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Tue, 02 Jun 2020
Church of England reinstates bishop accused of defending genocide
The Church of England has reinstated a Rwandan bishop who left his role as a parish priest in Worcestershire after he was accused of complicity in the 1994 genocide of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis.
The Guardian
Abortion: Assembly to debate recent changes to NI laws
The assembly will debate a motion later that seeks to reject recent changes to Northern Ireland's abortion laws.
BBC
US: Protesters dispersed with tear gas so Trump could pose at church
Police fired tear gas canisters and flash grenades on Monday to clear out protesters so President Trump could visit St. John's Church and pose with a bible.
The New York Times
UN expert calls for global ban on 'cruel' conversion therapy
A top UN expert urged global governments on Monday to ban the "degrading" practise known as conversion therapy, which aims to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Reuters
'Hate-speech laws are no friend of minorities'
Scotland's Hate Crime Bill is well-intentioned. But history shows us that censorship is no way to fight hate, say Jacob Mchangama and Nadine Strossen.
Spiked
'Mubarak Bala: Facebook posts and limits of religious freedom'
To locate Bala's alleged Facebook posts beyond the limits of religious freedom shows poor judgement and understanding of religious diversity and the constitutional provision on freedom of religion or belief, says Leo Igwe.
Sahara Reporters
Pakistan: High Court to hear appeal of Christians convicted of 'blasphemy'
The Lahore High Court will hear the appeal of a Christian couple convicted for blasphemy who have been languishing in prison for the last six years.
The Express Tribune
Mon, 01 Jun 2020
Church leaders threaten legal action over coronavirus church closures - NSS quoted
A coalition of Christian bishops and reverends has urged the government to prioritise churches in its exit strategy from the coronavirus lockdown.
Mail Online
Clergy criticise Church of England using faith school admissions to 'artificially boost church attendance'
A group of senior Anglicans have written to the Church of England urging it "to abandon admission policies that discriminate against people by faith" in its schools.
iNews
Fundraisers who made 'misogynistic comments' on Muslim TV channel apologise
Two fundraisers who appeared on the channel British Muslim TV have apologised for sexist comments they made live on the channel.
Asian Image
Singing in religious buildings a 'problem' for spread of coronavirus, warns communities secretary
Singing in religious buildings should not yet be allowed, the communities secretary has said.
Huffington Post
‘Doctor’ jailed for performing botched circumcision on baby did 12 more say gardai
A man jailed over the 'barbaric' circumcision, without any anaesthetic, of a baby boy is under investigation for 12 other illegal circumcisions.
Extra.ie
US: Supreme court rejects church’s challenge to shutdown order
The Supreme Court on Friday turned away a request from a church in California to block enforcement of state restrictions on attendance at religious services.
The New York Times
Catholic diocese in Minnesota to pay sexual abuse victims $22.5m
Some 70 people say they were abused by 41 priests in cases that date back to the 1950s.
The Guardian
'India’s anti-Muslim fake news factories are following the anti-Semitic playbook'
"Take any crime, add a false Muslim angle to show Muslims as perpetrators. This is exactly what Christians did to Jews in Europe for centuries."
The Print
Fri, 29 May 2020
Coronavirus: Blackburn Eid street prayers a 'serious lockdown breach'
A gathering of worshippers on a street to observe prayers during Eid was a "serious breach" of lockdown measures, a council has said.
BBC News
Reported cull of bishops, cathedrals, and dioceses is misleading, says senior bishop
The archbishop-designate of York, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, has dismissed a Sunday-newspaper report that he was to lead a review involving "massive shrinkage" in the number of cathedrals, dioceses, and parish churches.
Church Times
'A very narrow escape from "conversion therapy"' - NSS quoted
Barry Duke nearly underwent 'gay conversion therapy'. He now calls for the practice to end; we're quoted.
Euro Weekly News
MPs bring bill to ban late abortions for minor physical abnormalities
The abortion (cleft lip, cleft palate and clubfoot) bill, which is led by the Conservative MP Fiona Bruce and supported by 13 MPs, will be presented in parliament on 3 June.
The Guardian
'Muslims are frightened of calling out Jew-hate within their own community'
Antisemitism within some small sections of Muslims and which remains stubbornly entrenched needs to be taken on and called out repeatedly, says Fiyaz Mughal.
The JC
Archbishop issues statement after public Mass in Dublin
A senior Catholic bishop in Ireland has urged churches to continuing applying lockdown restrictions after it emerged that a church reopened for public Mass in Co Dublin.
Irish News
US: House passes Uighur human rights bill
The House voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to pass a measure that would punish top Chinese officials for detaining more than one million Muslims in internment camps, sending President Trump a bill intended to force him to take a more aggressive stand on human rights abuses in China.
The New York Times
Malaysia’s religious ban on gay sex is to be challenged
A man in Malaysia has won the right to challenge a religious state law banning gay sex.
Pink News
Christian fundamentalists petition Disney to drop film about gay couple
To One Million Moms, a wing of the Christian fundamentalist group American Family Association, Out is "promoting sin to children" and are petitioning Disney leaders to drop the film entirely.
Pink News
"Now even secularism is ‘Islamophobic'"
Quebec's ban on public-sector employees in positions of authority wearing religious symbols is neither exceptional nor unreasonable, says David Rand.
Spiked
Thu, 28 May 2020
Sikh temple attack and stabbing being treated as hate crimes
A 31-year-old Derby man has appeared in court after following a stabbing in Normanton which police are treating as a hate crime. He has also been charged with burglary in connection with an earlier incident which saw a Sikh temple attacked.
Derbyshire Live
Harrow mosque responds to Covid-19 call to prayer petition
A mosque that wants to play the 'call to prayer' during the Covid-19 pandemic said it has "no intention of disturbing the community". It applied for permission for an initial three months, but representatives said they could look to extend this if measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic continued.
This Is Local London
Police issue further warning to hotel over Jewish prayer gathering
Police have attended the Normandie Hotel in Bournemouth for the third time in two weekends following reports of an alleged minyan (Jewish prayer gathering) being held on the site.
The JC
Gin bar given licence despite concerns from nearby mosque
A gin bar and distillery has been given a licence despite concerns from members of a neighbouring mosque that worshippers will 'experience increased Islamophobia'.
Essex Live
Over 100 mosques sign letter demanding UK watchdog investigate Conservative Party for 'Islamophobia'
Over a hundred mosques and 40 Islamic organisations have signed a letter demanding that the UK's equalities watchdog investigate the Conservative Party over allegations of 'Islamophobia'.
Newsweek
'Malta looks to Ireland in campaign for legal abortion'
"If the pandemic arrived prior to 2019, women would have been unable to travel for abortions, resulting in an increase in the number seeking abortion pills online. The island of Malta, which prohibits abortion, is currently in that situation."
RTE
'Nothing divides America more than tossing politics into a heated religious debate'
"Since the founding of America, religion has been at the center of many of the most contentious conflicts our nation has encountered. We should have known it would be only a matter of time before the church was inserted into the coronavirus pandemic."
Chicago Tribune
Wed, 27 May 2020
Church of England bishops receive death threats over Dominic Cummings comments
Several British bishops have received death threats after they criticised the government on Twitter for its handling of the Dominic Cummings debacle.
The Independent
‘The established status of the church is long overdue a review’
A church treasurer calls for a review of the Church of England's status in light of bishops' interventions in the Dominic Cummings saga (scroll down to read).
The Times (£)
Mosque's plan to broadcast call to prayer faces 18,000-strong petition
Harrow's main mosque wants to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer across town from loudspeakers on its roof, but the plan is already dividing opinions.
MyLondon
Muslim group Cage’s apocalyptic online ads are banned
A Muslim campaign group that describes coronavirus as a punishment from god has been banned from running its advertisements on Facebook.
The Times (£)
‘Police: charge or release Mubarak Bala’
Justice is not served when the Nigerian police hold Mubarak Bala – who faces possible punishment for blasphemy – incommunicado, says Leo Igwe.
Sahara Reporters
Brother-in-law of blasphemy accused Asia Bibi murdered in Pakistan
The brother-in-law of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who spent years in jail on blasphemy charges, was killed in Sheikhupura city of Punjab province in Pakistan on Monday.
NDTV
Man jailed for three years for ‘barbaric’ circumcision without anaesthetic in Ireland
A 55-year-old man has been jailed for three years for carrying out a "barbaric" circumcision without anaesthetic on a 10-month-old boy.
The Irish Times
Father convicted of FGM of daughter to appeal his sentence in Ireland
A father convicted of allowing female genital mutilation to be carried out on his daughter, in the first case of its kind in the nation's history, is to appeal his conviction and sentence.
TheJournal.ie
Costa Rica: First same-sex weddings held despite pandemic
Predominantly Catholic Costa Rica has become the first Central American nation to make same-sex marriage legal.
DW
Coronavirus cluster traced to German church
Places of worship in Germany opened their doors again at the start of May. But now a new Covid-19 cluster has been linked to one religious service.
DW
Tue, 26 May 2020
Church of England weighs up cull of bishops
The Church of England is to begin a rethink of its role which is expected to lead to a "massive shrinkage" in the number of dioceses and parish churches that it runs — and could mean that it had dozens fewer bishops.
The Times
Corporal punishment being used in Orthodox Jewish schools, inquiry hears
Amanda Speilman, Ofsted chief inspector, said of an educational pamphlet: "Much of it comes off as a manifesto for corporal punishment."
The Telegraph
Hundreds cram into football stand for ‘outdoor religious ceremony’ in lockdown
Hundreds of people crammed into a football stand in Jubilee Park in Enfield, London, flouting lockdown rules that state people should still be keeping two metres apart.
Metro
Churches must be allowed to reopen, MPs demand in letter to PM
Boris Johnson has been urged by a group of Conservative MPs to allow churches to open for prayer, weddings and funerals as soon as June.
The Telegraph
C of E may refuse to work with government, says bishop after PM defends Cummings
Church of England bishops have fired a volley of criticism at Boris Johnson over his defence of actions taken by his chief aide, Dominic Cummings.
The Guardian
Prince William calls on people to embrace 'Christian teachings of faith, hope and love' in online service
Prince William has recorded a mental health-focused message for an online Church of England service.
iNews
New laws propose ban on pregnant women aborting babies with minor disabilities
Pregnant women will be banned from aborting babies with minor disabilities under proposed new laws.
The Sun
Mother of Manchester Arena bombing victim says 'terrorism has not gone away'
The mother of a victim of the Manchester Arena attack says that terrorism has not gone away and teachers must look out for signs of radicalisation.
The Telegraph
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