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Mon, 11 Feb 2019
'I don't want to hide' says Rushdie, 30 years after fatwa
Salman Rushdie is quietly defiant after 30 years in the shadow of a death sentence pronounced by Ayatollah Khomeini.
The Times of India
Scottish Catholic education leaders say RE should be “weaved into the school day” across subjects
Catholic education leaders in Scotland have said parents should not have the right to withdraw children from Religious Education and RE and religious observance are integral to Catholic schools.
Scottish Catholic Observer
Ian Hislop play in Glasgow to look at 200-year-old battle against blasphemy laws
A new play will look at the case of William Hone, who stood trial for "parodying religion, the despotic government and the libidinous monarchy" two centuries ago.
Evening Times
Lib Dem leader Vince Cable calls for assisted dying to be legalised
Vince Cable has called for assisted dying to be legalised, becoming the first party leader to back the move.
Daily Mail
Oxford college votes not to supply non-stun meat to students
The junior common room at Somerville College in Oxford has voted to supply halal and kosher meat only if it is stunned before slaughter.
The Telegraph
‘The Iranian revolution at 40: from theocracy to “normality”’
Thomas Erdbrink says the rules of Iran's theocracy have gradually become negotiable since the 1979 revolution.
The New York Times
Fri, 08 Feb 2019
School cancels play about Darwin and evolution after Christian parents complain – NSS quoted
A primary school has cancelled a play about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution following complaints from a group of Christian parents.
The Independent
Jewish state school plans single-sex academies to avoid gender integration
A Jewish state school that illegally segregates boys and girls is planning to form a multi-academy trust so that it can split itself into two single-sex schools rather than integrate its pupils.
Tes
Vatican withheld whereabouts of abbot on run over child abuse from British police, inquiry hears
The Vatican Bank knew the whereabouts of a Roman Catholic monk who was on the run from child abuse charges but failed to tell British police, a public inquiry has heard.
The Times (£)
Retired accountant who took his own life at Dignitas urges MPs to change the law on assisted dying
A retired accountant suffering from motor neurone disease who ended his own life yesterday penned an open letter to MPs imploring them to change the assisted dying law after it "robbed him of control over his death".
The Telegraph
‘Geoffrey Whalley’s story is a reminder of the cruelty inflicted by the UK’s assisted dying law’
Sarah Wootton says it is high time MPs looked at assisted dying again.
HuffPost
Commons speaker’s chaplain says she doesn’t “get anxious” over NSS prayers campaign – NSS repeatedly mentioned
The chaplain to the speaker of the House of Commons has said she is not "anxious" about calls from MPs and the NSS for the end of parliamentary prayers.
Church Times
Inquiry launched into charity running Birmingham Muslim School after 'serious incident not reported'
An inquiry has been launched into a charity running a Muslim school in Birmingham where pupils were once said to be at risk of radicalisation.
Birmingham Mail
Government to consider labelling non-stun meat, minister tells vets’ conference
Labels could be placed on meat from animals not stunned before slaughter under government plans to help shoppers to avoid buying it.
The Times (£)
‘Why is Britain still tiptoeing around the evil crime of FGM?’
Rohan Silva says the abuse of girls should not be accepted in the name of multiculturalism.
Evening Standard
Trump expresses support for faith groups in National Prayer Breakfast speech
President Trump has expressed support for faith groups' ability to discriminate in a major speech and told a mostly Christian audience: "I will never let you down".
Deseret News
US judge sides with Christian group in religious freedom case
A federal judge has ruled that the University of Iowa was wrong to strip a Christian student group of its registered status after the organisation barred a gay student from a leadership position.
The Washington Post
‘A flurry of abortion legislation across the US’
The US Supreme Court has blocked a Louisiana law that its opponents say would leave the state with a single doctor authorised to perform abortion. This is the latest development in the national legal fight over the fate of abortion law under a conservative-leaning court.
The New York Times
Muslim inmate executed in Alabama after legal battle over imam's presence
A Muslim inmate who argued his religious rights were violated because the US state of Alabama would not allow his imam by his side at his execution was put to death on Thursday night.
CNN
Thu, 07 Feb 2019
‘The Times view on assisted dying: Death and Dignity’
This editorial says legislation forbidding assisted dying mandates suffering and potentially criminalises compassion, and MPs should look again at the issue.
The Times (£)
Animal welfare groups raise non-stun slaughter with government, drawing backlash
Animal welfare organisations have urged the government to label meat from animals which undergo non-stun slaughter. The kosher slaughter group Shechita UK has reacted angrily.
Jewish News
Anti-semitic incidents in UK at record high for third year in a row, says monitoring group
Anti-semitic incidents have risen 16% in the UK since 2017, according to the Community Security Trust.
The Guardian
Universities are allowing free speech to be curtailed in favour of 'rule of the mob', former equalities chief warns
Universities are allowing free speech to be curtailed on campuses in favour of "rule of the mob", former equalities chief Trevor Phillips has warned.
The Telegraph
Official figures suggest there will be more ‘Catholics’ than ‘Protestants’ in NI workforce by 2020
New figures suggest the number of workers considered 'Catholic' in Northern Ireland will overtake the number considered 'Protestant' for the first time next year.
Belfast Telegraph
‘At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump is likely to play on white evangelicals’ fears’
President Trump will address the National Prayer Breakfast today and speak to conservative evangelical leaders from all over the globe.
The Washington Post
Let women enter Hindu temple, Indian religious board says, in reversal
An Indian government board that had opposed allowing women to enter a Hindu temple changed its position on Wednesday, saying that women had the right to pray in the shrine.
The New York Times
Muslim headscarf a symbol of oppression, says Quebec's minister for status of women
Quebec's newly appointed minister responsible for the status of women is standing by her position that the Muslim hijab is a symbol of oppression. Quebec's government is preparing to introduce legislation preventing public workers in positions of authority from wearing visible religious symbols, including the hijab.
CBC News
Sexual abuse of nuns: a long-standing church scandal emerges from the shadows
The sexual abuse of nuns and religious women by Catholic priests and bishops — and the abortions that have sometimes resulted — has for years been overshadowed by other scandals in the Roman Catholic Church. That seemed to change this week.
The New York Times
US Muslim inmate’s execution postponed over denial of request for imam
A court in the US state of Alabama has delayed the execution of a Muslim inmate who said the prison was violating his religious rights by barring an imam from being present during the lethal injection.
The New York Times
Anti-LGBT hysteria in Indonesia delays sexual violence bill
Conservative Muslim lawmakers in Indonesia are delaying a bill to protect against sexual violence amid claims it is "pro-adultery" and "pro-LGBT".
Gay Star News
Russian court sentences Danish Jehovah’s Witness to six years in prison
Denmark has called on Russia to respect freedom of religion after a Russian court sentenced a Danish adherent of the Jehovah's Witnesses to six years in jail.
Reuters
Wed, 06 Feb 2019
Ofsted chief denies pursuing 'anti-faith agenda'
Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of schools in England, has rejected claims that Ofsted is pursuing an "anti-faith" agenda in its inspection of religious schools.
Tes
Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery
Pope Francis has admitted that clerics have sexually abused nuns, and in one case they were kept as sex slaves.
BBC
A dozen Charedi Jewish schools warned about 'serious' regulatory failings in 2018, figures show
Education authorities issued warnings to a dozen Charedi independent schools about "serious" failings in 2018, figures have revealed.
The JC
Judges reject bias claim against Jewish housing association
A row about allocation of scarce housing could be heading for the court of appeal after judges rejected a claim that a housing association broke equality laws with its policy of providing homes only to Orthodox Jews.
The Guardian
‘Men’s rights activists have a point on circumcision’
Eleanor Margolis questions the ethics of infant genital cutting, despite an upbringing which encouraged her to embrace male circumcision.
New Statesman
Catholic priest accused of string of sex crimes against children was 'sex mad', alleged victim tells court
A Roman Catholic priest accused of sex crimes against six girls and boys in Buckinghamshire was "sex mad", a jury has heard.
Bucks Free Press
Muslim man jailed for four years after attacks on Christian volunteers
A Muslim man has been handed a four-year prison sentence after targeting Christian volunteers.
Christian Today
‘At an Islamic school, girls may eat when boys have had their fill’ – NSS quoted
An Islamic school in Birmingham, England has come under fire for a remarkable act of gender segregation.
Patheos
Trump asks US Congress to prohibit late-term abortion
US president Donald Trump called for curbs on late-term abortion in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, citing controversies over the issue in New York and Virginia.
Reuters
Abstinence-only sex education increases teen pregnancy in conservative US states, study finds
Teaching an abstinence-only approach to sex education in the US has a perverse effect, according to a new meta-analysis.
The Independent
Pakistani PM orders probe into attack on Hindu temple
Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan has ordered an investigation into this week's attack on a Hindu temple in the southern town of Kumb, where assailants set fire to statues and holy books of the Hindu minority before fleeing.
The Washington Post
Estimated 53,000 Australians have had FGM, report says
An estimated 53,000 women and girls born overseas and now living in Australia have undergone female genital mutilation in their lifetime, according to data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The Guardian
Tue, 05 Feb 2019
Pope's envoy criticised for not giving evidence to child abuse inquiry
The pope's representative in Britain has been accused of "cowering behind his diplomatic immunity" for not providing crucial evidence to the child sexual abuse inquiry.
The Guardian
‘It is time to abandon the word “Islamophobia”’
Mohammed Amin says any word to describe anti-Muslim hatred must escape the baggage which the proponents of the word 'Islamophobia' have allowed to build up around it.
Conservative Home
‘Faith should be no barrier to schools teaching respect for LGBT rights’
Masuma Rahim says programmes like No Outsiders, which promotes inclusive education about sex and relationships, are important and should be expanded.
The Guardian
Person attempts to burn down Exeter Synagogue in shock attack
There has been an arson attempt against a synagogue in Exeter.
Devon Live
Church of England lay minister steps back from role after comments about Jews
A Church of England lay minister has stood down from his role after writing on Facebook that "Jews" want to keep Labour out of office because it "may not kowtow to their every wish".
The JC
Church minister warns school lessons on mindfulness should be fully secular
A Baptist minister has welcomed plans for pupils in 370 schools to be taught mindfulness but has warned that the teaching should be fully secular.
Premier Christian Radio
Family of 'charismatic Christians' killed son during attempted exorcism, court hears
A family of "charismatic Christians" killed their marketing executive son during an attempted exorcism at their home, a court has heard.
The Telegraph
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