Violent protests continued for a second night in Ferguson, Missouri. Angry activists threw firebombs and overturned a police car in front of City Hall. Some business owners used armed guards to prevent their buildings from being torched.

In other news, a video from Mosul shows the Convent of the Sacred Heart being blown up by the Islamic State. Although devastated by the loss, the Christians of Mosul were able to find comfort in the fact that the tragedy had nothing to do with Islam.

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

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Fjordman, Insubria, Nick, Phyllis Chesler, 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.

OECD Sees Global Economy in Low Gear

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has predicted the global economy and worldwide trade will expand only moderately in the near future. In its latest outlook, it voiced concerns about the eurozone.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Pope Says Europe’s Ideals Overshadowed by Bureaucracy

Francis says employment essential condition for human dignity

(ANSA) — Strasbourg, November 25 — Pope Francis told the European Parliament on Tuesday that the European Union’s ideals have become overshadowed by the bloc’s bureaucratic tendencies.

“The great ideas that once inspired Europe seem to have lost their attraction, only to be replaced by the bureaucratic technicalities of its institutions,” the pope said in his first speech to the EP. Suggesting that to some, Europe appeared to be a bit “elderly and haggard,” Francis also urged MEPs to apply greater flexibility in promoting policies that will create jobs while ensuring a balance between worker security and “market flexibility”. “Above all, there is a need to restore dignity to labour by ensuring proper working conditions,” Francis said in the first of two speeches to European leaders during his one-day visit to Strasbourg. “This implies finding new ways of joining market flexibility with the need for worker stability and security, which are indispensable for their human development”.

The pope’s words seemed to endorse many of the controversial policies being promoted by Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, whose proposed labour legislation reform has triggered widespread protests by Italian trade unions.

Renzi, who was also in Strasbourg to hear the pope speak, later enthused that the two leaders were on the same wavelength.

Renzi said he “deeply shared” the call from pope for greater flexibility in labour market.

“I totally agreed with the pope saying…flexibility and stability are necessary in the workforce,” said Renzi. “That is exactly the sense of what we are doing in Italy”. Europe is struggling with high levels of unemployment, especially among young people.

In Italy, unemployment among youth is more than 40%.

The European Parliament broke into applause during a speech by Francis, who said that employment is essential if a person is to maintain dignity.

“What dignity can a person ever hope to find when he or she lacks food and the bare essentials for survival and, worse yet, when they lack the work which confers dignity?” said the pope.

Francis also called for better treatment and a recognition of the dignity of migrants to Europe, calling for a “united response” among Europeans on migration.

“We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery,” the pope said.

“The boats landing daily on the shores of Europe are filled with men and women who need acceptance and assistance”.

Meanwhile, in a subtle dig at right-wing political forces opposed to migration into Europe from other countries and other religious backgrounds, Francis said that Europe’s roots in diverse faiths are an antidote to extremism. “A Europe that is capable of appreciating its religious roots and of grasping their fruitfulness and potential will be all the more immune to the many forms of extremism spreading in the world today, not least as a result of the great vacuum of ideals that we are witnessing in the West,” he said. He also deplored persecution against religious minorities around the world who he said are “subjected to barbaric acts of violence”.

Christians in particular are facing deadly attacks, the pope added. “Communities and individuals today find themselves subjected to barbaric acts of violence: they are evicted from their homes and native lands, sold as slaves, killed, beheaded, crucified or burned alive, under the shameful and complicit silence of so many”.

Despite the serious tone of his speeches, the pope joked with reporters on his early morning flight to the French city from the Vatican, saying he hoped they would not be exhausted by his itinerary.

“A short time, and so much to do!” he said, adding that he would take time to speak with them on the return flight to Italy.

“I am at your disposal, as usual”.

Europe is sick with loneliness and individual isolation, said Francis. “One of the most common diseases in Europe today is loneliness typical of those who have no connection with others,” the pope said.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



U.S. Third Quarter GDP Grows by 3.9%

American economy best it’s been since 2003

(ANSA) — New York, November 25 — United States GDP exceeded expectations to rise 3.9% in the third quarter, the US Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Analysts forecast a 3.5% expansion after the economy grew by 4.6% in the second quarter, sources said. The American economy is experiencing its best six-month stretch since 2003.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Can Jews and Muslims Get Along? 60 Imams and Rabbis Meet in Washington to Try

Frustrated by dangerously high tensions between Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land, 60 imams and rabbis gathered Sunday (Nov. 23) to hatch concrete plans to bridge the gulf between their communities, minus the kumbaya.

The “2014 Summit of Washington Area Imams and Rabbis,” its organizers hope, will be the first of many such gatherings of Jewish and Muslim clergy in cities across the U.S.

After prayers and a kosher-halal lunch at a Washington synagogue, the clergy resolved to limit the feel-good dialogue and spent the afternoon trading ideas both tried and novel. Among them: joint projects to feed the homeless, basketball games between Muslim and Jewish teens, Judaism 101 courses for Muslims and Islam 101 for Jews.

“Host a Seder in a mosque and hold an iftar dinner at a synagogue,” suggested Rizwan Jaka, who chairs the board at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Northern Virginia.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



‘Casablanca’ Piano Sold for $3.4 Million at US Auction

The painted upright piano that adorned Rick’s Cafe in the classic movie “Casablanca” fetched $3.4 million at auction after a frenzied sale in New York.

The orange piano — on which Sam (Dooley Wilson) famously plays “As Time Goes By” at the request of his one-time love Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) — was among 200 items from Hollywood’s golden age that went under the hammer at Bonham’s in New York on Monday.

The piano featured prominently in the Oscar-winning 1942 romantic drama, with leading man Humphrey Bogart using it as a hiding place for the letters of transit that ultimately secure his former lover’s safe passage to the United States.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Extreme Shrimp May Hold Clues to Alien Life

At one of the world’s deepest undersea hydrothermal vents, tiny shrimp are piled on top of each other, layer upon layer, crawling on rock chimneys that spew hot water. Bacteria, inside the shrimps’ mouths and in specially evolved gill covers, produce organic matter that feed the crustaceans.

Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are studying this mysterious ecosystem in the Caribbean to get clues about what life could be like on other planetary bodies, such as Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which has a subsurface ocean.

“For two-thirds of the Earth’s history, life has existed only as microbial life,” said Max Coleman, senior research scientist at JPL. “On Europa, the best chance for life would be microbial.”

The particular bacteria in the vents are able to survive in extreme environments because of chemosynthesis, a process that works in the absence of sunlight and involves organisms getting energy from chemical reactions.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Ferguson Riots Product of US Racism, French Justice Minister

France’s black Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira on Tuesday tweeted several angry comments about the killings of black youngsters in the United States

Against a background of violent riots across America following the decision of a US Grand Jury not to press charges against a white officer who shot dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August, the French minister sent three tweets, two of them in English.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Mark Steyn Heads to D.C. On ‘Big Climate Alarmism’ Defamation Suit

Notable conservative pundit and writer Mark Steyn is heading to the D.C. Court of Appeals on Tuesday over a defamation suit brought by climate scientist Michael Mann, who says those who outed his “hockey stick” theory as fraudulent were wrongfully assailing his work and character.

Mr. Mann, who works at Penn State, sued Mr. Steyn, the magazine National Review, space policy and tech analyst Rand Simberg and the libertarian-minded Competitive Enterprise Institute in 2012.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Protesters Torch Police Car in Another Tense Night in Ferguson

Ferguson, Missouri (CNN) — [Updated 11:30 p.m. ET ]

As midnight approaches, the tension here gets thicker. Everyone fears that just like Monday, things could turn violent at any moment.

Outside the City Hall, crowds flip a police cruiser on its side briefly, broke out its windows, then set it on fire. Police move in quickly to put it out. They use pepper gas and tell the crowd over loudspeakers to disperse.

“Refuse to leave and you will be subject to arrest,” the voice says.

Riots, bullets, tear gas in Ferguson “Let’s go,” some in the crowd shout as they disperse.

National Guardsmen in full riot gear stand in a line at the Ferguson Police Department. In front of them, a row of police officers, also in riot gear. Just one lane of road separates them from hundreds of protesters.

“We are not your enemy,” they chanted. “We just want justice.”

Despite the building tension, people say they are not afraid to come out and “stand up against injustice.”

“I feel people have every right to get violent. It’s a form of retaliation,” said Shannon White, 20. “People are tired of being treated this way by the system.”

Veronica Wintersheidt, 29, and her husband braved cold temperatures to show their solidarity.

“We live in a world of white privilege,” she said. “So it’s difficult for us to judge.”

Cars pass the protesters honking their horns. Every few minutes, the crowd eruptsin chants of “Mike Brown.”

At one point, protest organizers attempted to call for four and a half minutes of silence to honor Brown — his body lay on the street for four and half hours after he was shot . But the crowd was too restless, too worked up to remain quiet…

Rabbis, Imams Try to Bridge Divide at NY Meet

Amid high tensions between Jews and Muslims, a group of 60 rabbis and imams gathered in New York to bridge the gap between the two communities, the Washington Post reported Monday.

The leaders, who met during the “2014 Summit of Washington Area Imams and Rabbis,” enjoyed a kosher-halal lunch at a Washington synagogue.

At the gathering, the participants discussed joint projects that included the feeding of homeless people, basketball games between Muslim and Jewish teens, Judaism 101 courses for Muslims and Islam 101 for Jews.

“There is something about a Jewish-Muslim rapprochement that is very important for the rest of the world,” the daily quoted Rabbi Gerry Serotta as saying.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Inside an Ottawa Mosque’s Fight Against Radicalism

OTTAWA — Two days after Michael Zehaf-Bibeau killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and then stormed Parliament Hill, Mohammed Mostefa gave a sermon at the Assunnah Muslims Association mosque in Ottawa denouncing any activities that hurt Canadians.

The alleged reaction from one regular member of the congregation to the sermon shocked the room.

According to Mostefa, Luqman Abdunnur stood up in the middle of the room and called Bibeau a shaheed, which in Arabic means “martyr.”

“I’m not exaggerating that half of the congregation stood up, the reaction was so negative from the congregation — we were scared that they might assault him,” he said.

Mostefa says another member of the congregation — a police officer — took Abdunnur to the side and tried to calm him while the authorities were called.

“Right away after that incident…I stood up and talked to the congregation: ‘This is the policy of this centre’,” Mostefa said.

The next day Abdunnur was pulled over in his car, just a few minutes from the Ottawa mosque.

Ottawa Police say he was combative, and assaulted an officer.

Abdunnur was arrested and faces charges of obstructing and assaulting a police officer.

His lawyer, Peter Beach, says Abdunnur hasn’t been charged with anything in relation to the alleged incident at the mosque.

His arrest comes as questions about what mosques are and aren’t doing to stop radicalization have made their way to Parliament Hill…

First Italian With Ebola Takes Trial Drug

An Italian doctor battling the deadly Ebola virus on Tuesday began treatment with an experimental drug in Italy’s leading hospital for infectious diseases.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Germany: NSA Leaker Snowden Feted in Stuttgart

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden accepted the Stuttgart Peace Prize and called on the public to keep fighting for peace in a speech via video uplink on Sunday.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Greece: Lawyers Extend Strike Against New Civil Code

(ANSAmed) — ATHENS, NOVEMBER 24 — Greek lawyers will extend their November 19 three-day strike against the amendments to the Civil Procedure Code from November 25 to December 5, they said as Ana-Mpa reported. The amendments were submitted to Parliament in a bill by Justice, Transparency and Human Rights Minister Charalambos Athanassiou. The bar associations said the bill once passed will exacerbate the delays in case processing at courts and cause serious problems. The lawyers also decided to hold a national referendum among the 63 bar associations on December 2 and 3 on whether to accept the new Code and further steps to be taken. Judges will halt court proceedings for a few minutes at all administrative courts from November 24 to December 19, the Administrative Judges Association (EDD) decided on Friday, in protest over several issues including the state of the judiciary system, amendments to the Civil Procedure Code and back pay they are owed.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



‘ISIS’ Teens Stopped at Sweden’s Umeå Airport

Three high school students who were on their way to Syria to fight alongside the Isis (Islamic State) terror group were stopped at an airport in northern Sweden in the nick of time, it has been claimed.

Two boys aged 17 and a girl, 16, were planning to travel to Istanbul via the Swedish capital, Stockholm, according to a member of the Muslim community speaking to regional newspaper Västerbottens Kuriren.

Mohamed Artan, 20, who works for SATA, a not-for-profit organisation run by defectors from militant Islamic groups told the paper that the trio were tracked down “at the last second” before they boarded a plane last month.

As many as 300 Swedes could have joined the Islamic State insurgency, Sweden’s intelligence chief said over the weekend.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Italy: Renzi Plays Down Low Turnout After PD Regional Wins

Grillo blames ‘lost democracy’, Fitto calls for new blood in FI

(ANSA) — Rome, November 24 — Center-left Premier Matteo Renzi was sanguine on Monday as record low turnouts swept two of his Democratic Party (PD) candidates to the governorships of the wealthy north-central Emilia-Romagna region and the impoverished, mob-ridden southern Calabria region in local elections at the weekend.

Stefano Bonaccini won in Emilia-Romagna with over 49% of the vote, compared to almost 30% for the Northern League’s Alan Fabbri, who was backed by centre-right parties. In Calabria, Mario Gerardo Oliverio won with 61.3% while the centre-right’s Wanda Ferro took around 23.7% of the votes.

But turnout was alarmingly low by Italian standards. In Emilia-Romagna 37.7% of voters cast ballots, compared to 68% at regional elections in 2010 and 70% in May’s European elections. In Calabria the turnout was 44.1%, compared to 59.3% at the previous regional elections and 45.5% in the European elections. “Turnout bad, results good,” tweeted Renzi. “A clear 2-0”. “The low turnout is something to worry about, but it’s secondary,” he told a press conference in Vienna after meeting Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. “I’m not interested in planting flags, but in tackling the problems of the Italian people”. However, added the premier, all of Italy’s political parties must think about what this means. “The abstention rate is very high and that should make all the parties reflect,” said Renzi. “But the result went very well for the PD. It’s a clear win,” he added. His government’s reformist agenda will not change, said the premier. “We said beforehand that it wasn’t a referendum on the government,” Renzi told RAI radio. “Even more so following this clear result. The government’s agenda isn’t changing, although we are aware that, if we all get rid of the culture of whimpering, Italy has a role to play”.

Renzi added he is undaunted by the growing popularity of the separatist Northern League under new leader Matteo Salvini after it claimed over 20% of the vote in Emilia-Romagna. “While the centre-right discusses its plight, we are changing Italy. After 20 years of failures, including those of the League, we are working for the country and come election time, you’ll see which is stronger,” Renzi said. Earlier on Monday, Salvini, who became head of the League almost a year ago, said the Renzi “balloon is deflating” while the League was “flying”. One loser in Sunday’s elections was the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), which took a serious hit, failing to win a single seat in the Calabria regional assembly and seeing its share of the total vote plunge to about 5%, well down from its 21.5% share in the May vote for European Parliament, according to results. In a post on his blog, Grillo attributed the debacle to the fact that in his view, citizens were rejecting government policy, which reflects the country’s “lost democracy”. A prominent MP from within Berlusconi’s party said the party must get rid of its current candidates and revamp itself.

“I sincerely hope no one will dare minimize or seek alibis for the dramatic results in Calabria and Emilia Romagna,” said Raffaele Fitto, a one-time confidant of Berlusconi who now leads a dissenting minority within FI that is not happy with the fact that the ex-premier has entered into negotiations over electoral law reform with Renzi.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Italy: Public Health Spending Drops ‘For First Time in 20 Years’

More and more Italians ‘think health care is a luxury’

(ANSA) — Milan, November 24 — Public health spending in Italy dropped in 2013 for the first time in 20 years, a joint study by Bocconi University’s Research Center on Public Health Management (CERGAS) and Bayer pharmaceuticals showed Monday.

Public health spending dropped by 1.2% in 2013 over the previous year, falling from 7.3% to 7.2% of GDP in the same period, the study said. The public health budget deficit fell to about 1% of current spending, with a forecast surplus of 518 million euros in 2012 and of 811 million euros in 2013, according to the study.

The hard part, researchers said, will be reorganizing services in line with “emerging epidemiology”.

Local public health providers “have made a minor miracle,” the study said.

“They balanced their budgets, kept spending even for five years, and maintained quality of service in spite of an aging population, deteriorating epidemiology, new technologies and a rise in poverty”.

On the down side, reining in spending has meant that retiring staff are not being replaced — causing staff levels to drop 1.5% a year over the past three years — wages have been frozen, and many services being contracted out to third parties, such as cooperatives.

The net result, the study showed, is that Italians have begun treating health care as a luxury.

“Decreased public spending has not been replaced with increased private spending, which has dropped 1.5% in 2012 and by 5.3% in 2013,” the study said.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Italy: Berlusconi Aide Verdini Implicated in Bankruptcy Probe

FI Senator probed as major shareholder of ex-Tuscan publisher

(ANSA) — Florence, November 25 — Forza Italia (FI) Senator Denis Verdini, a top aide of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, was among several people to receive end-of-investigation notices on Tuesday in relation to a probe into fraudulent bankruptcy stemming from the failure of a Tuscan publishing company earlier this year.

Verdini was placed under investigation as major shareholder and de facto manager of Società Toscana di Edizioni (STE), publisher of the Giornale della Toscana until it was declared bankrupt in February 2014.

Other suspects include FI Tuscan regional coordinator Massimo Parisi, an MP, and other former STE executives. The suspects face possible charges of “acts of misappropriation” of resources allegedly leading to the bankruptcy of STE, among other things.

This is not Verdini’s first brush with justice this year.

In July, the FI coordinator was sent to trial in connection with the administration of the Credito Cooperativo Fiorentino (CCF) bank of which he was chairman until 2010.

In that case, Verdini must answer to charges of criminal association, fraudulent bankruptcy and embezzlement in relation to loans worth around 100 million euros allegedly granted to “people close” to him without following the necessary procedures.

In September, Verdini was indicted for alleged wrongdoing in the sale of a property in central Rome.

And earlier this month he was sent to trial for alleged involvement in a secret cabal, the so-called P3, that allegedly sought to condition some State bodies, and for alleged corruption in contracts for the construction of a military academy in Florence, as the result of two separate probes.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Italy: RAI TV Licence Fee to Go in Electric Bills From Jan

Move aims at reducing widespread evasion of unpopular tax

(ANSA) — Rome, November 25 — Communications Undersecretary Antonello Giacomelli said Tuesday that the annual TV licence fee to fund State broadcaster RAI would be inserted into Italian households’ electricity bills from January. The aim is to stop widespread evasion of the unpopular tax. “The Rai fee will be in electricity bills from January 2015,” Giacomelli told 24 Mattino radio, adding that people’s holiday homes would probably be excluded.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Italy: Tourist Receives Hefty Fine for Defacing Colosseum

A 42-year-old Russian tourist has been fined €20,000 and has received a suspended sentence for vandalizing the Colosseum. Italian authorities say that the man was using a sharp stone to carve a ten-inch-tall letter “K” into a ground-floor brick wall when he was apprehended by a guard and arrested. Rome’s archaeology superintendent Mariarosaria Barbera told Wanted in Rome that the damage is “significant” and that it removed part of the surface of the wall, “compromising the conservation and image” of the monument. The man was the fifth foreign tourist caught damaging the Colosseum this year.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Norway’s Risk of Terror Never Greater: PST

It is more likely than ever a terror attack will strike Norway and police have responded by instructing its officers to carry weapons throughout the Christmas season, said PST on Tuesday.

The Norwegian Police Security Service (Politiets Sikkerhetstjeneste — PST) state there is between a 60 and 90 percent chance that Norway will be exposed to an Islamist terror attack during the next year.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Painted Figures Found in Greece’s Mystery Tomb

Painted human figures have been discovered at the mysterious, richly-decorated tomb in Amphipolis in northern Greece, according to a news announcement by the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Found on the door frames of the second chamber, the figures will be examined with lasers.

Pictures of the newly found paintings, as well as additional information, have not yet been released.

“We are not hiding anything. New findings are revealed slowly as the restoration process continues,” Greek Culture Minister Kostas Tassoulas said.

Archaeologists led by Katerina Peristeri hope the paintings may help solve the mystery of who is buried at the massive tomb — 0.3 miles in circumference — dating back to Alexander the Great’s reign in the late 4th century B.C.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



‘Racist’ Black Pete Party Scrapped in Sweden

A Dutch club in Stockholm that was planning a festive party featuring Santa alongside a servant with a black painted face has shelved the idea following numerous complaints of racism.

Sweden’s Afro-Swedish National Association wrote to the Dutch embassy in Stockholm earlier this month to protest against a party planned on its premises on November 30th, at which the character was set to appear.

Black Pete — or Zwarte Piet as he is known in Dutch — was due to arrive at the embassy following a public boat ride from Djurgården to Slussen in Stockholm.

The character is usually played by someone wearing black face paint and a wig and regularly appears alongside Saint Nicholas at seasonal Sinterklass celebrations in the Netherlands and Belgium.

But Swedes with African heritage alongside anti-racism campaigners across Europe argue that the idea promotes offensive stereotypes of black people.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Rare Shakespeare Work Found in Northern France

A municipal library in northern France has unearthed a literary treasure that it has been sitting on unbeknown for over 400 years — an early copy of William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Sweden: A Local Story of Global Jihad

by Annika Hernroth-Rothstein

Sweden’s most insidious enabling of jihad is achieved through its generous social-benefits system. According to the latest numbers from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, the average immigrant family in Sweden, consisting of two parents and two children, receives $3,135 per month in benefits. What’s more, these funds are exempt from the country’s standard 33 percent income tax. This may not seem like a lot of money compared with the gargantuan sums we often hear about in cases of international terror financing, but it’s more than enough to do great harm. The Swedish Security Service concluded that the money Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly and his wife were given in benefits and loans from the Swedish government was used to finance his trips abroad, where he received terrorist training. The family had no other source of income.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Sweden: Volvo Prepares for 3.7b Kronor Fine From EU

Sweden’s Volvo, the world’s second-largest maker of trucks, is setting aside 3.7 billion kronor ($497 million, €400 million) to cover a potentially huge fine from the European Union for price rigging.

The move comes after the European Commission last week notified Volvo — along with Germany’s MAN and Daimler Benz — that it was formally suspected of operating an illegal cartel to rig prices which could lead to heavy fines if found guilty.

An EU investigation of the companies started after raids on large truck manufacturers in 2011, which also involved Sweden’s Scania and Italy’s Iveco.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UK: Former Racial Equality Chief Invited to Downing Street by Tony Blair Exposed as a Fraudster, Stole the Identity of a Severely Autistic Man 20 Years Ago Trying Claim Benefits

A former racial equality chief who was once invited to Downing Street by Tony Blair has been found guilty of stealing the identity of a severely autistic man 20 years ago.

During the deceit David Onamade, 52, was made chief executive of Somerset’s Racial Equality Council, meeting MPs, chief constables and even meeting with the then Prime Minister.

Onamade, who also claimed to be a prominent humans rights lawyer and poet, was only rumbled when the Racial Equalities Committee was disbanded, and he tried to apply for benefits.

[…] The jury convicted him of three charges of fraudulently trying to claim benefits, and two of possessing documents — a birth certificate and a driving licence — for use in the fraud.

Sentencing him to nine months behind bars, Judge Jeffrey Mercer said his status in the UK was ‘uncertain’.

He said: ‘You have used copies of the birth certificate belonging to another person.

‘Your future in this country has to be uncertain but that is not a matter for this court. Your status here is not part of my remit.’

UK: Lee Rigby Murder: It Was Preventable, But an Internet Company Failed to Alert the Authorities

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC), which I chair, has just published our report into what the intelligence agencies knew about those responsible for the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in May last year.

The Justice and Security Act last year gave the Committee extensive new powers which meant that this inquiry has gone into every detail over the last 18 months. We have considered huge volumes of secret documents, supplemented by evidence sessions during which we cross-examined MI5, MI6, GCHQ, police and ministers.

The two men who killed Fusilier Rigby were under investigation at various times by MI5. These men appeared in seven different agency investigations over several years. While it was clear that they had extremist opinions, no evidence emerged that they were planning a terrorist attack.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UK: Only a Fraction of Terror Suspects Can be Watched 24/7

MI5 can monitor fewer than 50 terrorist suspects around the clock, it can be disclosed, ahead of a report into the Lee Rigby murder that will highlight the limitations in watching terrorists in Britain.

Restricted resources mean only a fraction of the hundreds of suspected Islamist extremists at large can be subject to intensive 24/7 surveillance at any one time.

It comes as a parliamentary investigation ordered by David Cameron into the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby by two Islamist fanatics is expected to conclude there is little MI5 could have done to prevent his death on the day.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UK: Scarred Acid Attack Victim, 20, Tells Court of Horrific Moment She Had Liquid Thrown in Her Face by Masked Man ‘In Assault Arranged by 80-Year-Old Muslim Ex-Lover’

Vikki Horsman, 19, who converted to Islam for 80-year-old Mohammed Rafiq, had acid thrown in her face after he allegedly arranged for the liquid to be hurled over her as she answered the door. She is pictured left after converting, and right arriving at court today, where the scars on her neck could be seen.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Airstrikes and Ultimatum to Jihadists to Leave Tripoli

UN and Italy want bombs halted; ISIS flags, Malta embassy closes

(by Laurence Figà-Talamanca) (ANSAmed) — CAIRO — A settling of scores has commenced in Libya. The air force and ground forces under former general Khalifa Haftar, who are fighting against Islamist and ISIS-aligned groups, have conducted two airstrikes on the Mitiga military airport — the only one still in use in Tripoli — on the orders of the transitional government, which meets in Tobruk due to security reasons but enjoys recognition from the international community. Government forces warned the armed Islamist faction Libya Dawn on Tuesday that they had 24 hours to leave the capital. Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni has said that the attack on the airport was warranted, as it was a “preventative” one to defend civilians, claiming that the militants were planning on using the airport to launch airstrikes on state institutions.

Thinni’s rival, the prime minister of the ‘parallel’ government imposed by Libya Dawn and the Muslim Brotherhood in Tripoli, Omar Al-Hassi, has meanwhile warned that “this will lead to war”. UN special envoy Bernardino Leon called on Thinni to halt the bombing of the airport to help restore calm and initiate dialogue with Tripoli. Italy backed the UN envoy, also calling for negotiations between the parties in conflict. The Libya prime minister said that the airstrikes would stop only when the militias had left the capital, enabling the entrance of the police and government troops, and when the Islamist front in the west had recognized the Tobruk government as the only legitimate one. The divide between the east and the west has grown wider in recent weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that the Tobruk parliament, elected in June, was “illegitimate”. This paved the way for Tripoli militias to “revive” the former General National Congress (GNC), which once again on Tuesday claimed that it was the only “legal and official” institution in Libya. The GNC also warned the international community against dealing with the “illegal front”: a clear signal to the UN envoy, who may risk being expelled from Tripoli. Hassi’s parallel government continues — with support from Libya Dawn — to pressure the international community to the point that Malta has decided to withdraw all its diplomatic staff from its embassy in Libya, one of the very few (alongside the Italian one) that is still open. Maltese officials say that they feared for their safety when they saw Islamic State (ISIS) black flags in Tripoli. There is a risk that Libya may become ISIS’s Mediterranean outpost.

In Derna, on the country’s eastern shore and only a few dozen nautical miles from Europe, the jihadists of the Islamic Youth Shura Council and Ansar Al-Sharia have recently pledged allegiance to the Iraqi ‘caliph’ Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Amal Clooney Urges Egypt to Release Al Jazeera Journalist

Fahmy ‘has hepatitis and never supported Muslim Brotherhood’

(ANSAmed) — CAIRO , NOVEMBER 25 — International lawyer Amal Clooney has asked Egyptian prosecutor general Hisham Barakat to release Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy on bail on medical grounds until after a verdict in the appeals trial. Fahmy was sentenced in June to seven years in prison for endangering Egypt’s national security, falsifying news, and helping terrorists.

In a statement released through her London-based chambers, the prominent rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney said Fahmy not only never supported the Muslim Brotherhood, which is now officially a ‘terrorist organization’ in Egypt, he had also taken part in the June 30 protests last year against former Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Libya: ISIS Flags in Tripoli, Army Gives Ultimatum to Miltias

Malta pulls out last diplomats from embassy

(ANSAmed) — CAIRO, NOVEMBER 25 — Concern for the appearance of a number of black ISIS flags in Tripoli and pressure from the “parallel” government on one side and the “recognized” cabinet based in Tobruk on the other have led the Malta government to withdraw the last two diplomats from its embassy in Libya, while the ambassador already travelled back to Valletta a week ago, Malta’s Foreign Minister George Vella was quoted as saying Tuesday by the Times of Malta. The foreign minister however stressed that the embassy remains open with local personnel. Meanwhile the Libyan army command has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Islamist militias to “immediately withdraw from Tripoli”. “You will be destroyed, if you refuse”, said a statement addressed to the Misrata brigades leading the Fajr Libya (Libyan Dawn) coalition in the capital. “What happened in Benghazi over the past few days, yesterday in Kikla and today in Tripoli, pushes towards a clash and war”, said overnight Omar Hassi, head of the parallel government imposed in the capital by pro-Islamist militia, in televised statements quoted by Libyan media following air raids on Tripoli by government forces. “This will be a government of war against tyranny and injustice”, he reportedly stated.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Tunisia: Vote for Leader Goes to Runoff Essebsi-Marzouki

Secular candidate gets 39.46%, outgoing president 33.43%

(ANSAmed) — TUNIS, NOVEMBER 25 — Isie, Tunisia’s independent electoral committee, published on Tuesday the official results of post-Ben Ali presidential elections held last Sunday.

Exit polls were confirmed, though the distance between the two candidates was closer, and a runoff between the old leader of Nidaa Tounes, the party with the relative majority in the country, Béji Caid Essebsi, and the outgoing “temporary” president Moncef Marzouki, will be necessary as neither won an outright majority.

Leading candidates obtained the following votes: Béji Caid Essebsi: 1.289.384 (39.46%); Moncef Marzouki: 1.092.418 (33.43%); Hamma Hammami: 255.529,(7.82%); Hechmi Hamdi: 187.923, (5.75%); Slim Riahi: 181.407, (5.55%). The date of the runoff vote has not been officially scheduled. The Constitution gives until December 31 and a likely date originally indicated as December 28 could be anticipated to December 12 or 14, according to Isie spokesman Kamel Toujani, depending on the number of appeals presented.

An analysis of results and a comparison with previous legislative elections showed that Marzouki could take advantage of Ennhadha supporters as the party’s leadership left voters free to pick a presidential candidate as it did not field its own candidate and could not agree on a name to back.

Tunisia is holding its breath while waiting to know the name of the future president and is gearing up for another electoral campaign during which it will be key for the two rivals to win over voters who cast their ballots for another candidate in the first round of voting.

The position adopted by Ennhadha and low turnout could be key for the outcome of the election and could change the cards on the table.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Hamas: Rebuild Gaza or We’ll Attack Israel

by Khaled Abu Toameh

The only option Hamas faces, therefore, is to attack Israel again as a way of ridding itself of the severe crisis in the Gaza Strip and the growing frustration among the Palestinians living there. Hamas’s biggest fear is that this frustration will be translated into disillusionment with its regime. That is why Hamas is now seeking to direct the anger on the Palestinian street toward Israel.

Hamas is also hoping that another war will further increase anti-Israel sentiment around the world and earn the Palestinians even more sympathy. Hamas’s threats should be taken seriously.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UN Calls on Israel to Stop Demolishing Palestinian Homes

As punitive measure;’Prosecute suspects, not innocent families’

(ANSAmed) — GENEVA, NOVEMBER 25 — Two UN special rapporteurs on Tuesday called on Israel to halt its punitive demolition of Palestinian homes in response to alleged acts of violence by Palestinians in Israel and occupied Palestinian territories. A statement released in Geneva by the special rapporteurs on occupied Palestinian territories and on the right to adequate housing noted that the punitive house demolitions “violate the rights of people, including children, who are not accused of a crime, and therefore constitute collective punishment, prohibited under international law”. The two cited the recent demolition of the East Jerusalem home of Abd al-Rahman al-Shaludi, a Palestinian who allegedly committed a car attack last month in Jerusalem that claimed the lives of a 22 year-old woman and a three-month old Israeli infant. “All acts of violence require a firm response from the Israeli authorities, and those responsible should be tried before a court of law and sentenced for their crimes,” said the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Makarim Wibisono. “But the State cannot go beyond what is sanctioned by international law.”

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Iraq: Mosul: Video Shows Islamic State Blowing Up Sacred Heart Convent

The jihadists had used the facility as a base for cars and fighters. Yesterday, they decided to blow it up. Before the operation, they warned residents. The nearby St Georgis Monastery was spared. Built by the Iraqi government in 1984, the convent’s nuns provided help to the elderly and people with special needs.

Mosul (AsiaNews) — Islamic State (IS) fighters yesterday blew up part of the Victory Convent, which belonged to the order of the Chaldean Sisters of the Sacred Heart, in Mosul’s suburb of Alaraby, northern Iraq. The complex, which is located in front of the St Georgis Monastery, suffered major damages.

Reports about the attack against another Christian symbol in Iraq’s second largest city came from Ankawa News, which posted a brief video showing the demolition with plumes of thick black smoke.

Local sources said the monastery was used as a base for cars, as well as lodging for IS fighters and other jihadists. Yesterday came the decision to blow up the structure with powerful explosive charges in and under its walls.

It seems that the demolition, which took place in two phases, stems from the extremists’ desire to destroy the church and the cross that towered over the building.

Only materials damages are reported with no casualties or injuries as a result of the explosion.

IS fighters warned residents of the impending explosion, so that they could keep their windows open to prevent blast-related damage to homes.

The Iraqi government built the convent in 1984. The nuns who lived in the place provided help to elderly women and people with special needs.

The St Georgis Monastery is still standing without any damages and reports about its destruction were inaccurate.

Mosul, Iraq’s second most important city, was the first major centre in the country to fall into the hands of IS forces.

Chaldean Archbishop Emil Shimoun Nona was the first to sound the alarm about the danger posed by the Islamist advance after their conquest of Mosul — when about half a million people, Muslims and Christians, fled in early June — and the establishment of a caliphate and the imposition of Sharia.

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



Pope Says He Doesn’t Rule Out Dialogue With ISIS

Francis urges European Parliament to welcome migrants, diversity

(ANSA) — Rome, November 25 — Pope Francis said Tuesday that he would not rule out the possibility of talks with militant Islamist group ISIS as he returned from delivering speeches urging European leaders to work to counter religious fundamentalism. Collective action to promote the values of openness and inclusiveness were key themes as Francis made a quick, four-hour visit to Strasbourg to deliver his first speech to the European Parliament followed by an address to the Council of Europe.

In a subtle dig at right-wing political forces opposed to migration from other countries and other religious backgrounds, Francis told the European body that Europe’s roots in diverse faiths were an antidote to extremism. “A Europe that is capable of appreciating its religious roots and of grasping their fruitfulness and potential will be all the more immune to the many forms of extremism spreading in the world today, not least as a result of the great vacuum of ideals that we are witnessing in the West,” the pope said. He returned to that theme when questioned by reporters during his flight back to Rome from Strasbourg.

“I never give up something for lost,” the pope said when asked about ISIS. “I don’t know if you can (have a) dialogue with the Islamic State, but I never close the door. My door is always open,” added the 77-year-old pontiff.

During his speech to parliament, the pope deplored persecution against religious minorities around the world who he said are “subjected to barbaric acts of violence” — a reference to ISIS which has executed numerous prisoners including brutal beheadings of Western journalists and aid workers.

“Communities and individuals today find themselves…evicted from their homes and native lands, sold as slaves, killed, beheaded, crucified or burned alive, under the shameful and complicit silence of so many,” said Francis.

Christians in particular are facing deadly attacks, the pope added.

MEPs broke into applause when Francis said that employment is essential if a person is to maintain dignity.

“What dignity can a person ever hope to find when he or she lacks food and the bare essentials for survival and, worse yet, when they lack the work which confers dignity?” said the pope.

Francis also called for better treatment and a recognition of the dignity of migrants to Europe, calling for a “united response” among Europeans on migration.

“We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery,” the pope said, referring to the hundreds who have died sailing to Europe via Italy from war-torn states in Africa and the Middle East.

Over 100,000 migrants have arrived this year alone.

“The boats landing daily on the shores of Europe are filled with men and women who need acceptance and assistance,” said Francis, who also called for greater efforts at creating employment — especially for youth.

Europe is struggling with high levels of unemployment, especially among young people.

In Italy, unemployment among youth is more than 40%. “There is the grave problem of labour, chiefly because of the high rate of young adults unemployed in many countries — a veritable mortgage on the future — but also for the issue of the dignity of work,” the pope later told the Council of Europe.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Radicalized Germans Join Jihadist Cause

Hundreds of Germans have left their home country to fight alongside jihadists in Syria and Iraq, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

“We estimate 550. Just a few days ago we had 450,” the minister told German television channel Phoenix on Friday.

“These young people… were radicalized in Germany, within this society. That’s why prevention must be accompanied by repression,” he added.

Most of those who have joined the Islamic State organisation’s jihadist cause are men, although some women have also travelled to the two war-torn countries.

De Maiziere said authorities are keeping a close watch on some 230 more people who are considered potential threats on German soil.

“We cannot exclude, and in certain cases it’s actually quite possible, that they are preparing an attack,” the minister said.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Turkey Seeks More Police Authority

A draft law taken to parliament in Turkey has proposed greater powers for police on matters including detention, weapons and wiretapping. This comes as Kurds protest over the situation in neighboring Iraq and Syria.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UN: ISIL Received $45 Million in Ransoms This Year

ISIL militants operating in Syria and Iraq have received as much as $45 million in ransoms in the past year, a UN expert says.

Yotsna Lalji, a United Nations expert monitoring sanctions against al-Qaeda, warned during a meeting of the UN Security Council’s counter-terrorism committee that kidnapping for ransom by ISIL and other terrorist groups continues to grow.

She added that terrorist groups have received an estimated $120 million in ransoms between 2004 and 2012.

Lalji said terrorist groups operating in the Middle East, Asia and Africa have made kidnapping “the core al-Qaeda tactic for generating revenue.”

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



France Suspends Delivery of Warships to Russia Indefinitely

Delay ‘until further notice’ because of Russian role in Ukraine

(ANSA) — Paris, November 25 — France announced it was suspending “until further notice” the delivery of two warships to Russia because Moscow has not fulfilled the necessary conditions to receive the vessels, President Francois Hollande’s office said on Tuesday. The handover of the Mistral warship was delayed after Russia annexed Crimea last March and lent support to pro-Russian separatists fighting government troops in eastern Ukraine.

The French statement, which follows months of speculation about the contract, with Paris reportedly coming under intense pressure from NATO allies to scrap the 1.2 billion euro deal, says that given the current situation in Ukraine, the delivery the Russian commissioned ships can not go ahead.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



For Indonesian Bishops, The State Should Register Mixed Marriages as a Matter of Religious Freedom

The Bishops’ Conference stands for civil rights, in particular with regard to mixed marriages. Muslims, Hindus and Confucians oppose changes to existing legislation that bans mixed marriages. Even members of the Constitutional Court are opposed to changes. For the Catholic Church, it is a fight for “human rights”.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) — The Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) has renewed its fight for civil rights, particularly in the area of mixed marriages, which must always be recognised, guaranteed and protected.

This goes against existing legislation in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. The former in fact requires that all couples must present the Civil Registry Office with a religious marriage certificate and must have the same religion for their marriage to be registered.

The principle of separation and religion and the practice of forced conversions, especially towards Islam, are at stake.

The Church, which has played a leading role in the fight for religious freedom, stands alone in this as Hindus and Confucians, like Muslims, oppose mixed marriages.

Under Law No. 1 of 1974 concerning marriages in Indonesia (Article 2 (1): “a marriage is legitimate if it has been performed according to the laws of the respective religious beliefs of the parties concerned.”

In recent months, thanks to the work of academics and scholars from four law schools in Jakarta, the Constitutional Court has begun debating the possibility — and the opportunity — of changing existing laws.

Proposals submitted to the Constitutional Court in July 2014 centre on three issues: the inability to recognise a marriage unless it is performed by one of Indonesia’s state-recognised religions, the ban on mixed marriage and the requirement that spouses belong to the same religion.

Last September, the then Minister for Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim confirmed the validity of the rules in place and excluded the need for any constitutional amendment.

In his view, before any legislative action is taken, religious leaders, in particular experts in Islamic law, should be consulted

The former president of the Constitutional Court also shut the door to possible changes, noting that “if a mixed couple insists on legalising their status, they should go abroad.”

Asked for their opinion on the matter, the leaders of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) called on the Constitutional Court to reject calls for changes and maintain the status quo.

Prompted by parliament, leaders of religious minorities presented their respective positions, with the Catholic Church taking a lonely stance.

Indonesia Hindu Dharma Parisada, which represents the country’s Hindus, came out against the legalisation mixed marriages.

Similarly, the deputy president of Matakin (the Supreme Council for Confucian Religion in Indonesia) said that “mixed marriages are not valid according to our teachings.”

Catholic bishops have taken a different view. For Fr Purbo Tamtomo, expert in Canon Law at the Archdiocese of Jakarta, the union between a man and a woman is “an inalienable human right”. Equally, the principle of separation between state and religion is the basis of the state.

In fact, he complained that many couples, married in Church, end up converting to other religions in order to have their union recognised by the state.

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



Two Protestant Clergymen on Trial in Bangladesh for Alleged “Forced Conversions”

About 200 people attacked the religious leaders as they were baptising Muslims. Some local imams filed charges against the clergymen who, together with scores of Protestants, were arrested by police. The pastors are now free on bail.

Lalmonirhat (AsiaNews) — Two Protestant clergymen are awaiting trial in Bangladesh on charges of inducing Muslims to convert.

The incident occurred in mid-November when some 200 Muslims attacked the Christian religious leaders — anonymous for security reasons.

The two clergymen, who belong to Faith Bible Church of God, were celebrating baptisms in the northern district of Lalmonirhat, 341 kilometres from Dhaka.

A source told AsiaNews that some members of the local Muslim community — perhaps incited by conservative imams — were angered by reports that Muslims were set to undergo baptism, and so stormed the site.

The police intervened and arrested 45 Protestants, including two pastors. A few hours later, the faithful were released, but the Protestant religious leaders remained in prison.

Some imams filed a complaint for “forced conversions” against them. Because of pressure from Islamic leaders, the authorities at first denied the two bail.

After a second request, on 18 November, police released the Protestant clergymen, who now have to stand trial.

Bangladesh does not have anti-conversion laws. Islam is the state religion, practiced by about 89.5 per cent of the population. Catholics are only 0.1 per cent.

The Constitution does not recognise Sharia (Islamic law) and guarantees full religious freedom; however, conversions to a different religion are often opposed.

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



China: Ex-Army Leader Xu Caihou Had ‘A Tonne of Cash’ In Basement

One of the country’s most senior former military officers hoarded more than a tonne of cash and also precious jade in his basement, a magazine reported yesterday, the latest details to emerge from the high-profile case amid Beijing’s war on graft.

Military prosecutors have said that Xu Caihou, a former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, had confessed to taking massive bribes in exchange for help in promotions.

Officials say Xu, who retired as vice-chairman last year and from the ruling Communist Party’s decision-making Politburo in 2012, will probably face a court martial now that an investigation has been finished.

Prosecutors searched Xu’s luxury home in Beijing in March and discovered stashed in the basement more than a tonne of US dollars, euros and yuan, reported Phoenix Weekly, a magazine run by broadcaster Phoenix Television.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



China’s Wealthy Want Their Children Educated Abroad

One thing that even China’s wealthiest can’t buy domestically: an Ivy League education. Today a majority of China’s rich—defined at those with net assets exceeding 10 million yuan ($1.6 million)—are sending their children to high school or college abroad or making plans to do so.

A survey by Huron Report, which tracks the spending habits of China’s well-heeled, found that 80 percent of China’s rich have plans to send their children to study overseas. That compares with less than 10 percent of wealthy Germans and less than 1 percent of wealthy Japanese, according to Xinhua newswire.

For Chinese high school students, the U.K. is the top pick. For undergraduate and graduate studies, the U.S. is the biggest draw. Other popular destinations include Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, as well as Singapore, Switzerland, France, and Germany.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Kim Jong-un Accuses US of ‘Cannibal’ Atrocities

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, has demanded an “all-out anti-US struggle” and described Americans as “cannibals”.

Still apparently smarting from the UN resolution on November 18 that called for the North Korean regime to be referred to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, Mr Kim expressed his anger during a visit to a museum dedicated to an alleged massacre by US troops during the Korean War.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Mauritania: Activists Visit Detained Anti-Slavery Leader

Call for ‘fair, unpoliticized’ trial

(ANSAmed) — ROME, NOVEMBER 25 — A delegation of human rights activists met with detained members of an anti-slavery association and their leader, Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeidi, in the central Rosso prison on Tuesday. The anti-slavery activists had been arrested in recent days during an unauthorized protest. The human rights activists that visited the prison met with journalists afterwards in Nouackchott, saying that they had called for respectful treatment of the inmates in line with the law. An appeal was made during the press conference to the highest political, judicial, administrative and security authorities of the country to ensure that the anti-slavery detainees be given a fair trial and that close attention be paid to their health conditions while in prison. Slavery continues to be tolerated in Mauritania. Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeidi has been charged with holding an unauthorized gathering, disobedience, refusal to comply with administrative authorities and resisting arrest.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Muslim Somali-American Pens ‘Average Mohamed’ Cartoon to Lure Youth Away From ISIS

by Phyllis Chesler

A Muslim Somali man who lives in Minnesota has decided to combat the lure of ISIS in a very creative way. Mohammed Ahmed has created vivid and clear-sighted cartoons at AverageMohamed.com, aimed at children between the ages of 8-16.

Using verses from the Koran, speaking English, Ahmed explains that the Islamic State terrorist group will not lead them to Paradise—but to Hell; that ISIS engages in genocide; that saving one life is equivalent to saving the world; and that taking one life is therefore equivalent to destroying the entire world.

Two Female Suicide Bombers Claim 45 Lives in Nigeria Market

Hid device under hijab

(ANSA) — Rome, November 25 — Two female suicide bombers claimed the lives of at least 45 people when they set themselves off in close succession in a crowded market in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, eyewitnesses and hospital sources said Tuesday.

The attacker was wearing a hijab and pretending to carry a baby on her back when she detonated the explosive, eyewitnesses said.

The second bomber detonated herself after rescue and emergency workers arrived on the scene. Both attackers were adolescent girls, sources said.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Crime Threatening Democracy in Latin America, Survey Finds

Violence and crime are the main destabilizing factors in Latin American democracies because they make citizens lose faith in their institutions and favor tough-approach policies that could lead to violations of fundamental rights.

That is one of the main conclusions of the 2014 Americas Barometer survey, which is produced by the Latin America Public Opinion Project at Vanderbilt University.

The report is based on 50,000 interviews in 28 countries, and the preliminary findings were presented in New York on Monday.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Obama Heads to Chicago to Pitch Executive Actions on Immigration

President Obama will head to Chicago Tuesday to pitch his new executive actions on immigration to community leaders, while Congress is on Thanksgiving recess.

Obama is scheduled to speak to the city’s community leaders, as part of his ongoing campaign to promote his decision to bypass Congress enacting his executive actions that could spare nearly five million illegal immigrants deportation.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Swedish Welfare Benefits and the Jihad

by Hugh Fitzgerald

The average immigrant family with “two children” receives about $3,200 per month. And with more children — oh, the sky’s the limit.

And who are those immigrants? And how do they behave, inside Sweden, in Schengenland, and in the Midldle East?

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



The Netherlands Will Not Increase Its Syrian Refugee Quota

The Netherlands will not bring any more Syrian refugees to the Netherlands above the 500 emergency cases it has already agreed to accept, junior justice minister Fred Teeven has told the Telegraaf. MPs had urged Teeven to agree that a further 250 refugees should be brought to the Netherlands under an international agreement. However, Teeven says the available accommodation for refugees is running out and that many ‘desperate cases’ are already being housed in the Netherlands.