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Tue, 08 Oct 2019
‘Thought for the Day is now a recital of religious platitudes’
Indarjit Singh explains his decision to stop contributing to BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot.
The Mail on Sunday
Police investigate targeting of Stella Creasy by anti-abortion group
Scotland Yard is investigating the intimidation and harassment of Stella Creasy following the "extremist" targeting of the Labour MP by anti-abortion protesters over the past week.
The Observer
Polish election: Leader targets gay rights as threat to society
The Law and Justice party, which is closely aligned with the Catholic Church on social issues, is seeking to win a second term in Poland. If it does there seems little chance that homosexual couples will enjoy the same rights as their heterosexual neighbours any time soon.
BBC
First abortion case for Trump's Supreme Court to be heard next year
The US Supreme Court will hear its first abortion case since Donald Trump installed two justices who are both expected to vote in an anti-abortion way.
The Independent
US Supreme Court takes up cases over LGBT rights
The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in two of the term's most closely watched cases over whether federal civil rights law protects LGBT people from job discrimination.
The Washington Post
Islamist extremists exploited tensions over LGBT-inclusive teaching to fuel hate, says report
Islamist extremists exploited tensions over equality teaching in Birmingham schools to amplify hate against LGBT+ people, a hard hitting report claims.
Birmingham Live
Mon, 07 Oct 2019
Efforts to combat extremism failing because of way government has defined it, commissioner says
Efforts to combat extremism are failing because the government's definition of it is so broad that it is hampering free speech, the counter-extremism commissioner has said.
The Telegraph (£)
‘We must defend our right to be offensive - but hateful extremism demands a brave response’
Sara Khan says tackling extremism requires brave, bold and consistent leadership both from government and across civil society.
The Telegraph (£)
More schools opting out of Christian worship for ‘multi-faith’ alternatives – NSS quoted
The number of schools asking to opt out of legal requirements to provide a daily act of Christian worship appears to be slowing, but more are choosing to run "multi-faith" alternatives instead.
Schools Week
Ofsted quashes critical inspection report on Jewish school which separates boys and girls
Education inspectors have quashed a report which found a Jewish school in Manchester inadequate because it segregated boys and girls.
Jewish News
‘How your title deeds could make you liable for repairs to the local church’
Anna Tims says homeowners unaware of restrictive covenants can become liable for life-changing sums out of the blue, as a result of the law on chancel repair liability.
The Observer
Charity Commission chief questions if it should be able to refuse to register controversial organisations
The Charity Commission should consider whether it needs more powers to allow it to refuse to register organisations which cover areas including religion as charities, its chief executive has suggested.
Third Sector
Paris police attacker followed a 'radical vision of Islam,' prosecutor says
The perpetrator of a knife attack that left four people dead at a Paris police headquarters had recently adhered to a "radical vision of Islam," according to witnesses.
CNN
Catholic bishops in call for action against abortion law changes in NI
The Catholic Church has voiced "grave concern" at imminent changes to abortion legislation in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph
Sark could soon become the last of the Channel Islands to legalise same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage could soon be legal across the whole of the Channel Islands.
Gay Times
In Iraq, religious ‘pleasure marriages’ are a front for child prostitution
A BBC investigation exposes Shia clerics in Baghdad advising men on how to abuse girls.
The Observer
Iranian Instagram star 'arrested for blasphemy'
An Iranian Instagram star has been arrested for crimes including blasphemy and instigating violence, according to reports.
BBC
Fri, 04 Oct 2019
Northern Ireland abortion law found to breach human rights
Northern Ireland's abortion law breaches the UK's human rights commitments, the High Court ruled.
BBC
Christian prayer 'divisive' at Bucks County Council meeting – NSS extensively quoted
The NSS has called Bucks County Council's practice of beginning its meetings with a Christian prayer "alienating," "exclusionary," and "divisive."
The Bucks Herald
Hallmarks of grooming ‘overlooked’ by staff at cathedral school
Wells Cathedral School in Somerset failed to recognise "all the hallmarks of grooming" among music staff who were later convicted of child sexual abuse, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has heard.
Church Times
Brain-damaged girl from Muslim family can go abroad for treatment, court rules
The parents of a brain-damaged girl will be allowed to take her abroad to continue her treatment, the High Court has ruled. Her parents argued in court that argued that the girl was from a Muslim family and Islamic law said only God could take the decision to end her life.
BBC
Christian doctor loses trans beliefs case
A doctor who refused to use transgender pronouns as people's chosen sex as it went against his Christian faith has lost his tribunal.
BBC
What are the UK's laws on abortion?
Abortion laws in Northern Ireland breach the UK's human rights commitments, the High Court has ruled. So what are the laws on abortion in the UK?
BBC
Peer quits Thought for the Day and blasts BBC for trying to censor his address in case it offended Muslims
Sikh peer Indarjit Singh has quit BBC Radio Four's Thought for the Day after more than three decades and criticised the over-sensitivity of the corporation's bosses.
Daily Mail
US man drowned his 6-year-old son while trying to cast out a ‘demon’, police say
An American man faces a federal murder charge for allegedly holding his six-year-old son's face under hot water for several minutes to cast out a "demon".
The Independent
‘Killer Isis brides rule Al-Hawl camp with a rod of iron’
'Morality police' are engaged in a violent bid to impose Isis control over a camp of 68,000 mostly women and children, remnants of the collapsed caliphate. Anthony Loyd reports.
The Times (£)
India top court recalls controversial caste order
India's Supreme Court has reversed one of its previous judgements that was criticised for "diluting" protections for lower castes.
BBC
Thu, 03 Oct 2019
‘Want a non-faith school place for your child? You’d better start praying’ – NSS extensively cited
More than 20,000 children have started this new academic year at state faith schools against their parents' preferences, NSS research has found.
Mirror
Welsh government to consult on ending right of withdrawal from RE and sex education
The Welsh government plans to remove parents' right to withdraw children from sex and relationship classes and religious education.
BBC
Radio 4's Thought for the Day should be scrapped because it is discriminatory, says John Humphrys
Former presenter John Humphrys has said the BBC's Today programme should scrap its Thought for the Day feature because it is discriminatory against people without a religion.
The Telegraph
Belfast High Court to rule on landmark abortion case
Belfast's High Court is due to rule on a woman's challenge against Northern Ireland's abortion laws.
BBC
Swedish party votes to ban non-medical circumcision of boys – but leader regrets it
The leader of Sweden's Centre party has said she "regrets" a party vote to work for a ban on non-medical circumcision.
The Local (Sweden)
Scotland to ban smacking despite some religious opposition
Scotland is to become the first country in the UK to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children. Some religious groups opposed the ban, while others supported it.
BBC
Wed, 02 Oct 2019
Unelected bishop addresses judges' service and says British democracy is ‘at a low point’
The bishop of London has addressed the annual religious judges' service in Westminster Abbey. Sarah Mullally spoke about subjects including the current political climate and the government's justice policy.
The Guardian
‘Conservative conference fringe meeting was no “Muslim-bashing fest”’
In this letter Peter Tatchell says he defended Muslims and made concrete proposals to protect them against discrimination in an address to a Conservative party conference fringe meeting, despite claims to the contrary.
The Guardian
‘An event on “Islamophobia” at the Tory conference is being misrepresented’
Will Heaven describes what happened at an event on 'Challenging Islamophobia' at the Conservative party conference on Sunday, and how it has been misrepresented since.
The Spectator
Chancellor says there’ll be an inquiry into defining ‘Islamophobia’, but he doesn’t use the word – NSS mentioned
Sajid Javid has told BBC Radio 4 there will be an inquiry into defining Islamophobia – but added "I call it 'anti-Muslim hate crime', rather than Islamophobia".
Christian Today
Comic book writer claims politicians plan to axe Catholic schools in Scotland
The comic book writer Mark Millar has claimed that high-profile politicians have informed him of a cross-party push to close Catholic schools in Scotland.
The Times (£)
Make failing to report child abuse illegal, say victims
It should be illegal not to report child abuse, victims have told the child abuse inquiry at the start of its investigation into boarding schools.
BBC
Sex abuse at Scots schools linked to religious order 'robbed' pupils of the childhoods
Pupils at schools linked to a religious order were "robbed of their childhoods" by the physical and sexual abuse which took place there, an inquiry has heard.
Daily Record
Religious school risks losing Ofsted recognition for refusing to teach pupils about the existence of LGBT people
A Jewish girls' primary school in Manchester has fallen short of Ofsted standards as it is refusing to teach its pupils about the existence of LGBT+ people.
Pink News
Trump administration sides with Catholic school that sacked gay teacher
The Trump administration is backing a Roman Catholic archbishop in Indiana who pushed a Catholic school to fire a gay teacher.
The Washington Post
Tue, 01 Oct 2019
New Christian secondary school for 600 pupils could be built in Cambridgeshire
A new Christian secondary school for 600 students could be built in the Cambridgeshire village of Soham, despite the local county council opposing it in favour of "expanding existing schools".
Ely Standard
Muslim school that couldn’t prove banned head was kept from classroom criticised by Ofsted
Ofsted has criticised a Muslim school in Birmingham that failed to prove its head teacher was being kept away from the classroom after she was temporarily banned from teaching. The head was given an interim ban amid concerns that she might promote "views that undermine fundamental British values".
Schools Week
Anti-abortion activists use graphic adverts targeting pro-choice MP Stella Creasy
Campaigners protesting Stella Creasy MP's stance on abortion took to her constituency with pictures of her alongside a graphic image of what they claim was an aborted 24-week-old foetus.
The Independent
‘Meet the pioneering teacher at centre of LGBT equality storm who was inspired to teach tolerance’
Will Hazell talks to Andrew Moffat, whose 'No Outsiders' lessons were the subject of a vicious backlash from mainly Muslim protesters.
iNews
Gay men given electric shocks 'to cure homosexuality' at Queen’s University Belfast in 1960s
A feature on people who underwent electrical aversion therapy at Queen's University Belfast in the 1960s.
BBC
Australian radio host makes eight-minute apology for virgin Mary joke after Christian and Muslim protests
Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands has issued a lengthy on-air apology on radio for a joke he recently made after vociferous protests from Christians and Muslims.
News.com.au
No plan to require vaccinations at state schools, says No 10
Downing Street has pushed back against the health secretary's suggestion that the government could make vaccinations mandatory for state school pupils, saying it was not currently a plan.
The Guardian
Amnesty calls on Pakistan to release lecturer accused of blasphemy
Amnesty International has said Pakistan's government must immediately and unconditionally release a university lecturer being held in solitary confinement for blasphemy over some Facebook posts.
Ekklesia
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