•Controversy in France Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist leaders are urging Nicolas Sarkozy to abandon a controversial debate on Tuesday about Islam and the role of secularism in France. The debate is being organised by the Union pour une mouvement populaire (UMP). The French Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, who belongs to UMP, has opted out of taking part. Jean-François Copé, the president of the UMP Party is calling for “an end to hysteria” about the debate. On its website UMP claims that it does not seek “to stigmatise any of the great religions of France”, and says that Tuesday’s debate will be “intellectual and philosophical” in style. UMP argues that since 1905, the year the law establishing secularism and separating Church from State in France was passed, the balance of religion in the country has changed, and that this should be taken into account. The religious leaders claim it is not appropriate for one political party to lead a debate of this nature, especially one year ahead of the presidential elections.
•Kosher label row An MEP has been accused of discriminating against Jews for suggesting that kosher meat should carry a label. Struan Stevenson, the MEP for Scotland, has drafted an amendment to a food information bill calling for meat killed by both the Jewish shechita and Muslim halal methods to be labelled. Shimon Cohen, who represents the lobby group Shechita UK, says Stevenson is picking on Jews and Muslims by saying that only their slaughter methods should be labelled. He added: “It is the 21st century equivalent of the yellow star, but on our food.” There are fears that a label may cause the price of kosher meat to rocket, as a label may deter buyers from the non-kosher market, who currently purchase 70 per cent of meat slaughtered by shechita methods. Mr Stevenson has described reactions to his amendment as bullying. “My amendments are driven solely by a desire to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare are adhered to in the EU,” he says. “It is the public’s right to know if food has not come from what they understand to be the norm.”
•Animal rights to gender The animals rights group Peta is calling on Bible translators to refer to animals as he or she rather than it. “Language matters,” says Bruce Friedrich of Peta. “Calling an animal ‘it’ denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God. God’s covenant is with humans and animals.” Friedrich, who is a vegan, believes giving animals a gender in the Bible is a natural progression from amending the Scriptures to make them gender-inclusive. David Lyle Jeffrey, a humanities professor from Baylor University, Waco, Texas, says that he agrees with Peta that God’s care extended to all creation but judged it difficult to apply gender to Biblical animals: “Do we need to know the gender of the lion Samson slew? What would it give us?” he asks.
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•Vatican copyrights the Pope The Vatican has issued a ban on the use of the Pope’s voice for commercial purposes. A new edict says that the Vatican is copyrighting the use of Benedict XVI’s voice, image and writing, to prevent them from being misused for commerce. The ban is intended to eliminate the creation of offensive souvenirs such as Papal lollipops or drinks.
•Schools snub the Gideons Two Staffordshire schools have banned the Gideons Association from distributing free Bibles to their pupils. Teachers from Abbot Beyne School, Winshill, and Paget High School, Branston, justify the ban on the grounds their schools are multifaith comphrehensives. “We felt it was inappropriate to allow one faith group to distribute material in school,” says Maggie Tate, deputy headteacher of Abbot Beyne School. The Gideons Association said it could not comment on the decision.