They Can’t Stop Keeping On, Can They? Smokefree Zones Trialled In Bristol

BT: Two city squares will become Britain's first major public outdoor spaces to go smokefree when a voluntary pilot launches today.

Two city squares will become Britain's first major public outdoor spaces to go smokefree when a voluntary pilot launches today.

The initiative will come into effect in Millennium Square and Anchor Square - both popular with families - on Bristol's harbourside.

It follows a major report last year by former health minister Lord Darzi which suggested that London and other UK cities should ban smoking in public spaces and parks.

Cities including New York, Toronto and Hong Kong have already banned smoking in key outdoor locations but Bristol is the UK's first to pilot smokefree zones. » | Press Association | Monday, February 02, 2015

The True Nature of Islam: Cathy Newman 'Ushered Out of Mosque' on National Open Day

Cathy Newman, the Channel 4 News presenter

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Channel 4 presenter's treatment at a mosque in Streatham, south London, sparks online sexism row

Cathy Newman, the Channel 4 News presenter, was ushered out of a London mosque, despite being “respectfully” dressed on Visit My Mosque Day, she has revealed.

The journalist expressed surprise that she had been turned away and explained that she was there to mark the nationwide event organized by The Muslim Council of Britain.

She revealed on Twitter that she had later been given a “warm welcome” at another mosque nearby.

A number of mosques across the country have opened their doors to the general public for Visit My Mosque Day. » | Victoria Ward | Sunday, February 01, 2015

L'Etat islamique appelle à de nouvelles attaques

leJDD: Le groupe extrémiste Etat islamique (EI) a appelé lundi à mener de nouvelles attaques contre les pays occidentaux, saluant les attentats exécutés par des jihadistes, notamment en France contre la rédaction de Charlie Hebdo.

Nouvelles menaces contre les pays occidentaux. "Nous appelons les musulmans en Europe et dans l'Occident infidèle à attaquer les croisés où qu'ils soient (...) nous promettons aux bastions chrétiens qu'ils continueront de vivre dans un état de terreur, de peur et d'insécurité", a affirmé Abou Mohammad al-Adnani, porte-parole de l'EI dans un message audio diffusé sur internet. "Vous n'avez encore rien vu", a-t-il prévenu. » | AFP – leJDD.fr | lundi 26 janvier 2015

Islamfeinde in Österreich: Wien rüstet sich für Marsch des Pegida-Ablegers

SPIEGEL ONLINE: In Deutschland zerlegt sich die islamfeindliche Pegida-Bewegung, in Wien hingegen will am Montag erstmals ein österreichischer Ableger marschieren. An der Spitze mischt ein Mann mit, der hetzerische Thesen verbreitet.

München/Wien - Für die Polizei in Wien wird es der zweite Großeinsatz binnen weniger Tage: 1000 Beamte sollen am Montagabend für Sicherheit sorgen, wenn der österreichische Ableger der islamfeindlichen Pegida-Bewegung seinen "ersten Spaziergang" veranstalten will.

Die Organisatoren versprechen eine friedliche und sichere Veranstaltung, doch die Behörden sind alarmiert. Erst vergangenen Freitag war es in der Stadt zu Krawallen gekommen: Eine zunächst friedliche Gegendemonstration gegen den von der rechtspopulistischen FPÖ organisierten Akademikerball mündete in Auseinandersetzungen zwischen linken Aktivisten und Polizisten. Mehrere Beamte erlitten Verletzungen, insgesamt waren 2500 Sicherheitskräfte im Einsatz. Auch gegen den Pegida-Marsch am Montag ist eine Gegendemonstration angemeldet.

Während die Anti-Islam-Bewegung sich in Deutschland derzeit selbst zerlegt, versucht sie sich in Österreich zu etablieren. In einem Positionspapier spricht sich Pegida Wien unter anderem für einen Stopp der "Massenmigration nach Europa" und für ein "Asyl nur auf Zeit" aus. Zudem fordert Pegida Wien, das Asylrecht langfristig auf den jeweiligen Kontinent zu beschränken. » | Von Björn Hengst | Sonntag, 01. Februar 2015

Unconvincing, Mr. President! Obama Says Terrorists Not Motivated by True Islam

THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Criticized for avoiding the phrase “Islamic extremism,” President Obama said he doesn’t want to alienate the majority of peace-loving Muslims as the U.S. fights to defeat terrorist networks around the world.

“I think that for us to be successful in fighting this scourge, it’s very important for us to align ourselves with the 99.9 percent of Muslims who are looking for the same thing we’re looking for: order, peace, prosperity,” Mr. Obama said on CNN. “And so I don’t quibble with labels.” » | Dave Boyer | The Washington Times | Sunday, February 01, 2015

Japan Outraged at IS 'Beheading' of Hostage Kenji Goto

Kenji Goto, pictured in October 2014, is a well-known freelance
journalist and filmmaker

BBC AMERICA: Japan has reacted with anger and defiance to a video purporting to show the beheading of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto by an Islamic State militant.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan "would not give in to terrorism" and that he would expand his support to countries fighting IS.

IS has cited Japanese aid as a reason for the hostage taking. The video comes less than a week after the apparent beheading of another Japanese man, Haruna Yukawa.

Mr Goto, 47, a respected journalist known for his work covering the suffering of civilians in war zones, went to Syria in October, reportedly to try to secure Mr Yukawa's release.

The video, which has all the hallmarks of previous IS propaganda videos, has not been authenticated, but Japanese officials believe it is genuine. » | Sunday, February 01, 2015

Pour un chef d'al-Qaida, la France est devenue l'ennemi numéro un de l'islam

LE POINT: Aqpa, considérée comme la branche la plus active et la plus dangereuse d'al-Qaida par Washington, avait revendiqué l'attaque à Paris contre le journal français "Charlie Hebdo" qui a fait 12 morts.

Avec l'"affaiblissement" des États-Unis ces dernières années, "la France a remplacé l'Amérique dans sa guerre contre l'islam", a déclaré un chef d'al-Qaida dans la péninsule arabique (Aqpa), Ibrahim al-Rubaish, dans un enregistrement audio diffusé vendredi par la branche médiatique d'Aqpa, Al-Malahem, sur YouTube. Aqpa, considérée comme la branche la plus active et la plus dangereuse d'al-Qaida par Washington, avait revendiqué à la mi-janvier l'attaque à Paris contre le journal français Charlie Hebdo qui a fait 12 morts. » | Source AFP | vendredi 30 janvier 2015

Resentment Grows between Christians and Muslims in France

The deadly attack on Charlie Hebdo puts a spotlight on the growing tensions between France's Muslim and immigrant communities and a large portion of French society, which is traditionally Catholic. The NewsHour’s Megan Thompson recently visited Marseille, one of the country’s most diverse cities, to report on the root of the conflict and the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment in France.

Compulsory Income Tax on Christians Drives Germans away from Protestant and Catholic Churches

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Up to 400,000 Germans officially filed declarations to leave the Protestant and Catholic Church after a decision to extend the 8 or 9 per cent charge to capital gains income

Hundreds of thousands of German Christians are formally renouncing their faith and leaving the church in order to escape a controversial change in the tax laws.

Up to 200,000 Germans are believed to have filed official declarations last year renouncing their membership of the Protestant church, the highest number in almost two decades. A similar number are thought to have left the Catholic Church.

Church members in Germany are required by law to pay tax to fund church activities, which is collected by the government.

Under German law, anyone who was baptised as a child is automatically a member of the church and obliged to pay the tax, charged as a percentage of their income, regardless of their beliefs or whether they attend church services.

Until recently, many Christians have been prepared to pay the extra tax for the benefits it brings them, including access to church schools and day care facilities that are funded by the state.

But the only way out of paying the tax is to make a formal declaration renouncing your membership of the church – and there is a government fee for this as well. » | Justin Huggler in Berlin | Friday, January 30, 2015

Hollande en Hitler dans un journal marocain : «Consternant», selon le Quai d'Orsay

Al Watan Al Ane, un magazine arabophone marocain, a grimé
le président de la République française en Adolph Hitler en Une
de sa dernière édition du 29 janvier. DR

LE PARISIEN: Le directeur de l'hebdomadaire Al Watan Al Ane, un journal arabophone marocain peu connu du public, assume sa couverture montrant le président de la République française grimé en Adolph Hitler. Une image qui, au Maroc, fait déjà polémique et tombe sous le coup de la loi.

C'est l'image qui tombe au plus mal alors que les relations entre Rabat et Paris tentent de se réchauffer après une année de couacs entre les deux pays. Al Watan Al Ane, un magazine arabophone marocain, tiré à quelques milliers d'exemplaires, a grimé le président de la République française en Adolf Hitler en Une de sa dernière édition du 29 janvier.

Soit deux jours après la commémoration des 70 ans de la libération de camp d'Auschwitz, en présence de François Hollande.

Tout y est ou presque : la petite moustache que portait le dictateur nazi, la tenue brune, le brassard floqué d'une croix gammée. Ne manque que la raie plaquée sur le côté. La photo est accompagné du titre suivant : « Les Français vont-ils faire renaître les camps de concentration d’Hitler pour exterminer les musulmans ? » » | R.B et S.Ld | vendredi 30 janvier 2015

Jewish Survivor Lillian Saunders Testimony

Canada PM Harper Calls for Expanded Terror Laws

"Violent jihadism is not a human right," Stephen Harper said.
"It is an act of war."

BBC AMERICA: Encouraging terror attacks against Canada will become a crime under legislation proposed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The measure will also expand the powers of the country's spy agency, allowing it to take direct action to stop attacks.

Work began on the bill after two attacks days apart last year. It is expected to be passed by Mr Harper's Conservative majority in Parliament.

Under current law it is a crime to make a specific threat. The new measure would make it crime to call for a terror attack against the country or Canadians generally, including online.

"We cannot tolerate this any more than we tolerate people that make jokes about bomb threats at airports," Mr Harper said.

"Anyone engaging in that kind of activity is going to face the full force of the law in the future."

The maximum prison sentence for those convicted under the new measure would be five years. » | Friday, January 30, 2015

Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi Flogging Postponed Second Time

BBC AMERICA: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have again postponed a second round of 50 lashes on the blogger Raif Badawi.

No reason has been given, but last week Mr Badawi was reported to be physically unfit to face the penalty after receiving the first flogging. He was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam.

Raif Badawi's punishment has caused international outcry. Last week the case was referred to the Supreme Court by the then-King Abdullah's office.

A decree by the new Saudi King Salman has pardoned what are described as "public right" prisoners, which could eventually include Mr Badawi.

A Saudi rights activist and lawyer, Suad al-Shammary, who worked with Mr Badawi on his blog, was released on Friday.

She had been held for three months without charge over comments she made on Twitter, which her opponents portrayed as anti-Islamic. (+ BBC video) » | Friday, January 30, 2015

Russland rüstet auf

Mehr Waffen, mehr Soldaten: Russlands Verteidigungsminister
Sergei Schoigu will aufrüsten.

SCHWEIZER RADIO UND FERNSEHEN: Russland will seine Truppen in strategisch wichtigen Regionen des Landes verstärken. Man werde nicht zulassen, dass irgendjemand militärisch die Oberhand über das Land gewinne, heisst es aus Moskau. Gleichzeitig wirft der Generalstabschef dem Westen «neue Arten der Aggression» vor.

Bei einer Tagung in seinem Ministerium in Moskau hat der russische Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu klargestellt: Er werde nicht zulassen, dass irgendjemand militärisch die Oberhand über sein Land gewinne.

Trotz der wirtschaftlich schwierigen Lage werde er deshalb die Streitkräfte aufrüsten und dafür sorgen, dass sie bis 2020 über die beabsichtigte Zahl moderner Waffensysteme verfügen. Zudem würden die russischen Truppen in strategisch wichtigen Regionen des Landes verstärkt. Auslöser für die Pläne sei die militärische und politische Situation rund um Russland. » | SRF 4 News, 11:00 Uhr; reu/sda/cukj; morr | Freitag, 30. Januar 2015

La Suisse: L'initiative du 9 février pourrait être jugée illégale

Le slogan d'origine a figuré sur le site
internet jusqu'à fin 2013

24 HEURES: Immigration [–] Deux juristes ont déposé une plainte auprès du Tribunal fédéral pour violation de la norme antiraciste. Un slogan de l'UDC est en cause.

En raison d'une annonce intitulée «Les Kosovars poignardent les Suisses!», diffusée par l'UDC pendant la campagne sur l'initiative contre l'immigration de masse, la votation du 9 février pourrait être jugée illégale par le Tribunal fédéral. S'il qualifie ce slogan de raciste, l'électorat aurait alors été manipulé par un acte punissable. » | vendredi 30 janvier 2015

Saudi Arabia: No Religious or Personal Birthday Celebrations Allowed

ARAB NEWS: The Health Ministry has instructed all public hospitals and health facilities not to allow celebration of “religious or personal” birthdays inside their compounds. The ministry’s religious awareness department said Sunday that the circular was based on a religious edict issued by the Dar Al-Ifta 27 years ago. » | Arab News | Monday, January 19, 2015

Royal Magnanimity: Bonuses and Other Incentives Announced

ARAB NEWS: Generous bonuses and payouts will be given out to Saudi government employees, government scholars, retirees and other citizens under a package approved on Thursday by newly enthroned King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

The King ordered the payment of two basic salaries to all Saudi state employees, including civilians and military officers, and two-month stipend to all government students inside and outside the Kingdom, and two-month pension for Saudi retirees.

By issuing 37 royal decrees, he also announced two-month remuneration for social insurance beneficiaries, two-month assistance to the handicapped, and SR2 billion for charities registered with the Social Affairs Ministry. » | Arab News | Jeddah | Friday, January 30, 2015

American Man Shot and Wounded in Saudi Arabia, Police Say

Vehicle Carrying Two U.S. Citizens Came Under Fire in Eastern Province

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: JEDDAH—An American citizen was shot and wounded Friday in eastern Saudi Arabia, the police said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

A vehicle carrying two U.S. citizens came under fire from an unknown source while driving in the eastern region of Al Ahsa, police said, adding that the man who was wounded was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition.

An investigation is under way, the statement said.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said “we are aware of the reports and are looking into them.” » | Ahmed Al Omran | Friday, January 30, 2015

Texas Muslims Heckled at Democracy Rally

USA TODAY: AUSTIN -- Hundreds of Muslim Texans faced a constant stream of heckling during a rally at the Texas Capitol Thursday that was organized to encourage more Muslims to take part in the democratic process.

Roughly two dozen sign-wielding protesters repeatedly tried to vocally overpower speakers at Texas Muslim Capitol Day, which was hosted by the Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

One protester used the podium microphone for a screaming condemnation of Islam before being escorted back to her fellow demonstrators by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, who were out in force to prevent violence. » | Mark Wiggins, KVUE-TV, Austin | Friday, January 30, 2015

Related »

Sir Winston Churchill's Funeral Marked 50 Years On

BBC AMERICA: The boat that carried Sir Winston Churchill's coffin along the Thames in 1965 has made the same journey to mark the 50th anniversary of his funeral.

Members of the Churchill family were aboard the Havengore, which travelled to Westminster in central London.

Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron laid a wreath in memory of Churchill, who, as prime minister, led Britain to victory in World War Two.

A service will also take place later at Westminster Abbey.

Speaking at a service in Parliament at the start of a day of commemorations, Mr Cameron said Churchill would be remembered as a "great leader and great Briton".

"If there is one aspect of this man I admire more than any other - it is Churchill the patriot," he said.

Mr Cameron said the UK needed to draw on the "courage and resolve" of Churchill to battle "every affront to freedom in this century". (+ BBC videos) » | Friday, January 30, 2015