www.bbc.co.uk

PETA #fundie bbc.co.uk

The animal rights group PETA has written to Games Workshop asking for Warhammer to not dress its miniatures in "fur".

Certain characters wear painted-on animal pelts.

Even though it's only plastic, PETA still wants this to change.

"While we appreciate that they are fictional," the group says, "draping them in what looks like a replica of a dead animal sends the message that wearing fur is acceptable."

Even if you've never played Warhammer, you'll probably have walked past a Games Workshop - the shop where the figurines are mainly sold.

Put simply, it's a tabletop miniature game. You buy figurines, build them, paint them, and then battle.

There are two universes - Age of Sigmar, which is a fantasy world, and Warhammer 40,000, which is set in the 41st century.

But PETA argues the the fact it's a fictional world is no excuse for normalising "animal cruelty".

The grimdark, battle-hardened warriors are known for their martial prowess," it says on a blog, "but wearing the skins of dead animals doesn't take any skill."

"[Fur] has no more place in 2017 than it would in the year 40,000."

The group says it's written to Games Workshop's CEO Kevin Rountree.

We tried to get in touch with the company ourselves, but no one was available to talk to us.

Onesimus Twinamasiko #sexist bbc.co.uk

A Ugandan MP has been told to apologise to victims of domestic violence after saying men should "beat" their wives.

Onesimus Twinamasiko said on Ugandan television channel NTV "as a man, you need to discipline your wife.

"You need to touch her a bit, you tackle her, beat her somehow to really streamline her."

His words have met with strong criticism from social media users, with one leading women's rights group in Uganda saying he should seek therapy.

S Chand #fundie bbc.co.uk

Meat-eaters "easily cheat, lie, forget promises and commit sex crimes", according to a controversial school textbook available in India.

New Healthway, a book on hygiene and health aimed at 11 and 12 year-olds, is printed by one of India's leading publishers.

Academics have urged the government to exercise greater control.

But the authorities say schools should monitor content as they are responsible for the choice of textbooks.

"This is poisonous for children," Janaki Rajan of the Faculty of Education at Jamia Millia University in Delhi told the BBC.

"The government has the power to take action, but they are washing their hands of it," she said.

It is not known which Indian schools have bought the book for their students, but correspondents say what is worrying is that such a book is available to students.

"The strongest argument that meat is not essential food is the fact that the Creator of this Universe did not include meat in the original diet for Adam and Eve. He gave them fruits, nuts and vegetables," reads a chapter entitled Do We Need Flesh Food?

The chapter details the "benefits" of a vegetarian diet and goes on to list "some of the characteristics" found among non-vegetarians.

"They easily cheat, tell lies, forget promises, they are dishonest and tell bad words, steal, fight and turn to violence and commit sex crimes," it says.

The chapter, full of factual inaccuracies, refers to Eskimos (Inuit) as "lazy, sluggish and short-lived", because they live on "a diet largely of meat".

It adds: "The Arabs who helped in constructing the Suez Canal lived on wheat and dates and were superior to the beef-fed Englishmen engaged in the same work."

indigopete #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

I have always thought that the official account given for 9/11 was a lie. I don't really know why people are so gullible in falling for it but I suppose if you look back in history they're not so much interested in the 'real truth' but more what is the commonly accepted 'truth'. i.e. folks just want to know what they have to work with and to some extent I can sympathise with that.

FloppyMops #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

It's is the biggest cover up of all time. Nothing at all the US authorities say makes a grain of sense. There is no way that a plane hitting the tower at floor 93 (I think) could cause the tower to collapse. For the towers to drop as they did there had to be something happening at almost ground level. Joe Public has been hoodwinked for almost 10 years. There are still more questions than answers.

Col #fundie bbc.co.uk

When I went to school (not a faith school) we were taught only about Christianity, which then was the religion of Great Britain. The teaching of other religions which are false, was not even thought about, nor should it be. The sooner we get back to Christian Assemblies and lessons in our schools the better our nation will be.

Zameer Ghumra #fundie bbc.co.uk

A man who showed a beheading video to a child has been jailed for six years. Pharmacist Zameer Ghumra, of Leicester, tried to brainwash primary school-age children into supporting the so-called Islamic State. Ghumra, 38, who told boys they should kill people who insulted Islam, was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". Judge Gregory Dickinson QC said it was a "determined effort" to radicalise children and turn them into terrorists.

He said the targeting of children made the case "particularly serious". "These were shocking crimes which damaged the children and caused offence to the vast majority of law abiding Muslims," the judge added. He also noted there had been an "absence of remorse" from Ghumra. The court heard Ghumra posted pro ISIS content on social media.

The court heard one of the boys had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and another was finding it difficult to sleep and was "afraid of snipers". During his trial the prosecution said Ghumra "brainwashed" the children, instructing them to not have non-Muslim friends and asking if they wanted to join IS or help recruit others to its ranks. The older boy described being shown "horrible and disgusting" beheading videos, and said he asked Ghumra "how can you behead people?". He said the pharmacist replied: "If you truly believe in Allah, you can do it."

Ghumra also followed various IS-linked social media accounts and made the two children follow similar accounts. The jury was told Ghumra had rented out houses with the intention of setting up a madrasa - an Islamic religious school. Ghumra, of Haringworth Road, was convicted of disseminating "terrorist propaganda" in the form of a graphic Twitter video on his mobile phone, between January 2013 and September 2014. Det Ch Supt Martin Snowden, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said Ghumra "willingly abused a position of trust" by showing children "a violent and explicit beheading video with no regard for the profound effect the disturbing material may have on them". "That act alone is unforgivable," he added. "His teaching role increases his risk, potentially giving him direct access to young or vulnerable people who may look up to him as an authority figure."

Al-Hijrah school #fundie bbc.co.uk

An Islamic faith school's policy of segregating boys and girls is unlawful sex discrimination, a court has ruled. The case was heard at the Court of Appeal as Ofsted challenged a High Court ruling clearing the Al-Hijrah school in Birmingham of discrimination. Ofsted's lawyers argued the segregation left girls "unprepared for life in modern Britain".

Appeal judges ruled the school was discriminating against its pupils contrary to the Equality Act.However, the court did not accept the argument the school's policy had disadvantaged girls more than boys. The appeal judges also made it clear the government and Ofsted had failed to identify the problem earlier and other schools operating similarly should be given time "to put their houses in order".

About 20 schools - Islamic, Jewish and Christian - are thought to have similar segregation policies. From Year Five boys and girls are completely separated for lessons, breaks, trips and clubs The three appeal judges heard boys and girls, aged four to 16, attend the Birmingham City Council-maintained Al-Hijrah school, in Bordesley Green. But from Year Five, boys and girls are completely separated for lessons, breaks, school trips and school clubs.

In 2016, Ofsted ruled the school was inadequate and it was put in special measures, saying its policy of separating the sexes was discrimination under the 2010 Equality Act. In November, High Court judge Mr Justice Jay overruled the inspectors, saying that they had taken an "erroneous" view on an issue "of considerable public importance". Ofsted's Amanda Spielman said the policy failed to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Speaking after the Court of Appeal ruling Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, said educational institutions should never treat pupils less favourably because of their sex. "The school is teaching boys and girls entirely separately, making them walk down separate corridors, and keeping them apart at all times," she said. "This is discrimination and is wrong. It places these boys and girls at a disadvantage for life beyond the classroom and the workplace, and fails to prepare them for life in modern Britain," she said.

In the ruling, the appeal judges said Ofsted had made it clear if the appeal succeeded, "it will apply a consistent approach to all similarly organised schools". Given their failure to identify the problem earlier, the education secretary and Ofsted had "de facto sanctioned and accepted a state of affairs which is unlawful" and should give the affected schools time to "put their houses in order", the judges said. The ruling means state schools which segregate pupils risk being given a lower rating by Ofsted. It only applies to mixed-sex schools. During the appeal hearing, Peter Oldham QC, speaking for Al-Hijrah's interim executive board, said the boys and girls at the school were treated entirely equally while segregated.

He said Ofsted did not claim separation was discrimination until 2016 and its actions were "the antithesis of proper public decision-making". Birmingham City Council said the issue was about schools being inspected against unclear policy and guidelines. Birmingham City Council said it took the High Court action it had because it felt Al-Hijrah school had been held to a different standard than other schools with similar arrangements, which had not been downgraded by Ofsted as a consequence.

Colin Diamond, corporate director of children and young people at the Labour-run council, said the case had always been about fairness and consistency in the inspection process. "We would therefore highlight comments made in this judgement about the secretary of state's and Ofsted's 'failure to identify the problem'," he said. He added the council had a strong history of encouraging all schools to practise equality but if it was national policy that schools with gender separation were discriminating against pupils then local authorities and the schools needed to be told so they knew the standards they were being inspected against.

Simon Mann #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

Former British mercenary Simon Mann, who led a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea in 2004, has accused US billionaire George Soros of plotting to overthrow the country's government.

He said he had warned President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Africa's longest serving leader, of the alleged plan in 2011.

But he said he did not have any proof, and Mr Soros has not yet commented.

Simon Mann made the remarks as he was testifying on behalf of Mr Obiang's son at a high-profile trial in Paris.

Teodorin Obiang Nguema is accused of using public money to fund his jetset lifestyle in France.

Simon Mann, 65, a former commando and businessman, was arrested in Zimbabwe in 2004 and extradited four years later to Equatorial Guinea, where he was sentenced to 34 years in prison.

But one year later he was released after being pardoned by Mr Obiang.

In his testimony in a Paris court, he also accused William Bourdon, a lawyer for the anti-corruption NGO Transparency International, of being part of the alleged plot, as well as exiled opposition leader Severo Moto Nsa and Lebanese businessman Ely Khalil.

Both Mr Moto and Mr Khalil were involved in the failed coup attempt of 2004, which sought to install Mr Moto as president of the oil-rich West African country.

"I explained to the president it [the coup] could be by any means," he told the court. "They were looking at all options, including legal."

However, he said he could not "prove" his claim, saying: "I don't have written evidence."

When he was asked if he had been paid to give his testimony, he said he only had his expenses covered.

Mr Bourdon, who is representing civil plaintiffs in the case against the president's son on behalf of Transparency International France, said the allegations were "extremely grave", saying that Simon Mann "had plumbed the depths of filth."

Outside the court, Simon Mann said that the high-profile trial of Teodorin Obiang Nguema was an attempt to "destabilise and overthrow" the "recognised and legitimate regime" of Equatorial Guinea.

Teodorin Obiang Nguema, who is also the country's vice-president, is accused of buying a mansion and sports cars in France with a fortune amassed from public funds.

His six-storey Paris villa, estimated to be worth more than $100m (£80m), is located on Avenue Foch, in one the most prestigious neighbourhoods of the French capital. It reportedly boasts a cinema, spa, hair salon and taps covered in gold leaf.

Mr Obiang, who was not in court, denies the allegations. Equatorial Guinea has questioned France's right to put him on trial, arguing Mr Obiang has diplomatic immunity.

Margaret Court #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

Tennis great Margaret Court believes there is a "conspiracy" from the "US gay lobby" to strip her name from one of the Australian Open stadiums.

The 74-year-old has been criticised for her beliefs on same-sex marriage, with 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova calling for the Margaret Court Arena to be renamed.

"They have a lot of money behind them," Court told 3AW radio.

Court won 24 Grand Slam titles, 11 in the Open era, which began in 1968.

Regarding calls for the stadium in her honour to be renamed, she said: "I think I've won more Grand Slams than any man or woman and if it is [renamed], I don't believe I deserve it.

"They could probably get 100,000 petitions in 24 hours because that's how they work. There's a lot of money behind it, and it's coming from America."

And asked about a possible conspiracy, she added: "Yes, I believe there is... I think the [gay] lobby, yeah."

Tennis Australia and the operator of the Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne and Olympic Parks, have distanced themselves from Court's views on gay marriage. There are currently no plans to rename the venue.

The recent furore started following Court's open letter to The West Australian, when she declared she would not fly on Qantas "where possible" in protest at its support of same-sex marriage. She then told a Christian radio station "tennis is full of lesbians".

Navratilova responded: "It is now clear exactly who Court is: an amazing tennis player, and a racist and a homophobe.

"Her vitriol is not just an opinion. She is actively trying to keep LGBT people from getting equal rights (note to Court: we are human beings, too)."

In 1970, during Apartheid in South Africa, Court said: "South Africa has the racial situation rather better organised than anyone else, certainly much better than the United States."

Court denied allegations of racism, stating that she had played tennis with compatriot and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley in South Africa.

"Evonne and I went in there and played for the black people," she is quoted as saying in The West Australian.? "I have 35 cultures in my church and I love them all. I think it's very sad and sick it's being brought up now."

Leon Cannizzaro #fundie bbc.co.uk

Marc Mitchell was at work when the police came to arrest him, last April, at the New Orleans hotel where he was a houseman. They handcuffed him in front of the customers and staff and took him to jail.
[...]
Mr Mitchell was a victim, not a suspect. His booking sheet showed that he'd been arrested on a material witness warrant - a controversial tool used to detain witnesses and victims who prosecutors fear won't show up to trial.
[...]
He signed the subpoena which legally obligated him to turn up at court, but told the district attorney's office he did not want to continue helping them them prepare their case due to safety concerns. "They were not looking out for me at all," he said.

The DA's office worried he might not testify. They obtained a material witness warrant, and five days before the trial was due to begin Mr Mitchell found himself at Orleans Parish Jail, under the same roof as the man he was due to testify against, who had already ordered his murder once.
[...]
Someone arrested on a material witness warrant can in theory be detained indefinitely, and in most states detainees are not granted the basic constitutional protections afforded to suspects under arrest, such as Miranda rights, the right to a public defender, and the right to a prompt appearance before a judge.
[...]
Orleans Parish, which sits within the most incarcerating city in the most incarcerating state in America, is one of those jurisdictions. The DA's office there says it does not keep records of when it requests a material witness warrant, but a local non-profit justice watchdog, Court Watch NOLA, undertook a time-consuming trawl through case files and found at least 30 cases last year in which one was issued.

In one case, a female rape victim was jailed for eight days after refusing to co-operate with a prosecution. In another, a domestic assault victim was jailed for six. Both were in the same jail as the perpetrator. Other cases included male victims of assault and attempted murder.
[...]
Four days after Mr Mitchell was released, he was sacked. He is still unemployed, save for odd jobs in construction.
[...]
The Orleans Parish DA's office was forced to apologise last week after it was found to have been issuing so-called "DA's subpoenas" - a fake subpoena which warns witnesses that they could be fined or sent to jail for ignoring it, despite having no such authority. A spokesman for the DA said the office would immediately stop issuing the notices.

At the centre of the controversy in Orleans Parish is District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, who angered victim rights groups earlier this month when he described jailing victims as an "inconvenience" that he would continue to regard as necessary to getting convictions.

Diners at Anita's New Mexico Style Cafe #racist bbc.co.uk

Customers at a restaurant in Virginia are rallying to support a black waitress who received a a racist note instead of a tip at the weekend.

Waitress Kelly Carter said a couple had written on the receipt: "Great service don't tip black people."

Owner Tommy Tellez told BBC News the response has been "phenomenal".
People have been dropping by the restaurant to give Ms Carter cash, Mr Tellez said, and a YouCaring campaign has raised over $300 (£245) for her.
Her regular customers have been dropping by to give her hugs.

Tipping is customary in the US, where restaurant servers often earn less than the minimum wage, with tips supposed to make up the difference in pay.
The white couple who left the note appeared to be in their mid-20s, and left after spending $30.52 (£25) on food.

Ms Carter told local media that one of the diners had even complimented the breakfast she served them on Saturday.

She says that she would gladly serve the pair again, adding "one hateful remark cannot stop me" and that she would recognise them if they returned to Anita's New Mexico Style Cafe.

"My arms are still opened to him," she said, offering to serve them again.
"That's him, not me," she said during her morning shift one day after the incident, adding that "he only hurt himself. He only makes me stronger."

Anita's owner Mr Tellez said that Ms Carter has "handled it very well" and that he agrees with her desire to serve the pair again.

"Two wrongs don't make a right", he told the BBC, adding that the note was "appalling, disheartening, and outrageous".

He thinks political rhetoric from the 2016 presidential campaign means that "racism has certainly been on the table the last 18 months" and has thrown fuel on "a fire that has never gone out" in the US.

Ms Carter says she really does hope to see the couple again.
"Just me serving them will let them know they did not get the best of me. And I truly mean that."

Numerous Indian men #fundie bbc.co.uk

Police in India say they have credible evidence that widespread sexual assaults took place at New Year's Eve celebrations in Bangalore.
Several women have said they were molested by mobs of men, though police say they have had no official complaints from victims yet.
One woman, a marketing professional who asked to be identified only as Pooja, was at the event and told the BBC what happened to her.

Pooja's story
On 31 December, we decided to go to a bar on Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road. At 11.30 I came out to make a call and found that everything was quiet and calm.
At 12:30 my friend who was to pick me up called me to say that the police had put barricades and he had to park his motorbike at the Shankar Nag theatre. He told me to start walking towards that side and he would meet me halfway. I said goodbye to my friends and started walking towards the Brigade Road side.

Athlete saves girls from 'molesters'
India anger as minister blames 'Western' behaviour
#NotAllMen angers Indian women

In between, I saw people rushing and walking but I did not expect them to do anything. I believed Bangalore was a safe city until then. What happened next shocked me a lot.

People were pushing and shoving, touching, grabbing, groping and everything was happening on that street. It was not only to me. It was happening to other girls too. They were all scared. 'I felt so helpless'. Suddenly, someone pushed me and I fell down. There was no-one to pick me up. Then a group of girls helped me get up. Their friends had formed a circle around them so they could walk safely.
I asked them if I could go with them. Even then when we were walking, there were guys who were trying to touch here and there.

Police used batons to push back the crowds at points. There was not a single face you could make out or who was doing it. As soon as you turned you would be groped or grabbed. There were so many people there that you could not pinpoint who was doing it. There was a lathi [baton] charge on Brigade Road so people were running in all directions.

I felt helpless. Although I have hands and legs and I could abuse and slap them, I could not do anything. I didn't know who was touching me and groping me.
When I came and told my friends, they asked me who were the people? Were they from the slum? I had no answer.

In the pub too, groping was happening. When we pay 6,000-7,000 rupees ($88; £72) to go to a pub to get entry to celebrate, you expect people to be of a certain class. At least, that they wouldn't do such things. These people weren't illiterate or uneducated.

They don't know what effect it has on a girl's life. It has an everlasting impact.
Who would I file a complaint against? I don't know a face or name. Even if I go to the police, they will ask who the complaint is against.

Police have asked people to send in any evidence of assaults. There were so many people that the policemen were highly outnumbered. It was not possible for them to keep a watch on each and every person.

This has become a big issue in the last three days. Why hasn't any action been taken? What are they waiting for? Yes, I have been through such situations earlier. But I have punched, slapped and complained to nearby authorities. I have been in Bangalore for three years. I thought it was a safe city.
Seeing this mass molestation was really shocking. When I spoke to some people, I was told that this had happened last year as well. So why weren't arrangements made? Instead of pretending nothing will happen, authorities should make efforts to curb this.

Pooja was talking to BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi.

Anonymous racists #racist bbc.co.uk

Cards containing the words "No more Polish Vermin" have been distributed outside homes and schools following the EU referendum.

Kathleen Gaynor said her mother found the cards, which also say "Leave the EU", outside her home in Huntingdon.

After she posted the cards on a community Facebook site, others reported they had also found them.

Cambridgeshire Police said it is investigating and is "working closely with the affected community".

Ms Gaynor said her mother, who lives in the town centre, discovered the card on her doorstep at about 09:00 BST on Friday.

"Mum came out of her door and found the card weighed down by a stone so it couldn't blow away," she said.

"Mum's neighbours are Polish so we think it might have been intended for them. She was in shock, angry and couldn't believe it."

Daniel Stoltzfus, Savilla Stoltzfus, Lee Kaplan #fundie bbc.co.uk

Three people in the US have been charged after a 14-year-old Amish girl was "given" to a much older man who had helped her parents financially.

Police on Thursday arrested Daniel Stoltzfus, 43, and his wife Savilla Stoltzfus, 42, who are the parents of the teenage girl.

They also arrested 51-year-old Lee Kaplan [...]

Another 11 girls, aged between six months and 18 years, were found at his house in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.

All are thought to be Amish, although court records do not explain where they all came from.

The Amish are a group of Christian people who choose to live very simply. They wear traditional, 18th century style clothes and do not use modern technology such as cars, computers or televisions.

Kaplan is charged with 10 counts of various sexual offenses, including statutory rape.

Daniel Stoltzfus is charged with conspiracy to commit statutory sexual assault.

Both he and Savilla Stoltzfus are also charged with endangering the welfare of children.

Court papers suggest the pair were grateful after Kaplan helped save their farm from being repossessed.

The have admitted to giving their daughter away and said information on the internet made them think it would be legal.

The teenager, who is now 18, became pregnant by Kaplan almost immediately, court records state.

She fell pregnant again at 17.

The couple and Kaplan will face a preliminary hearing on 2 August.

Conrad Procter #fundie bbc.co.uk

A man has been spared jail after chasing a councillor down the street with a running chainsaw and threatening to cut his head off.

Conrad Procter brandished the chainsaw at Labour councillor Paul O'Kane, who was campaigning for former party leader Jim Murphy ahead of last year's general election.

The incident happened in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, on 6 April last year.

Procter was sentenced to a Community Payback Order at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Seith Ireland said 40-year-old Procter had "come very close" to going to prison.

The court had previously heard how Mr O'Kane, 28, had been canvassing in Procter's street in the Auchenback area of Barrhead ahead of the general election.

Procter, who was in his garden at the time, was heard shouting "Red Tories get out of here" before telling Mr O'Kane: "I'll cut your head off" while holding the chainsaw and chasing him down the street.

He had denied behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner, threatening violence while in possession of a running chainsaw and following Mr O'Kane down the street while holding it.

But he was convicted following a trial last month, with sentence being deferred for him to be assessed by social workers.

When Procter returned to court for sentencing, defence solicitor Raymond McIlwham described his client's conduct on the day in question as "unusual and very serious."

He added: "He accepts involvement in this incident but he continues to dispute that any persons were pursued down the street - what he disputes is any movement by him outwith his garden area.

"He's not stupid and fully appreciates how serious this is. Such behaviour simply can't be tolerated in a civilised society.

"It was a gross overreaction fuelled by temper and fuelled by passion on Mr Procter's part, which was totally misplaced and wholly unacceptable."

Iran Football League Organization #fundie bbc.co.uk

Iran goalkeeper Sosha Makani has been suspended for six months after wearing what was described as SpongeBob SquarePants trousers.

A photo was posted online of the 29-year-old - who has three caps - before a game for club side Persepolis.

Iran has strict clothing laws and ISNA news agency said the penalty was for "inappropriate conduct".

The Iranian football federation's morality committee cited Makani's clothing as one reason for the ban.

The photo was initially posted on social media on 6 May, causing the country's media to liken Makani's trousers to the American animation character.

The ruling is not final and can be appealed, but could also be related to a previous controversy in January.

Then Makani, who played for Iran at the 2014 World Cup, was arrested and taken to Tehran's Evin prison after pictures of him in the presence of a woman were leaked.

Iran also has strict laws against the mixing of unrelated men and women.

Asaduzzaman Khan #fundie bbc.co.uk

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has suggested an Israeli link to the recent killings of secular bloggers and minorities.

He said an opposition politician had met an Israeli intelligence agent and there was evidence of an "international conspiracy" against Bangladesh.

He gave no more evidence. Israel says the claim is nonsense.

Critics say the government is in denial about the killings, most of which have been blamed on or claimed by Islamists.

Mr Khan's comments come a day after the wife of a senior police officer investigating the deaths was shot dead.

The governing Awami League has sought in the past to link the opposition to the attacks. Relations with the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) remain fraught following the disputed 2014 general election.

Muslim-majority but officially secular Bangladesh has no diplomatic relations with Israel and supports the Palestinians.

[...]

"Bangladesh has become the target of an international conspiracy. And a foreign intelligence agency has joined the conspiracy," Mr Khan said.

When asked to elaborate, he said: "You must have noticed that an Israeli intelligence agent had a meeting with a politician, it does not need to be verified further, all Bangladeshi know about it."

Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told the BBC the suggestion of Israeli involvement was "utter drivel".

Opposition MP Aslam Chowdhury was recently arrested and charged with sedition after he was pictured meeting Israeli government adviser Mendi Safadi in India.

Mr Chowdhury described his visit to India as a business trip and has denied meeting an Israeli intelligence agent.

The latest violence was in the southern port city of Chittagong, where Mahmuda Aktar was stabbed and shot in the head on Sunday in front of her six-year-old son.

Her husband, Supt Babul Aktar, is investigating the banned Islamist Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh group (JMB) and she has been a prominent campaigner against religious extremism.

Also on Sunday, a Christian grocer was hacked to death in the north-western village of Bonpara. So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the murder of Sunil Gomes.

Police say more than 40 people have been killed since January last year in the wave of attacks on those seen by extremists as offensive to Islam.

The government insists that IS does not have a presence in Bangladesh and has tended to blame the opposition and local militant groups.

Critics have accused the government of failing to properly address the violence in Bangladesh.

[...]

The grim list of those who have fallen victim to attacks by Islamist militants in Bangladesh is growing ever diverse.

Secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists, and members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus have all been killed, many of them hacked to death.

When a university professor whose family said believed in God was murdered in April, it suggested the list of those at risk had widened further.

Who exactly is behind the attacks remains murky. Bangladesh has myriad extremist groups and there have been few convictions over the attacks.

Bangladesh has disputed claims by so-called Islamic State or al-Qaeda-linked groups for the attacks, instead often blaming opposition parties or local Islamist groups.

But until the killings stop the government itself will face accusations of not doing enough to protect minorities in the Sunni-dominated nation.

Unnamed Labour Party Muslim male members #fundie bbc.co.uk

A Muslim women's group has written to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claiming women have been stopped from becoming councillors by Muslim men in the party.

Muslim Women's Network UK demanded an inquiry into "systematic misogyny displayed by significant numbers of Muslim male local councillors".

"They don't like women to be heard, to be empowered," it told BBC Newsnight.

Labour said it had the best record of any of the parties in selecting female and ethnic minority candidates.

As Mr Corbyn prepared to speak to the Association of Labour Councillors on Saturday, BBC Newsnight spoke to about a dozen Muslim women up and down the country.

They appeared to point to a pattern of obstruction from within Labour Muslim ranks and back up Muslim Women's Network UK's complaints of sabotage.

Optician Fozia Parveen claims her efforts to become a Labour councillor in Birmingham in 2008 were scuppered by men within the party.

She said: "At the time, I was aware of a smear campaign against me.

"They said that I was having an affair with one of the existing councillors.

"I was quite taken aback. People were turning up at my family home trying to intimidate my mum."

Ms Parveen said Muslim men told her mother to stop her from pursuing becoming a councillor.

She added: "It would be members of the local Labour Party. I didn't see them myself but my mum did say it was them."

Shazia Bashir was the first choice for Labour in a seat in Peterborough in 2007.

She claims that when her father said he would not support her, Muslim men from within the local Labour Party made her step aside. They deny the claim.

"Because I didn't have my father's consent and support, I had to step down. I was pressured into stepping down," said Ms Bashir, who was 31 and married with two children at the time.

Jean Khote, a sitting Labour councillor in Leicester, said good women candidates were barred by the membership in some areas with high Muslim populations - and that was kept from people higher up the party.

She said they would say there were not adequate candidates among the women, which she said was not true.

"There were brilliant women on the panel. I've met them and had discussions with them," she added.

Newsnight was told similar stories by other women who wished to remain anonymous.

One said: "They spread this slander about me... It's the way they get to you."

Another said she had been told by Labour members "Islam and feminism aren't compatible".

An advocate for gay rights was told: "This is un-Islamic. Leave that for white people." And many spoke of being criticised for being too Westernised.

Tyson Fury #fundie bbc.co.uk

In the aftermath of his win in Dusseldorf, Fury had said: "I'm not sexist. I believe a woman's best place is in the kitchen and on her back. That's my personal belief. Making me a good cup of tea, that's what I believe."
He has also drawn criticism for saying that fellow SPOTY nominee Jessica Ennis-Hill "slaps up well".
But Fury, who refers to himself as the 'Gypsy King' because of his Irish traveller heritage, told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme on Monday: "I love my women and what I said goes for my wife alone. She knows her place, I know her place. That's our culture of people.
"That's nothing to do with the world or anybody else and if I was a normal person, I wasn't in the spotlight, no-one would be making a scene about what I say to my wife."
The new world champion has also previously said it would only take the legalisation of paedophilia in addition to the decriminalisation of homosexuality and abortion to see "the devil come home".
In an interview he said: "There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home: one of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one's paedophilia.
"Who would have thought in the '50s and '60s that those first two would be legalised?"

Manohar Lal Kattar #fundie bbc.co.uk

A senior leader of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that Muslims living in the country should give up consuming beef.

Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister of Haryana state, said the cow "is an article of faith" in India.

Most states ban the slaughter of cows, which is considered a sacred animal by India's majority Hindu community.

The beef ban has provoked outrage, with many questioning the government's right to decide what is on their plate.

It has also been criticised by many as beef is cheaper than chicken and fish and is a staple for the poorer Muslim, tribal and Dalit (formerly untouchable) communities.

The main opposition Congress party has criticised Mr Khattar's remark - party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said Mr Khattar "has no right to remain chief minister".

'Hurts sentiments'

"Muslims can continue to live in this country, but they will have to give up eating beef. The cow is an article of faith here," Mr Khattar told The Indian Express newspaper.

The chief minister said "freedom of one person is only to the extent that it is not hurting another person".

"Eating beef hurts the sentiments of another community, even constitutionally you cannot do this. The constitution says you cannot do something that offends me, I cannot do something that offends you," he said.

"They can be Muslim even after they stop eating beef, can't they? It is written nowhere that Muslims have to eat beef, nor is it written anywhere in Christianity that they have to eat beef."

India's federal government, also headed by BJP, has come under increasing pressure from Hindu hardliners to do more to protect cows.

Last month a 50-year-old Muslim man was killed by a Hindu mob in Uttar Pradesh over rumours that his family had been storing and consuming beef at home. His 22-year-old son was seriously injured in the attack.

Mr Khattar said the killing was a "result of misunderstanding" and that "both sides" had committed wrongs.

"It should not have happened - from both sides. But I say that attacking and killing the person was also wrong," he said.

Steve Emerson #racist bbc.co.uk

Quote refers to Birmingham, UK

Broadcasting regulator Ofcom has found Fox News in breach of the broadcasting code after one of its contributors called Birmingham a "no-go zone" for non-Muslims.
The comment was made during an episode of Justice with Judge Jeanine by guest Steve Emerson in January.
An Ofcom spokesperson said it was a "serious breach for a current affairs programme".
Fox said it regretted the comments and apologised to the people of Birmingham.
In an interview on 11 January, American terrorism commentator Mr Emerson said: "There are actually cities like Birmingham that are totally Muslim, where non Muslims just simply don't go in."
The programme was reflecting on the Paris terrorist attacks in January, in which 17 people were killed.
'Deeply regret these errors'
Fox News is an American channel but is licensed by Ofcom for broadcast in the UK.
In its Broadcast Bulletin, Ofcom said: "The programme, in stating that Paris contained "no-go zones" and that the entirety of Birmingham was "totally Muslim" and a city "where non Muslims simply don't go in" presented the audience with materially misleading facts."
The programme was found to be in breach of rule 2.2 of the code, which states: "Factual programmes or items or portrayals of factual matters must not materially mislead the audience."
Presenter Jeanine Pirro issued an apology on 17 January and said: "We deeply regret these errors and apologise to the people of Birmingham, our viewers and all who have been offended."
Mr Emerson later apologised for his "terrible error".

Dylann Roof #racist bbc.co.uk

The man suspected of shooting dead nine people at an African-American church in Charleston has been charged with nine counts of murder and one weapons possession charge, police say.

Suspect Dylann Roof, 21, is due to make his first court appearance on Friday.

Police are treating the killings at the Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday night in South Carolina as a hate crime.

...

An acquaintance of Mr Roof said that the 21-year-old had complained that "blacks were taking over the world".

Joey Meek said that he and Mr Roof got drunk off vodka a few weeks ago, and the now-suspect said "someone needed to do something about it for the white race".

Robert Blay #racist bbc.co.uk

A UKIP candidate has been suspended after being filmed apparently threatening to shoot a Conservative rival.
Robert Blay, who is standing in North East Hampshire, was secretly filmed by the Daily Mirror making the comments about Ranil Jayawardena.
The recording appears to show Mr Blay threatening to shoot Mr Jayawardena if he ever became prime minister.
A UKIP spokesman described his comments as "abhorrent".
North East Hampshire was held by the Conservatives at the last election with a majority of more than 18,500.
'Immediately suspended'
The Mirror published a video of Mr Blay speaking to its investigators at a public meeting on Saturday in Ramsgate, Kent, addressed by party leader Nigel Farage.
Ex-Conservative Mr Blay noted Mr Jayawardena had been tipped as Britain's first Asian prime minister.

The Mirror reported that he said: "If he is I will personally put a bullet between his eyes. If this lad turns up to be our prime minister I will personally put a bullet in him. That's how strong I feel about it."
Questioning Mr Jayawardena's background, he said: "His family have only been here since the 70s. You are not British enough to be in our parliament.
"I've got 400 years of ancestry where I live. He hasn't got that."

Richard #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

[On an article about Conspiracy Theories]

The opposite, conspiracy theories are making more people politically aware.
Your article made the incorrect assumption that all conspiracy theories are wrong. If you took the time to research this topic properly, and without bias, you would discover a community of intelligent, articulate people. A community with a higher than average IQ.

A FACT: Only brainwashed people attack conspiracy theorists

Richard #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

Anyone who doesn't believe that the government is controlled by a secret cabal of the global elite who are working towards globalization and a new world order must be totally BLIND.

Most conspiracy theories are PROVEN facts that have not been admitted by the authorities YET.

The one thing EVERY denier and conspiracy basher have in common is they haven't taken the time to do their own research.

Pavlo Lapshyn #racist bbc.co.uk

A Ukrainian student has admitted murdering an 82-year-old man who was walking home from a Birmingham mosque.

Mohammed Saleem was stabbed by Pavlo Lapshyn in Small Heath on 29 April, less than a week after Lapshyn had arrived in the UK.

At the Old Bailey, 25-year-old Lapshyn pleaded guilty to murder, as well as plotting to cause explosions near mosques in Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton in June and July.
[...]
After his initial arrest for planting the explosive device outside a mosque in Walsall, he told police: "I would like to increase racial conflict."

When asked why he had targeted the mosque he replied: "Because they are not white - and I am white."

Wayne Stilwell #fundie bbc.co.uk

A man who threw bacon into an Edinburgh mosque has been jailed for 10 months.

Wayne Stilwell, 25, was caught on security cameras attaching the bacon to the handles of the main door at Edinburgh's Central Mosque.

He then threw the bacon inside the building, knowing Muslims regard pork as unclean.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier he pled guilty to causing a breach of the peace. His lawyer said Stilwell was sorry for his crime.

Sheriff Gordon Liddle said his actions had been "grossly offensive" and jailed him for 10 months.

Sheriff Liddle said: "A custodial sentence is inevitable."

The city's sheriff court heard that Islam prohibits its followers from consuming products made of pork - and Stilwell's actions, on 31 January 2013, offended people at the mosque.

Sentence had been deferred on Stilwell, a prisoner of HMP Edinburgh, for background reports.

On Tuesday, defence solicitor Matthew Nicholson told the court his client was sorry for his crime and accepted that he would be going to prison.

The Teen Exorcists #fundie bbc.co.uk

Brynne Larson and Tess and Savannah Scherkenback are all-American girls from Arizona, who enjoy martial arts and horse riding. But something sets them apart from most teenagers - they perform public exorcisms and often appear on TV chat shows.

[...]

The girls are now karate black belts, but because of their particular Christian beliefs, they have also decided to do battle, they say, against evil spirits or demons. They believe that these demons can possess a human being and cause suffering, depression or addiction.

"A demon can't just come into anybody whenever it chooses too, God doesn't allow that," says Brynne.

"What happens is when someone sins or does something, or something's done to them that allows the demon to come into them, that's called the legal right or the reason that it's there."

The girls have been trained by Brynne's father, the Rev Bob Larson, who says he has performed over 15,000 exorcisms. They have appeared alongside him in America and overseas, including the UK.

"Every single country has a specific kind of demon," says Tess, 18, who loves music and reading. The girls believe that the UK in particular is a hotbed for "witchcraft" because of the popularity of J K Rowling's Harry Potter books. "The spells and things that you're reading in the Harry Potter books, those aren't just something that are made up, those are actual spells. Those are things that came from witchcraft books," says Tess.

[...]

The girls' mentor, Brynne's father, disagrees with critics who say it's dangerous to teach teenagers to perform exorcisms. "We think it's OK to train teenagers to get drunk and have sex, but to do moral things for God, oh let's not train them to do that," says Larson. He asks for a voluntary donation of a couple of hundred dollars or pounds when he and the girls perform a one-to-one exorcism, and rejects the idea that spiritual services have to be free of charge. "Money and motives, anytime someone is in God's work it always comes up," he says. "People will pay thousands of dollars to go to drug rehab or to pay psychiatrists but there's this idea that spirituality needs to be for free. "The average megachurch pastor in America, it's not uncommon for them to make up to $1m a year. Well I can assure you we are nowhere near that."

Syrian Islamic rebels #fundie bbc.co.uk

the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Islamist rebels in Aleppo had executed a 15-year-old boy in front of his parents as punishment for what they regarded as a blasphemous comment.

The UK-based activist group said Mohammed Qataa was shot in the face and neck a day after being seized by the rebels, who allegedly overheard the teenager tell someone: "Even if the Prophet Muhammad comes down [from heaven], I will not become a believer."

Before executing the boy, one of the rebels reportedly told onlookers: "Disbelieving in God is polytheism and cursing the Prophet is polytheism. Whoever curses even once will be punished like this."

[Admin note:
Story has been reported differently previously. The original account, he was alleged to have refused to give free coffee to a third party. He was reported to have said "“Even if [Prophet] Mohammed comes back to life, I won’t [give coffee away]”

Thanks to John_in_Oz

Further, the translation isn't the greatest:
The Arab word for Polytheism (širk), also carries conotations of "idolatry" and "heresy". This has historic roots, or in other words, whoever translated the quote sucks at Arabic.

Thanks to UHM

Never say you didn't learn anything from here]

DynamicEntrance #fundie bbc.co.uk

[On phone surveillance]

If it only targets non-US persons then i don't see what the problem is.

All those on this planet that love freedom & treasure democracy understand in their hearts that a firm, strong US boot needs to be kept on the necks of all those baying, foreign barbarians who, driven in a fit of envy, would not stop until lady liberty herself lies in ruins at the bottom of the Hudson .

Rev. Greg Haslam #fundie bbc.co.uk

As a philosophy, evolutionism has had proven evil influences on human happiness and welfare.

It is the root cause of such political philosophies as Atheism, Naturalism, Marxism, Statism, Socialism, and Nazism.

The 20th Century alone has spawned conflicts that have led to the loss of millions of lives. Darwin's theories are the root justification for such practices as racism, eugenics, abortion and euthanasia, practiced by Hitler, Stalin and Mao - all "intellectually fulfilled atheists" themselves.

Sara Ege #fundie bbc.co.uk

A mother who beat her seven-year-old son to death when he failed to memorise passages from the Koran has been jailed for life, for a minimum of 17 years.

The judge told Sara Ege, 33, she subjected Yaseen Ege to prolonged cruelty and a ferocious beating at home in Pontcanna, Cardiff, in July 2010.

She also set fire to his body, and was convicted after a five-week trial.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams said: "I am satisfied that it was his failure to learn the Koran that day that resulted in the beating that caused his death."

He continued: "On the day of Yaseen's death you had kept him home from school so he could devote himself to his study of the Koran.

"He was memorising passages but on that day Yaseen must have failed in some way and it was that which was a trigger for the beating.

"The violence Yaseen suffered was not confined to the day of his death.

"For three months you beat him often with a wooden pestle and I'm confident these beatings left him in a significant amount of pain.

Sara Ege described how Yaseen collapsed after she had beaten him while still murmuring extracts of the Koran.

"I was getting very wild and I hit Yaseen with a stick on his back like a dog"

"He was breathing as if he was asleep when I left him," she said. "He was still murmuring the same thing over and over again. I thought that he was just tired."

When she returned 10 minutes later she said she found her son shaking and shivering on the floor. He then died.

She then used barbecue gel to burn her son's body in an attempt to hide the evidence.

Suaidi Yahya, mayor of Lhokseumawe #fundie bbc.co.uk

[Indonesia city to ban women 'straddling motorbikes']

A city in the Indonesian province of Aceh which follows Sharia has ordered female passengers not to straddle motorbikes behind male drivers.

Suaidi Yahya, mayor of Lhokseumawe, says it aims to save people's "morals and behaviours".

Leaflets have been sent out to government offices and residents to inform them about the regulation.

Aceh is the only Indonesian province that follows Sharia.

Under the new regulation, the mayor says that women passengers are only allowed to sit "side-saddle" because straddling the bike seat violates Islamic values.

"When you see a woman straddle, she looks like a man. But if she sits side-saddle, she looks like a woman," Suaidi said.

He added that passengers who sat side-saddle rarely fell off.

Jim Biasi #conspiracy bbc.co.uk

I imagine the quality of life for the people of North Korea isn't any worse than the average Brit. There is no real freedom of speech in Britain, our people are being locked up or persecuted up for what they say, for which political party they support. We are bled dry in taxes and forced to pay for vile marxist propaganda spewed out by the disgraceful Biased Brainwashing Corporation.

Valery Reshetinsky & Ruslan Kukharchuk #fundie #homophobia bbc.co.uk

After a rousing service in the church’s warehouse-like auditorium focusing on the agonies of sin and bliss of salvation, I meet the chief pastor, Valery Reshetinsky. For him, the fight against homosexuality is a matter of “national security” upon which the survival of the nation depends.

“Here’s the issue,” says Pastor Reshetinsky, a large-boned man with a slight moustache, tells me. “In a real democracy, my freedom and rights are limited by the freedom of someone else.”

In his opinion, freedom of speech for sexual minorities is a violation of what he considers his inalienable right not to have to hear something he finds offensive.

“You can’t do everything that you want to do, because there are people who have the exact same rights as you do,” he insists.

The pastor goes on to accuse a worldwide conspiracy of Masons, New-Agers, postmodernists and financiers of various nationalities, of imposing ideas that are not “characteristic for Ukraine” on the nation’s children.

...

Supporters of the bill, like Ruslan Kukharchuk, a founder of the local group Love Against Homosexuality, deny the accusation of intolerance. They say they too condemn the violence against homosexuals. What is more, they add, gays are free to do whatever they want “in the privacy of their room”.

Kukharchuk, however, has also written about what he calls the “homo-dictatorship” which he claims dominates Western society and persecutes religious, anti-gay proponents like himself. He strives to counter “aggressive” gay propaganda, he says - in other words, public discourse that implies that homosexuality “is normal, is good, is part of democracy”.

Bangladeshi teacher #fundie bbc.co.uk

Police in Bangladesh are looking for a teacher from a Muslim religious school who allegedly placed burning hot iron rods on the legs of her students for failing to offer prayers regularly.

They say 14 girls, aged between eight and 12, received burn injuries.

The school has been temporarily closed following the incident, while the "hellish experience" of the girls has been widely reported in newspapers.

[...]

"It was the first day of the madrassa after our holidays. Our teacher got angry when she heard that we were not offering regular prayers during our vacation," said Ferdousi Akther, aged eight.

"Then she asked her servant to heat up the rod and then she pressed it on our legs. The pain was unbearable."

Pupils say that the teacher asked the students whether they knew the severity of the fire in hell.

They were allegedly told that if they did not offer prayers regularly, they would experience a similar punishment.

Priests in Bethlehem #fundie bbc.co.uk

Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics in a turf war at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

Bemused tourists looked on as about 100 priests fought with brooms while cleaning the church in preparation for Orthodox Christmas, on 7 January.

Palestinian police armed with batons and shields broke up the clashes.

Groups of priests have clashed before in the church, built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.

"It was a trivial problem that... occurs every year," Bethlehem police Lt-Col Khaled al-Tamimi told Reuters.

"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," he said.

Nobody was seriously injured in the scuffles, according to the police.

Previous clashes between the denominations which share the administration of the church have been sparked by perceived encroachments on one group's territory by another.

SCOAN #fundie bbc.co.uk

At least three people in London with HIV have died after they stopped taking life saving drugs on the advice of their Evangelical Christian pastors.

The women died after attending churches in London where they were encouraged to stop taking the antiretroviral drugs in the belief that God would heal them, their friends and a leading HIV doctor said.

...Jane Iwu, 48, from Newham, east London, described one case, saying: "I know of a friend who had been to a pastor. She told her to stop taking her medication - that God is a healer and has healed her."

"This lady believed it. She stopped taking her medication. She passed away," said Ms Iwu, who has HIV herself.

.. the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), which has UK headquarters in Southwark, south London, may be one of those involved in such practices.

The church is headed by Pastor T B Joshua, Nigeria's third richest clergyman, according to a recent Forbes richlist.

When approached by BBC London, leaders of the church described themselves as Evangelical Christian pastors.

The church's website, which was set up in Lagos, Nigeria, shows photos of people the church claims have been "cured" of HIV through prayer.

In one example, the church's website claims: "Mrs Badmus proudly displays her two different medical records confirming she is 100% free from HIV-Aids following the prayer of Pastor T B Joshua."

"HIV-Aids healing" is listed on the church's website among "miracles" it says it can perform.

"Cancer healing" and "baby miracles" are also advertised.