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Thu, 17 Oct 2019
Prosecuted head vows to keep unregistered religious school open
The head teacher of an unregistered school who was prosecuted for operating it illegally has said it has a "unique" approach and will remain open.
BBC
Abortion rights used to get DUP to back Brexit deal, says Stella Creasy
Labour MP Stella Creasy has accused the government of preparing to hand back control of abortion rights to Stormont to help curry favour with the DUP at a critical moment in the Brexit talks.
The Guardian
Tensions build over landmark legal change on abortion in NI
Anti-abortion campaigners are working to obstruct the liberalisation of Northern Ireland's abortion laws, which will go ahead from Monday if the Stormont assembly is not restored.
The Irish News
Anti-LGBT protester 'inflamed tensions' by inviting imam to school demo, court hears
The lead protester in the row over LGBT-inclusive teaching has been accused of "inflaming tensions" by inviting a controversial imam who claimed anal sex, paedophilia and transgenderism were being taught in schools to a demonstration.
The Guardian
Vaginal surgery and piercings are not FGM, says CPS guideline
Increasingly popular vaginal cosmetic surgery and genital piercing should in most cases not be prosecuted as female genital mutilation, according to fresh guidance issued by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Guardian
Labour’s Diane Abbott says people use religion as an “excuse” for homophobia
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has hit out at people who use religion as an "excuse" for homophobia in a speech at the PinkNews Awards.
Pink News
PM says UK will “stand up for religious freedom”
The prime minister has said the government will "stand up for religious freedom in all our doings and in all our foreign policy" in response to a question in parliament.
Premier Christian Radio
Morocco pardons journalist jailed on abortion charges
A Moroccan journalist sentenced to a year in jail for premarital sex and having an abortion has been pardoned by King Mohammed VI, officials say.
BBC
Polish lawmakers vote for bill criminalising 'promoting underage sex', in apparent attack on sex ed
Polish lawmakers have voted in favour of a bill to criminalise "the promotion of underage sexual activity". Liberals say the bill aims to ban sex education.
Reuters
French government resists calls for school trip headscarf ban
The French government has said it will not seek to ban Muslim women who wear headscarves from volunteering to help on school trips amid an escalating row.
The Guardian
Wed, 16 Oct 2019
Dean of Westminster Abbey calls for more state-funded Muslim schools
The outgoing dean of Westminster Abbey has called for "a substantial number of state-funded Muslim schools" in a service attended by the queen.
Church Times
Petitioners demand BBC removes expose on how Iraqi Muslim clerics sell young girls for sex
More than 17,000 people have demanded the BBC take down a documentary about young Iraqi girls being sold for sex - calling it 'disrespectful' to law-abiding Shia Muslims.
Mail Online
Gay men pardoned as new law comes into force in Scotland
Gay men prosecuted under outdated laws can apply to have their convictions erased as new legislation comes into force in Scotland.
The Herald
Petition asks Lancashire school to end religious selection of pupils
A petition has been launched calling on a Lancaster school to end religious selection.
Lancaster Guardian
Hate crimes recorded by police up 10%
There has been a 10% rise in hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales.
BBC
'Rise in homophobic attacks' in Birmingham after anti-LGBT teaching protests, says head
The headteacher at the centre of a row over inclusive teaching told a court there had been 333% rise in homophobic attacks in a part of Birmingham, blaming the surge on protests outside her school.
The Guardian
Scottish government chief launches hate crime crackdown
Scotland's communities secretary has laid out a plan to combat racism , sectarianism and bigotry.
Daily Record
Uganda denies plans to impose death penalty for gay sex amid global concern
Uganda will not impose the death penalty for gay sex, a presidential spokesman said on Monday, after major aid donors said they were monitoring a plan by the African nation to reintroduce a bill colloquially known as 'Kill the Gays'.
Reuters
300 young men are freed from another Nigerian Islamic boarding school where they were chained up and raped
More than 300 young men have been freed from a second Nigerian Islamic boarding school where they were chained up and raped, following a similar raid last month.
Mail Online
Australia’s high court rules female genital mutilation illegal in all forms
Three people charged with FGM offences against two primary school-aged sisters could face further punishment after Australia's high court ruled a New South Wales court had erred in quashing their convictions.
ABC News (Australia)
US right reacts badly after Democratic presidential candidate proposes revoking anti-LGBT churches’ tax status
Republicans in the US have reacted badly after Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke proposed ending the tax-exempt status of anti-LGBTQ churches and nonprofits.
LGBTQ Nation
Tue, 15 Oct 2019
Court bid to stop anti-LGBT protests at Birmingham school starts
Protests were held outside the high court on Monday over a bid to permanently ban activists against equality lessons from demonstrating outside a Birmingham primary school.
The Guardian
Parents’ evening cancelled ‘over concern for teachers’ at school affected by protests
A head teacher whose primary school has been targeted by protests over LGBT equality lessons had to cancel a parents' evening because she feared for teachers' safety, a court has heard.
The Times (£)
‘Behind the gates of Anderton Park - the Birmingham school at the centre of national debate’
On the eve of a high court battle seeking to curb protests at the gates of Anderton Park School for good, Jane Haynes went inside to find out more about the school's ethos.
Birmingham Live
Atheist woman wins right to exhume cremated remains of baby boy
An atheist mother has won a rare court case to exhume the ashes of her two-year-old son after they were buried in consecrated land by mistake 15 years ago.
Mail Online
Schools in NI should `adapt' to meet needs of increasingly diverse classes
Schools in Northern Ireland need to adapt to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population, it has been urged.
The Irish News
‘Teachers are losing their religion and breaking the rules’
Eve Debbage of TeacherTapp says teachers are less religious today than they were 50 years ago.
Schools Week
Sinn Féin supports abortions in certain circumstances and within a 'limited gestational period'
Sinn Féin will tell a consultation on Northern Ireland's new abortion laws that it only supports terminations in certain circumstances and within a "limited gestational period".
The Irish News
‘Former Islamist and far-right extremists unite to fight rising hate’
A decade ago, Jesse Morton and Ivan Humble were on opposite sides of an ideological battle. Now, they are fighting extremism together, Lizzie Dearden writes.
The Independent
Civic leaders in attendance as religious service celebrates life in Leicestershire
Leicestershire's top civic and religious leaders converged on Melton Mowbray on Sunday to attend a special service to celebrate life in the county.
Melton Times
Bangladeshi court indicts eight men over murder of man who published atheist books
On Sunday, a Bangladeshi court indicted eight men, all part of a radical Islamic terrorist organisation, for the murder of Faisal Abedin Deepan, who published the works of a murdered atheist author.
The Friendly Atheist (Patheos)
Mon, 14 Oct 2019
'No consent' circumcision doctor suspended for a month
A mother whose son was circumcised without her consent said she was "furious" the doctor has only been suspended for a month.
BBC
'Consider religion when teaching LGBT+ issues', says government
The government has published advice for primary school teachers on how to implement a new LGBT-inclusive curriculum next year, urging respect for "sensitivities" among some religious communities.
Tes
‘Victims must despair of the Vatican’s handling of abuse’ – NSS letter
NSS president Keith Porteous Wood highlights the Vatican's failure to cooperate with the public inquiry on child abuse or the UN (scroll down to read).
The Tablet (£)
MP wants change to marriage age to stop forced nuptials
Sarah Champion, the MP for Rotherham in south Yorkshire, wants a change in the legal marriage age to stop teenagers being forced into it against their will.
Planet Radio
Ofsted ‘considers’ approach to gender segregation after quashing ‘inadequate’ inspection of Jewish school
Ofsted is considering whether to change its approach to gender segregation after quashing the 'inadequate' rating of a Jewish school it accused of breaking equalities laws.
Schools Week
Academy trust in plea for cash as Hindu school bid remains ‘on hold’
An academy trust struggling to open a new voluntary-aided Hindu school is offering "naming rights" to prospective parents who pledge large enough donations.
Schools Week
Woman describes 'awful' journey to husband's assisted death
The wife of a former teacher who ended his life at a Swiss euthanasia clinic last month has said having to travel abroad made it much harder to bear.
BBC
Man reported to police for discussing assisted suicide with terminally ill father
A man caring for his terminally ill father was reported to police for discussing assisted suicide.
Wales Online
Poland election: Ruling Law and Justice party claims victory
Poland's governing Law and Justice party, which has a strong relationship with the Catholic Church, has claimed victory in Sunday's general election.
BBC
Uganda announces ‘Kill the Gays’ law imposing death penalty on homosexuals
Uganda has announced plans to impose the death penalty on homosexuals.
The Independent
US attorney general warns of 'militant' secularism in speech about declining religious values
US attorney general William Barr has said declining religious values and the loss of the "traditional moral order" is causing many of society's ills.
Washington Examiner
Prince Charles attends sainthood ceremony at Vatican
The prince of Wales has attended a ceremony at the Vatican where the pope declared John Henry Newman a saint.
The Telegraph
Fri, 11 Oct 2019
Government signals it will maintain cap on religious discrimination in admissions
The government has said it is not planning to scrap its 50% cap on religious discrimination in pupil admissions to new academy faith schools.
Education Executive
Man tells of being ‘beaten and raped’ at Catholic school in 1970s
The nephew of the Irish writer Brendan Behan has said that he was repeatedly raped by a member of staff at a Catholic boarding school in Scotland in the 1970s.
The Times (£)
Children at Edinburgh Catholic school stopped from celebrating Halloween
Parents of children at St David's RC Primary School in Edinburgh say their children have been stopped from having a Halloween dress up party at school due to 'religious matters'.
Edinburgh Evening News
'Parliament is out of step': Telford MP calls for assisted dying to be made legal
A Shropshire MP has called for assisted dying to be made legal, accusing fellow politicians of being 'out of step' with the public mood.
Shropshire Star
Women face jail for marching with massive vagina ‘mocking’ religious parade in Spain
A group of feminists could be facing jail time and a hefty fine for parading a huge plastic vagina in the streets of a Spanish city during a procession.
Metro
‘Horror of Jews targeted in Halle attack’
Jenny Hill reports from Halle in the wake of this week's shooting which targeted a synagogue, and hears evidence of rising anti-semitism.
BBC
‘Fifa must sustain pressure on Iran to ensure its courageous female fans are not forgotten’
Oliver Brown says football's governing body must ensure Iranian women no longer have freedom in name only.
The Telegraph (£)
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