News
Leaders claim freedom of religion is unaffected after Samoa becomes a “Christian state”
The island nation Samoa has amended its constitution to proclaim itself a "Christian state".
According to local reports... Read More »
Supreme Court rules NI women don’t have equal right to abortion services in England
In a three/two decision, the UK Supreme Court has ruled that UK citizens normally resident in Northern Ireland do... Read More »
Catholic Church backs down on ‘faith certificates’ for pupils
The Catholic Church has dropped plans to take the Government to court in order to give priests the right to arbitrarily... Read More »
'Community leaders' represent no-one but themselves, says Nazir Afzal
Former Chief Crown Prosecutor Nazir Afzal has said that the authorities are "lazy" in reaching minority groups, and... Read More »
NSS mourns the loss of former president David Tribe
David Tribe, a President of the National Secular Society from 1963 to 1971, has died in Australia at the age of 86.... Read More »
BBC allows Today programme to be used to promote Church’s evangelism campaign
The National Secular Society has criticised the BBC for allowing the first Thought for the Day slot of June to be... Read More »
Church to gain influence over nine secular schools in Northumberland
Concerns have been raised over plans for nine community schools in Northumberland to join with one Church of England... Read More »
Parliamentary candidates offer support for faith schools, non-stun animal slaughter and circumcision
The National Secular Society has criticised prospective MPs for offering their support to non-therapeutic male circumcision,... Read More »
New poll finds huge opposition to Government’s plans for more discriminatory faith schools
Government plans to allow new faith schools to discriminate on religious grounds by selecting all of their pupils... Read More »
‘Moderate’ Indonesia launches anti-gay police taskforce after public caning of two men
Indonesia's police are to launch a new crackdown on gay people, following a brutal public caning and the mass arrest... Read More »
Effort to repeal New Zealand blasphemy law delayed
An attempt by Labour MP Chris Hipkins to remove anti-blasphemy laws from New Zealand's statute book has failed after... Read More »
Doctor faces private prosecution for circumcising baby boy without the mother’s consent
A doctor is facing a private prosecution for assault after he circumcised a boy without the mother's consent.
Dr Balvinder... Read More »
Four religious representatives appointed to Hebrides education committee
The Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local authority for the Hebrides, has appointed four religious figures to its education... Read More »
NSS calls for moratorium on Government funding of cathedrals
Following concerns raised by the National Secular Society, the UK spending watchdog has concluded that "improvements"... Read More »
Belgium’s Walloon region to end slaughter of animals without pre-stunning
A committee of the Walloon Parliament has voted to ban the slaughter of animals without pre-stunning, a move welcomed... Read More »
Campaigns against blasphemy laws gather steam following Ahok conviction and Fry investigation
Indonesia, Denmark and New Zealand are facing calls to repeal their blasphemy laws, following the conviction of Jakarta's... Read More »
Scripture Union providing courses on abstinence in Isle of Man sex education classes
The Isle of Man's education minister has defended allowing an evangelical Christian group to deliver abstinence-based... Read More »
Calls for abolition of Irish blasphemy law following investigation of Stephen Fry
The National Secular Society has called for the repeal of Ireland's blasphemy law after Irish police dropped an investigation... Read More »
Departing MP blasts Government on caste discrimination
Former MP Graham Allen has accused the Government of launching a "misleading" consultation to delay action against... Read More »
NZ secularists file human rights case over religious education in schools
The New Zealand Secular Education Network (SEN) has mounted a challenge over "religious bias" in the way the country's... Read More »
Taxpayer-funded Catholic schools should only be for Catholics, says Archbishop of Liverpool
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon has said that Catholic schools "are different" and "for the Catholic community", despite... Read More »
Survey finds deeply regressive views of women among large majorities of Muslim men
A large-scale survey of views in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine has reported extensive anti-women views and... Read More »
Irish politicians face ejection from the chamber and loss of pay if they don't stand for prayers
The Irish parliament has approve a requirement mandating TDs remain standing during the prayers that open each Dáil... Read More »
Dozens of speakers to attend major conference on secularism and freedom of expression
Dozens of speakers are confirmed to address the upcoming 'Free Expression & Conscience' conference, including... Read More »
Death sentence for Saudi ‘apostate’ amid surge of violence against atheists across Islamic world
A Saudi trial based "heavily on Koranic law" has resulted in a death sentence for a 'mentally ill' man who denounced... Read More »
