5: 

In Case You Forgot: Republicans Remain a Huge Obstacle to Serious Action on Climate Change

With less than two weeks before the Paris climate talks, President Barack Obama’s opponents in the US Congress are making sure the world knows what they think of any deal that cuts American emissions.

In the past few days, the Republican-led Senate has passed resolutions vowing the Obama administration’s new regulations on carbon emissions — a key part of the cuts the United States has put on the table in Paris — and leading lawmakers have said they won’t approve a dime to support any pact.

“Several of us have had different ideas about what is to be accomplished there. My idea is nothing,” climate change conspiracy theorist and snowball aficionado Sen. James Inhofe said Wednesday.

Inhofe, a Republican from oil-rich Oklahoma, is the chairman of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee. He told the committee Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s pledge of $3 billion to an international global-warming damage-control fund “is not going to happen, either.”

GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, from coal state West Virginia, boasted in the same hearing that Obama “is going to go into this negotiation with no money in a Green Climate Fund that’s been appropriated by the Congress.” And West Virginia’s other senator, Joe Manchin, has joined Inhofe to co-sponsor a resolution demanding any climate agreement that involves spending money or regulating industry be submitted to the Senate for ratification.

“The energy-producing states in our country, especially West Virginia, and American consumers will be significantly affected by any deal made by this president,” said Manchin, a conservative Democrat who has often criticized Obama. “This administration should not be able to unilaterally put American businesses at a disadvantage in the global economy by enacting unattainable and unproven mandates.”

Vice News

4: 

Belgium warns citizens of ‘serious and imminent’ threat

Belgium raised its attack alert in the capital to the highest level on Saturday, warning the public to avoid crowds because of a “serious and imminent” threat. 

The move was made in Brussels after a meeting of top ministers, police and security services.

Prime Minister Charles Michel said the alert was “based on quite precise information” about a planned attack.

Speaking at a news conference, Michel said the fear was that “several individuals with arms and explosives could launch an attack … perhaps even in several places”.

“We urge the public not to give in to panic, to stay calm. We have taken the measures that are necessary,” he said.

The government’s crisis centre warned Belgians to avoid shopping centres, concerts, and public transport.

The alert for the whole country was raised a week ago following the Paris attacks to level three of the highest four, implying a “possible or probable” threat. Previously, only certain sites, such as the US embassy, were at level three.

Aljazeera

3: 

Mali’s security forces hunt down three suspects

Malian security forces hunted on Saturday for at least three suspects involved in the brazen attack by gunmen at a five-star hotel that killed 21 people in the heart of the capital, Bamako.

A breakaway al-Qaeda faction from the country’s restive north claimed responsibility for the nine-hour hostage-taking siege that ended after special forces stormed the luxury hotel.

“We are actively pursuing three suspects who might have been involved in Friday’s attack on the Radisson Blu hotel,” a Malian security official told the AFP news agency.

Mali was under a state of emergency on Saturday, and three days of mourning were announced by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who also clarified the death toll after Malian state television reported late on Friday that 27 were dead, along with three attackers. 

Aljazeera

2: 

Kerry visit to Israel and Palestine not about peace accord, says US official

Secretary of State John Kerry will meet next week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the region to try to stop ongoing violence, although a senior US official insisted on Saturday the visit was not a renewed effort to broker a peace accord.

The State Department said Kerry would travel to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Ramallah on a trip that will also include a stop in the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Syrian conflict. 

Kerry last met Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Berlin in October, to try to end a spate of bloodshed and stop what Washington regarded as provocative statements by Israeli and Palestinian leaders over the management of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque. 

With the latest visit, Kerry hopes to move things in a “more positive direction” and prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, the official said. The talks will explore a “variety of ideas” on how to ease tensions, the official said without elaborating.

The Guardian 

1: 

‘There is a massive paranoia’: UK Muslims on life after Paris

Omar Raza was walking near his home in Glasgow’s south side when he was confronted by three men hurling racist abuse, calling him a “fucking Paki” and accusing him of funding Islamic State.

“It was three against one, so I tried to defuse the situation and walk past them. But I was suddenly attacked from behind and put in a head lock.” Raza was kicked to the ground and the bag he was carrying upturned and its contents strewn across the pavement, before his attackers ran off.

“It all happened so quickly,” he told the Guardian on Thursday ahead of Friday prayers at Glasgow Central mosque. “Of course I’ve been the victim of hate speech before, but never a physical assault. You hear a lot of stories from down south but the south side of Glasgow is supposed to be a diverse community. It’s obvious that what’s going on [in Paris] is seeping into society and a lot of people are acting on half-truths.”

The 26-year-old actor and comedian said those of his generation struggle as the first to be fully integrated into western society, while still being expected to shoulder responsibility within their own community. “When you are at an age when you are trying to make a choice about your identity, it is even more difficult when you are western, Scottish, Muslim, and how do you cater to all of those?”

Describing the months since the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January as a “dark and emotional time”, he added: “As a Muslim you are expected to have this calm equilibrium, but especially when you are pushed time and time again sometimes you do want to give [the racists] what they want and explode.The older generation don’t always see these tensions.”

The Guardian