Monday, May 18, 2015
Anjem Choudary: Bill O’Reilly Defiles Islam
French Mayor Suspended after Calling for Islam to Be Banned
A French mayor has been suspended from his party after calling for the country to ban Islam.
Robert Chardon, the UMP mayor of Venelles in southern France, tweeted: “The Muslim religion must be banned in France” and added that anyone practising the religion must be “immediately escorted to the border”.
He also claimed Islam will be banned in France by 2027. » | Ben Tuffy | Sunday, May 17, 2015
Related »
Saudi Arabia Advertises for Eight New Executioners
Saudi Arabia is advertising for eight new executioners, recruiting extra staff to carry out an increasing number of death sentences, usually done by public beheading.
No special qualifications are needed for the jobs whose main role is "executing a judgement of death" but also involve performing amputations on those convicted of lesser offences, the advert, posted on the civil service jobs portal, said. » | Reuters | Monday, May 18, 2015
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Steep rise in Saudi Arabia executions as 2015 tally reaches 45: The Gulf kingdom has executed 80 people annually since 2011, with 87 recorded in 2014 » | AFP | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Queen's Germany Trip Will Include Tour of Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp
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| During her trip to the concentration and prisoner of war camps, the Queen will lay a wreath at a memorial dedicated to Anne Frank. |
The Queen will visit the site of the Bergen-Belsen prisoner of war and concentration camps during her state visit to Germany, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The camps were liberated 70 years ago by British troops and the Queen will be joined by the Duke of Edinburgh during her tour of the site, now a memorial to those who died at the hands of the Nazis. It will be a personal and reflective visit for the monarch and will be kept low-key.
British troops arrived at the site in northern Germany on 15 April, 1945 to find thousands of unburied bodies and severely ill prisoners who had been interned there.
Tens of thousands of prisoners from across Europe were killed at Bergen-Belsen or died following is liberation as a result of their treatment. » | Press Association | Sunday, May 17, 2015
Verwandt »
Royaler Reiseplan in Deutschland: So bekommen Sie ein Date mit der Queen
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| Queen Elizabeth und Prinz Philip: Vier Tage zu Besuch in Deutschland |
Deutschland bekommt wieder Besuch von einer Königin - und nun steht auch fest, wo Queen Elizabeth II. und Prinz Philip sich im Juni zeigen werden. Laut offiziellem Reiseplan bereisen die 89-Jährige und ihr vier Jahre älterer Ehemann drei Bundesländer in vier Tagen. Vom 23. bis 26. Juni kommen die beiden nach Berlin und nach Frankfurt am Main, sie besichtigen die KZ-Gedenkstätte Bergen-Belsen bei Celle und treffen Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel sowie Bundespräsident Joachim Gauck.
"Das Programm ist so angelegt, dass möglichst viele Menschen Gelegenheit erhalten, die Königin zu sehen", versicherte der britische Botschafter Simon McDonald. Zuletzt hatte die Queen Deutschland 2004 besucht. » | brk/dpa | Montag, 18. Mai 2015
Islamic State 'Seizes Iraqi City of Ramadi'
The police and military made a chaotic retreat after days of intense fighting.
But the US refused to confirm the capture, saying the situation was "fluid and contested" and it was too early to make "definitive statements".
Ramadi is the capital of Iraq's largest province, Anbar, and is just 70 miles (112km) west of Baghdad.
A statement purportedly from IS said its fighters had "purged the entire city". It said IS had taken the 8th Brigade army base, along with tanks and missile launchers left behind by troops.
A very well-placed source in the Anbar governor's office told the BBC Ramadi was now under the full control of Islamic State, and all government troops had withdrawn. (+ BBC video) » | Sunday, May 17, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
L'Europe divorcée sur le mariage homo
Les Irlandais s’apprêtent à voter par référendum le 22 mai pour ou contre la légalisation du mariage homosexuel. Le oui est en tête dans les sondages, et s’il l’emporte, l’Irlande sera le 12ème pays membre de l’Union européenne à autoriser le mariage gay. Mais il reste encore une dizaine d’Etats réfractaires, et pas forcément pour des raisons religieuses.
C’est d’ailleurs intéressant de noter que parmi les premiers pays à avoir adopté le mariage homosexuel depuis 2001, certains abritent des populations à forte pratique religieuse. C’est le cas de l’Espagne en 2005 ou du Portugal en 2010. En France, en revanche, où la pratique religieuse est en baisse, il a fallu attendre 2013. Idem pour la Finlande qui a légalisé le mariage gay cette année et qui attendra 2017 pour sa mise en œuvre. » | François Clemenceau - leJDD.fr | samedi 16 mai 2015
A Palmyre, "la perte d'un trésor inestimable"
La cité antique de Palmyre, chef-d'œuvre archéologique miraculeusement préservé au cœur du désert syrien, sera-t-elle à son tour victime de la guerre civile qui déchire le pays depuis 2011? Samedi soir, les djihadistes du groupe État islamique, déjà auteurs de destructions de sites emblématiques comme Nimroud, Hatra ou Mossoul, auraient pris le contrôle du nord de la ville selon l'Observatoire syrien des Droits de l'homme. Dimanche, les forces armée du régime ont repoussé les djihadistes au nord de la ville. L'Unesco, qui a classé le site au patrimoine mondial de l'humanité en 1980, avait sonné l'alerte vendredi. En contact quotidien depuis la France avec ses correspondants à Palmyre, l'archéologue d'origine syrienne Cheikhmous Ali est consterné. » | Juliette Demey - Le Journal du Dimanche | dimanche 17 mai 2015
Charlie Hebdo Accused of Hypocrisy as It Suspends Journalist after Death Threats over Her Articles Attacking Islam
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| Charlie Hebdo columnist Zineb El Rhazoui, 33, (center) has been suspended by the satirical magazine |
Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has been accused of hypocrisy after it suspended a journalist who has received death threats for her articles attacking Islamic extremism.
Zineb El Rhazoui, 33, was called to a preliminary dismissal hearing to remind her of her 'obligations' towards the French weekly following 'numerous incidents'.
The French-Moroccan columnist accused her employers of trying to 'punish her' for speaking out about the direction of the magazine four months after the jihadist attack which left 12 dead.
'I am shocked and appalled that a management that has received so much support after the January attacks could show so little support for one of its employees, who is under pressure like everyone in the team and has faced threats,' she told Le Monde.
'My husband lost his job and had to leave Morocco because the jihadists revealed his workplace. I am under threat and having to live with friends or in a hotel and the management is thinking of firing me. Bravo Charlie.'
The move has prompted outrage on social media with thousands calling the decision 'absurd' and bewildering'. Read on and comment » | Jenny Awford for MailOnline | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Islamists Warn of Backlash over Mohamed Morsi Death Sentence
Egyptian Islamists have warned that the world should brace itself for a backlash after the country’s first freely elected president, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi, was given a provisional death sentence nearly two years after he was overthrown by the army following mass protests against his rule.
Morsi was among over 100 men sentenced to death on Saturday for allegedly escaping prison during the 2011 uprising that toppled Morsi’s predecessor, Hosni Mubarak. Morsi and his colleagues were convicted of conspiring with Hamas, the Brotherhood’s Palestinian offshoot, whom judges decided had helped the prisoners leave jail in January 2011.
The sentence is provisional until the government’s most senior Islamic cleric gives his opinion. A final decision is due on 2 June. Even if the execution is upheld, analysts doubt that the Egyptian regime will follow through with such a provocative act. In a separate espionage case on Saturday, Morsi was sentenced to life in prison and, in a third case last month, to 20 years for incitement to violence. » | Patrick Kingsley in Cairo | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Islamic State Militants 'Smuggled to Europe'
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| Smugglers hide IS militants on boats filled with migrants, Abdul Basit Haroun says |
Government adviser Abdul Basit Haroun said smugglers were hiding IS militants on boats filled with migrants.
He based his claim on conversations with boat owners in parts of North Africa controlled by the militants.
He alleged that IS was allowing them to continue their operations in exchange for 50% of their income.
The UN estimates that 60,000 people have already tried to cross the Mediterranean this year. » | Sunday, May 17, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Pope Calls Palestinian Leader Abbas 'Angel of Peace' at Vatican Meeting
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| Pope Francis meets Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas during an audience in the Vatican |
Pope Francis met Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority leader, in the Vatican on Saturday, calling him "an angel of peace".
The meeting between the Pope – who visited both Israel and the occupied West Bank a year ago – and Mr Abbas came days after the Vatican confirmed it had concluded a treaty which effectively recognises Palestinian statehood.
The treaty – which has yet to be signed – states that the Vatican has switched its diplomatic relations from the Palestine Liberation Organisation to the "state of Palestine", thus giving further impetus to growing international calls to recognise a Palestinian state. » | AFP | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Iranian Official Says Saudi King 'Traitor to Islam,' Iterates Support for Assad
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| Saudi King Salman |
DAMASCUS - A senior Iranian official branded Saudi Arabia's King Salman a traitor to Islam on Thursday and equated the Gulf state's military assault on Iranian-allied fighters in Yemen with Israeli actions against Palestinians.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's national security and foreign policy committee, speaking in Damascus, also reiterated his country's support for the Syrian government, which is battling an insurgency backed by Saudi Arabia.
Shi'ite Islamist Iran has been a vital ally for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the four-year Syrian war, providing crucial military and economic support.
Syria is a focal point in a wider regional struggle between Tehran and Riyadh and which is also playing out in Yemen.
"We are here to announced anew that our support for Syria - government and nation - is solid and continuous, and we are proud of this support," Boroujerdi said, according to a report on the Syrian state news agency SANA.
In fierce rhetoric, Boroujerdi said "God would take revenge" against the Saudi monarch for serving what he called US-Israeli interests in the war against the Shi'ite Houthi rebels. » | Reuters | Thursday, May 14, 2015
Rachida Dati Embroiled in Row over Thousands Spent on Luxury Clothes and Gifts While Justice Minister
Rachida Dati, France's glamorous former justice minister, has hit back at the country's state auditor after it refused to pay for almost €9,000 (£6,500) her ministry spent on luxury clothes, scarves, "gifts", restaurants and patisserie while she was in office.
The Cour des Comptes ruled the state should not pay for Hermès scarves, ties and other luxury items, and also rejected a further €180,000 Ms Dati's ministry spent on "communication consulting" between 2007 and 2010 – most of it going to a company run by a friend of then-president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Ms Dati, whose love of designer clothes saw her appear in a Dior dress and fishnet stockings on the front page of Paris Match while in office, furiously denied any of the luxury garments were for her, saying they were all "presents" for foreign judicial dignitaries. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Thursday, May 14, 2015
Schwuler EU-Regierungschef: Luxemburgs Premier Bettel heiratet langjährigen Freund
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| Ehemänner Destenay, Bettel: Hochzeit in der luxemburgischen Hauptstadt |
Luxemburgs Ministerpräsident Xavier Bettel hat seinen Lebensgefährten Gauthier Destenay geheiratet. Das Paar trat am Freitagnachmittag nach der standesamtlichen Trauung vor das Rathaus der luxemburgischen Hauptstadt. Es folgte ein Fotoshooting, anschließend wurde im privaten Kreis gefeiert. Die Eheschließung übernahm die Bürgermeisterin der Stadt, Lydie Polfer. » | mxw/dpa/AFP | Freitag, 15. Mai 2015
Verwandt »
Le Congrès des Etats-Unis va contrôler Obama sur l’Iran
Le Congrès américain s’est offert jeudi un droit de regard sur l’accord nucléaire avec l’Iran. La Chambre des représentants a accepté à une large majorité (400 voix contre 25) un projet de loi qui empêchera Barack Obama de lever les sanctions visant Téhéran pendant les trente jours suivants la signature de l’accord. La démarche a pour but de permettre aux parlementaires d’accepter ou de désapprouver le deal. » | Par Jean-Cosme Delaloye | vendredi 15 mai 2015
Mayor Wants to BAN Islam 'To Solve the Country's Problems'
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| Robert Chardon is the mayor of Venelles, a town in southern France |
Robert Chardon, mayor of Venelles, a town in the south of France, tweeted: "We must ban the Muslim faith in France."
He called for the country to removal a secularism law dating back to 1905 – and instead "promote the practice of the Christian faith".
Chardon added: "We also need a Marshall Plan to send Muslims to countries where the religion is practiced." » | Tom Parfitt | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Luxemburger Regierungschef heiratet seinen Freund
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| Frischvermählt: Xavier Bettel (r.) mit seinem Mann Gauthier Destenay |
Luxemburgs Ministerpräsident Xavier Bettel (42) hat seinen Lebensgefährten Gauthier Destenay geheiratet. Das Paar trat am Freitagnachmittag nach der standesamtlichen Trauung vor das Rathaus der luxemburgischen Hauptstadt.
Es folgte ein Fotoshooting, anschließend wurde im privaten Kreis gefeiert. Die Eheschließung übernahm die Bürgermeisterin der Stadt, Lydie Polfer. In Luxemburg können sich homosexuelle Paare seit Anfang des Jahres das Jawort geben. Bettel und der belgische Architekt Destenay waren seit August verlobt, seit 2010 lebten sie in einer eingetragenen Partnerschaft. » | dpa/AP/mak | Freitag, 15. Mai 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
Slain Charlie Hebdo Editor's Lover Releases Book Criticising Islamists' Treatment of Women
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| The partner of slain Charlie Hebdo editor Charb, Jeannette Bougrab |
Jeanette Bougrab, the ex-lover of slain Charlie Hebdo editor Charb, has released a book criticising Muslim countries’ treatment of women and Islamists who brandish the Prophet Mohammed's marriage to a child as sanctioning child brides.
Ms Bougrab, 41, a minister of Algerian origin in the previous administration of conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy, also hit back at the entourage of Charb, whose real name was Stéphane Charbonnier, saying they had excommunicated her after his death because she was a Right-winger.
In Maudites (Cursed), out on Wednesday, Ms Bougrab wrote about what she says is the misfortune of many girls born in Muslim countries, from Yemen to Pakistan. She paid tribute to a series of women including her mother, Zohra Trari, who was forcibly married at 13, abused, and today has terminal cancer.
“Is it blasphemy to say we should move away from the archaic practices of seventh century Arabia?,” she asked, referring to the Prophet Mohammed’s marriage to Aisha, adding that she has no intention of dropping her fight for secularism and women’s rights. Charlie Hebdo was targeted by Islamists after publishing front page cartoons depicting the Prophet. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Friday, May 15, 2015
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Gets Death Penalty in Boston Marathon Bombing
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| Dzhokhar Tsarnaev |
The jury of seven women and five men, which last month convicted Mr. Tsarnaev, 21, of all 30 charges against him, 17 of which carry the death penalty, took more than 14 hours to reach its decision.
In reaching its decision, the jury found that Mr. Tsarnaev had shown no remorse for actions, and it rejected the defense argument that his older brother, Tamerlan, had brainwashed him into joining in the bombings.
It was the first time a federal jury had sentenced a terrorist to death in the post-Sept. 11 era, according to Kevin McNally, director of the Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project, which coordinates the defense in capital punishment cases.
Prosecutors portrayed Mr. Tsarnaev, who immigrated to Cambridge, Mass., from the Russian Caucasus with his family in 2002, as a coldblooded, unrepentant jihadist who sought to kill innocent Americans in retaliation for the deaths of innocent Muslims in American-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. » | Katharine Q. Seelye | Friday, May 15, 2015
Nicolas Sarkozy's #NSDIRECT Twitter Q&A Backfires Wildly
Nicolas Sarkozy’s bid to engage with public via a Twitter chat backfired wildly on Friday after his account flooded with trolls and a Right-wing mayor dropped an unwanted bombshell by calling for Islam to be outlawed in France[.]
The communications team of France’s former president and current leader of the centre-Right UMP opposition thought it would a good idea to spruce up his image by asking the public to pose questions via Twitter, ahead of a key party conference on May 30.
However, it appears they got more than they bargained for when the #NSDIRECT hashtag - where Twitter users were told to pose their questions - was inundated with tens of thousands of spoof questions, jokes and cartoons - many of them unflattering to say the least. » | Henry Samuel | Friday, May 15, 2015
Islamic State Crisis: Militants Seize Ramadi Stronghold
As many as six suicide car bombs and mortars were used in the assault on the compound that houses the main police HQ and governor's office.
At least 50 security personnel are reported to have been taken prisoner at the site.
IS and Iraqi troops have been battling for months to take control of the strategically important Anbar province.
The attack by IS militants began overnight when the suicide car bombs were driven into compound housing a number of government buildings, killing at least 10 people and wounding a number of others. » | Friday, May 15, 2015
BBC Reporter Slammed for Comparing Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary to Gandhi and Mandela
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| Mark Easton compared Anjem Choudary to Gandhi and Mandela |
Stunned viewers watched home affairs editor Mark Easton criticising the Government's plans to silence hate-mongers such as Choudary, who has refused to condemn the killing of Lee Rigby, by asking whether great historical figures would pass the proposed test.
The newsman carried on by saying extreme views were needed in order to "challenge very established values".
Speaking on BBC News at Ten last night, the home affairs editor went further and, following a news piece on Choudary, Mr Easton said: "It's one thing to ban someone for inciting hatred or violence, but quite another to pass a law that silences anyone who challenges established values.
"I was in Parliament Square today - a statue of Gandhi looking down at me who was jailed for being extremist; Mandela who was jailed for being an extremist.
"History tells us that extreme views are sometimes needed to challenge very established values that people at the time hold so dear."
Mr Easton's comments have provoked anger against the public service broadcaster.
There was also upset regarding the air-time given to Choudary on last night's news.
It is not the first time the BBC has been criticised for allowing the British-born extremist to promote himself. » | Rob Virtue | Thursday, May 14, 2015
Isil Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'Releases Audio Message'
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| Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isil, addresses his followers in Mosul in July 2014 - his one and only public appearance |
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), appeared to urge Muslims to emigrate to his self-proclaimed “caliphate”, in what would be the jihadist leader’s first audio recording in six months.
“And we call upon every Muslim in every place to perform hijrah (emigration) to the Islamic State or fight in his land wherever that may be,” the voice, which cannot be verified as Baghdadi’s, said.
The recording calls Islam a “religion of war”, adding that “coexistence with Jews and Christians” is impossible. » | Louisa Loveluck, Cairo | Thursday, May 14, 2015
Related »
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Jean-Marie Le Pen condamne les homosexuels qui chassent en meute
Women Who Reject the Hijab Are ‘Stupid, Naïve and Ignorant’ Says Top Islamic Scholar
On live television, Sheikh Gomaa not only reaffirmed that headscarves (Hijab) are mandatory in Islam; he labeled any woman who disputes this interpretation as an infidel. Moreover, he said women who reject the Hijab are “stupid, naive and ignorant.”
His comments have raised fears among non-Islamist Egyptians that supposedly moderate mainstream scholars are now giving their blessing to new institutionalized Islamism.
In Egypt, the dress code for women has been controversial for nearly 100 years. The controversy started in 1919, when many women took off their veils as a gesture of support for Egypt’s freedom from British occupation. Political Islamist groups, however, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, have always campaigned for a strict Islamic dress code that includes covering the head as a minimum requirement for Muslim women. The group’s supporters resorted to social coercion to spread their message, using fear tactics (such as threats of punishment in the afterlife) to ensure adherence to the dress code. Salafists have opted for an even blunter approach, with a sharper dose of social coercion against women in their social circles. » | Nervana Mahmoud | Doctor, Commentator and Writer on Middle East Issues | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
'I Will Slit Your Throat:' Gambian President to Gay Men
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| Gambian President Yahya Jammeh |
Gambia's infamously homophobic dictator, President Yahya Gammeh, has threatened to personally slit the throats of any man who wants to marry another man in Gambia, reports Vice News.
Ironically, the personal threat made against his gay countrymen in a public speech was supposed to be about "fostering a healthy atmosphere" for Gambia's youth.
"If you do it [in the Gambia] I will slit your throat — if you are a man and want to marry another man in this country and we catch you, no one will ever set eyes on you again, and no white person can do anything about it," said Jammeh, speaking in the Wolof language at Farafenni, a market town near the Senegal border. » | Thom Senzee | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
David Cameron Appoints First Lesbian to a Conservative Government
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| Margot James was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip |
Margot James, the MP for Stourbridge, was promoted by David Cameron in this week’s ongoing reshuffle.
On winning Stourbridge in 2010, Ms James was one of two out lesbian MPs in the last Parliament, and today becomes the first lesbian in the current Government, and the first to serve under a Conservative Prime Minister. » | Joseph Patrick McCormick | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Sheep Ranchers Count On American Muslims To Keep Lamb On Menu
Specifically, they want American Muslims to buy more of their lamb.
Today, the average American eats roughly a half pound of lamb per year. That number has been dropping for decades. Compare that with the more than 50 pounds of beef and almost 90 pounds of chicken each American eats every year. Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board, the industry's producer-funded promotional arm, says lamb is saddled with perception problems.
"We've lost a couple generations that just do not have any experience with lamb, or they've had a really bad experience with lamb," Wortman says. "The grandmother who overcooked it, and it was tough and brown and dull and gamey. They put mint jelly all over it."
A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Research Center puts it bluntly: "The majority of U.S. residents do not consume any lamb." For the most part, growing ethnic populations in the Northeast and on the West Coast have kept the American lamb industry afloat, the report notes. » | Luke Runyon | Tuesday, May 12, 2015
My comment:
It is not surprising that lamb consumption in the US has declined. In my experience, when you buy 'lamb' in the US, you often end up with mutton. The meat is strong, chewy and often tough. Lamb, on the other hand, should be tender and succulent. Even in the article above, the words sheep and lamb are used almost interchangeably. They shouldn't be: The meat you get from sheep is mutton. Mutton is old and strong, and perhaps 'gamey' too. Lamb doesn't come from sheep; it comes from young lambs. There's a huge difference! – © Mark
European Anti-Semitism 'Has Reached Critical Mass,' Expert Warns
Anti-Semitism has reached "critical mass" in Europe, and stands at its worst levels globally since the 1930s, a senior anti-hate campaigner has warned.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva at the 5th Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism on Wednesday, ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said that although anti-Semitism was not yet at the same levels as it was immediately prior to the holocaust, Jews are certainly being subjected to the worst levels of hatred since then.
"It's not like the thirties, but it's the worst its been since the 30s," Foxman said.
Explaining his alarming analysis, Foxman noted the growing numbers of deadly attacks against Jews, particularly in Europe, which - combined with other violent attacks - represents a wave of Jew-hatred unprecedented since the end of the Second World War.
"We're living in an era where again anti-Semitism presents a clear and present danger to Jews in various communities.
"It's global in its nature, and it's endangering the lives of Jews - not just where they live or their livelihoods - and it has a dimension of terrorism, jihadism." » | Ari Soffer | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Vatican to Recognise Palestinian State in Treaty
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| Pope Francis delighted his Palestinian hosts by referring to the "state of Palestine" during a three-day visit to the Middle East a year ago |
Israel has expressed its disappointment at the decision which it says will not advance the peace process.
Talks between the Palestinians and the Vatican - which favours a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - have gone of for 20 years.
President Abbas meets the Pope this weekend when two 19th Century Palestinian nuns will be canonised.
The Vatican is eager that property and civil rights of the Catholic Church in the Palestinian state is protected, correspondents say. According to the New York Times, it has strong religious interests in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories that include Christian holy sites. » | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
ARUTZ SHEVA: Vatican Preparing to Recognize PA as 'Palestine': Foreign Ministry warns that the Vatican's step will not bring peace, may change Israel-Vatican relations. » | Nitzan Keidar | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Cameron Crackdown on 'Poisonous' Islamic Extremists Could See Mosques Closed Down
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| Radical preacher Anjem Choudary has claimed that all Muslim MPs and voters are 'apostates' |
The Prime Minister will act quickly to curb the powers of known hate preachers and terrorists - moves that were blocked by the Liberal Democrats.
Unshackled from coalition government, Mr Cameron has free rein to launch a much-anticipated crackdown on those who seek to brainwash British youngsters, warning against a "passively tolerant" society.
Among the options being considered is a ban on radical clerics mixing with vulnerable young muslims, introducing banning orders for organisations that use hate speech in public and powers to close premises – even mosques - where extremists meet.
Mr Cameron will meet with security chiefs to outline the plans, and is expected to include the measures in his majority government’s first Queen’s Speech on May 27. » | Tom Batchelor | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Kuba trumpft mit Impfstoff gegen Lungenkrebs auf
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| Lungenkrebs ist eine der häufigsten Krebserkrankungen weltweit, Rauchen gilt als eine der Hauptursachen |
Vom Ende der jahrzehntelangen Feindschaft zwischen den USA und Kuba könnten nicht nur die Menschen auf der Karibikinsel, sondern auch weitere Länder, u. a. auch Deutschland, profitieren: und zwar auf einem Gebiet, auf dem man es nicht erwartet: im Kampf gegen den tödlichen Lungenkrebs.
Bei der Entwicklung eines therapeutischen Impfstoffes für fortgeschrittenen Lungenkrebs nimmt Kuba weltweit eine führende Position ein. Der Impfstoff mit dem Namen Cimavax, an dem kubanische Wissenschaftler mehr als 15 Jahre gearbeitet haben, ergänzt traditionelle Behandlungsmethoden. » | Von Oliver Creutz Wissenschaftsredakteur | Dienstag, 12. Mai 2015
Les Français séduits par l'ouverture de Cuba
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| Une voiture dans les rues de La Havane à Cuba, photo d'illustration. |
Le réchauffement des relations entre Cuba et les pays occidentaux séduit de plus en plus de touristes français qui souhaitent profiter d'une certaine authenticité, de peur de voir se développer dans quelques années un tourisme de masse qui pourrait défigurer l'île. Cinq mois après le dégel annoncé entre Washington et La Havane, et deux ans après les prémices d'un réchauffement, les voyagistes français constatent un engouement réel de leur clientèle pour cette destination ensoleillée. » | Le Point | mardi 12 mai 2015
Cameron Declares War on EU
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| David Cameron will demand for changes to be made in the EU |
The Prime Minister will also hold an early referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union if his demands are met.
Mr Cameron will use a crunch summit next month to spell out his plans for Britain to have much looser ties with the EU.
The Prime Minister has already begun a six-week blitz to shore up support for renegotiations, speaking to key EU figures immediately after last week’s historic election victory.
He will ramp up efforts next week by meeting European allies in a further attempt to strengthen his position to get a new deal.
The onslaught will culminate at next month’s European Council summit - already being dubbed the “Battle of Brussels” – putting him on a collision course with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. » | Martyn Brown | Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Vienna Replaces Pedestrian Traffic Light Figures with Gay Couples
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| A new traffic light, showing a same-sex couple, in Vienna |
Vienna is preparing to give its pedestrian traffic lights a love life – by replacing the red and green men with couples.
And in a move intended to show the Austrian capital's tolerance and openness, the couples will come in three varieties: straight, gay and lesbian.
Hundreds of the signals around the city will be replaced with new lights showing various different couples hand in hand: a man and a woman, two men, or two women.
To complete the picture they will be adorned with romantic hearts.
The Ampelmännchen, or little traffic signal man, is something of an obssession in the German-speaking world.
Cities in Germany have installed lights featuring red and green women, in an effort to redress the gender imbalance of the traditional signals.
But Vienna has gone a step further, introducing a sexual orientation for the little red and green people. » | Justin Huggler, Berlin | Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Why Farhan Left Islam?
Monday, May 11, 2015
Gulf Leaders Back Out of Camp David Summit in 'Snub' to Obama
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| President Obama had planned to meet with the Saudi King Salman on Wednesday |
Their substitution with more junior leaders is being seen as a rebuff to President Obama's negotiations with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that he would not attend.
The White House, which has not publicly commented, previewed the king's visit as recently as Friday.
The talks, which will now be largely attended by leaders at the ministerial level, were designed to reassure the Arab allies of US support on a number of issues including talks with Iran and instability in several Arab states. » | Monday, May 11, 2015
Doctor Who Joined Islamic State Still a Registered Practitioner in Australia
An Australian doctor who joined Islamic State is still listed as a registered practitioner, despite vowing never to return to Australia.
Tareq Kamleh worked in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia before being recruited to the extremist group. On Monday, the Adelaide-trained physician was still listed on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency database.
According to online records, his registration started in December 2010 and will expire in September. » | Australian Associated Press | Sunday May 10, 2015
Nick Clegg Should Do 'Donkey Work' for Five Years to 'Repay' Party for Failure, Says Former Lib Dem MP
Nick Clegg must "repay" his party for taking them into government by doing "the donkey work of being a good constituency MP" for the next five years, furious Liberal Democrats have said.
Amid rumours that Mr Clegg is considering stepping down as an MP after leading the party to electoral wipeout, Lib Dems have told The Telegraph he must serve as a backbencher to atone for his disastrous decision to form a coalition.
It comes as the strategist credited with turning the Lib Dems into a party of government criticised Mr Clegg for repeating the “mistakes” of previous campaigns.
Lord Rennard, the Lib Dem peer, said there was “real anger” the party had lost so many MPs after talking about forming coalitions rather than its vision for the country before the vote.
A fierce battle over Mr Clegg’s legacy as party leader is due to take place over the coming weeks as the remaining Lib Dems decide who should be his succcessor. » | Ben Riley-Smith, Political Correspondent | Sunday, May 10, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Chodorkowski schließt Einigung mit Putin aus
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| Kreml-Kritiker Michail Chodorkowski warnt vor Allianzen mit Putin |
Der ehemalige russische Oligarch Michail Chodorkowski warnt die Europäische Union und die Vereinigten Staaten davor, auf langfristige Abkommen mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in der Ukraine-Krise zu setzen. "Wenn jemand im Westen sagt, dass man mit dem heutigen Regime im Kreml eine langfristige Vereinbarung erreichen kann, dann ist er entweder dumm oder ein Betrüger", sagte Chodorkowski im Interview mit der "Welt am Sonntag" in Berlin.
Die Hoffnung auf eine verlässliche Einigung sei illusorisch, weil die Führung unberechenbar sei. "Putin hat die staatlichen Institutionen zerstört. Das hat dazu geführt, dass es in Russland keinerlei gegenseitige Kontrolle der Verfassungsorgane mehr gibt, keinerlei Gewaltenteilung." » | Von Jörg Eigendorf , Boris Reitschuster, Julia Smirnova | Sonntag, 10. Mai 2015
Cuban Same-sex Couples 'Wed' in March for LGBT Rights Led by Castro's Daughter
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| A couple performs a symbolic marriage with US Reverend Roger LaRade in Havana. |
A day before Cuban president Raúl Castro was to visit the Vatican, his daughter sponsored a blessing ceremony for gay couples on an island where gay marriage remains illegal.
More than 1,000 gay, lesbian and transgender Cubans marched through Havana on Saturday, proudly displaying their truest selves for a day in a society where they still endure discrimination.
The Eighth Annual March against Homophobia and Transphobia took on extra meaning for about 20 couples who participated in a “Celebration of Love”, symbolically exchanging vows.
The couples held hands or embraced as American and Canadian protestant clergy members blessed them. It was part of official ceremonies leading up to the Global Day against Homophobia on 17 May.
Castro’s daughter, Mariela, heads Cuba’s Center for Sex Education, which has been pushing for gay rights in a country with a history of persecuting homosexuals. » | Agencies in Havana | Saturday, May 09, 2015
Saturday, May 09, 2015
Egyptian Youths Face Trial for 'Insulting Islam' by Making Fun of ISIS
Aged between 15 and 16, the youths could face up to five years in a youth detention center – while the teacher would serve any sentence he receives in prison – if the court finds them guilty of violating Egypt’s blasphemy law, Egypt-focused activists say.
Egyptian Christian and civil rights groups are leading calls for their release, but the five – members of the Coptic community that descends from the non-Arab people whose Pharaohs ruled ancient Egypt – have already spent weeks in police holding cells. » | Steven Edwards | Saturday, May 09, 2015
Russia Stages Massive WW2 Parade Despite Western Boycott
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| President Putin (centre) sat alongside the presidents of China (third left) and Kazakhstan (far right) |
Thousands of troops marched across Red Square in Moscow, and new armour was displayed for the first time.
Many foreign dignitaries were present, but most Western leaders stayed away because of Russia's role in Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin said global co-operation had been put at risk in recent years. His Ukrainian counterpart accused him of justifying aggression.
Russia denies claims by the West that it is arming rebels in eastern Ukraine. More than 6,000 people have been killed since fighting began in April 2014 in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. (+ 2 videos) » | Saturday, May 09, 2015
Washington Frets Over 'Distracted' Little Britain
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| Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. president Barack Obama |
David Cameron’s surprise election victory was greeted with mixed feelings in Washington yesterday as relief over a clear-cut outcome was tempered by worries about the stability of the UK and the prospect of a divisive EU referendum.
Officially, Barack Obama congratulated the prime minister on his “impressive victory”, issuing a statement promising to continue to “strengthen the bonds between our countries, as we work together on behalf of global peace, security and prosperity”.
Behind the scenes however, officials conceded that the prospect of the EU membership vote in 2017 and a resurgence of Scottish demands for independence risked weakening Britain’s ability to deliver on its side of the so-called special relationship. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Friday, May 08, 2015
THE INDEPENDENT: Unshackled from Coalition partners, Tories get ready to push radical agenda: Cameron is expected to move to the right to consolidate support among his backbench MPs after five years of compromise with the Liberal Democrats » | Whitehall Editor | Friday, May 08, 2015
That the World May Not End
Our world is in trouble. A big portion of the human population is following a culture whose mainstream is dominated by some very bad ideas. The Muslim world is heavily influenced by a stream of thought synonymous with terrorism, sabotage, ignorance, anti-Semitism, the oppression of women, aggressive homophobia, sexual repression, hostility to free inquiry and human rights.
There are 13 countries in the world where you can get the death penalty for apostasy; all of them are Muslim-majority countries. Most other Muslim countries imprison apostates. Most countries with astonishing records of violence against women, terrorism exporting and financing, anti-Semitism and hostility to free expression are Muslim-majority countries. Even Europe, the birthplace of modern Western intellectuality and civilization, is not spared from this sea of darkness. Cartoonists, authors and academics frequently need the protection of law enforcement agencies because of the abundance of death threats and fatwas against them. Many of them have experienced assassination attempts, and many did not survive. The biggest demonstrations organized by European Muslims are not to condemn these atrocities but to raise signs like, “Behead those who insult the prophet,” or more moderately, “You are not free to insult the prophet.” Think about this for a moment: There are large numbers of people who actively and violently want to destroy our right to freedom of expression. Some of them are more than ready to lose their lives in order to shut us up. Europe is very quickly being hijacked. » | Hussein Aboubakr Mansour | Friday, May 08, 2015
Friday, May 08, 2015
Nun: 'Islam Is ISIS. Whoever Says Otherwise Is a Liar'
Hundreds of thousands of Christians have been displaced from their homes and countless others have been murdered or enslaved by the jihadist army, with no end in sight.
Sister Hatune Dogan has been on the ground and witnessed the devastation of these ancient Christian communities. She's listened to survivors tell how Christians and Yazidi women are being sold into sex slavery.
"They choose the most beautiful one, even if they have a small child, and they sell these women, these ladies to each other. They don't sell to another religion -- only Sunni Muslim," Dogan said.
"There have been 12,000 kidnapped at the hands of ISIS - Yazidi alone. What is going on there, what I was hearing, is the highest barbarism on earth in the history until today," she added.
Her foundation helps the poor and persecuted in 35 countries, providing them with food, clothing, medicine and shelter.
She travels constantly with a special focus in the Muslim world. » | Erick Stakelbeck | CBN News Correspondent | Friday, May 08, 2015
Brad Thor in Defense of Pamela Geller: Islam Needs More Direct Challenges, Not Less
What I have found particularly galling is the torrent of “She has a right to free speech, but…” coming not just from the left, but also from the right.
Critics – including most of the media – claim that what Geller did was provocative. They never stop to note, as Harris put it, “The point is not (and will never be) that some free person spoke, or wrote, or illustrated in such a manner as to inflame the Muslim community. The point is that only [emphasis added] the Muslim community is combustible in this way.”
Harris goes on to say, “Muslims appear to be far more concerned about perceived slights to their religion than about the atrocities committed daily in its name.”
This goes to the heart of Geller’s event in Garland and what I see not as a provocation, but as a challenge. » | Brad Thor * | Friday, May 08, 2015
* Brad Thor is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of "Black List," "Full Black," "Foreign Influence," "The Apostle," "The Last Patriot" (banned in Saudi Arabia), "The First Commandment," "Takedown," "Blowback," "State of the Union," "Path of the Assassin," "The Lions of Lucerne," and his New York Times bestselling spinoff series, The Athena Project. He has appeared on FOX News Channel, CNN, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS programs to discuss terrorism. He has served as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Analytic Red Cell Unit and shadowed a Black Ops team in Afghanistan to research "The Apostle."
Brad Thor’s website »
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