Video of French Police brutality sparks outrage

100,000 march against social service cuts

Around 100,000 people took to the streets in cities across Germany on Saturday to demonstrate against cuts in social services, according to the German federation of trade unions, (DGB).

Police counted around 30,000 demonstrators in Nuremberg, at least as many in Stuttgart and more thousands in Erfurt and Dortmund.

They were calling for the provision or maintenance of a raft of social provisions including fair wages, a solidarity-based healthcare system, strong public services, abandonment of the increase in retirement age to 67 and better education.

“People are currently having to bear the consequences of the crisis in the financial markets, with tax increases, job losses and cuts in social services. That has nothing to do with fairness,” said Berthold Huber, national chairman of the IG Metall trade union speaking in Stuttgart.

Fire kills seven at migrants' residence in France

PARIS (Reuters) - At least seven people were killed and more than one hundred injured in a fire at a residence for immigrant workers in the French city of Dijon late Saturday, city authorities said.

The fire began in a dustbin on the ground floor of the nine-storey building, the mayor's office said Sunday.

"The winds were unfavourable, blowing the flames against the wall of the building," an official at the mayor's office said.

Some of the victims suffered smoke inhalation and others were injured trying to escape, with some jumping out of windows. Four were in a critical condition.

The residence, in the Fontaine d'Ouche area of the city, is owned by housing operator Adoma and can accommodate 180 residents. At the time of the fire, 141 people were inside the building. Twenty-one children were among the injured.

Violent clashes in Dublin

WSM condemns police violence against students

WSM has released a press statement condemning the Garda attacks on student protesters in Dublin today during which many students were injured by Garda batons. 

 We say that we need to stand together in this period of attack on our quality of life and futures. What is clear today that like elsewhere around Europe and the rest of the world, police repression will be used by the state to try an make our movements for social justice and equality fearful and less open and effective.

For an account of the protests as they happened with videos see Riot police attack students after they storm Department of Finance in Dublin

2 Years Big Deal. France paralyzed over retirement age rise

Leader's remarks to gathering of university students, academics and young people in Qom

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has said the hegemonic Western powers are the enemy of humanity.

In a meeting with tens of thousands of enthusiastic university students, researchers and academics and young people in Qom on Tuesday, the Leader talked of "disastrous" Western (colonialist) actions during the past 300 years, which have had a catastrophic effect on human society.

He said Western crimes stem from the fact that Western thoughts and Western societies are "far removed" (a very long way away from) divine teachings, divine thoughts and spirituality. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that this reality tells us that Western domineering powers are the enemy of humanity.

Rubbish Piles High in Strike-Hit Marseille

 Refuse collectors in Marseille, south of France, walked out two weeks ago to denounce pension reforms. Hence thousands of tonnes of waste have piled high on the streets of Marseille, raising fears for public health.

Although not on the same scale, another refuse collectors' strike has hit Paris. Workers in the French capital have also downed tools in defence of their jobs and salaries. They are hoping the capital’s role as a tourist destination could work in their favour.

While some are counting the immediate cost of the stoppages, others are focusing on what the long-term damage of this dispute could be to France’s image abroad.

25 Afghans killed in US-led airstrike

US-led forces have targeted a mosque in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, killing at least 25 innocent civilians during the airstrike, Afghan officials say.

According to Press TV, local officials said that the attack was carried out by US-led forces on Monday in Maigan village of Baghran district and added that the casualty figures could increase.

The attack comes a day after a US-led air strike resulted in the death of four more civilians, including an Afghan child, in the central province of Wardak.

'Muslims live under dictatorship in US'

According to Press TV, in less than two weeks, the Human Rights Council will, for the first time ever, assess the human rights status of the United States in a Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

 Activist and Imam of Masjid al-Islam Abdul Alim Musa told Press TV on Monday “We [Muslims] believe that it is our duty, it is our responsibility to stand up to what we call the United States government's 'constitutional dictatorship'.”

Ahead of a review of the US human rights records by the UN Human Rights Council, an African-American Muslim activist, Muslims live under says “dictatorship” in the US.