The municipal authorities in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Province in western China, are planning to ban the burqa. City leaders see the garment as a symbol of religious extremism.

In other news, the editor of the Jakarta Post is facing a possible blasphemy charge for allowing the publication of a satirical cartoon that criticized the Islamic State.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Fjordman, Insubria, K, Papa Whiskey, RR, Vlad Tepes, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

Greek Shares Slide on Syriza Election Fears

Greek shares slid in value for the third day in a row Thursday amid fears of a snap election that could bring the left-wing, anti-bailout Syriza party into power, the BBC says. Shares fell by 7.5% after near-10% drops Tuesday and Wednesday.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Italy: ECB Approves Capital Plans by MPS, Carige

Two institutions given nine months to implement

(ANSA) — Rome, December 12 — Supervisors at the European Central Bank on Friday approved plans by troubled Italian lender Monte Paschi di Siena (MPS) and mid-sized Italian banker Banca Carige to make up capital shortfalls.

The two banks had been singled out in late October by the ECB for capital shortfalls following extensive stress tests by the central bank.

The banks have up to nine months to fully implement their capital plans.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Black Officers Torn Between Duty and Race

With the nation roiled by two grand juries’ recent decisions not to indict white police officers in the deaths of unarmed black men, some black officers say that as they enforce the law, they also wonder whether the system they’re sworn to uphold is stacked against black men.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



College President Sorry for Saying ‘All Lives Matter’

The president of prestigious Smith College is red-faced and apologetic Tuesday for telling students on the Northampton, Mass., campus that “all lives matter.”

Protesters have adopted several slogans in connection with the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, including “Black Lives Matter.” McCartney’s more inclusive version of the refrain was seen as an affront that diminished the focus on black lives and racism, according to emails obtained by FoxNews.com.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Historic Apple 1 Computer Sold at Auction

A fully operational Apple 1 computer has been sold at auction for $365,000 (£230,000).

It is the only machine known to have been personally sold by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, from a garage in California in 1976.

Fewer than 50 Apple 1 computers are now believed to be in existence.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Presidential Appointment: Fatima Noor

The University of Memphis’ Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program graduate Fatima Noor has been appointed special assistant in the Office of the Director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Tennessee Cop Stops Man With Dead Child in Trunk, Then Lets Him Go

Law enforcement officials in a Tennessee town are on high alert looking for a car possibly containing a dead child in it. According to police, one man admitted that his dead son was in the trunk and he wanted to bury him according to Muslim tradition.

A Millersville police officer pulled over the Saudi driver on Wednesday for a registered violation. When the driver presented his license, he admitted that his dead son was in the truck, though he wouldn’t let the officer see the child. The officer then let the driver go and reported the event to his superiors.

“The new officer didn’t want to interfere with the Muslim burial ceremony,” Millersville Police Chief David Hindman said. “Didn’t want to cause a scene in the midst of a mourning.”

Although Hindman said he would have handled the situation differently, he doesn’t fault the policeman. Hindman also noted that he would have checked the trunk for signs of abuse or foul play.

Mosques in Nashville, Cool Springs and Murfreesboro are now on alert for a late model blue Dodge Charger with temporary tags. Although the driver wasn’t doing anything illegal, and Hindman even contacted a Muslim faith expert who confirmed the validity of the burial ceremony, the police chief said he’d like to see a coroner or police report regarding the child’s death…

‘Star Trek’ Suds: Canadian Company Boldly Brews a Klingon Ale

A new “Star Trek”-themed beer warped into stores in Canada in November, and it’s making a splash.

A Klingon ale concept made it big last month after a Canadian brewery heard that it had approval from “Star Trek” creators to make the beer. A company in Vulcan, Alberta, collaborated with Nova Scotia’s Garrison Brewing to create the Klingon Warnog Roggen Dunkel Ale in time for a comic convention in Halifax in November.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Airbus Shares Fall Over A380 Threat

Shares in French aviation firm Airbus fell as much as 4.5% on Thursday after it said it might halt production of its A380 superjumbo in 2018.

The aircraft manufacturer added it expected profits would be flat in 2016.

Airbus shares fell 10.4% to €43.20 (£34.32)on Wednesday, marking their worst one-day fall for six years and wiping €3.9bn off the company’s value.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Are the Super Jumbo’s Days Numbered?

Could Airbus drop its Super Jumbo jet after just 10 years in production?

Boeing (BA)’s European rival faces a crunch decision on whether to upgrade the A380 or pull the plug.

Airbus (EADSF) has failed to sign up any new airlines for the twin-deck plane this year.

“The group will face a decision over the near to midterm on the future of the A380,” Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders told investors.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Belgium: Absence of British Royals Triggers Controversy

There was not a single member of the British monarchy to be seen at Queen Fabiola’s funeral on Friday morning. The absence contrasted sharply with the presence of many other members of royal families from across the globe. This triggered angry and disappointed reactions on social media in the UK.

We called the British embassy in Brussels to find out more. They cited “long-standing commitments”. The embassy added that the British ambsassador to Belgium, Jonathan Brenton, attended the ceremony. As a rule, the British royal family only attends a royal funeral abroad if it concerns a reigning monarch (or his/her wife or husband), or if there is a strong family link. This was not the case with Fabiola.

Commitments or no commitments, the British should have made sure to send at least one representative from their royal family, it could be read on social media. Apparently, many British can’t understand why nobody from their royal family was there.

“Thailand, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco… far-away countries that all sent a representative. It’s a real shame Britain didn’t send anyone”, Patricia wrote on the Daily Mail website.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Cow-Cams From Switzerland

Swiss farmer Christoph Sigrist wanted to find out what his cows were up out in the mountains, so he attached a small camera to a bell around one of their necks and has now released a photo-book of 7 years worth of humorous and picturesque cow activities.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Denmark Sees ‘Significant’ Threat From Returning Islamist Militants

Denmark faces a “significant” threat from radicalised Muslim citizens returning home from Syria and Iraq where at least 110 people have gone to fight with Islamist militant groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Danish intelligence service (PET) said on Friday.

It said at least 16 of those who had gone to Syria and Iraq from Denmark had been killed in fighting and that about half of the more than 100 who had travelled there had since come home.

Denmark is among a range of Western European countries struggling to stop the radicalisation of young Muslim citizens and deter them from becoming militants in Syria or Iraq, fearing they might return to plot attacks on home soil.

In addition, Denmark has sent seven F-16 fighter jets to Iraq as part of the U.S. coalition now conducting air strikes on ISIS, raising fear of reprisals at home.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Finnish Intelligence: Most Who Leave to Join ISIS Are Finns

Half of the Isis recruits have lived their whole lives in Finland while two thirds hold Finnish citizenship, security officials said on Thursday.

The Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) says that more than 50 people have left Finland to join the extremist group known as Islamic State or Isis, mostly in Syria. The security police estimate that two thirds of them are Finnish citizens. Supo says that the phenomenon peaked a year ago, but that there are no signs that the flow of individuals is drying up.

At a Finnish Defence Forces intelligence seminar in Helsinki on Thursday, Supo officials said the flow began two years ago and has led to a raised terrorism threat in Finland since last summer.

About 20 Isis members have returned to Finland, they said.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Germany’s New Far-Right Populists Rail Against Islam

They march in their thousands every Monday evening, wave German national flags and angrily protest against “criminal asylum seekers” and the “Islamisation” of their home country.

In recent months, Germany has witnessed the emergence of a far-right populist movement that has drawn support from hardcore neo-Nazis and also a small but growing anti-euro party, the AfD.

Germany was rattled this week when the latest in a series of marches in the eastern city of Dresden by the “Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the Occident”, or PEGIDA, drew over 10,000 people.

The group’s name is in itself “a veritable call to arms by far-right populists”, evoking echoes of Christian crusaders and Nazi propaganda, said Hajo Funke of Berlin’s Free University…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Germany Concerned at Lack of Support for US Trade Deal

German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt said while visiting Washington EU-US trade talks should be more transparent to win public support. “Trust of the citizens is essential to make this important agreement happen,” he said, AFP reports. The US shares German concerns the trade deal has an image problem in Europe.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Germany Calls for Transparency on US-EU Trade Deal

Germany called Thursday for more transparency in negotiations for a sweeping trade pact between the European Union and the United States after complaints that the controversial talks are too secretive.

“The trust of the citizens is essential to make this important agreement happen,” German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt said after discussing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) pact with officials in Washington.

The proposed TTIP “gives us big economic, regulatory and geostrategic possibilities — but only if the citizens understand what it is about,” he said.

During his two-day visit, Schmidt met his US counterpart Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Michael Froman.

Begun in July 2013, the US-EU TTIP negotiations are aimed at creating the world’s biggest free-trade and investment agreement.

Both sides see it as a means to bolster an already strong relationship while boosting economic growth and creating jobs.

But the ambitious proposal has raised an array of concerns among citizens and politicians on both sides, including over aggressive deregulation, notably in the agriculture sector, and potentially weaker consumer protections.

On Tuesday, campaigners handed the EU a petition signed by more than 1.1 million people against the planned deal.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Italy: Union Leaders Say More Than 60% of Members Protested

‘Extraordinary day’ of change, says labour groups

(ANSA) — Rome, December 12 — Leaders of the CGIL and UIL national trade union federations said that more than 60% of members turned out for Friday’s general strike across Italy, adding that translated into about 1.5 million protestors in 54 events.

Union leaders said they felt “strong satisfaction” with the turnout, and in a statement called it “an extraordinary day” that will lead to change.

The unions were protesting changes to the government’s 1970 labour law affecting job security.

Across the country, the strike and rallies against the government caused massive disruption, with public transport services badly affected.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Italy: Giannini and Di Marco Leave Gucci

Marco Bizzarri new CEO as creative forces leave fashion house

(ANSA) — Rome, December 12 — Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini and Chief Executive Officer Patrizio Di Marco will leave the Italian fashion house after Milan Fashion Week in February 2015, Gucci’s parent company Kering announced Friday.

It added that Marco Bizzarri, currently head of luxury couture and leather goods, will take over as new CEO.

Giannini’s replacement has not yet been named.

In a statement, Kering Chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault thanked Giannini for “her extraordinary passion, dedication and contribution to the Gucci brand.

“She has been the sole creative director of Gucci for close to a decade,” he said.

Giannini joined Gucci in 2002 as head of design for leather goods and was appointed creative director in 2006.

Di Marco, Giannini’s husband, joined Kering as Bottega Veneta CEO in 2001 and helmed Gucci for six years.

Di Marco’s “strategic vision, passion, dedication and charisma were key to bring Gucci where it is today”, Pinault said.

As CEO, Bizzarri will be expected to increase international growth for the fashion house.

Gucci sales were down 3.5% in the first three quarters of this year, compared growth at other Kering brands including 12% at Bottega Veneta and 26% at Yves Saint Laurent.

“This leadership transition will not result in any change in the organization of Kering luxury activities”, Kering said.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Mela Tha Cat From Syria to Get Asylum in Sweden

A woman in Sweden who fled war-torn Syria with her cat in a boat to Sicily is to be reunited with her long lost pet which got entangled in red-tape in quarantine.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Pope Declines Dalai Lama Meeting in Rome

Pope Francis will not meet the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama because of the “delicate situation” with China, the Vatican says.

The Dalai Lama, who is visiting Rome, had requested a meeting.

A Vatican spokesman said that although the Pope held him “in very high regard”, the request had been declined “for obvious reasons”.

Correspondents say the Vatican does not want to jeopardise efforts to improve relations with China.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Spain: Madrid Mosque Was Used to Recruit Combatants for Syria and Iraq

Madrid’s largest mosque was functioning as a Jihadist recruitment center led by a former Guantánamo prisoner, it has emerged.

Lahcen Ikassrien, 47, a Moroccan national who was arrested in Afghanistan in 2001 and released after nearly four years in Guantánamo, was using the cafeteria at the Mezquita de la M-30 (named after the adjacent ring road) to recruit and indoctrinate new combatants for the fronts in Iraq and Syria, according to a High Court investigation.

Ikassrien is one of several people who were arrested in June in a raid against an international network that recruited jihadists for the terrorist organization Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has links to Al Qaeda.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



‘Super-Earth’ Alien Planet Spotted by Ground-Based Telescope, a First

Finding Earthlike planets beyond our solar system has largely been the work of space-based telescopes, but new observations from a remote island suggest that could change.

The Nordic Optical Telescope on La Palma — one of the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa — observed 55 Cancri e, a planet twice the size of Earth, as it passed in front of its parent star and caused a dip in the star’s brightness, according to a new study. This is the first time a planet in this “super-Earth” size category orbiting a sunlike star has been observed by a ground-based telescope using this detection method, the researchers say.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Sweden: Is Lucia Going Out of Fashion?

For decades, the Stockholm suburb of Lidingö has celebrated Lucia. But this year, they have to cancel due to lack of interest. Has the age-old tradition become out-dated?

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Sweden: Big Increase in Beggars Sleeping Rough in Stockholm

The number of beggars from EU countries sleeping rough on the streets of Stockholm has exploded and more are on the way despite the winter cold.

According to Stockholm City’s EU social services investigative team there are around 1500 — 2000 poor homeless EU Citizens in Stockholm. Most are Roma from Romania.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



UK: Mohammed Rafiq, 80, Guilty of Acid Revenge Attack on Teenage Ex

An 80-year-old man has been convicted of masterminding an acid revenge attack on his teenage ex-lover.

Mohammed Rafiq had denied inflicting grievous bodily harm on Vikki Horsman, 20, who was left scarred by the attack in April, when she was still aged 19.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Rafiq had denied arranging the attack in retaliation for Ms Horsman ending the pair’s relationship early this year.

Rafiq, of Cheshire Road, Smethwick, will be sentenced on 19 December.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Mediterranean, Arlem Focus on Macro-Regions and Immigration

(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELLS, DEC 12 — The two main themes of the plenary Assembly of local and regional authorities of the Mediterranean (Arlem) scheduled on December 14 and 15 in Antalya, Turkey, will be new macro-regional strategies in the Mediterranean and a bigger say for local authorities in the management of immigration phenomena.

The meeting will represent an important opportunity to debate the issues for dozens of mayors, governors and local authorities from the three flanks of the Mediterranean, with the goal of strenghtening cooperation in order to meet common challanges such as the immigration one. According to Arlem, the operative regional arm of the Mediterranean Union, the phenomenon must be addressed by recognising the “key role” played by local authorities which must be more involved both in setting out strategies and policies at the national and international level and also by providing them with the financial cover essential to meet their obligations both in terms of reception and integration . Arlem called for a widening of the dialogue on these issues between the 43 partecipating countries in order to find “common solutions” and the chance to “develop a Euro-Mediterranean migration policy” .

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Palestinians Flee Hamas, Ask Israel to Imprison Them

by Khaled Abu Toameh

Not only is Hamas unwilling to accept any kind of responsibility, but it continues to hold everyone but itself responsible for the tragic situation n the Gaza Strip.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Portuguese Parliament Votes to Recognize Palestine

‘Recommendation’ to gov’t, majority and opposition agree

(ANSAmed) — ROME, DECEMBER 12 — The Portuguese parliament voted on Friday to support a recognition of Palestine as an “independent and sovereign state” by the government. The motion, reports the news agency LUSA, was presented by the center-right majority alongside the main opposition party, the socialists.

— Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]



Terrorist Throws Acid on Family in West Bank; Seven Wounded

Family, bystanders wounded near Jerusalem after Palestinian throws acid at them; terrorist shot after attempting to flee scene, seriously wounded.

A terrorist threw acid on seven Israelis in the West Bank on Friday, including a mother with her three young daughters and her niece. Two other pedestrians were wounded in the attack. The Palestinian suspect then chased another Israeli with a screwdriver and was shot by an armed passerby.

IDF and border guard forces subdued the terrorist, who was transferred to Shin Bet custody for interrogation. Palestinian sources said the man was from the village of Nahalin, near Bethlehem…

Finances of Jihad: How Extremist Groups Raise Money

Twelve months ago, the group now known as Islamic State (IS) was little recognised on the international stage beyond those inspired to travel and join the group as fighters or those in the security and academic worlds monitoring developments in Syria and Iraq.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



French Islamic Charity Accused of Funding Terrorists

A French Islamic charity has been accused of raising funds for jihadist groups in Syria, in a case that is worrying other Muslim NGOs who fear being branded as supporting terrorists.

Perle d’Espoir (which means Pearl of Hope) advertises itself as a humanitarian charity. It was set up in Paris in 2012 to provide medical and food aid to the war-torn Syrian population.

The NGO is currently under investigation for allegedly giving financial and material support to terrorist groups…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Iran Suspends Sealing of Turkish Trucks’ Fuel Tanks

Ankara has accepted Iran’s offer to suspend the sealing of fuel tanks on Turkish trucks for a limited period of time, Turkey’s transport minister said late on Dec. 9.

“More than 1,000 trucks had formed a queue almost 12 kilometers long at the Turkey-Iran border. But their entrance to Iran will be accelerated thanks to this decision. I hope the truck line will be cleared in a couple of days,” Minister Lütfi Elvan said.

Tehran has required Turkish trucks to seal their fuel tanks when they are in Iran after a row between the two countries over the passage fee at the border…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



ISIS Says Child Rape is Justified, Child Under 9 Costs $166

The Islamic State militant group (ISIS/ISIL) has released a guide to the capture, punishment and rape of female non-believers. It outlines how to use them as their sex slaves and also justifies child rape, RT reports.

The guide appears in the form of questions and answers about how to capture and subjugate woman of other beliefs.

The sickening list appears to have been printed on December 3 by ISIS in-house publishers for their”Research and Fatwa Department”…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



ISIS: Enslaving: Having Sex With ‘Unbelieving’ Women, Girls is OK

Can you take non-Muslim women and children captive? Yes, says ISIS.

Can you have sex with them, even prepubescent girls? Yes, according to the Islamist extremist group.

Can you sell them or give them as gifts to others? The answer is yes, once again.

People in Mosul — the Iraqi city now under control of the group calling itself the Islamic State — got these and other messages loud and clear after sunset prayers Friday, when armed men handed out a color-printed pamphlet “Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves,” three residents told CNN.

[At the very bottom of this piece is the obligatory BS from an American Muslim academic about this is “an affront to right-thinking Muslims everywhere and a criminal perversion of Islamic law, particularly its primary source, the glorious Quran.” The source is one Bernard Freamon, a law-school prof at Seton Hall University, who in the days of the Danish Cartoon Jihad opined that “Muslims are … very right to vigorously condemn the publication of the cartoons and to seek to punish the editors through the criminal law process.” — PW]

Kidnap for Ransom by Extremist Groups Extracts High Price

The UN says it is a growing problem, estimating that around $120m (£77m; 98m euros) in ransom payments was paid to terrorist groups between 2004 and 2012.

This includes as much as $45m accumulated in the last year alone by the group calling itself Islamic State.

It’s not hard to find references to the value of kidnap and ransom on jihadi websites. In a series of video lectures, a senior al-Qaeda figure gives detailed advice on who to kidnap: seize the nationals of the rich countries of Western Europe, he says.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Kuwait: Lion Kills Filipina Maid in Kuwait

A Filipina maid was attacked, bitten and parts of her eaten by a lion kept at home by a citizen, who was taken in for questioning. The woman was reportedly attacked a few days earlier by the wild animal, illegally kept as a pet, and was taken to the hospital. She was treated and released, but later died as a result of her injuries. Another person, thought to be the driver of the household, was feeding the lion when it reportedly escaped and attacked the maid. The lion was among several wild animals at the house, said security sources, adding that the man was refusing to hand over the animals to the zoo. Keeping wild animals including lions, tiger cubs, cheetahs and other exotic pets has grown in popularity in Kuwait and is often used by young men as a tool for ‘flirting’. There have been numerous reports of sightings of lions or other dangerous wild cats in Kuwaiti residential areas within the last year

— Hat tip: RR [Return to headlines]



Suicide Attempt Highlights Plight of Lebanese Migrant Workers

The video of an Ethiopian domestic worker attempting suicide on Nov. 10 by jumping off the fourth floor of her building in Beirut shocked the country. It once again brought Lebanon’s much-criticized sponsorship system — kafala, in Arabic, which controls the way domestic workers live — into the spotlight.

Summary An Ethiopian domestic worker survived a four-story plunge, but her case once again highlights Lebanon’s poor track record in its treatment of migrant workers.

The young woman was identified as Barcotan Dupree on Ethiopian news websites. Subsequent interviews released on Ethiopian social media (translated for Al-Monitor by a domestic worker who prefers to remain anonymous) reveal that Dupree had been beaten by her sponsor on several occasions. We also discovered that she once escaped from her sponsor’s house, but returned because she had “nowhere else to stay.” She’s now being cared for at the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Turkey’s Ford Otosan Signs Production Deal in Russia

Turkish automaker Ford Otosan, owned by Koç Holding and the Ford Group, signed a deal on Dec. 9 with Kaliningrad-based Avtotor Holding for the production of trucks and tow trucks in Russia.

The vehicles produced in Kaliningrad would be sold in the Russian market, with first production set to start at the end of December.

Ford Otosan aims to sell its products to Russian state-run companies, such as Gazprom, which prefer Russian-made trucks, and to overcome the 10 percent import tax, which is demanded by Russian authorities for vehicles produced abroad…

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Why Does the Niqab Scare the Public?

By Muna Al-Fuzai

There are many people who don’t feel comfortable being around ladies who wear niqabs. They don’t feel safe to communicate with anyone whose faces they can’t see and are covered in black from top to toe.

They are right and I don’t blame them. Now, more than ever, the niqab is attracting scrutiny and public attention. It is becoming fishy and scary not only in Western countries, but even ours.

A niqab is a type of veil that covers the entire face and hair, but sometimes it leaves the eyes uncovered. In some cases, it also covers the eyes as well.

Can you recognize someone when they are in complete darkness and cover their faces? Of course not! I have my personal opinion that if a woman is conservative and religious and doesn’t want to be exposed to men, it would be better for her to stay at home. She shouldn’t drive or work in a place where she is forced to interact with men.

No one would bother to say a thing about it — it is her personal freedom, but when she goes out to the streets, malls and workplaces, then she must be treated like everyone else. Women in niqab must respect the laws and laws don’t have to be tailored to respect their choice. So far, I have not seen many of them doing that.

When I go to a restroom in a mall for example, I always avoid those who cover their faces because there is no way I can be absolutely sure that this person in black is a woman or a man.

The same when I need to take the lift. I don’t have to apologize for this. It is not my mission to check if the person behind the niqab is a male or female or if they are trustworthy or not. I take the short cut and simply don’t deal with them. We have a real security problem and authorities must make it easy to identify anyone who could be a suspect. The public is entitled to be safe and worried about their safety.

The problem here is that supporters of niqab think the world must obey their choice, and when they read such criticism, they take it personally and hate to see anyone say otherwise. The truth of the matter is that the niqab is an argumentative and debatable subject matter even among Muslims themselves.

Besides, not wearing the niqab doesn’t make others non-Muslims. National security is important and those who wear the niqab should not receive an exception because of their choice, at least if they care about everyone’s safety and security.

So Muslims travelling or living in Western societies should not oppose or deny the right of these societies to make any law or how they get treated by others, and should not blame anyone. Here in Kuwait, in most malls there is a female worker in the restroom, and I think she must check the ladies who cover their faces to confirm they are really women or not.

Public safety and security is not a joke and should not been taken casually.

— Hat tip: RR [Return to headlines]



Abromavichus: Ukraine is ‘In Fact Bankrupt’

Ukraine is ‘in fact bankrupt’ says the new Minister of Economic Development and Trade Aivaras Abromavichus. He advises that the government shouldn’t interfere in how businesses are run if it wants to get the economy out of trouble.

“Businessmen ask for one thing — they do not ask the government for help, they ask it not to interfere,” Abromavichus said at an economic policy committee meeting Wednesday as quoted by RBC Ukraine.

“By and large, the state is bankrupt, so it’s unreasonable to expect that we will create real, not declarative incentive programs,” he added saying business has to handle everything itself.

A possible way out of this critical economic situation could come from additional assistance from the IMF.

On Wednesday, The Financial Times reported that the IMF estimated Ukraine needs an additional $15 billion in financial assistance. Extra funding is needed because of a 7 percent fall in the country’s GDP, and a decline in exports to Russia. This has caused an outflow of capital and a reduction in foreign exchange reserves which lost more than 20 percent ($10 billion) in November.

The IMF believes that without the help Kiev will have to cut its budget or go into default on its bond repayments. At the same time the allocation of $15 billion was supported only by a few IMF lenders.

A $17 billion credit line to Ukraine available until 2016 has already been approved by the IMF.

An IMF representative says a decision could be made within a week if all the parties agree terms.

In recent months, the IMF and the EU have provided Ukraine with more than €4 billion. Kiev was promised €30 billion in total.

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Newsweek: Ukraine’s Military Budget Will be Over $3 Billion in 2015

Ukrainian officials plan to increase the military budget to about $3.2 billion for 2015, a 100 percent increase over this year. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted about 5 percent of Ukraine’s gross domestic product will go toward military and security spending. This news comes after Ukraine announced plans for a border wall with Russia costing over half a billion dollars.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Poland Complains About Russian Jets, Bombers

Polish defence minister Tomasz Siemoniak has complained about Russia’s campaign of military jets and bombers simulating attacks on Nato allies in the Baltic region. “We know that the Russians say that their activity is a reaction to Nato actions,” he told Polish TV. “For us, this raises an alarm.”

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Russia to Assemble 400 Choppers a Year in India

New Delhi: Russia on Thursday agreed in principle to assemble around 400 advanced twin engine Kamov helicopters a year in India, in a major move to give a new push to their strategic partnership.

The Kamov Ka-226T, which Russia offered to assemble in India, is a light multi-role helicopter which is used for search-and-rescue operations.

The issue was discussed during the summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has also offered civilian aircraft Sukhoi Superjet-100 and MS-21 aircraft to India.

According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, almost 400 Kamov helicopters a year will be assembled in India. He said Russia may consider producing Mi-17 transport helicopter in India as well.

At a joint media interaction with Putin, Modi said they discussed a broad range of new defence projects and how to align the defence relations to India’s own priorities, including ‘Make in India’.

“I am pleased that Russia has offered to fully manufacture in India one of its most advanced helicopters. It includes the possibility of exports from India. It can be used for both military and civilian use. We will follow up on this quickly,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said Russia has been India’s foremost defence partner through decades and it will remain so.

“Even as India’s options have increased today, Russia will remain our most important defence partner. We have conducted joint exercises across all three wings of the Armed Forces in the last six months,” he said.

Russian officials said an in-principle decision was made on assembling of Russian helicopters in India. “Almost 400 Kamov helicopters a year will be turned out,” Interfax news agency quoted Rogozin as saying.

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Indonesia: Satirical Cartoon on Islamic State, The Director of the Jakarta Post Investigated for Blasphemy

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat is at the center of an investigation and will be heard next week. The cartoon, published in Indonesia last July, allegedly offends the religious sensibility of Muslims. The journalist criticized by extremist movements and moderate Muslim groups.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) — The editor of the Jakarta Post, one of the most important newspapers of Indonesia (the world’s most populous Muslim nation) is likely to end up in the dock on charges of blasphemy. Meidyatama Suryodiningrat is at the center of an investigation and, if found guilty, could be sentenced up to five years in prison. The judiciary has opened an investigation against him following the publication, last July, of a satirical cartoon on the terrorist Islamic State (IS) movement, which is deemed “offensive to Islam”. A complaint was lodged with police officers in Jakarta this morning by the Muslim Preachers Corps, which is based in the capital.

The cartoon, which appeared on page 7 of the issue on 3 July 2014, shows a man — belonging to the Islamist militias — waving a flag depicting the image of a skull and an inscription in Arabic, sacred to Muslims: “There is no god but Allah. “In the background there are other members of the terrorist group.

In the aftermath of the publication protests by more or less extremist pro-Islamic movements flared: from the fundamentalist Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid group, which boasts the terrorist Abu Bakar Baasyir, who is now in jail, amongst its front line members, to the moderate Muslim movement Muhammadiyah, which condemned the cartoon considering it offensive. Its leader, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, explains that the cartoon “strikes at the heart of the Muslim faith” because it recalls the phrase in which Muslims express their total submission to God.

In the following days the newspaper issued an official statement of “sincere apology” which was published on the front page. “The Post — the statement reads — regrets its error of assessment, but had no intention of offending religious sentiment.” The purpose of the cartoon, the paper added, was “to criticize the use of religious symbols (in particular the IS flag) for acts of violence”, especially when they strike “other Muslims.”

The Director will be heard next week in the course of a preliminary injunction; in a statement the newspaper has expressed its “astonishment” for the decision. The Order of Indonesian Journalists has also intervened in the matter calling on the police not to implement Criminal Law in the matter. “It should be evaluated — the Order points out — as a case of violation of the Code of Practice for the press.”

Meanwhile, human rights organizations and activists have launched an appeal to the President of Indonesia, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, calling for the abolition of the blasphemy laws and noting that during the mandate of his predecessor, Yudhoyono, cases “have skyrocketed.”

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Indonesia: Jakarta Post Editor Accused of Blasphemy

The editor of one of Indonesia’s most prominent newspapers has been named as a suspect in a blasphemy case. The editor maintains that the cartoon in question criticized the jihadist group ‘Islamic State,’ not Islam.

The cartoon, which was published on July 3, showed an ‘IS’ flag bearing the inscription “There is no God but Allah,” an Islamic creed, above a skull and crossbones. Following an outcry by Muslim groups, the Post retracted the cartoon and made an official apology for offending Muslims five days later.

A group called the Jakarta Muslim Preachers Corps filed the complaint, saying the Post had violated Indonesia’s blasphemy law.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Malala Weeps at Sight of Bloodied School Uniform

Pakistan’s teen Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai burst into tears Thursday at the sight of the bloodied school uniform she was wearing the day the Taliban shot her.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



The Bravest Woman in Kabul: Mystery Woman Struts in Bare Legs in the City Where Most Women Wear Full-Body Burqas

A woman shocked onlookers in the Afghan capital after walking through the ultra-conservative Muslim city with her bare legs on full show.

The woman, who has not been identified, was pictured striding confidently through the streets of Kabul without the traditional burqa which normally covers the body.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Why Segregated Housing is Thriving in India

Rizwan Kadri runs an architecture firm with three partners, all Hindus, in India’s western city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state.

Son of a revenue official, he grew up in mixed neighbourhoods. In 2002, massive anti-Muslim riots sparked by the burning of a train carrying Hindu pilgrims, left more than 1,000 people dead in Gujarat.

A few months before the riots, Mr Kadri moved out with his wife and son from a mixed neighbourhood where he had lived for 24 years to a Muslim apartment building in Juhapura, one of India’s largest Muslim ghettos, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

A year later, his ageing parents joined them. “The move was prompted by concerns over safety more than anything else,” says Mr Kadri.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



China: Xinjiang Want to Ban Burqa, Could Spark Unrest

The burqa, a garment worn by Muslim woman to cover themselves from head-to-toe, is considered a symbol of religious extremism by the local authorities. Authorities already said they would ban the practice of religion in government workplaces, public schools and state-owned enterprises from next year.

Urumqi (AsiaNews/Agencies) — A proposed burqa ban in the capital city of Xinjiang province could spark further unrest in the troubled region, experts warn.

The Urumqi People’s Congress Standing Committee voted yesterday in favour of banning people from wearing the garment in public, the local news website Tianshan.net reported.

The proposal must now be reviewed by the regional People’s Congress Standing Committee before it is implemented, though the report — later deleted from the site — did not specify when this would happen.

The burqa, a garment worn by Muslim woman to cover themselves from head-to-toe, is considered a symbol of religious extremism by the local authorities.

“Burqas are not a traditional Muslim garment in Xinjiang,” said Jiang Zhaoyong, a Beijing-based expert on ethnic affairs. “The ban has been issued following public security concerns. Some people are wearing it not because of their religion, but to act out their resentments against society.”

Beijing blames religious extremists for a series of attacks that have killed hundreds of people in Xinjiang over the past few years.

Xinjiang launched a “beautifying project” in 2011 to discourage women from covering their faces and wearing the burqa. Several campaigns against producing, selling or wearing the garments have been mounted by county and district-level governments in the province.

Last month, Xinjiang said it would ban the practice of religion in government workplaces, public schools and state-owned enterprises from next year.

The province is one of the most turbulent in all of China. Its Uighur Muslim minority, who number about nine million, have long sought independence from China.

The central government, for its part, has brought in millions of settlers to make Han Chinese the dominant ethnic group.

At the same time, it has severely curtailed Muslim religious worship as well as the teaching of the local language and culture.

Since 2009 Chinese police and the military have held the region under a special regime, which Beijing imposed following clashes that left nearly 200 people dead. As a result of various episodes of violence, hundreds of long prison sentences were imposed and dozens of death penalties were carried out.

Chinese authorities blame Muslim extremists for the wave of violence. Uighur exiles claim instead that Beijing is “exaggerating” the threat of Islamic terrorism to justify repression against indigenous Uighurs.

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Korean Air Chief Apologises for Daughter Heather Cho Over Nut Scandal

The chairman of Korean Air apologised on Friday for an incident involving his daughter who delayed a flight last week because she was unhappy about the way she was served nuts while seated in first class.

Cho Yang Ho said he would have Heather Cho removed from all posts at the company’s affiliates following her resignation as vice-president at the South Korean flag carrier where she was responsible for in-flight service.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



South China Sea: Hanoi and Manila Towards an Appeal to the UN. Beijing Enraged

Following attempts to ease tension and meetings at government level, a new rise in tension between the two communist allies due to disputed sea waters. Beijing says that Hanoi’s claim over the Spratly Islands are “illegal and invalid”. China continues to claim 80% of the 3.5 million square kilometers; and calls for international arbitration to maintain “peace and stability”.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies) — Following a series of attempts at easing the tension and meetings between senior government officials, relations are strained again between Hanoi and Beijing because of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The two nations were already at loggerheads last spring over the placing of an oil rig in the disputed waters. The spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Hong Lei, intervened in the dispute branding Vietnam’s claims over the Spratly Islands as “illegal and invalid,” and adding that “China will never be prepared to accept them.” The communist Chinese Government’s harsh words against its (former) Vietnamese ally comes in response to a formal statement lodged by Hanoi at the UN International Tribunal which has already used the Philippine government to resolve disputes in those waters .

According to the appeal filed by Hanoi to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA, based in The Hague in the Netherlands), the Vietnamese government makes three main claims: that the court has jurisdiction over the case submitted by the Philippines, in contradiction to China’s position; it asks the court to give “due regard” to Vietnam’s legal rights in the Spratleys and Paracels; finally, it strongly rejects the so-called “nine-dash line” used by Beijing to mark large parts of the South China Sea. It would be “without legal basis”.

In a note re-launched by the China’s official Xinhua news agency, Hong Lei reportedly says that “China urges Vietnam to respect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights” and to “maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.” Meanwhile, Beijing once again reiterates its refusal to participate in an arbitration by the International UN Tribunal, which “has no jurisdiction over territorial disputes between countries.”

It has been some time that Vietnam and the Philippines — the first to submit a dispute to the International UN court — have been expressing growing concern about Beijing’s “imperialism”in the South and East China Seas. The Chinese government claims a large chunk of the ocean, including sovereignty of the Spratly and Paracel Islands which are disputed by Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia (almost 85% of the territories).

The United States supports the claims of the South-East Asian nations, repeatedly condemning as “illegal” and “irrational” the so-called “nine-dash line” demarcation used by Beijing to mark its territory, taking in about 80% of the 3.5 million square kilometers of the South China Sea.

This hegemony is strategic nature for the exploitation of oil and natural gas in the seabed, in Asia-Pacific area of high interest; this is where two thirds of the world’s maritime trade takes place and, at a geo-political level, it is amongst the hotspots which could trigger a new planetary war.

— Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]



Church Leaders in Kenya Alarmed by Recent Al-Shabab Attacks on Christians

Church leaders say attacks by Somalia’s al-Shabab militants in Kenya are increasingly taking on an anti-Christian tenor, including targeted executions of non-Muslims.

At a news conference in Nairobi on Wednesday (Dec. 10), the leaders said Muslims must redouble efforts to preach religious tolerance and end youth radicalization.

In what the leaders describe as a dangerous trend, 64 Christians were executed in or near Mandera, a town on the border with Somalia, in the past three weeks. In both incidents, non-Muslims were separated from Muslims.

Last Tuesday (Dec. 2), militants shot 36 quarry workers. The militants asked workers to recite the Shahada, the Muslim profession of faith, and shot those who refused.

On Nov. 22, al-Shabab militants hijacked a bus and killed 28 non-Muslims, 21 of them teachers returning home for Christmas.

“This situation regrettably leads us to conclude these attacks, perpetuated by people claiming to be al-Shabab, are taking a religious angle,” Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala said at the news conference.

— Hat tip: K [Return to headlines]



Sierra Leone Faces Two-Week Ebola Lockdown

A two-week quarantine has begun in an eastern district of Sierra Leone following a hike in Ebola cases. The president has called for a stop to traditional practices which could be spreading the virus.

— Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]



Humans and Birds Share the Same Singing Genes

It’s not just great minds that think alike. Dozens of the genes involved in the vocal learning that underpins human speech are also active in some songbirds. And knowing this suggests that birds could become a standard model for investigating the genetics of speech production — and speech disorders.

The similarities between vocal learning in humans and birds are not just superficial. We know, for instance, that songbirds have specialised vocal learning brain circuits that are similar to those that mediate human speech.

What’s more, a decade ago we learned that FOXP2, a gene known to be involved in human language, is also active in “area X” of the songbird brain — one of the brain regions involved in those specialised vocal learning circuits.