Dutch aim to curb jihadi recruitment

AMSTERDAM -- The Dutch government unveiled a package of measures Friday aimed at countering radicalization of Muslims in the country, a day after police announced the arrest of two men suspected of recruiting people to fight in conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

The proposals include beefing up the government's powers to strip people of their Dutch nationality if they join terrorist organizations overseas or play a role -- as teacher or student -- in foreign terror-training camps.

They also are aimed at countering the spread of extremism online and via social media by tackling Internet providers that knowingly allow terror organizations to spread jihadi propaganda.

Justice and Security Minister Ivo Opstelten said about 130 Dutch citizens have traveled to the Middle East to fight with militant groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida and more than 30 have returned. The Dutch and other governments in Europe say such returning jihadis pose a significant risk to society.

Opstelten stressed that radical Muslims in the Netherlands form a "small but dangerous" minority in the Muslim population.

N. Korean cheerers cancel trip to South

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea said Friday that it won't send cheerleaders to the coming Asian Games in rival South Korea, blaming Seoul's hostility for the reversal of the decision to dispatch the women.

Analysts said the North's decision suggests that the country may not continue an earlier push to improve ties with South Korea.

The North had said it wanted to send both athletes and cheer squads as part of a broader set of proposals to help ease tension. But talks between the rivals last month on the North's participation broke down because of disputes over the size of the North's delegations, the cost of stay for the cheerleaders and the size of North Korea's flags.

South Korea has rebuffed the North's other proposals.

Eruption in Iceland unsettles airspace

REYKJAVIK, Iceland -- Icelandic authorities briefly raised the aviation warning code to red Friday after a small fissure eruption near Bardarbunga volcano, but no volcanic ash was detected by the radar system.

The eruption took place the Holuhraun lava field 3 miles north of Dyngjujoekull glacier, Iceland's Meteorological Office said. The event was described as being not highly explosive -- and thus not producing much of the fine ash that can affect aircraft engines.

The airspace was closed 3 nautical miles around the eruption area up to 5,000 feet, which did not affect commercial flights flying over Iceland. The aviation code for Bardarbunga was originally raised to red -- meaning an eruption was underway -- but was lowered to the lesser orange level as there was no significant ash production, the Civil Protection Department said.

A Section on 08/30/2014