Stockholm: Tougher rules against skipping swimming, sex-ed classes Via SR : From Thursday Stockholm’s city authority is bringing in tougher rules, designed to stop parents keeping their children out of some classes. Now only the head teacher can decide to allow a pupil to skip a subject such as sex education
Sweden: ‘Islam is like Nazism’ says Immigration ministry worker Via The Local : A civil servant working under Integration Minister Nyamko Sabuni will be assigned new duties after writing a blog saying that there are no good adherents of Islam and comparing the religion to Communism or Nazism. The man, a non-political appointee, shared his opinion on Islam on his blog in September 2008 when he commented on an article by writer Lena Andersson in which she warned against the “religious terrorism” directed at artists, writers and journalists
Basel: Parents fined for missed swimming lessons Via SwissInfo : Several Muslim families have been fined for keeping their children out of mandatory school swimming lessons, the first time such a punishment has been handed down. Education authorities in canton Basel-City said on Thursday that seven children from five families had missed the lessons
UK: Surge in tax-funded ‘virginity repair’ operations Via Daily Mail : An increasing number of women are having controversial ‘virginity repair’ operations on the NHS before they get married. In the last five years, 116 hymen repair operations have been undertaken at the tax payer’s expense.
France: The threats facing Jews A few months ago I wrote an opinion article about the threats to Jews and Judaism in Europe today.
Austria: Cracking down on benefits abuse by asylum seekers Via Deutsche Welle : Austria is cracking down on illegal immigrants and asylum seekers thought to be illegally claiming benefits. Interior Minister Maria Fekter says 500 police officers will be given the task of tracking down those accused of ripping off the state. The officers are also to receive special training in dealing with foreigners and are to conduct nighttime raids on refugee centers and buildings housing asylum seekers
EU: Islam in Europe now has strong local leadership Via The National : There are major changes underway for Muslims in Europe. They go beyond threats to ban the burqa in France or plans to build the largest mosque on the continent in Marseille. They go beyond the Dutch elections last month, which doubled the number of parliamentarians from the anti-Islam Freedom Party
Denmark: DPP demands 28-year-rule The Danish People’s Party wants to raise the marriage immigration age to 28. At the same time, the party suggests excluding Westerners (DA) from the new requirements. Kristian Thulesen Dahl of the DPP explained that this is already the case for such things as visa requirements.
UK: EDL members arrested in mosque bomb plot Via Daily Mail : Seven men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to blow up a Bournemouth mosque. The men, six of whom are members of the England Defence League, were taken to Poole and Southampton police stations for questioning before being released without charge
UK: Prison apologizes for serving pork meat Via BBC (h/t Al-Kanz ): A prison governor has apologised to Muslim inmates after they were served non-halal burgers. A number of Muslim inmates at HMP Ford, an open prison in West Sussex, are claiming they were served pork burgers by prison staff on Saturday evening