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Responding to terror attacks, Germany bans the burqa

Reporter: Guy Henderson 丨 CCTV.com

08-20-2016 11:34 BJT

Germany's interior minister has called for a partial ban of the burqa - the full-face veil worn by some Muslim women. His position on the veil represents a compromise with conservative parties which called for a full ban, and a struggle to balance assimilation and anti-terrorism measures.

Film night at the Migration Hub.

A Europe-wide network created to support a boom in start-up businesses - looking to help out in Germany's refugee crisis.

Most focus on welcoming new arrivals.

"There are many, many schemes that the government is doing, but it really has to happen from the bottom up. And here we have a number of initiatives which work on helping to include new arrivals by - for example - creating Apps: designed by refugees themselves, on what do they need Or other initiatives that come in, like: 'ok, you need to learn the language - well, we've created a tandem system for you online - where you can learn how to do this in your own time," said Alexandra Embiricos, Migration Hub Berlin.

Demands are constantly shifting.

In Berlin on Friday - Germany's Interior Minister backed a series of tough measures seemingly aimed at assimilation: including a partial ban on the face veil.

"Whoever wants to work in public services cannot be completely covered. The head scarf is a different issue. We're talking about completely covering. The law is at kindergartens, schools and high schools - teachers and students, in courtrooms - the judge and jury, and witnesses. It will apply everywhere where you have to be identified," said Thomas De Maiziere, German interior minister.

There are no queues outside asylum registration centres this summer.

Indeed, the bottleneck is at the other end.

There's still uncertainty about what could be done better.

"It is the aim of this study to find out - in all these layers of government - which parts are responsible for making this process move faster," said Johannes Dimroth, spokesman of German interior ministry.

Alongside efforts to welcome refugees...is a push to send those not welcome back home: on both fronts, Germany still needs help.

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