Your daily media briefing - Thursday 30 July

In the Media is our daily collection of news and commentary related to secularism, available delivered to your inbox. You can also read the latest news and opinion and listen to our podcasts on our website.

Secularism in the media

Bishop says draft hate crime laws need ‘close scrutiny and debate’ - NSS quoted

The Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney has joined a chorus of voices in recent days expressing their views on the controversial Hate Crime Bill, which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in April.

The Press and Journal

'Scotland’s Hate Crime Bill needs a rethink'

"Supporters of free speech and those opposed to bigotry both have justice on their side and there must be a way to amend the Hate Crime Bill to ensure its good intentions do not have unintended consequences."

The Scotsman

Murderer of Ahmadi Muslim shopkeeper hailed a hero by religious zealots

Zealots who have turned the murderer of Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah into a "hero" pose an urgent threat to the UK, a report has warned.

Daily Record

Evangelical group challenges health secretary over lockdown home abortion rules

The decision by the health secretary to allow women to carry out medical abortions at home during the coronavirus crisis is being challenged in the court of appeal by the evangelical advocacy group Christian Concern.

Yorkshire Coast Radio

Plans for new Islamic faith school in Bradford approved

Plans for an 800-pupil Islamic faith school on Thornton Road have been approved by Bradford Council.

YorkshireLive

Religious parents more than twice as likely to respond badly when an LGBT+ child comes out

LGBT+ people with religious or 'conservative' parents are 2.5 times more likely to face rejection when they come out.

Gay Star News

Wiley permanently suspended from Twitter over antisemitic posts

Wiley has been permanently suspended from Twitter, five days after he used the site to publish antisemitism and conspiracy theories.

The Independent

India: Plea in Supreme Court to remove ''secular'' from Constitution's preamble

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking to remove from the constitution's preamble the words 'socialist' and 'secular' which were added through 42nd constitutional amendment.

Indian Express

Kenya: Elders vow to defy Covid-19 rules in circumcision row

Bukusu elders have vowed to go ahead with this year's circumcision ceremony despite the prevailing ban on public gatherings.

Daily Nation

Yazidi children still haunted by Islamic State, Amnesty International says

Amnesty International says children of the Yazidi religious and ethnic minority who survived brutal captivity at the hands of the Islamic State group in Iraq are suffering severe physical and mental health problems.

BBC

The latest from the NSS and the No More Faith Schools campaign

Widespread concern over hate crime bill must prompt rethink, says NSS

The NSS has reiterated its call for a rethink of Scotland's hate crime bill as concerns mount over its implications for free expression.

Man killed in court while on trial for blasphemy in Pakistan

A man has been shot dead in court while standing trial for blasphemy in Pakistan.

Let’s scrap discriminatory faith-based school admissions for good

Faith schools are set to alter their admissions criteria because places of worship have been closed. Megan Manson says this should prompt lasting change.

New NSS podcast

Ep 31: Graham Smith (not that type of republican)

If you're a secularist, should you also be a republican? How have the two movements been historically intertwined – and how close are the ties between the monarchy and the Church of England today? Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, a membership-based pressure group that campaigns to abolish the monarchy, joins the podcast to discuss these issues and more.

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