On one hand, you have some possible progression in behavior change. From British Civics Class Asks, What Would Muhammad Do?: There is something new in Britain’s mosques: a government-financed effort to teach basic citizenship issues in a special curriculum, written by a Bradford teacher, Sajid Hussain, 34, who holds a degree from Oxford. It is intended to reach students who might be vulnerable to Islamic extremism. The British government hopes that such civics classes, which use the Koran to answer questions about daily life, will replace the sometimes hard-core religious lessons taught in many mosques across the land. An estimated
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Read More +EU Urges Release of BBC Gaza Reporter
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From EU Urges Release of BBC Gaza Reporter: The European Parliament Thursday added its voice to international calls for the release of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, 44, who was kidnapped in Gaza on March 12. The parliament called for the PA to “redouble its efforts to secure Mr. Johnston’s speedy release…and to ensure that all attacks against journalists and other civilians are investigated thoroughly and those responsible brought to justice.”
Read More +From EU Aid to Continue to Bypass Palestinian Government: EU aid will bypass the Hamas-led Palestinian government until it recognizes Israel, renounces violence, and abides by interim peace deals, EU aid commissioner Louis Michel said Thursday. “As long as these criteria are not fulfilled, there will not be a change in the system, the manner, [or] the process of aid support from the European Union,” he said. Palestinians had hoped the formation of a unity government between Hamas and Fatah would prompt the EU and other major donors to lift a year-old economic embargo of the PA.
Read More +Read with an open eye: The Ma’an News Agency, which is infrequently quoted on Smooth Stone, reveals who funds them: “Ma’an News Agency initiative is funded by both the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.minbuza.nl/ and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA), www.um.dk/da” http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=Content&Do=Aboutus
Read More +Sweden’s state alcohol retail monopoly Systembolaget has recently decided to label wines produced in Israel’s Golan Heights as made in “occupied Syrian territory” instead of as coming from Israel.
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