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Challenging Religious Privilege

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Your daily media briefing - Friday 19 February

  

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.

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Secularism in the media

 

Last-minute plea for help in fixing Scottish hate crime bill

Holyrood has announced a last-minute consultation on addressing a fundamental issue with the Scottish government's hate crime bill.

The Herald

 

Calls to make at home early abortions permanent as major study finds they pose no greater risk

Leading healthcare providers have called for at home early abortions to be made permanent.

The Independent

 

IICSA: survivors speak of influence of religion

Being raised in a highly religious community is seen by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse as one factor affecting their experience, according to a new report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Church Times*

 

‘Emma Barnett grilled a Muslim leader about female imams. Was she wrong?’

In a free society, forensic questioning on a public platform such as the BBC's Woman's Hour is not merely legitimate — it is necessary.

The Article

 

BBC receives 564 complaints over Woman’s Hour interview with Zara Mohammed

The BBC has received 564 complaints over a Woman's Hour interview with the first female leader of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Belfast Telegraph

 

MPs urge government to bring forward legislation banning gay conversion therapy

Boris Johnson's government must "prioritise" delivering on previous commitments ahead of the queen's speech, including bringing forward long-awaited legislation to ban the practice of gay conversion therapy, MPs have urged.

The Independent

 

Northern Ireland anti-abortion group's 'misinformation' about Covid jab causing infertility criticised by WHO

An anti-abortion group's false claims that the Covid-19 vaccine is linked to infertility have been criticised by the World Health Organisation.

The Irish News

 

Christian couple fined £18,000 after refusing to close shop during lockdown

A Christian couple in Worcestershire who say they they feel spiritually inspired to stand up for their freedoms have been issued fines totalling up £18,000 after refusing to close their shop during lockdown.

Premier Christian News

 

Irish churches oppose assisted dying bill

Both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Ireland have urged the abandonment of a Bill to legalise assisted dying.

Church Times*

 

South Carolina House passes bill banning most abortions

South Carolina's House has overwhelmingly passed a bill banning nearly all abortions, following the lead of other states with similar measures that would go into effect if the US Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade.

AP News

 

Italian footballer fined €5,000 for blasphemous comments

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has been fined €5,000 but avoided a suspension after using a "blasphemous expression" during a match.

AS

  

Latest from the NSS

 

Confusion over free speech protection on religion in hate crime bill

New proposals could substantially weaken the protection for free speech on religion in the Scottish government's current hate crime bill.

  

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