Daily media briefing
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Mon, 11 Dec 2023
France's Emmanuel Macron buffeted from all sides in row over secularism
Emmanuel Macron has been accused of betraying the French Republic after he took part in a Jewish ceremony inside his official residence, the Elysée Palace.
BBC
Samuel Paty: Six teenagers convicted for roles in teacher's beheading in 2020
Six teenagers have been convicted in France for their roles in the 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.
BBC
Free speech debate engulfs Denmark’s parliament after passing of law banning Quran burning
The passing of a law banning the burning of the Quran by the Danish parliament has done little to quell the argument over free speech that has beset the country for months.
The Independent*
Australia: New report recommends scrapping ‘unfair’ financial reporting exemptions for religious charities
The government is facing renewed calls to remove the financial reporting exemptions given to thousands of religious charities after a new Productivity Commission report recommended doing so "to enhance public transparency and accountability".
Crikey
UN says the Taliban must embrace and uphold human rights obligations in Afghanistan
The Taliban must embrace and uphold human rights obligations in Afghanistan, the U.N. mission in the country said Sunday on Human Rights Day and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Independent*
Nobel Peace Prize winner says Iranian people will prevail against rulers
The Iranian people will ultimately overcome authoritarianism imposed by a government that has lost legitimacy and public support, Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi said from prison in a speech read by her children on Sunday.
Reuters
Fri, 8 Dec 2023
British lord presents bill to disestablish Church of England
In an unprecedented move that raises questions about the role of Anglicanism in British society, peers move toward official separation of Church and state.
La Croix International*
Danish MPs vote to ban ‘desecration’ of religious texts after Qur’an burnings
String of incidents where Islamic text was burned in Denmark and Sweden prompted intensively debated bill.
The Guardian
Police investigating professor’s ‘blow up Jewish venue’ tweet
A University of Bristol emeritus professor is being investigated by police for suggesting that someone should "blow up the venue" of a Jewish Labour conference.
The Times*
Abortion access still limited in Northern Ireland
There remain significant barriers to abortion access in Northern Ireland four years on from decriminalisation, according to a new report.
Irish Legal News
Jerusalem on the brink as Israeli activists try to storm al-Aqsa mosque
Police authorised the march by right-wing Jews, which many fear will inflame tensions in the Arab world.
The Times*
Netanyahu is at the mercy of his hardline coalition partners
Mr Netanyahu has very little power over the budget, which is controlled by the religious parties in his coalition. They have allocated billions of shekels to West Bank settlements and religious schools.
The Economist*
Israel Gaza war: UPenn loses $100m donation after House testimony
University presidents caused anger after avoiding questions on how students calling for the genocide of Jews would be punished.
BBC
‘Why fundamentalists love Trump’
"When you recognize the psychology of fundamentalism, fundamentalist Christian enthusiasm for Trump makes considerably more sense", writes David French.
The New York Times*
Pope Francis feeling 'much better' after illness and cancelled events
The pope last week cancelled a planned trip to the COP28 climate summit in Dubai on doctor's orders after a bout of flu and lung inflammation.
Premier Christian News
Thu, 7 Dec 2023
The Disestablishment of the Church of England Bill 2023 - Paul Scriven interview
"I had been in touch with the National Secular Society over a number of issues, and I just said to them, I think now is the time to introduce the private member's bill for disestablishment."
The Freethinker
Letters: The Disestablishment of the Church of England Bill 2023
Separation of church and state would be good for everyone. The non-religious and non-Christian majority would no longer be frustrated and embarrassed by a belief group claiming to represent all, and, freed from having to justify itself to the country, the church could with impunity stick to its own traditional doctrines.
The National*
Bid to remove bishop's vote from Tynwald advances
A bid to remove the bishop's vote from Tynwald has passed its second reading in the House of Keys.
BBC
EU pledges €30bn to protect mosques and synagogues amid hate crime rise
Tensions surrounding Israel-Hamas war has provoked rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe.
The Guardian
Paris knife attack suspect to face charges in anti-terrorist court
Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab is a known Islamist radical who has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State armed group and was under psychological surveillance for mental health issues.
RFI
US: College presidents under fire after dodging questions about antisemitism
The leaders of Harvard, MIT and Penn appeared to evade questions about whether students should be disciplined if they call for the genocide of Jews.
The New York Times*
US arrests man over Australian religious terror attack
He "repeatedly" sent online messages containing "Christian end of days ideology" to the attackers, police say.
BBC
Wed, 6 Dec 2023
‘Huge risk’ of terror attacks this Christmas, EU warns
European countries are sharing information amid fears that Islamist terrorists may target the forthcoming festivities.
The Times*
Ditching Chanukkah events over ‘provocation’ fears is wrong, Michael Gove tells councils
It would be "wholly wrong" for councils to cancel their Chanukkah celebrations over fears that it could be "provocative" during the war between Hamas and Israel, Michael Gove has said.
The Times*
US imposes visa bans on Israeli settlers responsible for West Bank violence
In a rare punitive move against Israel, the US has announced it will impose travel bans on extremist Jewish settlers implicated in recent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
The Guardian
Taliban causing ‘irreversible damage’ to whole education system
Human Rights Watch warns bar on women means unqualified men now teach boys, fewer subjects are taught and beatings are routine.
The Guardian
Sikh Americans take precautions after alleged assassination plots
Many said an indictment in New York has validated their concerns, though they were determined not to withhold their criticism of the Indian government.
The New York Times*
At least 85 Muslim worshippers 'mistakenly' killed by drone strike in Nigeria
At least 85 civilians were "mistakenly" killed in a drone strike during a Muslim religious celebration in Nigeria on Sunday.
The Standard
Tue, 5 Dec 2023
‘Church is risking rule by illiberal evangelicals’
"Synod reform puts more power in the hands of overseas Anglicans who are opposed to women clergy and gay rights", writes Matthew Parris.
The Times*
Bring Muslim reformists together to tackle extremism, says head of Islamic think tank
Call for ministers to promote those who preach 'inclusivity and tolerance' to defeat fanatics and 'fruitcakes'.
The Telegraph*
Antrim primary school becomes latest in NI to vote for integrated switch
Some 85.5% of parents have supported the decision to begin the process of moving to integrated school status.
Belfast Telegraph
Denmark calls in army to defend Jewish sites as Danish Chief Rabbi assaulted
It comes after an increase in antisemitic incidents in the country amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The Jewish Chronicle
Nigerian woman jailed for ‘blasphemy’ for 18 months over WhatsApp message
Jatau was arrested a few days after forwarding the video condemning the burning to death of Deborah Yakubu over alleged blasphemy.
Al Jazeera
Hamas planned sexual violence as weapon of war - Israeli campaigner
There has been anger over the delay of some UN bodies to acknowledge claims of Hamas's sexual atrocities on 7 October.
BBC
Iran sends hip-hop artist who rapped about hijab protests back to jail
Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was previously charged with "corruption on Earth" and was released from prison two weeks ago after more than a year in custody.
Euro News
Mon, 4 Dec 2023
Watchdog investigates 70 charities over ‘anti-Semitism and extremism’ – NSS quoted
The Charity Commission is investigating 70 organisations for alleged extremism or anti-Semitism relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Telegraph*
Employers have blind spot on antisemitism, says ex-Comic Relief boss
The former chairman of Comic Relief, who quit over the charity's Gaza stance, said employers had a "blind spot" around antisemitism.
The Times*
Death threats to staff for stopping Muslim pupils praying at UK school
Papers have been lodged with the High Court which reportedly reveal how a culture of coercion emerged among some Muslim pupils at a UK comprehensive.
The Mail on Sunday
Indian police accused of harassing Sikh activist in UK before his sudden death
A Sikh activist in Birmingham complained that Indian police were verbally harassing him by phone and threatening his family in Punjab months before his sudden death in June, a Guardian investigation has found.
The Guardian
‘Why Northern Ireland's schools are still segregated’
Given changes in recent decades, it is no surprise that the majority of people in Northern Ireland express support for integrated education, where pupils from both communities are educated together. They want their kids to get the best schooling and some want to actively encourage their children to make friends and associate with children from different backgrounds.
New Humanist
Swedish school to shut after security service finds jihadist link
An Islamic free school in Stockholm is to be shut after the security services identified links to jihadist groups and warned that children were at risk of being radicalised.
The Times*
Paris attack near Eiffel Tower leaves one dead and two injured
A German man has died and two others, including a British man, have been injured in a knife and hammer attack on a street in central Paris. Prosecutor Jean-François Ricard said the suspect had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
BBC
Gaza surgeon used as pundit by BBC, Sky and CNN wept as he praised terror leader
A British-Palestinian surgeon used as a pundit by the BBC, Sky and CNN reportedly wept as he eulogised a founder of a terrorist group that later participated in the October 7 attacks, saying even after his death "the Israelis will still be afraid".
The Jewish Chronicle*
Mindanao: Four killed in explosion at Catholic Mass in Philippines
Four people have been killed in an explosion at a Catholic Mass in the southern Philippines on Sunday morning.
BBC
US: Muslim leaders in swing states pledge to ‘abandon’ Biden over his refusal to call for ceasefire
Muslim community leaders gathered on Saturday in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US, to protest President Biden's refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating that the president's stance could affect his support in crucial swing states next year.
The Guardian*
US: ‘The devil was in that building’ - New Orleans church orphanages’ dark secrets
Survivors of institutions run by Catholic diocese recall litany of sexual abuse as bankruptcy process keeps documents hidden.
The Guardian
US: Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims
Nondisclosure agreements – or NDAs, as they are commonly known - have been used frequently by the Mormon church and other organizations, including the Catholic Church, as well as individuals, to keep sex abuse allegations secret.
Associated Press
Fri, 1 Dec 2023
Iranian school in London that sparked antisemitism fears served with closure notice
A north London Iranian school where children were filmed allegedly being encouraged to use antisemitic Islamist chants in the playground has been served with a closure notice, Jewish News can reveal.
Jewish News
Havering Council scraps Hanukkah menorah outside town hall due to 'rising tensions'
A London council has scrapped plans to erect a Hanukkah menorah due to "rising tensions" amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Sky News
US prosecutors say plots to assassinate Sikh leaders were part of a campaign of planned killings
A foiled plot to assassinate a prominent Sikh separatist leader in New York, just days after another activist's killing, was meant to precede a string of other politically motivated murders in the United States and Canada, according to U.S. prosecutors.
Associated Press
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