Government & Politics

UN decries dangerous Med migrant pushbacks

(AFP) The UN voiced alarm Friday at reports that countries are failing to help migrants in distress on the Mediterranean Sea, blocking assistance by NGOs and coordinating pushbacks of their boats. UN rights office spokesman Rupert Colville warned during a virtual press […]

Government & Politics

Refugee policy EU’s ‘biggest inadequacy,’ says Germany’s Heiko Maas Germany's foreign minister took aim at the EU's approach to refugees, saying nothing has been solved since the 2015 migrant crisis. He also called again for a scheme to distribute asylum-seekers across the EU.

(Deutsche Welle) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has accused European Union member states of not doing enough to solve the continent’s migrant dilemma. Speaking at an online conference hosted by re:publica and the Media Convention Berlin, Maas said the manner with which […]

Government & Politics

Mosque loudspeaker saga continues

(Toronto Sun) Last week when I wrote about a single mosque in Toronto using four loudspeakers to declare “Allah is the Greatest” and that there is “No God, but Allah,” I thought it was the case of one mosque, a few zealots […]

Academics & Education

‘Disturbing, Islamophobic’ tweet about call to prayer prompts firing of Peel school council chair Ravi Hooda says his tweet was 'misinterpreted'; has now also been fired from Remax Canada

(CBC) A “disturbing, [Islamophobic] tweet” on the city of Brampton’s decision to allow mosques to broadcast the call to prayer has prompted the Peel District School Board to remove one of its school council chairs and launch an investigation into comments it […]

Government & Politics

Ilhan Omar signs onto AIPAC letter siding with Trump on Iran After clashing repeatedly with AIPAC, Rep. Ilhan Omar has signed onto one of their key lobby agenda items for this year.

(Al-Monitor) It’s no secret that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has had an acrimonious relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The freshman lawmaker has quickly become a lightning rod of criticism for AIPAC and its supporters, who have gone so […]

Crime

France: Scholars, activists call for dismissal of rape case against Tariq Ramadan The signatories say the process 'has gone on far too long,' and accuse the justice system of 'prejudice'

(i24) Nearly 150 university professors, intellectuals, and activists from around the world have signed a letter addressed to France’s justice minister urging her “to put an immediate end to the masquerade of justice” against a Muslim academic. The document, which was published […]

Government & Politics

Mossad gave Berlin intel on Hezbollah ops on German soil ahead of ban — report Unnamed Israeli official tells TV Germans were provided info on warehouses where terror group stashed materials for explosives, as well as money laundering networks

(Times of Israel) Israel’s Mossad spy agency gave information to Germany on Hezbollah’s activities on its soil ahead of the country banning the Lebanese terror group this week, Channel 12 news reported Saturday. Germany branded the entirety of the Iranian-backed group — […]

Government & Politics

German government bans Hezbollah — Interior Ministry Authorities have designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization and banned its activity on German soil. Police conducted raids on four associations linked to the Islamist group.

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Thursday banned all Hezbollah activities in the country, his ministry spokesman said on Twitter. He also confirmed that “police measures are underway in several federal states concurrently,” and added that even in times of […]

Government & Politics

British government asked to account for rise in Muslim Brotherhood activity MP Andrew Rosindell calls for international action to stop the group exploiting coronavirus downturn

(National-UAE) A senior British politician has demanded international action to prevent extremists taking advantage of the coronavirus crisis to “exploit” vulnerable people. Andrew Rosindell has raised his concerns at the highest level of British government, asking ministers to answer questions over the […]

Demonstrations

German Jew sues Berlin to stop antisemitic Quds Day rally Iranian regime-sponsored rally attracts neo-Nazis, members of Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

(Jerusalem Post) After the city-state of Berlin declined to take action against an annual Iranian regime-sponsored protest calling for the destruction of Israel, German Jewish retiree Gilbert Kallenborn filed a lawsuit to stop the rally. The Berlin-based B.Z. paper reported on Monday […]

Government & Politics

Hosting Linda Sarsour, Engel challenger rails against congressman’s ‘uncritical’ support of Israel 'One is bad and one is outrageous,' Sarsour says of presidential candidates

(Jewish Insider) New York congressional candidate Andom Ghebreghiorgis hosted Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour on Wednesday evening for a digital town hall discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential platform. Details: Ghebreghiorgis, a 33-year-old activist from Mount Vernon, […]