Latest update: 23/03/2011 

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The Islam charm offensive: young Muslims react after their 'loyalty to the US' is questioned

It's not easy being a Muslim in the United States. Many are suspected of being terrorists, after the Fort Hood shootings and the failed attack on Times Square. But things could be about to get even more complicated. Congress, which has a Republican majority, plans to launch an inquiry to how loyal American Muslims are to their country. Critics say it smacks of McCarthyism, while young Muslims are starting to take to the streets on an Islam charm offensive.

By Guillaume MEYER / Natalie HANDEL

Programme prepared by Kate Williams, Marie Billon and Patrick Lovett

Could methane hydrate solve Tokyo's energy crisis?
08/05/2013 - Japan

Could methane hydrate solve Tokyo's energy crisis?

After 10 years of research, Japanese engineers have extracted offshore methane hydrate from beneath the ocean floor. The substance, more commonly called flammable ice, is a great hope for the future of Japan, which desperately lacks energy since almost all of its nuclear reactors remain shut after the Fukushima disaster. France 24 asks if methane hydrates will solve the energy puzzle for Japan, or even the world.
South Dakota introduces law allowing teachers to carry guns
07/05/2013 - USA

South Dakota introduces law allowing teachers to carry guns

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Germany's 'trial of the year' begins as alleged neo-Nazi appears in court
06/05/2013 - GERMANY

Germany's 'trial of the year' begins as alleged neo-Nazi appears in court

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North Korea, Russia, Syria and Iran named worst countries for press freedom
03/05/2013 - MEDIA

North Korea, Russia, Syria and Iran named worst countries for press freedom

Reporters Without Borders has published its press freedom index, ranking 179 countries. The NGO singled out Kim Jong-Un, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad as the world's worst press freedom predators. Ninety professional journalists were killed in 2012, a record since the press freedom group started its reports. Syria was the world's most dangerous country, with 18 professional reporters killed.
Malaysian opposition optimistic ahead of general election
03/05/2013 - MALAYSIA

Malaysian opposition optimistic ahead of general election

Malaysians head to the polls this Sunday, and for the first time since independence in 1957, an opposition party could clinch victory. The ruling party, Barisan Nasional, is the world's longest continually elected governing coalition. Yet it has become increasingly unpopular over the past five years. Malaysians are now voicing disapproval at widespread allegations of corruption.

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McCarthy

It is my understanding that McCarthy has been more-or-less vindicated by documents released by the ex-USSR, that the Soviets had mole agents in the State Department, at Los Alamos, Hollywood, etc., including the Rosenbergs.

Wrong Analysis

Your video article was good until the Associate Professor was brought in to comment about the story. His assessment of the right is, well, wrong!
1. The Arizona shooter was not a right wing conspirator. He hated authority, despised politics and was never found to be a member of a right wing or conservative political group nor the famed Tea Party.
2. The Arizona shooting does not provide proof to rise in right wing violence. The United States has seen in the past years the Fort Hood shooting (Palestinian Muslim), the Fort Dix plot (illegal Albanians in this country), the Little Rock recruiting shooting (Muslim convert), the LA bomb plot, the Miami plot, the Christmas Day bombing plot, the Bronx plot and the Toronto 18 plot (who wanted to behead the PM, I know this one was Canadian), the Trolley Square shooting and I am sure I am missing more. All of these plots had something to do with Islamic zealots. Furthermore, we have seen (2010) a leftist assassination attempt on the life of the Missouri State Governor. Now the ‘right winged Tea Party conspiracy’ that your Associate Professor speaks of spawns from the repeated attempts by our government to defame our returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and name them as co-conspirators with the Tea Party movement as a threat to National Security (thank you Department of Homeland ‘security’ Director Napolitano). There was a bulletin issued by DHS around some dubious ‘plot’ about abortion (not sure what that is about) and hating the government. The reality is that the United States has seen no real rise in violence from the right. Nothing near the problem the United States had during the 1990’s were groups upset about Ruby Ridge and Waco formed a loose confederation, the Patriot Movement, that hated the Federal government and acted on their hatred. No the real violence currently gripping the United States of America is due to the poor economy, as any police officer in this country will tell you.
3. The Tea Party has no founding principles of being against the Islam-ization of the United States. It was founded because of the obscene spending and taxation in this country. It is centered on fiscal policy and has branched out into reforming the powers of the federal government (Constitutionalism) and securing the southern border with Mexico. It appears your professor just likes to use the term ‘Tea Party’ as a buzz word for right wing radicals. He did notably miss a group (term) in his tirade about Fox News, Republicans and the Tea Party movement. I am surprised he didn’t mention “Talk Radio” since this term has been thrown around as a polemic word since the mid-Late 1990’s and is viewed by liberals and leftists as the true 5th column. Your guest so sorely was trying to describe in this country fear of Muslims when the true fear is that of Talk Radio hosts.

Please note, I am a conservative have participated in Tea Party Rallies and I DO NOT condone Peter King’s attempt to investigate the Muslim community here in the United States. It stinks of discrimination that the German-American community went through during WWI and is flat out wrong!

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