“I’m not going after the president to keep him off a ballot or anything else, but that could happen,” Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. “I’m going at it strictly as a law-enforcement guy investigating a possible forgery and fraud. I’m sticking with that, but I’ll tell you one thing. We got tons of other information that could be very shocking, too, but I’m sticking now with just the [forgery] investigation and possible criminal violations.”

The lawman from Maricopa County made the comments March 16 on a national radio show hosted by Roger Hedgecock. He stressed on the radio show his original intent with the posse was to put to rest all the claims suggesting Obama was not meeting the constitutional requirements to hold the presidency. “I told these guys, ‘I want you to do a good job. I hope we clear the president,’” he explained. “I said give me the microfiche in Hawaii to show that he was born in that hospital. Give us the microfiche. I said that six months ago. And that would clear everything up. But as we went into it with an open mind, now we’re coming to a conclusion that we may have some forged documents revolving around this situation.”

When asked about making an arrest, Arpaio said, “We’re trying to identify any alleged forger. We haven’t done that yet. … I’m not blaming the president, but if they’re forged, someone has to be responsible for doing that.” The sheriff also said that on Friday, he made a decision about where to send Obama’s Selective Service Card in order to have that agency “help us or do an independent investigation.”

“We have nothing to hide. We’re bringing it to their attention, and see what happens,” Arpaio said. “My problem is, there’s a lot of conflicts out here to get somebody to look into this. Regarding the media … this is probably the biggest censorship blackout in the history of the United States. When I go to the toilet, I make it in national news. … I just can’t believe the media, including the cable media blocking this thing out.”

This software allows Samsung to recognise who is viewing the TV and personalises each person’s experience accordingly. The TV also listens and responds to specific voice commands. But some critics have suggested that the TV company could be spying on you, or even watching and listening to you - without your knowledge - through these features.

Gary Merson, who runs website HD-guru, said that because there is no way of disconnecting the camera and microphone, users cannot be 100 per cent sure that Samsung is not collecting data and passing it on to third parties. Merson said: ‘What concerns us is the integration of both an active camera and microphone. A Samsung representative tells us you can deactivate the voice feature; however this is done via software, not a hard switch like the one you use to turn a room light on or off.’

‘And unlike other TVs, which have cameras and microphones as add-on accessories connected by a single, easily removable USB cable, you can't just unplug these sensors. During our demo, unless the face recognition learning feature was activated, there was no indication as to whether the camera (such as a red light) and audio mics are on. And as far as the microphone is concerned, there is no way to physically disconnect it or be assured it is not picking up your voice.’

Merson claims that this problem raises questions about whether Samsung can watch someone watching their TV, and listen to them, at will, via the microphone and internet connection.

According to this data Portugal's economy, for example, declined by 1.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011 and could shrink by up to six percent this year. Industrial production in Italy registered a sharp decline. Retail sales in Spain - an indicator of private consumption - declined by almost a quarter in comparison to 2007. Greece is approaching the economic level of countries in Latin America or Southeast Asia, which, up to now, had clearly lagged behind European standards. In the longer run, the recession could have a backlash on Germany because the massive slump is also affecting German exports. This could have serious repercussions.

In the end, Germany's export industry will not escape the downward trend in the Euro zone, despite its growing exports to so-called threshold countries. EU countries' orders coming in for the German industry are dramatically diminishing. The business press reports, "already since the middle of the year, the quantity of new orders from countries of the monetary union has declined consistently, since the debt crisis resurged in the summer."

"A demand for German products has decreased also" in other countries, "due to their austerity measures." Berlin's austerity dictate is ultimately threatening to push Germany's export dependent economy into a recession. Like the populations in Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy today, the German population will most likely have to confront drastic austerity programs.

Theresa May, the Home Secretary, also updated colleagues on legislative efforts to address the threat from terrorism. The main Olympic Park in east London will be protected by the biggest peace-time security operation ever seen, including the possible deployment of missile batteries to protect the capital from attack from the air. However, The Daily Telegraph understands that senior security officials have become concerned that other sites around the country could also become targets.

Olympic and Paralympic rowing events will take place at Eton Dorney, near Windsor Castle, 25 miles west of the capital, road cycling will be held at Brands Hatch racing circuit in Kent, while sailing events will be based in Weymouth. Other venues include stadiums in Newcastle, Coventry, Cardiff, and Manchester.

During a 40-minute meeting in Parliament yesterday, the MI5 director-general, Jonathan Evans, briefed Cabinet ministers on the threats facing the country in the period leading up to the Games. It is thought to be the first time that Mr Evans has addressed a full meeting of the Prime Minister’s senior team.

As I wrote about a few days ago, the percentage of working age Americans that are actually employed has stayed very flat since late 2009, and the average duration of unemployment is hovering near an all-time high. Sadly, this is not just a temporary downturn. The US economy has been slowly declining for several decades and is nearing total system failure.

Right now, many poverty statistics are higher than they have ever been since the Great Depression. Many measurements of government dependence are the highest that we have ever seen in all of US history. The emerging one world economic system (otherwise known as “free trade”) has cost the US economy tens of thousands of businesses, millions of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars of our national wealth. The federal government is going into unprecedented amounts of debt in order to try to maintain our current standard of living, but there is no way that they will be able to sustain this kind of borrowing for too much longer.

So enjoy this bubble of false prosperity while you can, because things will soon get significantly worse. Unfortunately, the US economy is not going to be improving in the long run. What we are experiencing right now is about as good as it is going to get.

The truth is that it is pretty much downhill from here.

It is fairly simple to figure out what is happening to us as a nation.

You can’t keep buying far more than you sell.

You can’t keep spending far more than you bring in.

You can’t keep running up debt in larger and larger amounts indefinitely.

The US economy is running on borrowed money and on borrowed time.

At some point, both are going to run out.

Are you ready for that?

But his officials are already on the defensive, explaining what the meeting is not. It is not about establishing an EU policy avant garde, an official said yesterday, nor was it likely to produce formal proposals. So what is it? For Mr Westerwelle, it is about moving the European debate, shifting the gaze beyond the day-to-day euro zone crisis.

“This kind of debate is hanging in the air. There’s an expectation that Germany takes on an important role in this debate,” said a foreign ministry official. “This isn’t about a German prescription for Europe being imposed on anyone.” Despite this, and the fact that there is no formal agenda, a Berlin foreign ministry paper proposes discussing integration of EU justice and trade affairs, as well as economic and finance policy.

Debate is likely too on achieving “more democracy” in Europe by strengthening the European Parliament and organising more efficiently other EU institutions. German officials say their invitation list is limited in the interests of a proper conversation. But invitees reflect all geographical and historical experiences in the EU, they say. Further meetings of this group are likely, but membership is unlikely to be extended. Invited to attend were foreign ministers from the EU’s five other founding members – France, Italy and the three Benelux states – as well as Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Austria and Spain.

Barak said the sanctions, including a European import ban on Iranian oil, are an encouraging sign that the international community is now serious about stopping Tehran’s leaders who have “shown a clear determination to defy and deceive the world and move closer to a military nuclear capability.” Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere, speaking alongside Barak after holding closed-door talks with his counterpart, said it appears “unambiguous” that Iran’s nuclear program also has a military purpose.

Iran must be stopped from developing nuclear weapons, requiring “tough negotiations and tough sanctions,” de Maiziere said. But the minister urged all parties involved to use “rhetorical, factual and also military restraint,” adding that a “military escalation would carry unforeseeable risks, for Israel, for the region and for others.” Germany is part of the six nations group negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.

The European Court of Human Rights reached the decision in the case of a lesbian couple in a civil partnership in France, who complained they would not be allowed to adopt a child as a couple, according to the Daily Mail. The court heard how one of the women had her application refused to adopt her partner's child. The pair, Valerie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, had tried to establish marriage rights under anti-discrimination laws but the judges said there had been no discrimination.

Judges also said that if same-sex unions became lawful, any church that refuses to marry gay couples could be charged with discrimination. Launching the Government's consultation on the issue last week, Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "Put simply, it's not right that a couple who love each other and want to formalise a commitment to each other should be denied the right to marry."

But the judges in Strasbourg said: "The European Convention on Human Rights does not require member states’ governments to grant same-sex couples access to marriage. With regard to married couples, the court considers that in view of the social, personal, and legal consequences of marriage, the applicants’ legal situation could not be said to be comparable to that of married couples," the judges added. The ruling is likely to have an impact on David Cameron's drive to allow gay marriages.

Khamenei praised the country’s great accomplishments in the previous year and stated that the Arab Spring benefited the country’s objective. “Those countries in the region that the Islamic republic has supported have achieved great goals: Dictators were overthrown, and constitutions based on Islam were passed in several countries,” he said. “The Number 1 enemy of the Islamic Ummah (community) and the Islamic Republic of Iran, namely the Zionist regime, has now been surrounded.”

Khamenei talked about an economic jihad to confront international sanctions imposed to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons. If self-sufficiency in production of goods is achieved, he said, the enemy will lose interest in confronting Iran.

Israel believes the Iranian nuclear program will soon be strike-proof and that an imminent pre-emptive attack is necessary to derail Iran’s ambitions, which include destroying the Jewish nation. Precautionary actions have been taken in Israel, suggesting a move toward war.

Reports indicate that Israel has transferred nuclear fuel out of its Dimona reactor, fearing retaliation by Iran. It also has moved army units close to the Lebanese and Syrian borders in case war expands on those fronts, and has set in place its anti-missile system in its most populated areas. President Barack Obama, for his part, issued an executive order on Friday addressing national defense resource policies and programs. Though Mr Obama’s order was hardly different from what President Bill Clinton had set in place, the executive departments and agencies responsible for national defense were once again ordered to identify requirements for emergencies, which include military and civilian demands.

The executive order demands preparedness in the event of a threat to America’s security and asks all agencies to ensure the availability of adequate services, such as energy, food and water distribution, health services and transportation.

The editor of Al Quds al Arabi newspaper noted: "If they have decided to bomb Iran I think they will bomb Iran and Syria and Hezbollah. I think they will launch a package war. I believe the war will take place, the question is when? The Israelis and the Americans do agree there will be a war. But the difference is about the timing of this war. It could be either before the American presidential election or after it. The Israelis want it before the election, the American will like to wait until they finish this election,” he said.

Atwan explained that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad falls it would be easier for the West to intervene in Iran, as it would mean the West had managed to secure the front against Israel. “They could neutralize tens of thousands of Syrian missiles and war planes, which could participate in any war against Iran, but in order to do that you have to invade in Syria which is a very complicated and costly adventure.”

The journalist is sure that nothing but the Iranian deadlock could make Syria a military target. “The West intervened in the Arab world to change regime twice – in Iraq and Libya, because there are huge oil reserves there. But here are no oil reserves in Syria, so who will compensate the West their losses?” he wonders.

But Turkey did an about-face last Monday, probably as a result of international pressure. In addition to Sik and Sener, two other reporters were released until further notice - but they were not acquitted. This release is simply the equivalent of an act of mercy in the days of the Sultan, according to a member of the Turkish journalists' union. "The Sultan forgives, but he does not apologize to those who were unjustly imprisoned," he says.

More than 100 journalists are still awaiting trial in Turkish prisons - more than in China or Iran. To make matters worse, the AKP government further tightened the anti-terrorism legislation in 2006. These arbitrary laws are used to target government critics on the left and the right, but especially Kurdish journalists suspected of being sympathizers with the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In a large-scale operation underway for months, the government has been trying to solve the Kurdish problem in its own way.

In addition to 68 Kurdish reporters, more than 6,000 Kurdish mayors, politicians and activists are currently in Turkish prisons. In many cases, their only offence is to have used banned words like "Kurdistan." The accused are often completely ignorant of what they allegedly commited. Their attorneys say that a "climate of fear" has taken hold, and that it is no longer clear what exactly can be written and thought, or even what the AKP government likes and dislikes.

"The prime minister defines who is a journalist and who is a terrorist, and that's our biggest problem," says Sik. He plans to start working again soon, saying that he refuses to be intimidated, although he knows that the feeling of freedom can be deceptive. "If the government wants to get someone, they'll get him."

You might call this the Museveni Paradigm. It’s one of several arguments I’ve heard in the past week, as I’ve shuttled between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, that have convinced me that Israeli national-security officials are considering a pre-emptive strike in the near future. Last week, I argued that Mr Netanyahu’s campaign to convince the West that Iran’s nuclear program represents a threat - not only to his country but also to the entire Middle East and beyond - has worked so well that it could represent the perfect bluff.

After all, on his recent visit to Washington, Mr Netanyahu managed to avoid discussing the Palestinian issue with President Barack Obama, and he heard Mr Obama vow that the US wouldn’t be content to merely contain a nuclear Iran. After interviewing many people with direct knowledge of internal government thinking, however, I’m highly confident that Mr Netanyahu isn’t bluffing - that he is in fact counting down to the day when he will authorize a strike against a half-dozen or more Iranian nuclear sites.

One reason I’m now more convinced is that Mr Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are working hard to convince other members of the Israeli cabinet that a strike might soon be necessary. But I also heard from Israeli national-security officials a number of best-case scenarios about the consequences of an attack, which suggested to me that they believe they have thought through all the risks - and that they keep coming to the same conclusions.

The three-year-old "war", as Brazil dubs the devaluationist policies of developed nations seeking relief from home-grown credit crunches, may well just come full circle and burn itself out as a result. But the reverse course of emerging currency depreciation carries its own significant risks, from skewing investment decisions to aggravating trade diplomacy.

What's more, it's Japan's success this year in finally weakening its supercharged yen, by fresh rounds of money-printing from its central bank, which may prove pivotal by disturbing the delicate balance in Asia. Some economists warn the yen's more than 10 percent retreat since January is already forcing China's hand on its own controversial policy of yuan capping in a way that could cause consternation in Washington in an election year.

Far from seeing a sharply rising yuan emerge from China's policy of greater exchange rate flexibility - core US and multilateral demands - the yuan has actually weakened this year as China's economy and inflation rates slow, its trade account worsens and fears of a "hard landing" there persist. Even though the tightly-controlled yuan has gained more than 10 percent against world currencies over the past five years, it's one of the few major emerging market currencies to remain lower against the US dollar so far in 2012. Bouncing back smartly from a dire 2011, Russia's rouble, India's rupee, Mexico's peso and South Africa's rand are all up 5-10 percent.

Pope Shenouda III died on Saturday at the age of 88. Hundreds of clerics, deacons and lay people gathered around the casket at Saint Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, while thousands more followed the mass in the street. Shenouda’s body has been taken to the St Bishoy monastery, Shenouda's favorite church, to be buried in the desert northwest of Cairo. While leading Egypt's Coptic Christian minority for over 40 years, Pope Shenouda managed to maintain a balance between protecting Christians’ interests in Egypt and avoiding pressing them too hard in order to prevent Muslims’ anger.

An interim leader of the Coptic Church is expected to be picked within a week, but the process of choosing Shenouda's successor could take up to three months. At this point it is hard to imagine who could replace a man who had been protecting Christians’ rights for such a long time. Shenouda gave Mubarak's government the strong support of Egypt’s Christians, but in recent years many liberal Christians accused Shenouda of doing too little to stop discrimination against the Christian minority. At the same time, conservative Muslims often accused Christians of seeking to take over the country, converting Muslim women and stirring sectarian violence.

Tension between Muslims and minority Coptic Christians has simmered for years, but has worsened since the revolution last February. The uprising empowered Salafis and other conservative Islamist groups, which had been repressed under the former president. Over the last year, several churches have been attacked by mobs, and dozens of Christians were killed in violent clashes on the streets. The government generally blamed the violence on the enemies of the revolution, denying any religious basis.

Ms Hedegaard’s secret, she said, was not to buckle. “I know that some other countries tried to go around saying, ‘Europe will always give in at the last moment; you don’t have to listen to them, they become soft,’” she recalled. “That was a real lesson”. Now Ms Hedegaard, a Danish politician known for her blunt style, is taking the same approach as she deals with the global backlash provoked by the European Union’s climate policies.

The biggest source of controversy has been the EU’s insistence that other nations’ airlines pay for their carbon emissions on flights that take off or land in Europe – a policy that Washington, Beijing and Moscow have decried as an infringement on their sovereignty. To the alarm of Airbus, the European aerospace company, the Chinese have suggested that it would be sensible for their fast-growing airlines to shop elsewhere for new aircraft if Europe does not reconsider the policy. Ms Hedegaard has also taken a hard line against oil derived from tar sands – a stance that has attracted far less attention than the airline row, but which has threatened a pending EU-Canada free trade agreement.

Asked if there might be some compromise to the aviation controversy, Ms Hedegaard said she would not even consider it. Instead, she said she was devoting her energy to forging a global agreement to curb airline emissions, which would make the EU policy unnecessary. “I understand very well that if you are a CEO of a European company, you get concerned,” Ms Hedegaard said. “We are taking things seriously, but we have to make clear that you can’t threaten a trade war just because you don’t like European legislation.”