Crime

Germany: Afghan asylum-seeker stands trial for grisly murder An Afghan asylum-seeker is accused of slitting an 85-year-old retiree's throat while he slept. Prosecutors have called the German man's daughter a key witness in the case.

(Deutsche Welle) A German court on Monday opened a trial against a 20-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker for murdering an 85-year-old sleeping pensioner last year in the small town of Wittenburg. Details of the case: The asylum-seeker is accused of slitting the pensioner’s throat. […]

Government & Politics

SDP: Authenticity of MP Hussein al-Taee’s social media posts ‘news’ to us SDP says the party did not know that antisemitic, homophobic and other comments made by MP Hussein al-Taee on social media were authentic.

(Yle) Following news about alleged antisemitic, homophobic and racist Facebook comments made by Social Democrat MP Hussein al-Taee, al-Taee admitted in his blog on Monday that they were authentic and he was the author. Previously, he had questioned whether they were written […]

Children & Teens

IS fighters’ parents stage German protest

(AFP) German parents and relatives of Islamic State militants demonstrated Monday outside the foreign ministry, urging Berlin to repatriate wives and children of fighters held in Syria. Some brought posters saying “Children are not responsible,” while others held up banners reading “Innocent […]

Government & Politics

Finnish MP under fire for comparing Israel to ISIS Dr. Efraim Zuroff, the head of the Jerusalem office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told the Jerusalem Post on Sunday: 'This guy [Hussein al-Taee] is obviously an antisemite.'

(Jerusalem Post) The newly elected Finnish MP Hussein al-Taee of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) is facing a wave of criticism this week for comparing Israel to the Islamic State, antisemitic rants against Jews and pro-Iranian regime advocacy. The Finnish-Kurdish […]

Government & Politics

Germany stops processing some Syrian asylum applications: report Germany has postponed decisions on asylum for some Syrians. Refugee organizations fear the Interior Ministry will deny temporary protection to some Syrians based on an assessment portraying parts of the country as safe.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany will put off ruling on asylum applications for some Syrians pending an assessment of the security situation in the war-torn country, according to a report on Saturday. Funke Media Group, citing the Interior Ministry, said for the past several […]

Demonstrations

As protesters gather outside, sold-out crowd greets Linda Sarsour with cheers, laughter Palestinian-American activist says Brian Bowman is 1st elected official to try to silence her

(CBC) Inside a packed room at the Ukrainian Labour Temple in Winnipeg’s North End Friday night, Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour began by addressing the controversy surrounding her appearance there. “It is I — I am the drama that you heard about before you got here. This is it,” […]

Government & Politics

Setting the bar for barring a speaker: Controversy follows Linda Sarsour to Winnipeg The Palestinian-American has a pattern of disrespecting other left-wing activists. But is she an anti-Semite?

(CBC) In an era when demagogues flourish on social media, reason gives way to rhetoric and opinion masquerades as fact, it’s easy to understand how ordinary, decent people have grown weary and wary of all sorts of political and cultural debates. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict […]

Academics & Education

Quebec’s largest school board condemns religious symbols ban CSDM hopes government will be open to compromise during consultations, which start next week

(CBC) Quebec’s largest school board has come out against the province’s plan to ban teachers from wearing religious symbols in the classroom, saying it runs contrary to the school board’s mission and would be difficult to enforce. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) outlined […]

Government & Politics

ZOA calls to remove Rashida Tlaib from Democratic Party 'Someone who knowingly and enthusiastically consorts with the most virulent antisemites, blood-soaked terrorists and conspiracy theorists is clearly beyond the pale, or no one is beyond the pale.'

(Jerusalem Post) The Zionist Organization of America is calling on pro-Israel organizations and “decent Americans” to urge the removal of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) from the Democratic Party and congressional committees. “Someone who knowingly and enthusiastically consorts with the most virulent antisemites, […]

Government & Politics

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey called Rep. Ilhan Omar after Trump’s tweet sparked a flood of death threats Twitter did not take down the tweet, despite Omar’s request, a source said.

(Washington Post) Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey phoned Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar on Tuesday and stood by the company’s decision to permit a tweet from President Trump that later resulted in a flood of death threats targeting the congresswoman. The previously unreported […]