What will Tony Blair be remembered for? The post-war debacle in Iraq? Billions largely wasted on unreformed public services? Half-baked constitutional reforms that have threatened the integrity of the United Kingdom?
How about the erosion of privacy and the transformation of Britain into the most snooped-on country in the world this side of Pyongyang? We have more CCTV cameras than the rest of Europe put together. We have thousands of speed cameras linked to number-plate recognition databases.
We await with trepidation the arrival of the national identity database from 2008, entry on to which will make it an offence, for the first time, not to inform the "authorities" when we move home.
The European Commission described as unacceptable the "disproportionate" reactions that "reject freedom of speech," such as those expressed after Benedict XVI's words on Islam at a German university.
"Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of the EU's values, as is respect for all religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism or laicism," said commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger in a press conference today.
THE Vatican tried to appease Muslim anger over the Pope's remarks on Islam yesterday, as protests continued and a terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda vowed to kill the pontiff.
The new al-Qaida field commander in Afghanistan is calling for Muslims to leave the U.S. particularly Washington and New York? in anticipation of a major terror attack to rival Sept. 11, according to an interview by a Pakistani journalist.
The Catholic League says Pope Benedict XVI - in a speech that angered many Muslims - was trying to make the point that faith must be linked to reason. And he made his point - but not in the way he expected. "Ironically, the violent reaction, and the calls for more violence, on the part of some Muslims underscores the pope's point," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue. "The response of violence to non-violence is barbaric."
A Muslim extremist in London told demonstrators Sunday that the pope should face execution for insulting Islam, the Evening Standard reports. Anjem Choudary, a 39-year-old lawyer, organized the rally, where some carried signs that read "Behead Those Who Insult Islam." This as a nun in Somalia was fatally shot by Islamic gunmen. "Whoever insults the message of Mohammed is going to be subject to capital punishment," said Choudary. "I am here have a peaceful demonstration. But there may be people in Italy or other parts of the world who would carry that out," he said. "I think that warning needs to be understood by all people who want to insult Islam and want to insult the prophet of Islam."
Those who hold that the world is heading towards a "clash of civilisations", namely open conflict between Islam and the (nominally) Christian West, must have felt vindicated these past few days when most of the Muslim world reacted strongly to what Pope Benedict XVI said during a lecture to academics at Regensburg University on Tuesday.
Islamic Movement leader Sheikh Raed Salah tells rally of 50,000 in Umm al-Fahm: Jerusalem will be the capital of the new Muslim caliphate sooner than is thought; says Sharon, Katsav,
Muslim political and religious leaders around the world have been reacting to a speech by Pope Benedict XVI in which he mentioned the Prophet Muhammad.
Muslim religious leaders have accused Pope Benedict XVI of quoting anti-Islamic remarks during a speech at a German university this week.
Questioning the concept of holy war, he quoted a 14th-Century Christian emperor who said Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.
Fluoride will no longer be added to Del Rio's drinking water.
The Del Rio City Council made that decision Tuesday night after a presentation by John Morony, a retired college biology professor, who characterized fluoride as a poison and showed the council numerous research references that link fluoride to higher rates of cancer and other health hazards.
In the five years since 9/11, a clear-cut and well-supported "war on terror" declared by President Bush has become confused and divisive. Whereas Le Monde declared the day after 9/11: "We are all Americans now", a placard at a demonstration in London recently read: "We are all Hezbollah now". American policy has had successes. The quick war in Afghanistan after 9/11 (now flaring up again in the south) toppled the Taleban and has denied al-Qaeda its training bases, which were important to it.
Al-Qaeda has lost much of its leadership. It has not toppled governments as it had hoped. Western forces have not left the Middle East, and in particular the government of Saudi Arabia, guardian of Mecca, which is probably Osama Bin Laden's ultimate target, stands.
Yet Western and other publics are left in fear, and rightly so. Al-Qaeda is no invention. Its impact - or that of its sympathisers - was seen not only in New York and Washington but in Bali, Madrid, London, Morocco, Istanbul and elsewhere.
A police force was caught up in a freedom of speech row after its officers arrested an anti-gay campaigner for handing out leaflets at a homosexual rally.
South Wales police admitted evangelical Christian Stephen Green was then charged purely because his pamphlets contained anti-gay quotations from the Bible.
In interview to Iranian news agency, group representative in Tehran says his organization is preparing for 'second round against Israel,' contrary to UN resolution
Top members of Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath Party were advised in a private briefing to purchase real estate in the Golan Heights because, they were told, the strategic territory will soon be returned to Syria, Baath official claims