Pope’s personal envoy calls for international action to liberate Iraq
Pope Francis’s personal envoy to the suffering people of Iraq joined the Chaldean Catholic patriarch in launching an appeal to the international community today, pleading for help to liberate villages controlled by the Islamic State terrorists and to provide the displaced with international protection.
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, who has been in Iraq since August 13 at the Pope’s request, and Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad said international action was necessary to provide the displaced with basic necessities like food and water, but also to guarantee the possibility of their survival in Iraq.
'Isis Jihadist' Flag in East London Ripped Down by Nun
By Ewan Palmer | IB Times
A fighter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) holds an Isis flag and …
A black flag with Arabic writing, similar to the ones used by Jihadist fighters in Syria and Iraq, has been taken down from an east London housing estate by a local nun.
This morning we got the amazing news that Meriam Ibrahim and her family have arrived in Italy from Sudan, safe at last after her year-long ordeal!
Thank you so much for standing with Meriam. There’s no question that the huge wave of international support helped to keep her case in the spotlight, so the Sudanese government couldn’t get away with executing her for the alleged crime of apostasy.
Meriam’s lawyers informed us that all the charges against her have been dropped – including the charges of forgery and provision of false information that had been brought against her last month, after the apostasy and adultery charges were dismissed on appeal.
We’ve been informed that Meriam and her family will eventually travel to the US. Her husband Daniel is a US citizen.
A women, wearing a niqab despite a nationwide ban on the Islamic face veil, gives a phone call outside the courts in Meaux, east of Paris, September 22, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Charles Platiau
STRASBOURG/PARIS (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights upheld France's 2010 ban on full-face veils in public on Tuesday but acknowledged the law could appear excessive and feed stereotypes.
Judges at the Strasbourg-based court, by 15 to 2, said the ban did not violate religious freedom and aimed to ensure "respect for the minimum set of values of an open democratic society" which included openness to social interaction.
Judges at the Strasbourg-based court, by 15 to 2, said the ban did not violate religious freedom and aimed to ensure "respect for the minimum set of values of an open democratic society" which included openness to social interaction.
Thousands of young British Muslim men have rallied against radical Islam amid concerns that British jihadists are fighting in Syria.
Three Britons apparently appear in a video calling on Muslims to join the fight in Iraq and Syria
An estimated 5,000 Muslims gathered in Surrey today to pledge loyalty to Britain in light of concerns over the popularity of the extremist militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis), and the alleged involvement of Britons.
New rules 'could bar conservative Muslims from being school trustees'
New rules brought in by Michael Gove in wake of 'Trojan horse' controversy tell governors of new academies and free schools to abide by 'British values'
Some Muslims could be effectively excluded from becoming trustees or governors of new academies and free schools under rules introduced by the Education Secretary Michael Gove in response to the "Trojan horse" controversy, community leaders have warned.
The Department for Education has inserted new clauses into the model funding agreement for academies stipulating that its governors should demonstrate "fundamental British values", and giving the Education Secretary powers to close schools if they do not comply.
(Vatican Radio) Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Chaldean Archbishop Amel Nona, said he thought Mosul's last remaining Christians had left now a city which until 2003 was home to 35,000 faithful.
The Christians are among 500,000 thought to have fled Mosul whose overthrow yesterday is now followed by news today (Wed, 11 June) of militant attacks on the Iraqi city of Tikrit 95 miles north of the capital, Baghdad.
Describing reports of attacks to four churches and a monastery in Mosul, the archbishop, 46, said: "We received threats... [and] now all the faithful have fled the city. I wonder if they will ever return there."
Ofsted reports on 21 Birmingham schools - full list
Ofsted has carried out inspections of 21 schools, following claims in an anonymous letter that hardline Muslims were trying to impose their view on a group of schools in Birmingham.
Five of the schools - including three academies from the Park View Educational Trust - are being placed in special measures. A sixth school was already in special measures for its poor educational standards.
This table shows the results of the new Ofsted inspection reports and the previous grade where appropriate.
"A culture of fear and intimidation has taken grip" in Birmingham schools caught up in the Trojan Horse claims, says Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.
Head teachers have been "marginalised or forced out of their jobs", said Sir Michael, as he delivered his findings on claims of hardline Muslim takeovers.
The Ofsted chief said there was evidence of an "organised campaign to target certain schools".
Leaders of one of the schools, Park View, firmly rejected the claims.
Ofsted has carried out inspections of 21 schools, following claims in an anonymous letter that hardline Muslims were trying to impose their views on a group of schools in Birmingham.
27 dead as militants take over Pakistan’s busiest airport
The assault on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan’s sprawling commercial hub of 18 million people, all but destroys prospects for peace talks between the Pakistani Taliban and the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
It also deals a heavy blow to Sharif’s efforts to attract foreign investors to revive economic growth and raises questions about security at the country’s main installations.
The FBI says more Somali travelers have left Minnesota, possibly to fight against the regime of President Bashar Assad in Syria. Investigators believe those who left Minnesota were motivated by radical ideology, not nationalism.
SOURCE: 12 MINNESOTA SOMALIS HAVE LEFT FOR SYRIA
The FBI has not specified how many people are believed to involved, but a leader in the Minnesota Somali community told Fox 9 News a dozen men have left. The FBI confirmed they have "indications" that some recently traveled overseas. Now, they are reaching out to the large Somali population in Minnesota to learn more.
Egyptian Christian beaten, nearly blinded in prison for ‘contempt of religion’
An Egyptian human rights organization is calling for a complete investigation of the case of Cyril Shawqi Ghattas, a 29-year-old Coptic Christian man who was imprisoned on the accusation of blasphemy, or “contempt of religion” (against Islam).
Among other irregularities, human rights activists say that the Copt was both denied a lawyer, which is illegal, and that he was physically abused regularly during his incarceration.
He was also “blinded as a result of intense crying and suffered from night blindness.”
Cyril was arrested after he pressed “like” on a Coptic website posting on his Facebook page.
There are claims secret payments were made to help the desert state win the bid for the 2022 World Cup.
Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has told Sky's Murnaghan programme that if the corruption allegations surrounding Qatar's World Cup bid are true it throws the country's hosting of the tournament into doubt.
A former senior Fifa official allegedly paid $5m (£2.98m) in bribes to secure support for Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid.
Malaysia jet disappearance no accident, investigator says
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines
jet is believed to be solely responsible for the flight being taken
hundreds of miles off course and there is no evidence of a mechanical
failure or hijacking by a passenger, according to an law enforcement
official involved in the investigation.
A high-ranking officer
attached to a special investigative branch of the Malaysia police force
in Kuala Lumpur told USA TODAY on Wednesday that investigators are
pressing relatives of the pilot, Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, for
information on his behavior leading up to the March 8 flight.
The official could not speak on the record because he is not authorized to talk publicly on the investigation.
The
Boeing 777 was bound for Beijing when it vanished from civilian radar.
Malaysia says satellite data indicate the plane veered west about an
hour after takeoff and then flew south deep into the southern Indian
Ocean.
Bin Laden Son-in-Law Convicted at NYC Terror Trial
(NEW YORK) — Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, the voice of fiery al-Qaida propaganda videotapes after the Sept. 11 attacks, was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to kill Americans for his role as the terror group’s spokesman.
The verdict came after about five hours of deliberation in the case against Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, the highest-ranking al-Qaida figure to face trial on U.S. soil since the attacks. The Kuwaiti imam had testified during a three-week New York trial that he answered bin Laden’s request in the hours after the attacks to speak on the widely circulated videos used to recruit new followers willing to go on suicide missions like the 19 who hijacked four planes on Sept. 11, 2001.
Facing increasing pressure from Egypt and deteriorating economic conditions in Gaza, Hamas has been flirting with the notion of re-entering the Iranian camp. Now,Al-Monitor is reporting that Iranian monetary aid has officially resumed to Hamas, but at a lower level than that it provided before ties between the two broke. The report also cited a source close to Hamas' political leadership who says Iran is planning to receive Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. Qatar was mediating discussions between Iran and Hamas in an effort to restore ties, after a two-year hiatus.
U.S. spending bill restores aid to Egypt, includes $1.5 billion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress' new spending bill would restore more than $1.5 billion in military and economic aid to Egypt, which had been largely cut off after Egypt's military ousted President Mohamed Mursi last summer.
The bill includes up to $1.3 billion in military assistance, and $250 million in economic support for Cairo, but ties the funding to the Egyptian government taking steps toward restoring democracy.
The funds also would only be available if the U.S. Secretary of State certifies to congressional appropriations committees that the Cairo government is sustaining its strategic relationship with the United States and meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
Barnabas Fund has given thanks in its prayer update for a new draft of the Egyptian constitution that grants additional rights to Christians and marks a significant move away from the fundamental Islamic laws that have dominated in the past.
The organisation said the new draft was "good news" for the country's Christians, who have suffered a wave of attacks since the revolution in 2011.
First written during the rule of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, the previous constitution threatened basic human rights, in particular the freedom of religion. The situation has been aggravated by the fact that Egypt is currently struggling with a weakened and unstable political system.
Three Britons apparently appear in a video calling on Muslims to join the fight in Iraq and Syria 
An Egyptian human rights organization is calling for a complete investigation of the case of Cyril Shawqi Ghattas, a 29-year-old Coptic Christian man who was imprisoned on the accusation of blasphemy, or “contempt of religion” (against Islam).
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines
jet is believed to be solely responsible for the flight being taken
hundreds of miles off course and there is no evidence of a mechanical
failure or hijacking by a passenger, according to an law enforcement
official involved in the investigation.
(NEW YORK) — Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, the voice of fiery al-Qaida propaganda videotapes after the Sept. 11 attacks, was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to kill Americans for his role as the terror group’s spokesman.
