Kuwait: Sale of Christmas Items Makes 'Mockery' of Islam - MP

ARABIAN BUSINESS: A Kuwait MP has called for a crackdown on Christmas celebrations in the state amid claims that shops were making a “mockery” of Islamic culture by selling items related to the occasion.

Less than two months after slamming the sale of Halloween items as “signs of Satanism”, MP Hamdan Al Azmi has warned Deputy Premier Sheikh Mohammad Al Khalid Al Sabah and Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al Saleh of the consequences of failing to take action against Christmas celebrations.

He said celebrating such events was “inappropriate” in an Islamic culture and authorities should not allow anyone to profit from such activities, Kuwait media reported.

While Christmas is a Christian celebration, in parts of the Gulf shops sell Christmas decorations and embrace the holiday. In the UAE, some malls have lavish Christmas decorations in a nod to the large expat and tourist populations. » | Beatrice Thomas | Sunday, December 15, 2013

Iraq's Battle to Save Its Christian Souls: 'Christians Are Finished Here'

Ten years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Christians have dwindled from more than a million to as little as 200,000. Colin Freeman reports on attempts to stem the exodus from Iraq's churches

Read the Sunday Telegraph article here and comment. | Colin Greeman, Baghdad | Sunday, December 15, 2013
My comment:

The first disgrace is that the MSM have taken so long to bring this to the attention of the people in the West. The second disgrace is that the Christian West – yes, the Christian West – has done/is doing very little about the plight of the Christians in the ME.

We continue to give the 'Religion of Peace' a pass when in actual fact we shouldn't. We should be challenging the aggressive Muslims at every level and at every stage. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

New Dark Age Alert! Shop Owners Told They Face 40 Lashes If They Continue Selling 'Evil' Alcohol

Anjem Choudary

DAILY EXPRESS: DOZENS of Muslim protesters walked with one of Britain's most controversial hate preachers to demand restaurants and shops in one of London's most popular areas stop selling alcohol.

Business owners in Brick Lane in Whitechapel, on the edge of the city, were told on Friday they face 40 lashes if they continue to sell their "evil" products.

Brick Lane is one of London's trendiest areas and a popular location for Christmas parties.

Anjem Choudary, who used to lead the Al-Muhajiroun group which has been banned under terrorism laws, told the crowd: "The shops are run by Muslims and they know they are selling alcohol and they know the sale and consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited.

"We cannot live among the non-Muslims and see this evil take place."

Around 60 men and women in burkhas distributed warning letters to Muslim-owned businesses.

They also held up banners with slogans including: "Save lives, don't drink or sell alcohol! Stand for Shariah!" » | Cyrus Engineer | Saturday, December 14, 2013

Al Jazeera Correspondent: Scotland the Brave?

A very personal look at the arguments surrounding the referendum for Scottish independence.

Severe Snow Storm Hits Mideast

A severe winter storm pounded the Middle East for a third day on Friday bringing with it heavy snow and floods. In the West Bank city of Ramallah residents struggled to walk outside as mounds of snow blanketed the streets. In some parts of Israel and the West Bank government offices and schools were closed to wait out the winter weather. In Jerusalem on Thursday schools cancelled classes and buses in and out of the city were not operating. Snow blanketed palm and cypress trees. It also battered most parts of central and southern Jordan, shutting down government offices, causing power disruptions, blocking roads and stranding motorists.

'Iceland Model: How to Deal with Bankers Should Be Standard for Whole World'

In Iceland four former bank chiefs have been jailed for fraud - the sentences go as far as five years behind bars. They're accused of concealing that a Qatari investor bought a stake in their firm, using cash lent from the bank itself - illegally. The deal took place just ahead of the collapse of the bank due to huge debts. RT talks to economic expert Charlie McGrath, founder of news website Wide Awake News about Iceland's economy.

America’s Friends Are Left Behind in Barack Obama’s New Plans

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The US president spoke of 'oneness' at Nelson Mandela's memorial service, but he has been reduced to little more than a global preacher with a shrinking flock

In his oration at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service on Tuesday, Barack Obama asked himself “how well have I applied his lessons in my own life?”, and invited all of us to ask the same question of ourselves.

In his own case, President Obama offered no answer. But it was the fairly clear implication of his words that he didn’t think he was shaping up too badly. Madiba, he said, had been “the last great liberator of the 20th century”. Guess who looks like being the first great liberator of the 21st.

Today’s leaders needed to be filled, he went on, with the spirit of Ubuntu – a Nguni Bantu word meaning “the oneness of humanity” (Cameroon translation: “We’re all in this together”). They needed to stand up for justice and peace. His performance reminded me slightly of Tom Lehrer’s Folk Song Army: “We all hate poverty, war and injustice – unlike the rest of you squares.”

Such rhetoric is consistent with the tone that Mr Obama has used from the beginning of his presidency, notably when he reached out to Islam in his speech in Cairo in June 2009. It is by now not too early – in some respects, it may even be too late – to ask whether Mr Obama’s foreign policy has yet produced any great outbreak of global Ubuntu.

There is no doubt that billions of people – including your hard-bitten columnist – wanted to hear some such hopeful message when Mr Obama first came to global prominence in 2008. Even today, it is not only Left-wing Danish prime ministers and Mr Cameron who want to share a selfie with him: a large portion of humanity feels the same. The BBC News website still leads off each day with an elderly picture of Obama and Bill Clinton arm in arm. But what, in five years or so, has actually happened? Read on and comment » | Charles Moore | Friday, December 13, 2013

Geert Wilders on Bringing Down EU

Geert Wilders

BBC: Geert Wilders, the controversial Netherlands politician, has told the BBC that he wants to bring down the European Union.

Mr Wilders' Anti-immigration Freedom Party is currently ahead in most the Dutch polls.

Speaking to our Europe Editor, Gavin Hewitt, he dubbed Islam an "inferior culture" and said that future Eastern European migrants should stay home. Watch BBC video » | Friday, December 13, 2013

'Empire of Horror' North Korea Faces Worldwide Condemnation for Execution

Jang Song-thaek

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain, South Korea and the UN all criticise North Korea after execution of Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un's uncle, with Carl Bildt labelling regime an "empire of horror"

North Korea faced worldwide condemnation on Friday after confirming that it had executed Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of Kim Jong-un and the man regarded as the communist state's second in command.

Pyongyang issued an extraordinary announcement describing Jang as a "despicable human being" who was "worse than a dog" and saying he had been shot dead immediately after a military tribunal found him guilty of plotting to overthrow his 29-year-old nephew.

The Foreign Office condemned the regime's brutality and its effect on the stability of north Asia. "We are deeply concerned to learn of the execution of Jang," Hugo Swire, a Foreign Office minister said. "More broadly, we remain deeply concerned about the impact of this unpredictable regime on stability in the region.

"Our embassy in Pyongyang is monitoring the situation closely and we will continue to maintain close contact with our allies on this."

China, the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, said the execution was an internal matter but emphasised the need for stability. "As a neighbour we hope to see national stability, economic development and people living in happiness in the DPRK," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

But a leading Chinese expert on Korea said Beijing was worried. "China will be concerned about any uncertainty brought by the personnel reshuffles," said Li Kaisheng, a fellow at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. "Stability in North Korea will be China's top priority now."

South Korea echoed Britain's comments, with its unification ministry saying: "The government has deep concerns about a recent series of developments in North Korea and is watching the situation closely."

Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, condemned the "Stalinist" execution. "I think that what we see now publicly is only the surface of an empire of horror," he said. » | Damien McElroy | Friday, December 13, 2013

What the Execution of Kim Jong-un’s Uncle Says about North Korea

Read the Telegraph article here | Natasha Clark | Friday, December 13, 2013

North Korea Says Leader's Powerful Uncle Executed

News agency says Jang Song-thaek, uncle of Kim Jong-un, was found guilty of seeking to overthrow the state.

Putin: Russia Not Aspiring to Be Superpower, Or Teach Others How to Live

Russia does not seek the role of a regional or global hegemony, but will defend its core values and interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. All attempts to impose on other nations have failed, he added.

Same-Sex Setback: Australia Cancels Gay Marriage Law, India Upholds Ban

Australia's high court has overturned the country's first law allowing same-sex marriage, less than a week after it came into force. And in another blow to gay rights campaigners earlier this week, India upheld legislation criminalizing homosexuality. RT's Gayane Chichakyan looks at the countries taking a conservative approach.

Norway Told to Go Easy on the Pastries

THE INDEPENDENT: Norwegians are being warned to watch their cinnamon intake during the festive season

Hold the pastries - Norway's Food Standards Authority has issued warnings to "heavy users" of cinnamon to watch their intake this Christmas as the festive season begins.

Cinnamon contains coumarin, a substance which can potentially cause liver damage if consumed in excessive amounts, according to the FSA.

This may mean cutting down on skillingsboller, a Danish cinnamon roll popular in Norway. » | Heather Saul | Thursday, December 12, 2013

Pope Francis Attacks Huge Salaries for the Rich While Poor Survive on 'Crumbs'

THE INDEPENDENT: Pontiff attacks excessive bonuses, greed-based economy

Pope Francis has made yet another controversial statement on corporate greed and income inequality in the first peace message of his pontificate.

The Holy Father criticised the "gap between those who have more" and those who "must content with the crumbs", as he called on world governments to do more to close the gap between the super rich and the poor.

Pope Francis, who was recently named TIME magazine's Person of the Year, attacked excessive salaries and exorbitant bonuses as a symptom of an economy based on greed.

"The grave financial and economic crises of the present time have pushed man to seek satisfaction, happiness and security in consumption and earnings out of all proportion to the principles of a sound economy," the Pope said in a message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace[.]

"The succession of economic crises should lead to a timely rethinking of our models of economic development and to a change in lifestyles," he added[.]

Titled Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace, the message attacked injustice, human trafficking and organised crime as obstacles to world peace.

The message will be delivered to world governments, NGOs and intergovernmental organisations. » | Maria Tadeo | Friday, December 13, 2013

Opinion: Untrustworthy American President

YNET NEWS: Op-ed: In his secret talks with Iran, Obama treated Israel like Chamberlain treated Czechoslovakia

The latest CNN poll released on November 23 showed that 53% of American voters said President Obama was not honest and trustworthy. Similarly, US allies like Israel and the Persian Gulf states are questioning Obama’s integrity after discovering that for the last three years he has been lying and deceiving them by keeping them in the dark about his secret efforts to realign the US with the Iranian-led axis of evil.

When he visited Israel for the first time in March as president, he reassured the Israelis that there was "no daylight between the US and Israel" and that he had "Israel’s back," but in reality his administration has held secret negotiations for the last three years in Oman with Iran without Israel’s knowledge.

The Iranian and American contacts have included a series of US-Iran prisoner releases beginning as early as September 2010. Prime Minister Netanyahu was first informed about these negotiations when he visited the White House on September 30, 2013. But it seems he was misled in that visit as to how close a deal was to fruition, and how bad the deal would be for Israel and beneficial to Iran.

Obama treated Israel like Chamberlain treated Czechoslovakia during his meeting with Hitler in 1938. He discussed an issue with Iran which strongly impacts Israel’s survival without informing, consulting with, or taking into consideration its concerns. » | Shoula Romano Horing | Thursday, December 12, 2013

'Only in the Chimney': Anti-Semitic Carol Causes Uproar in Romania

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Advocacy groups are incensed after a Romanian government-owned channel broadcast a Christmas song glorifying the Holocaust and calling for Jews to be burned. The channel is blaming a local group for the performance.

Outrage has erupted among advocacy groups in Romania after the state channel TVR broadcast an anti-Semitic Christmas song calling for Jews to be burned in a chimney. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), the song ran on a Dec. 5 broadcast by the rural-targeted TVR3 channel.

In the broadcast, a choir was shown singing a Christmas song that indirectly glorifies the Holocaust. The song, which rhymes and uses the word "jidovi," a pejorative word for a Jew, includes the lyrics, "only in the chimney as smoke, this is what the 'jidov' is good for."

On Wednesday, Romania's Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean harshly condemned the event and called on the public prosecutor's office and parliament to bring those responsible to justice. Israel's embassy said it was "concerned" about the broadcast. » | tmr -- with wires and reporting by Keno Verseck | Thursday, December 12, 2013

‘Muslims Should Know Better’ - Anjem Choudary on Anti-alcohol Protest

Anjem Choudary

LONDON 24: Islamist firebrand Anjem Choudary has told Muslims they “should know better” than to sell alcohol, ahead of a march he will attend in Brick Lane tomorrow against the “sinful” practice.

The infamous leader of the group al-Muhajiroun said he hopes the rally will help convince Muslims and non-Muslims to “cut out alcohol from society altogether”.

The march on Friday by The Sharia Project, a group based in Waltham Forest with members in Whitechapel, will protest the drinking and sale of alcohol by Muslims in east London, which it says is sinful under Islamic law.

Mr Choudary today confirmed his links to the group after its spokesman Abu Ramaysah described him as one of its “mentors”.

He said: “I teach a lot of them and they have studied Sharia with me.”

Mr Choudary also criticised mosques in east London for tolerating the sale of alcohol, accusing them of doing so for money.

He said: “A Muslim knows it’s completely prohibited to sell alcohol. » | Adam Barnett | Thursday, December 12, 2013

North Korea Executes Kim Jong-un's Uncle as a Traitor

Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un's mentor

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jang Song-thaek was a mentor to the young North Korean dictator until he was publicly purged last week.

The once-powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been executed for treason after being branded "despicable human scum", according to the state news agency.

Jang Song-thaek was a mentor to the young North Korean dictator and one of the regime's most influential figures until he was publicly purged last week.

Video showed the 67-year-old Mr Jang being dragged out of his seat by police at a government meeting and official North Korean photographs were quickly doctored to remove all traces of him.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced the execution of the man it described as "a traitor to the nation for all ages".

"Despicable human scum Jang, who was worse than a dog, perpetrated thrice-cursed acts of treachery in betrayal of such profound trust and warmest paternal love shown by the party and the leader for him," the agency said. » | Raf Sanchez, Washington | Thursday, December 12, 2013

China Considers Nationwide Ban on Smoking in Public

THE GUARDIAN: Rulers of country that is home to more than 300 million smokers mull ban that could be implemented within a year

China's leaders are considering a nationwide smoking ban in public, a leading health official said on Wednesday, as the country's tobacco-related health and economic costs continue to mount.

Yang Jie, deputy director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's Office of Tobacco Control, said China's cabinet was mulling over a regulation that would ban smoking in public places nationwide. "Optimistically," he said, it could be implemented within a year.

"If you look at the general development of legislation, I don't think there are a lot of problems," he said at a briefing about the health costs of tobacco use in China. "What is most troubling is how to enforce the law effectively."

China is home to more than 300 million smokers – a third of the global total – and produces nearly half of the world's cigarettes, according to official statistics.

Smoking-related diseases cause more than a million deaths in the country a year, and experts expect the number to nearly triple by 2030. Smoking is deeply ingrained in the country's business culture; cigarettes are doled out as a token of respect and given as gifts on formal occasions, especially outside of major cities, where there is no social stigma against smoking anywhere, at any time. » | Jonathan Kaiman in Beijing | Wednesday, December 11, 2013