Radical Islam: The Children Taught At Home about Murder and Bombings

Michael Adebowala and Michael Adebolajo as they were found
guilty of the murder of Fuselier Lee Rigby

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Radicalisation is a form of child abuse, and the authorities must have the power to intervene

It must have been dreadful for the family of Drummer Lee Rigby to listen to the ravings of his killers as they were finally hauled away to the cells and, one hopes, to a lifetime of incarceration. If those relatives have one consolation, it is that they were just about the last words those men will ever pronounce in public; the last time we will have to hear them pervert the religion of Islam – and the most important question now is how we prevent other young men, and women, from succumbing to that awful virus: the contagion of radical Islamic extremism.

Every day in London and other big cities, there are thousands of counter-terrorism officers doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe. They have to work out who are the most vulnerable young people, who are the most susceptible – and they have to stop the infection of radicalisation before it is too late. That will sometimes mean taking a view about what is happening to them in their homes and families – and I worry that their work is being hampered by what I am obliged to call political correctness. » | Boris Johnson | Sunday, March 02, 2014

The Andrew Marr Show

Andrew Marr is joined by Grant Shapps, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Nigel Farage and Tim Pigott-Smith. Jacqui Smith and Max Hastings review the papers, plus music from Kaiser Chiefs.
Watch The Andrew Marr Show on BBC iPlayer here | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Former PVV-er Returns with Anti-Gay, Pro-Islam Party

NL TIMES: A former PVV politician from The Hague who once helped produce a film depicting Islam as evil and extreme, Arnoud van Doorn sings a totally different tune these days.

In an interview with Algemeen Dagblad last week, he said that since quitting the anti-Islam party, he has now actually converted to the religion and started his own Islamic Party for Unity, with which he is contending for three seats during the municipal elections on March 19.

His party is against the anti-Muslim atmosphere in The Hague and also against the pro-homosexuality tendencies. “They promote homosexuality. You don’t have to go out and promote how fantastic that lifestyle is,” he said about how much focus there is in the manifestos of GroenLinks, D66 and PvdA for equality for gays. Personally he would rather see an end to the municipal support for promotional campaigns and gay-events like Pink Saturday.

When AD asked him if what he thinks about two gays walking hand in hand in the city, he didn’t have an answer ready. “Let’s just say that people should be reserved about the affection they show each other in public. Don’t provoke with it. Keep your private life private,” he said. He explained that he does not discriminate gays. “We are against discrimination of gays as people. But we reject homosexual actions,” he said, adding that this comes from the Islamic ideologies his party is founded on. » | Marvin Hokstam | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Inside a Nigerian Private Jet

BBC: Nigerians have spent $6.5bn on private jets, making it the largest market in Africa for luxury aircraft and one of the fastest growing in the world.

More than 100 private planes are said to operating in there - many of them owned by the country's growing number of rich businessmen and women.

Tomi Oladipo reports from Lagos airport. (+ BBC video) » | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Russia Testing the Waters on Ukraine Invasion

Read the USA Today article here | Anna Arutunyan, Special to USA Today | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Ukraine Mobilizes for War as Crimea Taken Over by Russia

Ukrainian army put on highest alert and all reserves mobilized; head of Ukraine navy 'defect' to Russia.

Read the Haaretz article here | Anshel Pfeffer | The Associated Press and Reuters | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Far-right 'Christian Patrols' in UK Spark Stand-off with Muslims Using Leaflets & Beer

Tackling Islamophobia is proving a major headache for Britain after soaring levels of crimes against Muslims in London since the middle of last year. But the authorities have a battle on their hands. Sara Firth reports on a self-styled 'Christian patrol' threatening to enflame community tensions in the capital.

Kerry Threatens Sanctions If Russia Doesn't Withdraw from Ukraine

LOS ANGELES TIMES: WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State John F. Kerry, denouncing what he called Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an “incredible act of aggression,” said the United States is considering an array of economic sanctions to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to change course or to punish him if he refuses.

The decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to send troops to Crimea, a region of Ukraine, “is really a stunning willful choice by president Putin to invade another country,” said Kerry, speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” one of several Sunday morning public affairs shows on which he appeared.

Kerry and Republican members of Congress made clear the U.S. was not considering a military move to counter Putin’s action. On ABC’s “This Week” program Kerry said that “the hope of the U.S. and everybody in the world is not to see this escalate into a military confrontation.”

“Nobody wants this to spiral in a bad or a worse direction,” he said.

“The invasion of Crimea has already happened,” Kerry said. “And we believe that President Putin should make the decision to roll it back.” » | Joseph Tanfani | Sunday, March 02, 2014

Krauthammer on Voters' Remorse on Obama

Feb. 27, 2014 - 5:13 - Syndicated columnist sounds off on new poll that finds many Americans are disappointed in Obama's presidency

CNN Pulls Plug on Piers Morgan's Prime-Time Talk Show

Feb. 25, 2014 - 6:32 - Why did program struggle with ratings?

President Obama and Vladimir Putin Speak

Mar. 01, 2014 - 2:21 - Obama warns against military intervention in Ukraine

Rouhani Says Iran Will Not Acquire Nuclear Weapons 'On Principle'

President Hassan Rouhani has told Iran's generals to avoid
provocative military manoeuvres.

THE GUARDIAN: • President says religion forbids pursuit of WMDs
• Generals told to let diplomacy do its work

Iran’s president said on Saturday the Islamic Republic has decided not to develop nuclear weapons out of principle, not only because it is prevented from doing so by treaties.

President Hassan Rouhani also urged Iran’s military leaders to let diplomacy prevail in dealing with potential foreign threats, in a clear reference to efforts to end the nuclear dispute and decades of hostile relations with the west.

“It is very important to formulate one’s sentences and speeches in a way that is not construed as threat, intention to strike a blow,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Iran’s top military echelon.

“We must be very careful in our calculations. Launching missiles and staging military exercises to scare off the other side is not good deterrence, although a necessity in its proper place,” the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying. “A misfire could burst into flames and wreak havoc to everything.” » | Agencies in Tehran | Saturday, March 01, 2014

Ukraine: Prime Minister of Ukraine Says Russian Military Intervention Would Lead to War

Arseny Yatsenyuk, prime minister of Ukraine, says any military intervention by Russia would lead to war and end all relations with Moscow. Oleksander Turchynov, the acting president of Ukraine, has put his troops on alert.

Krise auf der Krim: Merkel stärkt Ukraine den Rücken

Bundeskanzlerin Merkel und EU-Kommissionspräsident Barroso haben sich besorgt über die Lage in der Ukraine geäußert. Merkel sprach sich für eine friedliche Lösung und die Souveränität des Landes aus.

What ‘Costs’ Can US Threaten Russia with?

Feb. 28, 2014 - 6:05 - President's options seem limited

Is Obama the Rodney Dangerfield of World Leaders?

Feb. 24, 2014 - 4:04 - New poll: Fewer Americans believe the president is respected on the world stage

Krauthammer on Ukraine: 'Everybody Is Shocked by the Weakness of Obama's Statement'

Feb. 28, 2014 - 2:24 - Charles Krauthammer told viewers Friday that President Obama's statement on the latest Ukraine developments late Friday afternoon showed "weakness" and implied that "we're not really going to do anything" about the political upheaval in Ukraine.

Russia Approves Use of Military in Ukraine

ABC NEWS: Russia's parliament approved a motion to use the country's military in Ukraine after a request from President Vladimir Putin as protests in Russian-speaking cities turned violent Saturday, sparking fears of a wide-scale invasion.

The motion follows President Barack Obama's warning Friday "there will be costs" if Russia intervenes militarily, sharply raising the stakes in the conflict over Ukraine's future and evoking memories of Cold War brinkmanship.

"I'm submitting a request for using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country," Putin said in his request sent to parliament.

Russia's upper house also recommended that Moscow recalls its ambassador from Washington over Obama's comments.

Ukraine had already accused Russia on Friday of a "military invasion and occupation" in the strategic peninsula of Crimea where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk called on Moscow "to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations," according to the Interfax news agency. "Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine." (+ video) » | David McHugh and Vladimir Isachenkov | Associated Press | Kiev | Saturday, March 01, 2014

Russia Wresting Control of Crimea from Ukraine

Pro-Russian protesters with Russian flags take part in a rally
in central Donetsk March 1, 2014.

REUTERS.COM: (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin wrested control of the Ukrainian Black Sea region of Crimea from Kiev on Saturday citing a threat to Russian citizens and servicemen of the Russian Black Sea fleet based there.

Putin asked the upper house of parliament to approve sending armed forces to the Ukrainian territory, which has a majority ethnic Russian population. But Crimea had already begun to slip from Kiev's control with closure of the main airport and deployment of pro-Russian guards at key buildings.

Putin's statement, and remarks from a pro-Russian leader installed in Crimea this week, effectively confirmed what most people in the region had assumed: that military units who had seized control in the past two days were indeed Moscow's.

Ukraine accused Russia of sending thousands of extra troops to Crimea, largely hostile to the Kiev government which emerged from the overthrow of president Viktor Yanukovich last weekend. It placed its military in the area on high alert.

After Yanukovich's overthrow, Crimea quickly became the focus of a crisis bearing perils for the entire region.

Ukraine teeters on the brink of economic disaster, mired in debt. Any further spread of separatist sentiment to industrial, Russian-speaking eastern territories could raise the risk of disintegration with serious implications for surrounding states including Russia, Poland and Belarus.

Putin turned to parliament after a day of events viewed with deep concern in Europe and the United States. British foreign minister William Hague said he had spoken to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and called for a 'de-escalation' of tensions. U.S. President Barack Obama said any Russian intervention in Ukraine would carry costs for Moscow. » | Pavel Polityuk and Alissa De Carbonnel | Kiev/Balaclava, Ukraine | Saturday, March 01, 2014

Poutine veut envoyer des troupes en Ukraine

LE POINT: A la demande du président russe, le Conseil de la Fédération a commencé à débattre en session extraordinaire du recours à l'armée russe en Ukraine

Le Conseil de la Fédération russe a commencé à débattre samedi en session extraordinaire du recours à l'armée russe en Ukraine, à la suite d'une demande en ce sens du président Vladimir Poutine. Le président russe Vladimir Poutine a demandé samedi au Conseil de la Fédération (chambre haute du Parlement) d'approuver "le recours à l'armée russe en Ukraine" jusqu'à la normalisation de la situation.

"En raison de la situation extraordinaire en Ukraine et de la menace pesant sur la vie des citoyens russes, de nos compatriotes, des forces armées russes déployées en Ukraine", Vladimir Poutine a demandé au Conseil de la Fédération d'autoriser "le recours aux forces armées russes sur le territoire de l'Ukraine, jusqu'à la normalisation de la situation politique dans ce pays", selon un communiqué du service de presse du Kremlin. » | Source AFP | samedi 01 mars 2014