Evolution to be introduced to Israeli curriculum
Evolution will soon become a core part of Israel’s official school curriculum, according to an article on bbcnews.com. However, there remains concern about the reactions of the ultra-Orthodox presence in the country.
Current reactions from ultra-Orthodox groups have been mixed. More moderate factions, such as the Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah, have welcomed the educational move, while others like national religious Hemdat Hadarom College, have expressed disapproval. Some argue that this change will bring important exposure to “different perspectives” for school-aged youth, while others believe the new curriculum to be a mistake due to the “lack of consensus” on the subject.
An article from the Haaretz Daily reports that the education ministry plans to teach evolution as “the accepted theory” to students ages 13-15. However, there will not be mention of human evolution from other species, namely apes, and it remains unclear whether or not religious schools in the country will also adopt the change.
Currently, the only Israeli students who learn evolution are those who take advanced biology in high school.
Honour killings denounced by Pakistani cleric
Following the recent murder of pregnant 25-year-old Farzana Parveen, a coalition of Pakistani cleric have denounced honour killings as “un-Islamic action” in a religious edict, declaring them to be “highly condemnable.”
Parveen was murdered by family members for marrying the man she loved, rather than the cousin who had been selected for her by her relatives.
The edict declares that “a daughter is a gift by Allah […] Killing one’s daughter and humiliating them is a sign of ignorance.”
Zahid Mehmood Quasim, the Security General of the All Pakistani Ulema Council, told Al Jazeera that “the decree should serve as a reminder to those who kill their kin on the name of protecting ‘honour.’”
The Council is organizing a summit to be held on Thursday, June 5th, to address the persisting issue of honour killings throughout the country. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, around 900 women died in honour killings in 2013. However, the actual number of deaths could be much higher, as many such cases are not reported.