Putin Has Achieved More against ISIS in a Fortnight Than US Did in a Whole YEAR, Syrian MP

EXPRESS: RUSSIA'S bombing campaign against Islamic State (ISIS) has achieved more in a fortnight than the West managed in a whole YEAR, Syria's top politician claimed today.

The country's most senior MP praised Vladimir Putin's "principled" aerial pounding of the jihadis and denounced Barack Obama as "treacherous and deceptive" during a tubthumping speech to Russian delegates.

In a scathing assessment of Western foreign policy, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Jihad al-Laham said Russia's intervention in the region was having a positive difference whereas America and Britain had created instability and war.

He also provided more evidence of Putin's growing grip on power in the war-torn country, saying that Syria was ready to forge even closer ties with Russia. » | Nick Gutteridge | Monday, October 19, 2015

Anti-immigration Party Wins Swiss Election in 'Slide to the Right'

Swiss People's Party SVP President Toni Brunner laughs
after a debate at the house of Parliament in Bern

THE TELEGRAPH: Anti-immigration Swiss People's Party (SVP) wins biggest share of vote in parliamentary election on Sunday, prompting talk of a "Rechtsrutsch" - a "slide to the Right"

The anti-immigration Swiss People's Party (SVP) won the biggest share of the vote in Sunday's national parliamentary election, keeping pressure on Bern to introduce quotas on people moving from the European Union.

Success for the SVP, coupled with gains made by the pro-business Liberal Party (FDP), led political commentators to talk of a "Rechtsrutsch" - a "slide to the right" - in Swiss politics.

Immigration was the central topic for voters amid a rush of asylum seekers from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe.

"The vote was clear," SVP leader Toni Brunner told Swiss television. "The people are worried about mass migration to Europe."

Sunday's result cemented the SVP's position as the dominant force in Swiss politics. » | Reuters | Monday, October 19, 2015

Russian PM Brands US 'Short-sighted and Weak' over Failure to Hold Talk[s] on ISIS Airstrikes

EXPRESS: THE PRIME Minister of Russia has branded the US "short-sighted and weak" in a scathing attack over failure to hold talks on coordinating airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.

Russia is currently in the midst of a bombing campaign against the twisted terror group after Moscow approved airstrikes in the war-torn country last month.

Washington officials have so far refused to meet with a representative from Russia to discuss coordinating attacks against the evil organisation, claiming that they will only talk when Moscow stops assisting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The US has accused Russia of only looking to prop up Assad's regime by bombing Syria - rather than tackling ISIS.

But President Vladimir Putin has since rubbished their claims and blasted their "unconstructive" stance last week at a meeting with the president of Kazakhstan.

And now the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has also waded into the dispute as he spoke of his bafflement over what he described as the "silly behaviour" of America. » | Levi Winchester | Monday, October 19, 2015

"Merkel, die Schlepperkönigin Europas"

Nach dem miserablen Standing Merkels infolge ihrer Austeritätspolitik in der Griechenlandfrage nutzte sie die Chance in der Flüchtlingsfrage, um dieses wieder aufzumöbeln, ohne aber vorherzusehen, welchen Korken sie da aus der Flasche gezogen hatte.

Professor's Message to Merkel and Hollande: The EU Is 28 Countries, Not Two

Polish university professor Ryszard Legutko, the vice-president of the European Conservatives and Reformists group and an MEP for the Polish Law and Justice party, makes some good points to Merkel and Hollande.

Former Qatari PM Tries to Use UK Diplomatic Immunity to Halt Torture Court Case

THE GUARDIAN: Qatari agents acting on behalf of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani alleged to have falsely imprisoned British national Fawaz al-Attiya in Doha

A former prime minister of Qatar is attempting to use his UK diplomatic immunity to halt a court case in London where he is accused of being responsible for the alleged torture of a British citizen.

Fawaz al-Attiya, a UK national born in London, claims that Qatari agents acting on behalf of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani falsely imprisoned him in Doha for 15 months and subjected him to conditions amounting to torture. Attiya claims he was kept in solitary confinement, deprived of sleep and only let out in handcuffs to be interrogated.

Hamad bin Jassim, sometimes known as “HBJ”, denies the allegations and court documents state that he plans to use diplomatic immunity to challenge the London high court’s jurisdiction at a hearing due to be held later this week. » | Randeep Ramesh and Rori Donaghy | Sunday, October 18, 2015

Sweden: Third Refugee Centre Hit by Suspected Arson Attack within a Week

An old school building set to house refugees was left in ruins, Sunday, after it burned down in the Swedish municipality of Onsala, 30km (19m) from near Gothenburg. It is the third prospective refugee centre in Sweden to be set alight within one week, as suspected arson attacks against migrants spike in the Scandinavian country.

Mrs Thatcher: The Bruges Speech

Margaret Thatcher's historic speech, spawning The Bruges Group, delivered at Bruges in September 1988. Famously rejecting the centralised, unaccountable, federal Europe of Delors, Margaret Thatcher proposed instead a wider, decentralised, outward-looking democratic Europe of independent, freely- trading and cooperating nation states

Margaret Thatcher's Bruges Speech »

Pro und Contra: Von Floridsdorf in den Dschihad: Warum radikalisieren sich junge Österreicher?

In der Sendung Pro und Contra des österreichischen Puls4 diskutierte IZRS-Präsident Nicolas Blancho über die Frage, warum sich vor allem Jugendliche von der Botschaft des "Islamischen Staates (IS)" angezogen fühlen und einige von ihnen auch die Koffer packen und sich dem Kampf in Syrien oder im Irak anschliessen.

Für Blancho ist klar, dass die Debatte zu undifferenziert geführt wird. Die Moderatorin Corinna Milborn machte dies auch gleich zu Beginn der Sendung klar, als sie den IZRS-Präsidenten fragte, warum er ihr die Hand nicht gegeben habe. Jener entgegnete, dass er aus Respekt vor der fremden Frau seine Hand auf die Brust gelegt habe, anstatt sie anzufassen.

Es seien gerade diese normativen Stellvertreterkriege (Handgeben, Kopftuch, Geschlechterrollen), die in der Gesellschaft dem Phänomen der Islamophobie Vorschub leisten würden und die nötige Trennschärfe zwischen tatsächlich radikalen, d.h. ideologisch-gewaltbereiten Ansichten und religiös-konservativer Glaubenspraxis nicht leisteten.

Blancho betonte zudem auch, dass die islamische Bewegung nicht mit dem IS gleichgesetzt werden darf. Es gebe ein berechtigtes und gewichtiges Anliegen unter Muslimen im Mittleren Osten, die postkoloniale Herrschaftsordnungen in Frage zu stellen und selbstbestimmtere Gegenentwürfe hervorzubringen. Dass sich der Westen dabei auf Seiten der postkolonialen Tyrannen immer wieder einmische, sende ganz falsche Signale aus und verkompliziere letztlich auch das soziale Miteinander zwischen Muslimen und Nicht-Muslimen im Westen. .

Gäste am Podium:

Necla Kelek, Autorin und Islamkritikerin; Nicolas Blancho, Islamist, Präsident "Islamischer Zentralrat Schweiz"; Moussa Al-Hassan Diaw, Extremismus-Experte, Obmann der Deradikalisierungsplattform "Netzwerk sozialer Zusammenhalt"; Peter Gridling, Direktor des Bundesamtes für Verfassungsschutz und Terrorismusbekämpfung

Fremdenfeindlichkeit im Netz: EU soll Hasskommentare löschen lassen

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die europäischen Justizminister wollen die Europäische Union zu einem Vorgehen gegen Hasskommentare im Internet bewegen. Sie sollen nicht nur gelöscht, sondern die Verfasser auch strafrechtlich verfolgt werden.

Die EU will entschlossen gegen Hassbotschaften in sozialen Netzwerken vorgehen. Europas Justizminister forderten am Freitag die EU-Kommission auf, Gespräche mit Internet-Anbietern über ein abgestimmtes Vorgehen zu führen, um die Botschaften schnell zu löschen. Die luxemburgische EU-Ratspräsidentschaft forderte die Mitgliedstaaten zudem auf, strafrechtlich entschlossener gegen Verfasser vorzugehen.

Fremdenfeindliche Hassbotschaften seien „nicht hinnehmbar“, sagte Luxemburgs Justizminister Félix Braz, dessen Land derzeit den EU-Vorsitz hat. Die Justizminister nähmen die Hassbotschaften „sehr ernst“ und würden sich abermals im Dezember mit dem Thema befassen. » | Quelle: AFP | Samstag, 10. Oktober 2015

The Impact of Mass Muslim Immigration in Europe Will Be Felt in Australia

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: The arrival of about a million Muslim men in Europe during 2014 and 2015, most of them unaccompanied, most not refugees from Syria, and most of whom would have been classified as illegal immigrants until European border control was plunged into turmoil earlier this year, has set in train a political shock wave. Some tremors will even be felt in Australia.

Already, hundreds of news reports about crime involving newly-arrived Muslim immigrants, and young women being warned by European authorities to wear modest clothing, have changed the public discourse.

Conservative parties are rapidly gaining ground. One of the European politicians harvesting increased support, Geert Wilders, is scheduled to arrive in Australia today.

The main political parties and mainstream media in Europe, having both tried to put a lid on stories which reflect poorly on new arrivals, have lost control of the debate. It has shifted, en masse, to social media.

The European Union itself, having been exposed as hostile to national sovereignty during the Greek financial crisis, is now perceived to have failed to protect European sovereignty at its most basic form – protection from invasion. » | Paul Sheehan | Sydney Morning Herald columnist | Sunday, October 18, 2015

‘Britain to Blame for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ – George Galloway

Pro-Palestinian activists held banners and denounced Israeli aggression, following violent clashes and attacks by Israel Defense Forces on Palestinian civilians. According to former MP and current Respect Party leader George Galloway, "Britain is the cause of all this disaster"

Germany: Huge Protest as Berliners Fume against Turkish Government over Ankara Bombing

Hundreds marched in Berlin in commemoration with those that died in the duel-bomb attack at a peace rally in Ankara on Saturday, October 10.

At least 99 people were killed and more than 400 injured in the attacks, according the the prime minister's office. However, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) have said that 128 died i

Salam Alaykum Österreich! Pro-Contra - Islam in Österreich

Rund 500.000 Menschen mit muslimischen Glauben leben in Österreich. Egal ob im täglichen Zusammenleben oder im politischen Diskurs: Um den Islam in Österreich gibt es oftmals Aufregung. Wir wollen nachfragen: Warum haben manche oftmals Probleme mit dem Islam? Und wie leben Muslime in Österreich?

Gäste am Podium u.a.: Seyran Ateş, Autorin und Islamkritikerin Ednan Aslan, Islam-"Theologe", Universität Wien Gernot Blümel, Generalsekretär, ÖVP Amani Abuzahra, Mitglied des Obersten Rates der Islamischen Glaubensgemeinschaft (IGGiÖ) Farid Hafez, Politikwissenschafter, Universität Salzburg. Moderation: Corinna Milborn

Ist Frau Merkel verrückt?

Mit der Beschleunigung der Islamisierung Deutschlands und Europas, muß man sich eine einfache Frage stellen: Ist Frau Merkel eigentlich ganz beineinder? Ist sie wohl verrückt? Ist sie von allen guten Geistern verlassen? Warum sonst würde sie eine Invasion von Muslimen nicht nur erlauben, sondern auch ermutigen? – © Mark

Mass Immigration Will Destroy the European Union, Argues LEO MCKINSTRY

EXPRESS: Europe is in its death throes, broken by the destructive arrogance, spectacular irresponsibility and neurotic dogma of its own leaders.

The immigration crisis engulfing the EU is the inevitable consequence of the federalists’ insistence on mass freedom of movement and open borders. These steps have been part of a plan to sweep away national democracies, replacing them with a multicultural superstate governed by an unelected elite in Brussels.

Behind all the manipulative propaganda about the plight of the refugees the reality is that the open-door approach amounts to a form of suicide for Europe. The fabric of our civilisation is being transformed through a social revolution for which no European citizen has ever voted.

It is estimated that more than 480,000 migrants have crossed to Europe by sea this year, with the rate of arrivals now reaching 6,000 a day, most of them Muslims from Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

This change will not only impose a colossal strain on the civic infrastructure and social cohesion of the member states but it is bound to accelerate the process of Islamification. One study has shown that in 2010 there were at least 44 million Muslims in Europe, a total that, even before the present crisis, was expected to double by 2050. » | Leo McKinstry | Thursday, September 24, 2015

Britons SHOULD Feel Nervous about Women Wearing Burkas, Says Tory MP

EXPRESS: BRITISH people should feel nervous when they no longer hear English spoken in their communities and women are wearing burkas, a Tory MP has said.

David Davies told the Commons today people in big cities also become nervous when seeing women wearing burkas or "trailing six-feet behind" their husbands.

The Monmouth MP said it is also reasonable for people in some parts of north Wales to feel the same when they fail to hear Welsh on a day-to-day basis.

He insisted these concerns should not be dismissed as racist and said migrants should learn the language of the country where they live while also fitting in with its culture and values. » | Alix Culbertson | Saturday, October 17, 2015

Vladimir Putin Warns Thousands of Russian JIHADIS Now Fighting FOR Islamic State in Syria

EXPRESS: SEVEN thousand jihadi fighters from Russia and the former Soviet east are fighting for Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, President Vladimir Putin has revealed, as Moscow continues its bombing campaign on the twisted terror group.

The ex-KGB strongman also warned Central Asian countries that they were at an increased risk of attack from extremist militants flooding in from Afghanistan.

Chief among the nations threatened by an ISIS incursion is Tajikistan, which has the longest border with lawless Afghanistan, but Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also in the firing line.

Speaking at a regional summit in Kazakhstan, Mr Putin urged the leaders of those countries to work together to propel any invasion.

The proposal could include setting up a Nato-style military alliance of ex-Soviet states amid fears of Taliban "spillover" from Afghanistan.

The Russian leader described the situation in Afghanistan as "close to critical", 24 hours after Barack Obama announced almost 10,000 US troops would remain stationed in the war-torn country. » | Tom Batchelor | Saturday, October 17, 2015

Asylwahnsinn auch in Holland: Geert Wilders berichtet

'Multiculturalism Utterly Failed in Germany' - Merkel (2010)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that attempts at creating a multi-cultural society in Germany have "utterly failed." Merkel was addressing a national meeting of the youth wing of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.
Because multiculturalism has failed, she has decided to bring in people from other cutlures by the drove to see how that works out. How crazy is that? Does she think that multiculturalism is more likely to work with millions more? Her logic is unbelievably difficult to follow. But we must remember that Merkel is a scientist by training. Scientists love experiments. – © Mark

The Children Brainwashed To Become Jihadis

Children Of The Caliphate: A look at the horrific cruelty of Islamic State as they recruit a new generation of Jihadis.

Related video »

Fox News Analyst Arrested for 'Lying about CIA Past'

A frequent Fox News guest cited as a terrorism expert due to an extensive career with the CIA has been arrested and charged with fraud relating to that very career. He is accused of lying on official government documents.

Merkel's Dilemma as Germany Frets over Refugees

THE TELEGRAPH: Even those who supported Angela Merkel's decision to welcome hundreds of thousands of refugees last month are starting to worry that Germany cannot cope

Hundreds of people are huddled outside Berlin’s main government office for asylum-seekers in the pouring rain. Some have soaking sleeping bags wrapped around them against the cold, others stand shivering in thin plastic ponchos; they are all waiting to be registered as refugees.

They come every day to wait. Some arrive as early as 4am and stay until after dark, only to leave empty-handed. There are Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis. Until they are registered, they are homeless in the heart of Europe’s richest country. Many have been waiting for weeks.

The German authorities are overwhelmed, and simply cannot keep up with the thousands arriving every day.

...

In Germany, her personal approval ratings have fallen to their lowest level since 2011, and her Christian Democrat party is sinking fast in the polls.

At a meeting with her own party activists in Germany last week, Mrs Merkel was told bluntly she “should be ashamed” and was a “failure as a government leader”. One activist turned up with a banner that read “Dethrone Merkel”.

…
Read the whole article » | Justin Huggler in Berlin and Peter Foster, Europe Editor | Saturday, October 17, 2015

Revealed: How UK Targets Saudis for Top Contracts

Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz welcomes David Cameron
as he arrives in Jeddah in 2012 to push for more arms sales.

THE GUARDIAN: Documents show that the controversial kingdom is seen as a ‘priority market’ for British companies

Government departments are intensifying efforts to win lucrative public contracts in Saudi Arabia, despite a growing human rights row that led the ministry of justice to pull out of a £6m prison contract in the kingdom last week.

Documents seen by the Observer show the government identifying Saudi Arabia as a “priority market” and encouraging UK businesses to bid for contracts in health, security, defence and justice.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that ministers are bent on ever-closer ties with the world’s most notorious human rights abusers,” said Maya Foa, director of Reprieve’s death penalty team. “Ministers must urgently come clean about the true extent of our agreements with Saudi Arabia and other repressive regimes.”

The UK’s increasingly close relationship with Saudi Arabia – which observes sharia law, under which capital and corporal punishment are common – is under scrutiny because of the imminent beheading of two young Saudis. Ali al-Nimr and Dawoud al-Marhoon were both 17 when they were arrested at protests in 2012 and tortured into confessions, their lawyers say. France, Germany, the US and the UK have raised concerns about the sentences but this has not stopped Whitehall officials from quietly promoting UK interests in the kingdom – while refusing to make public the human rights concerns they have to consider before approving more controversial business deals there. Several of the most important Saudi contracts were concluded under the obscurely named Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) policy, which is meant to ensure that the UK’s security and justice activities are “consistent with a foreign policy based on British values, including human rights”. Foreign Office lawyers have gone to court to prevent the policy being made public. Read on and comment » | Jamie Doward | Saturday, October 17, 2015

Deutschland: Maas: Pegida mitschuldig an Anschlägen

RP ONLINE (RHEINISCHE POST): Berlin. Der Bundesjustizminister übt scharfe Kritik an den Rechtspopulisten.

Nach den jüngsten Vorfällen bei einer Demonstration der sogenannten Pegida-Bewegung ("Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes") in Dresden hat Bundesjustizminister Heiko Maas (SPD) schwere Vorwürfe gegen rechtspopulistische Hetzer erhoben. Die Anhänger der Gruppe sieht Maas als mitverantwortlich für Brandanschläge auf geplante Flüchtlingsheime. "Niemand, der da mitläuft, kann sich von der Verantwortung freimachen für die Taten, die diese Hetze inspiriert", sagte Maas unserer Redaktion. Als Beispiele nannte er brennende Heime oder verletzte Flüchtlingshelfer. Wer Galgen baue und Menschen daran baumeln sehen wolle, setze Hemmschwellen herab. Es gebe keine Ausreden mehr, so der Minister. » | Von Michael Bröcker und Jan Drebes | Quelle: RP | Samstag, 17. Oktober 2015

DIE PRESSE: Deutscher Justizminister warnt vor Pegida-Marsch-Teilnahme » | APA/dpa | Samstag, 17. Oktober 2015

Köln: Stadt unter Schock

SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG: Ein paar Minuten dauert es, bis Helfer der niedergestochenen OB-Kandidatin Henriette Reker den Angreifer zu Boden gerungen haben. Danach ist alles anders in Köln.

Der Mann kam und sagte, er sei hier, um den Messias zu retten und die Bürger der Stadt Köln vor dunklen Mächten. "Ich befreie euch vor solchen Leuten." Dann sticht er zu, mit einem etwa 20 Zentimeter langen Säbel. Er trifft Henriette Reker am Hals, sie sackt zusammen. Ihre Helfer stürzen sich auf den Angreifer, der weiter um sich sticht. Ein paar Minuten dauert dieser Kampf und danach ist alles anders in Köln, die Stadt nicht mehr dieselbe. » | Von Bernd Dörries, Köln | Samstag, 17. Oktober 2015

Messerattacke auf Politikerin in Köln »

Messerattacke auf Politikerin in Köln

SCHWEIZER RADIO UND FERNSEHEN: Vor der morgigen Oberbürgermeisterwahl ist die Mitfavoritin Henriette Reker niedergestochen worden. Der Täter befindet sich in Polizeigewahrsam. Laut Medienberichten hat er als Motiv die Flüchtlingspolitik genannt. Die Politikerin befindet sich laut Wahlkampfteam ausser Lebensgefahr.

Einen Tag vor der Kölner Wahl ist die Oberbürgermeisterkandidatin Henriette Reker bei einer Messerattacke auf einem Wochenmarkt schwer verletzt worden. Ein mit einem Messer bewaffneter Mann habe die parteilose Reker am Morgen um kurz nach neun Uhr an einem Wahlkampfstand der CDU angegriffen, teilte die Stadt Köln mit. Reker sei durch einen Stich in den Hals verletzt worden. Der etwa 30- bis 40-jährige Angreifer wurde festgenommen. » | SRF 4 News, 11:00 Uhr; agenturen/roso; stric | Samstag, 17. Oktober 2015

Pascal Weber: «Der Konflikt wird internationaler»

Les premiers cars de migrants arrivent en Slovénie

LE MATIN: CRISE MIGRATOIRE — Ce pays est la nouvelle destination des candidats à l'asile dans l'Union européenne.

Six premiers autocars transportant des migrants sont arrivés samedi matin à la frontière de la Slovénie. Ce pays est la nouvelle destination des candidats à l'asile dans l'Union européenne après la fermeture par la Hongrie de sa frontière avec la Croatie.

Trois autocars ont poursuivi leur route jusqu'à un centre d'accueil, selon la police. Les passagers des trois autres étaient directement enregistrés à la frontière, a constaté un journaliste. » | afp/nxp | samedi 17 octobre 2015

Allemagne : "Nous avons froid", le cri d'alarme des réfugiés

LE POINT: Alors que les températures dégringolent outre-Rhin, des migrants logés, faute de mieux, sous des tentes non chauffées, interpellent les autorités.

"Nous avons froid !" : des réfugiés, logés faute de mieux sous des tentes en Allemagne, poussent un cri d'alarme alors que les températures dégringolent et obligent des autorités surmenées à chercher des solutions pour des dizaines de milliers de migrants. "Ils disent qu'ils vont faire quelque chose mais ils ne nous disent pas quand. Peut-être quand tout le monde se sera transformé en glaçon !" : Hussein, un jeune Afghan de 25 ans refusant de dévoiler sa véritable identité, dort depuis un mois sous l'une des tentes non chauffées montées en urgence par la ville de Hambourg (Nord).

"La nuit, on ne peut pas rester plus d'une heure sous la tente", poursuit-il. Dans ce grand port du Nord comme dans le reste du pays, le thermomètre a vertigineusement chuté, transformant les nuits sans chauffage en cauchemar. Et l'hiver allemand, réputé pour sa rigueur, n'a pas encore démarré. » | Source AFP | samedi 17 octobre 2015

Germany: Refugee Train Re-routed due to Far-right Rally at Berlin Airport

Around 20 far-right protesters gathered outside Berlin Schoenefeld Airport where a train with at least 550 asylum seekers was due to arrive on Saturday morning. The demonstration was organised by the German far-right National Democratic Party (NPD). The protesters held banners reading "Asylum deception makes us poor!" and "No to sheltering refugees! We are against!"

Germany: Merkel Talks Refugee Crisis as She Addresses CDU/CSU Youth

Israeli Forces Lockdown the Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli security forces imposed age restrictions at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, allowing only Palestinian men over 40 to attend Friday night prayers.

Hungary Plunges Europe into Further Chaos with SECOND Border Closure with Croatia

EXPRESS: HUNGARY will tonight permanently close its border with Croatia, plunging Europe into further turmoil.

A four-metre high razor-wire fence has been erected along Hungary's southern border with Croatia over recent weeks as the country continues its crackdown on the migrants entering en route to Germany and northern Europe.

Officials had said the frontier would remain open if European Union (EU) leaders could agree on a scheme to send security forces to Greece to stem the flow of migrants and refugees.

But the Hungarian foreign minister announced today that the fence would close at midnight local time (10pm BST). » | Tom Batchelor and Agnes Kegl | Friday, October 16, 2015

Une fusillade fait 5 morts en Arabie saoudite

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Une attaque dans une mosquée chiite revendiquée par le groupe EI a fait 5 mort en Arabie Saoudite.

Un homme armé a abattu vendredi cinq personnes, dont une femme, lors d'une fusillade dans une salle commune de la ville de Saihat, dans l'est de l'Arabie saoudite, rapporte le ministère de l'Intérieur. L'attaque visait une réunion de membres de la communauté chiite.

L'attentat a également fait neuf blessés, précise le ministère dans un communiqué. L'agresseur a été abattu par la police saoudienne.

Le document précise que l'attaque a eu lieu vendredi vers 19h00 (18h00 en Suisse), lorsqu'un homme portant une arme automatique «a commencé à tirer au hasard» dans la husseiniya (une salle utilisée pour des commémorations chiites) d'Al-Haidaria, dans le quartier de Saihat de la ville de Qatif. » | samedi 17 octobre 2015

Germany Ready to Give Greece Financial Aid to Tackle Refugee Crisis

THE GUARDIAN: Berlin acknowledges Greek economy too weak to cope with influx and is willing to give support in return for more robust border controls

Germany is willing to give Greece financial backing to deal with the unprecedented refugee crisis on its own soil instead of exporting it north towards central Europe.

With thousands of refugees pouring into Greece every day and the economy still sputtering, officials in Berlin indicated that Germany would come up with support for Athens in return for a more robust effort to control its borders in the Aegean Sea.

Stressing that there was no connection between any support linked to refugees and the bailout deal agreed this year, as had been suggested in German media, the government admitted Greece’s economy was too delicate for it to be able to deal with the crisis on its own.

“We want to support Greece in this, so that it is able to meet its duties as a member of the EU to protect its borders in the most effective way,” the government spokesman Steffen Seibert told journalists in Berlin. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Helena Smith in Athens | Friday, October 16, 2015

Turkey Rejects Offer of EU Membership in Exchange for Halting Refugee Influx

THE TELEGRAPH: Turkey says plan agreed by EU officials for joint action on migrants amounts to 'bribery'

Turkey has brushed off the offer of EU membership in exchange for halting the refugee influx as “bribery”, hours after European leaders sought to buy the country’s co-operation at a price of £2 billion.

Racep Tayyip Erdogan, the man Europe hopes can hold back a vast new wave of migrants, ridiculed an offer of visas, cash and a fresh chapter of accession talks drawn up by European leaders last night.

If Brussels wants his co-operation, nothing less than full EU membership will do, the president said, adding that the offer did not appear to be “sincere”.

“The West and Europe's security and stability is contingent on our security and stability. They have accepted this now. So if it can't happen without Turkey, why don't you take Turkey into the EU? The problem is clear but they are not open,” he said.

Mr Erdogan’s determination to drive a hard bargain with Europe came as Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, prepared to travel to Turkey this weekend to try build momentum for a workable deal with Ankara. » | Matthew Holehouse, Brussels and Peter Foster, Europe Editor | Friday, October 16, 2015

Family of Saudi Schoolboy Protester Fears His Execution Is Imminent

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr is accused of participating in an
illegal demonstration and firearms offences

THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama urged to intervene on behalf of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr after Riyadh rejects his appeal against the death sentence

The family of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, a Saudi teenager facing death by crucifixion or beheading for taking part in an anti-government protest, fear his execution is imminent.

A member of the Shia minority, he was only 17 years old and still a schoolboy when he was arrested three and a half years ago at a rally in Qatif during the Arab Spring.

The Saudi authorities sentenced the teenager to death after convicting him of armed robbery, possessing a machine gun, attacking security forces and attending an illegal protest.

An appeal was rejected by the country’s supreme court last month and he was moved into solitary confinement along with, it is believed, two other teenagers facing the death penalty for similar offences – Dawood Hussein al-Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher.

The death sentence imposed on the teenager has intensified criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

Fears that the Saudis are preparing for his execution have been heightened by the abrupt cancellation of prison visits and phone calls. » | David Millward | Friday, October 16, 2015

"Merkels neues Deutschland – Schaffen wir das?“ - Unter den Linden am 12. Oktober 2015

Zu Gast bei Michael Hirz sind u.a, Prof. Herfried Münkler (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Warning! This Video Is Not Suitable for Children! Foul Language! Islamophobia: Pregnant Muslim Woman Verbally Abused on a London Bus

Date of incident: 14/10/2015. The joys of multiculturalism!

BBC TRENDING: Black woman's racist rant on a London bus: Footage showing a woman's anti-Muslim tirade on a London bus has prompted a discussion about the fact that the abusive woman is black. » | Blog by Mike Wendling | Reporting by Anne-Marie Tomchak | Friday, October 16, 2015

German Anti-Islam Protesters Slam 'Dangerous' Merkel

FRANCE 24: DRESDEN (GERMANY) (AFP) - Germany's anti-Islam party PEGIDA stepped up its attacks on Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, slamming her as "the most dangerous woman in Europe" and demanding she resign.

PEGIDA leader Tatjana Festerling told a rally of thousands of supporters in the eastern city of Dresden that Merkel's policy of welcoming refugees had turned Germany into a "gigantic camp in the jungle".

Festerling, who came fourth in Dresden's mayoral elections in June with 10 percent of the vote, denounced Merkel as "irresponsible" describing her as "the most dangerous woman in Europe". » | AFP | Monday, October 12, 2015

Worlds Apart: 'US Responsible for Refugee Crisis, It Should Pay the Bill' - Vaclav Klaus, Former Czech President

The dissolution of Czechoslovakia offers a rare example of how radical social and political change can be brought about both peacefully and legally. What lessons from the Czechoslovak experience can be applied to the resolution of numerous conflicts besetting the EU, from the refugee crisis to the Ukrainian conflict? Oksana is joined by Vaclav Klaus, the former President of the Czech Republic, to discuss these issues.

The Glazov Gang – Muslim Refugee in Europe Warns About Muslim Refugees in Europe

The Glazov Gang-Muslim Refugee in Europe Warns About Muslim Refugees in Europe: Mudar Zahran (Jordanian Palestinian Leader)

British FM: End of 'Israeli Occupation' Long Overdue

Philip Hammond

ARUTZ SHEVA: Hammond equates Arab terrorists and 'Israeli settlers,' demands end to Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Friday issued a statement about the rising wave of Arab terrorism engulfing Israel, but equally blamed Arab terrorists and "Israeli settlers" while urging an end to the Jewish presence in the Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria.

"I continue to be deeply concerned by violent clashes across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (i.e. Judea and Samaria - ed.) and Israel which have resulted in a number of deaths and hundreds of injuries," began Hammond.

“We condemn all acts of violence, including attacks by Palestinians and by Israeli settlers," he said, equating pre-planned terror attacks with unspecified "settler violence."

"We urge all sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the tensions and avoid actions that threaten to exacerbate the situation." » | Arutz Sheva Staff | Friday, October 9, 2015

EU and Turkey agree on Joint Migrant Action Plan

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed on more money for Turkey in order to deal with the refugee crisis. The meeting comes as the EU's border agency Frontex estimates over 600 thousand people have entered the bloc this year already. Most of the asylum seekers come from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and across the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Administration Stands by Accusations of Israeli Terror

Oct. 15, 2015 - 13:20 - Israel's prime minister warns the world not to confuse his country's victims with their attackers

Germany's Jews Living In Fear of Thousands of Muslim Refugees Raised to Be Anti Semitic

EXPRESS: MANY German Jews are now living in fear of the hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees coming into the country because "they have absorbed anti-Semitism from their mother's milk".

A spokesman of the Jewish forum for Democracy and against anti-Semitism, Levi Salomon, said Jew-hating Nazi ideology and the hatred of Israel had been at the heart of the ruling Baath parties in both Syria and Iraq for decades.

He warned: "Therefore it must be assumed that the majority of Syrian refugees have absorbed anti-Semitism with their mother's milk."

Under the rule of Nazi Germany in the 1930s until the end of World War 2 in 1945, millions of Jews were imprisoned and killed during the Holocaust as part of Adolph Hitler's "final solution" to ethnically cleanse the country of Jews.

Salomon added: "It is a reverse import - spawned in the West exported to the Middle East and brought back again." » | Allan Hall | Thursday, October 15, 2015

French Weatherman Taken Off Air after Questioning Climate Change

THE GUARDIAN: France 2 channel’s Philippe Verdier told not to return to work for foreseeable future after writing book which throws doubt on findings of leading scientists

A French TV weatherman has been taken off air after writing a book in which he questions climate change. Philippe Verdier, a familiar face on the state-run France 2 channel, said he had been told not to return to work for the foreseeable future.

“I received a letter asking me not to come,” Verdier told RTL radio this week. “I don’t know any more than that, I don’t know how long it will last. It’s all to do with my book.” » | Agence France-Presse in Paris | Thursday, October 15, 2015

Putin Introduces Bill to Prohibit Canonical Religious Texts Being Designated 'Extremist'

THE MOSCOW TIMES: President Vladimir Putin has introduced a bill at the State Duma that would prohibit the canonical texts of Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Buddhism from being designated “extremist,” a news report said.

“The Bible, Quran, Tanakh and Kanjur, their content and quotations from them may not be deemed extremist materials,” the bill states, state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.

The bill follows an outcry by Russia's Muslim population against a ruling made by a Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city court in August that deemed a book containing quotes and commentary on verses from the Quran “extremist” and banned it from local distribution. » | The Moscow Times | Thursday, October 15, 2015

Sabatina James: Die Gewalt ist durch den Koran begründet

Ihr Buch: Nur die Wahrheit macht uns frei: Mein Leben zwischen Islam und Christentum »

Andreas Thiel sagt die Wahrheit über den Islam - Islam verbieten - Muslime abschieben

Jewish Ex-Leader: Muslim Immigration Could Spell an End to Europe’s Jewish Communities

HUNGARY TODAY: Mass immigration from the Muslim world is a threat to the Jewish community because it exports the Middle Eastern conflict to Europe, a senior Hungarian Jewish public figure has said.

Speaking to the Wednesday edition of the pro-government daily newspaper Magyar Idők [Magyar Times], Péter Feldmájer, the former head of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (MAZSIHISZ), the country’s largest Jewish organisation, said that immigration poses a major national security threat to Europe and the protection of Schengen borders is “vital” if the wave of immigration is to be halted. “There are evil people among them [the migrants], who are sent to our continent by their evil leaders. Even if they form only a negligible part of all immigrants, they bring with them strife which could lead to explosions”, he said. » | via hvg.hu | Wednesday, October 14, 2015

HUNGARY TODAY: Orbán vs Soros: Overwhelming Majority of Hungarians Support PM's Immigration Proposals, Survey Shows »

Here’s What Happens When You Drink Red Wine Every Night

Read the TIME article here | Mandy Oaklander | Monday, October 12, 2015

Asylanten vermieten Frauen für 10$ und vergewaltigen sie

Muslimische Asylanten jagen Christen in Celle

HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »

Op-Ed: Jews, Muslims and European Refugees

ARUTZ SHEVA: What has the massive Muslim influx to Europe meant to its Jews?

Developments in the refugee crisis in Europe have been rapid. Jews (and Israel) must monitor the fast changing crisis carefully, to identify the aspects relevant to them. One such development, among many others, are the frequent comparisons of the current Muslim refugees with the Jews fleeing Germany in the 1930s. They are greatly distorted.

The main developments are in Germany where Chancellor Angela Merkel has put her reputation – and perhaps even her position – at stake by allowing the influx of large numbers of refugees. There have been a number of arson attempts at refugee centers. The originators are probably from the extreme right. Due to their ideological orientation they may also target Jews in the future.

The fights in asylum centers between various groups of refugees, the Christian attempts to proselytize among the incoming Muslims, and Salafist efforts to turn refugees into Muslim extremists are other issues now coming to the fore. Sexual assaults on women carried out by refugees have been reported, both in asylum centers and elsewhere. It has also been suggested that Muslims and Christians should be separated in the asylum centers, as some among the former terrorize the latter. In France, some municipalities are only willing to welcome Christian refugees.

From the specific Jewish point of view, besides the issues which concern them as citizens, it is relevant is that the current influx again places Islam’s position in Western Europe in the center of public debate. The EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security affairs Federica Mogherini said earlier this year: “Islam holds a place in our Western societies. Islam belongs in Europe. It holds a place in Europe's history, in our culture, in our food and – what matters most – in Europe's present and future."

Merkel said: “Most Muslims are honest citizens, and are loyal to the constitution. It is clear that Islam by now undoubtedly belongs to Germany.” » | Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld | Thursday, October 15, 2015

Merkel im Bundestag zur Asylpolitik

Wachsender Protest gegen Flüchtlinge in Deutschland

Während das deutsche Parlament morgen ein neues Asylrecht verabschiedet, kommt es immer häufiger zu Brandanschlägen und Übergriffen auf Flüchtlings-unterkünfte, besonders in den neuen Bundesländern im Osten Deutschlands.

Réfugiés : Merkel dans la tourmente

LE POINT: La chancelière, qui a rejeté jeudi l'idée d'une fermeture de l'Europe face au flux de migrants, affronte dans son pays une grogne sans précédent.

La chancelière Angela Merkel a rejeté jeudi l'idée d'une fermeture de l'Europe face au flux de migrants, estimant qu'elle devait rester "solidaire", tout en appelant à un meilleur contrôle à la frontière entre la Turquie et la Grèce. S'exprimant devant les députés allemands à Berlin avant un sommet européen sur le sujet devant commencer en début de soirée à Bruxelles, la chancelière allemande a estimé que l'UE devait en particulier aider la Turquie à mieux surveiller ses frontières car l'espace maritime entre la Turquie et la Grèce est actuellement "aux mains des passeurs".

De manière générale face à la crise migratoire, "il faut une Europe de la solidarité, toute autre option est condamnée à l'échec", a déclaré Angela Merkel, alors que les pays d'Europe de l'Est en particulier, par lesquels les migrants transitent depuis les Balkans, ont nettement renforcé leurs contrôles ces dernières semaines. "Une fermeture (des frontières de l'Europe) est une illusion au XXIe siècle, qui est celui de l'Internet", a lancé la chancelière allemande, en réponse aussi aux critiques de plus en plus virulentes dont elle fait l'objet en Allemagne du fait de sa politique d'ouverture, avec une mini-rébellion au sein de sa famille politique conservatrice en particulier. "Il n'est pas exagéré de parler d'un défi d'ampleur historique" pour l'Europe à propos de la réponse à la vague de migrants actuelle, a encore dit Angela Merkel. Plus de 710 000 migrants sont entrés dans l'Union européenne entre le 1er janvier et le 30 septembre, selon des chiffres publiés mardi par l'agence européenne de surveillance des frontières Frontex. À elle seule, l'Allemagne en attend jusqu'à un million pour l'ensemble de l'année et les capacités d'accueil du pays sont mises à rude épreuve. » | Source AFP | jeudi 15 octobre 2015

End of ISIS? Terror Group 'On Verge of Defeat' as Russian Jets Cut Off Arms Supplies

EXPRESS: ISLAMIC State (ISIS) is on the verge of defeat after Russia cut off its arm supplies, according to reports.

Russian jets have made 41 sorties and carried out 40 attacks against the twisted terror group in the past 24 hours, a defence official claimed.

The attacks took place in dozens of ISIS strongholds in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, Latakia and Deir ez-Zur, he added. » | Tom Parfitt | Thursday, October 15, 2015

EXPRESS: Putin defiant as ISIS bomb ring smashed in Moscow: VLADIMIR Putin has pledged to continue bombing raids in Syria as it emerged police have foiled an Islamic State (ISIS) attack on Moscow. » | Leda Reynolds | Tuesday, October 13,2015

Isis 'Not My Cup of Tea' Says British Woman Who Went to Syria to Join

THE GUARDIAN: Shukee Begum went to Syria with her five children to be with her jihadi husband Jamal al-Harith, a former Guantánamo Bay detainee

A British woman who fled Islamic State with her five children after travelling to Syria to be with her husband has told of her experience of life under the group’s rule, describing the “gangster mentality” among supporters as “not my cup of tea”.

Shukee Begum, who fled Isis and says that she was then held by smugglers in northern Syria, said that she wanted to return to the UK but feared what the reception would be from British authorities. She is currently believed to be living in Syria.

“I would love to go back to the UK,” the 33-year-old told Channel 4 News.

“The UK is my home. I grew up there, my friends are there my family are there. That is where I consider to be home but I am just not sure at the moment of the track record of the current government if the UK is somewhere I can come back to and achieve justice.” » | Ben Quinn | Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Mother of Saudi Man Sentenced to Crucifixion Begs Obama to Intervene

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr

THE GUARDIAN: US president urged to rescue Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, sentenced to be beheaded and crucified for allegedly attending anti-government protests

The mother of a Saudi protester sentenced to death by beheading and crucifixion has begged Barack Obama to intervene to save her son’s life.

In her first interview with foreign media, Nusra al-Ahmed, the mother of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, whose case has made headlines around the world, described the intended punishment as savage and “backwards in the extreme”.

Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Reprieve, the US talkshow host Bill Maher and the British prime minister, David Cameron, have all weighed in with calls for clemency to stop Nimr, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, from being beheaded and then crucified.

The oil-rich state is facing increasing diplomatic scrutiny over the severity of its penal system as it takes over the chair of the UN human rights council.

Asked how she was coping knowing that at any moment her son could be put to death following the Saudi supreme court’s rejection of his appeal, Ahmed said: “For other people every hour is composed of 60 minutes, but for me every hour is 60 beats of pain.” (+video interview with mother) » | Shiv Malik, Mona Mahmood and Laurence Topham | Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Black Flag - Trailer

Filmed in the trenches as bullets fly overhead, Majed Nesisi's camera follows the volunteers fighting against IS control in Iraq.

Syria Archbishop Calls on West to Back President Bashar al-Assad in War against Islamist Rebels

THE TELEGRAPH: Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart, based in Aleppo, says West should follow Russia in backing Assad regime rather than Islamist-dominated rebel groups

A leading Christian bishop in Syria has welcomed Russia's intervention in the country's civil war, saying the West should follow Vladimir Putin in backing President Bashar al-Assad rather than rebel groups dominated by Islamic extremists.

Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart, who is based in the war-ravaged northern city of Aleppo, said Mr Putin's involvement had brought "hope" to many of Syria's Christian minority, who thought it might force the warring sides to the negotiating table.

In an interview with The Telegraph during a visit to London, he also urged Britain and America to re-examine their assessment of President Assad, who he claimed was not the "Devil" that they made him out to be.

Archbishop Jeanbart said: "I have been asking fellow bishops, priests and lay people about what they think of the Russian involvement, and they say they find some hope in it because they are desperate for the end of this war.

"As long as Europe and the USA have been involved, we have no seen no results despite the coalition bombing, but with the Russian intervention maybe things will change.

"Perhaps it will help destroy Daesh and push the opposition to find a solution," he added, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The bishop made his comments ahead of a visit to the House of Lords on Tuesday afternoon, where he was due to make a speech at event to mark the launch of a new report on the persecution of Christians worldwide. » | Colin Freeman | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Besorgte Bürger radikalisieren sich - Widerstand - Merkel muss weg - Volksverräter - Neuwahlen - ARD

Erst gegen Ausländer, jetzt gegen den Staat: Wie Pegida & Co. immer radikaler werden. Wir haben in Sebnitz hingehört.

Widerstand gegen Merkels Asylpolitik wächst

Flüchtlingspolitik: Aufstand gegen Merkel weitet sich aus

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Die Zustimmung für die Kanzlerin und die Union sinken wegen Merkels Flüchtlingspolitik. In einer CDU-Fraktionssitzung entlädt sich der Unmut. Und ein offener Brief an Merkel findet immer mehr Unterzeichner: Sie verlangen, dass die Grenzen geschlossen werden.

In der CDU wird die Kritik an der Flüchtlingspolitik von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel deutlich lauter. So ist der drei Seiten lange und gegen Angela Merkels Flüchtlingskurs gerichtete Brandbrief von CDU-Funktionären und Landtagsabgeordneten aus acht Bundesländern gegen den Kurs der „Politik der offenen Grenzen“ von vielen weiteren Unionspolitikern unterzeichnet worden. Vor knapp einer Woche war er von 34 eher unbekannten Unions-Politikern unterzeichnet worden. Auch in der CDU-Bundestagsfraktion wurde nach Angaben von Teilnehmern der Sitzung am Dienstag offen wie noch nie zuvor Unmut über Merkels Kurs der Grenzöffnung für zehntausende Flüchtlinge laut.

Der an die Bundeskanzlerin gerichtete Brief hat nach Angaben der „Bild“-Zeitung inzwischen 126 Unterzeichner. Unter ihnen sind nun auch neben Funktionären aus der dritten und vierten Reihe bekanntere CDU-Politiker, darunter allein 38 Landtagsabgeordnete. » | Quelle: FAZ.NET | Mittwoch, 14. Oktober 2015

"60 Minutes" Interview: President Obama

Is the U.S. taking a backseat to Russia in Syria? Steve Kroft asks President Obama in an interview for “60 Minutes.”

A Look at the Swiss Guard

Mike Ceruiti, a Swiss Guard, tells 60 Minutes why he serves the pope.

Church of England Considers Christmas-only Parishes

THE TELEGRAPH: Radical plan to scrap Sunday services in some areas to cope with cost of maintaining historic buildings with dwindling congregations

Historic village churches across England could be closed down except on holy days such as Christmas and Easter under radical plans being considered by the Church of England to cope with decline.

A major report on the future of the 16,000 Anglican places of worship in England acknowledges that parts of the centuries-old parish system may soon no longer be “sustainable” as existing congregations age and overall numbers dwindle.

It discloses that one in four rural parishes – or about 2,000 churches – now have fewer than 10 regular worshippers and half would now be unable to muster even 20 on a Sunday. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Ann Corcoran on Refugee Resettlement

Buy Refugee Resettlement and the Hijra to America ‪here

Germany: PEGIDA Slams Merkel Over Refugee Influx

Putin Says US Officials Have 'Mush for Brains' As They REFUSE to Help Him Destroy ISIS

Vladimir Putin has hit out at Washington over the Syria crisis

EXPRESS: VLADIMIR Putin has accused US officials of having "mush for brains" after they refused to cooperate in his bid to wipe out the evil Islamic State.

The Russian president claimed Washington had shunned a request to provide a list of terrorist targets in the country.

He said: "We asked on the military level to give us the targets which they consider to be the terrorist ones for sure, 100 per cent. But the answer was: 'No, we are not ready to do that'.

"Then we thought and asked another question: 'Then could you tell us where we should not hit?' Again, no answer. So, what should we do?"

Since Putin launched airstrikes in Syria last month, Washington and its allies have suggested Russia is seeking to prop up Bashar al-Assad's regime.

But he hit back, saying his country wants to "contribute to the fight against terrorism" which threatens "the whole world".

Speaking in Moscow, Putin added: "I think some of our partners simply have mush for brains. » | Tom Parfitt | Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Bahrain Accuses Iran of 'State-sponsored Terrorism'

"We are fighting state-sponsored terrorism," said Sheikh Khalid.
"There are cells operating in Bahrain that report directly to their
superiors in Iran"

THE TELEGRAPH: Tiny Gulf state says Iran is providing sanctuary and financial support for terrorists planning attacks aimed at overthrowing pro-Western monarchy

The tiny Gulf state of Bahrain has accused Iran of waging a campaign of “state-sponsored terrorism” aimed at overthrowing the country’s pro-Western ruling monarchy.

Bahraini security officials claim Iran is providing sanctuary and financial support for terrorists planning attacks in the kingdom, and say that scores of Bahraini citizens have received training in various terrorist techniques in camps operated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Speaking during a visit to London on Tuesday, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Barhain’s Foreign Minister, claimed Iran had embarked on “the path of conquest and power projection” against neighbouring Gulf states.

“We are fighting state-sponsored terrorism,” said Sheikh Khalid. “There are cells operating in Bahrain that report directly to their superiors in Iran.”

Since Iran signed its controversial nuclear deal with the West in June, Bahraini officials say they have identified a significant increase in Iranian-backed terrorist activity in the sheikhdom. » | Con Coughlin, Defence Editor | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

President Obama Reveals Himself

Oct. 12, 2015 - 9:12 - 'The O'Reilly Factor': Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points 10/12

Amid Russian Airstrikes, a Putin Craze Takes Hold in Mideast

A Syrian woman kisses a poster of Russian President Vladimir
Putin during a pro-Syrian government protest in March 2012
in font of the Russian Embassy in Damascus.

THE JAPAN TIMES: BEIRUT – Amid the ornate walls of Damascus’ famed Omayyad Mosque, preacher Maamoun Rahmeh stood before worshippers last week, declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin a “giant and beloved leader” who has “destroyed the myth of the self-aggrandizing America.”

Posters of Putin are popping up on cars and billboards elsewhere in parts of Syria and Iraq, praising the Russian military intervention in Syria as one that will redress the balance of power in the region.

The Russian leader is winning accolades from many in Iraq and Syria, who see Russian airstrikes in Syria as a turning point after more than a year of largely ineffectual efforts by the U.S.-led coalition to dislodge the Islamic State militants who have occupied significant parts of the two countries.

The reactions underscore that while the West may criticize Putin for supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, there is some relief in the region at the emergence of a player with a coherent — if controversial — strategy. » | AP | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

@ATXright Obama's weakness & incompetence could get us all killed. http://t.co/gcVOSRa7FO #PutinKills #putinmania pic.twitter.com/9rtFnaRMYn

— Agent 54 (@Agent_54) October 9, 2015

Dresden PEGIDA Rally Draws Thousands Demanding Ouster of Refugees, Merkel

THE JAPAN TIMES: DRESDEN, GERMANY – Thousands of Germans took part Monday in a protest organized by the anti-Islam group PEGIDA, almost one year after it held its first rally in the eastern city of Dresden.

Police declined to provide a crowd count for the protest, which passed peacefully. An AP reporter estimated the crowd at about 7,000-8,000.

Speakers including PEGIDA co-founder Lutz Bachmann denounced the decision of German Chancellor Angela Merkel government’s to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees, many of whom are fleeing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

“They are leading us straight into a European civil war,” Bachmann told the crowd in front of Dresden’s famous Semperoper opera house. Protesters responded with chants of “Merkel must go” and calls to deport refugees. One protester carried a mock gallows with two hangman’s nooses, marked “Reserved for Angela Merkel” and “Reserved for Sigmar Gabriel,” her deputy. » | AP | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

UK Ditches Plan to Bid for £5.9m Saudi Arabia Prisons Contract

THE GUARDIAN: Opposition MPs laud justice secretary Michael Gove, while PM is to write to Saudis over fate of UK pensioner Karl Andree, who faces 360 lashes

Downing Street has announced that the government is to cancel a £5.9m contract to provide a training programme for prisons in Saudi Arabia.

In a significant victory for the justice secretary, Michael Gove – whose attempts to cancel the project had been resisted by David Cameron and the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond – the prime minister’s spokeswoman said the contract has been cancelled following a review.

The spokeswoman said: “This bid to provide the additional training to Saudi Arabia has been reviewed and the government has decided that it won’t be proceeding with the bid. The review has been ongoing following the decision that was announced earlier in September to close down the Just Solutions International branch of the Ministry of Justice that was providing some of these services.”

In another significant development, Downing Street also announced that the prime minister is to write to the Saudi authorities to raise his concerns about the case of Karl Andree, the 74-year-old grandfather who is due to face 360 lashes for transporting homemade wine in his car.

The No 10 spokeswoman said: “This is an extremely concerning case. We have been providing consular assistance to Mr Andree and to his family since he was first arrested. We have raised the case repeatedly in recent weeks. » | Nicholas Watt and Alan Travis | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

THE GUARDIAN: Saudi prisons contract: Gove and Hammond clash over deal: Foreign secretary accuses cabinet colleague of ‘naivety’ for seeking to withdraw from £5.9m bid to provide services to Saudi penal system » | Nadia Khomami | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

THE GUARDIAN: Michael Gove emerges as human rights hero over bid to scrap Saudi prisons deal: Fresh details of justice secretary’s cabinet battle with Philip Hammond casts him as improbable champion of human rights » | Alan Travis Home affairs editor | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

«Merkel macht aus Deutschland ein riesiges Dschungelcamp»

TAGES ANZEIGER: Fast 10'000 Menschen haben in Dresden an einer Pegida-Kundgebung teilgenommen. Die Bundesregierung und deren Flüchtlingspolitik sind harsch kritisiert worden.

Am Montagabend haben sich in Dresden erneut tausende Menschen an einer Demonstration der antiislamischen Pegida-Bewegung beteiligt. Nach Schätzungen der Gruppe Durchgezählt versammelten sich bis zu 9000 Menschen auf dem Theaterplatz vor der Semperoper.

Der Pegida-Mitbegründer Lutz Bachmann wies in seiner Rede auf das einjährige Bestehen von Pegida in der kommenden Woche hin. Die Bundesregierung bezeichnete er als «unsere Berliner Diktatoren» und kritisierte deren Flüchtlingspolitik. Hier sei eine «Kehrtwende dringend erforderlich». Es müsse «unattraktiver werden, in Deutschland Asyl zu beantragen». » | woz/chk/sda | Montag, 12. Oktober 2015

Verwandt »

Al-Nusra-Chef bietet drei Millionen Euro für Assads Ermordung

TAGES ANZEIGER: Auf den syrischen Präsidenten Baschar al-Assad hat die islamistische Al-Nusra-Front ein Kopfgeld ausgesetzt.

Die islamistische Al-Nusra-Front, syrischer Ableger des sunnitischen Al-Kaida-Netzwerks, hat auf die Tötung des syrischen Präsidenten Baschar al-Assad eine Belohnung von 3 Millionen Euro (rund 3,3 Millionen [Schweizer] Franken) ausgesetzt. » | Dienstag, 13. Oktober 2015

Germany: Antifa Scuffle with Police at PEGIDA Demo

Tenions were high as Antifa protesters scuffled with police in the Bavarian city of Wurzburg on Monday, as an estimated 200 PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West) protesters marched through the city.

WIKIPEDIA: Antifa »

WIKI: Würzburg »

Germany: PEGIDA Supporters March in Munich against Refugees

Around 3,000 PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West) supporters marched through the streets of Munich against refugees on Monday, as a small group of antifascists participated in a counter demonstration.

‪Germany: Thousands of PEGIDA Protesters Rally against Refugees in Dresden‬

Thousands of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West) supporters marched on the Theaterplatz in Dresden, Monday, against refugees and the so-called "Islamisation" of the West.

David Cameron Insists UK Must Have Close Ties with Saudi Arabia

David Cameron receives the King Abdullah Decoration One
from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. Cameron said:
The reason we have the relationship is our own national security.

THE GUARDIAN: In heated interview, PM questioned by Channel 4 News on deal with ‘one of most human rights abusing regimes on earth’ but claims there are security reasons

David Cameron has been questioned repeatedly on the UK’s close relationship with Saudi Arabia by Channel 4 News.

Asked by Jon Snow whether he had interceded with the Saudis over the planned execution of the Shia activist Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, Cameron admitted he himself had not raised the issue directly but the foreign secretary and the embassy had.

He did however add: “I will look to see if there is an opportunity for me to raise it as well.”

The teenager was arrested after taking part in Arab Spring protests in 2012, and has been sentenced to death by beheading, followed by crucifixion.

In his first conference speech as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn urged Cameron to personally intervene in the case, and the prime minister subsequently said his message to the Saudi authorities would be: “Don’t do it.”

Snow continued to press Cameron on the UK’s relationship with Saudi Arabia following the exposure of a secret deal, initiated by the UK, to ensure both states were elected to the UN human rights council.

Snow said: “This sounds a bit squalid for one of the most human rights abusing regimes on earth.”

Cameron responded that he “completely disagreed with them about their punishment routines, about the death penalty, about all those issues”. » | Nicola Slawson | Tuesday, October 6, 2015