Angry Libyans Lash Out at Obama’s Independence Congratulations

In a message to the Libyan people, the US President said the 2011 Libyan revolution liberated them from “42 years of dictatorship.” Now there are “profound challenges,” which the Libyan people “have demonstrated the commitment to resolve.”

Queen Elizabeth II: The Christmas Broadcast 2015

In this year’s broadcast, also known as ‘The Queen’s Speech’, Her Majesty reflects on the year’s events, and encourages us to be grateful ‘for all that brings light to our lives’.

Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël ! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Buon Natale! Felix Nativitas! Nadolig Llawen!

'We Three Kings', an original collage by James C. Christensen.
Courtesy of Google Images

Louis-Claude Daquin: Noël X

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark the Herald Angel Sing - St.Paul's Cathedral - London (UK)

Gloria in excelsis Deo Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis, Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi, propter magnam gloriam tua.

Evolution of US Position on Assad's Rôle in Syria

The US stance on the fate of the Syrian President, Bashar Assad, has been changing throughout this year.

Obama Targets Trump, Says Candidate 'Exploiting' Blue-collar Fears

FOX NEWS: President Obama used a radio interview to accuse Donald Trump of “exploiting” economic woes to tap into voter “fear” and “frustration,” in some of his most direct criticism to date of the Republican primary front-runner seeking to replace him.

The president made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NPR that aired Monday, as Obama began his holiday vacation in Hawaii.

In seeking to explain Trump’s appeal, he pointed to “economic stresses” – from the financial crisis, technology and globalization – and “flatlining” wages.

He said “particularly blue-collar men have had a lot of trouble in this new economy, where they are no longer getting the same bargain that they got when they were going to a factory and able to support their families on a single paycheck, you combine those things and it means that there is going to be potential anger, frustration, fear.

“Some of it justified but just misdirected,” Obama said. “I think somebody like Mr. Trump is taking advantage of that. That's what he's exploiting during the course of his campaign.” » | FoxNews.com | Monday, December 21, 2015



My comment:

Apparently, the President of the US of A doesn't even know the word 'proselytise'. Listen to how he tries to pronounce the word. – © Mark

The Super-rich Ruler Who Stones Gays, Now Bans Christmas: Sultan of Brunei Threatens Muslims Who Celebrate It with Up to Five Years in Prison While Christians Must Keep Theirs Secret

Banned Christmas: Oil-rich Brunei has banned public
celebrations of Christmas for fear of Muslims being led astray.

MAIL ONLINE: Christmas trees, carols and even Santa hats are off in the Borneo nation / Muslims caught celebrating are threatened with up to five years in prison / The nation's non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate in their communities / But revealing their celebrations to Muslims would also lead to jail time

Lighting candles, putting up decorations and even wearing Santa hats will be off the cards in Brunei this Christmas – with offenders threatened with up to five years in jail.

The tiny oil-rich nation has banned the public celebrating of Christmas, following concern that it will affect the faith of its Muslims.

Any Muslims caught celebrating Christmas, and non-Muslims who are discovered organising celebrations, could face the lengthy prison sentence.

While non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate the holiday within their own communities, they must not disclose their plans to the nation’s Muslims – which make up 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population.

The nation is also home to substantial Christian and Buddhist communities.

‘These enforcement measures are…intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community,’ said the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a statement.

The small Borneo nation prohibits propagating religion other than Islam to a Muslim, and breaking this is a violation of the penal code.
Other banned activities include putting up Christmas trees, singing religious songs and sending Christmas greetings, reported the Borneo Bulletin. Read on and comment » | Imogen Calderwood for MailOnline | Monday, December 21, 2015

Germany Threatens EU Members with Legal Actions over Ignoring Refugee Quotas

Germany has threatened to launch legal action against those EU members who are refusing to take in refugees under mandatory quotas.

Dresden: PEGIDA Weihnachtsliedersingen – 21.12.2015

PEGIDA Weihnachtsliedersingen für Frieden und Meinungsfreiheit, für unsere Kultur und die Zukunft unserer Kinder, live vom Königsufer Dresden.

USA: Trump Says Merkel Is "Destroying Germany"

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump was welcomed by hundreds of supporters after landing his private Boeing 757 at Mesa Gateway Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday.

‪'Attempt to Create Police State System’: EU to Eye New Border Guard Agency‬

An EU summit in Brussels has come out in favor of creating a new border and coast guard agency to stem the refugee crisis, and also endorsed a system of direct migration from Turkey. Meanwhile, the Brexit issue was met with both “concerns” and “compromises.”

Starnes: Students Sing 'Allah Akbar' at Holiday Concert

Dec. 18, 2015 - 1:21 - Nothing says Merry Christmas like a Ramadan song. That was apparently the thinking at Blaine High School in Minnesota.

Can Anyone Save America?

Dec. 16, 2015 - 9:32 - 'The O'Reilly Factor': Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points 12/16

Italian Town Erects Signs Warning Only People Respecting Its Christian Culture Will Be Welcome

One of the new signs erected in Pontoglio

THE TELEGRAPH: Signs, erected outside the town in Lombardy, criticised as racist and discriminatory

An Italian town has been accused of racism after erecting signs warning that only people who respect its “Christian traditions” are welcome.

The signs were put up this week outside Pontoglio, near Brescia in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, by its centre-Right council.

They declared the town, known in local dialect as Pontoi, to be a beacon of “Western culture and deep Christian traditions” and warned: “Those who do not intend to respect local culture and traditions are invited to stay away.”

Some residents branded the signs “racist” and “medieval”, who called for them to be taken down immediately.

The panels delivered a particularly hostile message to the town’s large foreign population. Of its 7,000 inhabitants, 1,160 or 16 per cent are foreign-born and many of them are Muslim.

They include 238 Albanians, 203 Moroccans, 192 Romanians and 150 Indians, many of whom have lived in Pontoglio for years and have families and regular jobs. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Friday, December 18, 2015

Turkey Sends Tanks & Troops, ‘Raiding Civilian Houses’ in Kurdish Areas

The Turkish Army has reportedly sent military vehicles, including tanks, into civilian areas in its predominantly-Kurdish southeast. Local activists have posted frightening photos on social media.

Worlds Apart: Europe Needs to Limit Liberty for the Sake of Security - Ex Czech FM

The EU has been tackling crisis after crisis in recent years – from debt to terrorism, regional conflicts and migration. And while its leaders have tried to produce collective political responses, many members are struggling to reconcile their national interests with the bloc's policies. How has this turbulence challenged the idea of European values, and is it prudent to force Europe's diverse voices to sing as one chorus? Oksana is joined by Cyril Svoboda, the former Foreign Affairs Minister of the Czech Republic, to explore these issues.

Putin Says Trump Is ‘Absolute Leader’ in U.S. Presidential Race

THE WASHINGTON POST: MOSCOW — Russian President Vladi­mir Putin ranged from conflict zones to U.S. politics Thursday in a news conference in which he tried to close gaps with Washington over Syria, noted that Moscow remained engaged in Ukraine and gave a nod to Donald Trump as the “absolute leader” in the White House race.

Putin — over three hours of questions and some overtime remarks — also touched on Russia’s battered economy and tense relations with Turkey over the downing of a Russian warplane.

Many of Putin’s comments circled back to relations with the United States, including a bit of look-ahead musing on the White House race. Putin said Russia would work with “whomever the American voters choose,” but he singled out Trump.

“He’s a very lively man, talented without doubt,” Putin said according to the Interfax news service after the news conference. He added that Trump is the “absolute leader in the presidential race.” (+ video) » | Andrew Roth | Thursday, December 17, 2015

Family of Teenage Saudi Protester Sentenced to Death Appeal for His Life

Abdullah al-Zaher was tortured and forced to make a
confession, his family say.

THE GUARDIAN: Abdullah al-Zaher, who was arrested when he was 15, faces beheading and crucifixion for participating in protest rally

The family of a teenage protester who faces beheading in Saudi Arabia have come forward in public for the first time to plead for his life.

The father of Abdullah al-Zaher, 19, called on the world to help before it is too late and his son is executed in the kingdom along with a reported 51 other people.

“Please help me save my son from the imminent threat of death. He doesn’t deserve to die just because he participated in a protest rally,” Hassan al-Zaher told the Guardian.

Arrested in March 2012, just shy of his 16th birthday, after participating in protests in Saudi Arabia’s eastern Shia-dominated province, Zaher was charged with “harbouring” protesters, participating in demonstrations and chanting slogans, setting fire to a car and throwing Molotov cocktails.

His family and the death penalty campaign group Reprieve allege that Zaher was tortured, saying that after his arrest Saudi security forces beat him with wire iron rods, forced a confession from him and did not allow him to speak to his family or a lawyer. » | Shiv Malik | Thursday, December 17, 2015

'I Started the Arab Spring. Now Death Is Everywhere, and Extremism Blooming'

Tunisian municipal officer Faida Hamdy

THE TELEGRAPH: Faida Hamdy confiscated a vegetable stall in Tunisia five years ago today. Neither she nor the rest of the world could have imagined the consequences

It is hardly surprising that when Faida Hamdy wonders whether she is responsible for everything that happened after her moment of fame she is overwhelmed.

Mrs Hamdy was the council inspector who, five years ago today confiscated the vegetable stall of a street vendor in her dusty town in central Tunisia.

In despair, that young man set himself on fire in a protest outside the council offices. Within weeks, he was dead, dozens of young Arab men had copied him, riots had overthrown his president, and the Arab Spring was under way.

As the world marks the anniversary, Syria and Iraq are in flames, Libya has broken down, and the twin evils of militant terror and repression stalk the region.

“Sometimes I wish I’d never done it,” Mrs Hamdy told The Telegraph, in her only interview to mark the occasion. » | Radhouane Addala in Sidi Bouzeid and Richard Spencer, Middle East Editor | Thursday, December 17, 2015

Imam: I Was Forced to Resign after Supporting Muslim Ban

Dec. 11, 2015 - 7:40 - 'Hannity' panel weighs in on surveillance of mosques, stopping immigration of Muslims to U.S.

«Wie will Trump so eine Mehrheit schaffen?»