Academics & Education

Nearly two-thirds of Quebecers support public-sector ban on religious symbols, poll finds But when asked detailed questions about how to apply the ban, public opinion is more divided

(CBC) Most Quebecers are in favour of banning public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols, according to a CROP poll released ahead of the first legislative session under a Coalition Avenir Québec government. But a separate survey by Vox Pop Labs, conducted following […]

Children & Teens

Pennsylvania does not criminalize female genital mutilation Rep. Thomas Murt has a bill in the pipeline to criminalize anyone who participates in the genital mutilation of a minor

(York Daily Record) A recent federal court decision that held the federal ban against female genital mutilation is unconstitutional may put more pressure on Rep. Thomas P. Murt to get his bill outlawing the practice in Pennsylvania pushed through the general assembly. Pennsylvania is […]

Government & Politics

EU top court rules against Austrian curbs on refugee rights The European Court of Justice ruled against a 2015 regulation that saw Austria give minimal social assistance to refugees. Austria's conservative government has introduced a number of strict immigration cuts recently.

(Deutsche Welle) The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered Austria to roll back regulations on Wednesday that saw refugees given markedly less social assistance than native-born Austrians. The ECJ ruled that the Austrian measure from 2015 was not compatible with EU directives […]

Clothing

German state plans to ban religious symbols from courts The state government of Lower Saxony is drafting a law that would ban judges and prosecutors from wearing religious clothing or symbols. Germany's justice minister has welcomed the plans.

(Deutsche Welle) The government of Germany’s state of Lower Saxony plans to ban … judges and prosecutors from wearing religious symbols such as crosses or headscarves in the state’s courtrooms. Promoters of the measure say it is aimed at making clear that judges […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim group sues Troy over mosque denial

(Detroit News) The city of Troy discriminated against a Muslim community group by rejecting plans to build an Islamic center, according to a federal court lawsuit filed Thursday. The nonprofit Adam Community Center sued the city council, planning commission and members of […]

Clerics & Preachers

Organization tied to Holy Land terror case supports vigil after synagogue shooting The United States designated HLF as a terror group in 2001 and became defunct. The case resulted in 108 guilty verdicts; years later, five of its leaders were convicted and sentenced to decades in prison.

(JNS) An organization whose imam was president of a group that was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror case supported a vigil on Monday, hosted by Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, in the aftermath of a gunman shooting and killing 11 Jews […]

Banks & Banking

Homeowner testifies at trial of 2 men accused of defrauding Shariah mortgage holders Defence is trying to demonstrate homeowners were credited for payments they made

(CBC) The trial of two men accused of defrauding homeowners who had taken out “Shariah-compliant” mortgages heard Thursday from one of the mortgage holders, who admitted under defence cross-examination that he and his wife eventually got credited for their payments. Omar Kalair […]

Legal

The German who went from left-wing terrorist to Salafist sympathizer Bernhard Falk is no stranger to prisons. A convicted leftist terrorist, he spent 12 years behind bars. Now he looks after imprisoned Islamists. Germany's domestic intelligence agency considers him a danger to society.

(Deutsche Welle) One of the advantages of a constitutional state that ensures the rule of law is that it also applies those rights to people who deeply reject it. Even those who want to abolish the democratic system and fight by force […]

Children & Teens

Germany ‘ignoring’ ECJ ruling on refugee reunification Media reports have accused Germany of disregarding a ruling from the EU's top court on the rights of unaccompanied minors to be joined by their families. The key point is the minor's age during the asylum process.

(Deutsche Welle) In mid-April, the European Union’s supreme court in matters of EU law ruled that unaccompanied minors could bring in their families, even if they had come of age during the asylum process. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that […]