Op-Ed: Is Iran a threat to Shiism?

By: Abdallah Ghomi ,
In firmly siding with the Syrian regime in its brutal onslaught to remain in power, Iran has reversed the tide of sympathy with Shiism that resulted from Hezbollah’s 2006 war with Israel.

FIFA allows Muslim women to get back to playing football

By Jens Juul Petersen
A FIFA-approved specially designed headscarf will Muslim women to play soccer again.

Policewomen asked to remove hijab in Lebanon

Lebanese authorities are weighing up what action to take after a group of newly recruited policewomen showed up for training wearing the hijab, a security official said on Friday.

The policewomen, numbering nearly 40 and all reportedly Shi’ite Muslims, were among hundreds who sat for an exam to join the Internal Security Forces earlier this year. (more…)

School in Denmark fined for expelling Lebanese Muslim student for refusing to eat pork

A Danish vocational school has been ordered to pay 75,000 Danish kroner to a Muslim student who was expelled from the school in 2010 because she refused to taste pork, which is forbidden in Islam.

The Danish Equal Status Council has ordered the school, located in the Jutland town of Holsterbro, to pay a fine to the student, who is of Lebanese origin. (more…)

Hamas force male hairdressers out of hair salons

Male hairdressers in the Gaza Strip say they have been ordered by the enclave’s Hamas rulers to stop working in women’s salons or face prosecution and a large fine.

“We received an official notice from the government to go and sign a declaration according to which we agree not to continue operating on the premises,” salon owner Mohammed al-Baltagi told AFP. (more…)

Pope calls on world to keep Christians safe

Pope Benedict has asked governments to do more to ensure Christians can practice their faith without discrimination or violence.

He also called on Pakistan to repeal its anti-blasphemy laws.

Pope Benedict used his annual address to ambassadors to the Holy See to lobby for religious freedoms for Christians living in majority-Muslim countries. (more…)

Israel helps Al Qaeda recruit the next generation of radicals

Whatever the detailed context and facts of the clash, it is the killing by Israeli forces of nine activists that dominates perceptions of the incident among Muslims, for whom the Palestinian cause is dear, analysts and Muslim commentators say.

Swiss voters over minarets anger Muslims around the world

Anger was swift from more militant wings of the Muslim world in reaction to yesterday’s decision by Swiss voters to outlaw the construction of minarets. “This is the hatred of Swiss people against Muslim communities. They do not want to see a Muslim presence in their country and this intense dislike has made them intolerant,” said Maskuri Abdillah, the head of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s biggest Muslim group. He urged Muslims not to take “revenge” for the decision. Source: Times on Line