Christians

Finland reverses quota refugee policy, accepts half from Muslim-majority countries Finnish media previously reported that the Interior Ministry planned to favour refugees from Christian-majority nations over Muslim-majority countries.

(Yle) Finland will take in 500 quota refugees next year as part of the UNHCR’s resettlement programme, the Interior Ministry confirmed in a press statement released on Thursday. The statement also revealed the allocation of the quota, meaning which refugee groups will […]

Government & Politics

Sebastian Gorka to be Trump’s counter-terrorism chief with controversial views on Islam The staunchly pro-Israel defender of the Muslim ban is set to return to the White House without Senate confirmation

(National-UAE) President-elect Donald Trump has picked Sebastian Gorka, a staunch defender of his so-called Muslim ban who has said there is [no] such thing as Palestine, to be his counter-terrorism chief at the National Security Council. Mr Trump called Mr Gorka “a […]

Crime

Hamas official banished from Milan Mohammad Hannoun, designated recently by the US for transferring millions to Hamas through his ‘sham charity’ organization ABSPP, was banished by the city police on grounds of incitement to violence.

(Jerusalem Post) Authorities in the city of Milan issued an expulsion order against Mohammad Hannoun, a designated Hamas official who is blacklisted by the US and Israel. The order was issued following comments he made during a pro-Palestinian protest, in which he […]

Government & Politics

Arab Americans who backed Trump disappointed by pro-Israel picks for cabinet and senior roles President-elect has nominated loyalists and pro-Israel candidates to key positions in charge of foreign policy

(National-UAE) During his campaign, Donald Trump reached out to Arab Americans with promises that he would bring about peace in the Middle East — but to the chagrin of many in the community, recent nominations to top foreign policy posts have included […]

Christians

Ombudsman warns Finland’s quota refugee plan would be discriminatory The Interior Ministry instructed officials to prepare the quota refugee plan in a way that conflicts with the Finnish Constitution as well as laws on discrimination, according to the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman.

(Yle) The Interior Ministry’s quota refugee plans for next year — which are currently being prepared — are likely discriminatory on religious grounds, the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman office has warned. Last month, Finnish media reported that Finns Party ministers want to reduce the […]

Government & Politics

UN official withdraws from Montreal conference featuring Canadian leader of Samidoun terror group An updated list of individuals participating in the inaugural 'Coordinating Council 4 Palestine' conference has removed Albanese's name as the keynote speaker on Saturday evening

(National Post) United Nations special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese has withdrawn from a Montreal conference featuring Charlotte Kates, the founder of Samidoun, a designated terror group. An updated list of individuals participating in the inaugural “Coordinating Council 4 Palestine” […]

Government & Politics

Controversial UN official to speak at Montreal event featuring leader of designated terror group Charlotte Kates is on a panel at the 'Coordinating Council 4 Palestine' conference and Francesca Albanese will give the concluding keynote address

(National Post) Francesca Albanese, the embattled United Nations special rapporteur overseeing the Palestinian territories, is set to headline a Montreal event featuring Charlotte Kates, a leader of Samidoun, a designated terror group. The inaugural “Coordinating Council 4 Palestine” conference will be held on […]

Clothing

UN experts urge France to reverse hijab bans in sports, calling it ‘discriminatory’ 'Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab must have equal rights to participate in cultural and sporting life, and to take part in all aspects of French society of which they are a part,' they say

(Anadolu) UN experts on Monday called on France to reverse “discriminatory measures” banning women and girls who choose to wear the hijab from doing so while playing sports. The experts said in a statement that the decisions by the French football and […]

Government & Politics

‘Don’t blame us, blame yourself’: Furious at Harris, Arab Americans in Michigan face a hard choice Some Arab Americans see Biden and Harris as complicit in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon.

(Politico) Kamala Harris’ campaign is facing deep skepticism from Arab American voters in Michigan, many of whom are appalled by President Joe Biden’s handling of the war in the Middle East and remain undecided about whether to back a candidate who supports […]

News: Europe

Ex-MI6 boss warns UK may face more Islamist extremism due to Middle East unrest Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, architect of the 7 October attack, was killed by Israeli forces after a chance encounter this week.

(Sky News) Islamist terrorism may get a “further boost” from recent unrest in the Middle East, including the killing of the leader of Hamas, a former head of MI6 has warned. Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the 7 October attack, was killed […]

Government & Politics

They praised Hamas and defended 9/11. Now they’re headlining taxpayer-funded group’s ‘Arab health’ summit Biden-Harris admin has given $24 million to anti-Israel group

(Free Beacon) A nonprofit in Dearborn, Mich., that has received $24 million in taxpayer funds under the Biden-Harris administration will host dozens of physicians, government officials, and activists at an “Arab health summit” next week to address “health amidst conflict and crisis” […]

Children & Teens

Victims describe life in IS captivity in first Dutch Yazidi trial In 2021, a court in Germany handed down the first conviction for the mistreatment of the Yazidi religious minority by the Islamic State group.

(Courthouse News) Two women kept as slaves by members of the Islamic State militant group described their experiences in captivity, including losing children, in a Dutch court on Wednesday. The women, referred to by the court as Z. and S. for privacy […]

Government & Politics

The EU wants to deport migrants. It needs the help of Syria’s Assad Syria is the elephant in the room as EU leaders talk migration.

(Politico) Some European Union countries, led by Italy, are pushing to normalize ties with Syria in order to facilitate deportations of migrants as mainstream leaders look to replicate anti-immigrant far-right parties’ surging popularity across the continent. “It is necessary to review the […]

Clerics & Preachers

Leading US imams and scholars urge Muslim voters to snub Kamala Harris over Gaza Dozens of Muslim scholars and faith leaders unite to send a powerful message to the Democrats

(Middle East Eye) A group of leading Muslim American scholars and imams have signed a letter calling on Muslim voters to spurn Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election over US support for Israel’s war on Gaza. […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

UK government urged to overhaul Prevent and counter-extremism policies Letter from civil society groups also calls on Labour to suspend Michael Gove's proposed definition of extremism

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of leading civil society organisations has urged the UK Labour government to overhaul counter-extremism policies including the controversial Prevent programme, Middle East Eye can exclusively report. In a letter sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the organisations also […]

Government & Politics

US: Muslim groups urge voters to back Jill Stein, Cornel West or other pro-Palestine candidates While only a minor voting bloc, Muslims say endorsements show[ing] their anger over bipartisan support for Israel could sway the election

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of Muslim-American groups angry at US support for Israel’s devastating war on Gaza is asking Muslim voters to shun Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris in November’s presidential race and back either Jill Stein, Cornel West or other pro-Palestine […]

Crime

GOP senator tells Arab American witness at hate crimes hearing to ‘hide your head in a bag’ Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana also repeatedly suggested the witness, a leading Arab American activist, supports Hamas even as she repeatedly denied it.

(NBC) Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., repeatedly suggested a leading Arab American activist is a Hamas supporter when she testified Tuesday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on hate crimes, and he told her she should hide her “head in a bag.” The […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Float planned for N.Y.C. India Day Parade is condemned as anti-Muslim The float, slated for inclusion in Sunday’s parade, depicts a Hindu temple in India that was built on the site of a mosque torn down by religious extremists.

(NY Times) A float slated to appear in New York City’s India Day Parade this weekend is causing an uproar, with community groups calling it a symbol of anti-Muslim hate, parade organizers defending its inclusion and elected officials scrambling to respond. The […]