"Killed Civilians, Raped Girls and Looted Homes": The Persecution of Christians, January 2024

 

[T]he cause of her death remains uncertain," says the report by the British Asian Christian Association. This tragedy is not new to Pakistan.... many Christian girls and boys have been abducted in a similar manner and later found raped and murdered. — January 9, 2024, Pakistan.
"Islamic extremists or extremists within the Rapid Support Forces may be behind the incident.... These incidents create additional tension for the Christians in this area and bring back painful memories of the persecution they have faced for 30 years under former President Omar Al-Bashir." — Open Doors, January 24, 2024, Sudan.
The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of January 2024.

The Slaughter of Christians

Nigeria: A few January headlines from the ongoing jihadist-genocide of Christians in the African nation follow:

Jan. 8: "Terrorists Slaughter 41 Christians in Kaduna State, Nigeria"
Jan. 24: "At Least 31 Christians Slaughtered in Central Nigeria"
Jan. 11: "Islamic Extremists Kill 15 Christians in Northeast Nigeria"
Jan. 5: "Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Yobe Community, Kill Pastor, 13 Others; Burn Church, Houses, Cars"
Jan. 16: "Terrorists Kill 10 Christians in Central Nigeria"
Jan. 25: "Terrorists Kill Five Christians in Central Nigeria"
Jan. 18: "Pastor, Three Other Christians Kidnapped in Central Nigeria"
 Jan. 9: "Christians Remain Captive in Nigeria Despite Ransom Payment"

Turkey: On Sunday, Jan. 28, two masked gunmen entered the Church of Santa Maria in Istanbul and opened fire — turning an otherwise peaceful Catholic mass into a scene of horror. One man was killed and another wounded. Surveillance footage showed the rest of the 40 or so congregants fleeing in a panic. The two killers, citizens of Tajikistan and Russia — both Muslims — were tracked down and arrested.

Later that evening, Islamic State claimed the attack. It was in response, they said, to its leader's call to kill Jews and Christians everywhere, and jihadists had "attacked a gathering of Christian unbelievers during their polytheistic ceremony." Other attacks in Turkey claimed by Islamic State include a shooting at an Istanbul nightclub in 2017 that killed 39 people and a 2015 bombing attack in Ankara that killed 109. Regarding the one fatality at this January church shooting, one report stated:

"The uncle of the dead man told local media the victim was 52 years old and about to become a Christian, but was not baptised yet. Another relative said he was mentally ill, and insisted that he was not the target of the attack."

Sudan: Militants of the Rapid Support Forces have been attacking and killing Christians. On Jan. 1, they severely beat a Christian man, who later died of his injuries. On Jan. 20, they shot dead another Christian man after breaking into his home, a witness said. On Jan. 22 they beat another Christian man unconscious.

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Gatestone Institute
by Raymond Ibrahim
February 25, 202

Republican seeks to bar party from paying Trump's legal bills

 

A Republican National Committee member has submitted resolutions that would prohibit the party from paying presidential candidate Donald Trump's legal bills, according to a draft, but the measures must get more backers soon to move forward.
Mississippi RNC committeeman Henry Barbour drafted the resolution on Trump's legal expenses and another requiring the party committee to stay neutral in the presidential race until he receives enough delegates to secure the nomination.
"The RNC's job is to win elections. It's not to pay the legal bills for any leading candidate. He's got to fight his own legal fight," Barbour told Reuters on Saturday.
Barbour needs to get two cosponsors from 10 states to join the effort by Tuesday for the resolutions to proceed to a full vote by the RNC's 168 committee members. That vote could come in March and would require a simple majority to pass. But Barbour predicted they would be defeated if they reach that point.
Former President Trump, who denies all wrongdoing, faces four criminal trials and was recently ordered to pay about $540 million in judgments in two civil cases.
A Trump super PAC reported paying more than $47 million in legal expenses for him in 2023.
Trump is seeking to cement his status as Republican presidential nominee and gain more control over the RNC, including by nominating daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair.
Lara Trump has said it is "a big interest to people" to pay fees for her father-in-law's criminal and civil cases.
Barbour said pro-Trump forces were "jumping the gun" by seeking to declare Trump the party's presidential nominee while longshot challenger Nikki Haley remains in the race for the Republican nomination to face Democratic President Joe Biden in the November election. Trump is on course for another easy win in South Carolina's primary on Saturday.

Reuters - By Helen Coster and Alexandra Ulmer - February 24, 2024
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(ESPN) What makes Portugal one of the best leagues in Europe?

 In the men's game, Portugal boast one of the best players in the world (Cristiano Ronaldo), one of the most influential coaches (Jose Mourinho), and one of the most notable agents (Jorge Mendes). But the women's side of things is still playing catch-up as it starts its journey to full maturity.

The women's domestic league (now named the Campeonato Nacional Feminino) has been around since 1985, but with Boavista (11) and 1º de Dezembro (12) dominating things in the early years, traditional powerhouses Benfica and Sporting CP only became a force seven years ago. Sporting reactivated their women's team in 2016-17 after a 21-year absence and immediately won the title and cup, while Benfica only created a team in late 2017 and have now picked up the last three titles in a row. The other major side in the country, FC Porto, does not yet have a women's team.

Now, with an appetite for women's football growing around the world, Portugal has, at long last, begun to make a name for itself on the biggest stages. From Benfica's continued presence in the UEFA Women's Champions League group stages, to the national team's debut at Euro 2017 and then 2023 World Cup, it's clear that the Portuguese game is on the rise.
So what can the women's game learn from the success of the men? And how can the men's game continue to grow while also generating huge sums from moving its best players on. Former scout and CEO Tor-Kristian Karlsen and women's football expert Sophie Lawson assess what makes Portugal so special.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to double the number of his country's troops stationed along its border with the Baltic states and Finland

  

Trade between Iran and the European Union (EU) has flourished over the years; this economic and diplomatic partnership is a large art of what has been fueling the Ayatollahs' support for terrorist groups and undermining regional stability. In recent years, the extent of their trade has reached significant levels, with billions of euros exchanged in goods and services. Behind these seemingly benign economic transactions, however, lies a troubling reality: the funds generated from Europe's trade with Iran are being funneled into activities that are now prolonging violence and conflict across the Middle East and beyond.

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"Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to double the number of his country's troops stationed along its border with the Baltic states and Finland as part of Moscow's preparations for a potential military conflict with NATO within the next decade, Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service said Tuesday."
The head of Estonia's intelligence service recently said:
"Russia has chosen a path which is a long-term confrontation ... and the Kremlin is probably anticipating a possible conflict with NATO within the next decade or so."

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Pela primeira vez sondagem apresenta empate técnico entre PS, AD e CHEGA para as legislativas

  

É a primeira vez que uma sondagem aponta para um empate técnico entre PS, a AD e CHEGA. Ventura afirma estar “confiante na vitória.” Faltam pouco mais de duas semanas para o ato eleitoral de 10 de março e o partido de André Ventura aproxima-se cada vez mais do pelotão da frente, com o CHEGA a alcançar 16,9% de intenções de voto, sem distribuição de indecisos. Neste estudo, a AD surge na frente, com 21,4%, seguida do Partido Socialista com 21,1%, também com os indecisos por distribuir.
Folha Nacional (jornal do "Chega") - Fevereiro 22, 2024
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ERC abre processo de averiguação a sondagem divulgada pelo Chega

 

O trabalho de campo foi desenvolvido pela empresa portuguesa Intercampus com o compromisso de não ser divulgada nos órgãos de comunicação social em Portugal. No entanto, o jornal do Chega, que está registado na ERC, acabou por divulgar o estudo.
A Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC) vai abrir um processo de averiguações a uma sondagem divulgada pelo Chega.
O estudo foi feito por uma empresa brasileira não credenciada em Portugal e difundido nas redes sociais e no jornal do Chega, o Folha Nacional.
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Swedish PM says integration of immigrants has failed, fueled gang crime (Reuters)

 

Sweden has failed to integrate the vast numbers of immigrants it has taken in over the past two decades, leading to parallel societies and gang violence, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Thursday, as she launched a series of initiatives to combat organised crime.
Many Swedes were shocked earlier this month after violent riots left more than 100 police injured. The violence erupted after a Swedish-Danish politician burned the Quran at a rally and sought to hold more in several immigrant-dominated neighborhoods.
Andersson blamed criminals and said both Islamism and right-wing extremism had been allowed to fester in Sweden, in unusually frank and self-critical comments.
"Segregation has been allowed to go so far that we have parallel societies in Sweden. We live in the same country but in completely different realities," Andersson told a news conference.
The number of people in Sweden born abroad has doubled in the last two decades to 2 million, or a fifth of the population. Andersson's Social Democrats have been in power for 28 of the last 40 years, including the last eight.
Andersson said she wanted to introduce local youth crime boards where social services and police could collaborate. She also proposed tools to make sure that youths stayed in schools and off the streets without the consent of parents.
"Integration has been too poor at the same time as we have had a large immigration. Society has been too weak, resources for the police and social services have been too weak," she said.
Sweden, which holds a general election later this year, has radically tightened its immigration policies since taking in more people per capita than any other European Union country during the migration crisis in 2015. It now has one of the bloc's most restrictive policies.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has been critical of Sweden's tightening of policies, claiming it is causing human suffering and making integration even harder for immigrants.

April 28, 20222 (Continue)

Reality Check: Are migrants driving crime in Germany? (BBC)

 

The claim: The deputy leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) said there had been "447 killings and murders" by illegal migrants in Germany last year.
Reality Check verdict: The German interior ministry says that in fact last year 27 illegal migrants either committed or attempted to commit murder or manslaughter. The 447 figure refers to killings or attempted killings by all asylum seekers and refugees, most of whom are in Germany legally. Overall crime in Germany has fallen to the lowest level since 1992, but there has been an increase in migrant crime.
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Bar a blip in the mid-2000s, overall crime has been decreasing in Germany since the early 1990s. But that changed in 2015 - about the same time hundreds of thousands of refugees began entering the country.
The AfD has made claims about a link between the influx of migrants and a rise in crime.
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Since 2014, the proportion of non-German suspects in the crime statistics has increased from 24% to just over 30% (when we take out crimes related to immigration and asylum irregularities).
Breaking that down even further, in 2017 those classified as "asylum applicants or civil war refugees or illegal immigrants" represented a total of 8.5% of all suspects.
This is despite their population representing just 2% of Germany as a whole.
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