Worlds Apart: Antony Loewenstien, Author of 'Disaster Capitalism'

When disaster strikes, people set aside their differences and band together, in order to overcome adversity. But for others, catastrophes mean big business and even bigger profits. Has capitalizing on misery become an industry model? Oksana is joined by journalist Antony Loewenstein, author of Disaster Capitalism, to discuss these issues.

Belgium: EU to 'Re-energise Relations with Turkey' at Brussels Talks - Tusk

European Union leaders met in Brussels, Sunday, to coordinate plans with Turkey on stemming the flow of migrants and refugees to Europe. President of the European Council Donald Tusk announced that "after many weeks of hard work and tough talks, we have reached an agreement which I hope will be accepted today by all parties concerned."

Asylkrise: Große Hoffnungen vor EU- Türkei- Gipfel

KRONEN ZEITUNG: Während Russland nach dem Abschuss einer seiner Kampfbomber über dem syrisch-türkischen Grenzgebiet wirtschaftliche Vergeltung gegen die Türkei übt und die Beziehungen im Argen liegen, verstärkt die EU die Zusammenarbeit mit Ankara. Bei einem Gipfel am heutigen Sonntag in Brüssel wollen die EU-Staats- und Regierungschefs mit dem türkischen Ministerpräsidenten Ahmet Davutoglu einen Aktionsplan vereinbaren, um den Flüchtlingszustrom nach Europa einzudämmen. Ankara stellt jedoch hohe Forderungen für eine bessere Kooperation.

Neben finanzieller Hilfe wollen die Türken eine Lockerung der Visumspflicht in der EU. Auch die festgefahrenen Beitrittsverhandlungen sollen wieder an Schwung gewinnen. Tatsächlich kommt die EU, die angesichts der Flüchtlingskrise enorm unter Zugzwang ist, der Türkei in allen Punkten entgegen. Wie aus dem Entwurf der Schlusserklärung des Gipfels, die der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters vorliegt, zu entnehmen ist, stellt Brüssel den Türken eine Visafreiheit in Aussicht. Demnach dürfte es im Oktober 2016 soweit sein, falls Ankara bis dahin alle Anforderungen erfüllt. » | red/AG | Sonntag, 29. November 2015

Fabius envisage pour la première fois une coopération avec le régime d'Assad contre Daech

leJDD.fr: Le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, a exclu, sur RTL, l'envoie de troupes au sol française, mais estime que "l'Armée syrienne libre (opposition), des forces arabes sunnites, et pourquoi pas des forces du régime" peuvent le faire.

Le chef de la diplomatie française, Laurent Fabius, a pour la première fois envisagé vendredi que des forces du régime syrien puissent être associées à la lutte contre le groupe jihadiste Etat islamique (EI). » | Patxi Berhouet - leJDD.fr | vendredi 27 novembre 2015

"Bild am Sonntag"-Umfrage: 48 Prozent gegen weitere Amtszeit Merkels

Kanzlerin Merkel im Bundestag: Spätestens 2017 wird wieder gewählt

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Rückhalt für Angela Merkel sinkt. Fast die Hälfte der Deutschen sind laut einer Emnid-Umfrage der "Bild am Sonntag" gegen eine weitere Amtszeit der Kanzlerin. Ihren Umgang mit der Flüchtlingskrise halten demnach 47 Prozent für falsch.

Fast die Hälfte der Deutschen sind laut einer Emnid-Umfrage gegen eine vierte Amtszeit von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU). 48 Prozent wollen Merkel nicht noch einmal als Kanzlerin sehen. Bei der von der "Bild am Sonntag" in Auftrag gegebenen Befragung sprachen sich nur 44 Prozent dafür aus, dass Merkel 2017 noch einmal antritt. » | apr | Sonntag, 29. November 2015

Young Australians Now Converting to Islam

Did Turkey Just Say SORRY to Russia? President Grovels as Putin Retaliates for Downing Jet

EXPRESS: RUSSIAN president Vladimir Putin has ordered SANCTIONS against Turkey as tensions between the two nations reach boiling point.

President Putin today called for a ban on Turkish goods, and demanded extensions of labour contracts for Turks working in Russia be forbidden - just days after Turkey downed a Russian warplane.

The decree, published on the Kremlin website, also called for ending chartered flights from Russia to Turkey and for Russian tourism companies to stop selling vacation packages that would include a stay in Turkey.

A final blow will see an end to visa-free travel between Russia and Turkey, as well as the tightening of control over Turkish air carriers in Russia "for security reasons". » | Levi Winchester | Saturday, November 28, 2015

Media Crackdown: Turkish Journos Jailed for 'Treason' over Gun, Oil Smuggling Claims

A Turkish prosecutor asked a court to imprison the editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper pending trial for espionage and treason. In May, the outlet published photos of weapons it said were then transferred to Syria by Turkey’s intelligence agency.

Thousands Attend Protests against UK Airstrikes on Syria

THE GUARDIAN: Stretch of Whitehall blocked by 4,000-strong protest outside Downing Street, and smaller rallies held in other cities

Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street and in cities around the UK on Saturday to protest against the government’s plans to bomb Islamic State targets in Syria.

The protests, organised at short notice by the Stop the War Coalition, followed renewed calls for military action against the terror group in the wake of the attacks in Paris two weeks ago.

Parliament is expected to vote on the issue as early as next week after David Cameron urged MPs to back military action. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, has said the government has failed to make a convincing case for airstrikes.

A stretch of Whitehall was brought to a near standstill by the protest outside Downing Street, which passed off peacefully. The actor Mark Rylance, musician Brian Eno and the shadow international development minister, Diane Abbott, were among the speakers at the event. (+ video) » | Joel Gunter | Saturday, November 28, 2015

‪‘Erdogan Backs Extremist Fundamentalists’ – Former Lebanon President‬

Moscow has accused Turkey of helping Islamic State in the illegal oil trade which helps finance the terrorist group. According to analysts, Russian airstrikes in Syria are disrupting the profitable deals for Turkish middlemen, including Ankara officials.

Saudi Arabia 151 Executions Number Hits 20-year Record, 50 More Planned

Saudi Arabia is planning to execute more than 50 people, found guilty of terrorism, in a single day. The move was immediately slammed by Amnesty International, which said the Saudis are “using the guise of counter-terrorism to settle political scores.”

‪Austria: Hundreds of Anti-refugee Protesters March through Spielfeld‬

Hundreds of people marched in the village of Spielfeld at the Austro-Slovenian border in protest against the EU migration policy and mass flow of refugees into country, Saturday.

Kritik in Türkei vor EU-Flüchtlingsgipfel

Geld und Visaaerleichterungen gegen Flüchtlinge - so will die EU den Flüchtlingsstrom mit türkischer Hilfe eindämmen. Die EU will am Sonntag an ihrem Gipfel mit der Türkei darüber verhandeln. Doch am Bosporus ist man wenig begeistert von den Vorschlägen aus Brüssel.

SRF: Kritik an der Annäherung zwischen Brüssel und Ankara: In der Flüchtlingskrise sieht es so aus, als brauche die EU die Türkei und nicht umgekehrt. Beim Gipfeltreffen vom Sonntag in Brüssel soll darüber verhandelt werden, ob der Flüchtlingsstrom nach Europa mit türkischer Hilfe eingedämmt werden kann. Ein Plan, der in der Türkei schlecht ankommt. » | srf/herm; stric | Samstag, 28. November 2015

‘Everything the West Has Done Was to Create ISIS’ – John Pilger

Afshin Rattansi goes underground with John Pilger. Award winning journalist and author, John Pilger talks to us about how Washington, London and Paris gave birth to ISIS-Daesh. Plus we examine the media's role in spreading disinformation ahead of a vote in Parliament for UK bombing of Syria. Afshin looks at the Autumn Statement and why in a time of high alert we are cutting the police force and buying drones. Also we look at which companies are benefitting from the budget. Plus Afshin is joined once again by former MP and broadcaster, Lembit Opik, to look at the weeks news from a cyber sinking feeling over Trident to budget boosts for the BBC.

Saudi-Arabien: Der Nährboden des Terrors

Großzügiger Spender für zweifelhafte Zwecke: König Salman
Bin Abd al Aziz Al Saud empfängt Würdenträger nach seiner
Inthronisation im Januar 2015.

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Seit einem halben Jahrhundert exportiert Saudi-Arabien mit Milliarden Petrodollars seinen intoleranten Islam in alle Welt – und fördert damit gezielt den Extremismus.

Saudi-Arabien exportiert vor allem zwei Produkte: Erdöl und Islam. Das saudische Erdöl ist das Schmiermittel für die Weltwirtschaft, der saudische Islam aber ist eine Gefahr für den Weltfrieden. Vor mehr als einem halben Jahrhundert hatte das Königreich begonnen, seinen rückwärtsgewandten und intoleranten Islam zu exportieren. Rückwärtsgewandt ist er, weil er sich am Vorbild der ersten Muslime orientiert und dazu den Koran buchstabengetreu auslegt. Und intolerant ist dieser Islam, weil er alle Anhänger anderer Auslegungen zu „Ungläubigen“ erklärt, die bekämpft werden müssen. Die Vertreter dieses wahhabitischen Islams sehen ihn seit seiner Entstehung im 18. Jahrhundert als die einzige wahre Form des Islams an – und als die einzig wahre Religion überhaupt. » | Rainer Hermann | Samstag, 28. November 2015

Putin Tells Everyone Exactly Who Created ISIS

Here's something you probably never saw or heard about in the west. This is Putin answering questions regarding ISIS from a US journalist at the Valdai International Discussion Club in late 2014.

Russia: Erdogan Effigy Burns at Protest against Su-24 Downing

A group of activists gathered in Simferopol's Lenin Square, Crimea, on Friday, where they burned a straw figure with a picture of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a Russian Su-24 fighter jet was shot down by NATO member Turkey.

Turkey: Erdogan Warns Russia 'Not to Play with Fire'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russian President Vladimir Putin not to "play with fire," while addressing to the citizens of Bayburt in northeast Turkey, Friday. "We strongly recommend Russia not to play with fire. We expect Russia to behave in this situation in all seriousness," he stated.

'To Hell with Their Culture' - Richard Dawkins in Extraordinary Blast at Muslims

EXPRESS: TOP academic and atheist Richard Dawkins has attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst.

The British scientist was appearing on a live TV chat show in the United States when he blasted "to hell with their culture" when referring to some practices in Islam, such as women being made to wear burkhas.

Dawkins was appearing on the Bill Maher's HBO show and the pair were debating regressive liberals and, in particular, universities banning those with extreme views from giving lectures.

The conversation turned to Islam when Dawkins criticised those afraid to confront the religion on some of its extreme practices, saying the religion was being given a "free pass".

The 74-year-old said: "There's this notion Islam and Muslims are this protected species.

"That if we talk about them at all or criticise at all, it's somehow hurting or humiliating Muslims. It's a ridiculous idea."

Host Maher then added liberals should protect those who are being repressed regardless of who it offends.

He went on to say this includes women forced to wear religious clothing, which led to Dawkins extraordinary comment.

Maher said: "We're on the side of the women's movement and poor and minorities and whatever. Gay people, the disabled, the abused, whatever Caitlyn (Jenner) is up to. We're all for it.

"And they (liberals) applaud that but if you say something about a woman being forced to wear a beekeeper suit in the hot sun all day…"

Dawkins then took over saying: "But that's 'their culture' and you have to accept it. It's the one exception. Liberal about everything but this one exception, 'it's their culture'.

"Well, to hell with their culture." Read on and comment » | John Worthing | Friday, November 27, 2015

Switzerland Overwhelmingly Votes for Burqa Ban with £6,500 Fine for Muslim Women Who Rebel

EXPRESS: WOMEN wearing a burqa in Switzerland will now be fined a whopping £6,500 after an overwhelming number voted to bring in ban.

Muslim women can no longer wear the full-body garment in shops, restaurants or public buildings and anyone caught flouting the ban could be struck with a £6,500 fine.

The local government of Ticino approved the referendum after the Swiss Parliament ruled that the ban did not violate the country's federal law.

Two in three voters in the canton backed the move in an overwhelming result for a referendum, in the wake of heightened terrorist alerts across Europe.

The law which MPs voted for only applies to veils which covers the body from head to foot worn by the 40,000 Muslim women in Switzerland and also applies to all tourists visiting the area.

Other face coverings such as masks, balaclavas or crash helmets are still permitted. » | Oli Smith | Friday, November 27, 2015