The French government has decided that it will wait for the U.S. Congress to vote on an attack against Syria before taking any action of its own. Officials of the Syrian National Coalition, the premier rebel group, say they are disappointed with Mr. Obama’s failure to act promptly. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is encouraging other members of the Arab League to support an American attack against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
In other news, Japanese Catholic bishops have protested to their government over what they say is its inhumane treatment of Filipino migrants.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to C. Cantoni, Fjordman, Insubria, Kitman, Nick, RR, Steen, The Observer, Vlad Tepes, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Italian Economy Needs Political Stability, Rehn Says
‘Important for economic recovery’
(ANSA) — Rome, August 28 — Italy’s political stability is important for economic recovery, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn told Bloomberg on Wednesday. Rehn said in an interview that everybody is aware Italy is having political troubles but he is confident an attempt will be made to ensure political stability which is key for economic recovery.
Italy’s unprecedented left-right government has been threatened by a number of issues dividing its members, longtime foes the center-left Democratic Party (PD) and the center-right People of Freedom (PdL) party. Most recently, the PdL has threatened to pull the plug if its leader, ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, loses his Senate seat next month after his first-ever definitive conviction for tax fraud. Another key issue, to be discussed on Wednesday, is the scrapping of an unpopular property tax called IMU, a campaign pledge credited with driving Berlusconi’s coalition to a close second behind center-left rivals in February’s inconclusive general elections.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: ‘Hundreds of Shipbuilding Workers to be Laid Off in Palermo’
Palermo, 28 August (AKI) — Almost half the workforce at Italian state-controlled shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Palermo yard are to be temporarily laid off or have their hours cut due to a lack of orders, the Fiom trade union said on Wednesday.
A total of 200 out of 480 workers at Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard will be affected, an increase of 40 from the pre-holiday period, Fiom said.
Out of the total workforce, just 50 people are working full time — the lowest-ever number, according to the union.
Orders for new ships and refitting have been hit by Italy’s most protracted economic crisis in over 20 years. The country has been in recession since autumn 2011 and is only predicted to make a weak return to growth in 2014.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Obama to Set Out Justifications for Syria Attack at G20
(AGI) Washington — Mr. Obama will set out the justifications for an attack on Syria at the G20 meeting in St Petersburg next week .
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
State Department Reveals Hillary Clinton Received $500k Worth of Jewelry From Saudi King
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden received expensive gifts from Saudi Arabia, Russia and China, among others.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Controversial Islamic Youth Conference Cancelled in Canada
(AGI) Montreal — An Islamic youth conference in Montreal, Canada, was called off following controversy .
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Britain ‘Giving in to Sharia Councils’ Says Norway’s Anti-Immigration Leader
Britain is “giving into the claims of Sharia councils”, according to the leader of Norway’s anti-immigration party which is poised to enter government later this month
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Siv Jensen, the 44-year-old leader of the Progress party who cites Baroness Thatcher as her inspiration, said: “What I have seen that the UK has done is to give in to the claims of sharia councils, and I don’t think we should give into that. In Norway we have one law, and that is the Norwegian law.”
Miss Jensen, who is unmarried, said Britain was suffering the results of earlier mistakes in its immigration policy.
“I see some problems arising — You’ve had problems with riots, you’ve had problems with radical groups who aren’t very fond of democratic systems and freedom of speech, and I think those are criteria that you really have to stick to in the modern world.”
Miss Jensen’s party has grown to become Norway’s third largest since it was launched in the 1970s, pushing a libertarian economic and social policy, combined with a vehemently anti-immigrant, anti-Islamic stand.
Ahead of parliamentary elections this Sunday, she could now enter into coalition for the first time with the more centrist Conservatives, who hold a wafer thin poll lead over their rivals Labour.
| — Hat tip: Nick | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Republic: Anti-Roma Protest Coincides With March Against Ethnic Tensions
Around 2,500 people took part in August 24 anti-Roma demonstrations in eight cities throughout the Czech Republic, reports Lidové noviny
While some of the marches organised by far-right groups protesting against “police brutality, social injustice and black racism” — the term used for discrimination by the non-white community against caucasians — went ahead peacefully, in Ostrava, the country’s third largest city, hundreds of activists attempting to enter a Roma neighbourhood clashed with police who used tear gas. Around 60 people were arrested.
Meanwhile, in Prague, Lidové noviny reports that some 50 people attended a counter demonstration against rising ethnic tension organised by the sarcastically named, “No Czechs in the Czech Republic”…
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
EU Plans to Fit All Cars With Speed Limiters
All cars could be fitted with devices that stop them going over 70mph, under new EU road safety measures which aim to cut deaths from road accidents by a third.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Berlusconi Signs Radical Party Justice Reform Petition
(AGI) Rome, Aug 31 — Silvio Berlusconi backed the Radical party’s call for justice reform on Saturday, signing a petition. The leader of the PDL personally went to sign the petition “for a fair justice system” at the party’s traditional stall in the centre of Rome, close to the Radical party offices and equally close to his Rome residence in Palazzo Grazioli.
Berlusconi arrived in the company of Radical leader Marco Panella, with whom he held another discussion — following a meeting at Panella’s home on Friday — this time at his own residence.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Berlusconi: “Government Will Fall if Left-Wing Ousts Me”
(AGI) Rome, Aug 30 — Silvio Berlusconi warned that his party, the PdL, will not continue to uphold the coalition government if the left-wing tries to oust him from politics. “The government has made important accomplishments because our ministers work well,” he said. “It would be unseemly for the government to fall, but we are not willing to carry the government forward if the left-wing decides to intervene against me, the leader of the PdL, preventing me from continuing my political activities”.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Temperatures Dip to 18C in Milan and 17C in Rome
(AGI) Rome, Sept 1 — Temperatures dropped to lows of 9C in L’Aquila early on Sunday, 15C in Florence, and 16C in Bologna and Venice. The mercury didn’t dip below 17C in Rome, 18C in Milan, 21C in Naples and Catania and 24C in Palermo.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: PD’s Civati Says Party Risks Losing Face Over IMU Tax Issue
(AGI) Turin, Aug 31 — Pippo Civati, a regional councillor in Lombardy for the Democratic Party (PD), commented on the government’s sudden decision to abolish the IMU tax, implemented during Mario Monti’s premiership. The municipal property tax on first homes had long been contested by the right-wing PdL party, whose support the PD and therefore Prime Minister Letta has to rely on to govern. “The sudden decision on the IMU was a dramatic moment,” Civati said. “Ministers were denying that the tax would be abolished up till the last minute. We risked losing face to the PdL. The IMU measure goes against our principles. In the end, we did what the PdL wanted,” he stated.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Over 70 Pupils Registered at Moroccan School
So far seventy pupils have registered for the new Moroccan school in the Antwerp district of Borgerhout. Mohamed Chakkar, who is behind the initiative, points out that it’s not only children of Moroccan parents who are registering for the new school.
The school, called ‘Iqra’ or ‘Learning’ in Dutch, builds on a project that provides support for school children. Both initiatives were started by the Federation of Moroccan Associations.
The people behind the school say that it should fill a vacuum. They claim that existing Flemish schools have failed to rein in social inequality. They add that too many Moroccan youngsters are dropping out of school early without a diploma and as a result they end up in difficulty.
The new school will build on elements from experience-oriented education. Dutch is the language of the school, but on the playground the pupils will be able to converse in the language they use at home. This should promote respect for their own culture as well as self-respect.
Mohamed Chakkar says it’s not only children of Moroccan parents who are registering for the new school: “Over 70 pupils have registered. Over 80% are of Moroccan descent. Some hail from Sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan and Portugal.”
The school will start in September with tree kindergarten classes and a first year of primary school.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Olympics: Gibraltar Dispute Puts Madrid 2020 at Risk
Commonwealth nations may vote against it on 7/9
(ANSAmed) — MADRID, AUGUST 30 — Madrid “is ready” to host the 2020 Olympics and the investment “has been made”, but the city’s candidature may run aground due to the ongoing dispute over Gibraltar. In eight days the final choice will be made.
Spain is preparing its representatives for the final presentation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members at the Buenos Aires Hotel Hilton on September 7: heir to the throne Felipe, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Madrid Mayor Ana Botella, Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) president Alejandro Blanco and either basketball champion Pau Gasol or Teresa Perales, winner of 22 medals at the Paralympic Games. After two unsuccessful bids since 2003, Madrid is going up against Tokyo and Istanbul this time around and is determined not to let the chance slip through its fingers. It will be the last of the three candidates to speak: 45 minutes to convince the IOC members of the worthiness of its project and 15 to respond to questions. Most of the work has already been done, and anti-doping legislation has been improved to meet WADA standards. On Thursday, just before leaving for Buenos Aires, the Madrid mayor noted that the candidature’s strong point was that it had “one of the most austere budgets in Olympic history” but with most of the facilities already completed and residual investment of some 1.5 billion euros, which would be spent over the next seven years, “between local, regional, and central administrations”. However, there is an ongoing diplomatic battle between Madrid and London concerning Britain’s overseas territory Gibraltar. The island was sold to it in 1713 through the Treaty of Utrecht from Spain, which still claims to have sovereignty over the waters surrounding it. Given that at least a quarter of the 104 IOC delegates with voting rights come from Commonwealth nations, there is the risk that they will vote against Madrid’s candidature. The COE headquarters have played down the scenario, saying that the other candidates aren’t in better shape: Tokyo is still dealing with the effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and Istanbul with those of the May protests. However, security and comfort of the Olympians are not the only factors at play in the choice, COI director Jacques Rogge noted. And Spain may suffer repercussions from the protests held by Spanish fishermen over the artificial reef of cement blocks built in late July in Gibraltar waters, which they say prevents them from fishing. The dispute between Madrid, Gibraltar and London — with Brussels planning to act as mediator by sending a mission — is at boiling point due to the Rajoy government’s determination to strike out at the cigarette, cash and even sand smuggling to Gibraltar through careful inspections at the border in reaction to the fishing incident. To what extent geopolitics will play a part in the choice of host city for the 2020 Olympic Games will only be known in a week. Meanwhile, the main gambling houses say Madrid is bringing up the rear in the list of candidate cities.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
A Polish woman has reportedly vowed to travel to every city across the world in a bizarre quest to sleep with 100,000 men. Ania Lisewska from Warsaw embarked on the unusual mission in her home city last month and has so far added 284 notches to her bedpost, according to the Huffington Post.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
by Ingrid Carlqvist
The Swedish Committee against Anti-Semitism, SKMA, has launched an attack against me for having had the audacity to reveal that Muslims are behind the anti-Semitism that is afoot in Malmö. It reminds me of the Verband nationaldeutscher Juden [The Association of German-national Jews] who supported Hitler in the 1930s and claimed that Jews were treated fairly in Nazi Germany.
The SKMA reminds us of an interesting but dangerous phenomenon: Intellectual Jews who shy away from the facts concerning Islam and choose to direct their anger at Western Christians and secularists. Factual information makes no impression on them. Nothing will shake their conviction that anti-Semitism and criticism of Islam are branches on the same tree. The fact that I defend Israel and condemn the Jew hatred that is endemic to Islam is of no consequences to them. It is not Islam that is at fault! The fault lies with me and others who have pointed to the obvious fact that anti-Semitism is part and parcel of Islam.
SKMA has read an article by the freelance journalist Alex Newman that was published by The Coordination Forum for Countering Anti-Semitism (CFCA), an Israeli government-related organization. SKMA is horrified:
“Carlqvist says that for many years the media have not dared to write about the anti-Semitism [in Malmö] and when they have, they have ‘refrained from writing about the real problem — the large group of Muslims in Malmö’. This gave people in other parts of Sweden ‘the impression that blond Swedes were behind the mobbing of Jews’.”
The fact that all this is true is of no concern to SKMA. It is a fact that Malmö’s former strongman, Mayor Ilmar Reepalu, and the city’s media first tried to brush the repeated hate crimes against Jews under the carpet. It was not until Skånska Dagbladet published a series of articles by reporter Andreas Lovén in 2010, that the extent of anti-Semitism was revealed and the man in the street was told what was going on…
| — Hat tip: Steen | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden: Malmö Man Racks Up Millions in Unpaid Fines
A driver based in Malmö, southern Sweden has clocked up over 30 million kronor ($4.5 million) in unpaid parking tickets. He hasn’t had a valid driver’s licence since 2010 but has been registered as the owner of over 2,000 new cars.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden: Man Crashes Bus to Avoid Squirrel
A bus driver in Gothenburg, western Sweden swerved to avoid the creature and then crashed into a grove of trees leaving six of his 40 passengers requiring hospital treatment.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
The Netherlands is Europe’s Biggest Importer of Rubbish
The Netherlands has grown into the biggest importer of waste in Europe, as power plants look abroad for solutions to fill their excess capacity.
More than one million tonnes of waste from Britain, Ireland and Italy ends up in Dutch furnaces every year and insiders expect the market to double in the coming years, the Financieele Dagblad said. ‘The Netherlands leads the way, followed by Sweden and then Denmark,’ Ella Stengler, of the European waste-to-energy group Cewep told the paper.
Dutch firms are paid to process the waste and produce energy from it. In total, the import of household waste from other countries generates tens of millions of euros for Dutch firms, the paper said.
Apart from overcapacity at power plants, the Netherlands is producing less domestic waste because of the economic downturn and recycling schemes, the paper said.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Stephen Fry Hits Back at Accusations of Islamophobia
In a strongly worded blog post, the actor and comedian lamented that the “squeezed liberal finds himself in the position that he cannot criticise Islamofascism because it’s somehow ‘racist’“.
He continued: “It is a topsy-turvy smothering of debate and an Orwellian denial of free speech to declare that speaking out against violence will cause violence.”
| — Hat tip: Kitman | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Veteran Broadcaster David Frost Dies
Veteran British journalist and broadcaster David Frost, who won fame around the world for his TV interviews with former President Richard Nixon, has died, his family told the BBC. He was 74.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Tribunal’s Critical Danish Judge Removed
A Danish judge who has been critical of the War Crimes Tribunal has been removed in The Hague.
After having accused the chairman of the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague of being a puppet of the American administration, Judge Frederik Harhoff has been removed from a case against a Serbian party leader who is accused of war crimes, according to a court decision that Information has acquired.
Earlier this summer, Harhoff wrote a letter to the UN court, accusing the tribunal of allowing war criminals from the former Yugoslavia to go free. The accusation was based on court decisions handed down in connection with senior officers involved in the civil war in the Balkans in the 1990s.
Among others, the freed Serbian Chief of General Staff Momcilo Perisic, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison by the court of first instance for war crimes committed between 1993 and 1995 in Sarajevo and Srebrenica.
According to Harhoff, the releases were handed down following pressure from the United States and Israel.
WikiLeaks documents have suggested that the court chairman, Theodor Meron, was close to the US administration in his first period as chairman.
Harhoff’s criticism appears to be the direct reason for him being shelved, according to Information…
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Algeria Siege: ‘I Wore a Necklace Bomb’
The survivors of January’s siege of an Algerian gas plant still cannot believe they are alive. Forty of their colleagues died when Islamic militants took them hostage. The Algerian army opened fire on the convoy of hostages and terrorists as they broke out of the plant. It is only now that some have felt able to tell their stories.
“It was clear that it was an inside job,” says Nick. “There were 20 or 30 Algerians who were clearly assisting the terrorists and very friendly with them and even came when we were held hostage, to look at us as if we were in the zoo.”
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Egypt Thwarts Terrorist Attack on Cargo Ship in Suez Canal
(AGI) Cairo, Aug 31 — The Egyptian government said it had thwarted a “terrorist” attack on a container ship in the Suez Canal on Saturday. No damage to the ship was reported. The Suez Canal is Egypt’s main waterway and is one of Cairo’s greatest sources of income. It remains a defence priority for any government in power in Egypt.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Egypt’s Mursi to Stand Trial Over Violence
(Reuters) — Egypt’s public prosecutor referred deposed President Mohamed Mursi to trial on Sunday on charges of committing and inciting violence, the state news agency reported. The prosecutor, Hesham Barakat, referred Mursi and 14 other Muslim Brotherhood members to a Cairo criminal court on charges “of committing acts of violence, and inciting the killing and thuggery”, the state news agency reported.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Shin Bet Foils Hamas Bomb Attack Planned for Jerusalem Mall
Attacks were to take place at Mamilla mall during High Holidays; security forces uncover explosives lab at suspect’s home.
Security forces led by the Shin Bet announced on Sunday that they had foiled a bomb attack plotted by Hamas in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, timed for the High Holy Days.
At the same time, the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment with the District Court against two individuals involved in the plot: Ahmad Rishak, 23, from Shuafat, and Ismail Abu Mfalfal, 27, from Abu Dis.
Both were charged with conspiracy to aid an enemy during war and attempted manufacturing of a weapon.
They and other alleged Hamas members from Ramallah and Jerusalem were in advanced planning stages in the terror plot and were led by Hamdi Romana, 22, of Ramallah, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said. The intended target was the Mamilla open mall in downtown Jerusalem during one of the upcoming High Holy Days and festivals.
At press time, the IDF Spokesman had not provided any information about the timing of Romana’s indictment, but in similar cases, Ramallah residents are usually indicted separately in the Judea and Samaria IDF courts. Indicting those residents sometimes takes longer than it does for their Israeli co-conspirators.
In the investigation process, which included the IDF and the police, security forces uncovered an explosives lab in Romana’s home, including instruction manuals on how to construct bombs, the Shin Bet stated.
During questioning, Romana confessed to being in contact with three other residents of the Ramallah area who provided him with bomb-making equipment. They have since been arrested and have pleaded guilty, security forces said.
| — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes | [Return to headlines] |
Explosion in Iraqi Refugee Camp Kills 47
(AGI) Baghdad, Sept 1 — An explosion in an Iraqi refugee camp for Iranians has killed 47 people and according to an Iranian opposition group, The People’s Mujahidin, was the result of an attack by Iraqi security forces on a camp in Ashraf in the Diyala province. Iraqi authorities have denied the attack and explained that a petrol tank exploded in the camp. The United Nations have not confirmed the news, but the UNHCR condemned it. According to the Iranian movement, soldiers entered the camp and also set fire to many homes.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
France to Await U. S. Congress Decision Before Acting
(AGI) Paris — France has said it will wait for the U.S. congressional decision on Syrian intervention before taking action ..
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
By Muna Al-Fuzai
Interfaith marriages or mixed marriages, as they are more commonly known, are increasing in the Arab world including Kuwait. Although no law or power can ever control matters of the heart and who one chooses to be with, this type of mar- riage should always be treated with caution. The risk it holds is that it could bring more pain and misery in case of a divorce and more complications, especially if children are involved.
The children will suffer more when they have to stay with one of the parents and move to their home country where they will be looked upon as aliens. The parents will move on with their lives while the kids suffer. This could be looked upon as a reason to restrict this kind of marriage and the law should also look at how the kids can be protected in case of a divorce. An interfaith marriage is a marital union in which partners come together from different reli- gious backgrounds. It happens all the time but is not always successful.
Two people meet at a work place, a business meeting or in college and most of the time, it’s the man who notices the pretty lady next to him and decides that he wants her for life. This is when they think of appropriate and legal ties called marriage. Let’s look at the most common scenario here, when the man is a Muslim and the woman is a non- Muslin and mostly Christian.
Most of the time, they may end up having two marriage ceremonies, one in the mosque and the other in church to satisfy both parties. By the end of the day, everyone is happy and content. This is a dream come true and a fairytale ending for both of them who get their ‘happily ever after’. But after this, the traditions are not that easy and this is where the power of the family, ideas, public attitudes, and societal pressure all come into play and these are the key elements which will influence the man and his future.
Most of these marriages take place without the blessings or approval of the man’s family. In the West, a man or a woman can marry someone with- out the presence of their family, but in this part of the world, it’s not considered acceptable. In most of these marriages, the man confronts the family with his decision and his innocent wife ends up paying the price. She would have been brought up in an open society with the freedom to make her own choices but men here stay with their parents until they get married. Everyone wishes for such a marriage to survive and thrive but when things go wrong, the man sim- ply leaves the woman and lives life on his own terms.
The kids pay a high price here and when divorced moms seek financial rights for her kids, they claim that they can’t afford to pay for lawyers. I understand that attorneys charge too much and you need time in courts. This is why I believe that family courts are essen- tial to save the women the trouble of paying for expensive lawyers and the chance of losing their kids.
Family courts should make it easier for anyone seeking legal recourse because kids can’t wait for years on end for their rights, that much I’m sure. Interfaith marriages or mixed marriages will contin- ue to be a challenge and this is why I advise women to wait and not rush into marriages where they may have to pay the price all alone when the dream ends and the man moves on with his life, let- ting her pick up the pieces alone.
| — Hat tip: RR | [Return to headlines] |
Italy Will Not Take Action Against Syria Without UN
(AGI) Rome — Italy could not take part in a military action with against Syria without a UN resolution, PM Letta said ..
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Obama Was Clearly Hesitant, Says the Syrian Regime
(AGI) Damascus — The Syrian regime said Obama appeared “clearly hesitant, disappointed and confused” in delivering his declaration .
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Obama Puts Syrian Strike on Hold, Jihadists “Disappointed”
Syria’s opposition expressed disappointment Sunday that President Barack Obama had put on hold military action against the Damascus regime, but said it was confident US lawmakers would green-light a strike.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Sarah Palin on Syria: ‘Let Allah Sort it Out’
(AGI) Washington — “Let Allah sort it out” in Syria, said former U.S. vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin ..
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Saudi Arabia Backs U. S. Strike Against Syria
(AGI) Cairo, Sept 1 — Saudi Arabia has called on Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League meeting in Cairo to support American military action against the Syrian regime, said Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal. “We call upon the international community with all its power to stop this aggression against the Syrian people,” said the foreign minister. “We stand by the will of the Syrian people. They know best their interests, so whatever they accept, we accept, and whatever they refuse, we refuse,” said al-Faisal.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Saudi Religious Police Office Targeted in Minor Arson Attack in Rare Direct Strike
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Authorities enforcing Saudi Arabia’s strict Islamic codes say arsonists attacked one of its offices in Riyadh, but caused only limited damage in a rare direct strike against the feared religious police.
Criticism of the force has grown on social media sites, but violence against officers or facilities is unusual. Saudi leaders, meanwhile, increasingly have opposed once widespread practices such as beating or humiliating alleged violators of the ultraconservative kingdom’s rules such as gender segregation and full coverings for women.
In March, a widely viewed Internet video showed a woman belittling an officer who tried to remove her from a mall because of her nail polish.
Officials said Sunday that security cameras showed a fire being set to an electrical meter outside the office. There were no injuries or serious damage.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Syria’s Opposition ‘Disappointed’ By Delay in Strike
(AGI) Beirut, Sept 1 — The Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition force, expressed “disappointment” over U.S.
President Barack Obama’s decision to consult Congress before taking military action. “We had a feeling of disappointment,” said Samir Nashar, a top official with the Syrian National Coalition. “We were expecting things to be quicker, that a strike would be imminent, but we believe the U.S. Congress will approve a strike,” the official added.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Malaysia: Crackdown in Kuala Lumpur: 65 Thousand Nepalese Migrants Risk Expulsion
Over the next three months, Malaysia will stop and deport illegal immigrants who work in the Kingdom, about half a million people. In 2011, the government had granted a mass amnesty, but many do not have the opportunity to be regularized. In 2012-2013 an estimated 156,770 Nepalese arrived.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) — More than 65 thousand Nepalese migrant workers risk arrest and deportation from Malaysia. As of next September 1, Kuala Lumpur will begin a three month campaign to stop and deport half a million illegal immigrants working in the Islamic Kingdom. Nepal fears for its citizens and has asked for a period of time to allow migrants to be regularized.
In 2011, the Malaysian government had granted a mass amnesty to all illegal foreign workers, to enable them to regularize their documents or to return to their home countries without legal consequences. However, the Nepalese ambassador in Malaysia, Rishi Raj Adhikari, explains “many [immigrants] were persuaded by their employers that they would not run into any kind of legal action, even if they ignored the amnesty. For this reason, we are trying to persuade the Malaysian government to give them another chance. “
Malaysia is one of the top destinations for Nepali migrant workers: according to the Kathmandu embassy there are about 700 thousand Nepalese citizens working in Malaysia. According to the Department for foreign workers, in the fiscal year 2012-2013 Kuala Lumpur has welcomed 156,770 Nepalese migrants, compared to 98,367 the previous year.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Pakistan: Lahore: Christian Widow Threatened by Husband’s Muslim Family, Islam or Death
Her husband , a Muslim , has always fought for religious freedom and said: “ My wife and my children should feel free to profess their faith.” After his death, the relatives put pressure on the woman and her daughters, married with young Christians. Pro human rights groups rush to defense of the family.
Islamabad ( AsiaNews) — “ When I got married , the relatives [ of my husband ] have begun to exert pressure so that I convert [to Islam]. But my husband stood up for me , saying that ‘ my wife and my children should feel free to profess their faith ‘ . However, after his death his brothers have begun to terrorize us. They have sworn to kill us if we do not convert to Islam. “ This is the dramatic and desperate appeal of a Christian woman and widow. Her husband was a forward-looking man, a Muslim but convinced defender of the right to religious freedom. She however is now in danger of being killed by his family members.
The marriage between Muhammad Sadiq Masih and Martha Bibi withstood years of pressure and threats from the man’s relatives, contrary to a bond with an “ unbeliever”. The pair remained united and over time became parents to three girls and one boy. The daughters were married to men from Christian families — a fragile and often persecuted minority in Pakistan — and decided to keep the faith of their mother.
However, after the father’s death, the girls began to receive threats and pressures from his brothers [ Islamists ] to convert. The eldest daughter Nosheen Afzal , who is married with Kamran Afzal , has suffered direct and personal threats from family members. An uncle branded them as “infidels,” because they live as Christians even though (the girl ) is the daughter of a Muslim . To escape the retaliation they had to leave their home the next night — in haste and in secret.
In recent days, her sisters were also targeted by relatives , with threats and pressures. For this reason the mother Martha Bibi turned to a pro human rights organization , including the Masihi Foundation, asking for protection and help. Denouncing the growing “climate of intolerance,” the foundation ‘s legal team immediately took steps lodging a complaint with the competent authorities, even asking protection for the family. Fr. Robin John , a priest of the Archdiocese of Lahore and activist demands their right to religious freedom and recalls the example provided by the family’s father who, though Muslim , he never wanted to impose his faith on his children . “This also allowed them to live happily .”
With a population of over 180 million people (97 per cent Muslim), Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and the second Muslim nation after Indonesia. Just under 80 per cent are Sunni Muslim, and 20 per cent are Shia. Hindus are around 1.85 per cent; Christians are 1.6 per cent and Sikhs 0.04 per cent. Violence against ethnic or religious minorities is commonplace across the country, from the province of Punjab in the north to Karachi in the southern province of Sindh, where more than 2,200 people were killed in the first eight months of 2012.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Former Hostage Tells of Rape, Torture by Somali Jihadists
A Canadian journalist who was kidnapped, gang raped and even reportedly mothered a child while being held captive by Somali jihadists for 15 months has released a book about her ordeal.
Amanda Lindhout was 24 when she left her job as a cocktail waitress in 2008 seeking an adventure.
Despite being an inexperienced journalist, she decided to head to Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia with her 36-year-old ex-boyfriend, Australian photographer Nigel Brennan, in the hope of finding fame as a foreign correspondent.
“I understood that it was a hostile, dangerous place and few reporters dared to go there,” she writes in her upcoming memoir, A House in the Sky.
“The truth was, I was glad for the lack of competition.”
The pair had been in Somalia for only three days when they were kidnapped by Somali jihadists…
| — Hat tip: The Observer | [Return to headlines] |
Nelson Mandela Discharged From Hospital
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been discharged from a Pretoria hospital after an 85-day stay to treat a recurring lung infection, though his condition was described as still being “critical and at times unstable.”
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Israel to Remove Migrants by Deporting to Uganda
The two countries struck a deal to send Sudanese and Eritrean migrants to Uganda in exchange for economic and military aid. Human rights groups accuse the government of promoting the slave trade.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) — The Israeli government Israel has finalised a deal with Uganda to deport some 50,000 illegal migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to the African nation. In exchange, Israel will provide Uganda agricultural aid, knowhow and help in modernising its military forces.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that a wide-scale deportation campaign would begin in the coming months.
Initially, police and his ministry would encourage “willing deportation,” but after a set period of time, stay permits will be revoked and migrants will be forced out of the country.
The Uganda deal was ratified by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, who was “convinced there is no legal obstacle for the government to act according to the outline reached,” the Justice Ministry’s statement read.
Uganda is one of the few African countries that “is party to the Refugee Treaty and has an asylum system which protects the relevant populations,” the statement added.
However, the decision has sparked criticism from Israel’s most important human rights organisations.
In a joint statement, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, the Hotline for Migrant Workers, Physicians for Human Rights, ASSAF, Amnesty International and Kav Laoved criticised the government.
“The Interior Ministry has been talking for years about an agreement with a third-party state to sell Israel’s asylum-seekers for weapons and money, and Uganda has been mentioned before. But it was revealed that Uganda is not safe, and that there’s no way to ensure the well-being of those deported to it,”
For these associations migrants are likely to end up in conditions of slavery or be repatriated to their countries of origin, despite the request for asylum.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Israel’s Most Liberal City Introduces Racially Segregated Kindergartens
When the children of south Tel Aviv head back to school on Tuesday, kindergarteners will attend facilities that are segregated by race. The children of asylum seekers from sub-Saharan Africa will go to their kindergartens and all the other kids will go to their own.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Japan: Church Against the Government Over Inhumane Deportation of Filipino Migrants
Japanese authorities took 75 Filipino migrants from their homes and deported them. The Episcopal Commission helped them once back in their country. However, they still suffer from “depression” after their physical condition deteriorated in a Japanese jail.
Tokyo (AsiaNews) — Japanese bishops accuse the Japanese government of “inhumane” behaviour towards Filipino migrants forcibly deported because they lacked proper papers.
“We question and oppose the forced mass deportation of the 75 undocumented Filipino migrants because we found that their human rights were violated and their welfare was disregarded,” said the Catholic Commission of Japan Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move (J-CaRM), a sub-commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan’s (CBCJ) Commission on Society.
After taking them from their homes and holding in prison, Japanese authorities deported the 75 Filipino migrants on 6 July.
Between 20 and 26 August, a joint delegation of J-CaRM and Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan (SMJ) interviewed the deportees one by one in the Philippines.
The deportees, the two groups said, all need medical attention and counselling.
Most of them, they added, were suffering from symptoms of depression like “attempted suicide, insomnia, skin disorders, ulcer, aches and difficulty in breathing.”
According to sources within the Bishops’ Conferences of Japan and of the Philippines, none of the returnees can provide for themselves without help.
All 75 migrants have lived in Japan for ten years. “They have no money to start a new life, or family to return to,” the two explained.
There are about 200,000 Filipinos living and working in Japan, plus 5,700 undocumented.
On Tuesday, the organisations met with key Filipino government agencies and conveyed other findings from their research.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Rage and Refuge: German Asylum System Hits Breaking Point
Germany has recently seen a significant rise in the number of asylum seekers arriving in the country. Its shelters are overwhelmed and opposition to new ones has recently turned ugly. Refugees themselves argue that the system is broken.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Taipei: Government Launches New Measures to Protect Foreign Workers
About half a million migrants, mostly from Indonesia and Thailand, live and work on the island. The government wants to curb the mediation of employment agencies, which undermine productivity and often hire workers illegally.
Taipei (AsiaNews) — Along with the industrial production the demand for foreign labor is also increasing in Taiwan and with it the awareness of the rights of all workers, especially those of immigrants. The Labour Minister Pan Shih- wei (æ1/2˜ä¸—ä1/4Ÿ) has made known that the government will try to facilitate Taiwanese employers direct recruitment of foreign workers : “It will not be easy but we will try to achieve it ..”
This goal is to meet the employers demands for workers’ in their countries of origin. The issue arose after the annual bilateral meeting between Thailand and Taiwan took place in Bangkok last week, in which the Thai delegation had pointed out how often workers are in the hands of intermediary agencies , which demand a good percentage of their earnings .
These agencies can be advantageous for employers because they deal with the bureaucracy of the recruitment process. But along with the benefits come now few problems for businesses: when directly employed, a worker is more motivated in their profession and loyalty to the employer.
For this reason and to try to safeguard the rights and wages of immigrant workers in Taiwan, the Ministry of Labour now uses new measures to boost the direct employment, though obviously this cannot be made ​​compulsory. In the case of hiring through agencies, the Ministry is committed to strictly controlling the scale of rates for this service.
In addition, the Ministry of Labour has announced that starting in 2014 it will bring in workers also from Myanmar.
During the same press conference, Lin San-quei (林三贵) , director of employment and vocational training , said that industrial growth in recent years requires more foreign workers. In the last year alone, industrial production recorded an overall growth of 2.07 percent, especially in the semiconductor, steel and petrochemical industries. The office is now looking to attract workers from Sri Lanka , Thailand and Myanmar. At the moment are 465 thousand foreign workers in Taiwan: the majority coming from Indonesia (more than 200 thousand) while those from Thailand are 62,500.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
If Saudi Arabia and the Arab League want military action against Syria, why do they not just do this themselves? America should not have to do the Saudis dirty work for them.
@UK: Stephen Fry hits back at accusations of Islamophobia
Stephen Fry has a superior kind of Islamophobia, welcome to the counter-jihad.
“I am afraid of anyone who hates me and everything I stand for and wants me and the civilisation I grew up in destroyed. I am afraid of any state or religious endorsed brute squad that suddenly smashes my door down at three in the morning and drags me to the wall to be shot.”
With those words Stephen Fry has come out the closet and declared himself as islamaphobic in the eyes of Ummah, despite his protestations there is no superior or inferior forms of islamophobia – all opposition to the religion of peace is ultimately met with brutality.
“claims that my saying a single word against any kind of Muslim is Islamophobia of the kind that feeds the vilely racist bigots of the EDL and BNP.”
Intellectual snobbery of the highest order to seek asylum and claim immunity from the sentiments of his words in the “squeezed liberal” grove of high culture, whilst condemning the low cultured Tommy as vilely racist bigots for expressing the same sentiments on the streets.
Stephen Fry Blog- Am I an Islamophobe?
Find the courage!
Let Muslims police Muslims.