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In the News

  • IB Times: Life under Isis - Powerful portraits and stories of Syrians who escaped terror and fled to Turkey
    May 31st, 2016

    The Syrian war, which started with largely peaceful protests against the government, has descended into a sectarian war that has pulled in regional and global powers, killing at least 250,000 people – though with tens of thousands unaccounted for, some say the death toll may be as high as 400,000. Half of Syria's pre-war 22 million population have been displaced, creating one of the worst refugee crises in recent history. Millions have fled their wartorn country for a safer life in the Middle East and Europe.

    There are actually at least two wars going on in Syria. First was the rebellion against President Bashar Assad, who responded to peaceful Arab Spring protesters in March 2011 with a crackdown so brutal that it sparked an armed revolt, which is still raging. Then came an invasion by Islamic State – also known as Isis, IS or Daesh – which Assad considers one of many terrorist groups arrayed against him.

    Read more.

  • Christian Today: Atheists society suspended after Christian protests
    May 31st, 2016

    An extraordinary row has broken out over the legal recognition of an atheists society in Kenya.

    The Atheists in Kenya group was legally registered on February 17 and claims 115 members. It is the only atheists society in Kenya and claims to be the most "vibrant" one in Africa.

    However, after protests by the Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches (KNCPC), the attorney general ordered the suspension of the registration at the end of April. The group will remain suspended "until the propriety, legality and constitutionality of the registration is determined by the Supreme Court", said Githu Muigai's statement.

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  • Christian Today: German bishop calls for Islam to be taught in schools to prevent radicalisation
    May 31st, 2016

    The head of the Protestant Church in Germany has called for Islam to be taught in state schools to prevent radicalisation of young Muslims.

    Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm told the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper that teaching Islam in schools nationwide would give Muslim pupils a chance to take a critical approach to their own religion.

    The hope is that this would make them impervious to the "temptation of fundamentalists".

    Read more.

  • The Atlantic: America’s Profound Gender Anxiety
    May 31st, 2016

    In April, the state of Mississippi did something unusual. It made the definition of man and woman a matter of law: “Male (man) or female (woman) refer to an individual’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth.”

    Read more.

  • Transgender Europe: Trans rights continue to develop in Denmark & Norway
    May 31st, 2016

    Transgender Europe welcomes the developments for trans rights in Denmark and Norway this week. In Denmark [1], the Danish Parliament has adopted a symbolic decision [2] to remove trans people from the list of mental illnesses. While in Norway [3], a new law, which gives trans people access to quick, accessible and transparent legal gender recognition will go through a final vote on Monday 6th June, after being presented in Parliament yesterday.

    Read more.

  • Guardian: Leytonstone tube station knife attack 'was revenge for Syria'
    May 31st, 2016

    The CCTV footage shows passenger Lyle Zimmerman being attacked by Muhiddin Mire at Leytonstone station on 5 December 2015.

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  • Guardian: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft sign EU hate speech code
    May 31st, 2016

    An online "code of conduct" aimed at fighting hate speech has been launched by the European Union in conjunction with four of the world’s biggest internet companies.

    Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft have all been involved in the creation of the code, which is particularly aimed at fighting racism and xenophobia across Europe. Such efforts are hampered by varying enforcement in different countries, something the code is tackling.

    It also encourages the social media companies to take quick action as soon as a valid notification is received.

    Read more.

  • NY Times: Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person
    May 28th, 2016

    IT’S one of the things we are most afraid might happen to us. We go to great lengths to avoid it. And yet we do it all the same: We marry the wrong person.

    Partly, it’s because we have a bewildering array of problems that emerge when we try to get close to others. We seem normal only to those who don’t know us very well. In a wiser, more self-aware society than our own, a standard question on any early dinner date would be: “And how are you crazy?”

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  • BBC: Fifth of UK couples close to break-up - Relate study
    May 25th, 2016

    The report, carried out by charity Relate and based on a survey of 20,980 people in relationships from 2013-15, suggested 2.87 million people were in "distressed" relationships.

    Dr David Marjoribanks, from Relate, said constant bickering could have a "far-reaching" impact on children.

    On average, they do worse in school and can even fall into crime, he said.

    Read more.

  • BBC: Archbishop of Canterbury to address Church of Scotland General Assembly
    May 25th, 2016

    The Archbishop of Canterbury is to become the first head of the Church of England to take part in a debate at the Church of Scotland's General Assembly.

    The Most Reverend Justin Welby will speak to a landmark report proposing the two denominations enter into an ecumenical partnership.

    An agreement was formally approved at the Church of England General Synod in London in February.

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