I was just reading an interview with Rageh Omaar about his idealism and journalism etc on The Guardian and there are some startling things mentioned in there.

For one, there are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world and:

According to research accepted by the US government, it is cheaper to purchase a slave today than it was at the height of the Atlantic slave trade.

The head of the UK border force has been suspended by the Home Office following allegations staff were told to scale down some identity checks.

The official who has been suspended is Brodie Clark, who also sits on the board of the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

The Home Office says it is investigating the allegations and has made no further comment.

Staff working for the UK border force, which is part of the UKBA, are responsible for checking passports.

They also carry out immigration raids

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15601988

Almost half of Britons think children are violent and starting to behave like animals, a Barnardo's survey suggests.

The children's charity says the research suggests society holds a negative view towards children despite the majority being well behaved.

Of the more than 2,000 people questioned by ICM Research, 44% said young people were becoming feral.

Barnado's chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said it was "depressing" so many were ready to give up on children.

The survey revealed that:

49% agreed children are beginning to behave like animals

Almost 47% thought youngsters were angry, violent and abusive

One in four said those who behaved badly were beyond help by the age of 10

Whilst 36% thought children who get into trouble need help, 38% disagreed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-15568442?SThisFB

Pro-Palestinians sail with medicines from Fethiye on mission to 'end Israeli injustice' over Gaza

Two boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists have entered international waters after sailing from Turkey with the aim of breaking Israel's sea blockade of Gaza.

...

If the vessels are not intercepted by the Israeli navy they expect to reach Gaza on Friday.

Read more @ The Guardian

Let’s re-contextualize America’s continuing problems on the porous Aghanistan-Pakistan border, the 2,600 km line established in 1893. Both sides are largely inhabited by ethnic Pashtuns. They are about 60 percent of the population in Afghanistan, slightly more in the opposite Pakistani province.

...

As with terrorists operating across the east-west Pakistan-Afghan frontier, the Mexican cartels are moving north. The violent Mexican cartels operate now in 195 U.S. cities. In September, one carried out an assassination in Texas. More recently the U.S. Justice Department busted an alleged plot by Iran to deploy a Mexican cartel to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

Now let’s imagine that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flew to Mexico City demanding the notoriously divided and allegedly corrupt federal police in Mexico crack down or eliminate Los Zetas, the cartel figured in the Iran-Saudi plot. Imagine she also demanded the Mexicans bring Los Zetas to the negotiating table to discuss a comprehensive plan to end drug violence in North America.

I think we’d be scratching our heads over her likelihood of success.

...

Read more @ Hurriyet Daily News

I can glorify Allah, thank Him, ask of everything from Him but sometimes asking for forgiveness just seems hard.

Sometimes I just feel to dirty and sinful to 'bother'. I know that's an even more reason to turn back and ask for forgiveness but I just feel...I can't.

Other times it just doesn't feel sincere and so I feel it's pointless to ask for forgiveness..."If I'm likely to do it again then, it's meaningless, stupid, an act of hypocrisy"

Again, I know the solution to that - just don't do it again. But that's hard too.

And then there's thing(s) which I've asked forgiveness for and left behind but the reminders (and sometimes 'consequences') come back to haunt me and I feel that sense of dirtyness again, and obviously ask for forgiveness again but after a while I'll probably be reminded again. This makes me feel as though Allah hasn't accepted my forgiveness. Of course I can never know if He has/will but it is said that a sincere regret/plea of forgiveness is accepted and Allah (swt) is Ar-Rahman/Ar-Raheem so inshaAllah He will. I just don't want to feel rubbish, I want to move on 🙁

assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
please download this book about Hajj and Omrah

http://www.islamhouse.com/p/1391

Israel is to expedite the construction of about 2,000 homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in response to the Palestinians' successful bid to join Unesco.

Israel also imposed a temporary halt on the transfer of tax revenues which it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) pending a final decision on whether to impose a long-term freeze. Israel collects about £630m a year in VAT and customs revenues which it passes on to the PA.

Read more @ The Guardian

PS this is NOT the UN accepting Palestine as a state, but Unesco(United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

The US has also witheld all funding of Unesco for recognising Palestine.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif have been found guilty of conspiring to fix parts of last summer's Lord's Test against England.

Butt, 27, and 28-year-old fast bowler Asif plotted to bowl deliberate no-balls in the match as part of a lucrative betting scam.

The pair sat expressionless in the dock as they were convicted at Southwark Crown Court.

They were caught after an undercover reporter recorded UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, boasting of how he could arrange for Pakistan cricketers to rig games for money.

http://m.sky.com/skynews/article/news/16100904

this is thee topic, i wonder who on revvy has time to follow it.

i have to admit i kinda watch it like i'd watch a boa digesting a rat or something, disbelief, disgust and utter wonder.

i didnt know people my age could be so scary and evil and the things they say!! its like its totally normal! there is a serious problem when 16/17 years old start saying "i dont care how many friends i got, its all about gettig to the top/getting the money" Even though i like Harry H right now. he's really cool.

and all those aggressive stuff they say. just scary.