Contre Daech, l'Iran lance un concours de caricatures

leJDD: La Maison iranienne de la bande dessinée de Téhéran a appelé les dessinateurs du monde entier à caricaturer Daech. Un concours qui n'épargne pas non plus les Etats-Unis et Israël.

Des dessins contre l'Etat islamique. L'Iran a lancé un concours de caricatures ayant pour sujet l'organisation terroriste. La République chiite appelle ainsi les dessinateurs du monde entier à apporter leur contribution à l'"International Daesh Cartoon & Caricature Contest 2015", pour moquer les djihadistes sunnites. Cité par la chaîne de télévision iranienne Press TV, l'organisateur, membre de la Maison iranienne de la bande dessinée de Téhéran, a ainsi déclaré vouloir "révéler la vraie nature de Daech", qui veut "essayer de s'approprier l'islam mais n'a aucune idée de ce qu'est l'islam". » | A.F. - leJDD.fr, samedi 30 mai 2015

Beau Biden, Son of Vice President and Former Delaware AG, Dies at 46

Vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden walks with his son,
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, at the Democratic
National Convention at the Pepsi Center in Denver,
Colorado on August 27, 2008. 

CNN: Washington (CNN) – Joseph "Beau" Biden III, an Iraq war veteran who served as the attorney general of Delaware and was a son of Vice President Joe Biden, has died at the age 46, the White House said in a statement Saturday night.

He had battled brain cancer.

Beau Biden had been receiving treatment at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, according to a statement released Tuesday by the vice president's office. He had suffered known health problems dating back to 2010, when he experienced a stroke that did not affect his motor skills or speech.

In 2013, Beau Biden was treated at a hospital in Houston that specializes in cancer care after he became disoriented and weak while on vacation. He later underwent surgery to have a brain lesion removed. » | Kevin Liptak, CNN White House Producer | Saturday, May 30, 2015

BBC AMERICA: Joe Biden's son Beau dies of brain cancer, aged 46: Former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the son of US Vice-President Joe Biden, has died of brain cancer. » | Sunday, May 31, 2015

Minnesota Muslims Brutally Honest: ‘We Want Shariah’

WND: Street interviews capture on video anti-American, anti-1st Amendment views


The Cedar Riverside section of Minneapolis is home to the University of Minnesota, some tasty ethnic foods and brutally cold winters. It’s also a known hotbed of Islamic terror recruitment.

Al-Shabab, the Islamist group based in Somalia, has had a field day there over the past six or seven years.

Dozens of young Muslims have left the streets of Cedar Riverside, referred to by some Minnesotans as “Little Mogadishu” for its high concentration of Somali refugees, to travel abroad and fight for terrorist groups. Some have joined Somalia’s notorious al-Shabab, which slaughtered 147 Christians at a university in Kenya last month, while others have opted for ISIS in Syria. Their goal is the same – to join their brothers in the fight to establish a Shariah-compliant utopia known as a caliphate.

But one would expect those who walk the streets of this quiet neighborhood to be a bit less fanatical in their views, right? » | Leo Hohmann | Friday, May 29, 2015

Syrian Christian Fighter 'Beheads ISIS Militant to Avenge Those Killed by Terror Group'

DAILY EXPRESS: A SYRIAN Christian fighter has reportedly beheaded an Islamic State (ISIS) militant "in revenge" for the atrocities and murders committed by the terror group.

The jihadist was executed in the north-east Hasakeh province after being taken prisoner in a local village on Thursday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

He was reportedly killed to avenge the attacks perpetrated by bloodthirsty ISIS members in recent months, including beatings, beheadings and burning their captives alive.

The Christian who beheaded the militant was allegedly fighting for Kurdish forces who have been battling against ISIS in recent months.

Observatory Chief Rami Abdel Rahman said: "He took him prisoner and when he found out he was a member of ISIS, the Assyrian fighter beheaded him in revenge for abuses committed by the group in the region." » | Levi Winchester | Saturday, May 30, 2015

European Union Anger at Russian Travel Blacklist

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the ban was "not based
on international law"

BBC AMERICA: The European Union has responded angrily to Russia's entry ban against 89 European politicians, officials and military leaders.

Those banned are believed to include general secretary of the EU council Uwe Corsepius, and former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

Russia shared the list after several requests by diplomats, the EU said.

The EU called the ban "totally arbitrary and unjustified" and said no explanation had been provided.

Many of those on the list are outspoken critics of the Kremlin, and some have been turned away from Russia in recent months.

The EU said that it had asked repeatedly for the list of those banned, but nothing had been provided until now.

"The list with 89 names has now been shared by the Russian authorities. We don't have any other information on legal basis, criteria and process of this decision," an EU spokesman said on Saturday.

"We consider this measure as totally arbitrary and unjustified, especially in the absence of any further clarification and transparency," he added.

A Russian foreign ministry official said that the ban was a result of EU sanctions against Russia. » | Saturday, May 30, 2015

Islamic State Sets Up 'Ministry of Antiquities' to Reap the Profits of Pillaging

A flag of the Islamic State group fluttering on top of the
Roman theatre of the ancient city of Palmyra

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Looting priceless artefacts has raised tens of millions of dollars for Isil – a sum comparable to the profit the terrorists have made by the kidnap and ransom of Western hostages

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) has established a "ministry of antiquities" to maximise the profits from looting priceless artefacts across the territory it controls.

The trade has raised tens of millions of dollars for Isil – a sum comparable to the profit the terrorists have made by the kidnap and ransom of Western hostages.

Since its lightning sweep through Iraq and Syria last year, Isil has sought to transform itself into an organisation capable of ruling its own state, setting up an elaborate hierarchy of leadership and ministries.

But while elsewhere in the Middle East, ministries of this kind try to protect antiquities; Isil's version was established to pillage and smuggle these treasures in a territory replete with classical ruins. » | Louisa Loveluck, Cairo | Saturday, May 30, 2015

Sam Harris 2015 Debate With Rabbi David Wolpe – Cenk Uygur – On Islam

Pamela Geller Debates Chris Cuomo on CNN: "Snap Out of It"

Er machte Obama zur Ikone – nun rechnet er ab

DIE WELT: Der Künstler Shepard Fairey schuf im Jahr 2008 das berühmte Hope-Plakat, das Barack Obama zum Popstar machte. Nun erklärt er, warum der US-Präsident für ihn eine einzige Enttäuschung ist.

Sein berühmtes Hope-Poster mit einem Porträt von Barack Obama in Blau, Rot und hellen Ockertönen hat inzwischen Ikonencharakter erlangt. Es zierte die Wände von Studentenbuden und Wahlkampfbuttons. Es wurde auf T-Shirts gedruckt genauso wie auf Kaffeetassen. Das Original wurde sogar von der ehrwürdigen National Portrait Gallery in Washington erworben, noch bevor der siegreiche Kandidat überhaupt sein Amt angetreten hatte.

Das Poster hat einen sofortigen Wiedererkennungswert, der in der selben Liga spielt wie Jim Fitzpatricks Che-Guevara-Poster, wie der "Guardian" einmal schrieb. Doch neun Jahre nachdem er das berühmte Poster für Barack Obamas Wahlkampf entwarf, ist seinem Schöpfer Shepard Fairey nun der Kragen geplatzt. In einem Interview mit dem Magazin "Esquire" hat er sich sehr enttäuscht gezeigt über den Präsidenten. » | Von Clemens Wergin, Washington, US-Korrespondent | Freitag, 29. Mai 2015

Thousands of Holocaust Survivors Are Living in Poverty, Says US Adviser

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: There are more than half a million Holocaust survivors worldwide and some need urgent help to live a dignified life, says an adviser to the US secretary of state

A substantial number of the 500,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide are suffering from poverty and need urgent help to live a dignified life in their last years, an adviser to the US secretary of state said on Wednesday.

"It's really unacceptable that those people who in their youth suffered so grievously should have to live out their declining years in deprivation, isolation and poverty," Stuart Eizenstat, special adviser on Holocaust issues to John Kerry told AFP.

"In New York City alone, of the 60,000 survivors, 50 per cent are in that state. In Israel about a third are, and in the former Soviet Union countries upwards of 85-90 per cent are in poverty," he said on the sidelines of a conference in Prague.

"All the surveys indicate that substantial percentages of those (survivors) are living in poverty or near poverty," Mr Eizenstat added. » | AFP | Wednesday, May 27, 2015

On Leaving Islam

Unveiling Islam
THE DAILY CALIFORNIAN – THE SOAPBOX: If someone had told me six years ago that I would leave Islam and end up an atheist, I would never have believed him.

I was born and raised as a Muslim. I grew up in a Muslim country — Pakistan — surrounded by other Muslims who were convinced that their religion was the one true religion. My family, in particular, followed moderate Sunni Islam, which is a more liberal approach based on the “Sunnah,” or Prophet’s teachings. That was the path I set out on. But now, as a Muslim apostate and atheist, my journey couldn’t have led me any further from what I once knew to be true.

Until I was 14, I simply accepted everything I’d been told about Islam. I was taught that being born into a Muslim family is a blessing and is the greatest gift that Allah can bestow upon someone. I initially thought the Sunni path I followed was the one true path, just like my Shia, Bori and Ismaili friends adhered to the teachings of the sects their families followed. I noticed how everyone around me claimed to have a monopoly on the truth, which made me question who was actually right. I started to view Islam — and religion in general — as something dogmatic, irrational, unscientific and, most of all, completely sexist.

A feminist since age 10, it’s always been hard for me to reconcile my feminism with my faith. Even though the Pakistani society in which I grew up was sexist, my family has always been very progressive. As a result, I never accepted the male superiority and traditional gender roles that were part of my society. For most of my teen years, I felt torn apart by my contradictory beliefs. On one hand, I was a radical feminist who supported gay rights. But on the other hand, I was a practicing Muslim whose religion was clearly homophobic and placed men above women. » | Shanzeh Khurram | Staff | Friday, May 29, 2015

Marine Le Pen Told by Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Her Opinions about Islam 'Need Correcting'

Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb
met with Marine Le Pen in Cairo

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The French Front National leader met Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Cairo to discuss the need to fight extremism

Egypt’s top imam has warned Marine Le Pen, the French far-Right leader, that her Front National party’s “hostile opinions” towards Islam must be “reviewed and corrected”.

During a meeting in Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, told Ms Le Pen that the Sunni Muslim body had “serious concerns” over her party’s stance on Islam.

The Front National, which had a strong showing in local elections in March, has campaigned on politically explosive issues of immigration and the integration of Islam into French society after the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

Ms Le Pen, who did not wear a veil during the meeting, “recognised the need to not confuse Islam with the violent acts committed” in its name, Al-Azhar said in a statement. » | AFP | Friday, May 29, 2015

Washington DC Officials Block Muhammad Subway Cartoon

Ms Geller is an outspoken critic of Islam

BBC AMERICA: Transport officials in Washington DC have blocked plans by an American free speech pressure group to have a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad displayed on the subway.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative wanted to display the cartoon, which won first prize at an event in Texas.

Two gunmen were shot dead by police outside the event earlier this month.

Washington transport authorities on Thursday banned political, religious and advocacy adverts on the subway.

The transport authority in the US capital voted unanimously to suspend advertisements it describes as "issue-oriented".

AFDI founder Pamela Geller strongly criticised the decision to ban the advert, describing it as an attack on free[dom] of speech.

Ms Geller commented on her website that "rewarding terror with submission is defeat, absolute and complete defeat. "These cowards may claim that they are making people safer, but I submit to you the opposite. They are making it far more dangerous for Americans everywhere."

The advert calls for Americans to support free speech and features a bearded, turban-wearing Muhammad waving a sword and shouting: "You can't draw me!"

In reply, a cartoon bubble portrays an artist grasping a pencil and saying: "That's why I draw you." » | Friday, May 29, 2015

JIHAD WATCH: Assassin’s veto: Washington Transit Authority shuts down free speech, suspends all issue-related ads » | Robert Spencer | Thursday, May 28, 2015

Obama Won’t Acknowledge Dangers of Radical Islam

State Opening of Parliament 2015

TAGES ANZEIGER: «Meine Regierung wird die Beziehung zur EU neu verhandeln» : Werden die Briten bald aus der EU austreten? Queen Elizabeth hat in ihrer Thronrede das Referendum angekündigt – und das Jahresprogramm der Regierung vorgestellt. » | Mittwoch, 27. Mai 2015

LE POINT: Grande-Bretagne : un long chemin vers le Brexit: Lors du discours du Trône, la reine Elizabeth II a officiellement annoncé la tenue d'un référendum sur une sortie de l'UE. Mais l'heure reste à la prudence. » | mercredi 27 mai 2015

Beunruhigend! Der Islam wird Europa erretten

Beunruhigend ist es sehr. Vor allem, weil unsere Politiker sitzen herum und schauen zu, anscheinend hilfslos, während dem unsere Zivilisation in den Mülleimer der Geschichte geworfen wird. – © Mark

Woman Accused of Witchcraft Axed to Death in Papua New Guinea

Local tribes men from Enga, Papua New Guinea

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Woman accused of being a sorceress has been hacked to death by a mob

Police in Papua New Guinea vowed to find the men who axed to death a woman accused of using witchcraft to spark a measles outbreak in the country's remote jungle highlands, a missionary said on Wednesday after meeting authorities.

The woman, Mifila, was one of four women accused with 13 of their family members of using sorcery to cause measles deaths last November in the village of Fiyawena, in Enga province, said Lutheran missionary Anton Lutz.

Women are often accused and killed in witch hunts even though laws passed in 2013 make revenge killings over black magic punishable by death. Human Rights Watch earlier this year named Papua New Guinea as one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman due to gender based violence. » | Agencies | Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Türkei: Ein Privat-Jet für Chef der Religionsbehörde

DIE WELT: Recep Tayyip Erdogan will dem Leiter der Religionsbehörde private Flugzeuge der Regierung zur Verfügung stellen. Der türkische Präsident begründet seinen Vorschlag mit einem Verweis auf den Vatikan.

Der türkische Staatspräsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan will dem Leiter der Religionsbehörde Flugzeuge für Reisen zur Verfügung stellen. "Unser Präsident der Religionsbehörde soll für seine Auslandsreisen unsere Flugzeuge aus dem aktuellen Bestand nutzen. Wieso sollte er mit einem Linienflugzeug reisen?", sagte Erdogan am Dienstagabend dem Sender NTV in Ankara. » | dpa/dkl | Mittwoch, 27. Mai 2015

SEX and WOMEN: The Reason Islamic State Extremists Want to Kill ALL Westerners

Diarmaid MacCulloch is a Church
of England deacon

DAILY EXPRESS: THE WESTERN world's obsession with sex and the role of women are the reasons Islamic extremists want to kill people, a leading professor has warned.

The "pressing of sexual imagery on to the world" means western culture is hated in the rest of the world and leads to jihadists wanting to "kill people in the name of purifying the world", Diarmaid MacCulloch said.

The gay Oxford theological historian and presenter of the BBC's Sex and the Church said the hatred of western culture reaches far and wide and can be seen in Boko Haram in Africa, in the Middle East and in Vladimir Putin's Russia.

He said: "It seems to me that it is about sex.

"A unique feature of western culture is that it loves talking about sex, it obsesses about sex, it presses sexual imagery on to the world.

"Other cultures think about sex a lot but they do not talk about it and they find it intensely embarrassing and frustrating that the West talks about it."

The enhanced role of women in society is another reason Islamic State comrades hate western culture, the professor added.

He said: "The anger that other cultures feel towards western sexual openness, it is so much of the murderous anger which we are seeing in Boko Haram, Islamic State and other revivalist movements of the 20th century.

"Islam, in particular, is the religion of angry young men who are terrified by the way in which women's roles have changed in the last 50 years." » | Alix Culbertson | Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Magic Merkel: Why German Chancellor Is World's Most Powerful Woman for Fifth Year in a Row

Angela Merkel topped the list for the fifth time in a row.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Angela Merkel has been named as the world’s most powerful woman by Forbes magazine for the fifth year running. Here are five reasons Germany’s Chancellor seems unstoppable

1. She’s the one Western leader who knows how to stand up to Putin

In 2007, Vladimir Putin famously ordered his black labrador brought into the room during talks to unsettle Angela Merkel, because she’s known to have a fear of dogs. Her response? “I understand why he has to do this, to prove he’s a man,” she told reporters. “He’s afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing, no successful politics or economy. All they have is this.” » | Justin Huggler, Berlin | Wednesday, May 27, 2015