Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Inside Story: The Price of Intervention [in Syria]


What are the risks, costs and consequences of direct US military involvement in the Syrian conflict?


Related »

Prince George Alexander Louis: Kate and William Reveal Royal Baby's Name

THE GUARDIAN: Baby, who will be known as Prince George of Cambridge, is named one day after mother left hospital

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced their newborn son is to be called George Alexander Louis. He will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.

The announcement at 6.20pm showed the couple have chosen to stick with very traditional royal names. There have already been six British monarchs called George – the last being the Queen's father, George VI. Louis is also a favourite and was the name of Lord Mountbatten, the uncle of the Duke of Edinburgh.

The announcement comes a day after the duchess left hospital and two days after she gave birth, and hours after the Queen met her great-grandson for the first time.

George was the most popular name with betting firms William Hill, Coral and Paddy Power. James was also a favourite with punters, with Alexander, Henry, Louis, Richard and Arthur the next most popular choices.

It was widely expected that William and Kate would not wander far from convention and select anything too outlandish for a prince who is likely to reign one day and whose name could symbolise an era. » | Caroline Davies | Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Peter Atkins | Islam Is Not A Peaceful Religion | Oxford Union


Peter Atkins gives his argument against Islam being a peaceful religion.

Margaret Thatcher on Her Path to Power


Mrs. Thatcher gives an interview on her early life

Ibrahim's War - Syria


Filipino Women Teachers Are Banned from Wearing Veils in the Classroom

MAIL ONLINE: Government bans Muslim teachers from wearing veils in front of pupils / Muslim Office claims so far no complaints have been received / It comes as France considers extending a ban on veils to private sector / Paris still counting the cost of riots after woman ordered to remove veil

Women teachers have been ordered to remove their veils when teaching in the classroom in the majority Catholic country of the Philippines.

It is the latest twist in the ongoing controversy over the wearing of the religious garment, that sparked a riot in the French capital Paris on Friday.

An order was sent out by the Filipino Government yesterday instructing female teachers to take off their religious veils in a move that was claimed would build a better relationship between teachers and pupils.

Education secretary Armin Luistro said it was part of reforms designed to make schools more sensitive to religion. Muslim schoolgirls will still be allowed to wear the veil in schools as well as 'appropriate clothing' in gym class.

But while female Muslim schoolteachers can wear the veil outside class, they have been told to remove the veil during lessons so they can interact better with students.

The order stated: 'Once the teacher is in the classroom, she is requested to remove the veil.'

It added the move would help aid 'proper identification of the teachers by their pupils, thus promoting better teacher-pupil relationship'.

It would also help the teaching of languages, where 'lip formation' plays a role in pronouncing certain letters.

The Government’s Office of Muslim Affairs said it agreed with the education department’s measures, although it had not yet received a copy of the order. » | Stuart Woledge | Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Margaret Thatcher - Capitalism and a Free Society


Margaret Thatcher and William F Buckley Jr. touch on a variety of subjects including economic incentives, minimum wage and redistribution of wealth.

Avoiding Big Bro: Prying Eyes Make Privacy a Thing of the Past


Snowden's become a wanted man after showing the world just how much US security services watch people all over the world. The NSA's stranglehold on digital data communications makes privacy seem like a thing of the past. RT's Marina Portnaya tried to see if she could avoid Big Brother, while going about her daily business in New York.

NSA Leaker Snowden Plans to Settle in Russia, Find Work


NSA leaker Edward Snowden plans to settle in Russia and is ready to begin a court battle if the country's migration service denies his asylum plea, Anatoly Kucherena, a Russian lawyer who assists the whistleblower, told RT.

Pentagon Warns against Syria Intervention Which Could Cost US '$1bn a Month'


THE INDEPENDENT: Warning comes as the US and Britain concede that Assad could remain in power for a long while, albeit controlling only a portion of his country

The Pentagon's top uniformed official has given one of the clearest signals yet of the reluctance of the Obama administration to intervene militarily in the Syrian civil war, warning that to do so would cost billions of dollars annually and possibly backfire against US interests.

In a letter to the Senate Armed Committee, General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, set out five options, ranging from training and arming the opposition to establishing buffer zones or or a no-fly zone and direct strikes against regime targets. The pricetag would vary from $500m a year to $1bn a month, as well as thousands of troops.

His warning came as the US and allies including Britain have begun to concede that after his recent successes on the battlefield, President Bashar al-Assad could remain in power for a long while, albeit controlling only a portion of his country. » | Rupert Cornwall | Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Daniel Johnson | Islam Is Not A Peaceful Religion | Oxford Union


Daniel Johnson gives his argument against Islam being a peaceful religion.


WIKI: Géza Vermes »

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Einreiseverbot: Russland bestraft Ausländer wegen "Homosexuellen-Propaganda"


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Russland macht Ernst mit seinem Kampf gegen sogenannte Homosexuellen-Propaganda: Vier Niederländer dürfen wegen einem Interview mit einem lesbischen Mädchen drei Jahre lang nicht mehr ins Land einreisen.

Moskau - Erstmals seit Inkrafttreten eines umstrittenen Verbots von "Homosexuellen-Propaganda" hat Russland vier Ausländer wegen Verstoßes gegen das Gesetz bestraft. Die niederländischen Homosexuellen-Aktivisten dürften drei Jahre lang nicht mehr nach Russland einreisen, sagte ein Sprecher der Migrationsbehörde in Moskau am Dienstag der Agentur Interfax. Deutschland warnt in einem Reisehinweis Schwule und Lesben vor dem Gesetz. » | Dienstag, 23. Juli 2013

Documentary: Addicted to Pleasure - Opium


Brian Cox learns the origins and history of modern-day opium addiction. ¶ Actor Brian Cox reveals the rich and controversial past of sugar, alcohol, tobacco and opium to uncover how the commercial exploitation of these products hooked the world.

The Royal Baby – Live


Watch the video live here | BBC | Thursday, July 23, 2013

Documentary: Addicted to Pleasure - Whisky


Brian Cox reveals how whisky has shaped Scotland's hard-drinking reputation. ¶ Actor Brian Cox reveals the rich and controversial past of sugar, alcohol, tobacco and opium to uncover how the commercial exploitation of these products hooked the world.

EU Porn Ban Voted Down Amid Censorship Concerns


RT.COM: Language that would ban online pornography has been dropped from a report approved by the European Parliament. But major concerns over the future of Internet privacy remain as legislators themselves were blocked from reading constituents' complaints.

Members of the European Parliament voted 368-159 in favor of passing a report titled “Eliminating gender stereotypes in the EU.”

The rejection of a controversial “porn ban” proposal has seemingly become a major victory for online freedom. But the result was “a little bit unclear,” Christian Engstrom, MEP with Sweden's Pirate Party, told RT. (+ video) » | Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Documentary: Addicted to Pleasure - Tobacco


How smoking kick-started the British Empire and created a market of addicts. ¶ Actor Brian Cox reveals the rich and controversial past of sugar, alcohol, tobacco and opium to uncover how the commercial exploitation of these products hooked the world.

Documentary: Addicted to Pleasure - Sugar


How sugar cane fuelled a consumer revolution but is now responsible for serious ailments. ¶ Actor Brian Cox reveals the rich and controversial past of sugar, alcohol, tobacco and opium to uncover how the commercial exploitation of these products hooked the world.

Call to Ban Smoking on Beaches Stirs French

BBC: A call by France's health minister for local authorities to ban smoking in parks and on beaches has sparked debate as a heat wave grips the country.

Marisol Touraine told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper she wanted to see more tobacco-free zones, to protect children's health.

The Socialist minister said she hoped smoking would also be banned outside schools and on university campuses.

Smoke-free beaches have appeared in some French resorts in recent years.

The town of La Ciotat, near Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, was among the first to create such a beach in 2011, introducing a fine of 38 euros (£33; $50) for offenders.

Similar steps have been taken elsewhere in the world, notably in New York City, which prohibited smoking on beaches and in parks the same year. » | Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Bill O'Reilly Challenges Obama & Black Caucus to Address Race Problem - The Factor | July 22, 2013


Bill O'Reilly BLASTS President Obama, the Black Caucus, and the rest of the left for the Race Relations issues in this country getting completely out of hand during his talking points memo.

Royal Baby: Messages of Congratulations Flood In after Birth

BBC: Congratulatory messages are flooding in from around the world to mark the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son, the third in line to the throne.

Prince William said the couple "could not be happier" following the birth of the boy, who weighed 8lb 6oz and is yet to be named, at 16:24 BST on Monday.

Thousands of well-wishers descended on Buckingham Palace after the news broke.

The royal birth will be marked later with gun salutes and the ringing of Westminster Abbey's bells.

The duke was at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, west London, for the birth - and stayed with Catherine and the baby overnight.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said it was "too early" to say whether they would leave hospital on Tuesday. The couple are expected to talk to their medical team before a decision is made.

BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said it was unlikely the Queen would visit her great-grandchild in hospital, adding - "she can of course see him privately once he leaves". (+ video) » | Tuesday, July 23, 2013


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Royaler Nachwuchs: Baby Cambridge, neuer Werbeträger der Monarchie – Erst die Hochzeit, nun das Baby: Prinz William und Kate sind die Hoffnungsträger der angestaubten britischen Monarchie. Die jungen Vorzeigeeltern machen die Firma Windsor wieder zukunftsfähig. » | Von Carsten Volkery | Montag, 22. Juli 2013

LE POINT: GRANDE-BRETAGNE - Le "royal baby" sera 3e dans l'ordre de succession au trône : Kate, duchesse de Cambridge et épouse du prince William, a accouché lundi d'un garçon. Les messages de félicitation affluent du monde entier. » | Le Point.fr | mardi 23 juillet 2013


Monday, July 22, 2013

Morsi's Son: US Fails to Defend Democracy Despite Talk in Media


The Muslim Brotherhood has lost its position in the Egyptian government, but popular support is still strong. Thousands are on the street protesting what they call a military coup. We talk to Osama Morsi, the son of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi, about democracy, the Brotherhood's future, his father's whereabouts and to what end are they prepared to fight.


Related »

Egypt's Ousted President Morsi 'Abducted by Army'

BBC: The family of the ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has accused the army of abducting him.

His daughter Shaimaa told a news conference in Cairo that the family was taking legal measures against the army.

Mr Morsi has been held at an undisclosed location without charge since he was removed from power on 3 July.

At least three people were killed in clashes on Monday between opponents and supporters of the former president.

Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement has refused to recognise the new military-backed administration and continues to hold almost daily street protests. » | Monday, July 22, 2013

Norwegian Rape Case Woman Allowed to Leave Dubai

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Norwegian woman who was imprisoned in Dubai after telling police she had been raped won her fight for freedom on Monday as the emirate's ruler pardoned her for the crime of extramarital sex.

Marte Dalelv said she was overjoyed that her ordeal was finally over, after four months fighting a jail sentence in a case which highlighted the tension between Dubai’s courtship of Western investors and visitors and its strict Islamic laws. “I have my life back,” the smiling 24-year-old told reporters. “I am free, finally”.

Ms Dalelv had been convicted by a Dubai court last week of extramarital sex, perjury and consuming alcohol without a permit and sentenced to 16 months in prison. The verdict, she told press, was a shock - coming despite DNA, medical and witness evidence that she said proved her claims.

Meanwhile, her alleged rapist was also pardoned. He had been given a lesser sentence of just 13 months for extramarital sex. » | Hannah Strange | Monday, July 22, 2013

Archbishop of Canterbury Condemns 'Unacceptable' Attacks on Muslims

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he does not want to live in a "monocultural" society and condemned "unacceptable" and "inexcusable" attacks on Muslims over recent weeks.

Speaking at Featherstone High School in Southall, west London, the Most Rev Justin Welby described attacks on mosques in the wake of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby earlier this year as "evil actions".

"The attacks on minority ethnic groups across the country that there have been over the last few weeks are inexecusable [sic], unacceptable and a scandal to a tradition of hospitality in this country of which we should be deeply proud and which has contributed far more to us than it has taken from us," he said.

He added: "I want, as I have already done, to acknowledge the pressure that our Muslim friends and colleagues have faced over the last few weeks.

"There have been terrible attacks, I know that the vast majority of those in this country and especially people of faith would join me in condemning utterly any act of violence against anyone because of their faith.

"We want you to know that we stand with you, we will do so privately and publicly. We will do so persistently and I pray in the grace of God, persuasively.

"We will do all we can to support the security forces, the police, in bringing to justice those who seek to spread hate and cause division in our community."

Welby told his audience that diversity was a "gift not a threat" and he did not want to live in a "monocultural" society. He said he "rejoiced" in the example of inter[-]faith cooperation and community work he had witnessed in Southall.

"Diversity is a gift, not a threat, it is a hope, not a danger," he said. » | News agencies | Monday, July 22, 2013

Cameron Admits Weapons Could Be in Bad Guys' Hands in Syria


Britain's Prime Minister seems to be having a change of heart regarding weapons supplies to the Syrian opposition. In a BBC interview, David Cameron says he's still committed to helping rebel groups fighting government forces, but that these groups include, in his words, 'a lot of bad guys.' Deepak Tripathi, a political analyst and historian from University of Roehampton in London, talks to RT.

CrossTalk: Third World America


Is American patriotism exaggerated? What is the real state of welfare in the US? Can the country afford its democracy promotion effort? And, is it possible that America is becoming a third world country? CrossTalking with George Szamuely and Charles Blair.

Russland: Patriarch nennt Homo-Ehe Symptom für Weltuntergang


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Homosexualität sei Sünde und Selbstzerstörung für ein Volk: Der orthodoxe russische Patriarch Kirill wettert gegen gleichgeschlechtliche Ehen. Mit dieser Meinung steht der Kirchenmann in Russland nicht allein da.

Moskau - Erst kürzlich hat Russland "Homosexuellen-Propaganda" gesetzlich verboten - ein Zugeständnis an die einflussreiche Kirche im Land. Jetzt legt der russisch-orthodoxe Patriarch Kirill noch einmal nach und hetzt in drastischen Worten gegen gleichgeschlechtliche Ehen.

Viele Staaten, in denen eine Minderheit Gesetze durchdrücke, hätten sich zuletzt für die Sünde entschieden, sagte Kirill am Sonntag bei einem Gottesdienst in Moskau, berichtet die Agentur Interfax. In der Kasaner Kathedrale am Roten Platz sagte er demnach: "Das ist ein sehr gefährliches apokalyptisches Symptom. (...) Denn das bedeutet, dass das Volk den Pfad der Selbstzerstörung einschlägt." » | lgr/dpa | Sonntag, 21. Juli 2013

Revealed: Germany 'Prolific Partner' of NSA, Merkel Denies Knowledge


’Der Spiegel’ magazine has revealed German intelligence operated one of NSA's spying programs. Chancellor Angela Merkel had denied any previous knowledge of NSA's tactics, adding that she first learned about them through the media.

Why Many French Muslims Choose Burial Abroad

BBC: From working-class neighbour-hoods of French towns and cities to the villages of Algeria and Morocco, a strange kind of reverse migration is under way - of the dead.

Every year thousands of bodies are being repatriated from France to the Maghreb, as Muslim families return their loved ones to the soil of their original home. It is a costly and complicated business, involving flights, consular administrators and specialist funeral providers. It also prompts the question: why not get buried in France?

After all, France is the country where these families are now destined to live. Would it not be a sign of successful integration if France were also where they chose to rest when they died?

The answer to that question has to do with the complexities of national identity in a world of mass migration.

But also with France's own obsession with secular "republican" values, and its reluctance to give ground - literally - on matters of faith. » | Hugh Schofield | BBC News, Paris | Monday, July 22, 2012

Religious Hardliners Declare 'Jihad' on Afghanistan's TV Talent Shows

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Religious hardliners have declared a jihad against the television talent shows that have taken Afghanistan by storm, condemning the way they feature unveiled women singing and dancing.

The programmes – modelled on Western favourites such as The Voice and Pop Idol – are hugely popular in a country with a young population and where television ownership has rocketed since the Taliban were ousted from Kabul in 2001.

At the same time there is a growing backlash against what many see as foreign values.

Abdul Sattar Khawasi, a parliamentarian, is leading the campaign and has secured a promise from the Afghan minister of information to review the programmes.

"I have already made it clear in the lower house that I am going to start a jihad against these kind of shows and programmes on our television channels," he said. » | Zubair Babakarkhail, Kabul and Rob Crilly | Sunday, July 21, 2013

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Saudi Rights Activist Iman al-Qahtani Given Travel Ban

BBC: A Saudi Arabian activist and journalist has been banned from travelling abroad.

In a message on Twitter, Iman al-Qahtani said she had been stopped from flying to Istanbul. Only then, she said, was she told of her travel ban.

Ms Qahtani has been outspoken in her support for fellow human rights campaigners in the Arabian kingdom.

Saudi officials were said to have been unhappy with her reporting. In April, she said she would stop tweeting to protect her family from reprisals.

In a brief, dramatic tweet, she told her followers she was doing it for her mother's sake. » | Sebastian Usher, BBC News | Friday, July 19, 2013

Salafisten in Deutschland: Für Allah in den Bürgerkrieg


Junge Salafisten aus Deutschland werden für den Kampf in Syrien geworben.

Netanyahu Sees Mursi Fall as Sign of Political Islam's Weakness


SWISSINFO.ch: BERLIN - In rare remarks on Egypt's government crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that the fall of the president, Mohamed Mursi, demonstrates the weaknesses of political Islamist movements.

"I believe that over the long haul these radical Islamic regimes are going to fail because they don't offer the adequate enfranchisement that you need to develop a country economically, politically and culturally," Netanyahu told the German weekly Welt am Sonntag.

He said he thought radical Islamism was wholly unsuited to dealing with a global economic and information revolution, and "goes right back to medievalism against the whole thrust of modernity, so over time it's bound to fail". » | Reuters | Sunday, July 21, 2013

Burka-Kontrolle bringt Menschenmenge in Rage


In Frankreich ist das Tragen von Burkas in der Öffentlichkeit verboten – wer es trotzdem tut, bekommt eine Busse aufgebrummt. Nun löste die Polizeikontrolle einer verschleierten Frau in der Stadt Trappes Krawalle aus. Ein Jugendlicher wurde dabei schwer verletzt.


THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Second night of riots in Paris over 'burka ban' fine: Muslim protesters have clashed with riot police in a Paris suburb after attempts were made to fine a woman for wearing a full Islamic veil. » | Peter Allen, Paris | Sunday, July 21, 2013

Islamic Veil Arrest Sparks Violence in Paris Suburb »

Philippe Becomes New Belgian King as Albert II Abdicates

BBC: Crown Prince Philippe has been sworn in as the new Belgian king after the emotional abdication of his father Albert II.

The Oxford- and Stanford-educated, trained air force pilot took the oath as the country's seventh king in a ceremony in parliament.

To warm applause, King Philippe, 53, promised to uphold the constitution.

Belgium has a constitutional monarchy in which the king plays a largely ceremonial role.

One of the duties the monarch does have is trying to resolve constitutional crises.

In his final address before signing a legislative act to step down, 79-year-old King Albert said his country must remain a "source of inspiration" to Europe.

He stressed his wish that Belgium - split between the Dutch-speaking north and the French south - remained united.

His resignation on the grounds of ill-health came after nearly 20 years on the throne and was timed to coincide with Belgium's national day. (+ video) » | Sunday, July 21, 2013


THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Divided Belgium has a new King Philippe: Belgium has a new King Philippe of the Belgians after his father Albert II abdicated after making an emotional exhortation for his countrymen to "work tirelessly" to hold their divided country together. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Sunday, July 21, 2013

ARD: TAGESSCHAU: Thronwechsel in Belgien: Philippe ist König » | Sonntag. 21. Juli 2013

LES ECHOS.fr: La Belgique célèbre son nouveau roi Philippe: Albert II a abdiqué dimanche en faveur de son fils Philippe, qui a prêté serment comme nouveau roi des Belges dans un pays divisé. » | dimanche 21 juillet 2013


Crying Queen of Belgium breaks down as she watches her husband abdicate and hand over the throne to their son » | Stuart Woledge | Sunday, July 21, 2013

Related »

Violent Clashes at Far-right Rally in Birmingham


THE SUN: A DEMO by the English Defence League ended in bloodshed yesterday when rocks, bottles and cans were hurled at protesters during a march.

Two men and a police officer suffered head injuries during clashes as 1,000 cops, many in riot gear, battled to keep the far-right group from Unite Against Fascism supporters who were staging a counter-rally in Birmingham. » | Sunday, July 21, 2013

Saturday, July 20, 2013

British CCTV-mania Shatters Records


Britain's addiction to surveillance is shattering records - with it estimated that there is now one camera for every 11 people. Privacy groups are furious - saying George Orwell's '1984' was never intended to be an instruction manual.

King of Belgium Gives Final TV Message on Eve of Abdication


King Albert II has urged his citizens to support the new monarch in a final television message before he abdicates in favour of his son Philippe on Sunday.


Read the article here | Saturday, July 20, 2013

Albert II fait ses adieux à la Belgique »

Albert II fait ses adieux à la Belgique


LE POINT: Il a appelé ses sujets à la "cohésion" et à "entourer" son fils aîné, Philippe, qui monte sur le trône dimanche.

C'était un dernier discours à la fois sobre, grave et optimiste. Après vingt ans de règne, le roi Albert II a fait ses adieux samedi en appelant les Belges à la "cohésion", face aux profondes divisions entre Flamands et Wallons, et à "entourer" son fils aîné, Philippe, qui monte sur le trône dimanche à l'occasion de la fête nationale. LaBelgique peut "envisager l'avenir avec confiance", car elle "a trouvé un souffle nouveau tant sur le plan intérieur qu'européen" au cours des dernières années, a-t-il déclaré dans son discours télévisé. À 79 ans, Albert II est le premier monarque belge à décider de se retirer volontairement en "laissant le flambeau" à son fils aîné, Philippe, 53 ans, malgré les doutes qui subsistent au sein de la population sur l'aptitude de ce dernier à assurer la fonction royale.

Dans son discours, Albert II a demandé aux Belges d'"entourer le futur roi" et "la future reine Mathilde" de leur "collaboration active" et de leur "soutien". "Ils forment un excellent couple au service de notre pays et ils jouissent de toute ma confiance", a-t-il assuré. Le roi, dont le règne a été marqué par deux grandes crises politiques entre Flamands et francophones, a reconnu que la Belgique n'était "pas toujours facile à gouverner". Heureusement, "le sens du compromis constructif" de la plupart de ses responsables politiques lui a permis de franchir les obstacles et de se transformer "d'un État unitaire en un État fédéral". » | Source AFP | samedi 20 juillet 2013

Helen Thomas, Barrier-Busting White House Reporter, Is Dead at 92

THE NEW YORK TOMES: WASHINGTON — Helen Thomas, whose bottomless curiosity and unquenchable drive made her a prominent White House reporter at a time when men dominated the profession, died Saturday at her apartment in Washington. She was 92.

Her death was announced by the Gridiron Club, where Ms. Thomas had been a former president.

Ms. Thomas covered every president from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama for United Press International and, later, Hearst Newspapers. Colleagues called her the unofficial dean of the White House press corps. Her blunt questions and sharp tone made her a familiar personality not only in the sometimes parochial universe inside the Beltway but also to nationwide television audiences.

Presidents grew to respect, even to like, Ms. Thomas for her forthrightness and energy, which sustained her well after the age at which most people have settled into retirement. President Bill Clinton gave her a cake on Aug. 4, 1997, her 77th birthday.

But on June 7, 2010, Ms. Thomas announced her immediate retirement from Hearst amid an uproar over her assertion that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go back where they belonged, perhaps to Germany and Poland. Her remarks, made almost offhandedly days earlier at a White House event, set off a storm when a videotape was posted.

In her retirement announcement, Ms. Thomas, who would have turned 93 next month, said that she deeply regretted her remarks and that they did not reflect her “heartfelt belief” that peace would come to the Middle East only when all parties embraced “mutual respect and tolerance.” “May that day come soon,” she said. » | David Stout | Saturday, July 20, 2013

Islamic Veil Arrest Sparks Violence in Paris Suburb


FRANCE 24: Around 200 protesters clashed with police in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Friday night following the arrest of a man who allegedly assaulted a police officer after his wife was stopped for wearing an Islamic veil in public.

A night of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Friday, apparently sparked by a row over France’s controversial ban on face coverings.

Reports suggest upwards of 200 people clashed with security forces outside the town’s police station from around 9pm on Friday night, with the violence continuing into the early hours of Saturday morning.

Demonstrators were seen throwing projectiles at police, while a number of bins were set on fire. Several pictures and videos purporting to show the violence have been posted on social media sites such as YouTube and Twitter.

Around a dozen vans carrying riot police were deployed to the area, while a helicopter was dispatched to carry out surveillance of the town, located around 27km west of the centre of Paris.

Order was restored at around 3am when the crowd began to disperse, a police source told Reuters. » | France 24 | Saturday, July 20, 2013

'Snowden Is a Problem for Both US & Russia'


Who's Edward Snowden more of a problem for now, Russia or the US? Has he sent US-Russian relations into a tailspin or did he just reaffirm the sad state of affairs? Is the 'Russian Reset' dead? Today we discuss the fallout from the Snowden case with Stephen Cohen, Professor of Russian Studies and History at New York University and Princeton University.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Egyptian Radicals Threaten Burning of Christians & Suicide Bombings


US Textbooks Say Muslims Discovered America


The Secrets Of Britain's Sharia Councils: Hidden Camera Report


A BBC Panorama Documentary goes undercover in one of the 85 sharia courts operating as a parallel legal system in the UK, uncovering the extensive abuse of women, refusal to grant divorces, charging of the woman but not the man for divorce proceedings, and even the taking awa

Mode: Talking Fashion - Joachim Baldauf über die spezielle Eleganz der Deutschen


Die Mode der Deutschen unterscheidet sich deutlich von der ihrer europäischen Nachbarn. Worin erklärt der Modefotograf Joachim Baldauf in einer neuen Folge "Talking Fashion".

Das Video hier abspielen