Islamic State Flag Flies at Palmyra Citadel

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Islamic State fighters have raised their flag over an ancient citadel in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra and destroyed statues in a local museum, pictures posted online overnight by the group's supporters showed.

The militants seized Palmyra, known as Tadmur in Arabic and strategically significant with nearby natural gas fields and roads leading south-west to Damascus, on Wednesday after days of heavy fighting with the Syrian army.

"Tadmur citadel under the control of the caliphate," read a caption on one picture posted on social media websites. In another, a smiling fighter is shown carrying the group's black flag and standing on one of the citadel's walls. » | Reuters | Saturday, May 23, 2015

Democrats Call for ‘Flood’ of Muslims to U.S.

WND: 'We must dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees that we accept'

A group of 14 Democrat senators has written a letter to President Obama urging him to “dramatically increase” the number of Syrian refugees being resettled into American cities and towns.

They say the U.S. needs to take in at least 65,000 Syrians as permanent refugees over the next year-and-a-half.

“While the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, we must also dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees that we accept for resettlement,” says the four-page letter to Obama, copied to Secretary of State John Kerry and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

More than 3.5 million Syrians are registered with the United Nations as refugees, and the U.N. wants to assign about 350,000 of them to so-called “third-party countries.”

The 14 senators, led by Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., cite the research of the Refugee Council USA to make their case for 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. RCUSA is the main lobbying arm of the nine agencies that contract with the federal government to resettle refugees in cities and towns across America.

The more refugees brought into the country, the more government grants doled out to the nine resettlement agencies. Among them are the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Church World Service, International Rescue Committee and the National Association of Evangelicals’ World Relief.

More than 90 percent of Syrian refugees will be Muslim

Of the 843 Syrians resettled in the U.S. since the start of the Syrian civil war, 92 percent have been Muslim and about 7 percent Christian. Syria’s overall population is 90 percent Muslim and close to 10 percent Christian. » | Leo Hohmann | Saturday, May 23, 2015

20 Other Countries Where Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal Nationwide

Read the TIME article here | Saturday, May 23, 2015

Ireland Votes to Approve Gay Marriage, Putting Country in Vanguard

Read the New York Times article here | Saturday, May 23, 2015

Queen Rania of Jordan Calls on Muslims to Take a Stand against ISIS and Its 'Attack on Civilisation' after Fanatics Threaten to Destroy Ancient Ruins at Palmyra

DAILY MAIL: The most influential woman in the Arab world told MailOnline that it would be an 'enormous loss to humanity' if ISIS destroyed the World Heritage Site / Insisted that ISIS' cause is nothing to do with religion but driven by nothing more than 'greed and power' / Called on Muslims and Arabs to lead the fight with support from the West / The Queen was pictured comforting the wife of Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasasbeh who was burned to death by ISIS / She said it was one of the most difficult periods of her life - but that we owe an immense debt to his bravery

Queen Rania of Jordan today called on Muslims around the world to take a stand against Islamic State and its 'attacks against civilisation'.

The 44-year-old royal, who is one of the most influential women in the Arab World, spoke out as ISIS threatened to destroy the Unesco World Heritage site at Palmyra, in Syria, after over-running forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline in her home country, the Queen said: 'It's an attack on civilisation, it is the latest in the atrocities that ISIS and groups like them have committed.

'Palmyra is one of the greatest treasures in the region and indeed in the world – it shows how we're facing a global threat, not just against Arabs or Muslims, but against the entire civilised world.'

Unesco said the destruction of the ancient buildings and artefacts at Palmyra would be 'an enormous loss to humanity'. World leaders like President Francois Hollande of France have called for direct action to save them.

'I absolutely agree with that,' said the Queen, who was attending the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea Resort in Sweimeh. » | Nabila Ramdani in Sweimeh, Dead Sea, Jordan | Saturday, May 23, 2015

ISIS in Nuke Boast: We Can Get Atomic Bomb 'Within a Year' from Corrupt Officials

DAILY EXPRESS: ISLAMIC State (ISIS) are poised to buy its first nuclear bomb "within a year", the terror group claimed tonight.

The jihadists are looking to get hold of an atomic weapon or thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate explosive.

The merciless organisation says it hopes to purchase a nuclear device “through weapons dealers with links to corrupt officials” in Pakistan.

But it admits that obtaining the deadly weapon may be a challenge and says it would settle for a “few thousand tons of ammonium nitrate explosive”.

The chilling boast was made in the latest edition of its propaganda ‘magazine’ circulated to publicise the group’s barbaric aims.

ISIS says it has already seized “tanks, rocket launchers, missile systems, anti-aircraft systems” – and is now setting its sights on the ultimate dirty bomb. » | Tom Batchelor | Friday, May 22, 2015

Several Killed and Injured after Suicide Bomber Strikes at Saudi Shia Mosque

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: One witness says he believes at least 30 were killed in a 'huge explosion' at the Imam Ali mosque in the village of al-Qadeeh

A suicide bomber set off an explosion during weekly prayers in a Shia mosque of eastern Saudi Arabia leaving many dead Friday, the interior ministry said.

"It has been established that an individual detonated a bomb he was wearing under his clothes during Friday prayers at Ali Ibn Abi Taleb mosque in Kudeih in Qatif province," the interior ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman, in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency, said the attack left many dead and wounded, without giving a specific toll.

An activist said at least four worshippers were killed and others wounded, and news websites in eastern Saudi Arabia posted photographs of bodies lying in pools of blood. » | AFP | Friday, May 22, 2015

Islamic State 'Seizes Key Syria-Iraq Border Crossing'

BBC AMERICA: Islamic State militants have seized the last Syrian government-controlled border crossing between Syria and Iraq, a Syria monitoring group says.

Government forces withdrew from al-Tanf - known as al-Waleed in Iraq - crossing as IS advanced, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

The loss of al-Tanf to IS follows the group's takeover of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Thursday.

The US says that fighting the militants will be a "difficult challenge". Islamic State now controls "more than 95,000 sq km (36,679 sq miles)" of Syria, which is 50% of the country's entire territory, the UK-based SOHR said.

The militants dominate the provinces of Deir al-Zour and Raqqa and have a strong presence in Hasakeh, Aleppo, Homs and Hama. » | Friday, May 22, 2015

French Term 'Rights of Man' Is Sexist and Must Go, Say Feminist Campaigners

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Feminists in France launch campaign calling on government to shelve the "sexist" expression "rights of man" in favour of "human rights"

France must drop the “sexist” term “rights of man” in favour of “human rights”, a group of feminists said in a campaign launched on Thursday.

In a petition it intends to send to the French government, the Droits Humains collective called for “human rights for all”, and said the term "Droits de l’Homme" should be removed from all official documentation.

They argued that the francophone countries of Canada and Switzerland, along with Germany, Spain and other EU states, have already made the linguistic shift to human rights, as have “les Anglo-Saxons” like Britain.

The expression, however, runs deep in France as it was inscribed on the country’s 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man at the time of the French revolution.

The group said that while the declaration may have been revolutionary, it was sexist and “specifically and unambiguously designated people of the male gender to the exclusion of women”. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, May 21, 2015

Finland Tells 900,000 Reservists Their Roles 'In the Event of War'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Amid rising tension with Russia, Finland takes the rare step of sending letters to every military reservist

Finland has sent letters to nearly a million military reservists, setting out their roles “in the event of war” amid rising tension with neighbouring Russia.

The letters have been dispatched to 900,000 former conscripts in the armed forces, including to Finns living abroad.

The first were sent earlier this month, with the final batch distributed in the last few days.

Finland is not a member of Nato and the country shares an 830-mile border with Russia – the longest of any European nation apart from Ukraine.

In the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the invasion of eastern Ukraine, Finland is uniquely vulnerable to any further aggression.

The letter tells the reservists which regiment or unit to report to in the event of hostilities. “Attached you will find your personal details as well as your role in the event of war,” it reads. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Thursday, May 21, 2015

Tobacco Companies Prepare Multi-billion Compensation Claims over UK Plain Packaging

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Taxpayers could be forced to pay tobacco industry up to £11 billion industry for trademark losses

Tobacco companies are preparing to launch what could be one of the biggest ever legal claims against the British Government for losses as a result of the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes.

They are expected to begin lodging papers at the High Court as early as Friday, seeking a multi-billion compensation payout for being stripped of the right to use instantly recognisable brands.

Lawyers will argue that forcing them to use entirely unbranded packaging would amount to deprivation of a highly valuable intellectual property.

Although the companies would leave it to the court to determine the exact level of compensation, industry analysts have suggested their combined value of the industry in the UK could be as much as £11 billion.

A collective payout on that scale would wipe out almost the whole of the Government’s planned £12 billion welfare savings and dwarf the £8 billion of extra cash for the NHS promised by the Conservatives at the General Election. » | By John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor | Thursday, May 21, 2015

Ireland Expected to Vote 'Yes' in Historic Referendum on Gay Marriage

A graffiti artist finishes a Yes campaign piece in
central Dublin, Ireland

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Traditionalists do not want homosexuals to be able to take wedding vows, but majority of voters seem likely to say "We Do"

Judging by the number of posters urging a "Yes" vote in Friday's referendum on same-sex marriage, the Ireland of today is no longer a place where homosexuals are not welcome.

Yet while Dublin has no shortage of gay-friendly restaurants, bars and hotels, there are still some locals who think that God has made a reservation for them somewhere altogether hotter and more uncomfortable.

"This whole referendum thing stinks from hell," said Mary Delaney, a retired secretary, as she came out of St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, just off O'Connell Street in downtown Dublin.

"This thing is messing up the whole of Creation, and the culture of sex is so strong in our society today that it's impossible to protest."

Ms Delaney, who wore a "Vote No to Protect Marriage" sticker on her lapel, had just finished attending the 10am mass at St Mary's - one of five daily services still held here even on weekdays.

Yet while the Catholic church still remains strong in Ireland, the pews at St Mary's are not as full as they once were, and with the dwindling numbers has gone much of the opposition to homosexuality. Read on and comment » | Colin Freeman, Dublin | Thursday, May 21, 2015

Terrormiliz: Kreml verspricht Irak Hilfe beim Kampf gegen den IS

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Russland und der Irak wollen ihre militärische Zusammenarbeit ausbauen - beim Kampf gegen die IS-Terrormiliz erklärte sich Moskau zu Waffenlieferungen bereit.

Die irakische Armee kann bei ihrem Kampf gegen die Terrormiliz "Islamischer Staat" (IS) auf Unterstützung durch Moskau hoffen. Russland sei bereit, Irak mit Waffen zu versorgen, sagte der russische Außenminister Sergej Lawrow in Moskau. Sein Land werde alles tun, um der irakischen Regierung dabei zu helfen, den IS zurückzudrängen. » | anr/Reuters | Donnerstag, 21. Mai 2015

Razzien: Großbritannien geht gegen illegale Einwanderer vor

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Großbritanniens Premier Cameron verspricht kurz nach seiner Wiederwahl schärfere Gesetze gegen illegale Einwanderer. Die Polizei demonstriert bereits Härte. Bei Razzien wurden zahlreiche Migranten festgenommen.

Die britische Regierung will Migranten abschrecken - und gegen solche, die bereits ohne gültige Papiere im Land leben, hart vorgehen. Premierminister David Cameron kündigte Gesetzesverschärfungen an. Wer illegal nach Großbritannien komme und arbeite, dessen Lohn werde künftig beschlagnahmt, so der konservative Regierungschef. Vermieter sollen künftig noch strikter verpflichtet werden, die Einreisepapiere ihrer ausländischen Mieter zu prüfen. "Unkontrollierte Einwanderung kann unseren Arbeitsmarkt schädigen und zum Sinken von Löhnen führen", sagte er. » | anr/AFP/dpa | Donnerstag, 21. Mai 2015

Osama bin Laden a Paedophile? Terror Leader’s Extreme Porn Stash Revealed

DAILY EXPRESS: A MASSIVE haul of hardcore pornography was seized from the Pakistan hiding place of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden after he was shot dead by US Navy SEALs.

The nature of the pornography is considered so extreme that American officials refuse to release details, leading to intense speculation that it involves children or animals.

Under strict versions of Sharia law - of the type lauded by hardline Islamist groups ISIS and al-Qaeda - bin Laden would almost certainly have been beheaded, stoned to death, or thrown from a high building for possessing such material.

The Department of National Intelligence (DNI) has released today a list of books the 9/11 mastermind was reading when he was killed four years ago.

But they confirmed Navy SEALs also recovered a large digital collection of sex videos from the compound when they staged a secret mission to kill bin Laden in 2011.

However, the US Government says it is not going to describe or release details on any of the pornographic materials.

DNI spokesman Brian Hale said: “We have no plans to release that at this point in time[.] » | Thursday, May 21, 2015

L'Etat islamique s'empare de Palmyre en Syrie

REUTERS FRANCE: BEYROUTH (Reuters) - Les djihadistes de l'Etat islamique (EI) se sont emparés mercredi de Palmyre, où se trouve le site archéologique le plus célèbre de Syrie, dont les forces gouvernementales se sont retirées après avoir évacué les civils, rapporte la télévision nationale.

C'est la première fois que l'EI prend une localité à l'armée ou à ses supplétifs, qui avaient déjà cédé du terrain à d'autres groupes armés dans le Nord-Ouest et le Sud, ces dernières semaines.

Située à 240 kilomètres au nord-est de Damas, Palmyre se trouve au carrefour stratégique de routes menant à Homs et à la capitale. Outre les ruines antiques, voisines du centre qui est également nommé Tadmour, elle abrite des installations militaires récentes.

Selon l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'homme (OSDH), l'EI tient la majeure partie de l'agglomération.

On ignore ce que sont devenus les militaires syriens qui étaient stationnés aux abords de la ville, souligne l'organisation basée à Londres qui dispose d'un réseau d'informateurs sur place.

"Grâce à Dieu, (Palmyre) a été libérée", a déclaré un membre de l'Etat islamique sur internet, ajoutant que le mouvement s'était emparé d'un hôpital où l'armée avait pris ses quartiers avant de se retirer.

D'autres djihadistes ont publié sur Twitter des photos d'hommes armés dans des rues qu'ils disent être celles de Palmyre. Les djihadistes de l'EI avaient déjà pénétré sur le site classé au patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco le week-end dernier, mais en avaient été repoussés par les forces gouvernementales.

Maamoun Abdoulkarim, chef du service des Antiquités syriennes, a lancé un appel à la préservation de la cité et de ses monuments. » | Par Sylvia Westall et Tom Perry | mercredi 20 mai 2015

Le guide suprême refuse l'inspection de sites

L'ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Iran – Le guide suprême Ali Khamenei a exclu mercredi l'inspection de sites militaires de Téhéran et l'interrogation de scientifiques iraniens.

Cette déclaration survient alors que l'Iran est en pleines négociations avec les grandes puissances sur un accord nucléaire qui doit être finalisé avant fin juin.

«Nous avons déjà dit que nous ne permettrons aucune inspection des sites militaires de la part des étrangers (...). Ils disent aussi qu'il faut autoriser des interviews avec les scientifiques nucléaires. C'est de l'interrogatoire», a déclaré l'ayatollah Khamenei qui s'exprimait lors d'une cérémonie de remise de diplômes à des cadets militaires.

Il a assuré qu'aucun «gouvernement intelligent» ne permettrait une telle chose et qu'il fallait résister «face à ces demandes excessives». Les autres pays «cachent l'identité même de leurs scientifiques nucléaires», a-t-il ajouté. » | mercredi 20 mai 2015

Palmyra: IS Threat to 'Venice of the Sands'

Palmyra is one of the best-known ancient sites in the world

BBC AMERICA: Palmyra is in danger. As Islamic State fighters clash with Syrian government forces around the historic site, it is worth considering what the loss of this wonder, dubbed the "Venice of the Sands", would mean for the world's cultural heritage.

Palmyra is the last place anyone would expect to find a forest of stone columns and arches. Travellers in the 17th and 18th centuries were repeatedly astonished by what they saw: a vast field of ruins in the middle of the Syrian desert, roughly half-way between the Mediterranean coast and the valley of the River Euphrates.

For anyone visiting, however, the key reason for the site's prosperity is immediately apparent: ancient Palmyra sits at the edge of an oasis of date palms and gardens.

It was as a watering place on a trade route from the east that Palmyra's story begins, and the very name Palmyra refers to the date palms that still dominate the area (the origin of its Semitic name, Tadmor, is less certain; a derivation from tamar - date palm - is favoured). » | By Prof Kevin Butcher *, Warwick University | Friday, May 15, 2015

* Kevin Butcher is a Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick and a specialist in the Roman Near East. He is author of Roman Syria and the Near East (2003).

Islamic State 'Enters Town Next to Syria's Palmyra'

Rising out of the Syrian desert, Palmyra contains the
monumental ruins of a great city

BBC AMERICA: Islamic State militants are reported to have seized a third of the Syrian town next to Palmyra, one of the the Middle East's greatest archaeological sites.

Activists said IS had overrun much of the north of Tadmur after fierce clashes with government forces.

Syria's head of antiquities said the world had a responsibility to save Palmyra, a Unesco World Heritage site.

Hundreds of statues had been moved to safety, but large monuments could not be moved, Maamoun Abdul Karim warned.

IS militants have ransacked and demolished several ancient sites that pre-date Islam in Iraq, including Hatra and Nimrud, leading to fears that it might attempt to damage or destroy Palmyra. » | Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Almost a Third of School Pupils Believe 'Muslims Are Taking Over Our Country', Study Claims

THE INDEPENDENT: Charity sent questionnaires to just under 6,000 pupils across England

Almost a third of schoolchildren believe that Muslims are “taking over our country” according to the largest study of its kind carried out in the UK.

A survey of almost 6,000 children aged 10 to 16 across England found that negative attitudes towards migrants and Muslims were widespread among school pupils. » | Rose Ytroup Buchanan | Tuesday, May 19, 2015