Will US Sanctions Deter Russian Expansion?

Mar. 17, 2014 - 3:15 - Michael Singh, managing director of The Washington Institute, weighs in

Obama to Russia: 'Further Provocation Will Do Nothing': Sanctions Imposed

FOX NEWS: Is it enough? Obama imposes sanctions on Russian officials over Crimea: WASHINGTON – Faced with calls for a swift and stern reaction to Russia's threatened annexation of Crimea, President Obama wielded his executive pen Monday morning, slapping seven in Vladimir Putin's inner circle -- but not the Russian president himself -- with sanctions freezing their U.S. assets. » | Monday, March 17, 2014

Galloway: West Created Frankenstein Monster in Ukraine

Ukraine's Right Sector members stormed and torched government buildings - and attacked unarmed police squads. They also consistently rejected the concessions offered by the Yanukovich administration, when it was trying in vain to calm the unrest. And now, they have become arguably one of the most influential groups in Ukraine. British MP George Galloway says the West needs to recognize the dangers it poses.

The Changing Face of America? Jewish Convert to Islam Does Pilgrimage to Plain of Arafat

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra inside the streem of pilgrims heading to Mount Arafat in Mecca, a journey that millions of Muslims do every year.

Pro-Russia Protesters in Donetsk Want Referendum

BBC: As the voting took place in Crimea, in eastern Ukraine in the city of Donetsk, hundreds of pro-Russian protesters stormed government buildings, demanding their own referendum on whether to become part of Russia.

Steve Rosenberg reports. (+ BBC video) » | Sunday, March 16, 2014

UN Report on North Korea Finds 'Atrocities Like WW2'

BBC: The UN human rights council is due to discuss a report on human rights violations in North Korea.

The authors say the infringements resemble the worst atrocities of World War Two and suggest North Korea should be referred to the International Criminal Court.

A number of people who managed to escape from North Korea have travelled to Geneva for the meeting.

Imogen Foulkes reports. (+ BBC video) » | Geneva | Monday, March 17, 2014

Crimea Votes to Return to ‘Motherland’

CNN's Anna Coren visits a polling station where an overwhelming majority say they want to return to the "Motherland."

Ukraine Mobilises Its Army as Kremlin Ups the Ante with Warning to America: 'We Can Reduce You to Radioactive Ash'

MAIL ONLINE: Ukraine has a national guard of 20,000 troops and another 20,000 reserves / Russia, meanwhile, has an army of 700,000 battle-ready frontline soldiers / Yesterday, Russian state news agency chief warns US to stay out of crisis / Dmitry Kiselyov tells TV viewers Russia could turn US to 'radioactive ash'

The Crimean crisis moved a step closer to all-out war today as Ukraine mobilised its armed forces and a firebrand Kremlin mouthpiece warned America to stay out of its business, declaring: 'We could turn you to radioactive ash.'

In a sign of rising tensions following yesterday's referendum that called for Crimea's annexation to Russia, the Ukrainian parliament approved the deployment of up to 20,000 soldiers and declared all Ukrainian state property on the territory to be nationalized.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are now on stand by, including another 20,000 battle-ready reservists, prepared to fight should their government fail to find a solution to the standoff with Russia over the future of the Black Sea peninsular. Read on and comment » | Matt Blake and Associated Press | Monday, March 17, 2014

Will Crimea Vote Further Inflame US Tensions with Russia?

Mar. 16, 2014 - 11:18 - Reaction from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's top members, Sens. Robert Menendez and Bob Corker

Chris Wallace on Imposing Tough Economic Sanctions on Russia

Mar. 14, 2014 - 4:09 - Kerry: U.S. will not recognize Crimea vote

Inside Story: Crimea Referendum: Ukraine or Russia?

As people in Crimea vote to join Russia, we discuss what the move means for Ukraine.

Anjem Choudary vs. David Wood: Would Sharia Help the West? (Debate)

Muslims claim that the West is immoral, and that Islam can improve Western society. But can the teachings of Muhammad really help the United States, Great Britain, and other Western nations? Anjem Choudary and David Wood debate the evidence.

American Pastor Jailed in Iran Denied Medical Treatment

Mar. 15, 2014 - 4:14 - Saeed Abedini's wife on husband's plight

Why Russia Sees Crimea as Crucial to Its Future

Mar. 12, 2014 - 11:26 - US Navy Capt. William Parker III explains the strategic value of the Crimean peninsula

Ukraine Crisis: Moscow Rally Opposes Crimea Intervention

BBC: Tens of thousands have joined a rally in the Russian capital Moscow to oppose its intervention in Ukraine, a day before Crimeans vote on whether to secede and join Russia.

Holding Russian and Ukrainian flags, they shouted: "The occupation of Crimea is Russia's disgrace." A smaller pro-Moscow rally was being held elsewhere.

Moscow supports the vote, which Ukraine and the West have dismissed as illegal.

Kiev says Russian "provocateurs" are behind clashes in eastern Ukraine. (+ BBC videos) » | Saturday, March 15, 2014

Venezuela: Maduro wirft den USA Umsturzpläne vor

Präsident Maduro: Anschuldigungen gegen US-Außenminister Kerry

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Ton zwischen Caracas und Washington verschärft sich. Venezuelas linker Staatschef Nicolás Maduro wirft der US-Regierung vor, gezielt seinen Sturz zu betreiben. Nun will er mehr Polizei gegen die regierungsfeindlichen Demonstranten einsetzen.

Caracas - Die Proteste gegen Präsident Nicolás Maduro dauern an. Jetzt will die venezolanische Regierung härter durchgreifen. Der Linksnationalist Maduro kündigte in Caracas eine höhere Polizeipräsenz in der Hauptstadt Caracas, San Cristóbal, dem Ausgangspunkt der Bewegung im Zentrum des Landes, und Valencia im Norden an. Dort waren am Mittwoch drei Menschen an Schussverletzungen gestorben: zwei Zivilisten und ein Nationalgardist. Es gehe darum, die Straßen von Barrikaden und Blockierern zu befreien, sagte der Staatschef. » | ler/AFP/dpa | Samstag, 15. März 2014

Vor dem Referendum: Krim-Bewohner heben massenhaft Geld ab

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Vor der Volksabstimmung auf der Krim ist die Stimmung angespannt. Die Menschen sorgen sich offenbar um die Zeit danach und stehen in Schlangen vor den Banken an. In den ostukrainischen Städten Charkow und Donezk gab es Tote bei Krawallen - Kiew sieht russische Provokateure am Werk.

Simferopol - Die Krim bereitet sich mit einem "Tag der Ruhe" ohne politische Agitation auf das umstrittene Referendum vor. In der Hauptstadt Simferopol bildeten sich am Samstag bei sonnigem Wetter Warteschlangen an Geldautomaten, an denen Menschen ukrainische Geldscheine zogen. Am Sonntag sind mehr als 1,8 Millionen Krim-Bewohner aufgerufen, über den Anschluss an Russland abzustimmen. » | ler/dpa/Reuters | Samstag, 15. März 2014

Saudi Arabia Bans 50 Baby Names

GULF NEWS: List includes foreign names; those that ‘contradict culture and religion’

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry has banned 50 given names including “foreign” names, names related to royalty and those it considers to be blasphemous.

Saudis will no longer be able to give their children names such as Amir (prince), Linda or Abdul Nabi (Slave of the Prophet) after the civil affairs department at the ministry issued the list, according to Saudi news sites.

It justified the ban by saying that the names either contradicted the culture or religion of the kingdom, or were foreign, or “inappropriate”.

The names fit into at least three categories: those that offend perceived religious sensibilities, those that are affiliated to royalty and those that are of non-Arabic or non-Islamic origin. » | Gulf News Report | Thursday, March 13, 2014

Riyadh Demands Qatar Shut Down Al Jazeera

GULF NEWS: Qatar considers the demand an interference in its affairs

Dubai: Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar shut down Al Jazeera and two think tanks during a recent meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a source close to someone who attended the talks said Friday.

Riyadh demanded the closure of the pan-Arab broadcaster as well as the Brookings Doha Centre and the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, the source said. » | AFP | Friday, March 14, 2014

Indian Expat Stabs Saudi to Death

GULF NEWS: The defendant said the victim threatened to kill him with a pistol

Riyadh: An expatriate Indian in Saudi Arabia stabbed a young Saudi to death at a rest house on a highway, media reported.

The victim, who was in his 20s, was found bleeding inside the kitchen of a rest house on the Riyadh-Dammam highway with two severe stabs to his chest, local media reported Friday.

The report did not say when the person was killed. » | IANS | Friday, March 14, 2014