Latest news with #ethnicminorities
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Assisted dying bill debate sparks conversations across communities
"Death is a very, very sensitive issue. Who are we to make that decision?"That question, raised at a recent event at the WomenZone community centre in Bradford, touches on the profound dilemmas MPs will face in Friday's debate about the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill - better known as the assisted dying of the bill see it as a compassionate move towards dignity in worry about its ethical implications and, for some, whether the most vulnerable will be left behind. For Tahera Kacholia, whose husband died after a heart attack only a few months ago, it is an uncomfortable and perhaps unanswerable question."Who are we to make that decision? We leave it to Allah," she says. Jordan Findlay, who lost her mum a decade ago, is on the other side of the her, the assisted dying bill is about restoring dignity."When you have a terminal diagnosis, all control is taken away. This bill gives some of that dignity and choice back," she says. The Bradford discussion, organised by palliative care consultant Dr Jamilla Hussain, reveals deep anxiety among ethnic minority communities in particular, shaped not just by religion but by feelings of cultural exclusion, historic mistrust of institutions, and fears around coercion."But still, we do want our say. We do want to discuss it," adds Mrs participant echoes that: "We are not saying stop the bill – but start listening properly before you proceed."Mrs Kacholia believes spiritually sensitive care and localised support are being overlooked."There are other ways to help ease the pain," she explains. The assisted dying bill, brought by Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater, would legalise euthanasia for terminally ill adults expected to live for less than six safeguards would include approval from two doctors and a review panel. In a final plea to MPs earlier this week, Ms Leadbeater said failure to act now would be "a dereliction of duty" and would delay change by a in Bradford, that duty, many argue, must include better grassroots engagement - particularly in communities who already feel some, Covid intensified existing fears, for others, such as Ghazala Khalid, the mistrust dates back 2017, her mother had a stroke and doctors told the family she would not mother lived not just that night -but for another two years."After God, we trust doctors - we say our life is in their hands," she says."That doesn't mean they know everything or they can do whatever they want." Dr Hussain has spent months gathering views from ethnic minority and marginalised communities across the says many families worry vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities, learning difficulties or experiencing domestic abuse, may be manipulated and coerced into making irreversible decisions."We've heard from parents of disabled children and carers for people with learning difficulties."They told us, 'we know our children best - but this bill puts the power in the hands of someone who may not understand them,'" she women in abusive situations could there be additional layers of risk?"Someone might seem of sound mind in a medical assessment. But what happens before they walk into that room? What has that person been coached to say - or coerced into believing?"The biggest risk is that people who already experience inequality in end-of-life care will now fear accessing care at all," Dr Hussain says. Just a few miles away in Leeds, campaigner Jordan Findlay believes the conversation must also centre on those already mother, Anne Louise Findlay, died of cancer 10 years ago, aged 57."She made it very clear that if she had the opportunity to access assisted dying, she would have," says Miss over finance and legal implications stopped the family accessing euthanasia abroad, she says."She wasn't suicidal. She was just beyond medical help. Even with good palliative care, the pain was unmanageable," Miss Findlay 18, she dropped out of her A-levels and helped care for her mum at home."The real moral choice would have been to let her go peacefully, on her terms," she proffers. Jordan now campaigns for law reform with the Dignity in Dying charity and believes robust safeguards can prevent abuse."Doctors already assess coercion and capacity for serious decisions every day. With training and multiple safeguards, I believe we can do this safely," she in Bradford, Dr Hussain agrees the debate needs to balance compassion with caution - especially for those already on the margins of care."There are a growing number of medical and neutral voices calling for more work around those safeguards."MPs must be happy that the safeguards not included in the bill are OK when they vote today.""I'm not personally against assisted dying," she adds. "For some, it may be the right choice. "But we cannot ignore the fears of those already marginalised. If we get this wrong, they will be the collateral damage."For Jordan, the call to listen must also include hearing those who simply want peace."This isn't about rushing death," she said. "It's about allowing people who are dying anyway to say, 'I'm ready'. "That's not giving up - it's an act of love." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
The anti-woke brigade won't like it, but this ‘inclusive' museum is actually rather good
Past mountainous warehouses, down a listless canal, and into the quiet academic quarter with its beige halls soaring into skies that never seem to cease to rain, stands Manchester Museum. With the institution freshly glistening with ' European Museum of the Year 2025 ' status, I ventured in to see if this superlative accolade is justified, immersing myself in ancient earrings, psychedelic rickshaws and the tooth of an 80-million-year-old shark, the mellow rain of Manchester pattering on the roof. The museum's purpose is written in the atrium: 'To build understanding between cultures and a more sustainable world.' This isn't really a museum about Manchester, more of artefacts, animals and artworks that have ended up in the museum's collection, and a mosaic of perspectives from ethnic minority communities living in, studying at, or in some way associated with Manchester. It strives to be 'the most inclusive, imaginative and caring museum you'll ever visit'. Essentially, the museum is about belonging. It is this bold curatorial line that gives it a distinctive flavour, with each of the four main galleries contributing to the central theme in interesting and surprising ways. I first entered Ancient History, Contemporary Belonging, a gallery of ancient and medieval artefacts from Anatolian earrings to marvellously-preserved Roman playing pieces, ancient Egyptian cat idols to hoards of delicate medieval silver coins. The rooms are a little over-stuffed, and some of the information plaques positioned so low that all the stooping became exhausting. I had to be economical in what I examined, but this made me worry that I was overlooking some gems, sometimes quite literally. Despite these gripes – entrance is free, anyhow, so you can always come back – a strong flavour of displacement emerged, a synergy between the migration of ancient historical objects and of people. More topical than ever at a time when George Osborne is reportedly negotiating a 'reciprocal, long-term loan' which would send the Elgin Marbles back to Greece, it was hard to peruse the collection without wondering how on earth so many of these rare finds ended up in Manchester and the answers, one suspects, are not always savoury. You're encouraged to consider the human stories of migration, the sometimes traumatic tales of persecution, forced upheaval and dreams of a better life that help to explain how a Mesopotamian hair-pin fetched up in front of you. Many museums now engage in this kind of soul-searching, but here it is taken a step further. Manchester University students of migrant heritage have been invited to respond. The juxtaposition of an 'official' plaque next to a personal response presents a person's lived experience as an echo of the narrative. On paper, this is fraught with risk, threatening to debase the whole thing into mawkish amateurishness. But many of the responses are in fact profoundly moving, making the galleries feel less lofty and academic than their equivalents in, say, the Ashmolean or the British Museum. The next gallery focuses on animals that belong – or should belong, if we weren't doing so much to make the earth uninhabitable. Cinematically lit, with a veritable menagerie of taxidermy and lifelike models, this is an emporium of wonder, at times a cacophony of delighted children's wails. It was exhilarating to stare into the eyes of an African hunting dog, a North American woodchuck, or Maude the tigon – a cross between a male tiger and a lioness, once a beloved feature of Manchester's Belle Vue Zoo – finally on display after 70 long years existing as a rolled-up skin in a storage vault. Stuck on one glass panel, in stark red letters, is the word 'Decolonise!' – signalling its inclusion in the museum's Decolonise! Trail. Of course, this will make some people groan. But the manner in which it is done, at least, is original. It feels like a Just Stop Oil-style organisation has placed it here; a performative act of self-sabotage. It's just one act of curatorial dandyism. Elsewhere, an empty glass box commemorates species that became extinct. In another display, the stuffed heads of tigers and lions loom like phantoms of guilt over black-and-white photographs of hunters. It's only when the curatorial voice slips from posing questions to telling you the answers that the device galls. I felt this peering into a surrealist reconstruction of a curator's office, eerily frozen in time since the 1920s, all mahogany desks and exotic bric-a-brac. It is, we are told, 'like a glimpse of our colonial unconscious' – yet all I could think about was how cosy and charming it looked compared with soulless modern offices. The South Asia Gallery – bright, airy, perfectly spaced – casts a spotlight on the experiences of British Asian communities. Scenes of oppression, violence and starvation under the East India Company and the Raj are included, as one might expect, appearing as incongruously beautiful panels in the atrium. Objects that were 'violently plundered', were are told, have not been included. One of the most poignant parts of this gallery are the displays that bring to life 'hidden' voices within British-Asian communities. The prejudice historically felt by mixed-race Asians is rendered palpable and real. The exhibition on LGBT people of British Asian heritage is particularly moving: their feelings of loneliness, confusion and self-loathing, as well as hope, are all conjured from cuttings from 1990s magazines, help forum notices and leaflets. A final gallery attempts the same thing (slightly less successfully) from an East Asian perspective. I was fascinated to learn that Manchester has a higher proportion of Chinese émigrés than any other city in Europe. It's one of the few revelations we get about Manchester itself. I hankered for more on how this great industrial behemoth came to be, and its later metamorphosis into a modern city of culture. Many, no doubt, would find the emphasis upon displacement, multicultural identity and preserving the environment preachy and over-rehearsed. Some might even declare the whole thing a Trojan's Horse of woke tosh (when I'd read that the museum has 'safe spaces' for anyone who finds the exhibitions traumatising, I did cringe). But Manchester Museum nails its colours to the mast. And it's only fair to judge something by what it is trying to achieve. Does it succeed on its own terms? Overwhelmingly, yes.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Police are working 'night and day' to catch Ballymena rioters after alleged sex attack on local girl sparks violent disorder
Police are working 'night and day' to catch those involved in rioting in Northern Ireland following an alleged sex attack on a local girl. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has welcomed a reduction in disorder on Saturday night after several consecutive days of rioting and attacks on police officers. The force said there were only 'sporadic disturbances' on Saturday, including youths throwing stones in Lurgan and an attempt to attack a vehicle in Carrickfergus. Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: 'Our heightened presence in our local communities and continued community engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night, but thankfully, the situation was much calmer than we have seen in recent days. 'I issued a public plea to parent/guardians and families of young people who have been driving the criminal activity in some areas to warn them of the serious consequences of their actions. 'I am asking for continued conversations amongst local families to deter young people from criminalising themselves.' The disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted rape. A peaceful protest on Monday evening about the alleged assault was followed by attacks on police and properties belonging to ethnic minorities. The PSNI described the scenes as 'racist thuggery'. The disturbances in the County Antrim town continued for several nights and spread to other areas of Northern Ireland including Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and Coleraine. The PSNI said officers dealt with some sporadic disturbances on Saturday, including an incident of attempted criminal damage to a vehicle in Carrickfergus. A 40-year-old man has been charged over the incident and will appear in court next month, Following a report of a group of people throwing bottles at addresses in Lurgan, two boys, aged 14 and 12, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage before being street bailed. Detectives investigating online posts relating to recent public disorder arrested a 32-year-old man in the Larne area on Saturday on suspicion of encouraging or assisting offences and possession of a class B controlled drug. He remains in custody. Ms Jones said: 'Our public order inquiry Team are working day and night to identify those who have been involved in the disorder over the last number of days. 'Our Chief Constable and other members of the senior team have been meeting with local community representatives of those affected over the weekend so we can support them as best we can and offer reassurance of our policing operation to restore calm. 'Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. So, just as we will seek justice for women and girls who report heinous crimes to us, we will also seek justice for local innocent families who are being targeted by criminality fuelled by hate. 'To date, we have made 24 arrests, 14 of which have resulted in individuals being charged to court. 'We will continue to robustly investigate the disorder over the last number of days but do not want to see any more young people criminalised by being caught up in this activity.' She added: 'Sixty-four of our colleagues have been injured and I commend their bravery and determination. 'Their unwavering efforts over the last number of days have resulted in a reduction of disorder and I hope the local communities who have been targeted have felt the support of our frontline teams. 'To come under sustained attack when you are there to serve and protect all is disheartening to say the least. 'They have been steadfast in their commitment to restore peace and I am proud of them all.' Police have also released images of people they want to speak to in relation to the disturbances. Ms Jones said: 'I am asking the wider community to step forward and help us. 'It is in all of our interests, and in the interests of justice, that those responsible are dealt with and I would urge anyone who may have information to bring it forward. 'If you are able to identify any of the people shown in these images or can provide information about them you should contact us on 101 or on our major incident portal, which is accessible on our website. 'I would also like to reassure the communities that we serve that we will continue to maintain our presence and protect streets. 'We are grateful for the support of all who condemn this criminality and would, once more, repeat our appeal for calm across Northern Ireland in the coming days.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Police working ‘night and day' to catch those involved in Northern Ireland riots
Police are working 'night and day' to catch those involved in rioting in Northern Ireland, a senior officer has said. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has welcomed a reduction in disorder on Saturday night following several days of sustained rioting and attacks on officers. The force said there were 'sporadic disturbances' on Saturday which included youths throwing stones in Lurgan and an attempt to attack a vehicle in Carrickfergus. Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: 'Our heightened presence in our local communities and continued community engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night, but thankfully, the situation was much calmer than we have seen in recent days. 'I issued a public plea to parent/guardians and families of young people who have been driving the criminal activity in some areas to warn them of the serious consequences of their actions. 'I am asking for continued conversations amongst local families to deter young people from criminalising themselves.' The disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted rape. A peaceful protest on Monday evening about the alleged assault was followed by attacks on police and properties housing ethnic minorities. The PSNI described the scenes as 'racist thuggery'. The disturbances in the Co Antrim town continued for several nights and spread to other areas of Northern Ireland including Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and Coleraine. The PSNI said officers dealt with some sporadic disturbances on Saturday, including an incident of attempted criminal damage to a vehicle in Carrickfergus. A 40-year-old man has been charged over the incident and will appear in court next month, Following a report of a group of people throwing bottles at addresses in Lurgan, two boys, aged 14 and 12, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage before being street bailed. Detectives investigating online posts relating to recent public disorder arrested a 32-year-old man in the Larne area on Saturday on suspicion of encouraging or assisting offences and possession of a class B controlled drug. He remains in custody. Ms Jones said: 'Our public order inquiry Team are working day and night to identify those who have been involved in the disorder over the last number of days. 'Our Chief Constable and other members of the senior team have been meeting with local community representatives of those affected over the weekend so we can support them as best we can and offer reassurance of our policing operation to restore calm. 'Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. So, just as we will seek justice for women and girls who report heinous crimes to us, we will also seek justice for local innocent families who are being targeted by criminality fuelled by hate. 'To date, we have made 24 arrests, 14 of which have resulted in individuals being charged to court. 'We will continue to robustly investigate the disorder over the last number of days but do not want to see any more young people criminalised by being caught up in this activity.' She added: 'Sixty-four of our colleagues have been injured and I commend their bravery and determination. 'Their unwavering efforts over the last number of days have resulted in a reduction of disorder and I hope the local communities who have been targeted have felt the support of our frontline teams. 'To come under sustained attack when you are there to serve and protect all is disheartening to say the least. 'They have been steadfast in their commitment to restore peace and I am proud of them all.' Police have also released images of people they want to speak to in relation to the disturbances. Ms Jones said: 'I am asking the wider community to step forward and help us. 'It is in all of our interests, and in the interests of justice, that those responsible are dealt with and I would urge anyone who may have information to bring it forward. 'If you are able to identify any of the people shown in these images or can provide information about them you should contact us on 101 or on our major incident portal, which is accessible on our website. 'I would also like to reassure the communities that we serve that we will continue to maintain our presence and protect streets. 'We are grateful for the support of all who condemn this criminality and would, once more, repeat our appeal for calm across Northern Ireland in the coming days.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Police working ‘night and day' to catch those involved in Northern Ireland riots
Police are working 'night and day' to catch those involved in rioting in Northern Ireland, a senior officer has said. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has welcomed a reduction in disorder on Saturday night following several days of sustained rioting and attacks on officers. The force said there were 'sporadic disturbances' on Saturday which included youths throwing stones in Lurgan and an attempt to attack a vehicle in Carrickfergus. Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: 'Our heightened presence in our local communities and continued community engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night, but thankfully, the situation was much calmer than we have seen in recent days. 'I issued a public plea to parent/guardians and families of young people who have been driving the criminal activity in some areas to warn them of the serious consequences of their actions. 'I am asking for continued conversations amongst local families to deter young people from criminalising themselves.' The disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted rape. A peaceful protest on Monday evening about the alleged assault was followed by attacks on police and properties housing ethnic minorities. The PSNI described the scenes as 'racist thuggery'. The disturbances in the Co Antrim town continued for several nights and spread to other areas of Northern Ireland including Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and Coleraine. The PSNI said officers dealt with some sporadic disturbances on Saturday, including an incident of attempted criminal damage to a vehicle in Carrickfergus. A 40-year-old man has been charged over the incident and will appear in court next month, Following a report of a group of people throwing bottles at addresses in Lurgan, two boys, aged 14 and 12, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage before being street bailed. Detectives investigating online posts relating to recent public disorder arrested a 32-year-old man in the Larne area on Saturday on suspicion of encouraging or assisting offences and possession of a class B controlled drug. He remains in custody. Ms Jones said: 'Our public order inquiry Team are working day and night to identify those who have been involved in the disorder over the last number of days. 'Our Chief Constable and other members of the senior team have been meeting with local community representatives of those affected over the weekend so we can support them as best we can and offer reassurance of our policing operation to restore calm. 'Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. So, just as we will seek justice for women and girls who report heinous crimes to us, we will also seek justice for local innocent families who are being targeted by criminality fuelled by hate. 'To date, we have made 24 arrests, 14 of which have resulted in individuals being charged to court. 'We will continue to robustly investigate the disorder over the last number of days but do not want to see any more young people criminalised by being caught up in this activity.' She added: 'Sixty-four of our colleagues have been injured and I commend their bravery and determination. 'Their unwavering efforts over the last number of days have resulted in a reduction of disorder and I hope the local communities who have been targeted have felt the support of our frontline teams. 'To come under sustained attack when you are there to serve and protect all is disheartening to say the least. 'They have been steadfast in their commitment to restore peace and I am proud of them all.' Police have also released images of people they want to speak to in relation to the disturbances. Ms Jones said: 'I am asking the wider community to step forward and help us. 'It is in all of our interests, and in the interests of justice, that those responsible are dealt with and I would urge anyone who may have information to bring it forward. 'If you are able to identify any of the people shown in these images or can provide information about them you should contact us on 101 or on our major incident portal, which is accessible on our website. 'I would also like to reassure the communities that we serve that we will continue to maintain our presence and protect streets. 'We are grateful for the support of all who condemn this criminality and would, once more, repeat our appeal for calm across Northern Ireland in the coming days.'
