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Wurzburg Video Message Warns of Attack

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The video, released by the Islamic State shortly after the train attack in Wurzburg, Germany, has been confirmed by the Bavarian interior minister to be the attacker, a 17-year-old Afghani asylum seeker Muhammad Riyad.

The video the Islamic State published shows the youth explaining the motive for his actions, placing his attack in the context of perceived injustices committed against Muslims by Western nations.

He also explains that he planned the attack well in advance, while living in Germany

Translation by Gatestone Institute

Ireland Most Affected by Brexit: More Than Any EU Country

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Ireland was projected to be the EU’s fastest growing economy in 2016. The European Commission put Ireland’s growth forecast for 2016 at almost 5%, to be followed by another 3.7 percent in 2017, well above the EU average of 1.6 percent, which is the same number Germany is expected to grow in 2016.

However, Brexit is affecting Ireland more than any other country. Former prime minister John Bruton called it “the most serious, difficult issue facing the country for 50 years.”

The cause is Ireland’s reliance on trade with the UK, which is the main buyer of Ireland’s services and second-biggest buyer of Ireland’s exports after the US. Around 40% of Irish food exports go to the UK, and this type of product — agricultural — is considered to be highly subject to the tariffs that could result from Brexit.

Economists are now warning of significant negative consequences for the Irish economy following Brexit. A top economist in Ireland, Eoin Fahy, referred to the consequences as “mind-boggling.”

There has also been concern among politicians and intellectuals in the country that Brexit will “reveal tensions between unionists and nationalists that were always there” and lead to a “hardened border” between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Methamphetamines Should Be Removed From List of Narcotics – Thai Justice Minister

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The Kingdom of Thailand’s strict stance on illicit drugs is world-famous, but this week the Justice Ministry came out in favor of giving up the current, unsuccessful approach to fighting the war on drugs and instead focusing on more health-oriented policies.

Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya told reporters this week that the nationwide problem of methamphetamine use had not been won during its already 28-year campaign. More people than ever are hooked on the drug, he said.

Paiboon said the Justice Minsitry was in the process of consulting relevant agencies about removing methamphetamines — known colloquially as “ya ba” [crazy drug] or “easy” — from the list of narcotic drugs and treating it instead as a normal drug, which would make it easier for Thais to seek health treatment and rehabilitation.

The minister also mentioned that other nations had been changing their drug policy in similar ways in recent years because they could not win a war on drugs by treating use as a crime.

Yaba_Tablets
Methamphetamines in the form most common in Thailand

Paiboon proposed an analogy in which an incurably diseased person tries to find a way to live more happily with their disease. In such a case, the person seeks the help of health professionals in addressing the problem.

He also mentioned that Thai society accepts cigarettes and alcohol, although both are arguably more hazardous to health than methamphetamines.

 

Dalai Lama: “Now Too Many Refugees in Europe”

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The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, spoke to German press this week about his current situation, also commenting on the current refugee crisis in Europe.

The Dalai Lama has previously spoken in favor of sheltering all refugees in need, but in his interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine he also said that the numbers had become too great for the good of European countries:

“If we look into the face of each individual refugee, especially the children and women, we feel their suffering,” said the Dalai Lama. “A person that is doing a little better has a responsibility to help them. On the other hand, there are now too many.

“Europe — for example, Germany — cannot become an Arab country. Germany is Germany. [Laugh.] There are so many that it is difficult in practice.

“Also, viewed morally, I find that these refugees should be only kept on a temporary basis. The goal should be to return and help rebuild their own countries.”

17 Schoolgirls Die in Northern Thailand Fire

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At least seventeen girls aged five to 12 died in a fire in northern Thailand Sunday night.

The fire began at approximately 11:00 p.m. at the girls dormitory of Pitak Kiatwithaya School in Tambon Weng, Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai province. The school is a private institution for the children of rural hill tribes in the area.

Fire fighters fought the fire for three hours.

In addition to the seventeen dead, one girl is missing and two are in serious condition. Five girls were rescued.

Preliminary reports of the investigation have it that the doors of the dormitory were locked from the outside, a security measure to prevent theft and keep people from going out after hours. The practice is common in Thailand.

However, according to the testimony of one of the schoolgirls who escaped, she had warned the girls in some rooms after she had got up to go to the bathroom and discovered the fire. The girls didn’t believe her and closed the door on her. Together with other girls and the teacher who sleeps in the dorm with them, she tied cloth together to make a rope and climbed out the window.

The school will be closed for five days.

17 Schoolgirls Die in Northern Thailand Fire (1)
Wiang Pa Pao region

Scottish Police Jail Man For Funny YouTube Video … of Teaching Pet Dog Nazi Salute

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A Scottish man was arrested and put in jail for “suspicion of hate crime” after police saw a video the man had uploaded to YouTube of Meechan joking that he had trained his girlfriend’s dog, Buddha, to respond to phrases reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

The two-and-a-half minute video begins with an intruduction of a joking Meechan explaining that he was going to teach his girlfriend’s “cute” dog the “least cute thing I could think of, which is a Nazi.”

He repeats the phrase excitedly, “Gas the Jews?” and “Seig Heil” while the dog tries to lift a paw.

The video has been viewed over 1.5 million times on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYslEzHbpus

Meechan was released from jail. A report was sent to the procurator fiscal about the possibility of a breach of the electronic communications act of 2003.

Police commented on the arrest, saying, ‘This arrest should serve as a warning to anyone posting such material online, or in any other capacity, that such views will not be tolerated.”

Detective Inspector David Cockburn also commented, “I would ask anyone who has had the misfortune to have viewed it to think about the pain and hurt the narrative has caused a minority of people in our community.

“The clip is deeply offensive and no reasonable person can possibly find the content acceptable in today’s society.”

“This clip has been shared and viewed online, which ultimately has caused offence and hurt to many people in our community.”

“There is no place for hate crime in Scotland and police take all reports of incidents seriously.”

Meechan later posted another video where he expressed concern that the accusations would make people think he was actually a racist, while his friends and small YouTube following generally know him for his sense of humor, and the video had just unexpectedly gone viral. The video included lengthy apologies and explanations by both Meechan and his girlfriend that the video was not intended to offend, and Meechan was not racist.

News of Another Self Immolation in Tibet Reaches Outside World

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March protest just confirmed due to communications clampdown in area

Sonam Tso, a mother of five, carried out a self-immolation protest on Wednesday 23 March 2016, in Dzoege County, Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. News of the protest only emerged from Tibet yesterday due to communication restrictions in the area.

The protest took place around midday near Sera monastery in Dzoege County in Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Sonam Tso and her husband, Kalsang Gyaltsen, were walking around the monastery. At one point she asked him to go ahead and said she would join him later. A few minutes later one of the monks heard someone calling for the return of the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet. He then saw Sonam Tso on fire and calling out the slogans. He called for help then he and Sonam’s Tso’s husband tried to put out the flames. With the help of another monk named Tsultrim, who was also Sonam Tso’s uncle, they brought her body inside the monastery and arranged a vehicle to take her to hospital. However, she died before they were able to leave the monastery.

Sonam Tso was around 50 years old and the mother of five children, three daughters and two sons. She was from Dotsa village, within the same township as Sera monastery.

Tsultrim was arrested after the protest on charges of having shared information about Sonam Tso’s self-immolation. He was released after eight days in detention and was forced to delete the photograph he had taken of the protest. Kalsang Gyaltsen was also called in for questioning three times.

Sonam Tso’s is the second self-immolation to take place inside Tibet during 2016. The earlier protest was carried out by a monk named Kalsang Wangdu on 29 February 2016. To date, more than 140 Tibetans have set themselves alight protesting China’s rule in Tibet.

Free Tibet director Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren said:

“The time that it has taken for this news to reach us is indicative of the repressive conditions that Tibetans inside Tibet are forced to live under. That same repression is responsible for Sonam Tso’s death. China continues to try and blame the self-immolations on outside influence or to attribute them to non-political causes. It is long past time that other governments and the world’s media were willing to acknowledge the ugly truth: every Tibetan who dies in a self-immolation protest has been killed by China.”

Information confirmed and supplied to Free Tibet by Tibet Watch.

By Alistair Currie
FreeTibet.org
Tibet Watch

Islamist Violence Numbers This Month: March

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In the month preceding April 1, 024 people were killed and 1,498 injured.

The attacks — 133 total — took place in 20 countries around the world, according to The Religion of Peace, which records Islamic attacks.

Among the 133 attacks were 25 suicide attacks.

Largescale attacks took place in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Thailand, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Turkey, Somalia, and Philippines.

Warring President and Vice President Making Peace, Forming Government in South Sudan

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War in the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, may be drawing to a close, as rival leader and former vice president Riek Machar has returned to Juba to be sworn into office once again by President Salva Kiir.

Machar is to return to his post of vice president more than two years after a scuffle in the presidential building led to a splintering of the countries alliances. Political lines were largely drawn between the countries two largest tribal groups — Dinka and Nuer. Kiir is Dinka and Machar in Nuer.

Since December 2013, tens of thousands of South Sudanese have died — some in territorial military battles and others for nonpolitical reasons. The United Nations and other groups, which have provided assistance in the form of safe compounds, food, medicine, and protection, have struggled to keep track of the number of other atrocities committed in the lawless state.

Negotiations have been constantly urged by the U.N., the East African trade group EGAD, the United States, and other interested parties, all of which have tried to work towards peace, but agreements were regularly thwarted by irreconcilable disagreements, despite repeated claims by both sides that their foremost goal was peace for South Sudan.

Machar flew into Juba from neighboring Ethiopia April 26, one week after he was originally scheduled to arrive. Last minute negotiations about the manpower and weapons Machar would be allowed to bring with him delayed the trip.

Upon landing in the capital, Machar proceeded immediately to the presidential palace, where he is expected to be sworn into office in the near future.

Norway Appealing Ruling in Favor of Breivik

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The government of Norway is appealing the verdict delivered last week that found that the state did violate political mass killer Anders Breivik’s human rights guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The state had, in the eyes of the court, subjected Breivik to inhuman and degrading treatment.

“The prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment represents a fundamental value in a democratic society,” Judge Helen Andenaes Sekulic stated. “This applies no matter what – including in the treatment of terrorists and killers.” Breivik had complained about solitary confinement, unpleasant treatment by prison staff, and unpleasant prison services.

However, the judge found that Breivik’s rights to marry had not been violated by the state, which had monitored and censored Breivik’s communications with the outside world.

Driving In A SNAP!

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Designer Nick Kaloterakis has worked on a wide range of future design concepts, incluing vehicles, and this is his SNAP! design. It is a personal wheel vehicle that can attach to other similar vehicles to form collective vehicles.

Kaloterakis works in 3D renderings to develop his concepts. By trade he is a digital artist at 3D/VFX in Syndey, Australia, in addition to owning his own design studio called “kollected.”

By Andy Stern

Kollected

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