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Mon, 18 Nov 2019
Charity watchdog condemns evangelical church
The Christ Embassy, which has 90 branches in the UK, has faced a damning report from the charity watchdog which found "serious misconduct" following a six-year investigation.
The Times (£)
Seven local authorities in Scotland say they won’t change church reps’ role on education committees – NSS mentioned
The Scottish Catholic Education Service has revealed seven local authorities will not change the current role of Church representatives on education committees.
Scottish Catholic Observer
Church leader voluntarily steps down after concerns raised about what he knew about 'sexual abuse' of a teenager by a priest
A prominent member of a Catholic religious order in Salford has voluntarily stepped down from his duties after concerns about what he knew about a colleague's 'grooming and sexual abuse' of a young woman.
Manchester Evening News
Altar boys say they were abused by priests at the Vatican
Former altar boys have claimed they were molested by priests inside the Vatican, as a lingering scandal surrounding widespread abuse in the Catholic Church erupts at its headquarters once again.
The Independent
Social services to monitor children of Muslim couple facing terror-related charges, says High Court judge
A Muslim couple facing allegations of "terror-related offences" can care for three children - but must be monitored by council social services staff, a High Court judge says.
Asian Image
Plaid Cymru suspends member in niqab over anti-semitism claims after she appeared in election broadcast
Plaid Cymru has suspended a party member included in its party election broadcast over allegations of anti-semitism. The party had earlier criticised "abusive Islamophobic responses" to the broadcast, in which the member wears a niqab.
BBC
China's work to create Muslim minority mass detention camps reportedly revealed in leaked documents
A leaked 400-page document released by the New York Times reveals new details about how the Chinese have organised the mass detention of more than 1m people from its Muslim minorities, including the Uyghurs and Kazakhs.
ABC News (Australia)
Daughter of Indonesia’s first president accused of blasphemy
Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno, has been accused of blasphemy after purportedly comparing her father to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The Jakarta Post
Fri, 15 Nov 2019
Thousands of children abused over witchcraft beliefs as number of known victims rockets by a third
The number of children known to have been abused in England over beliefs in witchcraft and possession has risen by a third in two years, figures show.
The Independent
General election 2019: Lib Dems 'to protect worshippers from attacks'
The Liberal Democrats have said they provide more money for security for places of worship and tougher sentences for hate crime if they win the general election.
BBC
Couples to sue over Northern Ireland same-sex marriage delays
Campaigners for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland are planning legal action over government delays in converting civil partnerships into marriages.
The Guardian
‘The war against the non-religious: Blasphemy laws on the rise’
Andrew Copson says more people than ever live in countries with severely limited freedom of thought, expression and association, where criticising a religion, or simply being non-religious, can result in serious persecution.
Politics.co.uk
‘A test for the conscience of Cardinal Nichols’
This editorial highlights failings in safeguarding in the Catholic Church, backs mandatory reporting of abuse and says the Vatican's refusal to cooperate with the public child abuse inquiry is scandalous.
The Tablet (£)
Ohio lawmakers propose total ban on abortion
A new bill sponsored by two Republican lawmakers in Ohio would completely end the practice of abortion in the US state – although judges have blocked similar laws.
The Washington Post
Pakistan leads in number of censorship requests sent to Facebook
Facebook made almost 18,000 content restrictions globally between January and July 2019, with 31% of requests coming from Pakistan.
Dawn
‘Years after her death, my wife may yet change New Zealand's law on euthanasia’
In 2015 Lecretia Seales fought in vain for the right to have a say in her death, but her husband Matt Vickers says she blazed a trail.
The Guardian
Thu, 14 Nov 2019
Millions 'persecuted and executed for having no religious belief' worldwide, says report
People without religious belief continue to be persecuted and in some cases executed in countries around the world, says a new study.
iNews
‘The anti-Labour plot to polarise Hindus over Kashmir’
Sunny Hundal says a campaign for the hearts and minds of British Hindus is pushing them to the Tories – and it's dividing British Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.
openDemocracy
Saudi Arabia deems feminism and homosexuality forms of 'extremism' in government video
Saudi Arabia's state security agency has performed an apparent U-turn after it released a video which classified feminism, homosexuality and atheism as extremism and cautioned citizens in the kingdom to be on guard.
The Independent
Sabarimala temple: India court to review ruling on women's entry
India's Supreme Court has agreed to review its landmark judgement allowing women of menstruating age to enter a Hindu shrine.
BBC
Met police examine fraud allegations at Spac Nation church
Police are reviewing allegations of fraud and other potential offences relating to an evangelical church that claims to turn around the lives of troubled young people, but which has been accused of pressing its young members to hand over thousands in donations.
The Guardian
Terror expert warns far-right extremists are 'clear and present threat' in Scotland
Far-right extremists are becoming a clear and present danger to Scotland, according to two of the world's leading terrorism experts.
Daily Record
Man choked sister to death because he was 'told to by Satan'
A man from Tower Hamlets in London who choked his sister to death while suffering paranoid delusions has been indefinitely committed to a mental health hospital.
MyLondon
New Zealand to vote in referendum on euthanasia
New Zealand is to become the first country in the world to put euthanasia to a binding public vote after its lawmakers passed a bill laying out what the country's assisted dying regime would be.
The Guardian
Bishop who investigated sexual abuse accused of sexual abuse
A Roman Catholic bishop named by Pope Francis to investigate the church's response to clergy sexual abuse in Buffalo, New York, has himself been accused of sexual abuse of a child, an attorney for the alleged victim notified the church this week.
AP News
‘What has happened with Cardinal George Pell's appeal against child sex abuse conviction?’
One of the Vatican's most senior officials will get his day in the high court in Australia to argue against his conviction on historical child sexual abuse offences. Paul Karp looks at the ruling which enabled this.
The Guardian
Suicides fall with gay marriage in Sweden and Denmark as stigma fades
The advent of gay marriage has cut suicide rates among lesbians and gay men in Sweden and Denmark - but, divorced, widowed or married, homosexuals are still more prone to suicide than their straight peers, according to a study released on Thursday.
Reuters
Politician deselected by Lib Dems over views on abortion and gay marriage claims discrimination
A Lib Dem candidate who was due to stand in the upcoming election has been deselected reportedly after the party learnt about his views on gay marriage and abortion. He now claims this is "blatant discrimination on the grounds of my religious beliefs".
Premier Christian Radio
Wed, 13 Nov 2019
Ministers challenge ruling that English law recognises Islamic marriage
Ministers will today challenge a ruling that a couple's Islamic marriage came within the scope of English law in a case that could have wide implications for Muslims in Britain.
The Times (£)
New C of E primary school to open in Somerset in 2020
A new primary school in Keynsham in Somerset will admit its first pupils in to reception class next September.
Somerset Live
Consultation on closure of Church of England school with 10 pupils
A consultation will be held next year on whether to close a North Yorkshire Church of England school which has only ten pupils.
Stray FM
Major consultation launched on future of Catholic education in Inverclyde in western Scotland
A council has launched a major consultation on the future of Catholic education in the Inverclyde area.
Greenock Telegraph
Orthodox Jewish school in north London shut down
Hackney Council has said that it has been "forced" to shut down an Orthodox Jewish faith school, citing a lack of planning permission or compliance with building regulations.
Hackney Citizen
Catholic cardinal Pell gets last chance to overturn Australia sex offences conviction
Catholic cardinal George Pell will have one last chance to overturn his conviction for sexually assaulting two teenaged choirboys after the Australian High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the former Vatican treasurer's appeal.
Reuters
Head of Oxford college tries to abolish saying grace before meals
The head of an Oxford college is facing a backlash after attempting to abolish the tradition of saying grace before meals.
The Telegraph (£)
Conservatives suspend members over anti-Muslim social media posts
The Conservatives have suspended a number of members over claims of anti-Muslim social media posts.
BBC
Kenya pledges to end FGM by 2022, but campaigners say it’s “unrealistic”
Kenya's president on Tuesday promised to end female genital mutilation by 2022, a goal women's rights campaigners said was unrealistic due to insecurity and high prevalence rates in some parts of the east African nation.
Reuters
School chaplain quits after saying LGBT people should remain ‘single and celibate’
A chaplain of a top UK school created by the founder of the Methodist church has stepped down after saying that LGBT+ people should stay "single and celibate."
Pink News
Greek government drops plan to criminalise blasphemy
Greek officials on Tuesday scrapped plans to criminalise blasphemy as a law-and-order debate intensified between the country's new conservative government and the left-wing opposition.
The Washington Post
Iran's contribution to human rights praised at UN
The United Nations Human Rights Council has commended Iran for its human rights record.
Arutz Sheva
Tue, 12 Nov 2019
Calls for most senior Catholic cleric in England & Wales to resign over safeguarding failures
Lawyers acting for dozens of victims of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests have called for Vincent Nichols, the most senior Catholic cleric in England and Wales, to resign. Those making the call include Richard Scorer, an NSS vice-president, acting in his role as a lawyer.
The Tablet
Labour distances itself from Kashmir motion in bid to win over Hindu voters
The Labour Party is attempting to defuse a row that has seen British Hindus urged not to vote for it at the general election.
BBC
British Indians warn Hindu nationalist party not to meddle in UK elections
British Indians in one of the country's most diverse boroughs have warned against attempts to divide voters in the general election along ethnic or religious lines.
The Guardian
Sikhs sue government over decision not to treat them as ethnic group in census
Some British Sikhs are taking the government to the high court on Tuesday over its decision not to treat them as an ethnic group in the 2021 census.
The Telegraph
Anti-LGBT protest leader backs sympathetic candidate for MP after Labour axing
Leading anti-LGBT protester Shakeel Afsar has urged religious people across Birmingham's Hall Green constituency to back former MP Roger Godsiff, who was axed by Labour over his support for protesters.
Birmingham Live
Student convicted under terrorism laws after refusing to give border control officials access to his phone
A student from Afghanistan has been convicted under terrorism laws after refusing to give border control officials access to his phone at Edinburgh airport.
The Times (£)
Emergency services called to 'suspicious fire' at Muslim family centre in Cambridgeshire
Police are appealing for witnesses or information after a 'suspicious' incident of arson in Haverhill in Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire Live
Former religious 'court' head says Charedi Jews should 'give up' their lives rather than agree to school LGBT requirements
The former head of the Manchester Beth Din has said members of the strictly Orthodox Jewish community should rather "give up one's life" than comply with the government's demands on religious and sex education.
The Jewish Chronicle
Greek government plans to re-introduce blasphemy law
The Greek government is seeking to reinstate the country's blasphemy law - with a possible punishment of up to 2 years in prison.
Greek Reporter
‘In China, every day is Kristallnacht’
Fred Hiatt says in western China, the demolition of mosques and bulldozing of cemeteries is a continuing, relentless process.
The Washington Post
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