A Muslim "code of conduct"

Code of conduct

"Moderate" Muslim leaders in the United Kingdom have released a "code of conduct" aimed at combating alienation and extremism in Muslim communities. Targeted particularly at the country's 1,500 mosques, the code of conduct calls for greater openness, democratic accountability, financial transparency, and inclusiveness of women amongst other recommendations. The code of conduct has already met criticism from conservative groups, who accuse its authors of pandering to the state. 

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Australia's prime minister-elect, Kevin Rudd, has promised to withdraw his country's 550 troops from Iraq by the middle of next year. His predecessor, John Howard, was a whole-hearted supporter of American and British endeavours in west Asia. 

Bin Laden speaks

In a video leaked to Al Jazeera, Osama bin Laden urged European countries to stop supporting American foreign policy in west Asia. Bin Laden warned that "the American tide is receding", and that Europe would have to learn how to deal with its neighbours outside the American umbrella. 

Bin Laden also called for the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan. The Afghan government has hit back at the video, suggesting that the Afghan people wanted NATO and American forces in the country. 

The coup ends?

General Pervez Musharraf has promised to end emergency rule in Pakistan after he is sworn in as an entirely "civilian" president on 16 December. 

Failed coup in the Philippines?

Antonio Trilanes, a former military officer now in the senate, has been detained after he led a group of other army officers to storm a hotel in Manila where they demanded the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Philippine security forces broke into the hotel and bloodlessly arrested the dissidents. It is thought that the move was meant more as a protest against Arroyo than an actual coup attempt. 

On the troubled island of Jolo in the south of the country, Philippine troops clashed with Muslim insurgents in fighting that has left nine dead. 

Russia drops out of arms pact

Vladimir Putin has signed a law that removes Russia from a treaty amongst European countries that limits the deployment of military equipment. 

Maoist violence in India

A jeep carrying several Indian soldiers was blown up in the central state of Chhattisgarh by a Maoist-planted landmine, killing twelve people including four civilians. Maoist insurgent violence is on the up across many of India's most impoverished areas. 

"Managing the barbarians"

The Strategy and National Security blog wonders why the United States hasn't learnt enough from history and how empires have "managed the barbarians" at their borders. 

Shop blast in Sri Lanka

A bomb blast on a department store outside the Sri Lankan capital Colombo has left seventeen people dead. Government officials have pinned the attack on the rebel Tamil Tigers. 

"Anti-terrorist" sweep in Saudi Arabia

Officials in Saudi Arabia claim that security forces have arrested 208 al-Qaida related suspects in the latest "anti-terrorist" sweep in the kingdom. The arrests included sixteen people working for a "media cell" in the holy city of Medina, where they were promoting the takfiri ideology that supports violence against Muslims considered to be apostates.