Espagne : le roi Juan Carlos de nouveau opéré

LE POINT: L'Espagne s'interroge sur une possible abdication du souverain, âgé de 75 ans. Sa popularité s'est effritée au fil des années après une série de scandales.

Le roi Juan Carlos d'Espagne a été opéré mardi pour une infection à la hanche gauche, une nouvelle intervention qui alimente le débat sur l'éventualité d'une abdication, rejetée par le souverain lui-même, et sur le rôle du prince héritier Felipe. L'opération, qui a duré deux heures et demie, qualifiée de "succès" par la maison royale, a permis la pose d'une prothèse provisoire de la hanche gauche, a expliqué à la presse le docteur Miguel Cabanela, qui a dirigé l'intervention. Le roi, âgé de 75 ans, devra donc être opéré une nouvelle fois dans "huit semaines au minimum" afin que lui soit posée une prothèse définitive, a ajouté le médecin, un spécialiste espagnol de renom venu spécialement des États-Unis.

Arrivé en voiture à l'hôpital privé Quiron, à Pozuelo de Alarcon dans la banlieue de Madrid, le roi, souriant, avait salué de la main les journalistes, répondant par un bref "très bien" à ceux qui lui demandaient comment il allait. Quelques heures plus tard, alors que la reine Sofia arrivait au chevet de son mari, un homme nu a surgi devant l'entrée de l'hôpital en criant "Non aux crimes secrets de la CIA !". Il a été maîtrisé par les services de sécurité au bout de quelques secondes. À la suite de douleurs apparues ces dernières semaines et de difficultés grandissantes à se déplacer, les médecins avaient diagnostiqué une infection et décidé de cette intervention, destinée à remplacer la prothèse que le roi avait reçue en novembre 2012. » | Le Point.fr | mercredi 25 septembre 2013

LE FIGARO: Affaibli, Juan Carlos exclut d'abdiquer : Le roi d'Espagne a subi mardi une énième opération de la hanche, qui relance le débat sur sa succession. » | Par Mathieu de Taillac | mardi 24 septembre 2013

Le président iranien reconnaît l'existence de l'Holocauste

VIDÉO - Hassan Rohani prend le contre-pied de son prédécesseur, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, qui a plusieurs fois mis en cause la réalité des crimes nazis.

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Inside Story: Egypt: Breaking the Brotherhood?

We ask how the latest ban of the country's oldest Islamist organisation will impact Egypt's political future.

No German, No Benefits: Turkish Family Fights Language Requirement

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Imhan K., a Turkish woman living in Germany, had her welfare benefits slashed after her husband refused to let her take German courses. Now a court must decide whether immigrants can be forced to learn the language and adopt Western mores.

After three-and-a-half years of legal wrangling, there's still no end in sight. At least officially, the case centers on €290.70 ($392). The K. family, thus identified to safeguard its privacy, is made up of ethnic Turks living in Germany. They claim that the state owes them the money. But, in reality, it's a matter of principle.

The questions at the heart of the dispute are: Can immigrants be forced to learn German? Can people who decline such an offer be denied welfare benefits? Or, viewed from the other perspective, can immigrants who live off state benefits refuse to integrate into society, or can they live as a group as if on an island and free of societal obligations?

The case of the K. family is typical of the problems German authorities face in dealing with immigrants from countries such as Turkey who don't want to integrate. » | Bruno Schrep | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Many Young Britons Do Not Trust Muslims, Poll Finds

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: More than a quarter of young people in Britain mistrust Muslims, a survey suggests.

Some 27% of the thousand 18 to 24-year-olds questioned said they did not trust them, while fewer than three in 10 (29%) thought Muslims were doing enough to tackle extremism in their communities.

A similar proportion of the young people polled (28%) said the country would be better off with fewer Muslims and almost half (44%) felt Muslims did not share the same values as everyone else. » | Ross Silverman | Wednesday, September 25, 2013

'US to Focus on Iran's Pursuit of Nukes' - Obama to UN Assembly 2013 (Full Speech)

US President Barack Obama criticized the UN Security Council for inaction on Syria, and called for a diplomatic solution to the standoff with Iran, in a General Assembly speech that robustly defended America's "exceptional" role in the world.

'US Surveillance an Affront' - Brazil's Rousseff to UN Assembly 2013 (Full Speech)

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff lambasted US spying on her country at Tuesday's UN summit, calling it a "breach of international law." She further warned that the NSA surveillance, revealed since June, threatened freedom of speech and democracy.

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'Iran's Threat Propaganda Dangerous for World Security' - Rouhani to UN Assembly 2013 (Full Speech)

Iran poses absolutely no threat to the world President Hassan Rouhani said in his address to the UN General Assembly. At the same time, militarism of "some players" and generalization of western values, he says, poses a true danger for the world security.

Quran Translation Banned By Russian Court; Top Islamic Cleric Ravil Gainutdin Protests 'Outrageous' Order

THE HUFFINGTON POST: MOSCOW -- Russia's top Islamic cleric has protested a provincial court order to declare a translation of the Quran as extremist and to destroy it.

Ravil Gainutdin, the head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, said in an open letter to President Vladimir Putin released Monday that the ruling was "illiterate" and "provocative."

The Quran is available in Russian translation, but the court last week ruled that the translation by Elmir Kuliyev published in Saudi Arabia in 2002 violated federal law banning extremist materials. Read on and comment » | AP | Tuesday, September 23, 2013

Russian Muslim Clerics Warn of Unrest over Ban of Translation of Koran

REUTERS.COM: Russia's senior Islamic clerics warned the country's leaders on Friday unrest could erupt in Muslim communities in Russia and beyond if a court decision ordering the destruction of a interpretive translation of Koran is not overturned.

Tuesday's ruling by a court in Novorossiysk, a city in southern Russia, ordered the widely read text outlawed under a Russian anti-extremism law that rights activists say has been abused by local officials out of prejudice or to persecute groups frowned upon by the dominant Russian Orthodox Church.

Rights campaigners said that the decision, which will apply nationwide unless it is overturned on appeal, comes dangerously close to banning the Koran itself.

Russia's Council of Muftis sounded the alarm in an open letter on Friday to President Vladimir Putin, who has frequently called for unity among the leading faiths and warned that ethnic tension could tear Russia apart.

"Russian Muslims are very strongly indignant over such an outrageous decision," Rushan Abbyasov, the deputy head of the council, which has close ties with the Kremlin, told Reuters.

If the ruling is acted on, the cleric warned: "There will be unrest ... not only in Russia but all over the world, we are talking about the destruction of the Koran." » | Alissa de Carbonnel | Friday, September 20, 2013

Benedict Emerges from Papal Retirement to Defend Record on Sex Abuse

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has broken his self-imposed silence with a lengthy letter to a prominent atheist in which he defended himself from accusations he did not do enough to bring to justice sexually abusive priests.

The ex-pontiff spoke of his "profound consternation" that "evil" had entered so deeply into the Catholic faith. But he denied that he had, either as pope or previously as head of the Vatican office dealing with abuse cases, tried to "cover up" the scandals that tarnished the Church's reputation around the world.

"That the power of evil penetrated so far into the interior world of the faith is a suffering that we must bear, but at the same time must do everything to prevent it from repeating," he said.

The missive, sent to Piergiorgio Odifreddi, an atheist mathematician, and reprinted on the front page of leading Italian daily La Repubblica, was the first published statement from Benedict since he said on his retirement that he would live out his remaining years "hidden from the world".

The letter, which also discussed topics such as the nature of Catholic belief, the conflict between good and evil, and evolution, came just two weeks after La Repubblica published a similar letter from his successor Pope Francis on atheism and agnosticism. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

À l'ONU, Obama tend la main à Téhéran

LA PRESSE: Barack Obama a accepté mardi d'essayer de résoudre la crise nucléaire iranienne par la voie diplomatique, prenant note du changement de ton de son nouvel homologue Hassan Rohani, mais réclamant des «actes transparents et vérifiables».

À la tribune de l'assemblée générale des Nations unies, qui a débuté mardi matin à New York, le président des États-Unis a estimé que M. Rohani, récemment investi, avait reçu un «mandat pour suivre un chemin plus modéré» que son prédécesseur ultraconservateur Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

M. Rohani, qui était attendu devant les délégués en fin d'après-midi, a adopté un ton conciliant envers l'Occident et appelé au dialogue pour résoudre les contentieux dont le plus brûlant réside dans le dossier nucléaire.

Les États-Unis et leurs alliés soupçonnent le programme nucléaire iranien d'avoir des visées militaires, ce que Téhéran dément. Mardi, une nouvelle fois, M. Obama a prévenu que son pays était déterminé à empêcher Téhéran de développer une arme atomique. » | Tangi Quemener | Agence France-Presse | New York | mardi 24 septembre 2013

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Russian Parents’ Group Demand Ban on Elton John for 'Supporting Sodomites'

THE INDEPENDENT: A Russian parents’ committee has asked President Vladimir Putin to cancel a planned concert by gay musician Elton John, saying he intended to violate a ban on “homosexual propaganda”.

In an open letter to Putin, the local parents’ group in the central Ural region was reported as saying: “The singer intends to come out in support of local sodomites and break the current Russian law, directed at protecting children.” » | Thomas Grove | Tuesday. September 24, 2013

Revealed: Dress Code at Islamic school that Forces Female Teachers to Wear a Hijab Regardless of Religion

MAIL ONLINE: A former teacher at the 'multi-faith' Al-Madinah School in Derby has told how staff were issued with a Quran-quoting dress code / The 50-year-old claims she was forced to quit when she wouldn't comply / Al-Madinah is already being investigated by the Education Funding Agency / Officials from the Office for Standards in Education are also expected to inspect the school within days following other allegations

A teacher has revealed how she was forced to resign after refusing to comply with a strict school dress code insisting all female staff wear hijabs regardless of their religion.

Al-Madinah School has imposed strict conditions on what teachers can wear and has told staff they can't take non-halal food into school or wear jewellery.

Now a former teacher, who has more 20 years of classroom experience, has told how she was forced to quit after being 'hassled' when she deviated from the Quran-quoting dress code.

The 50-year-old started working at Al-Madinah when it opened as a multi-faith free school a year ago.

She said: 'It wasn’t until an induction session, just before the school opened, that female non-Muslim staff were told they must wear a head covering, which was not made clear at any time during my interview for the job or was part of any contract.

'I reluctantly complied and either wore a head scarf or small hat, but took it off when I wasn’t in the classroom, but for which I was reprimanded.

'Wearing the head covering was difficult for me because I am a Christian and had I known it was compulsory for non-Muslim staff I would never have accepted the position.'

The teacher, who does not want to be named, said she was even sent a text from the school saying it 'insisted on' a 'modest dress code. Full length dress or skirt acceptable'. She said she asked how her outfit - a business suit - was not modest. 'The skirt was well below the knee and I wore thick black tights that covered my legs', she said.

The teacher told how she was offended at the suggestion her clothes were 'immodest' and was left particularly angry after being was told to take instructions from two male teachers about what was considered 'modest'. Read on and comment » | Susannah Hills | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Brazilian President: US Surveillance a 'Breach of International Law'

THE GUARDIAN: Dilma Rousseff's scathing speech to UN general assembly the most serious diplomatic fallout over revelations of US spying

Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff, has launched a blistering attack on US espionage at the UN general assembly, accusing the NSA of violating international law by its indiscriminate collection of personal information of Brazilian citizens and economic espionage targeted on the country's strategic industries.

Rousseff's angry speech was a direct challenge to President Barack Obama, who was waiting in the wings to deliver his own address to the UN general assembly, and represented the most serious diplomatic fallout to date from the revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. » | Julian Borger, New York | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Kenya Government Says All Hostages Freed

Kenyan special forces say there are no more hostages as they have seized control of most of Westgate mall on the fourth day of fighting.

Rechtsextremisten in der griechischen Polizei?

In Griechenland wurden mehrere ranghohe Polizeioffiziere entlassen. Offenbar hatten sie Verbindungen zur rechtsradikalen Partei Goldene Morgenröte. Die Armee ihrerseits soll in die Ausbildung von Schlägertrupps verwickelt sein.

UN General Assembly: Barack Obama Wants Nuclear Deal with Iran

Barack Obama has used an address at the UN General Assembly to call for a deal with Iran on its nuclear ambitions, instructing John Kerry, his secretary of state, to test the diplomatic path.

Read the Telegraph article here | Chris Irvine, agencies | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Suisse: le canton de Tessin vote contre la burqa

Les électeurs du canton suisse du Tessin ont voté pour une interdiction de se cacher le visage dans les lieux publics. Cette initiative est considérée comme une loi contre le port de la burqa.

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Poland and Germany Should Unite, Says Lech Walesa

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lech Walesa has called for Poland to unite with Germany to form one European state despite the troubled and bloody history between the two countries.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Polish president who played a key role in bringing an end to the Cold War, ushering in Polish independence, said the world needed new ways of organising itself, and the UN and Nato were the "ideas of an old era" and "badly organised".

"We need to expand economic and defence cooperation and other structures to create one state from Poland and Germany in Europe," said the ex-leader of the Solidarity trade union. » | Matthew Day, Warsaw | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Merkelism = Thatcherism 2.0? Critics Accuse Merkel of Pushing EU in Wrong Direction

Angela Merkel has won Germany's top job again - but the landslide victory is overshadowed by some tough coalition choices. The conservative bloc - Christian Democrats - took 41.5 per cent of the vote. And that's not enough support for Merkel's party to rule on their own - as their main rivals; the Social Democrats, led by Peer Steinbrueck came in with 25.7 per cent. A coalition between the two will be hard to reach.

SophieCo: Snowden's Lawyer: US Desperate to Get Edward, Still a Threat to Him

Who pays for Snowden's security in Russia? Where is he living? Does he like it in Russia, has he made any friends? Why could nobody find him in Sheremetyevo Airport? Scores of questions have been surrounding Snowden's summer landing in Moscow, but the whistleblower is maintaining media silence. The only person known to have access to him is his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena. We decided the best way to figure out what's currently happening with Edward Snowden was to invite his counselor for a chat.

Inside Story: UN Security Council: A Relic of the Past?

As the UNSC fails to reach an agreement on how to respond to the conflict in Syria, we examine the prospects for reform.

German Vote Leaves Merkel Looking for Allies

Conservatives enjoy best results since 1990 but concessions to centre-left rivals could be cost of coalition deal.

Ces veuves de kamikazes sur le chemin du djihad

LE FIGARO: La Britannique Samantha Lewthwaite, dont le mari commit les attentats de Londres en 2005, ferait partie des assaillants du Westgate Mall de Nairobi. Mais elle n'est pas la seule veuve à avoir rejoint la caravane du djihad.

Les spécialistes de l'antiterrorisme connaissaient «la veuve noire». Il y aura probablement désormais «la veuve blanche», Samantha Lewthwaite, l'épouse britannique d'un des kamikazes auteurs des attentats de Londres, en 2005, qui avaient causé la mort de plus de 50 personnes. Selon certains médias, cette jeune convertie de 29 ans ferait partie en effet du commando terroriste qui a attaqué le Westgate Mall de Nairobi samedi, entraînant la mort d'au moins 60 clients.

Comme la belgo-marocaine Malika el-Aroud, dont le mari se fit passer pour un journaliste avant de tuer le commandant Massoud en 2001 en Afghanistan, Samantha Lewthwaite dédia sa vie au djihad après la mort de son époux en 2005, au point de rejoindre peu après les miliciens islamistes somaliens al-Chebab, et peut-être de mourir elle aussi en «martyr» les armes à la main sous son abbaya noire. » | Par Georges Malbrunot | mardi 24 septembre 2013

Bill O'Reilly: 'We Live In a Cowardly World and the Terrorists Know It'

Bill O'Reilly reacted to the terrorist attack in Kenya by railing against the global cowardice to confront Islamic terrorism for what it really is: a "growing industry" out to kill the infidels that do not share their religious ideology. O'Reilly declared they would "launch another 9/11″ if they could, and after citing multiple instances of Islamic terrorism, he said, "What is the Muslim world doing about it? Nothing!"

He found it astonishing that the "most aggressive country fighting the jihad is France," crediting them for at least "understand[ing] the danger from fanatical Muslims."

O'Reilly concluded, "We live in a cowardly world and the terrorists know it."

Griechen stöhnen über Merkel-Sieg

Die CDU feiert ihren Triumph in Deutschland - vielen Griechen treibt Merkels haushoher Sieg eher Sorgenfalten ins Gesicht: Sie befürchten weitere Kürzungen in der Euro-Krise.

Should Obama Meet with Iran's President?

Reaction from Fox News national security analyst KT McFarland

Prolonging Pain: Sanctions on Iran over Nukes Hurt Most Vulnerable

Iran's been reaching out to world powers to settle the impasse over its nuclear programme ahead of the nation's upcoming address to the UN General Assembly. The stand-off has dragged on for years, and now the country's new leader Hassan Rouhani pledged to re-start peace talks in return for an easing of painful sanctions. And as RT's Paula Slier reports, the restrictions are hurting the most vulnerable.

Shocking Attack in Kenya: Why You Should Pay Attention

Former Ambassador John Price on why American's should be concerned about attack in Nairobi

Pakistanis React with 'Shock and Anger' at Latest Attack

BBC: People have been gathering in major Pakistani cities to protest against the latest suicide attack.

More than 80 people died and 120 were left injured after Islamist bombers detonated two deadly devices outside a church in Peshawar on Sunday.

This attack was the latest in a series of attacks on Pakistani Christians, who represent about 1.6% of the country's overwhelmingly Muslim population.

The BBC's Shazeb Jilani is in Pakistan where protesters told him that they will not 'tolerate' violence against minorities. Watch BBC video » | Monday, September 23, 2013

North Korea Denies Kim Jong-un Executed Mistress to Protect Wife

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: North Korea has angrily denied reports that Kim Jong-un ordered the execution of a former mistress in August to protect the "dignity" of his wife.

The denunciations in state media said "reptile media" were making allegations designed to "hurt the dignity" of Mr Kim, his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and the regime.

The state-run KCNA news agency claimed the reports were the work of "psychopaths" and "confrontation maniacs" in South Korea's government and the media.

"This is an unpardonable, hideous provocation hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership," KCNA stated. "Those who commit such a hideous crime ... will have to pay a very high price."

Reports in South Korea initially claimed that Hyon Song-wol, with whom Mr Kim was romantically linked around 10 years ago, was among a dozen well-known North Korean singers and musicians executed by firing squad on August 20 after appearing in pornographic videos.

Relatives of the condemned musicians and other members of the Unhasu Orchestra, the Wangjaesan Light Band and the Moranbong Band were forced to watch the executions before being sent to labour camps. » | Julian Ryall, Tokyo | Monday, September 23, 2013

Muslim Brotherhood Banned by Egyptian Court

THE GUARDIAN: Court rules that Islamist party's assets should be confiscated as crackdown on supporters of Mohamed Morsi escalates

The Egyptian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, sealing the marginalisation of the Islamist movement that was the country's most powerful political group until as recently as the July overthrow of Mohamed Morsi.

A court on Monday ordered the freezing of the Brotherhood's assets and also banned its spin-off groups, state media reported.

In practice, the group had almost been forced underground already by the arrest this summer of thousands of its members – including most of its leaders – and the killing of about 1,000 more.

It is a familiar predicament for the Brotherhood, which has been banned for most of its 85-year history and has successfully fought off every threat to its existence. » | Patrick Kingsley in Cairo | Monday, September 23, 2013

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Grèce: la police soupçonnée de liens avec Aube dorée

LA PRESSE: La police grecque a annoncé lundi la démission de deux de ses généraux et ordonné une enquête sur des liens éventuels entre policiers et Aube dorée, six jours après le meurtre d'un musicien antifasciste par un membre présumé de ce parti néonazi.

Le ministère de l'Ordre public a accepté la démission de deux généraux, «l'inspecteur général de la police du sud du pays Ioannis Dakopoulos et le directeur général de la police du centre du pays Apostolos Kaskanis», a indiqué un communiqué ministériel.

De même, plusieurs cadres de la police en poste sur l'île d'Eubée, au nord d'Athènes, ont été suspendus pour ne pas avoir effectué une enquête sur des locaux d'Aube dorée situés près d'un commissariat de police, et où des armes auraient été entreposées. » | Hélène Colliopoulou | Agence France-Presse | Athènes, Grèce | lundi 23 septembre 2013

Prantls Politik: Merkel, mach es alleine!

Die Union ist nur knapp an der absoluten Mehrheit vorbeigeschrammt. Wer so großes Vertrauen der Bürger genießt, sollte es mit einer Minderheitsregierung versuchen. Dass die Kanzlerin SPD-Stimmen anwerben kann, hat sie schon bewiesen. Ein Plädoyer für eine große Minderheitsregierung der CDU/CSU.

Cécilia ex-Sarkozy va publier ses mémoires

LE POINT: Cécilia Attias a attendu le départ de son ex-mari de l'Élysée pour s'exprimer sur certains points opaques du début du quinquennat Sarkozy.

C'est un livre entouré du plus grand secret et déjà l'un des plus attendus : Cécilia Attias, ex-Sarkozy et ex-première dame, va publier un ouvrage autobiographique mi-octobre chez Flammarion, a confirmé lundi l'éditeur. Le livre devrait paraître "mi-octobre", a indiqué sans plus de détails l'agence à laquelle Flammarion a confié la communication sur cet ouvrage dont le titre et le contenu restent top-secret. Les bonnes feuilles seront publiées dans Le Point. » | Source AFP | lundi 23 septembre 2013

Inside Story: Al-Shabab: A War of Vengeance?

As the Somali group claims responsibility for a brutal attack in Kenya, we examine the regional implications.

La justice égyptienne interdit les «activités» des Frères musulmans

LA PRESSE: Un tribunal égyptien a interdit lundi les «activités» des Frères musulmans et ordonné la confiscation des biens de l'influente confrérie dont est issu Mohamed Morsi, le président islamiste destitué par l'armée début juillet.

Depuis la destitution de M. Morsi et son arrestation, les nouvelles autorités installées par l'armée répriment dans le sang les manifestations de ses partisans et ont arrêté les principaux dirigeants des Frères musulmans.

Le jugement du tribunal réuni d'urgence lundi s'applique à la confrérie --qui n'a aucune existence légale-- ainsi qu'à l'Association des Frères musulmans, une ONG créée sous la présidence Morsi et accusée de servir de façade à la confrérie, mais aussi à «toute organisation qui en émane ou est financée par eux». » | Agence France-Presse | Le Caire | lundi 23 septembre 2013

Voile intégral: L'interdiction de la burqa pourrait se propager en Suisse

Giorgio Ghiringhelli

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Les citoyens tessinois (65,3%) ont voté en faveur d’une initiative interdisant le voile intégral dans l'espace public. Son succès laisse présager une vague d'initiatives dans les cantons.

Giorgio Ghiringhelli avait le sourire dimanche 22 septembre après le succès de son initiative contre les visages dissimulés dans les lieux publics. Son texte a même été préféré au contre-projet du gouvernement tessinois.

Le triomphe de l'ancien journaliste de 61 ans n'est toutefois pas encore complet puisque le parlement fédéral doit encore donner sa garantie fédérale à la modification de la Constitution tessinoise que l'initiative entraîne. » | Newsnet | lundi 23 septembre 2013

CORRIERE DEL TICINO: Inaccettabile quella gabbia di stoffa: Iniziativa anti-burka il giorno dopo » | L'intervista a Magdi Cristiano Allam | lunedi, 23 settembre 2013

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In the Name of Islam

FRONTPAGE MAG: Denial is the first stage of coming to terms with the unthinkable.

In Westgate, a Kenyan mall oriented toward expats, terrorists separated Muslims from non-Muslims before killing them. The Muslims were allowed to go free if they could recite a Muslim prayer.

During the attack, Al Shabaab’s Arabic Twitter account quoted the Koran, “Plant firmly our feet and give us victory over (Al-Kafireen) the disbelieving people.” (Koran 2:250). The Kuffar, the non-Muslims of Westgate, included small children.

“I don’t understand why you would shoot a five-year-old child,” one of the survivors said. But the five-year-old was not a Muslim.

Moments like these put the Clash of Civilizations into bloody context. This isn’t abstract politics. It’s not about economics, the environment or foreign policy. It’s about a worldview in which a five-year-old who can’t recite the Islamic confession of faith deserves to be killed.

The crime is not being a Muslim. » | Daniel Greenfield | Monday, September 23, 2013

Swiss Canton Approves Burqa Ban

Move Requires Constitutional Amendment, Could Prompt National Debate
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ZURICH—The Swiss canton of Ticino overwhelmingly approved an initiative to outlaw the burqas worn by some Muslim women for religious reasons, a move that follows the lead of other European countries and could prompt a national debate in Switzerland on the issue.

Nearly two thirds of voters in Ticino cast ballots for the measure in a referendum initiated by a local activist, according to final results released by the Ticino government. The measure calls for banning clothes that "hide one's face in public," vague wording that would include burqas, niqabs and other veiled garments worn by some Muslim women on religious grounds.

The vote, part of Switzerland's tradition of direct democracy, opens a new chapter in Switzerland's brewing debate over how comfortable it is accommodating foreigners and their cultures, particularly those practicing Islam. The country has recently tightened rules governing both immigration and asylum seekers, many of whom come from [the] northern Africa, the Middle East and other traditionally Muslim parts of the world.

"It was a historic vote," Giorgio Ghiringhelli, the 61-year-old former journalist behind the initiative, told The Wall Street Journal. "It is time to say 'stop' to those people who don't want to integrate in our society." » | Marta Falconi and John Letzing | Sunday, September 22, 2013

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Angela Merkel élue pour un 3e mandat

LA PRESSE: Angela Merkel a remporté un triomphe historique dimanche aux élections législatives allemandes et pourrait être reconduite pour un troisième mandat de chancelière pendant quatre ans avec une majorité absolue au Bundestag, selon les dernières projections.

À 59 ans, la chancelière allemande a confirmé son statut de femme la plus puissante du monde, en devenant le premier dirigeant européen d'un grand pays à être reconduit depuis la crise financière et monétaire qui a secoué l'Union européenne.

Jamais, depuis le chancelier Konrad Adenauer en 1957, les conservateurs (CDU/CSU) n'avaient obtenu la majorité absolue des sièges au Bundestag (chambre basse du parlement).

Mme Merkel aurait ainsi les coudées franches pour défendre les positions allemandes dans la gestion de la crise de l'euro.

La chancelière a offert à son parti son score le plus élevé depuis la Réunification du pays en 1990 avec 42,5 % des voix, en hausse de près de 9 points par rapport à la dernière élection de 2009, selon des projections basées sur des résultats partiels diffusées par la chaîne publique ZDF.

La chancelière est apparue rayonnante devant ses partisans, pour se féliciter d'un «résultat super» et promettre «quatre nouvelles années de succès». Elle a jugé qu'il était «trop tôt» pour se prononcer sur la démarche à suivre en termes d'alliances. » | Daniel Aronssohn | Agence France-Presse | Berlin | dimanche 22 septembre 2013

Bundestagswahl 2013: Merkel siegt auf ganzer Linie

22.09.2013 - Das endgültige Ergebnis der Bundestagswahl steht noch nicht fest. Zwei Dinge sind jedoch klar: Angela Merkel ist die große Siegerin, die FDP liegt am Boden.

Anjem Choudary's Daughter Urges Jihad on Twitter

MIRROR: The teenager, who used the name Hediyag Bint Anjem, echoed many of the radical views spouted by her father before her account was deleted

The 16-year-old daughter of radical preacher Anjem Choudary has been using Twitter to urge fanatics to wage holy war in Syria.

Hediyah Mehraj tweeted: “The ultimate way to help Syria is not Muslim aid or temporary convoys, rather it is to take authority via Jihad and implement Allah’s law.”

The teenager, who used the name Hediyag Bint Anjem, echoed many of the radical views spouted by her father before her account was deleted.

The former head of the banned extremist group Al-Muhajiroun and spokesman for Islam4UK has repeatedly made incendiary speeches.

He has praised the terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks and London bombings and said murdered soldier Lee Rigby would “burn in hellfire” . » | Nick Owens | Sunday, September 22, 2013

UK PM Says Terror Attack Carried Out for Islam Has Nothing to Do with Islam

FRONTPAGE MAG: In other news, despite never having even visited the UK, I am announcing that Prime Minister David Cameron has nothing to do with the UK.

Also, despite not even being Christian, I would like to say that Cameron has nothing to do with the Church of England. Because that is apparently how things work in his universe.

Prime Minister David Cameron today condemned as “absolutely sickening” and “despicable” a terror attack on a shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in which at least 59 people, including three British nationals, were killed.

“These appalling terrorist attacks that take place where the perpetrators claim they do it in the name of a religion – they don’t,” Cameron said.

He called it “an absolutely sickening and despicable attack of appalling brutality”.

“They do it in the name of terror, violence and extremism and their warped view of the world. They don’t represent Islam or Muslims in Britain or anywhere else in the world.”

Clearly they represent quite a few Muslims. Al-Shabaab has supporters in Somali diaspora communities around the world. One such community in Kenya was likely the source of at least some of the attackers.

Furthermore there are plenty of British Muslims in Al-Shabaab. Read on and comment » | Daniel Greenfield | Sunday, September 22, 2013

How Merkel Made It to the Top

Al Jazeera looks at how Chancellor Angela Merkel became the most powerful woman in Germany, the world.

Merry Merkel: Conservatives Lead in German Vote with 'Super Result'

Voting has now ended in the German parliamentary election and the first exit polls have been released. Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat Party has done better than expected - and some projections suggest it could even end up with an absolute majority. It would be the first time in more than half a century a party has been able to govern without forming a coalition.

Angela Merkel Celebrates after German Election »