Burkini

Burkinis should be allowed in public pools, non-discrimination ombudsman says The ombudsman said banning the swimsuits is gender- and religion-based discrimination.

(Yle) Kirsi Pimiä, the non-discrimination ombudsman, has recommended that Finland’s public swimming pools should permit the use of burkinis, the body-covering bathing suits sometimes used by Muslim women. Pimiä said she became aware of cases of burkini-wearing women having been turned away […]

Crime

More Germans applying for alarm gun licenses More and more Germans are acquiring the permit they need to carry a gas pistol, a newspaper has reported. The number has more than doubled in the last five years.

(Deutsche Welle) Some 640,000 Germans now have an alarm gun license, some 30,000 more than at the end of last year, according to research by the Rheinische Post newspaper. The number has risen hugely since 2014, when some 260,000 people carried such a license. […]

Academics & Education

Helsinki preps schools, NGOs to spot FGM, forced marriage trips A working group survey revealed that at least 10 children had 'disappeared' from Helsinki primary schools in 2017.

(Yle) The city of Helsinki has announced a programme to help schools and children’s NGOs better recognise situations where planned trips by migrant-background families might endanger children’s safety. According to a report by tabloid daily Ilta-Sanomat, the guidelines will advise adults working […]

Children & Teens

Syrian Kurds hand over four ‘Islamic State’ children to Germany Kurdish authorities in Syria have handed over four children to Germany who had parents that were 'Islamic State' fighters. Many EU countries are grappling with how to handle returning foreign fighters and their families.

(Deutsche Welle) The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeastern Syria on Monday handed to Germany four children whose parents were part of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) terror outfit, Kurdish sources and a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday. There […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s Seehofer warns refugees who take Syria vacations Refugees who return to Syria for holidays might lose their refugee status in Germany, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told the Bild newspaper. Some newcomers simultaneously claim to be fleeing persecution there.

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced a tough response to Syrian refugees who leave Germany for holidays in their home country. “If somebody, a Syrian refugee, regularly takes holidays in Syria, he cannot honestly claim to be persecuted in Syria,” Seehofer told […]

Government & Politics

After Israel allows West Bank visit to grandmother, Tlaib says she’s not going Legislator cites ‘humiliating’ terms for family trip, which she’d requested after being denied formal visit with Omar; she’d been blasted by Palestinians for ‘surrender’ to Israel

(Times of Israel) Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib changed her mind Friday on visiting the West Bank, hours after Israel said it would allow her to visit relatives in the Palestinian territory on humanitarian grounds. The about-face was the latest in a series […]

Government & Politics

In climbdown, Israel says Tlaib can enter to visit her Palestinian family Congresswoman to be allowed into the country after she vows to respect ‘any restrictions,’ refrain from promoting a boycott during her stay

(Times of Israel) Interior Minister Aryeh Deri on Friday said he would allow Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, whom Israel barred from visiting the country a day earlier along with her colleague Ilhan Omar, to enter Israel on humanitarian grounds. The decision came […]

Government & Politics

Israel announces US lawmakers Omar and Tlaib will not be allowed to visit Move comes after Trump tweeted that letting them in would ‘show great weakness’; ministry would consider allowing in Tlaib to visit West Bank relatives on humanitarian grounds

(Times of Israel) Israel’s Interior Minister Aryeh Deri announced on Thursday that Israel has decided to deny entry to two US congresswomen, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, over their support for boycotting the Jewish state. The two had been expected to travel […]

Government & Politics

Israel said bracing for likely Omar, Tlaib visit to flashpoint Temple Mount During secret meeting of National Security Council, senior officials agree to allow congresswomen onto holy site, but not accompanied by PA officials

(Times of Israel) Israeli officials are preparing for the likelihood that US congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib may seek to visit the flashpoint Temple Mount in Jerusalem during their upcoming visit to the country, Channel 13 reported Wednesday. The timing of […]

Government & Politics

‘Crazy’ to consider releasing man who named Revelstoke dam as ISIS target into nearby community: mayor Othman Ayad Hamdan must meet a long list of conditions before being released into Enderby, in B.C.'s Okanagan

(CBC) Othman Ayed Hamdan named the Revelstoke Dam in B.C. as a potential target in a series of online posts praising ISIS and cheering on lone wolf attacks. Now, he may be released into nearby Enderby while he awaits deportation from Canada, […]