'You Don't Frighten Me': Jean-Claude Juncker Taunts David Cameron

Jean-Claude Juncker this week began his five[-]term as
president of the European Commission

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jean-Claude Juncker has taunted David Cameron, boasting that the British leader does not scare him and mocked the Prime Minister for failing to win his battles with the European Union

Speaking after the first weekly meeting of his new Brussels administration, the president of the European Commission bragged that he was “not the type who trembles, in front of prime ministers or at any other time”.

“I'm not frightened of any prime ministers,” he said. The Conservative leader was humiliated at a summit in July when he tried to stop Mr Juncker, a passionate federalist, from becoming president of the commission.

Mr Cameron was out-voted, after being betrayed by the German Chancellor and Mr Juncker was installed in the commission, taking up his new post this week.

He was then slapped down by Angela Merkel, again, and left isolated at another summit two weeks ago when angrily refusing a commission demand that Britain paid an extra £1.7 billion surcharge to the EU budget.

Chancellor Merkel, with French support and backing from a majority of other EU leaders, told him to pay the bill.

“I don't have a problem with David Cameron. He has problem with the other prime ministers,” boasted Mr Juncker on Wednesday.

Britain faces humiliation over the budget demand after Mr Cameron told MPs that he would refuse to pay the full amount or meet a December 1 payment deadline.

A meeting of EU finance ministers on Friday is expected to tell George Osborne, the Chancellor, that he must hand over the full surcharge to the Brussels budget. In a concession, billed by EU officials as a compromise but unlikely to satisfy Tories, Britain will be allowed to pay the £1.7bilion in instalments. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Ben Shapiro: The Myth of the Tiny Radical Muslim Minority

Fareed Zakaria vs. Sam Harris on Radical Islam: "Islam Has Been Spread By The Sword For Over 1,000 Years"

Read the Real Clear Politics article here | Sunday, November 02, 2014

Finland Warns of New Cold War as EU and US Fail to Grasp Situation in Russia

Sauli Ninisto: 'We have a long tradition of keeping out
of conflict with Russia.'

THE GUARDIAN: Finnish president Sauli Niinisto set to meet David Cameron and other northern European leaders at conference in Helsinki

Western countries are “at the gates” of a new cold war with Russia sparked by the Ukraine crisis and a continuing failure to grasp the depth and seriousness of President Vladimir Putin’s grievances with the US and EU, the Finnish president, Sauli Niinisto, has warned.

Speaking to the Guardian at his official residence before a conference in Helsinki on Thursday attended by Britain’s David Cameron and leaders of the Nordic and Baltic states, Niinisto said Finland had a long tradition of trying to maintain friendly relations with Russia. But it was not prepared to be pushed around. » | Simon Tisdall in Helsinki | Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Turkey's President Moves into World's Biggest Palace Costing £384 Million

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stands inside the new
Ak Saray presidential palace (White House) on the outskirts
of Ankara, Turkey

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Recep Tayyip Erdogan's new residence is four times the size of Versailles, comfortably exceeding the grandeur of Louis XIV of France

Turkey’s new president has been accused of behaving like a “sultan” after he installed himself in the biggest residential palace in the world, built for a price tag of £384 million.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan now resides in the White Palace, which was constructed in breach of court orders in protected forest land in the capital, Ankara.

Boasting 1,000 rooms covering a total floor area of 3.1 million square feet, the palace is four times the size of Versailles, allowing Mr Erdogan to exceed the residential grandeur of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” of France. » | David Blair | Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Czech President Shocks Nations in Expletive-filled Interview

Czech president Milos Zeman

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Czech president Milos Zeman swears his way through a radio interview in English and Czech, leading to hundreds of complaints

The Czech president has come under attack from the country’s prime minister for his liberal use of profanities in a radio interview that shocked the nation.

The country’s media watchdog said it received hundreds of complaints following the Sunday night interview in which Milos Zeman demonstrated his knowledge of English expletives while littering his speech with Czech vulgarities.

“The president should not speak in such a way as it damages the reputation of the presidency, sets a bad example and does nothing for our reputation abroad,” said an angry Bohuslav Sobotka, the Czech prime minister.

Petr Fiala, leader of the opposition Civic Democrats, also joined in a chorus of disapproval emanating from across the political spectrum saying the president “no longer just pushes the limits: he exceeds them.”

“I can’t believe the Czech president spoke in such a way,” he added. » | Matthew Day in Warsaw | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Arizona Professor Claims U.S. Military 'Greater Threat' to Peace Than ISIS

FOX NEWS: An Arizona college professor charged that American soldiers are anti-Muslim rapists who pose "a greater threat" to world peace than ISIS, and says he leveled the charge to make the U.S. "stronger and better."

University of Arizona instructor Musa al-Gharbi, who also is an academic affiliate at the university’s Southwest Initiative for the Study of Middle East Conflicts, made the comments in a column penned for the online forum TruthOut, and defended them when reached by The Washington Free Beacon. He called Americans "hypocritical" for expressing moral outrage at the Islamic State, which has raped, murdered and beheaded thousands of Muslims and Christians in its quest to establish a Muslim caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

“It would not be a stretch to say that the United States is actually a greater threat to peace and stability in the region than ISIS — not least because U.S. policies in Iraq, Libya and Syria have largely paved the way for ISIS’ emergence as a major regional actor,” al-Gharbi wrote in the article titled, “How Much Moral High Ground Does the U.S. Have Over ISIS?” » | FoxNews | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Prince of Wales’s Plea to Muslims over Christian Persecution

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prince Charles insists faith leaders must not remain ‘silent’ over suffering of minorities as the royal says recognising the role of religion is central to ‘our future as a free society’

Muslim leaders have a duty to warn their own followers about the “indescribable tragedy” of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and around the world, the Prince of Wales has insisted.

He said that faith leaders must ensure their followers respect believers in other faiths “rather than remaining silent”.

His comments came in a special message recorded for the publication of a new report which concludes that Christians are the “most persecuted religious minority” in the world and that Muslim countries dominate the list of places where religious freedom is most under threat.

While emphasising the importance of his own personal Christian faith, he also signalled that he saw his role as to “defend” followers of other faiths including Islam.

Britain’s “future as a free society” depends on recognising the “crucial role” played by people of faith, he said.

But he warned that freedom of religion is also being “challenged” in Western countries. (+ video) » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Tuesday, November 04, 2014


MAIL ONLINE: Prince Charles calls on Muslim leaders to stop 'indescribable tragedy' of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East »

Australia: Shooting Sparks Fear of Muslim Sectarian Violence

THE AUSTRALIAN: FEARS of Muslim sectarian violence spilling into the suburbs of Australia are rising after the shooting early yesterday of a man outside a Sydney prayer centre.

The attack, on a 47-year-old ­father of five at a Shia establishment, happened in front of his family on one of the holiest days of the Shia Muslim calendar.

The man, identified as Rasoul Al-Musawi, was standing outside the prayer hall in Greenacre, in Sydney’s southwest about 1.15am when he was struck in the face and shoulder with pellets. He was expected to undergo surgery. His injuries are not considered life-threatening. » | Anthony Klan | Journalist | Sydney | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Related video

Related article

Convert to Islam Tests Boundaries of Germany’s Terror Laws

Islamist preacher Sven Lau talks during a rally in July
in Hamburg, Germany.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Standoff between Islamist preacher Sven Lau and German security agents shows the difficulty of drawing a clear line between opinion and sedition.

WUPPERTAL, Germany—Fundamentalist Islamic preacher Sven Lau claims he has a simple test to separate undercover officers from passersby. He gives them the finger. If they don’t respond, he said, “they’re intelligence agents.”

German authorities have spent at least eight years monitoring Mr. Lau, a 34-year-old ex-firefighter from a Catholic family who now practices a strict form of Islam known as Salafism.

Officials say Mr. Lau is one of the most prominent Islamic preachers in Germany, with a charismatic message that lures young Germans into radical Muslim circles. The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency called Mr. Lau one of the country’s “best-known propagandists.” Authorities allege Mr. Lau inspired some of his followers to join Islamic militants in Syria and Iraq, and fear they will eventually spawn terror attacks in Germany and the West. Read on and comment » | Anton Troianovski | Sunday, November 02, 2014

Shia Muslims Chanting ‘Down with Isis’ Join Ashura Procession in Sydney

THE GUARDIAN: March participants play down prospect of sectarian tensions a day after a Muslim leader was shot outside a Sydney Islamic centre

Thousands of Shia Muslims marched through the Sydney’s CBD on Tuesday to mark Ashura, the anniversary of the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Husayn Ibn Ali.

The black-clad procession numbered more than 2,000 and stretched almost a kilometre, led by women in chadors and green headbands chanting, “down with Isis” and “Husayn is for peace”.

At the lead was a large sign linking Husayn’s death at the battle of Karbala in AD680 at the hands of the caliph Yazid to the death of Jesus and new threats from religious extremists in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Oppressors attacked Jesus Christ to crucify him, but he was victorious. After centuries, similar people attacked Imam Husayn to demolish truth and justice, but he was victorious,” the sign read.

“Today, terrorists have risen again. Who will be victorious over them?” » | Michael Safi | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

UN: Unprecedented Number of Foreigners Joining Terror Groups

Oct. 31, 2014 - 2:43 - New report says foreign fighters from 80 countries are joining terror groups, suggesting that the threat of domestic terrorism is only on the rise

Austria's Muslims Fear Changes to Historic Islam Law

BBC: A row has broken out in Austria over government plans to overhaul the country's century-old law on Islam.

The new draft, which is partly aimed at tackling Islamist radicalism, forbids any foreign funding. But Austria's official Islamic Community says it reflects a widespread mistrust of Muslims and fails to treat them equally.

Islam has been an official religion in Austria since 1912. The Islam law, the "Islamgesetz", was brought in by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph, after Austria's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Under the law, Muslims, like Catholics, Jews and Protestants, are guaranteed wide-ranging rights, including religious education in state schools. » | Bethany Bell | BBC News | Vienna | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

How Tunisia Became a Breeding Ground for Jihadists

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The liberal standard-bearer of the Arab Spring has become the biggest recruiter of jihadist fighters

It is just the sort of neighbourhood that Tunisia’s revolution was meant to help. Douar Hicher’s concrete flats are filled with young men and women who drove the uprising that kicked off the Arab Spring of 2011, hoping to usher in a new era of opportunity.

But something has gone wrong. These few square miles of dusty sprawl in the capital, Tunis, have not welcomed the western-style freedom that many thought the Tunisian revolution was supposed to usher in. Instead, it has become notorious for another sort of revolution: at least 50 of its young men are now fighting with the jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

“Jihad is an Islamic obligation,” says 30-year old Abdelmoneim as [he] wanders through the backstreets. “If it was organised for me, I'd go."

Several of Abdelmoneim’s friends travelled to fight in Syria last year. “Seeing their photos on Facebook, I cannot blame them,” he says. “Life is good there.” » | Louisa Loveluck, Tunis | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Republicans Pledge 'New Direction' for America as Polls Show Senate Control

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dragged down by an unpopular president, Democrats try desperately to defy electoral gravity as Republicans scent victory in the midterm elections

Barack Obama faces the prospect of spending his final two years in office as a 'lame duck' president, with polls showing the Republicans poised to recapture control of the US Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections.

Although Mr Obama's name is nowhere on the ballot, Republicans placed the increasingly embattled US leader at the centre of a national campaign to retake the US Senate and fire Republican dreams of recapturing the White House in 2016.

"We're going to send a message – a message to President Obama," said Rand Paul, the conservative US senator, at a last-minute campaign event in his native Kentucky on Monday.

"This will be a repudiation of President Obama's policies." » | Peter Foster, Louisville, Kentucky | Monday, November 03, 2014

Britain's Spy Chief Says US Tech Firms Aid Terrorism

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: New GCHQ director Richard Hannigan accuses some Silicon Valley companies of becoming 'the command and control networks of choice' for terrorists

Technology giants such as Facebook and Twitter have become "the command and control networks of choice" for terrorists and criminals but are "in denial" about the scale of the problem, the new head of GCHQ has said.

Robert Hannigan said that Isil terrorists in Syria and Iraq have "embraced the web" and are using it to intimidate people and inspire "would-be jihadis" from all over the World to join them.

He urged the companies to work more closely with the security services, arguing that it is time for them to confront "some uncomfortable truths" and that privacy is not an "absolute right".

He suggested that unless US technology companies co-operate, new laws will be needed to ensure that intelligence agencies are able to track and pursue terrorists. » | Steven Swinford, Senior Political Correspondent | Monday, November 03, 2014

Islamic State Announces Beheadings for All Who Insult Allah

JIHAD WATCH: “When you meet the unbelievers, strike the necks…” (Qur’an 47:4) Not, of course, that this has anything to do with Islam.

In any case, here again the Islamic State proves its extremism. The more moderate Sharia enforcers David Cameron and Theresa May will not behead you for insulting Allah; they will just take away your ability to broadcast, hold public assemblies, or write on the Internet.

“Islamic State Announces Beheadings for All Who Insult Allah: Syrian Observatory,” RIA Novosti, October 31, 2014 (thanks to The Religion of Peace): » Robert Spencer | Sunday, November 02, 2014

In Malaysia, ‘Allah’ Is Reserved for Muslims Only

Pupils at a Christian kindergarten in Kota Kinabalu, on Borneo,
are among non-Muslims not allowed by Malaysian law
to use the Malay word for God.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia — As the students knelt in a circle at a Christian kindergarten near the shores of the South China Sea, a 6-year-old girl in pigtails read out a chapter from a children’s Bible: “Sepuluh hukum dari Allah” – God’s Ten Commandments.

Technically, she broke the law.

According to a series of government orders and rulings by Malaysia’s Islamic councils, the word for God in the Malay language – “Allah” – is reserved for Muslims. Malay-language bibles are banned everywhere except inside churches. State regulations ban a list of words, including Allah, in any non-Muslim context.

Malaysia, with its collage of ethnic groups and religions, has a long history of tensions over issues ranging from dietary differences to the economic preferences enshrined in Malaysian law for the Malay Muslim majority.

But there is probably no dispute more fundamental and more emotionally charged than who owns the word God.

For Malaysia’s religious minorities, the government’s ban on non-Muslims using the word Allah, and the repeated seizures by government officials of Malay-language Bibles, is enough to make a smiling and cheery kindergarten teacher snap in anger. » | Thomas Fuller | Monday, November 03, 2014

Midterm Elections: Barack Obama in Political Quarantine as Campaign Draws to a Close

Barack Obama has not visited any of the ten swing states
that will decide control of the Senate

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The President is having a fittingly subdued end to a subdued campaign season, cloistered in the White House with his advisors

As the rest of America's political class spends the last full day of the midterm elections frantically campaigning, President Barack Obama is cloistered in the White House discussing economic figures with his advisors.

It is a fittingly subdued end to a subdued campaign season for the President.

Two years after he convincingly won a second term in the White House, Mr Obama is so personally unpopular that Democrats have relegated him to the sidelines in this election in the hope his toxic poll numbers will not infect their candidates.

Once considered his party's most gifted campaigner, Mr Obama has made few appearances on the campaign trail this year and stayed in Washington through much of the election.

He has steered well clear of the roughly ten battleground states which will decide control of the US Senate, even those like Colorado, Iowa and New Hampshire, which he won in 2012. » | Raf Sanchez, Washington | Monday, November 03, 2014

Preaching Jihad: Radicals Accused of Trying to Recruit Westerners

November 3, 2014, 7:32 AM | On "60 Minutes," Clarissa Ward talked to a British preacher who is accused of recruiting hundreds of other Muslims to fight for ISIS. He wants to see strict Islamic law implemented throughout the world.