Burqa ban
The week's news at a glance.
Amsterdam
The Dutch government announced last week that it would outlaw the wearing of burqas and other Islamic face coverings in public. The ban is necessary for security reasons and to facilitate integration, the Justice Ministry said. Tensions have been high in the Netherlands since the 2004 murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh. Islamic leaders say that while only about 50 women in the country wear full-face coverings, the ban could further radicalize the country's 1 million Muslims. "This will just lead to more girls saying, 'Hey, I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest,'" said Naima Azough, a liberal member of parliament.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
July 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations