The start of the new school year in France was marked by a public debate about the so-called abaya. Gabriel Attal, the recent young Minister for Education, has made the garment a national cause in defence of French secularism. But by doing that, he caused a debate in our own family as well.

Girls who wear a long dress, a so-called abaya, over their regular clothes may not enter the classroom in France. Yet, it is wrong to force students to go against their conscience as a requirement to receive education.

"Sad that it is necessary." That is the response of the Danish Bible Society to a potential ban on Quran burnings in the country.

French Muslims are no longer allowed to wear the so-called abaya over their regular clothes at public schools. This garment violates the French law, says the Minister of Education.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry is upset. In the Netherlands, the Quran was torn apart in public. To show his dissatisfaction, he summoned the Dutch deputy ambassador to his office.

Outraged Pakistani Muslims burnt down four churches and several homes of Christians in the country. Christians in Europe are shocked.

A ban on Quran burnings should also apply to the desecration of Bibles, a large majority of Danes believe.

Denmark and Sweden have received a lot of –negative– attention because of Quran burnings. Why are these countries especially vulnerable to such upheaval?

Muslim women are not allowed to cover their faces while driving. That is the ruling of a German Administrative Court.

Denmark is seriously considering a ban on burning holy books, such as the Quran. Other Scandinavian countries still hesitate.