British Isles
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:13
Northern Ireland: gay marriage ban challenged
A legal challenge to Northern Ireland's ban on gay marriage opened on Thursday. The landmark challenge has been launched by two couples - Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles, and Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kanem. They have been…
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:12
Archbishop of York begins walking pilgrimage
Dr John Sentamu began a six-month walking pilgrimage of his deaneries in the north-east of England on Tuesday with morning prayers at St Mary's Church in Whitby, which hosted the Whitby Synod in AD 664, uniting…
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:12
Compulsory sex education in schools
Campaigners are again pushing for sex and relationships education (SRE) to be made compulsory in all English schools. Currently local authority-maintained schools in England are obliged to teach SRE from age 11 upwards, and must have…
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:11
Northern Ireland: abortion law incompatible with human rights
This week, the Belfast High Court ruled that Northern Ireland’s abortion law is incompatible with human rights. By not allowing for exceptions where the child has a ‘fatal foetal abnormality’ (FFA), or where the pregnancy is…
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:10
Woman loses court battle in gender abortion case
A woman has lost her legal challenge to bring charges against two doctors accused of agreeing to perform abortions based on the sex of unborn baby girls. Aisling Hubert, a pro-life campaigner from Brighton, accused the…
Friday, 04 December 2015 11:09
Damascus comments on UK air strikes on Syria
Thursday’s Damascus newspapers criticised the West's engagement in Syria. ‘Britain didn't ask permission from Syria's government,’ declares the state news agency SANA. ‘Cameron told lies,’ it says. Syrian officials insist Britain and its allies must follow…