Memorial for a Hero: Monument to Be Built in Tribute to Drummer Lee Rigby in His Home Town

MAIL ONLINE: 'Lasting tribute' to be erected in Middleton, Greater Manchester / Drummer Rigby, 25, was stabbed to death outside Woolwich barracks in May / Funeral to take place next Friday in Bury with guard of honour

A permanent memorial is to be built in tribute to murdered soldier Drummer Lee Rigby in his home town.

Plans are being drawn up for a 'lasting tribute' to the 25-year-old who was from Middleton in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Drummer Rigby was stabbed to death outside Woolwich barracks in south east London in May.

Rochdale Council leader Colin Lambert said: 'We are planning, along with his family, to provide a lasting tribute to Lee which is befitting to his memory and bravery.'

It is not known at this stage exactly where or what form the memorial will take, but reports suggest it may be located in a local park.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, have been charged with Drummer Rigby's murder and are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on November 18. » | Steve Robson | Saturday, July 06, 2013

Inside Story Americas: NSA Leaks and US Democracy

We ask what recent spying revelations mean for democracy in the United States.

Venezuela President Offers Asylum to Snowden

AL JAZEERA: Nicolas Maduro offers "humanitarian asylum" to ex-US intelligence contractor who leaked surveillance programme details.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said he had decided to offer asylum to former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden who is believed to be waiting in transit at a Moscow airport.

Snowden, who leaked US intelligence documents revealing a vast phone and internet surveillance programme, has petitioned several countries to avoid capture by Washington.

"As head of state of the Boliviarian republic of Venezuela, I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to the young Snowden ... to protect this young man from the persecution launched by the most powerful empire in the world," Maduro said on Friday.

Meanwhile, Nicaragua has said it could accept an asylum request from Snowden "if circumstances permit". » | Source: Agencies | Saturday, July 05, 2013

'Friday of Rage': Dozens Killed, Hundreds Injured in Egypt's Bloody Mayhem

In Egypt, violence and death marked what the ousted President's supporters called a 'Friday of Rage.' Anti-Islamist celebrations after Mohamed Morsi's overthrow turned sour, with at least 30 left dead and over 200 injured in clashes.

Saudi Princess: Muslim Brotherhood Was Doomed to Fail

Tyrants are tyrants only when they are backed by the global powers, according to Saudi Princess Basmah Bint Saud. As an activist, writer and a businesswoman, Basmah Bint Saud is known for her strong support of those suffering from military, humanitarian, or civil crises in the Middle East. On SophieCo, the member of the royal family speaks about the Egyptian coup, Syrian mass genocide, and the forces that drive revolutions.

Welby Calls for Church to Join the Sexual ‘Revolution’

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned the Church of England that it had to face up to a “revolution” in attitudes to homosexuality.

In his most widely anticipated address since taking over the leadership of the Church, the Most Rev Justin Welby insisted that it was now “absurd and impossible” to ignore an “overwhelming” change in social attitudes.

In a deliberate echo of Harold MacMillan’s 1950 speech which attacked apartheid in South Africa, the Archbishop warned church leaders that they needed to reassess their own attitudes to gay people – even if they do not “like it”.

While insisting he had no immediate plans to change policy on issues such as gay marriage, he announced a major campaign to curb anti-gay bullying in the Church of England’s more than 5,000 schools.

He is understood to have approached Stonewall, which led the campaign in favour of gay marriage, to invite it into church schools to teach up to a million children about homosexuality.

“We may or may not like it but we must accept that there is a revolution in the area of sexuality,” the Archbishop said.

His comments, signalling a dramatic change in tone from the established church, came in his first address as Archbishop to the Church’s General Synod which is meeting in York as it attempts to come up with a new solution to the fiasco over women bishops. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Friday, July 05, 2013

Face-to-face with Abu Sakkar, Syria's 'Heart-eating Cannibal'

BBC: It sounded like the most far-fetched propaganda claim - a Syrian rebel commander who cut out the heart of a fallen enemy soldier, and ate it before a cheering crowd of his men.

The story turned out to be true in its most important aspect - a ritual demonstration of cannibalism - though when I met the commander, Abu Sakkar, in Syria last week, he seemed hazy on the details.

"I really don't remember," he says, when I ask if it was the man's heart, as reported at the time, or liver, or a piece of lung, as a doctor who saw the video said. He goes on: "I didn't bite into it. I just held it for show."

The video says otherwise. It is one of the most gruesome to emerge from Syria's civil war. In it, Abu Sakkar stands over an enemy corpse, slicing into the flesh.

"It looks like you're carving him a Valentine's heart," says one of his men, raucously. Abu Sakkar picks up a bloody handful of something and declares: "We will eat your hearts and your livers you soldiers of Bashar the dog."

Then he brings his hand up to his mouth and his lips close around whatever he is holding. At the time the video was released, in May, we rang him and he confirmed to us that he had indeed taken a ritual bite (of a piece of lung, he said).

Now, meeting him face-to-face, he seems a bit more circumspect, though his anger builds when I ask why he carried out this depraved act. (+ video) » | Paul Wood | BBC News, Syria | Friday, July 05, 2013

Egypt Army Opens Fire on Pro-Morsi Protesters

At least three supporters of deposed President Morsi killed, as crowd marches on barracks where ousted leader is held.

2am Sunday: The Time We Finally Boot Out Abu Qatada

EXPRESS: A MASSIVE security operation will swing into action when a jet carrying hate preacher Abu Qatada out of Britain touches down in the Jordanian desert

Qatada, 53, is due finally to be put on a plane at RAF Northolt in west London around 2am on Sunday.

It will carry British officials and Jordanians who will take charge of the Islamic fundamentalist when it lands at an isolated airstrip.

Qatada, who faces terrorism charges in his home country, is expected to be taken to the maximum security Muwaqqar prison in a military zone near the capital Amman.

Once inside the jail he will be put in solitary confinement until Jordan’s authorities are ready to quiz him about his alleged involvement in two bomb plots in the late 1990s. The father-of-five was found guilty in his absence of terror offences and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1999. » | Friday, July 05, 2013

Saudi Activists Face Jail for Taking Food to Woman Who Said She Was Imprisoned

THE GUARDIAN: Court finds women's rights campaigners guilty of inciting wife to defy husband's authority

Two female human rights activists are facing prison sentences in Saudi Arabia for delivering a food parcel to a woman who told them she was imprisoned in her house with her children and unable to get food.

Wajeha al-Huwaider, who has repeatedly defied Saudi laws by posting footage of herself driving on the internet, and Fawzia al-Oyouni, a women's rights activist, face 10 months in prison and a two-year travel ban after being found guilty on a sharia law charge of takhbib – incitement of a wife to defy the authority of her husband.

But campaigners argue the women have been targeted because of their human rights work, and fear that the sentences send out a chilling message to other activists who dare to criticise the repressive regime, under which women cannot drive and can only cycle in recreational areas when accompanied by a male guardian.

"These women are extremely brave and active in fighting for women's rights in Saudi Arabia, and this is a way for the Saudi authorities to silence them," said Suad Abu-Dayyeh, the Middle East and north Africa consultant for Equality Now, which is fighting for the women's release. "If they are sent to jail it sends a very clear message to defenders of human rights that they should be silent and stop their activities – not just in Saudi Arabia, but across Arab countries. These women are innocent – they should be praised for trying to help a woman in need, not imprisoned." » | Alexandra Topping | Friday, July 05, 2013

Restore the Fourth: Nationwide Anti-NSA Spying Protests Hit US

An anti-NSA surveillance nationwide protest and online campaign was triggered on Thursday. It aimed to restore the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights, which protects US citizens from "unreasonable searches and seizures."

Spying Survey: German Trust in US at Lowest Level Since Bush

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Ongoing revelations about the NSA spying scandal have pushed German trust in the US to its lowest level since the presidency of George W. Bush. A new survey also finds that Germans want Chancellor Merkel to stand up to Washington.

It wasn't all that long ago that US President Barack Obama could take credit for having repaired a trans-Atlantic relationship that had taken a hit under his predecessor, George W. Bush. Early in his first term, some 78 percent of Germans saw the US as "a country that could be trusted."

This week, though, following revelations of large-scale US spying in Europe and vast Internet surveillance, that trust has taken a hit. A survey released late on Thursday found that only 49 percent of Germans now view the United States as trustworthy, the lowest level since Bush was in the White House. It also marks a plunge of 16 points relative to a survey taken in December 2011. » | cgh -- with wire reports | Friday, July 05, 2013

Bashar Al Assad Sees Removal Of Morsi As A Victory

Controversial: Egypt's Morsi Stripped of Power, Constitution Suspended

Egypt is undergoing a full-scale military coup. President Mohamed Morsi has been stripped of his power by the Egyptian army and the constitution has been suspended, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said in a statement. Egypt's chief justice of the constitutional court will become the interim president.

Inside Story: Egypt: The Army Steps In

The military intervenes in the midst of a political crisis, but at what cost to the country's recent democratic gains?

Rouhani Urges End to Meddling in Iranians' Private Lives

BBC: Iran's President-elect, Hassan Rouhani, has called on the government to stop interfering in people's private lives.

In a speech to clergy, Mr Rouhani said a strong government was not one that "limits the lives of the people".

He earlier called on Twitter for internet access to be freed up and for state media to report Iran's problems.

Mr Rouhani was considered politically the most moderate of the contenders in last month's presidential election, which he won with 50.7% of the vote.

He is due to be sworn in on 3 August, after the result has been ratified by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. » | Wednesday, July 03, 2013

UK to Be First Non-Muslim Country to Host Islamic Economic Forum

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: London will host the ninth World Islamic Economic Forum in October, the first time that the event will be held outside of a Muslim country, as the British capital looks to become a global hub for Sharia finance.

More than 1,500 delegates, including government and business leaders, as well as scholars, will descend on London for the three-day event, which sets out to boost trade partnerships between Islamic and European markets.

"Hosting this prestigious conference... presents huge opportunities to promote London as a world beating business hub, highlighting our status as a major centre of Islamic finance and as a compelling destination for foreign investors," Mayor of London Boris Johnson said in comments posted on the event's website.

Britain has the largest Islamic banking sector outside the Middle East and Asia, the website said. Read on and comment » | Edited by Andrew Trotman | Thursday, July 04, 2013

Adolf Hitler's Dark Charisma

Overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood Leader 'Has International Reverberations'

Read the CNN article here | Jane Kinninmont, Special to CNN | Thursday, July 04, 2013

Egypt's Army Drives Mohamed Morsi from Presidency in Dramatic Coup; Morsi Detained at Military Facility

Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi is being detained in a military facility and arrest warrants have been issued for 300 members of the Muslim Brotherhood after the army took control of the country following a week of protest.

Read the Telegraph article here | Richard Spencer, Cairo | Thursday, July 04, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egypt ousts Mohamed Morsi: Barack Obama 'deeply concerned': Barack Obama has said he is "deeply concerned" by the Egyptian military's political intervention as he faced growing pressure to cut off American aid to the country's armed forces. » | Raf Sanchez in Washingon | Thursday, July 04, 2013

Belgium's King Albert Abdicates on Grounds of Ill-health

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: King Albert II of Belgium has announced his abdication, the first time a Belgian monarch has voluntarily stepped down, amid ill health and a court case over his alleged paternity of an illegitimate daughter.

In an unexpected address to the nation, the king, aged 79, announced that he would formally abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Philippe on July 21, Belgium's national day.

"I am at an age never attained by my predecessors. I have noticed that my age and health no longer allow me to fulfill my job as I should have wished. I would not meet my duties and not honour my view of the royal function if I stuck to my post at all costs," he said.

"It's a question of elementary respect for the institutions and of respect towards you. Following a twenty year reign I am of the opinion that the moment has come to hand the torch on to the next generation."

"I want to tell you now that it was an honour and a joy to devote a large part of my life to the service of this country and its people." » | Bruno Waterfield | Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Egypt Army Topples President, Announces Transition

REUTERS.COM: Egypt's armed forces overthrew elected Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on Wednesday and announced a political transition with the support of a wide range of political, religious and youth leaders.


After a day of drama in which tanks and troops deployed near the presidential palace as a military deadline for Mursi to yield to mass protests passed, the top army commander announced on television that the president had "failed to meet the demands of the Egyptian people".

Flanked by political and religious leaders and top generals, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the suspension of the Islamist-tinged constitution and a roadmap for a return to democratic rule under a revised rulebook.

The president of the supreme constitutional court will act as interim head of state, assisted by an interim council and a technocratic government until new presidential and parliamentary elections are held. » | Tom Perry and Yasmine Saleh | Cairo | Wednesday, Junly 03, 2013

Belgium's King Albert II Announces Abdication

BBC: The King of the Belgians, Albert II, has announced his abdication.

In a national televised address, the 79-year-old monarch said he would step down in favour of his son Crown Prince Philippe, 53, on 21 July, Belgium's national day.

He said his health was no longer good enough to fulfil his duties, and it was time to "pass on the torch to the next generation".

He said Philippe was "well prepared" to be his successor.

During Belgium's political deadlock in 2010-11, the king - who was set to mark 20 years on the throne next month - took on the role of mediator. » | Wednesday, July 03, 2013

France Slams US Bugging, Wants to Delay Trade Talks

France is at the forefront of the EU's rhetorical offensive against Washington's surveillance activities. Officials have even said that a massive trade pact being negotiated by the Atlantic allies - could well be sunk by spying revelations. RT's Maria Finoshina reports.

George Galloway on Syria - 2013

George Galloway Demolishes David Cameron for Supporting Arab Dictators

Hypocrisy unbounded: David Cameron -- arms dealer to Arab and Middle East despots -- attacks George Galloway for "supporting Arab dictators".

Obama Marginalizes Christianity, Mainstreams Islam

INVESTORS.COM: Culture War: Worried the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists" ads offend Muslims, the Obama administration is taking them down. Yet it has no qualms offending Christians or their faith.

After the Council on American-Islamic Relations complained the terrorist posters feature too many Muslims, including three Muslim Americans, the administration agreed to remove them from buses and other venues across the country.

The "Faces of Global Terrorism" ad campaign includes photos of 16 of the deadliest terrorists in the world, and offers a $25 million reward for information leading to their capture.

CAIR — which has distributed its own posters advising Muslims to slam the door shut on FBI agents looking for terrorists — whined that the campaign could lead to "hate crimes" against Muslims, though the group has cried wolf about such attacks in the past.

Still, the administration backed down, proving once again it's more concerned with appeasing Islamists than protecting U.S. citizens. Some 46 bus ads running in Seattle, where the campaign kicked off, will come down over the next few weeks, reducing the chance the terrorists will be caught.

The move comes just a few weeks after the Justice Department launched a campaign threatening residents outside Nashville, Tenn., and other cities in the South against saying anything blasphemous about Islam. Justice officials warned some anti-Muslim statements could be prosecuted as "hate crimes." » | Monday, July 01, 2013

Edward Snowden Given Possible Lifeline as Bolivia Hints It Would Grant Asylum

THE GUARDIAN: Evo Morales says his country is keen to 'shield the denounced' as Snowden's father Lon compares son to Paul Revere

Bolivia threw a possible lifeline to the surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden on Tuesday, telling Russian television it would consider granting him political asylum to escape from what it called the espionage network of the US "empire".

As other options began to fade for Snowden, trapped in the transit zone of a Moscow airport, Bolivian president Evo Morales said his country was keen to "shield the denounced".

Snowden's father, meanwhile, stepped up the rhetoric in favour of his son's actions on Tuesday, publishing an open letter that compared him to colonial independence fighter Paul Revere.

The letter was signed by Lon Snowden and his lawyer, Bruce Fein, who also reported receiving a phone call from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Fein told the Associated Press that Assange, in the phone call on Saturday, delivered what he said was a message from Snowden to his father, asking him to keep quiet.

Speaking in Moscow, Morales said Bolivia had not received a formal application for asylum from Snowden yet, but hinted it would consider any request favourably.

"If there were a request, of course we would be willing to debate and consider the idea," Morales told RT Actualidad, the Spanish-language service of Russian broadcaster RT. » | Dan Roberts in Washington | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

BBC: Bolivia leader's jet diverted 'amid Snowden suspicions': Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane has been diverted to Austria amid suspicion that US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is on board, the foreign minister has said. » | Wednesday, July 03, 2013

UAE Islamists Convicted for Plotting Government Coup

BBC: Sixty-eight Islamists in the United Arab Emirates have been jailed over allegations of a plot to overthrow the government.

Many of those convicted were imprisoned for at least seven years. Another 26, including 13 women, were acquitted.

The 94 defendants were accused of trying to seize power in the Emirates.

The verdict ended a trial criticised by human rights groups, which said the judge failed to investigate "credible" allegations of torture of defendants.

The defendants included human rights lawyers, university lecturers and students.

A majority of those convicted were given jail sentences between seven and 10 years, reports said. Eight defendants no longer in the country were sentenced to 15 years.

The convictions were condemned by Human Rights Watch. Nick McGeehan, the organisation's Gulf researcher, said they represented "another low point for the UAE's worsening human rights record".

"These verdicts cement the UAE's reputation as a serious abuser of basic human rights," Mr McGeehan added. (+ video) » | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Altered Attitudes: Gay Marriage on a Roll in the West

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Two US Supreme Court rulings last week bolstering same-sex marriage are symptomatic of shifting public opinion in the West in favor of gay rights. Attitudes have changed so fast in recent years that politicians can hardly keep up.

The dividing line between the West and the rest of the world could be seen clearly last Thursday, when it ran more or less precisely between US President Barack Obama and Senegalese President Macky Sall. The two leaders stood together and smiled for the press in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. Then someone asked a question about gay marriage.

Obama praised his country's Supreme Court for its historic ruling the previous day recognizing same-sex marriages at the federal level. The president declared this "a victory for American democracy" and called on the West African nation to allow homosexuals equal rights as well.

Sall promptly disagreed with Obama. Not only are homosexuals denied the right to marry in Senegal, but sex between men is in fact a crime there, as it is in around 30 African countries. "Senegal is a tolerant nation, yet it is not yet ready to legalize homosexuality," Sall said.

The two presidents' meeting was also a clash of cultures, one made all the more intense as Europe and the US find themselves undergoing rapid societal change. One number illustrates just how quickly this change is occurring: As of this August, 585 million people in the world will live in regions where true gay marriage exists, not just legally recognized same-sex partnerships. That's roughly twice as many as in August 2012. And just 12 years before that, at the turn of the millennium, gay marriage didn't exist anywhere in the world. » | Mathieu von Rohr | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Traudl Junge Interview: Hitlers Selretärin

Interview with Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge.

The Boy Killed for an Off-hand Remark about God - Sharia Spreads in Syria

BBC: The murder of a boy accused of blasphemy has come to symbolise concerns about the power of Islamist radicals in Syria's armed uprising. Paul Wood reports from Aleppo on how Sharia is spreading in rebel-held areas.

Mohammed Qataa's mother wanders the streets of Aleppo looking into strangers' faces as she tries to find her son's killers.

She knows she would recognise them. She was looking right at them when, in front of a dumbstruck and terrified crowd, Mohammed was shot dead, accused of blasphemy.

She remembers Mohammed as a happy, dutiful son, well known and well-liked in the Shaar neighbourhood where the men of the family scrape a living with a coffee cart.

He was 14 years old, but with no schooling possible because of the war he was usually to be found on the busy main thoroughfare through Shaar, selling the thick, sweet coffee they prefer here.

One day last month, someone asked him for a free cup. "Not even if the Prophet himself returns," he had replied, laughing. That remark was a death sentence.

It was overheard by three armed men. They dragged him to a car and took him away. Half-an-hour later, a badly beaten Mohammed was dumped back in the road by his cart.

The men, showing no fear that anyone would question what they were doing, summoned a crowd with shouts of "Oh People of Aleppo. Oh people of Shaar." Their bellows alerted Mohammed's mother.

Recalling what happened next, she buries her face in her hands and weeps.

"One of them shouted: 'Whoever insults the Prophet will be killed according to Sharia'," she told me.

"I ran down barefoot to the streets. I heard the first shot. I fell to the ground when I got there.

"One of them shot him again and kicked him. He shot him for a third time and stamped on him.

"I said: 'Why are you killing him? He's still a child!' The man shouted: 'He is not a Muslim - leave!'" (+ video) » | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Snowden verzichtet auf Asyl in Russland

Der frühere US-Geheimdienstmitarbeiter Edward Snowden habe seinen Antrag zurückgezogen, sagte Kremlsprecher Dmitri Peskow Agenturen zufolge heute in Moskau. Grund seien die von Präsident Wladimir Putin genannten Asyl-Bedingungen.

STERN.DE: Deutschland verweigert Snowden Asyl: Edward Snowden hat mehr als 20 Länder um Asyl gebeten. Auch Deutschland stand auf seiner Liste. Doch schneller als erwartet lehnten die Behörden seinen Antrag ab. » | kng/Reuters/DPA | Dienstag, 02. Juli 2013


TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Les élus sont divisés sur l’octroi de l’asile à Snowden: Des élus politique jugent que l'espion doit être accueilli comme un réfugié en danger de mort. D'autres l'excluent et rappellent que les Etats-Unis sont une démocratie. » | Par Patrick Chuard, Berne | mardi 02 juli 2013

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Edward Snowden aurait peur d'être tué aux USA: Edward Snowden affirme qu'il «risque d'être persécuté» par les Etats-Unis s'il devait y retourner, dans sa lettre justifiant sa demande d'asile politique à la Pologne. » | ats/afp/Newsnet | mardi 02 juli 2013

French Far-right Leader Stripped of Immunity

AL JAZEERA: Marine Le Pen loses legal immunity as EU Parliament deputy, exposing her to possible prosecution over racism charge.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been stripped of her European Parliament immunity and may now face charges of racism over comments she made comparing Muslims praying on streets to Nazi occupation during World War II.

Parliamentarians voted on Tuesday to ratify the decision, as recommended by a judicial committee, so that Le Pen, who leads the French National Front party, could defend herself against a charge of inciting racial hatred brought by French prosecutors in 2011.

Le Pen, who was present for the vote, said she stood behind her comments and looked forward to defending them in front of a judge.

"I'm going to defend myself ... and I'm absolutely convinced that the court will rule in my favour and protect my right to say to the French the truth about the situation, notably prayers in the streets but not only that," Le Pen said in an interview on French television.

If found guilty of inciting racial hatred, she would face a maximum penalty of one year in prison and $60,000 in fines. » | Source: Agencies | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Edward Snowden's Options Dwindle After Political Asylum Rejections

List of the countries approached and their responses

THE GUARDIAN: Several countries have denied whistleblower's request to seek asylum and others say he must be on their territory to apply

Edward Snowden's hopes of finding refuge from prosecution appeared to be dwindling on Tuesday as country after country denied the US whistleblower's requests to seek political asylum.

Snowden sought political asylum from 21 countries, according toWikiLeaks, passing his requests to Russian officials from his hideaway in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.

Several countries replied with a flat out "no", including Brazil, India, Norway and Poland. "I will not give a positive recommendation," the Polish foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, wrote on his Twitter account.

A spokesman for the Indian foreign ministry tweeted: "Following careful examination, we have concluded that we see no reason to accede to the Snowden request." To add insult to injury, Brazil said it did not feel Snowden's request deserved a response.

An enraged US has warned countries against accepting Snowden, who they are seeking on charges that he violated the espionage act when gathering and leaking classified documents outlining the National Security Agency's surveillance programmes.

Officials from many countries said Snowden would have to be on their territory to properly apply for asylum, a major stumbling block as Snowden has been stripped of his US passport and remains confined inside Sheremetyevo without travel documents. » | Miriam Elder in Moscow | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Marine Le Pen: France Plagued by Bankruptcy & Mass Immigration

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen believes her National Front party is going to come to power later in the decade and vows to overcome the burden of EU unity. Immigration, economic problems, the military, and gay rights all shape her agenda - FOR MORE of Sophie Shevardnadze Interview on SophieCo

Australian Muslim Frontbencher Suffers Online Abuse After Koran Oath

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australia’s first Muslim frontbencher, Ed Husic, has been subjected to “extreme” abuse after he chose to swore his oath of office on the Koran.

Mr Husic, a parliamentary secretary, suffered torrents of anti-Islamic attacks on social media but said he “will not jump because of harsh words in dark corners”. On his Facebook page, a series of congratulatory messages was rebuked by critics who said they were “disappointed” and feared he had abandoned the constitution in favour of Sharia law.

“Shame, Shame, Shame," wrote Ross Peace. "I am so disappointed in this government that they don't have the spine to stand up for the Australian way of life."

Another user, Steve Kerr, wrote: “You are the shame of our great nation. Australian politics has gone to the dogs, and committing the treasonous act of swearing in on the quran, you are the biggest mutt in the yard!”

Mr Husic, 43, the child of Bosnian Muslim migrants, said it was “right” for people to express their concerns but defended his decision to use the Koran for his oath. » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Tuesday, June 02, 2013

Hitler in Colour

Ahmadinejad: West Wants Syrian Crisis to Spread, Aims to Re-shape Mideast (RT Exclusive)

Western nations are stirring up a hornet's nest in Syria because peace is not playing into their hands. That's one of the things Iran's outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told RT during an exclusive interview in Moscow. (July 2, 2013)

Snowden Drops Russia's Asylum Bid as Whistleblower Saga Continues

Edward Snowden has withdrawn his application for asylum in Russia. The whistleblower was apparently unwlling to stop leaking damaging revelations about Washington's surveillance habits, which was one of Moscow's conditions. He still has requests for refuge being considered by almost 20 other nations

Channel 4 to 'Provoke' Viewers Who Associate Islam with Terrorism with Live Call to Prayer during Ramadan

THE INDEPENDENT: The broadcaster will provide extensive coverage of the Muslim period of prayer to challenge those who associate the religion with extremism and terror

Channel 4 has said it will broadcast the Muslim call to prayer live every morning during Ramadan as a deliberate act of “provocation” aimed at viewers who associate Islam with terrorism and extremism.

The broadcaster, which was launched with a mission to appeal to minority audiences, will return to its controversial roots by screening a season of programmes around the Muslim period of prayer and fasting, which begins next Tuesday.

A senior Channel 4 executive defended the broadcaster’s decision to provide extensive coverage of the most significant event in the Islamic calendar by suggesting that Ramadan was of greater interest to its viewers than the “blanket coverage” given to the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation by its rivals.

Ralph Lee, head of factual programming, said that Channel 4 would become the first mainstream British television channel to broadcast the call to prayer (adhan) on a daily basis.

Writing in the Radio Times, Lee claimed: “Observing the adhan on Channel 4 will act as a nationwide tannoy system, a deliberate ‘provocation’ to all our viewers in the very real sense of the word.”

Lee said that the “vast majority of people in Britain” would not be aware of the “mass act of personal sacrifice and worship” about to commence.

“Not surprising when you consider its (Ramadan) near invisibility on mainstream TV. Contrast this with the way most Muslims are represented on television – nearly always appearing in contexts related to extremism or terrorism,” he wrote. » | Adam Sherwin | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

RADIO TIMES: Channel 4 exec: broadcasting Muslim call to prayer reflects how Islam is “flourishing” in UK » | Jack Seale | Monday, July 01, 2013

My comment on The Guardian:

First we had David Cameron telling us that the beheading of Lee Rigby was a betrayal of Islam. Then we had the banning of Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller from these shores. Now this: the broadcasting of al-adhan each morning on Channel 4 during Ramadhan. What are we to make of this except capitulation? These are sad times for a once strong, proud nation. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Snowden Drops Asylum Bid for Russia: Official

VOICE OF AMERICA: A Russian official says fugitive American spy agency contractor Edward Snowden has dropped his bid for asylum, after President Vladimir Putin said he could only stay if he stopped leaking sensitive U.S. intelligence.

The spokesperson for Putin also confirmed Tuesday that Snowden remains in the transit zone of a Moscow airport, where he fled eight days ago from Hong Kong after revealing top-secret U.S. surveillance operations.

Wikileaks, the anti-secrecy group that has supported Snowden, said Tuesday it has submitted asylum requests to 19 more countries on behalf of the ex-CIA employee.

The countries include China, India, Brazil, and several other European nations, including several U.S. allies. Wikileaks said this is in addition to earlier asylum requests to Ecuador and Iceland. » | VOA News | Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Television Under The Swastika - The History Of Nazi Television (1999)

What Was Life Like for Young People in Nazi Germany?

Hitler Youth »
Hitlerjugend »

'No Longer in the Cold War': Merkel Infuriated by US Spying

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has compared US spying to Cold War tactics and Brussels wants EU facilities checked for American eavesdropping equipment. Concern is growing the scandal could seriously damage trans-Atlantic relations.

The German government reacted strongly on Monday to media reports that the United States has spent years spying on the European Union and on specific European countries. Meanwhile, European Union leaders have both reviled the US for allegedly bugging EU diplomatic missions in Washington, DC, and New York and ordered that bloc facilities be searched for American eavesdropping equipment.

"The monitoring of friends -- this is unacceptable. It can't be tolerated," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday through her spokesman Steffen Seibert. "We are no longer in the Cold War." Seibert said that Merkel had already communicated her displeasure to the US. "Trust has to be the basis of our cooperation," Seibert said. "When it comes to this affair, trust has to be re-established."

In addition, Germany's Foreign Ministry is performing a check on the security of its communications with embassies abroad while the Interior Ministry in Berlin is undertaking an examination of the safety of communication channels used by the German government. » | cgh -- with wire reports | With reporting by Veit Medick, Annett Meiritz and Philipp Wittrock | Monday, 01. July 2013

Putin: Snowden Can Stay in Russia If He Stops Damaging US

President Vladimir Putin says NSA leaker Edward Snowden may stay in Russia, if he wants to, but only if he stops activities aimed against the United States.

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Horrific Video Shows Syrian Catholic Priest Being 'Beheaded by Jihadist Fighters in Front of Cheering Crowd'

MAIL ONLINE: Father Francois Murad's death was confirmed by Vatican news agency / Footage of 49-year-old's gruesome death was filmed on a camera phone / The Syrian priest was killed last 23 June in Gassanieh, northern Syria

A Syrian Catholic priest has been beheaded by jihadist fighters in Syria, it has been claimed.

The death of Franciscan Father Francois Murad has been confirmed by the official Vatican news agency.

The gruesome killing has raised further concerns about the West arming rebels in the fight against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Grainy footage purported to show the 49-year-old’s death has been posted on the internet.

Father Francois, was killed on 23 June in Gassanieh, in northern Syria. He had been staying in the convent of the Custody of the Holy Land.

Catholic.org linked to the video and reported: 'Syrian terrorists have beheaded a Catholic priest who they accused of collaborating with the Assad regime. Those accusations have not yet been verified.'

Fides News Agency said: 'According to local sources, the monastery where Fr. Murad was staying was attacked by militants linked to the jihadi group Jabhat al-Nusra.'

Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Front for the Protection of the Syrian People, is an Al Qaeda associated group, described as 'the most aggressive and successful arm of the rebel force.' Read on and comment » | Daily Mail Reporter | Monday, July 01, 2013

GRAPHIC VIDEO: Syria - Al-Qaeda's Nusra Front Beheads Christian Priest & Man in Idlib countryside »