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Wed, 19 Jun 2019
Pharmacist refused to give morning after pill on a Sunday ‘for personal reasons’
A mum was told she couldn't have emergency contraception because it went against the beliefs of the only pharmacist working that Sunday.
Metro
Tory leadership debate: Contenders copy Javid’s vow to rid party of Islamophobia
Sajid Javid last night appeared to bounce all the Tory leadership candidates into signing up to an investigation into Islamophobia in the party.
The Times
"The questions the BBC must answer about Abdullah in Bristol"
Stephen Daisley highlights concerns over the anti-Semitic tweets of BBC Islamophobia questioner.
The Spectator
Northamptonshire students lose faith in GCSE religious studies as uptake drops massively
The number of pupils in the county taking religious studies GCSE has dropped by more than three quarters in just two years.
Northampton Chronicle & Echo
Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland saw a spike in allegations of clerical abuse
Pope Francis' visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families last August saw a spike in allegations of clerical abuse, the Catholic Church's safeguarding watchdog has revealed.
Irish News
'Circumcision season': Philippine rite puts boys under pressure
"A row of boys lying on newsprint-covered tables howl in pain and grit their teeth as part of "circumcision season" in the Philippines, when thousands of youngsters suffer through the procedure en masse."
Bangkok Post
Anti-LGBT activist Tony Perkins named head of US religious freedom commission
Perkins, an evangelical pastor who has close ties with the Trump administration, was named as chair of the federal government body, which makes policy recommendations and polices 'religious freedom' internationally.
Pink News
Saudi de-fangs religious police but plans to enforce 'decency'
Saudi Arabia has rendered toothless the once-feared religious police amid a liberalisation drive, but a planned "public decency" law is stoking controversy with some fearing a revival of morality policing.
Daily Mail
Islamic fatwa approves organ donation after Bristol man's efforts
A man who had to wait for 23 years for a kidney transplant has won changes to Islamic guidance to allow organ donation in the UK.
BBC
Tue, 18 Jun 2019
Sex education: Llanelli MP says no child should be excluded - NSS referenced
Llanelli MP Nia Griffith told BBC Wales she did not "want to see any child excluded from those lessons".
BBC
Government rejects application for capital funding for Jewish primary school in Herts
Plans for a new state-aided Jewish primary in Borehamwood have stalled after the government turned down its application for capital funding.
JC
Steiner Academy Bristol being taken over by Hindu-faith school trust
Steiner Academy Bristol has been taken over by a Hindu trust.
Bristol Post
"Northern Ireland? More like Republic of Gilead when it comes to abortion rights"
"A couple of weeks ago Twitter was alight with rightful disgust and despair as the US rolled back reproductive rights in several states."
Metro
Last five single-sex primary schools in north to be reviewed
They are Holy Cross Girls, Holy Cross Boys, Mercy, Sacred Heart and Our Lady's, and serve close to 1,400 pupils.
Irish News
Cambridge Union criticised after Malaysian PM makes 'Jewish friends' remark at event
Cambridge Union has been criticised for hosting an event which saw an audience laugh at comments about "Jewish people" made by Malaysia's prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad.
Huffington Post
Quebec passes religious symbols secularism bill
A Canadian province has passed legislation that would bar civil servants in positions of "authority" from wearing religious symbols at work.
BBC
Quebec Bill 21: Is it OK for public servants to wear religious symbols?
Six people who have been vocal about Bill 21 and its impact spoke to the BBC.
BBC
Supreme Court passes, for now, on a new wedding cake dispute
The Supreme Court announced Monday it would not decide, for now, whether a Christian couple from Oregon had a constitutional right to defy that state's civil rights law and refuse to make a wedding cake for the marriage of two women.
Los Angeles Times
Catholic Church paves way for ordination of married men to priesthood
The preparatory document for the Amazon Synod, which takes place in Rome next October, contains proposals linking the ordination of older married men with fulfilling the pastoral needs of communities in remote regions of South America.
Belfast Telegraph
Mon, 17 Jun 2019
Church may lose its vote over schooling - NSS quoted
Church delegates could be stripped of their right to take decisions on education in Scotland's capital in a row over religious influence in schools.
The Times (£)
Government gives go-ahead for new faith school in Peterborough - NSS quoted
The Government has given the go-ahead for a new Roman Catholic school in Peterborough.
Peterborough Today
Government warns independent faith schools over sex segregation - NSS quoted
Two independent faith schools which segregate children by sex and one which encourages girls to enter "caring professions" have been warned by the government.
Ekklesia
'This man spent 25 years fighting homophobic reporting and won'
Patrick Strudwick examines the life of Terry Sanderson, former NSS president and long-time LGBT rights campaigner.
BuzzFeed
‘Outstanding’ Jewish school downgraded over religious and gender segregation concerns
A Jewish school has been downgraded from the top to bottom Ofsted grade over concerns that it segregates some of its pupils based on faith and gender.
Independent
Catholic Church urged to do more to protect children from abuse
The Catholic Church must do more to protect children from abuse in Scotland, a review group has recommended.
The Sunday Post
Gay and bisexual men in Scotland to have historical prosecutions quashed
Men with historical prosecutions for same-sex sexual activity will be able to apply to have their convictions erased from October.
The Scotsman
Muslim dad and brother ‘abused entire family after two daughters refused arranged marriages’
A father is on trial for controlling his entire family because two of his eight daughters would not marry the men he had chosen for them.
Metro
Boris Johnson: Senior Muslim Conservative makes comparison with Adolf Hitler
The chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum has made a comparison between Boris Johnson and Adolf Hitler.
The Scotsman
'Boris was right about the niqab – it’s oppressive and ridiculous'
The real extremists are those who want to protect Islam and its beliefs from public debate and ridicule, says Brendan O'Neill.
Spiked
Fri, 14 Jun 2019
New Catholic school approved despite opposition - NSS quoted
An application to open Hampton Waters Roman Catholic School, a voluntary aided faith school in Peterborough, has been given the green light.
The Independent
Rise in Northern Irish women seeking abortions in England and Wales
The number of Northern Irish women seeking abortions in England and Wales has increased by 22%.
The Guardian
'Confidential' e-network launched for midwives and nurses to tackle FGM
An online network has been set up for specialist midwives, nurses and health visitors to help tackle female genital mutilation and to support survivors.
Nursing Times
Gove: I will give clear backing to primary LGBT lessons
Michael Gove has said that as prime minister he would make it clear that primary schools teaching children about LGBT relationships is a government requirement.
TES
Downing Street denies Sajid Javid's religion was reason for Trump state banquet snub
Downing Street has denied that Sajid Javid was not invited to a state banquet for Donald Trump because he is a Muslim.
Politics Home
'Silenced' children of priests to share stories with French bishops
In an unprecedented series of meetings beginning on Thursday afternoon, children who say they have been "silenced" and "humiliated" by the Church will have the opportunity to share their experiences.
BBC
Bishop apologises over priest’s homily comparing gay people to zombies
Fr Tom Forde also said 'the only way to deal with zombies is to shoot them' during address.
The Irish Times
Ecuador approves same-sex marriage as LGBT+ groups hail landmark week
Ecuador's decision to allow same-sex marriage has topped a landmark week for LGBT+ rights after Botswana decriminalised gay sex and Bhutan took the first steps to do so, said campaigners marking the 50th anniversary of the gay equality movement.
Reuters
New York bans religious vaccination exemptions
Confronted with both serious measles outbreaks and a growing anti-vaccine movement, New York lawmakers voted Thursday to ban religious exemptions that would allow parents to circumvent school-mandated vaccination.
Mail Online
Texas town bans abortion in all-male city council vote
The unanimous vote prohibits abortion within Waskom's city limits, leaving exceptions in the case of rape, incest or serious risk to the mother's life.
BBC
The first ever brain scans of jihadists show how radicalisation alters the mind
Scientists have looked for the first time at the brain patterns of Islamist radicals, showing that the part of the brain associated with deliberative reasoning is deactivated when a person is willing to fight and die for a "sacred cause".
BuzzFeed
Thu, 13 Jun 2019
Charedi Jewish schools seek to exploit RSE 'loopholes' to block LGBT teaching - NSS quoted
Ministers have been accused of leaving "loopholes" in new relationships and sex education guidance after it emerged some Jewish schools were advised by lawyers to show a "united front" to prevent the teaching of LGBT issues.
Schools Week
NSS castigates vicar over ‘alarming’ relationship teaching article
The National Secular Society's exposure of a school governor who called LGBT-inclusive education "child abuse" is covered in The Freethinker.
Patheos
Transphobic leaflets sent to Catholic school pupils across UK
Inserted in a magazine distributed by the Archdiocese of Liverpool handed out to pupils, the leaflets claimed that "sophisticated activists" were trying to impose their "anti-God" views on children.
The Independent
Christ's Hospital ex-teacher Gary Dobbie jailed for abuse
A former teacher and chaplain at a top private school has been jailed for 12 years for abusing nine pupils.
BBC
Nonprofit leaves counter-terrorism panel after Mend member gets seat at table
Faith Matters will no longer advise Redbridge Prevent after a member of the organisation Mend was voted in.
Jewish News
'The Pakistani lawyer putting his life on the line'
An interview with Saif-ul Malook, the lawyer who defended a Christian woman from execution for 'blasphemy' and winner of the NSS's Secularist of the Year 2019 award.
New Internationalist
Quebec government aims to define religious symbols in amendment to secularism bill
The Quebec government is offering a first concession to critics of its proposed law restricting religious symbols worn by some civil servants.
CBC
The ‘rudest book in Britain’ and what it tells us about the Victorian public
The history of the National Secular Society is mentioned in this account of Fruits of Philosophy, the Victorian guidebook on sex and contraception published by Charles Bradlaugh and Annie Besant.
Southwark News
Wed, 12 Jun 2019
"LGBT lessons same as child abuse", says Wickersley vicar - NSS quoted
A vicar who is also a school governor sparked outrage by describing classes teaching children about LGBT relationships as "state-sponsored child abuse".
Rotherham Advertiser
Charedi schools should be able to comply with same-sex guidelines, minister says
Charedi schools which have attained good Ofsted reports show it is possible to comply with requirements to tell pupils about same-sex relations, the School Standards Minister Nick Gibb has said.
The JC
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