Reader’s links for March 16 – 2016

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Thank you all for those that take the effort to assist this site in keeping the public informed. Below, typically people can find the latest enemy propaganda, news items of related materials from multiple countries and languages, op-eds from many excellent sites who write on our topics, geopolitics and immigration issues and so on.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

92 Replies to “Reader’s links for March 16 – 2016”

  1. Crisis fear over UK’s baby boom: One in six of all new European babies now born here (expess, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/652882/Uk-baby-boom-crisis-one-in-six-european-babies-born-here

    “ONE in six of all European Union births in a year took place in Britain, official figures reveal.

    Experts said the baby explosion was in part fuelled by mass migration to the UK, with more than one in four children born here now having foreign mothers.

    The shock figures prompted fears that schools, hospitals, GP surgeries and local authorities will struggle to cope.

    Simon Ross, of the Population Matters pressure group, called on the Government to encourage smaller families.

    He warned: “A high birth rate, combined with high net migration and people living longer, means more pressure on housing, services and transport.

    “The high birth rate is driven partly by migrant mothers, who are increasing.”

    There were 776,000 births in Britain in the year 2014 – the second highest total in Europe.

    It was an increase of 16 per cent from the 2001 births figure of 669,000, the EU statistics showed.

    Britain’s fertility rate also rose to become Europe’s fourth highest.

    The number of annual births is now 20 per cent higher than in 1997, when Tony Blair became prime minister and launched New Labour’s open-door immigration policy.

    Alp Mehmet, of MigrationWatch, said: “These figures are not surprising, given the fact that the greatest proportion of the growth in births is as a result of migrants.

    “It will continue this way when the majority of new households formed in the UK are a result of migration.

    “As the population grows beyond our capability to provide for it, the pressure will grow on services such as housing, schooling and transport.”

    The startling rise in birth rate comes with the UK population at a record high of 64.8 million – amid predictions that it will soar to 85 million by 2080.

    Mr Mehmet warned that with net migration running at more than 336,000 last year, the population explosion could have negative social effects.

    He said: “Integration was possible when migration was happening at a slower rate.

    “As the pace increases, that becomes increasingly difficult.”

    Simon Ross added: “An increase in the number of births of one sixth in just over 10 years is a matter for concern.

    “Britain cannot afford to have Europe’s fourth-highest fertility rate, given that it is one of Europe’s most densely populated countries.

    “The Government should do more to encourage smaller families.

    “This might include improved family planning services and limiting universal support for larger families.”

    The new figures were published yesterday by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical wing. …..”

  2. Islamic Society at top university under fire after SEGREGATING men and women at dinner (express, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/652930/Islamic-Society-London-School-Economics-Islam-religion

    “ONE of Britain’s top universities has come under fire after its Islamic Society segregated men and women at a gala dinner.

    Muslim students at the London School of Economics (LSE) were separated by a 7ft curtain after snapping up £20 tickets for the annual event.

    The society posted several photographs from Saturday’s dinner on Facebook – but none were taken on the women’s side of the room.

    One attendee even joked about the gender divide by posting a picture of himself peering around the curtain at a female friend.

    Nona Buckley-Irvine, the head of LSE’s Students’ Union, insisted the atmosphere was “comfortable”.

    She added: “There were absolutely no tensions; it was a relaxed evening.

    “Brothers and sisters were co-hosting the event, which was one of the best I’ve been to. It was a celebration of each other’s talents.”

    But one student claimed the segregation at the event – held at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Convent Garden – “intimidated” some Muslims….”

  3. Qatari ‘killer’ found guilty of ‘raping and stabbing’ British woman could now walk free (express, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/652934/lauren-patterson-qatar-murder-alison-patterson-gofundme-Badr-Hashim-Khamis-al-Jabr

    “A QATARI man found guilty of murdering a British teacher and dumping her burnt remains in the desert could walk free after his sentence was overturned.

    Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabr was found guilty of the brutal killing of Kent-born Lauren Patterson two years ago.

    The teacher, 24, had been raped and stabbed to death in Qatar the previous year and her killer was handed a death sentence.

    His accomplice, Mohamed Abdallah Hassan Abdul Aziz, was jailed for three years for his role in the murder – a sentence which is less severe than those for some traffic offences in the Arab nation.

    But al-Jabr’s appeal against his sentence was successful, and he now faces a retrial later this month….

    In an emotional appeal posted on the popular GoFundMe website, she wrote: “I need your help. I am one woman, a small voice against a judicial system I don’t understand.

    “With many voices maybe justice will prevail.””

  4. EXCLUSIVE: Dover police admit just FIVE illegal immigrants arrested in a WHOLE YEAR (express, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/652910/migrant-crisis-Dover-Calais-Ukip-Mike-Hookem

    “THE number of illegal immigrants arrested by police at Dover fell by a staggering 84 per cent last year, it emerged last night.

    Figures obtained by Express.co.uk show just five were arrested by Port of Dover officers last year, down from 32 in 2014.

    And the number of illegal immigrants detained dropped by 34 per cent – from 356 to 234 – amid the biggest migrant crisis since the Second World War.

    Officers detained or arrested only 38 between June and August last year, when chaos in the French port town of Calais dominated the headlines.

    Ukip’s defence spokesman Mike Hookem MEP believes the numbers have fallen because migrants are reaching Britain through other ports.

    He told Express.co.uk: “They know it’s difficult to get past security in Calais – it’s a fortress round there now – although some are getting through.

    “So they’re testing smaller ports like Dunkirk, Zeebrugge and Rotterdam, where there’s little or no security, and arriving on the east coast.”…”

  5. Heinous ISIS jihadis’ brutal treatment of Christians ‘goes AGAINST Islamic teachings’ (express, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/652915/isis-isil-daesh-christians-iraq-syria-persecution-craig-considine-rice-university

    “THE BARBARIC treatment of Christians by depraved Islamic State jihadis goes against the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, an expert has said.

    A new study of previously untranslated writing by the prophet claims he intended to “protect and even defend peaceful Christian communities, not attack them”.

    It also argues that several controversial and supposedly anti-Christian passages from the Islamic holy book have been misinterpreted.

    The groundbreaking findings directly contradict the daily abductions, murders and beheadings perpetrated by ISIS fanatics on the vulnerable Christian minority in Syria and Iraq.

    The study, authored by leading U.S. academic Dr Craig Considine, says 7th Century works by the Prophet Muhammad “clearly show that contemporary Islamic states that mistreat and discriminate against Christians cannot be justified”.

    Dr Considine’s research focussed on the prophet’s covenants with contemporary Christians in Najran, Persia, Mount Sinai and worldwide.

    The texts, which the Rice University professor says promote religious pluralism and civil rights, have been out of print for centuries.

    In his covenant with the Christians of Persia, the prophet reportedly wrote: “Even as they honour and respect me, so shall Muslims care for Christians as being under our protection.

    “Muslims shall hold themselves in duty bound to aid and care for them, for they are a people subject to my nation, obedient to their word, whose helpers also they are.”

    Dr Considine, who specialises in Christian-Muslim relations, predicted the texts will prove influential for world leaders seeking to build bridges in the war-torn Middle East…..”

  6. Afghanistan updates UNSC on growing border violations by Pakistan (khaama, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-updates-unsc-on-growing-border-violations-by-pakistan-0352

    “Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mahmoud Saikal raised the issue of cross-border incursions by Pakistan during a debate by United Nations Security Council on Afghanistan.

    “We welcome the growing voice of reason within Pakistan calling for a change in the right direction. In light of that, we want an immediate end to regular incursions along the Durand Line, which cannot and will not be tolerated by Afghanistan,” Saikal said.

    Saikal further added “In the last three months alone, we have documented at least 56 instances of violation to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan across the Durand Line, breaching article 2 (4) of the UN Charter and contrary to UN resolution 2131.”

    He said the continued border violations by Pakistan jeopardizes the relations between the nations which comes at a time when making peace with Pakistan is essential to making peace with the Taliban.

    The cross-border violations by Pakistani military was at its peak before the formation of the government of national unity late in 2014, but the provocative moves reduced by a larger extent last year.

    In the latest provocative move by Pakistani military, the Pakistani air force helicopters infiltrated inside the Afghan soil in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan with the local officials saying the helicopters dropped bombs on certain areas in this province.

    The Pakistani military used to fire scores of artillery shells on daily basis to eastern Kunar and Nuristan provinces as well as other provinces located along the Durand Line.”

  7. 15 militants killed in latest air and ground operations of Afghan forces (khaama, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/abd-to-assist-afghanistan-in-infrastructure-projects-4740

    “At least 15 anti-government armed militants were killed and 24 others were wounded in the latest counter-terrorism operations, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

    Acccording to an operational update by MoD, the operations were jointly conducted by Afghan army, Afghan police and other security institutions who were supported by the Afghan Air Force.

    At least 7 of the militants were killed in air and ground operations in Nawa and Khanshin districts of Helmand province, MoD said, adding that 11 others were wounded.

    MoD further added that 2 militants were killed and 4 others were wounded in a seprate operation in Shahid Hasas district of Uruzgan province, while 4 militants were killed and 6 others were wounded during an operation in Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province.

    A weapons cache of the militants was discovered and seized during onoing operations in Dand-e-Ghori and Dand-e-Shahabuddin districts of Baghlan province and a suspected militant was arrested, MoD added.

    At least 2 militants were killed, 2 militants were wounded and 3 others were wounded in seprate operations in Maiwand district of Kandahar, Nejrab district of Kapisa, and Shindand district of Herat province, according to MoD operational update.

    The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the reports so far.”

  8. Khanshin district has reportedly fallen to Taliban control in Helmand (khaama, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/khanshin-district-has-reportedly-fallen-to-taliban-control-in-helmand-0341

    “Heavy clashes continue in Khanshin district of southern Helmand province amid reports the control of the district has fallen to the control of the Taliban militants.

    A security official speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the Taliban militants have overrun some security posts which were providing security to the district administrative compound.

    The official further added that clashes still continue between the Taliban militants and the security forces after the control of the security posts were lost.

    He said at least security personnel lost their lives during the attack and some others were wounded.
    In the meantime, a source in the Afghan Border Police forces said the Afghan security personnel still has control in some parts of the district.

    The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.

    Helmand is among the volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan where anti-government armed militant groups are actively operating in its various districts and frequently carry out insurgency activities.”

  9. Argentina sinks Chinese fishing boat Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 (BBC, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35815444

    “Argentina’s coast guard says it has chased and sunk a Chinese vessel which was fishing illegally in Argentine waters on Monday.

    In a statement, the coast guard said one of its vessels had fired warning shots at the Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 as it headed for international waters.

    The coast guard said it had first tried to raise a response by radio. All 32 crew members were rescued, it said.

    China has expressed “serious concern” over the sinking…”

  10. Dozens Detained in Turkey Anti-Terror Operations (abcnews, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dozens-detained-turkey-anti-terror-operations-37684096

    “Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency says at least 47 suspects have been detained in operations across the country following a deadly suicide bombing in Ankara.

    In Istanbul, police backed by helicopters arrested at least 20 people suspected of having links to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The agency says that Istanbul’s anti-terrorism directorate said there were lawyers among those detained.

    Wednesday’s raids come after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would “redefine” terrorism and terrorists so that legal action can be expanded against anyone supporting terrorism including legislators, academics and journalists.

    No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday, which killed 37 people.”

  11. Major Oil Producers to Talk Output Freeze in Qatar in April (abcnews, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/major-oil-producers-talk-output-freeze-qatar-april-37683894

    “Qatar’s energy minister says members of OPEC and other key oil producers will meet next month to discuss a freeze in oil output levels.

    Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada said in a statement on Wednesday that the meeting will take place in the Qatari capital of Doha on April 17.

    Energy ministers from Russia and OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela pledged to cap their output levels if others do the same in an effort to bolster oil prices during a meeting in Doha last month. Other major producers have since said they would support the initiative.

    A plunge in oil prices since the summer of 2014 is straining the budgets of major oil producers. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 37 cents to $36.71 a barrel in electronic trading early Wednesday.”

    • The problem they face is that if they raise the price of oil fracking will remain economic viable but if they don’t raise the price of oil all of them will go bankrupt.

  12. Rescuers: Female Suicide Bombers Kill 22 at Nigerian Mosque (abcnews, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rescuers-female-suicide-bombers-kill-22-nigerian-mosque-37683708

    “Two female suicide bombers killed at least 22 worshippers in an attack during dawn prayers Wednesday on a mosque on the outskirts of the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, rescue officials said from the birthplace of Boko Haram.

    One bomber blew up inside the mosque and the second waited outside to detionate as survivors tried to escape, said coordinator Abba Aji of the civilian self-defense Vigilante Group.

    At least 17 people were wounded and evacuated to the hospital, said Abdul Mohammed of the State Emergency Management Agency.

    Umar Usman said he escaped because he was late. “We were just a few meters away from the mosque when a loud bang erupted and all we could see was dark smoke and bodies littered around,” he told The Associated Press.

    The mosque is in the Boko Haram stronghold of Umarari on the outskirts of the city that is the command center of the Nigerian military’s war against Boko Haram Islamic insurgents. Several suicide bombers have exploded in recent months at roadblocks leading into the city manned by the military and vigilantes, indicating success in preventing attackers from reaching crowded areas.

    It is the first attack on Maiduguri since Dec. 28, when Boko Haram attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, killing at least 50 people.”

  13. Pope Francis to wash migrants’ feet on Holy Thursday

    Pope Francis is to wash the feet of twelve migrants on Holy Thursday, a gesture that is likely to be interpreted as a sign for Europe to make greater efforts to welcome refugees.

    According to a report in America magazine, he will perform the traditional Maundy Thursday feet washing ritual on 24 March at a migrant centre in Rome.

    Francis has made the plight of migrants a key element of his pontificate. His first visit outside Rome as Pope was to Lampedusa, in southern Italy, the point of entry for thousands coming from North Africa.

    He has also used Holy Thursday as a moment to show the radical nature of Christian service to those on the margins of society. On two occasions he has washed the feet of prisoners and during his first Holy Week as Bishop of Rome washed the feet of two Muslims and two women.

    And earlier this year the Pope ordered a change in the rules to allow women to participate in the foot washing ritual.

    On migration Francis has urged the European church to welcome new arrivals at the same time accepting that the unprecedented numbers of migrants threaten to overburden the old continent.

    Europe is experiencing unprecedented levels of migration with more than a million new arrivals last year. The number of Syrians seeking asylum doubled to 362,800 in 2015 and the number of Iraqis increased to 121,500, according to the European Commission.

    http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/5285/0/pope-francis-to-wash-migrants-feet-on-holy-thursday
    ===============================================
    March 16 2016 – Pope appeals to leaders to open borders to migrants

    Pope Francis has reiterated his appeal to State leaders to open their doors to migrants.

    Speaking during the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square the Pope said “I like to see leaders who open their hearts and their doors” to the many migrants fleeing their countries.

    There were about 40 thousand pilgrims gathered in the Square for the weekly catechesis which Francis interspersed with many off-the-cuff remarks which highlighted his empathy for the tens of thousands of forced migrants who are struggling to make their way into Europe as they flee violence and poverty back home.

    The Pope recalled our many “brothers and sisters who are living a real and dramatic situation of exile, far from their homeland, with the ruins of their homes and the fear still in their eyes, and even, unfortunately, the pain for the loss of their loved ones”.

    “How is it possible that so much pain can strike innocent men, women and children who find doors closed to them when they attempt to go elsewhere? And they are there, on the border, because so many doors and so many hearts are closed. Migrants today are suffering. They are without food and they are not allowed in. They do not feel a welcome” he said.
    God – he said – does not forget the pain of those who are rejected.

    In these cases, the Pope continued, it is easy to ask oneself: where is God?

    And Pope Francis reflected on a Reading in the book of the prophet Jeremiah which he described as containing message of consolation.

    Jeremiah, he explained, turns to the Israelites who had been exiled. This experience had shaken their faith, yet the prophet proclaims that God, far from abandoning his people, reaffirms his faithful love and his promise of salvation.
    He said Jeremiah’s words of consolation and hope have a particular resonance today in the light of so many tragic situations of exile throughout our world.

    He mentioned the recent history of Albania, that after “so much persecution and destruction has managed to lift itself in dignity and faith.”

    Pope Francis concluded saying that Jeremiah’s prophecy finds supreme fulfilment in the coming of Jesus, whose paschal mystery proclaims the triumph of God’s merciful love and his promise of reconciliation, renewal and eternal life.

    http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/03/16/pope_appeals_to_leaders_to_open_borders_to_migrants/1215718

    • Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco: harmony with Pope Francis on migrants, “bridges” and the protection of the family

      Welcome to refugees, the need to “build bridges” of dialogue, the protection of the family are the three focal points of Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco’s prolusion of the Council of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), in harmony with the magisterium of Pope Francis, that in May will open the bishops’ assembly. “What image is Europe giving of herself” regarding the inflow of migrants, on which Italy is “in the frontline”, Bagnasco said. His Eminence pointed out that the parishes and ecclesial structures currently welcome 45 thousand migrants. On the theme of paedophilia the Italian Church has put into practice the guidelines of the Holy See. “Building bridges” and also “giving a clear answer” to the “threats” coming from the “public arena”, are the twofold commitments of believers in the political arena. Critical aspects include attempts of equating the family with “para-marriage situations” and the tendency to want children as if they were “commodities”. “Horrifying murders motivated by curiosity.” In urban “anonymous neighbourhoods” ecclesial communities should be guiding “lights.”

      Next May the Pope will open the general assembly of Italian bishops. The announcement was made by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, CEI President, renewing an established custom and underlying a special harmony, in his opening speech at the Permanent Council of Italian Bishops, ongoing in Genoa, which will be the venue of the national Eucharistic Congress September 15-18. Reception to refugees, the need to establish “bridges of dialogue”, along with the protection of the family were the three focal points of the Cardinal’s prolusion, in full harmony with the magisterium of Bergoglio.

      The CEI president opened the “small parliament” of bishops with the hottest topic on the global agenda: “Four thousand two-hundred people have died since the beginning of 2015, 330 of them were children who perished in the Aegean Sea.”

      Our Country has always been at the forefront” in the reception of refugees. “The Italian Church continues to make a contribution through the parishes, religious institutes, organizations such as Caritas and diocesan offices for the migrants.” As many as 45 thousand immigrants have been welcomed by the Church in our Country, “including those who are arriving via humanitarian corridors”, but now “we must pass to a stage marked by veritable integration processes. These processes require honesty, short time, rules, good will and confidence on the part of all.”

      We are currently facing a sort of “bubble”, a “climate we all breathe, and that wants to change the elementary categories of humanity.” “This climate, that is aggressive towards those who think differently, loudly exalts democracy and freedom, but on the condition that nobody crosses pre-established boundaries”, was the analysis of the CEI president. This again underlines the relevance of the recent Ecclesial Congress in Florence and the lesson of the historic speech of the Pope.

      Addressing the question of abuse on minors, Bagnasco pointed out that “Italian bishops have been among the first to rigorously implement the instructions of the Holy See with regard to verifying the charges and establishing the penalties, and have strengthened recovery facilities as well as the prevention criteria.”[…]

      http://agensir.it/chiesa/2016/03/15/cardinal-angelo-bagnasco-harmony-with-pope-francis-on-migrants-bridges-and-the-protection-of-the-family/

      http://agensir.it/chiesa/2016/03/15/cardinal-angelo-bagnasco-harmony-with-pope-francis-on-migrants-bridges-and-the-protection-of-the-family/

  14. Greece: Volunteers set up tent for refugees to charge phones in Idomeni

    Volunteers from the ‘Hope for Children’ organisation set up a tent at the Idomeni refugee camp to allow refugees and migrants to charge their phones and electronic devices for free, Wednesday.

    • Over million refugees reach Greece since 2015

      The U.N. refugee agency says more than 1 million people have crossed into Greece alone since the start of 2015.

      UNHCR figures show more than 143,500 people — mostly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans — have reached Greece from Turkey this year through March 14. A calculation of agency figures Wednesday shows total land and sea arrivals into Greece were 1,000,229 since Jan. 1, 2015.

      […]The new figures show how much Greece has borne the brunt of the influx. UNHCR has repeatedly appealed to the European Union to take a more coordinated approach in handling the influx.

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3494806/The-Latest-Cypriot-leader-taking-Turkish-concerns-EU.html

      ======================================
      UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt visits Greece

      She will reiterate UNHCR’s support to Greece in the expansion and coordination of protection and assistance to refugees, the strengthening of registration and asylum procedures, and the upholding of essential international protection and refugee law standards and the implementation of the EU relocation program. She will express her appreciation for the support and solidarity Greece has shown the hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who have landed on their shores after dangerous and difficult – sometimes deadly – journeys.

      http://www.unhcr.org/56e94bd96.html

    • Greece: Idomeni refugee camp celebrates St Patrick’s Day

      Irish aid volunteers celebrated St Patrick’s Day a day early at the Idomeni refugee camp on Wednesday, and were joined in the festivities by residents of the camp on the Greek-Macedonia border.

      Charity volunteer Kevin Kelly said his group had travelled for 72 hours non-stop in order to reach Idomeni with a van-full of donated clothes.

      “We’re dressed up because tomorrow is Saint Patrick’s Day, it is an important day for us. So we are missing a big day in Ireland for this,” he said, adding that “it’s time now” that the people of Europe tackle the humanitarian crisis in the camp.

  15. ‘1 foot in EU, 1 in US’? Obama rumored to persuade Brits to stay in EU during UK visit

    US President Barak Obama is going to the UK in April, just before opinion polls take place. Rumors abound that he will try to persuade Britain to stay in the EU. What do Londoners think about this?

    • reuters – Obama adds Saudi, Britain stops to Germany trip: White House

      U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with leaders of several Gulf nations and Britain as part of his previously scheduled trip to Germany next month, the White House said on Wednesday.

      On April 21, Obama will participate in a summit with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said in a statement.

      In Britain, Obama will meet with Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister David Cameron, the statement said, before moving on to Germany, where he will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

      http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-saudi-idUSKCN0WI1SH

      AP – Obama to Travel to Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom in April

      President Barack Obama will travel to Saudi Arabia and Britain next month ahead of his long-planned trip to Germany.

      The White House says Obama will head to Saudi Arabia on April 21 for a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Obama last year hosted leaders from the group of Persian Gulf nations. They’ll discuss the fight against the Islamic State group and other Mideast security concerns.

      Obama also will visit London, where he’ll have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II and meet with Prime Minister David Cameron. Obama has encouraged the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union ahead of a June 23 referendum.

      The White House says Obama will attend the trade show Hannover Messe in Germany and meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

      http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/obama-travel-saudi-arabia-united-kingdom-april-37688247

    • BREITBART – Anti-Trump Groups Threaten ‘Largest Civil Disobedience Action of the Century’

      With little fanfare and almost no news media attention, some of the same radical groups involved in shutting down Donald Trump’s Chicago rally last week are plotting a mass civil disobedience movement to begin next month.

      They intend to march across the East Coast in order to spark a “fire that transforms the political climate in America.”

      The operation, calling itself Democracy Spring, is threatening “drama in Washington” with the “largest civil disobedience action of the century.” The radicals believe this will result in the arrest of thousands of their own activists.

      “We will demand that Congress listen to the People and take immediate action to save our democracy. And we won’t leave until they do — or until they send thousands of us to jail,” the website for Democracy Spring declares, channeling rhetoric from the Occupy movement.

      The group is backed by numerous organizations, including the George Soros-funded groups MoveOn.org, the Institute for Policy Studies, and Demos.

      more on the page :

      http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/16/anti-trump-groups-threaten-largest-civil-disobedience-action-of-the-century/

  16. Putin’s Hand Grows Stronger as Right-Wing Parties Advance in Europe
    Nazi-style immigrant and EU bashing is in hot demand. Russia’s Syria move will make it hotter.

    A growing pro-Kremlin contingent in Europe, likely emboldened by Russia’s decision to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, is tipping popular sentiment further toward President Vladimir Putin.

    The most pressing of the issues vital to Putin is European Union sanctions against Russia, introduced in the wake of Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine in 2014. It’s hard to say whether the EU can preserve unity on the subject for much longer, said Petras Vaitek?nas, the former Lithuanian foreign minister, who advises the Ukrainian Security Council.

    “I expect big problems with that, and with our ability to repulse Putin’s onslaught,” he said.

    Ten days ago, yet another far-right party supporting Russia gained a foothold in an EU country, this time Slovakia. People’s Party, Our Slovakia won 8% of the vote in national elections, joining a burgeoning club including Hungary’s Jobbik, Greece’s Golden Dawn and Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-15/putin-s-hand-grows-stronger-as-right-wing-parties-advance-in-europe

  17. China, Russia Planning Space Attacks on U.S. Satellites
    Critical space infrastructure faces crippling missile strikes, small satellites, lasers

    China and Russia are preparing to attack and disrupt critical U.S. military and intelligence satellites in a future conflict with crippling space missile, maneuvering satellite, and laser attacks, senior Pentagon and intelligence officials told Congress on Tuesday.

    Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of the Air Force Space Command, said the threat to U.S. space systems has reached a new tipping point, and after years of post-Cold War stagnation foreign states are focused on curbing U.S. space systems.

    “Adversaries are developing kinetic, directed-energy, and cyber tools to deny, degrade, and destroy our space capabilities,” Hyten said in a prepared statement for a hearing of the House Armed Service strategic forces subcommittee.

    “They understand our reliance on space, and they understand the competitive advantage we derive from space. The need for vigilance has never been greater,” the four-star general said.

    Hyten said U.S. Global Positioning System satellites remain vulnerable to attack or jamming. The satellites’ extremely accurate time-keeping feature is even more critical to U.S. guided weapons than their ability to provide navigation guidance, he said.

    http://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-russia-planning-space-attacks-on-u-s-satellites/

  18. Merkel says concerned by backup of migrants in Greece

    BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that the closing of the migrant route through the Balkans had created a challenging situation for Greece that should concern all of Europe.

    Addressing the Bundestag lower house of parliament before an EU summit with Turkey, Merkel warned that no one should be “deceived” by the slower influx of migrants to Germany because of border closures by Austria and others.

    “The current easing (of the influx) that Germany and some other member states is experiencing is one thing. The situation in Greece is the other and it must be a big concern to us all because it is not without consequences for us all in Europe,” she said.

    http://www.oann.com/merkel-says-concerned-by-backup-of-migrants-in-greece/

    • Germany: Deal with Turkey is vital to solving refugee crisis – Merkel

      German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the Bundestag in Berlin on Wednesday that a deal with Turkey was vital to solving the refugee crisis, ahead of the European Summit on Thursday and Friday in Brussels.

      Merkel referred to the crisis as “the biggest challenge in the last few decades” for Germany and Europe, adding that “conflicts that seemed to be far away from us, now concern us directly.”

      SOT, Angela Merkel, German chancellor (German): “For Germany and the European Union as a whole the refugee question is the biggest challenge in the last few decades. Conflicts that seemed to be far away from us, now concern us directly and they will continue to concern us in the future, we see that in Syria, in Afghanistan and in Iraq. And we see with the refugee question that it demands a lot from us. It requires all our attention and power. Handling the refugee questions will shape Germany as well as Europe in the long run.”

      SOT, Angela Merkel, German chancellor (German): “And with no doubt we currently benefit from the fact that the refugee waves, largely because of the one-sided decisions of Austria and the countries along the West Balkans route, has been halted. Nonetheless, I cannot cease warning against being deceived. The current relief that Germany and some other member states feel is one thing, the situation in Greece is another, and it has to be addressed, because it will not be without consequences for us all in Europe.”

      SOT, Angela Merkel, German chancellor (German): “We will reach a viable solution when fewer illegal migrants entering Germany and Europe than they do today. We are carrying out important talks with Turkey in order to achieve this. Turkey is by far the most important transit country, from where people try to travel further to Europe. The sea borders between Greece and Turkey are Europe’s external borders. They have to be protected and here belongs a determined fight against smugglers and traffickers.”

  19. 1953 song

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_(Not_Constantinople)
    “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” is a 1953 swing-style song, with lyrics byJimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon. Written on the 500th year anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, the lyrics humorously refer to the official 1930 renaming of the city of Constantinople to Istanbul. The song’s original release certified as a gold record.
    —–

  20. Brussels raid over Paris attacks: Dead gunman was Algerian national (BBC, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35817793

    “A terrorism suspect shot dead in a raid in a Brussels suburb on Tuesday has been identified as Algerian national Mohamed Belkaid, officials say.

    He was killed by snipers while trying to fire at police from an apartment window in the suburb of Forest.

    Four officers were wounded in the raid. Police are still hunting two suspects who were in the apartment.

    The raid was linked to an investigation into the jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people last November…”

  21. Four held over Paris ‘attack plan’ (BBC, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35822047

    “Four people has been arrested in the Paris area on suspicion of planning a terror attack, French media report.

    Three men and a woman were detained at dawn in the 18th arrondissement of Paris and the nearby northern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, TF1 and BFMTV reported.

    They were arrested by the Directorate General of Internal Security on suspicion of preparing an attack in Paris…”

  22. Kerry to Miss Deadline on Islamic State Genocide Question

    A State Department spokesman says Secretary of State John Kerry will miss Congress’s deadline for deciding whether atrocities by the Islamic State against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria should be considered genocide.

    Spokesman Mark Toner says Kerry is taking a “measured” approach and his decision would come soon.

    Toner says officials at the State Department, intelligence agencies and non-governmental organizations are providing evidence and “if this delays the process, it’s worth it.”

    Congress set a March 17 deadline for Kerry, and the House passed a non-binding resolution this week condemning the Islamic State actions as genocide ahead of the State Department’s decision.

    A genocide determination could require additional U.S. military or diplomatic action, or prompt a referral to the U.N. for possible prosecution by a criminal tribunal.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/kerry-miss-deadline-islamic-state-genocide-question-37698458

  23. How Else Was ‘He Gonna Get His Money?’: Relatives Outraged After Homeowner Shoots, Kills Burglary Suspect

    A Miami woman shot and killed a teenage home intruder last week, authorities said. Now, relatives of the teen are saying she acted unjustly and should be prosecuted.

    Trevon Johnson, 17, burglarized the home of a 54-year-old old woman last Thursday, according to Miami-Dade police.

    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/03/16/how-else-was-he-gonna-get-his-money-relatives-outraged-after-homeowner-shoots-kills-burglary-suspect/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Firewire%20-%20HORIZON%203-16-16%20FINAL&utm_term=Firewire

    • video at site.

      This is what the US has come to, a home owner is expected to let any punk that wants rob them because how else are they going to get money!!

      Welcome to the world the left has created for us.

  24. A good article on Obama’s stupidity in the foreign policy arena and the way the left is working to destroy the people who oppose them.

    Trump and the Left’s Accusations of Fascism
    The stale ad Hitlerum fallacy used by progressives to demonize violators of the Party Line.

    Donald Trump’s success in the primaries and his rhetoric have sparked troubled meditations about an awakening of fascist impulses among his supporters. Bret Stephens has drawn an analogy with the Thirties, “the last dark age of Western politics,” and compared Trump to Benito Mussolini. On the left, Dana Milbank, in a column titled “Trump Flirts with Fascism,” wrote about a campaign rally at which Trump was “leading supporters in what looked very much like a fascist salute,” a scene New York Times house-conservative David Brooks linked to the Nuremberg party rallies.

    Much of the rhetoric that links Trump to fascism or Nazism is merely the stale ad Hitlerum fallacy used by progressives to demonize the candidate. They did the same thing when they called George W. Bush “Bushitler.” This slur reflects the hoary leftist dogma that conservatives at heart are repressed xenophobes and knuckle-dragging racists lusting for a messianic leader to restore their lost “white privilege” and punish their minority, immigrant, and feminist enemies. As such, the attack on Trump is nothing new or unexpected from a progressive ideology whose totalitarian inclinations have always had much more in common with fascism than conservatism does.

    What Auden called the “low dishonest decade” of the Thirties, however, is indeed instructive for our predicament today, but not because of any danger of a fascist party taking root in modern America. Communism was (and in some ways still is) vastly more successful at infiltrating and shaping American political, cultural, and educational institutions than fascism ever was. But the same cultural pathologies that enabled both fascist and Nazi aggression still afflict us today. These pathologies and their malign effects are more important than the reasons for Trump’s popularity–– anger at elites, economic stagnation, and anti-immigrant passions–– that supposedly echo the “waves of fear and anger” of Auden’s Thirties.

    The most important delusion of the Thirties still active today is the idealistic internationalism that had developed over the previous century. A world shrunk by new communication and transportation technologies and linked by global trade, internationalists argued, meant nations and peoples were becoming more alike. Thus they desired the same prosperity, political freedom, human rights, and peace that the West enjoyed. Interstate relations now should be based on this “harmony of interests,” and managed by non-lethal transnational organizations rather than by force. Covenants and treaties like the Hague and Geneva Conventions, and institutions like the League of Nations and the International Court of Arbitration, could peacefully resolve conflicts among nations through diplomatic engagement, negotiation, and appeasement.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/262147/trump-and-lefts-accusations-fascism-bruce-thornton

  25. Iran’s Free Hand in Testing Ballistic Missiles
    The “Deal” goes forward — despite the Mullahs’ violations.

    The United Nations Security Council met in an “emergency” closed door session on Monday March 14th to discuss Iran’s recent testing of ballistic missiles reportedly designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The words “Israel must be wiped out” were written in Hebrew on the side of the missiles. These most recent tests followed in the wake of missile tests conducted last fall, which the Security Council did nothing about at the time.

    While North Korea was finally hit with more UN sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests, North Korea’s nuclear weapons collaborators in Iran continue to be let off the hook without even a slap on the wrist.

    U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power told reporters, after the March 14th meeting produced no concrete results, that she will keep trying “no matter the quibbling that we heard today about this and that.” She said that Iran’s missile tests were “in defiance of provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the resolution that came into effect on January 16, on Implementation Day for the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action].”

    The quibbler in chief is Russia. Its UN ambassador said that Iran has not violated the resolution and that there was no need for any punitive measures against Iran.

    The truth is that the Obama administration is now hoisted with its own petard. Ambassador Power complained that “Russia seems to be lawyering its way to look for reasons not to act rather than stepping up and being prepared to shoulder our collective responsibility.” Yet that would not have been as easy for Russia to do if the Obama administration had not allowed a loophole in the nuclear deal wide enough for Iran to fire a whole bunch of missiles through.

    President Obama wanted

  26. 12 Employees at 3 Airports had Terror Ties

    The full number would be much higher of course.

    A dozen employees at three U.S. airports were identified as having potential ties to terrorists, according to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by FOX 25’s Washington Bureau.

    But those 12 workers are just a fraction of 73 private employees at nearly 40 airports across the nation flagged for ties to terror in a June 2015 report from the Homeland Security Inspector General’s Office.

    FOIA requests identified two employees at Logan International Airport in Boston, Mass., four employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia and six employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington.

    The 2015 report did not reveal where the 73 workers were employed.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/262181/12-employees-3-airports-had-terror-ties-daniel-greenfield

  27. The Mind of the Left From an Insider
    What I witnessed inside a faith of lies — and what it took to leave.

    First of all, forget the ‘60s. This situation has been brewing for over 100 years. I was born into a working-class socialist family in New Zealand in 1960. Democratic socialism had been established by popular reforms in the 1930s. By the late ‘50s, almost every working-class child in New Zealand was raised socialist.

    But we didn’t call it socialism. We called it “workers’ rights.” In my family, my older siblings and I were the third generation of socialists. We never chose socialism, we inherited it. In the late ‘60s, the younger middle-class joined us.

    It is especially in the British Commonwealth that millions have been raised by leftists, who were raised by leftists, who were raised by leftists, and so on. Some leftist families have been so for more than a century. They consider themselves leftist royalty.

    For the millions raised as leftists, it is not an ideology; it is a culture. Since childhood, they have lived and breathed it every day in the home. They know nothing else. Like any culture, it is a way of speaking, thinking and acting, with its own narratives and rituals. Narratives are held sacred, repeated, reinforced and, over time, added to. That which challenges sacred narratives, even reality itself, is met with confusion and hostility. As with any aggressive, intolerant culture, if you enter it, it enters you.

    Contrary to opinion, leftism isn’t just about hate. Leftists are more complex than that. From my time as a red diaper leftist, I can tell you that a whole range of emotions are involved. Hate, anger, fear, bitterness, jealousy, envy, rage, greed, pride, smugness and paranoia (not technically an emotion, but it is widespread among leftists).

    With such a parade of negative emotions, it is no surprise that so many leftists suffer from chronic depression, often from a young age. Even if they lose the anger, they still retain the attitude: that the government must fix everyone’s problems, regardless of cost and that there is an enormous right-wing conspiracy that is just around the corner.

    The victim narrative of the Left is very infectious. You are always the victim and you are always owed something. The wealthy are always evil, while you are always good and wholesome. Converts are often more intense than those born into it. My father, raised a leftist, eventually mellowed and began to question some leftist beliefs. My mother, not raised a leftist, but having become one, never mellowed.

    The victim narrative was in every conversation.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/262160/mind-left-insider-michael-faraday

    • A must read for those who want more info about the left and greater insight into how they work and think.

      • Stunning piece.
        One comment was especially sharp:
        “How about feudalism has morphed into socialism? Govt becomes “lord of the manor” responsible for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, employment, retirement, etc for all the peasants, now called workers. This is what made America so very, very different 400 yrs ago: Those who came here were responsible for themselves and their families.”
        ……
        I think he’s onto something there. Part de Tocqueville (*u*) and part “American exceptionalism”.

  28. Russian President Putin: Russia Will Withdraw Most Of Its Military From Syria – But Russian Activity At Tartus Naval Base And Hmeymim Airbase Will Continue As Before

    Introduction
    On March 14, 2016, Russia announced that the next day, March 15, it would begin its withdrawal from Syria. In a MEMRI report published yesterday, Russian political analyst Sergey Karaganov, who is close to the Kremlin, stated that Russia must be extremely careful not to get “bogged down” in the Syrian quagmire, stressing: “[Russia] should have the courage to withdraw quickly if such a danger appears and to prepare [our] society for such a possibility.” Previously, on March 2, 2016, MEMRI published an interview with Karaganov in which he underlined that Russia must “be prepared to leave Syria at any moment.”

    http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/9071.htm

    • Thank You Yucki it is nice to have a Russian Official tell us their side of the situation. I agree with some of what he said and disagree with some. Yes the confrontation between the West and Russia has been building for a decade, not it isn’t all the Wests fault. With the US in a massivly weakened position Putin has been pushing things to the hilt to once again be a major player on the worlds stage.

      Yes the war in the Middle East will last several decades, as far as I can see start figuring on 10 decades and be ready to revise your estimate upwards.

      Despite what the man is saying Putin has plans for that region and they include a massive Russian presence, he wants a forward operating base to stage attacks on the Caliphate from and can’t let his Syrian puppet be removed from power. Yes he would love to be able to leave the ground fighting to Iran, throughout the entire Cold War the Soviets suffered only two defeats, Greece in the late 40s and Afghanistan in the 80s. The latter was the only time (outside of Western Europe) that the Soviets put large numbers of Russian Troops into combat.

      I hadn’t heard that we were starting on rebuilding our nuclear arsenal but hope that is correct. Obama has greatly weakened our nuclear deterrent and it needs to be rebuild.

      Having said the above I want to repeat Putin is up to something and he isn’t pulling the troops out of Syria permanently but removing them for some scheme that will advance his power and position in the world. He has been positioning himself as the defender of Christianity inside Russia and may be moving the troops to say he doesn’t have the power to move to save the Middle Eastern Christians.

      • Both articles – the one with the wrong URL and the article you get if you follow that article are important.
        Sorry, I'm language-challenged after trolling Memri for hours.
        The first is meant to describe the pull-out. The second is the spin the Kremlin is putting on it.

      • He still covers the sky over Syria.
        I’m looking for Israeli info.
        Also looking for corroboration from Russian sources of massed Russian tanks on Ukraine border. The “Russian sources” could be from just about anywhere, from just about any one.

        • He is leaving the equipment pre positioned for use in a rapid deployment, rather like what we use to do in Israel before Obama pulled all of the munitions out.

    • [“Pro-Kremlin” – as if we could be reading “Anti-Kremlin!]

      Pro-Kremlin Newspaper: The Decision To Withdraw Comes Because Russia Doesn’t Want To Be “More Syrian than Syria”

      In Vedomosti,[13] the director-general of the pro-Kremlin Russian International Affairs Council, Andrey Kortunov, stated that the main reason for the withdrawal is Assad’s “stubbornness”[14] that could undermine the continuation of the Geneva process and thus damage Russia’s interests in the region. However, Putin spokesman Peskov denied that the withdrawal is aimed at politically pressuring the Assad regime,[15] and that it should not be interpreted as a manifestation of Russian unhappiness with Assad.

      Lenta stated that the decision to withdraw is due to the fact that Russia doesn’t want to win the war for Syria, since “Russia won’t be more Syrian than Syria”; furthermore, for Russia, Assad’s personal future is no longer a precondition.

      According to Lenta, even though the Islamic State (ISIS) has not been completely defeated, Russia has achieved its four goals: the stabilization of the Syrian regime, the strengthening of the Tehran-Baghdad-Damascus axis, strikes by Russian fighters against ISIS in northwestern Syria, and proving that a Russian role in the region is indispensable. It added that Russia will, however, maintain a presence in Syria as a sign of its strategic interest in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

      Additionally, Ria Novosti,[16] cited unnamed diplomatic sources in Brussels as suggesting that the Russian withdrawal from Syria can be seen as a move that could lead to the gradual removal of sanctions on Russia.

      • That could be, the sanctions are suppose to be hurting Russia so Putin could be pulling some of the troops out hoping to get the sanctions eased. This would allow various things the Russian war machine to be imported and when enough is stockpiled the troops return.

  29. France: Jihad Infecting Army, Police

    According to a confidential memo, dated January 2015, from the anti-terrorist unit of the French interior ministry, France is already host to 8,250 radical Islamists (a 50% increase in one year).

    Some of these Islamists have gone to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS); others have infiltrated all levels of society, starting with the police and the armed forces.

    A leaked confidential memo from the Department of Public Security, published by Le Parisien, details 17 cases of police officers radicalized between 2012 and 2015. Particularly noted were the police officers who listen to and broadcast Muslim chants while on patrol.

    Some of these police officers have openly refused to protect synagogues or to observe a minute of silence to commemorate the deaths of victims of terrorist attacks.

    In addition, the police were alerted to a policewoman who incited terrorism on Facebook, and called her police uniform a “filthy rag of the Republic” while wiping her hands on it. In January 2015, immediately after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and the Hypercacher kosher supermarket in Vincennes, which had left 17 people dead, she wrote on her Facebook page: “Masked attack led by Zionist cowards… They need to be killed.”

    That police officers are armed and have access to police databases only intensifies anxiety.

    Although police headquarters in Paris claims that these cases are rare, they have decided to review on a weekly basis any behavior that oversteps the principle of separation of church and state, such as that of Muslim officers who appear to be leaning toward radicalization. Patrice Latron, who manages the office of the Paris police prefect, told Le Parisien that these phenomena are “very marginal.”

    The police are not the only ones who are anxious; the French military is concerned as well. There are no statistics for the number of Muslim soldiers in the French armed forces, but it is commonly thought that there are many, and that they are vulnerable to Islamist influences, given that France in engaged militarily in Africa, against Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and against the Islamic State in the Middle East. Since the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015, however, France’s largest military operation has been on national soil: 10,000 armed soldiers are now deployed in France to protect synagogues, Jewish schools, train and subway stations, and also some mosques — to show Muslims that the French Republic does not see them as enemies. Their mission is no longer to be simply a complementary force but, as Le Figaro explained, to “deploy, on a permanent basis, interior military operations.”

    http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7624/france-jihad-contaminating-army-police

      • And in all nations, when the Soros funded riots start we can expect Islamic groups to start committing sabotage attacks that will be blamed on the Soros groups. The Soros groups will blame the right wing for the attacks.

  30. Asylum seeker leaves Good Samaritan hospitalised who tried to stop attack on another woman (express, Mar 16, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/653213/Asylum-seeker-Germany-sex-attack-Bochum

    “AN asylum seeker left a Good Samartan hospitalised who tried to stop an attack on another woman.

    Police swooped in after the migrant is believed to have started touching a 21-year-old’s woman’s breasts and private parts at a train station.

    When a 29-year-old woman intervened to stop the attack eyewitnesses say he punched and kicked her to the ground – leaving her with a broken hand.

    German cops were quickly on the scene and arrested the 18-year-old Moroccan asylum seeker.

    However, they had to release him a short while later because there was not enough evidence to keep him in detention.

    The man, who has not been named but has applied for asylum in Germany, faces charges of defamation and aggravated assault.

    The incident happened at Bochum train station, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

    He reportedly aggressively approached the 21-year-old and started to grope her.

    According to eyewitnesses, he put his hands on her private parts and breasts, and refused to stop.

    Another passenger, a 29-year-old German woman from Oberhausen, tried to persuade him to stop which resulted in a furious attack by the Moroccan.

    He then reportedly punched and kicked her to the ground, leaving her with serious injuries including a broken hand.

    Police were quickly on the scene and arrested the teenager, who was found to be three times over the legal drink-driving limit.”

  31. Russia’s Unexpected Withdrawal From Syria

    Russian President Vladimir Putin announced March 14 that Russia had sufficiently achieved its goals in Syria since beginning airstrikes in September, and that it will gradually withdraw the bulk of its forces from the country, starting March 15. According to Putin, the process could take as long as five months. However, Russia’s air base in Latakia will continue to operate, as will its naval facility in Tartus.

    Russia’s involvement in Syria has been guided by a number of key priorities. The first is ensuring the stability of the allied Syrian government and by extension Russian interests in Syria. The second is demonstrating and testing its armed forces, which are undergoing a significant force modernization. The third is weakening the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations, especially given the large number of Russian nationals fighting in Syria among extremist factions. The fourth, and the most important, is for Russia to link its actions in Syria to other issues — including the conflict in Ukraine, disputes with the European Union and U.S. sanctions on Russia.

    The support that the Russians and other external actors such as Iran and Hezbollah have given the Syrian government has largely reversed the rebels’ momentum, and currently loyalist forces have the advantage. However, rebel troops have not been defeated, and a significant drawdown of Russian forces could weaken loyalist efforts. However, it is important to remember that Russia alone did not reverse the loyalist fortunes; Iranian support for the Syrian government could go a long way in maintaining their advantage.

    With their actions in Syria thus far, the Russians have showcased their improved combat capabilities and some new, previously unused weapons, which will likely contribute to important arms sales, including some to Iran. Russia has also largely achieved its goal of weakening the Islamic State, though the Russian contribution against the terrorist group is just a part of a much broader, multilateral effort that includes the U.S.-led coalition, rebel forces and the majority Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces. All in all, the Islamic State may not be entirely defeated, but its forces in Syria and Iraq are much weaker than they were five months ago.

    Still, progress on Russia’s primary goal is still uncertain. Moscow intervened in Syria to gain concessions on issues in other regions; whether or not it has been successful may depend in part on the terms of any peace deal. The March 15 drawdown, which is coming just as U.N. peace talks begin in Geneva, could be a sign of a breakthrough in the negotiations. It will be important to keep an eye on any signs of a deal emerging from Geneva and for indications coming out of Europe that could allude to a potential grand bargain.

    Of course, it could be that Putin is greatly exaggerating the significance of the drawdown, which may not significantly alter Russian actions in Syria. Though it is highly unlikely, the Russians may even be pulling out in defeat, having realized they cannot achieve their hoped-for grand bargain in Syria after all.

    https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/russias-unexpected-withdrawal-syria

      • That is why I quit reading their free stuff, I don’t know what the articles you pay for are like.

        • If they’re meant to entice the consumer, they’re wasting space.
          I’m almost ready to delete their bookmark, but that’s going too far.
          Bookmarks have a tendency to become sacred. I really should take them to an exorcist.

  32. TORONTO – CF stabbing suspect once had restricted security clearance at Pearson [airport]

    The suspect in a stabbing attack at a Canadian Forces recruiting office in North York was once permitted to work in restricted areas at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

    Greater Toronto Airport Authority spokesperson Siobhan Desroches said the 27-year-old man “worked for a third-party tenant” of the airport and carried a restricted area identification card, allowing him to enter secure areas of the facility between December 2008 and March 2009.

    Sources tell CP24 the man worked as a groundskeeper at the airport.

    In a statement provided to CP24 Wednesday night, Transport Canada said that the suitability of applicants to obtain security clearance to restricted areas is based on a “rigorous program” of background checks provided by both the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in addition to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

    “Transport Canada grants a security clearance to applicants who do not pose a risk to transportation security,” the statement reads.

    “If the department obtains credible information indicating that an applicant or an existing clearance holder poses a transportation security risk, the department responds immediately to review the clearance of the individual in question and will suspend it as required.”

    Neighbours and friends told CP24 that the suspect accused of carrying out the slashing attack does not square with the man they know.

    “I couldn’t believe it. He’s a nice guy, he’s quiet, he’s not a person who makes trouble. But I don’t know what happened,” neighbor Nadifo Mahamud told CP24.

    Another neighbor, Grade 12 student Huda Muddei, described Ali as humble and “an honorable person, someone you would never expect this to happen to.”

    “Seeing this on the news really breaks my heart because I know he is a person who will go out of his way for people,” Muddei said. “He will take the garbage from you knowing you can take it yourself. He goes to the mosque. He’ll do anything and everything he can for the people that he cares about.”

    Muddei said she can’t believe that the person being described is the same person she knows.
    “He’s a brother, he has a family. He has a community. He has me 100 per cent behind him. And I know that this is completely out of his character. This isn’t who he is,” she said.

    On Wednesday, the Canadian Council of Imams released a statement saying the group is “deeply shocked” by news of the attack.

    “It is very sad to know that the individual who attacked our on-duty soldiers uttered the word ‘Allah’ according to some media sources, which indicates that he may belong to the Muslim faith,” Dr. Mohammad Iqbal AlNadvi, the chairman of the council, said.

    video on the page :

    http://www.cp24.com/news/cf-stabbing-suspect-once-had-restricted-security-clearance-at-pearson-1.2820300
    ===============================================
    CBC – Accused soldier stabber described as ‘nice’ but troubled

  33. Say hello to ‘Carlo,’ the cheap, lethal go-to gun for terrorists
    Why has the technically inferior Carl Gustav become one of the symbols of the latest Palestinian terror wave?

    After the knife, one of the most notable symbols to emerge from six months of Palestinian attacks in Israel and the West Bank has been the “Carlo,” otherwise known as the Carl Gustav submachine gun.

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/say-hello-to-carlo-the-cheap-lethal-go-to-gun-for-terrorists/