruption' in the Roman Curia - the central governing body of the Catholic Church.

He also admitted the existence of a long-rumoured 'gay lobby' in the Curia, and hinted that he might take action over the issue.

Speaking in his native Spanish last Thursday, the 76-year-old told the CLAR (the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women): 'In the Curia, there are truly some saints, but there is also a current of corruption.

'There is talk of a 'gay lobby' and it's true, it exists,' he said, in a report on Chilean website Reflexion y Liberacion [sic]. 'We will have to see what we can do.’ Read on and comment » | Daily Mail Reporter | Tuesday, June 11, 2013

German Secret Service Worried About Growing Salafism

DAWN.COM: BERLIN: German intelligence voiced concern on Tuesday over the growing number of ultra-conservative Islamic Salafists in the country, some of whom are swelling jihadist ranks abroad, while warning of an increasingly violent German extreme right.

“Salafism is a particularly rapidly growing and extremely worrying group within the extremist movement,” Hans-Georg Maassen, head of domestic intelligence, told a news conference as he presented his agency's 2012 annual report.

Radical Islamists in Germany numbered 42,550 in 2012, according to surveillance services, and the number of Salafists, who espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam, within the movement grew to 4,500 from 3,800 in a year, he said.

Maassen added that while not all Salafists are jihadists, it was clear that those who departed Germany for Syria or Egypt were there for that purpose.

“One can say that Salafism is an essential step towards jihadism or for people ready to conduct terrorist attacks,” Maassen said.

He also stressed that the number of extremist Islamists in Germany did not signify there were “42,500 potential terrorists” in the country.

Still, some 1,000 people including some Salafists are considered dangerous and 130 are seen as a particular threat and are monitored around-the-clock.

The intelligence report also showed that Egypt had replaced the Waziristan region of Pakistan as the main centre for the training of jihadists.

Syria is also a favoured destination. “We counted more than 60 people who left Germany to fight in Syria,” Maassen said. » | AFP | Tuesday, June 11, 2013

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