Headlines:
• Sweden: Masjid Set on Fire
• Saudi Arabia Projects Its Biggest Deficit Ever After Oil Crash
• Pakistan to Use Army Courts for Terror Cases
Sweden: Masjid Set on Fire
An arsonist set fire to a mosque in the Swedish town of Eskilstuna on Thursday, injuring five people, police said, an incident which comes amid an intense debate over immigration. The immigration debate has pitted the far right, which wants to cut the number of asylum seekers allowed into Sweden by 90 percent, against mainstream parties intent on preserving the Nordic country’s liberal policy. Between 15 and 20 people were in the mosque, located in the ground floor of a building in a mainly residential area, when the fire erupted. Local media footage showed smoke and flames billowing from the windows. “A witness saw somebody throw an object through the window of the building, which serves as a mosque, after which a violent fire began,” police spokesman Lars Franzell said. The five injured people were taken to hospital for treatment of injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to lacerations. No suspect has been apprehended yet, Franzell added. Emergency services in Eskilstuna, central Sweden, were called to the scene of the fire shortly after 12:00 noon, and police are treating it as arson.
Why is the police treating this incident as a normal crime, when clearly it is a terror attack designed to scare Muslims into leaving the country. In the West, there is one standard for Muslims—to belittle them and their Islam— by associating any incident with terror, while incidents against Muslims are reported as routine criminal attacks.
Saudi Arabia Projects Its Biggest Deficit Ever After Oil Crash
Saudi Arabia announced a 2015 budget with a huge deficit Thursday as the world’s largest crude exporter begins to feel the impact of its own decision not to shore up oil prices. The government announced the $38.6 billion deficit in a statement read on state-run television, adding that it would nonetheless boost projected spending by tapping its vast financial reserves. The lead producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia has insisted the cartel will not move to strengthen global oil prices despite a drop of nearly 50 percent since June. OPEC has maintained a production ceiling of 30 million barrels per day, in a move analysts say is aimed at stifling competition from new market players with higher costs, in particular North American shale oil producers. Saudi officials have vowed not to boost production no matter how low prices go, regardless of the impact on the country’s coffers. The budget announced for next year sees spending at 860 billion riyals ($229.3 billion) and revenues at 715 billion riyals ($190.7 billion). Projected spending is slightly higher than planned for this year, but revenues are 140 billion riyals lower than estimates for 2014, said the statement read after a cabinet session chaired by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz. The 2015 budget shortfall is the first deficit projected by the OPEC kingpin since 2011 and the largest ever for the kingdom. Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia overspent budget projections by more than 20 percent and if the trend is maintained next year, analysts say the deficit will be much higher. “I believe we are headed for a difficult year in 2015. I think the actual deficit will be around 200 billion riyals because actual revenues are expected to be lower than estimates,” Saudi economist Abdulwahab Abu-Dahesh told AFP. [Source: Business Insider]
The Saudi regime eager to appease the West and to be used as a pawn against Russia, is now paying a dear price for dropping the price of oil. When will the leaders of the Muslim world stand up and defend the interests of the Muslim Ummah? Rather than using oil as a weapon for the West to hurt Russia, oil could easily be used to damage Western and Russian interests simultaneously thereby freeing the Muslim world from the yoke of colonialism.
Pakistan to Use Army Courts for Terror Cases
Pakistan has announced plans to set up special military-run courts to prosecute terrorism suspects as part of a new anti-terrorism plan following the ban school massacre that killed 149 people, including 132 children. In a live televised address to the nation on Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, announced 25 new counter-terrorism policies, with military-run courts among the most controversial. “Special courts, headed by the officers of armed forces, will be established for the speedy trial of terrorists,” he said. Sharif gave few details about how the courts would function, except to say they would operate for the next two years and that changes to current laws would be needed. “The Peshawar attack has shocked the nation. We will not let the blood of our children go in vain,” he said. Sharif also mentioned plans to cutting off financial aid to “terrorists” and methods to prevent banned organizations from operating with new names. The “plan of action” included a wide range of measures including constitutional amendments, banning space for “terrorists” in electronic and print media, destroying their communication systems, and the repatriation of Afghan refugees. Sharif also announced the formation of a special anti-terrorism force and reforms of religious seminaries known as madrassas. [Source: Al Jazeera]
The twenty-five points do not mention the sole cause of terror in Pakistan, and that is America. Ever since, America’s involvement in the region from the late 70s, Pakistan has been plagued by terror attacks. Prior to do this, such attacks were unknown. However, the Pakistani leadership conveniently chooses to ignore this fact and runs towards Washington to cement a lopsided relationship that only benefits America.