Pakistan's Hidden Shame

Inside Story: Why Is ISIL Targeting Cultural Heritage?

The armed group's destruction of ancient sites in Syria and Iraq is drawing condemnation worldwide.

Captured, Sold, Raped: ISIS Turns Thousands of Christian Women and Children into Sex Slaves

Since the Iraqi city of Mosul was captured by ISIS many women and children have been kidnapped by ISIS fighters.

An organisation to help save those victims has been founded recently by Steve Maman. It uses crowd funded donations to pay for the captives' release, but does not have any contact with - and does not pay ransoms to - ISIS fighters.

Millionen junge Europäer ohne Job bedrohen den sozialen Frieden

TAGES ANZEIGER: In Europa sind 7,5 Millionen Menschen unter 25 Jahren seit Jahren ohne Job. Die Aussichten, dass sie jemals den Einstieg in die Arbeitswelt schaffen, sind schlecht. Trotzdem halten sie still.

Europas hohe Jugendarbeitslosigkeit ist eines der grossen Übel unserer Zeit. Vor allem im Süden des Kontinents droht es einer ganzen Generation das Leben zu vermiesen. Seine toxische Wirkung wird noch jahrzehntelang anhalten, selbst wenn sich die Lage irgendwann wieder bessern sollte. Aber das ist keineswegs sicher. 7,5 Millionen Europäer unter 25 Jahren haben keine Arbeit und keinen Ausbildungsplatz; europaweit beträgt die Jugendarbeitslosigkeit mehr als 21 Prozent, in Griechenland überschreitet sie die Marke von 50 Prozent, in Spanien liegt sie knapp darunter. Aber auch in einigen mitteleuropäischen und nördlichen Ländern, etwa in Belgien, Polen, Irland oder Schweden, ist mindestens jeder fünfte junge Erwachsene betroffen. Und in Wirklichkeit ist die Situation noch schlimmer, als es die Statistiken ausweisen. Denn es genügt, dass ein Jugendlicher eine einzige Stunde pro Woche arbeitet, ob bezahlt oder umsonst, um nicht mehr als erwerbslos zu gelten. » | Von Sandro Benini, Co-Leiter International | Mittwoch, 26. August 2015

Merkel Booed by Nationalists for Pro-refugee Policies, Trolled on Internet for Previous Silence

Chancellor Merkel has been booed by a crowd of nationalists - angry about her pro-migrant policies. The incident happened during a visit to a town near Dresden, where violent anti-refugee protests took place over the weekend. While the government has been slammed for inaction, many Germans have been making sure their views are heard... Some analysts believe the German government's policies have divided the public.

Angela Merkel Warns against Intolerance towards Refugees

The German chancellor's visit to the Heidenau refugee centre,
greeted above, by a placard reading "traitor of the people" came
a day after Berlin said it had eased some asylum rules.

THE GUARDIAN: Chancellor dismisses ‘traitor’ jibes from far-right hecklers at Saxony refugee shelter and thanks Germans trying to help asylum seekers

Angela Merkel was met by a barrage of whistles, boos and calls of traitor when she visited an emergency asylum seeker and refugee centre near Dresden. She insisted that hatred towards refugees would not be tolerated.

About 50 protesters had gathered outside the disused DIY store turned reception centre in Heidenau, Saxony, as the German chancellor, on Wednesday, made her first visit to a refugee shelter. Her visit reportedly followed criticism that she had failed to openly condemn recent violence against the large numbers of refugees arriving in Germany.

In a protest organised on social media by far-right groups car horns were blown to try to block out her words. Merkel insisted on the importance of “human and dignified treatment” of asylum seekers. “There will be no tolerance towards those who are not prepared to help,” she said. “The more people that make that clear, the stronger we will be.” » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Gotthard Base Tunnel: The World’s Longest Railway Tunnel

Switzerland completes work on the world’s longest tunnel 8,000 feet beneath the Alps »

Sick Islamic State Video Shows Toddler Beheading TEDDY BEAR in Front of Terror Flag

EXPRESS: SICK Islamic State terrorists have released a disturbing new video showing a "jihadi" toddler beheading a teddy bear.


The shocking 30-second clip shows a child brandishing a large blade and sawing the head off the white cuddly toy.

The child, who appears to be no older than two years old, is encouraged to hack the toy's head off as the man filming is heard to shout "takbir", which means "Allah is great" in Arabic.

ISIS supporters have allegedly been sharing the video on social media accounts.

The child is described as the son of an ISIS fighter, according to the video which has not yet been verified. » | Scott Campbell | Wednesday, August 28, 2015

Beirut Turmoil: 'Lebanon On Brink of New Arab Spring'

It is the fourth night of unrest in Lebanon's capital Beirut. What started as demonstrations over a breakdown in the city's rubbish removal system has turned into violent protests, with calls growing for the government to resign.

Unveiling France's Burqa Ban

Burqa Battle (2010): In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo killings, secular France has been forced to examine its relationship with the country's Islamic minority. This 2010 report looks at tensions surrounding the controversial Islamic garment.

Southern France's Violent Religious Tensions

The Abandoned Front Line Of Europe's Refugee Crisis

Sinking Under The Migrant Crisis: Meet the people helping to prevent Europe's worse refugee crisis since WWII.

'Migration of Peoples Underway: Rising Africa, Declining Europe'

The UN has strongly criticised Europe's handling of the growing migrant crisis, calling it ineffective. The numbers of desperate migrants heading to Europe has surged ... and, so far, EU leaders have been unable to present a plan to tackle the crisis. Hugh Bronson, vice chairman of the Berlin branch of the Alternative for Germany party, says Germany is simply not ready to cope with increasing influx of migrants.

Trump Demolishes NBC Reporter

Reporter and Cameraman Shot Dead in Virginia during Live Broadcast

Reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward.

THE GUARDIAN: Suspect is at large after killing reporter Alison Parker, 24, cameraman Adam Ward, 27, and injuring third person on scene of live TV news segment

A gunman killed two members of a news crew and injured one more in Moneta, Virginia, in a shooting that was partially captured on video on Wednesday morning.

Police are investigating the shooting at the Bridgewater Plaza near Smith Mountain Lake that took place at about 6.45am ET. A news crew from WDBJ7 local news was on the scene to film a segment for the morning news when several shots rang out. Screams followed and the camera recording the feature fell, as producers cut to the shocked studio news team.

The station later announced that two of their team, Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, had been shot dead.

Police are searching for a suspect at the scene. » | Alan Yuhas in New York | Wednesday, August 25, 2015

Tea Party Speaker Says America, Christians "Losing The War" To Islam

THE CHATTANOOGAN: Dr. Bill Warner, a university professor with a PhD in physics and math and an applied physicist, said at a Chattanooga Tea Party-sponsored meeting Monday night that America and Christianity "are losing the war to Islam."

Dr. Warner, who is also billed as a national and international expert on the subject of Islam, spoke to a crowd of over 400 people at Stuart Heights Baptist Church.

It was billed as a discouse "on the recent Chattanooga terror attack.

Why did it happen and what can we do about it?" However, the speaker did not mention the July 16 slaying of five military personnel in his talk except to say the billing was apparently what prompted so many to attend.

His lecture explained the need for Americans to be educated about what is happening around them related to Islam and to talk about it.

He began by defining two words: Islam, which is an ideology and Muslim, which is people. He told the audience that he would not discuss Muslims except for how they follow the doctrine of Islam.

He said in Islam, there is no god but Allah, and Mohammed who is his prophet. There are two parts of the Koran, Mecca, the earliest portion and Medina that was written later, and they are very different he said, and contradictory in nature. The Medina version is 24 percent about jihad, he said and the Mecca portion has no mention of jihad or no anti-Jew text. In this religion, Mohammed is the perfect human being and provides a pattern of life. Whoever follows him will go to paradise and those that do not will go to hell.

Is the Koran about peace?, he asked. Yes was the answer. Is it opposed to peace? he asked next. Yes was the answer. Both praising or hating Jews and exercising tolerance or opposing it is addressed in the Koran, and it advocates for all of these things. He defined this as dualism—it always has two versions.

Dr. Warner said he is only concerned with “political Islam,” not the religion associated with it, because that is what has an effect on him directly. Examples of his statement that Islam is winning the conflict include the fact that he has been forbidden by Governor Bill Haslam to speak to law enforcement about Islam. He also described new textbooks being used in Tennessee that teach about Islam with nothing in the book to teach about Christianity. » | Gail Perry | Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Univision's Jorge Ramos: 'I've Never Been Kicked Out Of A Press Conference'

NPR: Jorge Ramos, one of the most influential journalists in the United States, says he had never been thrown out of a press conference before GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump did so last night.

"This is the first time," the news anchor told his network. "It's never happened anywhere in the world. I've never been forcibly removed from a press conference or an interview." » | Eyder Peralta | Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Flüchtlingskrise: Gewalt in Deutschland

Assad 'Confident' of Russian Support for Syria Regime

THE GUARDIAN: Syrian president describes Vladimir Putin’s regime as ‘sincere and transparent’ while US ‘abandons its friends’ in interview with Hezbollah TV network

The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has expressed “strong confidence” that Russia will continue supporting his embattled regime.

“We have strong confidence in the Russians, as they have proven throughout this crisis, for four years, that they are sincere and transparent in their relationship with us,” Assad said in an interview with Hezbollah’s al-Manar television network.

He also described as “legitimate” the presence in Syria of fighters from Hezbollah backing his forces. The powerful Lebanese Shia movement, along with Russia and Iran, has backed Assad since Syria’s revolt broke out in 2011.

The rare television interview came as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, discussed the Syrian crisis with Jordan’s King Abdullah on the sidelines of the Maks-2015 aerospace show in Moscow.

Assad described Russia as “principled”, while “the United States abandons its allies, abandons its friends”. » | Agence France-Presse in Beirut | Wednesday, August 26, 2015

État islamique : Rabat et Madrid démantèlent un réseau de recruteurs

LE POINT: Quatorze personnes ont été interpellées au Maroc et en Espagne, soupçonnées de recuter et d'envoyer des combattants en Syrie et en Irak.

Quatorze personnes ont été interpellées au Maroc et en Espagne lors d'une "opération antiterroriste conjointe" des deux pays, visant à démanteler un réseau de recrutement pour le groupe État islamique (EI, Daesh en arabe), ont annoncé les ministères de l'Intérieur des deux pays. Des agents des services de renseignement - du Commissariat général d'information de la police espagnole et de la Direction générale de la surveillance du territoire marocaine - "ont démantelé une cellule terroriste composée de 14 personnes", a expliqué mardi le ministère espagnol de l'Intérieur. » | Source AFP | mardi 25 août 2015