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Showing posts from May 31, 2015

Remembering the sacrifices that saved us from fascism

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3 images U.S. Army, via Wikimedia Commons American soldiers recover the dead after D-Day. JEAN-PAUL BENOWITZ l SPECIAL TO LNP  |  Posted   8 hours ago It is interesting how Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a descendant of Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite pacifist conscientious objectors,  commanded the invasion of Normandy, France. Ike called the D-Day operation launched 71 years ago today a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” This, the largest seaborne invasion in history, was the culmination of years of strategic planning by the Americans, Canadians, British.  The British Special Operations Executive orchestrated a massive campaign of sabotage implemented by the French Resistance. Seventy-one summers have passed since more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline.  More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foothold in continental Europe. The cost in

11 Most Racist Countries in Europe

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When we talk about  11 most racist countries in Europe , our mind  fails to understand why some human beings have to still live in that darkness. There is no denying the fact that we have made great progress in almost every aspect of our lives. Whether it is technology, medicine, space discoveries and understanding other inhabitants of our planet; we have breakthroughs in every field. Sometimes it hurts that our kind has discovered solutions to some of the most problematic and complex things but have failed to solve the simplest of questions. With all the breakthroughs and discoveries we have made, it seems that we are drifting away from nature and natural ways of living. We might have succeeded in discovering life on other planets but we have failed to tolerate each other and that too miserably. Apart from wars, murders, terrorism, and rape,  racism has been a continuous disgrace to mankind. We have come a long way from where it was considered pretty okay treating a man badly solely o

'Hate, Islamophobia and racism' up in Europe, report says

ISTANBUL   Muslims in  Europe  still suffer from hatred, racism, physical assault and Islamophobia, according to a report published on Tuesday by the International Center for Watching Violation of Rights. The report titled “Increasing Discrimination in Europe” focused on Muslim communities, how they experience  Islamophobia  and how  Islamophobia  manifests itself.  UHIM chairman, Ayhan Kucuk read the report at a press conference held at the Culture and Congress Center in Uskudar Baglarbasi. Kucuk said that hatred,  Islamophobia  and racism faced by migrants living in Europe were the main objectives of the report. Kucuk said that, in the research, they found that Muslims and foreigners in  Europe  still experience discrimination in a range of areas, including primary schools.  “Discrimination against foreigners (Muslims) has very painful consequences,” he said. According to the report, some “landlords deny housing opportunities to Muslim families because they are veiled or bearded. Som

Leicester racist orgy: European anti-racism chief slams "mind-blowing" actions of Foxes trio

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Warning: This video contains racist language and scenes of a sexual nature An anti-racism campaigner has slammed the "mind-blowing" actions of the three  Leicester  players  involved in a vile orgy during a post-season club trip  to Thailand, the home country of the club's owners. First team manager Nigel Pearson's son, James, 21, and pals Tom Hopper, 21, and goalkeeper Adam Smith, 22, recorded themselves committing sex acts with local girls while barraging them with racist, derogatory abuse. Filming them amid laughter, one of the men is heard off-camera saying: “Come on... you slit-eye.” In another clip Hopper, 21, cruelly tells one of the women she is “f***ing minging… an absolute one out of 10.” In pictures - Leicester's orgy race shame in Thailand: VIEW GALLERY Piara Power, the executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, said: “There is no point in pretending videos like this aren’t made and shared all the time, but the arrogance of doing it while

| Philippines won’t release arrested Maoist leader

gulftoday.ae  MANILA: The Philippine military has rejected the demand for the release of an alleged ranking leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) who was arrested on June 1, saying he was not in their list of “consultants” involved in their peace talks with the government. Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, the military spokesman, said that as such, there was no proof showing that alleged CPP secretary-general Adelberto Silva was connected with the peace negotiations hosted by Norway in its capital city of Oslo. “The burden of proof lies with them,” Cabunoc pointed out, referring to the pro-Left human rights group Karapatan which claimed that Silva was not subject to arrest because he was a CPP “peace consultant” covered by an agreement on security and immunity guarantee signed by the government and the insurgents. Under the agreement signed by the CPP and the New People’s Army (NPA), their members involved in the peace talks are to be immune from arrest and detention.

Six Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter, claim police

At least six Maoists were killed in an encounter with the police in Kondagav district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, claimed the police. “An encounter took place between a team of the DRG (District Reserve Guard) of Kondagav district police and the Maoists near Timdi village of Kondagav today (Saturday) evening. At least six Maoists were killed in the encounter. We have so far managed to recover two dead bodies of uniformed woman Maoists,” said Mr. S.R. Kalluri, the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Bastar range. The IG informed that a “Maoists camp” was busted by the police during the encounter. “Three 12-bore rifles, around 15 backpacks and other material were recovered from the spot of the encounter,” he added. The police team involved in the encounter was yet to return to the base camp. Source http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/six-maoists-killed-in-chhattisgarh-encounter-claim-police/article7289547.ece/

Maoists kill village guard, slit throat

Suspected Maoists have killed a gram rakshi (village guard) on charges of being a police informer at a village in Koraput district's Pottangi block last night, police said today.   The deceased was identified as Jagu (30), who was attached to the Pottangi police station.  Police officers said a group of at least three Maoists reached the home of Jagu at Peteru village, under Pottangi police limits at around 7.30 PM and opened fired on him after inquiring about his identity.  "Jagu was sitting on the veradah of his home. The three Maoists reached there inquired about our identities. No sooner Jagu revealed his identity, they fired on him," a villager said adding "After Jagu succumbed to the bullet, the Maoists slit his throat."  A letter recovered from the spot revealed that Jagu was punished for working as a police informer and going as guide during combing operations in the area.  However, the police dismissed the allegations that the deceased was a informer. 

Maoists attack 'Gammon India' camp in Bihar, damage vehicles, machinery

MUZAFFARPUR (Bihar): Heavily armed Maoists attacked a camp of civil engineering company 'Gammon India' torching several vehicles and construction machinery near Kamtaul village on Saturday.   "The attack started around 1am. Around 100 armed Maoists surrounded the 'Gammon India' camp, held its guards captive and set vehicles and construction machinery on fire. The damage is being assessed," Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police Ranjit Kumar Mishra said.  There was no casualty in the attack. As per preliminary reports, the damaged vehicles include four large modern dumper-trucks, a road and concrete laying mobile machine and two Special Utility Vehicles (SUV).  Three persons had been detained in connection with the incident.  "The company's camp site manager R K Singh is also being questioned regarding the attack. Usually such attacks are carried out by Maoists when people or companies do not meet their extortion demands," he said.  "We

Obama Should Add Neo-Fascist, Islamic Extremist Threats to G7 Agenda - HRF

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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama should discuss the growing influence of neo-fascism and Islamic extremism in Europe during next week’s G7 Summit, Human Rights First said in a press release on Wednesday. “Human Rights First today urged President Obama to work with his Group of Seven [G7] counterparts to confront anti-Semitism and extremism [in Europe],” the release stated. “Neo-fascist parties are gaining influence on the strength of their xenophobic message.” On June 7-8, 2015, Obama will attend the G7 Summit at Elmau Сastle in Germany, where leaders will address security threats to the Trans-Atlantic alliance. © AFP 2015/ DPA / MICHAEL KAPPELER US Soldiers Banned From G7 Zone for Fear of Attacks by Peaceful Activists Anti-Semitic violence in Europe, the release explained, has reached alarming levels and far-right political parties across the continent are using racist ideology to strengthen their base. Human Rights First is also concerned with the situation in France,

‘Europe should address roots of extremism': Turkey FM

Root causes of radicalization must be addressed to prevent extremism and foreign fighters, says Foreign Minister Cavusoglu. BRUSSELS – Europe should fight against social exclusion of marginalized groups to tackle extremism and radicalization, says Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Speaking at the Council of Europe’s annual Committee of Ministers on Tuesday in Brussels where foreign ministers across Europe are expected to adopt measures against foreign fighters, Cavusoglu said Europe “should address the root causes of radicalization.” “Extremist groups have different cultural, psychological, and structural characteristics; there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” Cavusoglu said. “This is where the Council of Europe programs for fighting against the social exclusion of persons belonging to marginalized groups become essential,” he said. The Council of Europe’s protocol aiming to prevent terrorism has so far been signed by 44 of the organization’s 47 member states. It will requi

Tony Blair’s new job: fighting religious and political extremism in Europe

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Show caption Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives for the Afghanistan service of commemoration at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on March 13, 2015. Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth *Editors: This photo may only be republished with RNS-BLAIR-TOLERANCE, originally transmitted on June 4, 2015.   This image is available for web and print publication. For questions, contact   Sally Morrow . CANTERBURY, England (RNS)  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has a new job campaigning against religious and political extremism in Europe. A week after he stepped down as Middle East envoy of the Quartet — the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia — Blair announced he is the new chairman of the  European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation . The organization describes itself as “an opinion-making and advisory body.” It campaigns for all European countries to adopt laws that criminalize Holocaust denial, to create clearer definitions of what constitutes r

Who’s Part of the Islamic State? Depends Whom You Ask.

A U.S.-led coalition is grappling over how to fight the Islamic State’s self-proclaimed allies in Libya and beyond without taking its eyes off Iraq and Syria. A violent extremist group in Libya has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and kills in the name of the Islamic State, but U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration is torn on whether it is, in fact, part of the Islamic State. Declaring a brutal branch of the Libyan militant group Ansar al-Sharia to be an  official offshoot  of the Islamic State could potentially compel reluctant nations to use military force against extremists in Libya, further weakening the already faltering fight against the network. Washington is sharply divided, with U.S. officials describing a debate over the extremists’ growth in Libya as recent intelligence shows Islamic State leaders and fighters heading there from strongholds in Iraq and Syria. Allies in Europe and the Mideast are similarly conflicted. As the Islamic State’s reach continues to sp

Syrian women throw off robes and headscarves upon freedom from IS' terror rule

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Syrian women tear off their black shapeless robes known as ‘burkhas’ they enter Kurdish-controlled territory after fleeing for their lives from the clutches of Islamic State (Photo: Screen grab) Syrian women tear off their black shapeless robes known as ‘burkhas’ they enter Kurdish-controlled territory after fleeing for their lives from the clutches of Islamic State (Photo: Screen grab) Rojava:  In two video clips recently released to MailOnline elated Syrian women tear off their black shapeless robes known as ‘burkhas’ they enter Kurdish-controlled territory after fleeing for their lives from the clutches of Islamic State. Men, women and children are seen celebrating their arrival in Rojava in the north of the country. Two women are seen pulling off their headscarves and robes to reveal bright floral attire. Another removes her headscarf and lets it fly away in the wind after escaping religious persecution under ISIS. Syria-based freelance journalist Jack Shahine watched as the refug

Hamas not a terrorist organisation in Egypt

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Cairo - An Egyptian appeals court on Saturday cancelled a ruling to list the Palestinian group Hamas as a terrorist organisation, judicial sources said, signalling a possible easing of pressure on the Gaza Strip's ruling faction. File photo: Khalil Hamra.  (Credit: AP) Hamas welcomed the decision by Egypt, which faces an islamist insurgency it says is fuelled by weapons smuggled from Gaza. Hamas said the ruling would help relations with Cairo. Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood which the authorities have declared a terrorist group and have repressed since the army ousted one of its leaders, Mohamed Mursi, from the presidency in 2013. Cairo has for many years played a central role in engineering ceasefires between neighbouring Israel and Hamas, which dominates Gaza, including a truce reached between the sides in August that ended a 50-day war. Egyptian officials say weapons are smuggled from Gaza into Egypt where they end up with militant groups fighting to toppl