Latest news with #publicdebate
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Politicians must not shy away from any public debate on face coverings
SIR – Nigel Farage is quite right to call for a debate on the subject of people covering their faces in public, and brave to consider making it a Reform UK policy. It is clearly part of our culture that people's faces are visible. This is very important in looking to protect the public against criminals and others who wish to hide themselves behind any form of face covering. There are people who like to believe that it is part of their religion to cover their faces, but all politicians must know this is not a specific religious teaching. Face covering is unacceptable in our society and any political party knows that policy on the matter risks losing votes from that element of society that demands women cover their faces in public. Politicians need to raise divisive subjects, rather than evade them, and make difficult decisions for the benefit of social cohesion. Jonathan Longstaff Buxted, East Sussex SIR – I fully support Sarah Pochin, the newly elected MP for Runcorn and Helsby, in calling for a ban on the public wearing of the burka (report, June 8). If France, Denmark, Belgium and others are prepared to resist this affront to their way of life, then what is stopping us from doing the same? Will Forrow Dawlish, Devon SIR – Several European countries have banned the wearing of full facial coverings in public, both for security reasons and to tackle a lack of integration into their indigenous populations. We should follow suit. Peter Rosie Ringwood, Hampshire SIR – I would add to Dr Chris Staley's list of unacceptable face coverings (Letters, June 7) the keffiyeh, as worn by militant protesters who seem ashamed to show their faces. Gordon Cook Torquay, Devon SIR – It is a pity that while Kemi Badenoch opposes sharia courts ('Badenoch: Let bosses ban burkas in offices', report, June 8), she has said nothing about their Sikh counterpart. Sikh courts have no precedent in India. In fact, they are alien to Sikh traditions: even during the Sikh rule in the 18th-century Punjab, there were no exclusive Sikh courts. Moreover, once you accept Sikh courts, you indirectly accept that Sikhs are fundamentally a different people, and hence deserve special treatment. The creation of these courts has been a great victory for those Sikhs who want to live not as Sikhs of Britain, but Sikhs in Britain. To create social cohesion and communal harmony, Britain needs a uniform civil code, not separate religious courts. Perhaps that is the reason why the Supreme Court of India has consistently demanded the abolition of such courts.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Palestinian under psychiatric evaluation after hitting rabbi in France
PARIS: A Palestinian man arrested on Friday for throwing a chair at a rabbi in a Paris suburban cafe has been sent to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, French authorities said. The reason for the attack was unknown, but France's main Jewish association condemned it as an antisemitic assault, and French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou blamed a 'radicalization of public debate' against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza. The rabbi, Elie Lemmel, suffered a gash to his head from the chair that hit him as he was speaking with a companion in the cafe in the wealthy western Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. The local prosecutors' office said that it had opened a criminal investigation for assault possibly aggravated by religious motives. It said the Palestinian, an irregular migrant living with temporary papers in Germany, was thought to be 28 years old and born in the Gaza city of Rafah. It added that 'he is undergoing a psychiatric examination requiring his forced hospitalization.' France's hard-line interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, said on X that the Palestinian 'had no reason to be in France' and should be 'severely punished and deported.' The French Jewish association CRIF said on X that 'this attack is yet another illustration of the toxic climate targeting French Jews.' The French Jewish community, one of the largest in the world, has faced a number of attacks and desecrations of memorials since the Gaza war erupted on October 7, 2023. French authorities are alert to antisemitic attacks, reports of which have been on the rise as the war in Gaza grinds on. That conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023 when the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked parts of Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,218 people. Israel retaliated with relentless bombardments and an aid blockade of the Gaza Strip. The ongoing military operation has resulted in the deaths of at least 54,677 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Daily Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Premier Chris Minns signals Glebe Island could share space with housing
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. Premier Chris Minns has broken his silence on speculation that Sydney's working port at Glebe Island might be sacrificed for high-rise apartments, saying the industrial hub could survive but share the site with housing. While confirming the government is searching for alternative housing sites following the collapse of his government's plan to build 25,000 homes at Rosehill, Mr Minns said the inner-city port was 'not necessarily' part of a fallback plan despite speculation it was next in line. 'There's a couple of options that we're looking at right now,' Minns told 2GB's Ben Fordham. 'Part of every site, on every kind of reform for Glebe Island, is going to be housing. Now, whether you take all of it for housing, or whether you keep some industry… that's a decision we have to make.' NSW Premier Chris Minns broke his silence on Glebe Island. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Pressed on whether the port would need to shut down, the Premier said: 'Not necessarily all of it. There's different elements to it — you've got sugar that goes in there, you've got critical minerals for the construction sector, a working port, and the cruise terminal. So there's many different aspects to the Glebe Island area.' Minns also welcomed growing public debate over alternative housing options, such as Long Bay jail or Homebush. 'In the past, we've had a culture where we've tried to rule out new housing developments rather than rule them in.' He said any announcements would be made once commercially sensitive negotiations were finalised. 'As soon as I'm able to announce more housing options for Sydney, I'll come on and say it immediately.' Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email tips@
NHK
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
Legal gridlock for Filipinos hoping to divorce
In the Philippines, where divorce is illegal due to strong religious values, a bill to legalize it has ignited public debate in the largely Catholic nation.
