Gates of Vienna News Feed 7/19/2015

A group of Christian asylum seekers in southern Sweden was forced out of an asylum center under pressure from Muslim residents. The Christians were threatened for wearing crosses, and were also told they were not welcome in the common areas when Muslims were present.

In other news, seven Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai were killed in a series of attacks by kinetic activists. The local franchise of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Erick Stakelbeck, Fjordman, Insubria, JD, K, 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.

Financial Crisis
» Italy: Ex-Minister Savona Calls for ‘Plan B’ To Exit Euro
» Italy: Social Security Fund Posts 12.7 Bn Deficit
» Italy: Jobs Act Failed to Produce Steady Jobs Rise Says CGIL
» Italy Housing Prices Slump
» Italy: Crisis Hits Young People, Old Spend Less
» Low-Paid British Workers Brace for More Austerity
» Manage, Meddle or Magnify? China’s Corporate Debt Threat
» Principles in Greek Deal Are European — German Industry Chief
» Rate of Italian Business Closures Rose in 2013 Says ISTAT
 
USA
» A Horrible Week for the Free World — And a Glimmer of Hope
» Agenda 21 Advocates Replace Farmers in Droves
» Bill Cosby ‘Offered Women Money’ For Silence After Sex
» Confederate Flag Flap is a Huge Red Herring
» The Creator of This Amazing Internet Privacy Device Has Been Silenced: “Effective Immediately We Are Halting Further Development”
» Trump Won’t Apologize to McCain, Suggests Backlash Led by Trailing GOP Rivals
» United States Government Refusing to Acknowledge the Islamic Threat
» Wesley Clark Calls for Interning “Disloyal” Americans
 
Europe and the EU
» Beheading Plot Highlights Terror Threat Against French Military
» ‘Charlie Hebdo’ Will No Longer Draw Muhammad
» EU: Government Expenditure, Decreases in Greece and Croatia
» Founding Member of Alternative for Germany Party Starts New Euroskeptic Party
» France’s Hollande Calls for ‘Eurozone Government’
» IOUs for RIPs: Greece’s Cash Crisis Creates Hardships for Funeral Homes and Mourning Families
» ISIS Ordered Terror Plot Suspect ‘To Hit France’
» Italy: INPS: 6.6. Mn Pensioners’ Income Below 1000 Euros
» Italy: Salvini ‘Disgusted’ By Pope’s Communist Crucifix Gift
» NWO: France’s Hollande Proposes Creation of Eurozone Government
» Panic as French Pilgrims Mistaken for Jihadists
» Saudi Royals ‘Illegally’ Close Off French Public Beach
» Sweden: Minister Seeks to Close Forced Marriage Loophole
» UK: David Cameron Warns Muslims ‘Don’t be Cannon Fodder for ISIS’
» Vatican Budget Still in the Red With a € 25.6 Million Deficit for 2014
 
Balkans
» ISIS Set Up Stronghold in the Heart of Europe as Terrorists Secretly Buy Land Near an Isolated Village
» ISIS Set Up Stronghold in the Heart of Europe
 
North Africa
» Egypt’s Military Spokesman Says 7 Troops Killed in Sinai; Islamic State Branch Claims Attacks
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Blasts Destroy Hamas, Islamic Jihad Cars in Gaza
 
Middle East
» Opening the ‘Gates of Evil’
» Swedish CEOs See Big Potential in Iran
 
Russia
» Indian PM Attacks West for Imposing Sanctions on Russia
» Iran Deal a Mixed Economic Win for Russia: Analysts
 
Far East
» China: Economic Growth at 7%: Doubts on Data From Beijing
» North Korean Elections ‘Achieves 99.97 Per Cent Turnout’
 
Australia — Pacific
» Anti-Islam Rallies, Counter-Protests Flare in Australia
» Australia Actually Declares ‘War’ on Cats, Plans to Kill 2 Million by 2020
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» Surfer Mick Fanning Escapes Shark Attack in South Africa
» Surfer Mick Fanning Attacked by Shark on Live TV
 
Immigration
» Sicily Hospitable Territory
» Sweden: Christians Left Asylum Housing After Being Threatened
» UK: Foreign Criminals Will be Banned From Living in Britain Under New Visa Checks
» UNHCR Says Greece Faces ‘Unprecedented’ Migrants Emergency
 
Culture Wars
» Planned Parenthood Purveyor of Baby Parts Back Online
 

Italy: Ex-Minister Savona Calls for ‘Plan B’ To Exit Euro

Italy must settle the issue of its debt, says on Grillo blog

(ANSA) — Rome, July 15 — Paolo Savona, the Italian economist and former government minister, has warned that Italy “must have a plan B” to exit the euro.

Savona, who served as industry minister during the Ciampi government in the mid 1990s, said that if “Italy were caught unprepared, it would be a tragedy”.

“If Italy hasn’t already done so, it must have a plan B ready in the event of an end to the euro or a need to exit from it,” he wrote on the blog of Beppe Grillo, the leader of Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.

The economist said that Germany has proclaimed itself the “commanding country in Europe and has used Greece to reaffirm this role”.

Since “the [Greek] agreements are badly constructed and signed by countries with intentions to dominate, they won’t have a long life”, he added. He wrote that soon Italy could face problems.

Savona also wrote that Italy must soon settle the issue of its debt, which he suggested could be restructured in a similar to way to what was requested of Greece, in the form of a guarantee plan.

“The high level of Italian debt is the key reason for which we may be blackmailed into ‘making reforms’ and to ensure that the power within Italy stays with those that have invoked and perpetuated this state of international subjugation.”

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Social Security Fund Posts 12.7 Bn Deficit

But INPS says systems sustainability ‘not at risk’

(ANSA) — Rome, July 8 — Italy’s State pension and social security agency INPS said it posted a deficit of 12.7 billion euros in 2014. However, the agency stressed that its operating deficit was much lower, 7.8 billion euros, adding that the sustainability of the social-security system “is not at risk”.

INPS added that its net worth rosed from 9.028 billion euros to 17.952 billion thanks to the State covering debts from INPDAP, an agency for public-sector workers that has been incorporated into INPS.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Jobs Act Failed to Produce Steady Jobs Rise Says CGIL

‘No steady growth in new employment’ says Sorrentino

(see related) (ANSA) — Rome, July 10 — CGIL trade union said Friday the Jobs Act has failed to produce a stable rise in new jobs.

“The number of permanent contracts has decreased against a constant rise in temporary ones, and there is no stable growth in new employment,” CGIL Confederate Secretary Serena Sorrentino said.

“That is the product of the Jobs Act”.

She was reacting to positive jobs data released by the labor ministry earlier in the day.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy Housing Prices Slump

-3.3% in Q1 2015, only Latvia worse in eurozone

(ANSA) — Brussels, July 9 — Italian housing prices slumped 3.3% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period of 2014, according to the latest data released by Eurostat.

The only eurozone country that fared worse than Italy was Latvia, while prices for residential dwellings in the eurozone grew on average 0.9% on a yearly basis and 0.3% quarterly.

In the EU the rise was of 2.5% ( on a quarterly basis).

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Crisis Hits Young People, Old Spend Less

Couples under 35 consume less than over 64s for first time:Istat

(ANSA) — Rome, July 8 — The economic crisis is hitting Italian young people and for the first time couples aged under 35 are spending less than those aged over 64, the State-run Istat statistics institute said Wednesday. The lowest spending levels, taking into account family size, were registered where heads of family were aged under 35 who on average spent 100 euros less than couples over 64, Istat said.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Low-Paid British Workers Brace for More Austerity

Money was already tight for single mother Nicola Marshall and looks set to get tighter in a new austerity drive in Britain that will affect millions of low-paid workers.

“There’s going to be people out there who simply don’t have money to spare,” said the 37-year-old part-time office worker, who relies on tax credits to top up her £11,000 (15,000 euro, $17,000) a year salary.

Britain is slashing the credits, which currently help 4.5 million households, in a drive to reduce welfare dependency that has prompting warnings the cuts would hit the poor — and could be counterproductive…

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

Manage, Meddle or Magnify? China’s Corporate Debt Threat

Beijing may have averted a crisis in its stock markets with heavy-handed intervention, but the world’s biggest corporate debt pile — $16.1 trillion and rising — is a much greater threat to its slowing economy and will not be so easily managed.

Corporate China’s debts, at 160 percent of GDP, are twice that of the United States, having sharply deteriorated in the past five years, a Thomson Reuters study of over 1,400 companies shows.

And the debt mountain is set to climb 77 percent to $28.8 trillion over the next five years, credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s estimates.

Beijing’s policy interventions affecting corporate credit have so far been mostly designed to address a different goal — supporting economic growth, which is set to fall to a 25-year low this year.

It has cut interest rates four times since November, reduced the level of reserves banks must hold and removed limits on how much of their deposits they can lend.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Principles in Greek Deal Are European — German Industry Chief

Ulrich Grillo says EU rules have to be respected

(ANSA) — Berlin, July 14 — The principles upheld in the new Greek bailout deal are European principles, not German values, the president of German industry association BDI told ANSA Tuesday.

“The general principles of Europe are not German principles. The principle at stake is: how does the euro work and how does Europe work,” BDI president Ulrich Grillo said.

“There are certain rules that have to be respected…this was all that was established,” he added.

Greece secured its third EU bailout on Monday following marathon discussions in Brussels, which will allow it to avoid an imminent financial collapse and exit from the euro but is set to weigh heavily on its struggling citizens.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Rate of Italian Business Closures Rose in 2013 Says ISTAT

Business survival rates fall across all sectors

(ANSA) — Rome, July 9 — The death rate of Italian businesses rose in 2013 for the third year running to 8.5 percent compared to 8.1 percent in 2012, with business survival rates declining across all sectors from services to construction, national statistics office Istat said on Thursday.

A total of 333,305 businesses shut down in 2013 under the weight of a deep economic recession, after 320,511 closed their doors in 2012, statistics from Istat showed.

More than 276,000 businesses were born in 2013, with the birth rate increasing slightly to 7.1 percent from 7.0 percent in 2012.

The net turnover rate, which measures the difference between the birth rate and the death rate, was negative for the sixth consecutive year, at -1.5 percent in 2013.

Business survival rates after one year of operations fell to 76.1 percent in 2013 from 81.1 percent in 2012, with the decline affecting all sectors, particularly services.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

A Horrible Week for the Free World — And a Glimmer of Hope

If you’re an American who believes in peace through strength, steadfast support for Israel and fierce resistance to the growing global jihadist movement, this past week was from hell.

On the other hand, if you believe that Neville Chamberlain was a bold foreign policy visionary, that Israel is the problem, not the solution, in the Middle East, and that the word “Islamic terrorist” should never, ever be uttered, it may very well have been your best week ever.

Things got off to a nightmarish start with the announcement of an Iran nuclear deal that Daniel Pipes of the Middle East Forum accurately described as “arguably the worst treaty not just in American history or modern history, but ever.”

For the key, gory details of the abomination of a deal that President Obama undoubtedly views as his crowning foreign policy achievement, read this.

Oh, and if you’re an American who thinks “tough break for Israel, but an Iranian nuclear bomb doesn’t affect me,” you may want to know that Iran is currently developing intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBM’s, that could one day reach the United States. You only develop ICBM’s for one reason: to mount them with a nuclear warhead. The kind the Iranian regime is working feverishly to develop. This is the same Iranian regime, mind you, that has practically copyrighted the phrase “Death to America” (chanting it gleefully even as Secretary of State John Kerry was capitulating to its demands in Vienna) and still considers the United States to be the Great Satan and a target for destruction—despite the Obama administration’s surrender in Vienna, as Iran’s Supreme Leader made clear this weekend. Our weakness only makes the mullahs stronger, bolder and more assured that Allah is on their side and victory will soon be at hand. But move along, nothing to see here.

Actually, let’s move on to sleepy Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the buckle of the Bible Belt, where the week came to a close with a jihadist killing rampage that has, of this writing, claimed the lives of five brave U.S. servicemen. At this point, it’s still unclear whether 24-year-old terrorist Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez had any direct connections to ISIS or was inspired by it. But it is brutally clear that Abdulazeez, who had spent time in Jordan and the terror hotbed of Yemen as recently as 2014, was acting in the name of Islamic jihad. And at this point, it’s beyond surreal to see Obama administration officials and the mainstream media continue to wring their hands over his possible motivations. Folks, in the Age of ISIS, when a devout young Muslim male with a Salafi-style beard murders five American soldiers on U.S. soil—the kind of domestic attack on U.S. military members that both Al Qaeda and ISIS have repeatedly called for—well, you do the math.

The truth is that Abdulaziz’s jihadi outburst represents what is becoming the new normal here in the West…

           — Hat tip: Erick Stakelbeck [Return to headlines]
 

Agenda 21 Advocates Replace Farmers in Droves

United Nations agencies working against the economic needs and wishes of U.S. citizens compiled a blueprint for achieving Sustainable Development called U.N. Agenda 21. This 40-chapter document (about 300 pages) addresses every facet of human life and how Sustainable Development should be implemented through local, state, and federal government.

With its grant-making power (‘visioning grants’ and ‘challenge grants’) and conservation easements, the federal government promoted the Sustainable Development idea and policies to the state and local levels with the creation of an army of new community of Sustainable Development NGOs (non-government organizations) such as the American Planning Association, the Sustainable Resource Center, and the Institute for Sustainable Development.

Conservation easements, known also as conservation covenants, agricultural easements, and conservation restrictions are contracts between a landowner and a conservation organization, giving the conservation trust power over the use of the land for years or in perpetuity. Such easements “run with the land,” and present and future landowners must abide by this conservation contract which is recorded in the local land records as the easement becomes part of the title for the property…

I imagine that it would be hard for a farmer to turn down an offer of $500,000 to “preserve” his farming land, especially if they were strapped for cash. Often, it is difficult to see the bigger picture in the future, beyond one’s farm, and to understand that such conservation easement contracts are not just about being a good steward of your farm and of the environment. They also represent control of private property and its use.

As a matter of fact, the sample deed for the federal government states on page 18, “To HAVE AND TO HOLD the above-described Agricultural Easement to the use, benefit, and behalf of the Grantees, and the United States and their successors and assigns forever.”

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Bill Cosby ‘Offered Women Money’ For Silence After Sex

American comedian Bill Cosby admitted trying to pay women to keep quiet after having sex with them, according to testimony obtained by the New York Times.

The newspaper says Mr Cosby made the deposition 10 years ago. A lawsuit was lodged by a former university worker in Philadelphia who claimed he drugged and molested her.

Mr Cosby, now 78, is facing a series of sexual assault accusations.

He has denied the claims.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Confederate Flag Flap is a Huge Red Herring

The Confederate flag flap is based on a completely false premise — the flag is a symbol of racism — but this fact has not stopped the Left from using it as a diversionary tactic.

Thomas DiLorenzo:

The anti-Confederate flag hysteria is only one small part of the Left’s general strategy, however. It is part of their overriding strategy of diverting the public’s attention away from all the grotesque failures of leftist interventionism, from the welfare state to the government takeover of education to the war on drugs and beyond. The neocons who run the Republican Party are usually complicit in all of this.

The Left and the cultural Marxists are using the so-called Confederate flag controversy to shut down the First Amendment and deny those who oppose them the ability to resist.

“Free speech should only be enjoyed by the victims of white (heterosexual male) oppression, they say. Allowing white male oppressors to have free speech simply leads to even more ‘oppression’ of the oppressed (which now includes everyone who is not a white heterosexual male),” writes DiLorenzo.

This tyranny is possible in part because so many Americans are ignorant of history and do not understand the real nature of the so-called Civil War, which in fact was a war waged by the federal government against Southern states threatening to secede. The war was not about slavery. It was about secession and the right of the states as delineated by the Tenth Amendment.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

The Creator of This Amazing Internet Privacy Device Has Been Silenced: “Effective Immediately We Are Halting Further Development”

Earlier this year an inventor by the name of Benjamin Caudill announced a device he dubbed the ProxyHam which was going to literally change everything about how those concerned with privacy could connect to the internet:

“I PRESENT PROXYHAM, A HARDWARE DEVICE WHICH UTILIZES BOTH WIFI AND THE 900MHZ BAND TO ACT AS A HARDWARE PROXY, ROUTING LOCAL TRAFFIC THROUGH A FAR-OFF WIRELESS NETWORK — AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE DIFFICULTY IN IDENTIFYING THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE TRAFFIC. IN ADDITION TO A DEMONSTRATION OF THE DEVICE ITSELF, FULL HARDWARE SCHEMATICS AND CODE WILL BE MADE FREELY AVAILABLE.”

Rhino Security Labs via HackRead

What Caudill had built is a device that would mix up your personal WIFI signal in such a way that no one, not even the National Security Agency, could track down where it originated.

That, of course, is not something the government wants in the hands of ordinary citizens, and the events of the last week show exactly how dangerous of a device this is to the Big Brother Surveillance State.

Just hours before Caudill was to reveal a fully-functioning ProxyHam at the DefCon hacking conference his presentation was abruptly cancelled. No reason was given and Caudill posted several cryptic Tweets that left many baffled.

The device had been disappeared, the company was cancelling production on retail units, and the source code and blueprints would no longer be released to the public.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Trump Won’t Apologize to McCain, Suggests Backlash Led by Trailing GOP Rivals

Donald Trump on Sunday declined to apologize for his comments about war veteran and Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain, suggesting the backlash is being fueled by fellow Republican presidential candidates trailing him in the polls.

On Saturday, Trump acknowledge that McCain, a former Navy fighter pilot who spent five-and-a-half years as a prisoner during the Vietnam War, was indeed a war hero but only “because he was captured.”

“I like people who weren’t captured,” he also said.

The feud between Trump and McCain appeared to have started during a recent event in Phoenix, Ariz., that swelled to 1,500 people, many apparently energized by Trump suggesting that he would, if elected, build a wall along the southern U.S. border and that some Mexicans coming into the country are rapists and drug dealers.

McCain, whom Trump financially backed in his failed 2008 presidential bid, called the attendees “crazies,” which upset Trump, who called for an apology.

Most of the 14 other GOP candidates have condemned Trump’s remarks about McCain, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry who are calling for Trump to quit the race.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

United States Government Refusing to Acknowledge the Islamic Threat

The top story at SkyWatch TV today involves the United States government refusing to acknowledge the Islamic threat confronting the nation while U.S. leaders and citizens turn a blind eye to the danger. How big is the threat and is their an unknown connection between the US President and terror groups? Pentagon senior analyst and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis is set to release (from Defender Publishing and SkyWatch TV) a tell-all expose that already has Fox News, CNN, Lou Dobbs and others lining up for the EXCLUSIVE REPORT!!

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Wesley Clark Calls for Interning “Disloyal” Americans

Retired US Army General and the former Supreme Allied Commander of Europe for NATO Wesley Clark advocates rounding up “radicalized” and “disloyal” Americans and putting them in internment camps for the “duration” of the war on terror.

Clark is in essence advocating a life sentence for people who have not committed a crime but merely engaged in speech — often reprehensible, yet constitutionally protected — the government considers radical and in opposition to its foreign policy.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Beheading Plot Highlights Terror Threat Against French Military

A foiled plot to attack a military base in southern France and decapitate the officer in charge has raised fresh concerns over the Islamic State (IS) group’s attempts to strike the French military on their own soil.

When their IS group contact told them to “strike in France”, Ismael K., Antoine F., and Djebril A. set their sights on the Mediterranean military post Fort Bear, where one of them used to serve. Their plan was to kidnap the base chief and film his decapitation, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.

The trio, whose ages range between 17 and 23, used encrypted messaging systems and applications to organise their attack. They were arrested in a dawn raid on July 13th. Two judges are expected to decide on Friday whether to file charges and extend their detention.

“ (They) have several things in common — as well as their young age,” noted the prosecutor, François Molins. “They have never been convicted, had been educated to baccalaureate level (which marks the end of high school) and were strongly radicalised, in particular because they watched IS videos.”

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

‘Charlie Hebdo’ Will No Longer Draw Muhammad

The top editor and publisher of the French satirical weekly said his publication would no longer draw cartoons of the Muslim prophet, telling German magazine “Stern” that he did not want to believe his organization “was possessed by Islam.”

Laurent Sourisseau said the decision has nothing to do with the deadly January terror attack that left 12 dead and several others wounded.

“We have drawn Muhammad to defend the principle that one can draw whatever they want,” said Sourisseau, who was injured at the “Hebdo” office when it came under attack by two Islamic militants. “It is a bit strange though: we are expected to exercise a freedom of expression that no one dares to.”

The publication was attacked because it had depicted Muhammad, according to an al-Qaeda affiliate that claimed responsibility for the attack.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

EU: Government Expenditure, Decreases in Greece and Croatia

27.6% going to old age Italy,25.9% Bulgaria,25.1% Romania

(ANSA) — BRUSSELS — In 2014, total general government expenditure amounted to 6,701 billion euros in the European Union (EU), with annual significant decreases registered in Greece (-10.7 pp) and Slovenia (-9.9 pp). According to Eurostat, among EU Member States, total general government expenditure represented less than 40% of GDP in six countries: Lithuania and Romania (both 34.9%), Latvia (36.9%), Estonia (38.8%), Ireland (39.0%) and Bulgaria (39.2%).

More than a quarter of total general government expenditure was devoted in 2013 to old age in Italy (27.6%), Bulgaria (25.9%), Luxembourg (25.8%), Austria (25.3%) and Romania (25.1%). ‘Old age’ accounted for 21.4% of total general government expenditure in the EU, and for 22.0% in the euro area. The group ‘sickness and disability’ represented a notable share in the Netherlands (10.1% of total general government expenditure in 2013), Croatia (9.5%) and Denmark (9.0%).

Expenditure related to health came second in eleven EU Member States: Slovakia (health accounted for 18.3% of total general government expenditure in 2013), the Netherlands (17.7%), the Czech Republic and Ireland (both 17.4%), the United Kingdom (16.7%), Lithuania (15.9%), Germany (15.8%), Austria (15.6%), Denmark (15.3%), Finland (14.5%) and France (14.2%).

Economic affairs expenditure made up the second largest share of general government expenditure in Greece (25.5%) and Slovenia (24.2%) mainly driven by one-off support to financial institutions, as well as in Romania (17.5%) and Bulgaria (13.2%), while it was education in Latvia (15.7%), Estonia (15.4%) and Luxembourg (12.7%). The share of ‘public order and safety’ expenditure in total government expenditure was higher in Slovakia (8.0%), Bulgaria (7.0%) and Romania (6.3%) than in other EU Member States, while for ‘defence’ the United Kingdom (5.0%), Estonia (4.7%), Poland (3.9%), Cyprus (3.8%) and Greece (3.6%) registered the highest proportions.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Founding Member of Alternative for Germany Party Starts New Euroskeptic Party

BERLIN — A founding member of Germany’s upstart Alternative for Germany party, who left after losing the leadership to a bitter rival, announced the creation of a new party Sunday with a fiscally conservative euroskeptic message.

Bernd Lucke, the former leader of the Alternative for Germany or AfD, said a group of 70 supporters had backed the idea of founding the “Alliance for Progress and Renewal,” which will be known by its German abbreviation ALFA.

Under Lucke, AfD narrowly missed the 5 percent threshold needed to enter the national Parliament in 2013 and was widely seen as a threat to the right-wing of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s own conservative bloc. It has since entered the European Parliament and won seats in regional legislatures, but became increasingly mired in infighting.

Lucke, an economics professor, left the AfD earlier this month after he lost a leadership vote to Frauke Petry, a businesswoman who accused Lucke of focusing too much on opposing the euro currency.

Lucke, who complained of ever-stronger anti-Islamic and anti-foreigner views in the AfD, said under Petry “the party has fallen irretrievably into the wrong hands.”

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

France’s Hollande Calls for ‘Eurozone Government’

France favours a “stronger organisation” behind the euro led by “a vanguard of countries”, French President Francois Hollande said in an interview published Sunday.

In the past week “the European spirit prevailed” in addressing the Greek crisis, he told the weekly Journal du Dimanche.

“But we cannot stand still,” Hollande said, in the interview published alongside a profile of Jacques Delors, the former head of the European Commission.

Delors, a former French economics and finance minister who turns 90 on Monday, is one of the architects of the euro.

“I have proposed taking up Jacques Delors’ idea about euro government, with the addition of a specific budget and a parliament to ensure democratic control,” Hollande said.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

IOUs for RIPs: Greece’s Cash Crisis Creates Hardships for Funeral Homes and Mourning Families

ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s cash crisis has disrupted all aspects of daily life — death included.

Greek funeral homes are struggling to cope with banking restrictions that limit customers to taking out only 60 euros ($65) a day in cash. Even a modest funeral service in Greece costs more than 15 times that, in a country that traditionally carries out funerals shortly after death and pays for them almost entirely in cash.

“With the capital controls at the banks, no matter who we asked money from, we couldn’t even recover our costs,” said Eustratios Voulamandis, who runs a funeral home in a blue-collar neighborhood west of Athens.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

ISIS Ordered Terror Plot Suspect ‘To Hit France’

One of the young Islamic radicals suspected of plotting to decapitate a French army officer has said that an IS jihadist told him to “hit” France, a prosecutor said on Friday.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said on Friday that the youngest of three suspects in custody — aged only 17 — was given the

order when it became clear he would not be able to leave the country to wage jihad in Syria because he was under surveillance.

The teenager and two other young Islamic radicals are all set to appear before a judge on Friday when they are expected to be charged with terrorism offences. The three young men, including a former naval signalman, were arrested earlier this week and have been questioned by France’s intelligence services.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: INPS: 6.6. Mn Pensioners’ Income Below 1000 Euros

Poor pensioners’ incomes make up only 18.9% of overall spending

(ANSA) — Rome, July 8 — More than 6.6 million Italian pensioners (some 42.5% of the total) have pension incomes of less than 1,000 euros a month, the social security agency INPS said Wednesday. In its annual report INPS disclosed that this group of people’s incomes represented only 18.9% of overall expenditure in 2014, receiving little more than 50 billion.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Salvini ‘Disgusted’ By Pope’s Communist Crucifix Gift

League leader criticises present from Bolivian president

(ANSA) — Rome, July 14 — Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy’s anti-immigrant Northern League party, said on Tuesday he was “disgusted” by the Communist crucifix that Bolivia’s president gave as a gift to Pope Francis during his recent trip to South America.

Bolivia’s Evo Morales presented Francis with the crucifix in the shape of a hammer and sickle when he arrived in La Paz on Wednesday.

“I was left disgusted, because millions of people in the world have died in the name of that hammer and sickle, in the name of Communism,” Salvini told Italian radio Rtl 102.5.

“Communism has committed more crimes in the world than Nazism,” said Salvini. “To see it combined with our Lord…it really annoyed me,” he said. The crucifix was based on a design by a Marxist-minded missionary tortured and murdered by Bolivian paramilitaries in 1980, Jesuit priest Father Luis Espinal.

Francis, who prayed at the site of Espinal’s assassination upon his arrival in Bolivia, said on the plane home Monday the gift had not “offended” him — on the contrary, he was taking it back to the Vatican with him.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

NWO: France’s Hollande Proposes Creation of Eurozone Government

French President Francois Hollande said that the 19 countries using the euro need their own government complete with a budget and parliament to cooperate better and overcome the Greek crisis.

“Circumstances are leading us to accelerate,” Hollande said in an opinion piece published by the Journal du Dimanche on Sunday. “What threatens us is not too much Europe, but a lack of it.”

[Comment: Notice how the solution is always MORE centralization?]

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Panic as French Pilgrims Mistaken for Jihadists

The heightened sense of fear in France of further terror attacks is having some unfortunate effects after three Catholic pilgrims were mistaken for Islamists as they took a breather in a church for a period of reflection.

Ever since April’s foiled terror attack on a church near Paris fears have grown that jihadists would target France’s Christian places of worship.

That fear was evident earlier this month when three pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in north western Spain were mistaken for Islamic radicals by worried churchgoers.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Saudi Royals ‘Illegally’ Close Off French Public Beach

The Saudi royal family has infuriated residents of a French Riviera town by blocking off a secluded private beach it intends to have exclusive access to for the duration of the family’s forthcoming seaside holiday.

The Saudi royals and their large entourage will be spending a few weeks at their luxury mansion in Vallauris, which is right next to the picturesque Mirandole beach that is only accessible by a tunnel that runs beneath the coastal railway line.

And well before the scheduled royal holiday was due to begin, locals reacted with fury Wednesday when they found the tunnel fenced off and a mysterious concrete slab laid down by the entrance to the beach. Both actions, according to local authorities, are completely illegal.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Sweden: Minister Seeks to Close Forced Marriage Loophole

Justice minister Morgan Johansson wants to tighten Sweden’s forced marriage laws by criminalising assistance given to those forcing others to marry against their will.

Since the introduction of legislation outlawing child and forced marriage last year, 23 cases have been reported, but none have resulted in prosecution.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

UK: David Cameron Warns Muslims ‘Don’t be Cannon Fodder for ISIS’

In a powerful speech, Prime Minister David Cameron will warn that ‘brutal and vicious’ IS wants to send young men to their deaths as ‘cannon fodder’, while women are raped and enslaved.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Vatican Budget Still in the Red With a € 25.6 Million Deficit for 2014

The Governorate of the Vatican City State, which is responsible for museums, the Vatican post office, commercial enterprises, etc., had instead a good year with a surplus of € 63.5 million. Net assets rose by € 939 million as a result of adjustments to count all the assets and liabilities for the 2014 fiscal year.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) — The 2014 Consolidated Financial Statements of the Holy See indicate a deficit of € 25.6 million. The Governorate of the Vatican City State — which is responsible for museums, the Vatican post office, commercial enterprises, etc. — had a surplus of € 63.5 million.

In a statement, the Holy See Press Office reported that “The Financial Statements for the Holy See for 2014 indicate a deficit of 25.621 M Euro which is similar to the deficit of 24.471 M Euro reported in the 2013 Statements. Had the same accounting treatment applied in 2014 been applied in 2013, the 2013 deficit would have been reported as 37.209 M Euro — the improvement in 2014 was largely due to favourable movements in investments held by the Holy See. The main sources of income in 2014, in addition to investments, include the contributions made pursuant to Canon 1271 of the Code of Canon Law (21 M Euro) and the contribution from Institute of Works of Religion (50 M Euro).”

The Vatican press release also noted that the budget of the Holy See as well as the Governatorato were prepared by the Prefecture for Economic Affairs and reviewed and verified by the Secretariat, the Council’s Audit Committee and an external auditor.

“Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). The former accounting principles and consolidation perimeter (comprising 64 Holy See entities) were used in preparation of the 2014 Statements. Managers were however asked to ensure they had included all assets and liabilities and provide appropriate certification as to completeness and accuracy. Working with the external auditor, third party confirmation of balances were requested so that, consistent with sound audit practice, amounts could be independently verified. To include all assets and liabilities in the accounts at year-end and to prepare for the new policies, a number of closing entries were included which make direct comparison with 2013 figures difficult. Where appropriate relevant points of comparison were provided to the Council.

“The journey of transition to new policies is progressing well and the Secretariat was pleased to report high levels of interest and cooperation in the entities. The 2014 Financial Statements reflect an enormous amount of work by staff in many Holy See entities, particularly in the Prefettura for Economic Affairs and the Secretariat for the Economy and Council members expressed their gratitude for the rigorous and professional work and the strong commitment to implementing the financial reforms approved by the Holy Father.

“Net Assets increased by 939 M Euro as adjustments were made to include all assets and liabilities in the closing balances for 2014. For the entities included in the consolidation perimeter, assets previously off the Balance sheet amounted to 1,114 M Euro and liabilities amounted to 222 M Euro. While the patrimonial situation in the Pension Fund was not reflected in the closing Balance Sheet, it was reported that the new Pension Fund Board will be asked to prepare an updated assessment of the overall situation.

“As in previous years, the most significant expense included in the Holy See Financial Statements is the cost of staff (126.6 M Euro) and the Statements indicate total staffing of 2880 in the 64 Holy See entities included in the consolidation.

“The Financial Statements for the Governatorato for 2014 indicate a surplus of 63.519 M Euro which is a significant improvement on the 2013 surplus of 33.042 M Euro, largely due to continued strong revenue from the cultural activities (especially the Museums) and favourable movements in investments. Net Assets increased by 63.5 M Euro and there were no adjustments necessary to include additional assets and liabilities in closing balances for 2014. The Statements indicate a total staffing in the Governatorato of 1930.

“Following the meeting of the Council for the Economy, the Secretariat for the Economy was advised the Auditor confirmed that a clear audit certificate had been issued for the Holy See and Governatorato Financial Statements.

“The Council also received a further update on the 2015 Budget. The 2015 Budgets were prepared under the new Financial Management Policies, approved last year by the Holy Father. The Council in late May received a detailed budget submission prepared by the Secretariat. The submission highlighted proposed activities as well as anticipated revenue and expenditure for the coming year and included specific recommendations for each of the 136 entities on the list, as approved by the Holy Father, who are subject to control and vigilance of the Council and Secretariat. The Budgets indicate the deficits experienced in recent years are likely to continue in 2015.

“While rapid progress is being made in implementing reforms requested by the Holy Father, the complete transition to the IPSAS is likely to take several years. The 2015 Budgets and the 2015 Statements are the first important steps. From 2015, the Consolidated Statements for the Holy See will include the new practices and additional entities, as required under the new Financial Management Policies and the IPSAS Standards.”

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

ISIS Set Up Stronghold in the Heart of Europe as Terrorists Secretly Buy Land Near an Isolated Village

Islamic State have established a stronghold in mainland Europe, a Sunday Mirror investigation reveals.

Terrorists are secretly buying land in an isolated village, surrounded by deep woodland.

Security services think the area in Bosnia is used for ISIS training camps and could be a base for devastating terror attacks on the West.

Crucially, the location gives IS a key strategic position due to its proximity to the Mediterranean which is used by extremists from Syria, Iraq and North Africa.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

ISIS Set Up Stronghold in the Heart of Europe

Islamic State have established a stronghold in mainland Europe, a Sunday Mirror investigation reveals.

Terrorists are secretly buying land in an isolated village, surrounded by deep woodland.

Security services think the area in Bosnia is used for ISIS training camps and could be a base for devastating terror attacks on the West.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Egypt’s Military Spokesman Says 7 Troops Killed in Sinai; Islamic State Branch Claims Attacks

CAIRO — Egypt’s military spokesman says the death toll from the Sinai Peninsula a day earlier has climbed to seven soldiers after a series of Islamic-State claimed attacks.

The statement from Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir on Sunday said the military killed 59 militants during the day’s operations, which involved air cover.

In its daily radio broadcast, the Islamic State group said its fighters attacked multiple checkpoints and military installations Saturday in North Sinai, naming at least two checkpoints and saying clashes took place near a local airport.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Blasts Destroy Hamas, Islamic Jihad Cars in Gaza

Explosions on Sunday destroyed five cars in Gaza belonging to members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, witnesses and a security source said, amid tensions between the Palestinian territory’s rulers and Islamist extremists.

Police for Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have not yet commented on the explosions in different areas of Gaza City. There was no immediate confirmation of any casualties.

A security source said three of the cars belonged to members of Hamas and two to Islamic Jihad members.

There have been growing signs of internal unrest in the Gaza Strip, with Hamas engaged in a power struggle with smaller extremist groups…

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

Opening the ‘Gates of Evil’

By Jonathan Spyer

Sunni Arabs see deal as facilitating further Iranian regional subversion and confirming US withdrawal from the Middle East.

The response in the Arabic-speaking world to the conclusion of a deal between the P5+1 countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the latter’s nuclear program has divided along familiar lines.

Among pro-Iranian elements, such as President Bashar Assad of Syria and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the news of the deal has, predictably, been met with jubilation. Assad described the agreement as a “historic achievement” and a “great victory.”

Among Sunni elements opposed to the advance of Iran, concerns have focused less on the nuclear elements of the deal — that is, whether it will effectively halt Iran’s march toward the bomb. Instead, attention has centered on the deal’s implications for Iran’s push for hegemony in the Middle East, and its interference in and subversion of regional states as part of this effort.

An editorial by Salman Aldosary, in the Saudi- owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, summed up these concerns in the following passage:…

           — Hat tip: K [Return to headlines]
 

Swedish CEOs See Big Potential in Iran

Swedish executives say there is great business potential in Iran in the wake of the historic nuclear deal that could see economic sanctions lifted. But Swedish firms are set to meet fierce competition.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Indian PM Attacks West for Imposing Sanctions on Russia

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for greater facilitation of trade within BRICS (the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), accusing the Western countries of slowing down the global economic growth.

While delivering a speech at the 7th annual BRICS Summit in the Russian city of Ufa on Thursday, Modi launched a veiled attack on the West for imposing sanctions on Moscow over the Ukrainian crisis, saying that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa should strengthen co-operation in order to avoid any economic crisis. The BRICS member countries also have a duty to rescue the global economy, added Modi. “Unilateral sanctions are hurting the global economy. So it is very essential that BRICS economies deepen their co-operation. BRICS should also work with other developed regions,” he stressed.

Describing BRICS as an ‘important pillar’ in the current socio-economic situation in the world, Modi told the audience that the global challenges should be met through consensus, collaboration and co-operation, particularly among the BRICS nations — the major emerging economies.

Meanwhile, the Indian premier advised BRICS partners to facilitate trade and reduce customs barriers by signing an intra-BRICS customs agreement. He also suggested that the BRICS countries should host an annual trade fair, saying: “I will propose an annual BRICS trade fair. India will be happy to host the first BRICS trade fair.”

In the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma, Modi assured the international community that BRICS would always work hard to ensure global peace. “Everyone should follow international rules and norms,” he stated. At the same time, the premier pitched for urgent UN reforms to make the world body relevant to the present world realities, saying: “If UN has to be relevant in the 21st century, it needs to be reformed…Any type of social, economic and challenges can be met only by reforming the UNSC at the earliest.”

In Ufa, Modi announced that India was fully prepared for the upcoming UN-led Climate Change Summit to be held in France. He told delegates of different countries that the world body should make some solid decisions on meeting this challenge in its 75th anniversary year.

Later, the BRICS leaders adopted the Ufa Declaration — the final document of the summit — in the capital of Russia’s Volga republic of Bashkiria. After the working session in an expanded format, senior officials of the five emerging economies signed the declaration and other related documents.

On the occasion, Russia’s First Deputy Economic Development Minister Alexey Likhachev said that the declaration “gives assessment on the current global political and economic scenario and reflects the common approaches of the BRICS countries on the most topical issues of multilateral co-operation”. Russian News Agency TASS quoted Likhachev as saying that BRICS leaders also adopted an Action Plan in which the work of the group for the upcoming year has been clearly mentioned. It also includes the new promising areas of co-operation. The grouping further approved a document — prepared by Russia — in which the Strategy of Economic Partnership of BRICS countries up to 2020 is explained.

Leaders of the five countries also signed an agreement between the governments of BRICS nations on co-operation with the newly-formed New Development Bank (NDB). The National Bank of Social and Economic Development of Brazil, Vnesheconombank (VEB) of Russia, Export Import Bank of India, China Development Bank and Development Bank of South Africa will co-operate with each other so that the bank can start lending in local currency by April next year. At the end of opening day of the Summit, Russian President Putin said that a new BRICS bank would become fully operational and finance energy projects in 2016, stressing that the emerging markets would challenge the Western-dominated financial system in the coming years.

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

Iran Deal a Mixed Economic Win for Russia: Analysts

The landmark deal on Iran’s nuclear programme that Russia helped steer through marathon talks is a diplomatic fillip for Moscow which will boost trade with Tehran but could also hit much-needed energy revenues, analysts said.

Iran and the P5+1 group — Russia, the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany — struck an agreement on Tuesday that would progressively lift economic sanctions against Tehran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear programme.

As an Iranian ally, Moscow appears to have been central in securing the deal and experts say it could help burnish Russia’s international image that has taken a beating over the crisis in Ukraine.

US President Barack Obama pointedly praised his counterpart Vladimir Putin for his help, a rare hint of goodwill between the two men locked in a standoff over Russia’s meddling in its ex-Soviet neighbour…

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

China: Economic Growth at 7%: Doubts on Data From Beijing

In the second quarter of 2015 industrial production grew (not what was expected) but not energy consumption, and analysts speak of “serious discrepancies” between the regional and national data. The National Statistics Office defends itself: “Numbers hard won and accurate.” Citibank: “We estimate a real growth of around 5%.”

Beijing (AsiaNews) — The data on China’s economic growth in the second quarter of 2015 “are accurate. The rate at 7% was hard won and correctly reflects the market trends” claimed the spokesman of the National Bureau of Statistics, Sheng Laiyun.

He was speaking this morning in response to the allegations of experts and analysts who speak of “inaccurate” figures. The Office yesterday published data on economic growth in the second quarter: 7%, as in the first period of the year, up from the 6.7% forecast by analysts.

Economists have repeatedly questioned Beijing’s methodology in statistics, which show significant discrepancies between regional and national data, gaps in data collection and in general lack of transparency.

Financial giant Citibank told its customers “not to believe” the government figures, and pointed to the “real growth” in the Chinese economy at “around 5%”.

Controversy also surrounds technical issues related to industrial production: this has increased, but without increasing energy consumption. An aspect that some analysts have described as “absurd”. Sheng also spoke about the development model to justify these discrepancies. He claimed said the leadership was steering the economy into a “new normal” model — slower but sustainable growth.

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

North Korean Elections ‘Achieves 99.97 Per Cent Turnout’

Worker’s Party expected to fare well in polls this Sunday with only one name on ballot paper and punishment for anyone who fails to endorse Kim Jong-un’s policies.

North Koreans went to the polls on Sunday for tighly controlled local elections that saw a 99.97 per cent turnout, state media reported.

Pyongyang’s state news agency reported that voters were “singing and dancing” as they cast their votes in polls to elect new provincial, city and county representatives put forward by the ruling party.

All polling stations were “clad in a festive atmosphere”, according to official Korean Central News Agency.

The elections were the first at the local level since Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader and first secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, inherited the leadership of the world’s only hereditary communist dictatorship in December 2011.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Anti-Islam Rallies, Counter-Protests Flare in Australia

Rival anti-Islam and anti-racism rallies saw hundreds protest across Australia at the weekend with violent clashes in Melbourne, as police officers mounted a strong presence in cities Sunday to keep the two sides apart.

About 100 anti-Islam protesters from the Reclaim Australia and United Patriots Front groups waved the national flag and yelled chants at a rally in Sydney Sunday, with signs declaring “Say no to Sharia” and “Immigration is the elephant in the room”.

They were met by around 250 counter-demonstrators who carried banners including “No racism, no Islamophobia”…

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

Australia Actually Declares ‘War’ on Cats, Plans to Kill 2 Million by 2020

The Australian government announced plans to cull up to 2 million feral cats by 2020 in a bid to preserve dozens of native species that authorities claim face extinction because of the cats’ predatory behavior.

Speaking to a national radio station, Gregory Andrews, the country’s first threatened-species Commissioner, said Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt “is declaring war on feral cats, and he’s asked me to take charge of that program.”

Hunt unveiled the five-year plan at a Melbourne zoo on Thursday, vowing to protect Australia’s native mammal and bird populations.

“We are drawing a line in the sand today which says, ‘On our watch, in our time, no more species extinction,’“ Hunt said.

All of Australia’s states and territories have agreed to list feral cats as “pests.”

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Surfer Mick Fanning Escapes Shark Attack in South Africa

An Australian surfer has made an incredible escape after encountering two sharks during a major competition in South Africa.

Mick Fanning was competing in Jeffreys Bay, on the eastern Cape, when one of the sharks approached his surfboard.

Fanning, a three-time world champion, said he was able to “get a punch into its back” and startle it.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Surfer Mick Fanning Attacked by Shark on Live TV

A surfing champion survived a shark attack on live TV.

Australian Mick Fanning was competing Sunday in the finals of South Africa’s J-Bay Open when a familiar-looking fin popped up behind him.

“I was just sitting there, I was just about to start moving and then I felt something grab…get stuck in my leg rope,” the 34-year-old Fanning told FoxSports. “I instantly just jumped and he kept coming at my board. I was just kicking and screaming.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Sicily Hospitable Territory

Conference on immigration with politicians, religious, experts

(ANSAmed) — PALERMO, JULY 7 — At Expo on Tuesday the Region of Sicily presented a conference showing Sicily both as a border and a welcoming place on the theme of immigration, against every attempt at racism, violence, or political speculation.

During the conference, politicians, religious workers, and experts discussed one of the most heated arguments that Italy and Europe are currently called to face, that of immigration.

Bruno Caruso, Sicily’s regional councillor for Families, Social Policies and Labour, was the region’s spokesman on the topic of Sicily as the border for the Mediterranean.

“Palermo is a city that’s facing day after day the tension of the immigrant landings, just like the rest of Sicily. I believe that the peace and tranquillity with which the people welcome (immigrants) and put in place real processes of integration are the best answer to every cry, scream, attempt to introduce elements of violence, intolerance, hate, and political speculation,” Caruso said, referring to the anti-immigrant Northern League party led by Matteo Salvini.

“For the first time, on buses and in public places I’ve heard Sicilians talking in worried tones. And for the first time I’ve also heard them name Salvini, who before in Sicily no one even knew who that was. Now the fact that we know who Salvini is and the speeches he makes is a fact that should be a cause for concern,” he said.

Monsignor Domenico Mogavero, bishop of Mazara del Vallo, shares Caruso’s concern.

“If until now our people have shown an attitude of acceptance, solidarity and non-marginalization, today the worm of doubt is starting to creep in, because the messages based on slogans and not on serious analysis, aimed at people’s guts, sooner or later take hold and change opinions,” Mogavero said.

Caruso said the the alarm being generated comes from “a series of lies and cliche’s that don’t look rationally at reality”.

Among these, Caruso said, is the belief that immigrants are costly to Italy or that they take jobs from Italians.

“We should tell the truth and not scream lies. And the truth is to say that Italy is a country that needs immigrants, at least 200,000 of them a year to maintain the GDP,” he said.

Caruso also said Sicilians are worried about “the inadequate response of the government”.

“The problems that Salvini is yelling about are beginning to take root, and we aren’t adequately facing the wave,” he said.

The question then is how to transform the borders into bridges.

Sicily and the Mediterranean, said Caruso, “can’t be an underwater cemetery. We’re the region with the most border area, but with the least specific organization. We’re arranging for a special office of immigration that should be a link between the various councillorships. The Region is also working on a new immigration law, that I hope will be the most advanced in Italy,” Caruso said.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Sweden: Christians Left Asylum Housing After Being Threatened

A group of Christian asylum seekers felt forced to leave an asylum housing building in Mönsterås, in southeast Sweden, after threats and harassment.

A group of Muslim asylum seekers demanded that the two families stop wearing Christian symbols, like crosses around their necks. The families were also not welcome in common areas when the other group was present, according to the newspaper Östra Småland.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Foreign Criminals Will be Banned From Living in Britain Under New Visa Checks

Immigration minister James Brokenshire says convicts from other countries have no place in Britain and the new measures to checlk 10 years of criminal records will ‘keep them out’.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

UNHCR Says Greece Faces ‘Unprecedented’ Migrants Emergency

1,000 people per day arrive in the country by sea

(ANSA-AP) — BRUSSELS — The United Nations’ refugee agency says Greece is facing an “unprecedented” emergency as people fleeing war and poverty at home continue to stream into the country’s islands in huge numbers.

The UNHCR said Friday that 77,100 people have arrived to Greece by sea at an average of 1,000 people per day. The agency said Greece’s bad economic situation is putting severe strain on small island communities that are unable to cope and urged European authorities to help before things get worse.

It said most of the refugees arriving to Greece move on in hopes of reaching western and northern European countries and passing through the Balkans, which has seen a nine-fold increase in asylum applications in the first half of this year as compared to the same period in 2014.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Planned Parenthood Purveyor of Baby Parts Back Online

It didn’t take long for Stem Express, the California-based company caught buying aborted baby parts from Planned Parenthood, to get back in business online. Stem Express, which LifeNews reported offline on Wednesday is back online today—advertising the sale of the same baby livers, Deborah Nucatola so callously went on about during her salad and red wine lunch.

Planned Parenthood’s baby livers, advertised by Stem Express, are going for anywhere from $565 to $2433.

Hard to believe they’re back so soon.

Perhaps Stem Express principals are emboldened by the nepotism of their Planned Parenthood /Republican Party connections.

“Republican House Speaker John Boehner’s top health-care policy adviser is linked — by blood — to a figure at the heart of the Planned Parenthood baby part-selling scandal.” (DailyCaller, July 17, 2015)

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

5 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 7/19/2015

  1. “A group of Christian asylum seekers in southern Sweden was forced out …”

    Ah, muslims in democratic Europe know how to behave to get what they want. They have an accurate reading of democratic, humanist Europe. Very humanist to those scary muslims. Islam belongs in Europe. So do passionately perverted thinking and attitudes.

  2. Poor misguided Christians, why would they go to the Islamic republic of Swedistan? Although neighbouring Norway also has hundreds of thousands of the islamic rabble, the Christians would have a much better chance there, at least at present.
    But all is not well with the ‘right wing’ govt. in Norway; ‘big Erna’ Solberg is way too soft, the low oil price is hurting the government, and that situation is being taken full advantage of by the far left, labour, Arbeiderpartiet now also known as the ARABerpartiet, led by one Jonas Gahr Støre, who is every bit as muslim-friendly and traitorous as the former Jens Stoltenberg.

  3. “Donald Trump on Sunday declined to apologize for his comments about war veteran”
    Diana West and Sharyl Attkisson do excellent work exposing the actual statement by Trump and the distortions by the mainstream media. See http://www.dianawest.net/Home/tabid/36/EntryId/3113/Trump-Lies-and-Videotape.aspx. Ms. West has a link to Sharyl Attkisson’s web page and article titled Fact Check. There are also links to stories about John McCain’s sordid role covering up the number of Viet Nam POW’s left behind. I was totally unaware of this shameful action by our government in the not-too-distant past.

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