French Far-right Leader Marine Le Pen Mobbed by Oxford Union Protesters

Leader of the French party National Front (FN) Marine Le Pen (C)
arrives to give a speech at the Oxford Union's prestigious
debating society in Oxford

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Controversial nationalist politician gives a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union, blaming Western society's ills on Islamic ideology

French far-right political leader Marine Le Pen has received a hostile reception at the Oxford Union where she was was [sic] invited to discuss western values.

Crowds of protesters gathered outside the building to denounce the controversial leader of France's far-right Front National.

Her speech to gathered union members was delayed by over one hour as the angry crowd attempted to block entrances.

Union officials have faced criticism for inviting Ms Le Pen to speak uninterrupted for five minutes, rather than insisting on a more traditional debate format where an opponent would have also been heard.

The disruption meant that many of those with tickets for her speech were unable to attend. Similarly the scrum outside the union meant that reporters were unable to get inside.

She is believed to have used her speech to blame Islamic ideology for the issues facing western society. » | Gregory Walton | Thursday, February 05, 2015

President Obama Speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast

On February 5, 2015, President Obama delivered remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.

Saudi King's Ex-Wife Speaks Out

Exclusive: in her first television interview, the former wife of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia claims her four daughters have suffered years trapped in the royal compound in Jeddah.

The Wonderful Conversion Story Of A Saudi Christian Lady

Interview about why a Saudi woman converted to Christianity and what she found in Jesus that she didn't find in Islam

Obama FINALLY Acknowledges ISIS Is Linked to 'Islam' – Then Compares It to the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and American Slavery as He Says: 'No God Condones Terror'

MAIL ONLINE: President appeared at annual prayer event attended by 3,600 people from all 50 states and 130 countries / First head-on presidential attack on ISIS in terms of religion in recent memory / Obama has been criticized for failing to condemn Middle Eastern terrorists as religious radicals while other world leaders decry 'radical Islam' / He followed up aggressive language by comparing ISIS to the medieval Crusades, the Spanich Inquisition and American slavery

The burning alive of a Muslim man by the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has jolted the president of the United States into acknowledging publicly that the world's chief terror threat comes from people who 'profess to stand up for Islam but instead betray it.'

But that stark conclusion, long missing in the White House, was followed by a litany of other wrongs done in the name of religion.

'Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place,' Obama told the National Prayer breakfast on Thursday morning, 'remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.'

'In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.'

But 'no God condones terror,' he insisted. Read on and comment » | David Martosko, US Political Editor for Daily Mail | Thursday, February 05, 2015

Haarkippa: Schützt vor Nässe, Kälte und Antisemitismus

Ein israelischer Coiffeur will den ansteigenden Antisemitismus in Europa bekämpfen. Mit einer unsichtbaren Kopfbedeckung – die erst noch wie eine lässige Hipsterfrisur ausschaut.

Den SRF Artikel hier lesen | fren; meym | Donnerstag, 05. Februar 2015

GB: manif anti-Marine Le Pen à Oxford

LE FIGARO: Plusieurs centaines de personnes manifestaient aujourd'hui en fin d'après-midi contre la participation de la présidente du parti d'extrême droite français Front national (FN) à une conférence-débat organisée par l'association des étudiants de l'université d'Oxford. » | Par LeFigaro.fr avec AFP | jeudi 05 février 2015

Terrorismus: Saudiarabiens späte Notbremse

DIE PRESSE: Jahrelang erhielt die al-Qaida finanzielle Unterstützung aus Riad – jetzt erst geht das Land gegen Spenden an Terrorgruppen vor. Westliche Experten fordern weitere Schritte.

Kairo/Riad. Er habe mit tiefer Trauer von dem Schicksal von Muath al-Kasaesbeh gehört, kabelte der neue saudische König Salman am Mittwoch von Riad nach Amman und nannte den Mord an dem jordanischen Piloten ein „widerliches Verbrechen“, das gegen den Islam verstoße und gegen alle menschlichen Werte. Dabei ist der 78-jährige Monarch offenbar tief verwickelt in die Aufzucht der mordlustigen Jihadisten in der Region.

Jahrzehntelang gehörte er angeblich zu den aktivsten Spendern und Geldsammlern. Erst seit die dritte Generation von Gotteskriegern des Islamischen Staates (IS) nun auch das Haus Saud offen bedroht, geht Saudiarabien entschiedener gegen private Terrorfinanzierer vor. » | “Die Presse”, Print-Ausgabe | Freitag, 06. Februar 2015

Editor at Centre of Mohammed Cartoons Controversy in Denmark Nominated for Nobel Prize

Flemming Rose

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Flemming Rose, of Jyllands-Posten, nominated over stance for freedom of speech

The Danish newspaper editor who published cartoons of the prophet Mohammed nearly a decade ago has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in France.

Flemming Rose, 58, who still lives under police guard because of death threats, was put forward for this year's award by Michael Tetzschner, a Norwegian MP.

The move was a response to the attack by Islamist gunmen on cartoonists at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris last month.

"Giving the prize to a consistent defender of freedom of expression, even at a personal cost, would give a sign that those who try to muzzle that freedom through cowardly attacks against civilians, thus undermining peace between peoples, cannot ever succeed," Mr Tetzschner wrote in his letter to the Nobel committee, according to Norway's NTB news agency.

As cultural editor of Denmark's Jyllands-Posten, Mr Rose he was principally responsible for commissioning a series of drawings of Mohammed that were published in September 2005. Most strands of Islam disapprove of depictions of Mohammed, viewing it as akin to idolatry. » | Colin Freeman, Chief foreign correspondent | Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Saudi Princes 'Supported Al-Qaeda Before 9/11' Claims Twentieth Hijacker

September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As US-Saudi relations enter delicate phase, top former al-Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui alleges high-level Saudi involvement in Osama bin Laden terror network

Senior members of the Saudi royal family were major al-Qaeda donors and were intimately involved with Osama bin Laden's terror network in the 1990s, one of the group's former members has testified to a New York court.

Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called "twentieth hijacker" who had taken flying lessons but was arrested weeks before the September 11 attacks, made the claims in a long-running lawsuit alleging Saudi Arabian involvement in the plot to bring down the World Trade Centre.

Moussaoui, a 46-year-old French national who was diagnosed with delusional paranoid schizophrenia but declared mentally fit to stand trial in 2006, told lawyers that he had been ordered by bin Laden to compile a database of influential supporters.

"Shaykh Osama wanted to keep a record who give money ... who is to be listened to or who contribute to – to the jihad," he said in broken English, according to the testimony that was first reported by the New York Times and has been seen by The Telegraph.

Among those listed were Prince Turki al-Faisal, then the Saudi intelligence chief; Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, the longtime Saudi ambassador to the United States and Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, a prominent billionaire investor. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Nazila Fathi: The Struggle for Modern Iran: A Journalist’s Story

How Iran's Journalists Cope In 'The World's Biggest Prison'

Jordan Must Avenge Pilot's Death, Says Muath al-Kasasbeh's Father

Speaking from his home village of A'y on Tuesday, Safi al-Kasasbeh, the father of murdered pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh, says the Jordanian government must take action against Islamic State (Isis) following the release of a video showing his son being burnt to death. Other Jordanian citizens also respond to the news of the killing. The Jordanian government has executed two Iraqi Islamist militants in response to the pilot's murder

Prince Charles Tired of Being Treated as Arms Dealer

Isil 'Broadcast Video of Pilot Burning on Giant Public Screen to Young Children'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Young boy shown in video saying "I wish to capture pilots and burn them", as leaders across the Middle East condemn the death by burning of a captive Jordanian pilot

Isil broadcast the horrific video of a Jordanian pilot being burned to death on giant public screens to crowds that included young children, it has emerged.

Footage appeared on Wednesday purporting to show a crowd cheering and chanting as the murder was projected onto an outdoor screen at night in Raqqa, the de facto capital of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The new five-minute film includes interviews with those in attendance at the screening, who appear to be giving their verdict on the murder. While some appear serious in their response, others - including a young boy seemingly no older than eight - smile as they discuss the footage.

"If he was here, I'd burn him by my hand. I wish to capture pilots and burn them”, the child says. » | Andrew Marszal, and AP | Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Jordan to Execute Isil Prisoner Immediately In Response to Pilot Burned Alive by Jihadists

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Sajida al-Rishawi and other Isil jihadists will be executed at dawn in response to murder of Jordanian hostage pilot Lt Moaz Kasaesbeh


Jordan on Tuesday night announced it would execute a female failed suicide bomber and other jihadists in retaliation for the killing of its hostage pilot, Lt Moaz Kasaesbeh, after pictures were posted of him being burned alive.

Officials reacted furiously to the pictures and film, which went beyond anything yet seen in the "execution videos" of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

They were particularly angry as the unusual method of death seemed to confirm reports that he had been killed several weeks ago. There had been rumours in early January that he had been burned, and officials said last night they now believed he died on January 3.

That made a mockery of Isil's demands last week that the woman suicide bomber, Sajida al-Rishawi, be released in return for Lt Kasaesbeh's safety, as well as the release of Kenji Goto, the Japanese journalist.

That deal fell through after the jihadists were unable to provide Jordan with proof of life of the pilot, and Mr Goto's killing was confirmed on Saturday night. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Editor | Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Isis Video Shows Jordanian Hostage Being Burned to Death

THE GUARDIAN: Jordanian government vows ‘punishment and revenge’ after pilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh was set alight while locked in a cage


The Jordanian government has vowed “punishment and revenge” against Islamic State after the jihadi group released a video showing a Jordanian pilot they were holding hostage being burned to death inside a locked cage.

Displaying a level of brutality shocking even by the standards of the group’s previous killings, the murder of First Lieutenant Muadh al-Kasasbeh is likely to heighten tensions further in Jordan, a key Arab member of US-led coalition against Isis. The kingdom has rounded up scores of jihadist sympathisers since the summer.

Jordan responded immediately by scheduling for Wednesday the executions of five convicted terrorists, including the failed suicide bomber whom the group had wanted to trade. Sajida al-Rishawi, whom Isis had wanted to swap for Japanese journalist, Kenji Goto, was one of five death row inmates moved to a prison where executions are carried out. The group was transferred to Wastaqa prison within hours of the video being uploaded.

In a short televised address, Jordan’s King Abdullah II called Kasasbeh’s killing an act of “cowardly terror by a criminal group that has no relation to Islam ... It’s the duty of all citizens to stand together”. Abdullah cut short a visit to the United States to return home after the video was released, but the White House said he would meet Barack Obama before he left. » | Martin Chulov in Beirut and Shiv Malik in London | Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Jordanian Pilot 'Burned Alive' in New Isil Video

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Video showing death of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasaesbeh, held prisoner by Islamic State jihadists, released now but he may have been killed a month ago


Isil jihadists have released a video that shows the Jordanian pilot they have been holding hostage being burned alive.

Moaz al-Kasaesbeh, a pilot in the Jordanian air force, was captured by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on December 24.

His death, if confirmed, marks the failure of a proposed prisoner exchange for a woman failed suicide bomber being held in Jordan. Known social media feeds of Isil members also posted photographs of the event.

In it, Lt Kasaesbeh is standing in a cage, with a line of armed and masked jihadists looking on.

A trail of flames is then lit around him, and eventually he is burned too.

Throughout, he stands erect and apparently defiant.

The Jordanian authorities, working on the assumption that the photographs were real, informed his family of his death this afternoon. » | Andrew Marszal, and Richard Spencer | Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Muslim Convert 'Stabs Controlling Boyfriend to Death in Row about Western Lifestyle'

Sarah Willis, left in court, told the court she was forced to
comply with Islamic standards of dress

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Court hears Sarah Willis claimed Bilal Saddique wanted her to comply with Islamic standards of dress and hated her wearing 'tight and short clothing'

A teenage girl who converted to Islam stabbed her Muslim boyfriend to death after they encountered "cultural difficulties" over her Westernised lifestyle, a court heard.

Law firm worker Sarah Willis, 19, claimed BT engineer Bilal Saddique was a "controlling man" who had wanted her to comply with Islamic standards of dress and hated her wearing "tight and short clothing" because "other men looked at her", jurors were told.

Later during a violent row over her friendship with a work colleague, Willis stabbed 29-year old Mr Saddique in the leg at the home they shared in Blackburn, Lancashire, causing a wound that severed an artery, a jury was told.

He was found collapsed on the kitchen floor as she attempted to stem the flow of blood with a towel. He died in hospital an hour later despite attempts to revive him.

Preston Crown Court was told last year's tragedy was the climax of the couple's stormy three year on-off relationship that began after Wills converted to Islam when she was a schoolgirl. » | Agency | Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Secret Halal Slaughterhouse Film Reveals 'Horrific' Animal Abuse

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hidden cameras show horrific mistreatment of sheep in Bowood Yorkshire Lamb slaughterhouse in Thirsk, North Yorkshire. WARNING this piece contains graphic video some viewers may find distressing


Disturbing footage showing "routine abuse" of sheep in a halal slaughterhouse has reignited the debate over whether animals should be stunned before they are killed for meat.

Under halal law, animals are supposed to be killed quickly by single cut from a surgically-sharp knife.

Although 80 per cent of halal meat is stunned, the number of sheep killed without stunning is rising due to campaigning by Muslims, figures show.

Secret filming in an halal abattoir in Yorkshire showed "horrifying" treatment of animals killed without stunning.

Workers were shown hacking and sawing at the animals' throats with apparently blunt knives. In one instance the procedure, which according to Islamic law should be instantaneous, took five attempts.

Halal rules also state that animals should never see the knife or witness others being killed, protecting them against unnecessary trauma.

But the footage showed a man wearing a Muslim kufi skullcap at Bowood Lamb abattoir in Thirsk regularly sharpening knives in front of the sheep. Due to the design of the slaughterhouse, in which animals were forced on to conveyor belts, the sheep typically saw another member of the flock having its throat cut, bleeding on the floor and being hoisted and shackled. Read on and comment » | Dan Hyde, Consumer Affairs Editor, video courtesy of Animal Aid | Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Oskar Gröning – German SS-Private at Auschwitz – MSG to Holocaust Deniers

Oskar Gröning was a German SS-Private (Rottenführer) at Auschwitz. Gröning's responsibilities included sorting and counting the multitude of currencies

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Nazi Auschwitz camp officer, 93, to face trial over 300,000 deaths » | AFP | Monday, February 02, 2015

Anti-Islamist Pegida Group Holds First March in Austria

Only a few hundred people attended Pegida's first rally in
Vienna, observers say.

BBC AMERICA: The anti-Islamisation movement Pegida, which originated in Germany, has held its first march in Austria.

But while rallies in Germany have often attracted more than 20,000 people in recent weeks, only a few hundred took part in Monday's rally in Vienna.

They found themselves outnumbered by police - and even more so by about 5,000 people who had gathered for a counter-demonstration.

Austria is the latest European country to see anti-Islamisation protests.

Supporters of Pegida gathered in a square in central Vienna's shouting "We are the people", the BBC's Bethany Bell reports.

Some gave Nazi salutes while riot police separated them from rival protesters changing "down with Pegida". » | Monday, February 2015

Iceland to Build First Temple to Norse Gods in 1,000 Years

The high priest of the Asatru Association Hilmarsson leads
a procession of Asatru Association at Pingblot

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Modern version of Norse paganism has been gaining popularity in Iceland

Icelanders will soon be able to publicly worship at a shrine to Thor, Odin and Frigg with construction starting this month on the island's first major temple to the Norse gods since the Viking age.

Worship of the gods in Scandinavia gave way to Christianity around 1,000 years ago but a modern version of Norse paganism has been gaining popularity in Iceland.

"I don't believe anyone believes in a one-eyed man who is riding about on a horse with eight feet," said Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson, high priest of 'Asatruarfelagid', an association that promotes faith in the Norse gods.

"We see the stories as poetic metaphors and a manifestation of the forces of nature and human psychology." » | Reuters | Monday, February 02, 2015

Anne Will | Die Glaubensfrage - Gehört der Islam zu Deutschland? | 28.01.2015

Über den Islam in Deutschland diskutieren Manuela Schwesig, Erika Steinbach, Bassam Tibi und Mehmet Gürcan Daimagüler…

Mitten in der aufgeheizten Diskussion um die Pegida-Bewegung hat Kanzlerin Angela Merkel mit der Äußerung, der Islam gehöre zu Deutschland, Kritik aus den eigenen Reihen geerntet.

Pat Condell: Nothing To Do With Islam

The death rattle of a dhimmi society.

Pat Condell: A Special Kind of Hate

Muslim anti-Semitism in Europe.

Brokered It & Broke It: Obama on Kiev Deal That Paved Path to Bloodshed

The Ukrainians' expression of free will didn't come without a nudge from Washington after all - in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Barack Obama acknowledged that the United States had "brokered a deal to transition power in Ukraine.'

Ex-State Dept Executive: US Leadership Is Inept & Incompetent, Including President

America stands in first place among the world’s great powers. But the decisions taken in Washington are seen by many as questionable - even unwise - bringing even more conflict and violence. What governs decision-making in the White House? Who is listened to there? What goal does Washington pursue? Does it even have any particular goal? We ask these questions to a former Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, on Sophie&Co.

Gorbachev Warns Ukraine Could Ignite World War III

GLOBAL RESEARCH: Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union, accused the United States Thursday of initiating a new Cold War with Russia and expressed fears that the conflict could escalate into a nuclear Third World War.

Gorbachev made his comments as fighting escalated in Ukraine between forces directed by the US- and European Union-backed government in Kiev and pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donbass region.

“Plainly speaking, the US has already dragged us into a new Cold War, trying to openly implement its idea of triumphalism,” the former Soviet leader told Interfax. “What’s next? Unfortunately, I cannot be sure that the Cold War will not bring about a ‘hot’ one. I’m afraid [the United States] might take the risk.”

He criticized the US and the EU for continuing to press for more economic sanctions against Russia. “All we hear from the US and the EU now is sanctions against Russia,” he continued. “Are they completely out of their minds? The US has been totally ‘lost in the jungle’ and is dragging us there as well.” » | Niles Williamson | Saturday, January 31, 2015

Der IS-Terror erreicht Japan

TAGES ANZEIGER: Analyse [–] Lange war das Land der aufgehenden Sonne von Konflikten der Welt weitgehend isoliert – Premier Abe will für Japan eine grössere Rolle, etwa im Kampf gegen die IS-Miliz. Deren Terror holt das Land nun ein.

Die Japaner leben in einem der sichersten Länder der Welt. Doch die mutmassliche Tötung zweier japanischer Geiseln durch die Terrormiliz Islamischer Staat lässt sie nun direkt eine der grössten Bedrohungen weltweit spüren. Die Videonachricht der Extremisten über die mutmassliche Enthauptung des Journalisten Kenji Goto wirkte wie ein Schock.

Eine erste japanische Geisel - Haruna Yukawa - soll vom IS bereits vergangene Woche hingerichtet worden sein. Verhandlungen über ein Lösegeld und einen Gefangenenaustausch, um die Leben der beiden Japaner zu retten, waren ohne Erfolg geblieben. » | Von Ken Moritsugu | AP | Sonntag, 01. Februar 2015

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

L'état de santé du blogueur Raef Badaoui se détériore

Raef Badaoui devait subir une deuxième séance de 50 coups de
fouet vendredi 30 janvier. Ici, une manifestation d'Amnesty au Québec.

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Arabie SaouditeCondamné à dix ans de prison et 1000 coups de fouet pour «insulte à l'islam», le blogueur risque de ne pas y survivre, selon son épouse.

L'état de santé de Raef Badaoui, le blogueur saoudien condamné à dix ans de prison et 1000 coups de fouet en Arabie saoudite pour «insulte à l'islam», empire, a estimé jeudi 29 novembre à Ottawa son épouse Ensaf Haidar.

Raef Badaoui, qui devait subir une deuxième séance de 50 coups de fouet vendredi, souffrirait d'hypertension et une nouvelle flagellation risquerait de l'affaiblir davantage, a-t-elle indiqué lors d'une conférence de presse entourée de parlementaires canadiens.

«L'état de santé de Raef est mauvais et il empire», a déclaré Ensaf Haidar, réfugiée au Québec avec ses trois enfants. » | jeudi 29 janvier 2015

King Abdullah Embodied the Wickedness of Saudi Arabia’s Regime

Members of the Saudi police force in Mecca. 'Saudi Arabia's
influence is almost wholly malign.'

THE GUARDIAN: Change may be looming for Saudi Arabia, but reforming a country where torture, corruption and judicial murder are commonplace won’t be easy

We can always look on the bright side of the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and the accession of Prince Salman. It shows that, if reports of his ill-health are true, dementia can’t stop you reaching the very top – at least if you have the right parents. It is a danger for many political systems that they end up being run by men whose faculties are no longer up to it: think of Pope John Paul II in his long decline, Churchill after his strokes, Ronald Reagan or the Soviet gerontocracy. But Saudi is unique in the modern world in choosing as leader a man believed to be in decline even before he comes to power.

It is a final touch of absurdity in a kingdom that is wicked in itself, and a source of wickedness and corruption elsewhere in the world. Saudi Arabia practices torture and arbitrary judicial murder. Women are beheaded in the street, liberal thought is punishable by flogging, which can be a death sentence even more horrific, because it is more prolonged than having your head hacked off with a sword. It is a raft of fear and hatred lashed together, floating on unimaginable amounts of money, at least for the lucky few. Among the poor, not all of whom are slaves or foreigners, there is tufshan, a special word defined by an anthropologist as “subtle and incapacitating torpor”. » | Andrew Brown | Friday, January 23, 2015

Holocaust Survivor Ellen Brandt Testimony

West's Nauseating Hypocrisy Sucking Up to the Saudis

BELFAST TELEGRAPH: What do you call the unelected leader of a state that beheads people in public, permits only one faith and exports an extreme form of Islam to other countries?

If he happens to be Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, self-appointed caliph of Islamic State (Isis), the answer is one of the world's most wanted terrorists. If he is King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the proper form of address is "Your Majesty". Are we all clear about that? Me neither.

The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister turned up in Riyadh at the weekend to pay their respects to Salman's half-brother, King Abdullah, whose death was announced on Friday. Abdullah's demise at the age of 90 unleashed a nauseating display of hypocrisy among world leaders.

Flags flew at half-mast in Whitehall while David Cameron - sorry, pass-the-sick-bag moment coming up - praised the deceased despot's efforts towards "strengthening understanding between faiths".

This is the same David Cameron who marched in Paris two weeks ago in solidarity with the victims of al-Qaida-inspired terrorism. Then, there was much talk about human rights and free expression, both of which get short shrift in Saudi Arabia. Barack Obama - a conspicuous no-show in Paris - found the time to praise the absolute monarch and hailed the US-Saudi relationship "as a force for stability and security in the Middle East".

Funnily enough, none of these busy men had time to mention Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger whose flogging was postponed on the very same day because he hadn't recovered from the 50 lashes he received two weeks earlier. » | Joan Smith | Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Protester at Texas Muslim Capitol Day

THE TEXAS TRIBUNE: Rep to Staff: Ask Muslim Visitors to Pledge Allegiance » | Reeve Hamilton and Alexa Ura | Thursday, January 29, 2015

Germany After The War, 1945-49

This powerful documentary explores the condition of Germany when the fighting stopped in 1945 and the subsequent four years of occupation and reconstruction. Views are taken from all sides, but German voices are given predominance. With some remarkable footage and moving testimony, this film is an important addition to the history of post-war Europe.

Österreich ist immer noch ein Raucherparadies

Facebook to Censor Images of Prophet Mohammed in Turkey Just Two Weeks after Mark Zuckerberg Wrote Passionate Message Defending Right to Free Speech

MAIL ONLINE: Facebook will ban pages in Turkey which 'insult Prophet Mohammed' / Comes weeks after Zuckerberg defended right to be offensive in post / Turkey also banned web access to cover of Charlie Hebdo magazine / Move is seen as the latest in crackdown on 'offending religious material'

Facebook has reportedly agreed to censor cartoons of Prophet Mohammed just two weeks after its founder defended the right to free speech in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks.

The social network made the decision after Turkish authorities threatened to block the site entirely if it did not remove the images - some of which come from Charlie Hebdo magazine.

The dramatic about-face will be personally embarrassing for Zuckerberg, coming weeks after he defiantly said: '[Facebook] will never let one country or group dictate what people can share.' » | Chris Pleasance for MailOnline | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Newt for President! Newt Gingrich: We Are At War with Radical Islamism

National Security Speech at the Iowa Freedom Summit

Michelle Obama Cocks a Snook at Outdated, Ante-Diluvian Saudi Customs

On the Streets with Far-right Extremists Britain First | Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News follows a group of hardline religious extremists who intimidate Muslims, as they go out on a mission on the streets of London.

Saudi TV BLURS Michelle Obama's FACE As Barack Meets King

La France lance un clip choc contre le djihadisme

24 HEURES: Enrôlement des jeunes no decoration id «Tu découvriras l'enfer sur Terre et mourras seul, loin de chez toi»: le gouvernement français a dévoilé un clip fort pour lutter contre l'embrigadement des jeunes par l'Etat islamique.


#Stopdjihadisme : Ils te disent… by gouvernementFR
«Ils te disent : sacrifie-toi à nos côtés, tu défendras une juste cause. En réalité, tu découvriras l'enfer sur terre et mourras seul loin de chez toi.» Le gouvernement français vient de lancer ce mercredi 28 janvier un clip choc, empruntant aux codes de la propagande djihadiste, pour tenter de dissuader les jeunes de s'enrôler dans les rangs du groupe Etat islamique.

La vidéo, qui fait environ 2 minutes a été publiée sur le site stop-djihadisme.gouv.fr. Elle sort trois semaines après les attentats de Paris perpétrés par les frères Kouachi et Amedy Coulibaly. Paris veut ainsi affronter les djihadistes sur le web, terrain de prédilection pour séduire les jeunes. » | Par Christine Talos | mercredi 28 janvier 2015

STOP-DJIHADISME.gouv.fr : Agir contre la menace terroriste »

Pegida Loses Second Leader in a Week

Kathrin Oertel has quit the leadership of Pegida
'due to massive hostility'.

THE GUARDIAN: Kathrin Oertel quits German far-right group’s leadership just days after resignation of founder Lutz Bachmann

German anti-Islam movement Pegida lost its second leader in a week on Wednesday when Kathrin Oertel, who took over after the founder quit for posing as Hitler, also stepped down, citing media pressure.

The Dresden-based group announced on its Facebook page that Oertel and another board member were resigning. The 37-year-old became Pegida’s national figurehead after founder Lutz Bachmann resigned a week ago after news that he was being investigated.

Pegida said that Oertel had quit “due to the massive hostility, threats and career disadvantages”, adding: “Even the strongest of women has to take time out when at night photographers and other strange figures are sneaking around outside her house.”

The group added that its cause remained “good and just”. » | Reuters in Berlin | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

YNET NEWS: PEGIDA spokesman: We are no Nazis: In exclusive Ynetnews interview, spokesperson of anti-Islamization grassroots initiative addresses Jewish world's concerns about the movement, says 'we want Jews and Israelis to feel safe in Europe.'‬‬ » | Moritz Josef Schulman | Saturday, January 24, 2015

Egyptian Poet Goes On Trial Accused of Contempt of Islam

REUTERS.COM: (Reuters) - A prominent Egyptian poet could face up to three years in jail over a Facebook post in which she criticized the slaughter of animals at a Muslim festival, a case which rights activists say shows how the government is muzzling free speech.

Fatima Naoot described the Prophet Abraham's dream - in which, according to Islamic belief, God tells him to sacrifice his son as a test of his faith - as a "nightmare". Before Abraham can carry out the deed, God provided a sheep instead as a sacrifice.

In her post, the poet criticized the sacrifice of animals at Eid al-Adha, also called the Feast of the Sacrifice, a festival that honors Abraham's willingness to obey God.

"Millions of innocent creatures will be driven to the most horrible massacre committed by humans for ten-and-a-half centuries," she said. "A massacre which is repeated every year because of the nightmare of a righteous man about his good son."

The poet - whose trial began on Wednesday - has been charged with contempt of Islam, spreading sectarian strife and disturbing public peace, judicial sources and Naoot said.

She denies the charges. If convicted she could face jail terms ranging from six months to three years, the sources said.

"I will not be defeated even if I'm imprisoned," Naoot, who did not appear in court, told Reuters on Wednesday. "The loser will be the cultural movement." » | Mahmoud Mourad | Cairo | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

GULF NEWS: Egypt writer Fatima Naoot’s trial for Islam defamation started: Case raises rights advocates’ concerns over free speech » | Ramadan Al Sherbini, Correspondent | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

German Football Player Converts to Islam

MOROCCO WORLD NEWS: The player described Islam as a religion of hope and strength.

“Islam gave me strength. Pray calms my soul,” the 24-year-old said.

“I was short tempered, erratic and did not know where I belong,” he added.

Blum joined his team FC Nurnberg last year. The team plays in the German Bundesliga’s Second Division. » | Tuesday, January 27, 2015


BILD: Nürnberg-Profi 
wechselt zum Islam: Danny Blum (24) steht in einer Moschee im türkischen Belek. Er schließt die Augen, hält die Handflächen vor sich nach oben gerichtet. Er streicht sich die Hände durchs Gesicht, über den Oberkörper, dann kniet er nieder. Danny Blum betet. » | Montag, 26. Januar 2015

The Female Face of Terror

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: If we don't act now, it may not be long before we see women committing acts of terror in Western cities

Since last summer, hardly a week has passed without news of a woman participating in extremism or terrorism. The violent group Boko Haram is using female suicide bombers to wreak havoc in Nigeria. From Denver to Vienna, "Caliphettes" – young girls pledging their support to Isil’s so called "Caliphate" on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr – are escaping to marry Jihadis in Syria.

And most recently, Hayat Boumeddiene, the wife of one of the perpetrators of the recent terrorist atrocities in Paris, is the most wanted terror suspect in the world today.

Despite this growing trend, women have largely failed to be incorporated into counter-extremism strategies.

For too long Western societies have viewed women, particularly Muslim women, singularly as victims of fundamentalist ideology. There is collective shock over the fact that they are now proving to be as much agents of that ideology as men – as proxy soapbox orators, encouraging those who cannot get to the battleground, to do as much damage as possible at home, as brutal, sometimes violent, enforcers of strict Islamic codes (the Al-Khansaa all-female moral brigade in Raqqa), and as the mothers of the next generation of Jihadists. Online, where Institute for Strategic Dialogue has been tracking the social media accounts of women living in Isil territory, a Jihadi girl power subculture has emerged: becoming a Caliphette is portrayed as empowering.
Indeed, the spectre of radicalised Western women streaming to the battlegrounds of Syria should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Isil’s highly sophisticated, tech[-]savvy radicalisation and recruitment machinery. They deploy peer-to-peer, in this case girl-to-girl, marketing strategies, Twitter amplification apps, iconic memes, gaming imagery and go-pro footage from the field. » | Farah Pandith and Sasha Havlicek | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Michelle Obama Causes Outrage in Saudi Arabia by Not Wearing Headscarf

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: First Lady draws criticism for not wearing headscarf in highly conservative country


In a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia, President Barack Obama cut short his visit to India and led a parade of American dignitaries in Riyadh on Tuesday to pay respects after King Abdullah's death.

But it was the presence - and attire - of his wife Michelle which drew the most attention in the ultraconservative desert kingdom.

The First Lady dressed conservatively in black trousers and a long jacket, wearing loose clothing that fully covered her arms, but did not cover her head.

It is forbidden for Saudi women to appear in public without their heads covered, and most Saudi women wear niqabs.

Hundreds of Saudis took to Twitter using hashtags translating to “#Michelle_Obama_Immodest” and "#Michelle_Obama_NotVeiled” to voice their disapproval of her decision not to observe Saudi customs. » | Andrew Marszal, and agencies | Wednesday, January 28, 2015

ISIS Threatens Obama, Japanese and Jordanian Hostages in New Online Messages

FOX NEWS: A new, grisly beheading video from ISIS includes a direct threat against President Obama and is one of at least three new warnings from the terror organization, including pledges to kill Jordanian and Japanese hostages if a hostage held by Jordan is not freed.

In a new online video discovered by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) on Tuesday, three Islamic State fighters stand behind a kneeling Kurdish fighter as one of the extremists launches into a diatribe against the U.S. and other Western nations.

“Know, oh Obama, that will reach America,” says one of the fighters, clad in black and wearing a balaclava, in a translation from Arabic provided by MEMRI. “Know also that we will cut off your head in the White House, and transform America into a Muslim Province.”

The extremist also issued warnings to European nations.

“And this is my message to France and to its sister, Belgium,” he said. “We advise you that we will come to you with car bombs and explosive charges, and will cut off your heads.” » | FoxNews.com | Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Actress Maureen Lipman May Leave Britain Over Attacks On Jews

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Figures released in December showed that the number of anti-Semitic attacks in the UK in 2014 is set to be the highest recorded in the past three decades

Maureen Lipman, the actress, has said she is considering leaving Britain because of a “worrying” rise in attacks on Jews.

The 71-year-old star said she could desert the UK to live abroad because of a rising tide of anti-Semitism.

Speaking to the LBC radio station, she said: "When the economy dries up, then they turn on the usual scapegoat. The usual suspect. The Jew.

"There is one school of thought that says it's because of Israeli policies in the West Bank, it isn't. There's been anti-Semitism for the past 4,000 years.

"When the going gets tough, the Jews get packing...it's crossed my mind that it's time to have a look around for another place to live. I've thought about going to New York, I've thought about going to Israel."

Mrs Lipman said the Jewish community in Britain "give, give and give" and described the recent rise in anti-Semitic attacks as "very very depressing". » | Bill Gardner | Tuesday, January 27, 2015

André Rieu - Holocaust Memorial Day

Today on Holocaust Memorial Day I'd like to commemorate my wife's relatives who died in concentration camps and all the victims of Auschwitz. Let's all make sure this will never happen again.

For concert dates and tickets visit André Rieu dot com