Merkel criticises anti-Islam Pegida movement

German chancellor Angela Merkel is to use her traditional New Year speech to criticise a new anti-Islam movement in Germany.

In her most strongly-worded reaction to the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida), which earlier this month attracted 17,000 supporters in the eastern city of Dresden, Merkel will urge Germans not to heed calls to join the demonstrations.

She says Pegida's leaders have “prejudice, coldness, even hatred in their hearts”.

The ...