British Christian schools could face a European Commission investigation, following complaints from a humanist campaign group. The British Humanist Association (BHA) claims that faith schools breach European Union (EU) equality rules when hiring staff, because they say religious adherence is a ‘desirable’ quality. EU rules state that schools must prove there is a ‘genuine occupational requirement’ in preferring to recruit teachers of faith. Spokesman for The Christian Institute, Simon Calvert, said church schools are ‘hugely popular’, and their ethos is why they do such a good job of preparing children for life in 21st-century Britain’. ‘It’s disappointing that humanists seem to be so intolerant of religious organisations seeking to remain religious. There’s a relentless agenda to secularise religious organisations. ‘If they were to succeed, it would severely damage these church schools and undermine the great work that they do’. (See also British Isles and Ireland story.)

Imposing fines of up to £500,000 on the companies behind cold calls and nuisance text messages is to become easier under changes to the law being made by the Government. The move follows tens of thousands of complaints about cold calling. Currently, firms can only be punished if the Information Commissioner can prove a call caused ‘substantial damage or substantial distress’. But from 6 April, that legal requirement is to be removed. More than 175,000 complaints were made to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) last year about nuisance calls and text messages. The government says the number of complaints has risen in the past decade and the issue is particularly acute for the elderly and housebound as such calls can cause distress and anxiety. In a speech earlier this month, Information Commissioner Christopher Graham described the current law as ‘a licence for spammers and scammers’ and appealed for more powers

Christian environmentalists are calling on the public to buy Fairtrade products after sales fell for the first time in 20 years. The drop of nearly 4 per cent in sales of Fairtrade products reflects the success of cheap brands offered by Aldi and Lidl at a time when the Government's austerity cuts are affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Dr. Ruth Valerio, churches and Theology Director of A Rocha UK, the international Christian research, environmental and conservation charity, said switching to Fairtrade could change people's lives. The foundation was set up to help provide a fair deal for farmers and producers in the developing world. Dr. Valerio told Christian Today the fall in sales should not be ignored and she urged everyone to act.

Toxic fumes in cabin air pose a health risk to frequent fliers and aircrew, a coroner has said in a landmark report. Stanhope Payne, the senior coroner for Dorset, said people regularly exposed to fumes circulating in planes faced ‘consequential damage to their health’. Mr. Payne, who is inquiring into the death of Richard Westgate, a British Airways pilot, called on BA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to take ‘urgent action to prevent future deaths’. Most airline passengers, who fly only occasionally, will not be affected by the problem, but some frequent travelers who are genetically susceptible to the toxins could fall ill. His report, obtained by the Telegraph, is the first official UK recognition of so-called ‘aerotoxic syndrome’, a phenomenon long denied by airlines but which is blamed by some for the deaths of at least two pilots and numerous other incidents where pilots have passed out in flight

Older teens are more at risk of abuse and neglect than any other age group, according to new research from the Children's Society. The report also shows that four in five UK parents think neglect and abuse laws should be changed to include 16- and 17-year-olds. Existing child cruelty laws allow prosecutions to be brought for neglect, ill treatment and abandonment but only until the child is aged 15.  Teenagers aged 16 and 17 who live in England are more likely to be abused or neglected than any other age group, but are given the least protection, according to the analysis. The Children's Society is calling on the Government to make changes to the Serious Crime Bill, which includes changes to the law on child abuse and neglect.

A Scripture Union book designed to help with the move to secondary school has been banned at a Scottish school after humanists complained it could ‘distress’ pupils. Robert Douglas Memorial School in Scone, Perthshire, decided to stop handing out the book to primary school leavers after a complaint from one humanist parent as it mentioned prayer. The move was described as ‘petty’ by Rev David Robertson, the incoming Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland. Students at the school had formerly been given a copy of the book called 'It’s Your Move' at a leavers’ event. It is described as a ‘fun and friendly guide to moving to secondary school’ but the Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) said it could ‘cause distress’ for some children. Speaking to The Courier, Rev David Robertson said ‘This is petty and vindictive. I think this is a form of bullying and intimidation, telling a head-teacher what to do.’ (See also Europe story.)

In forthright evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into Britain’s rapidly-growing aid budget, Adam Smith International (ASI), which runs Government reform projects around the world and is a major contractor of the Department, said it is ‘concerned’ at how a growing volume of British aid is being ‘pushed’ into the hands of wasteful third parties as ministers seek to hit the government’s target of spending 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on foreign aid. But ASI warned this represented a ‘false economy’ in helping the world’s poorest people as the global bodies are far less efficient and have higher administrative costs than projects run directly by Britain. It highlighted the World Bank’s $350 million (£227 million) programme in Afghanistan, towards which Britain has given some £300,000. Just 38 per cent of the project’s money has been released after three years, amid corruption and chaos under the former president, Hamid Karzai.

Baroness Jane Campbell, Dr Phil Friend OBE, Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick OBE and many other leading disabled people have organised a campaign to prevent a change in the law on assisted dying. Much media attention has been given recently to campaigns for voluntary euthanasia but the collective voice of disabled people on these life-and-death issues has not yet been heard by the media, courts, the legislators, the medical profession, social and health care policy makers and healthcare practitioners. ‘Not Dead Yet’ (NDY) campaigners are addressing this lack of information. On Wednesday this week there was a seminar to discuss the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords and NDY campaigners were given 5 minutes each to pitch ideas that could be built on and implemented when the Assisted Dying Bill returns to the political arena after the general election. For insights into issues raised by the Assisted Dying Bill click the 'More' button. see also: 

Eric Pickles is expected to announce a decision on London’s so-called ‘megamosque’ within the next fortnight, following a three-week public inquiry last year. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was tasked with hearing the case after years of disputes and Newham Council’s rejection of planning application to build a large complex incorporating accommodation, a library, school and prayer halls. The original plans included capacity for at least 40,000 simultaneous attendees, although these were later scaled down due to widespread negative reaction. It is the size in particular – four times the capacity of St Paul’s Cathedral – that concerns objectors most, as well as issues regarding the usefulness of the site for the whole community. The site in Stratford has been owned by Tablighi Jamaat since 1996. A dogmatic and rigid branch of Islam, Tablighi Jamaat seeks to encourage Muslims to follow a stricter version of the faith

Thousands of bibles could be removed from university accommodation after they were branded 'inappropriate' in a multicultural environment. More than half of students surveyed at Aberystwyth University said they felt the compulsory inclusion of the book from Gideon International was 'uncomfortable' or 'unacceptable'. A proposal to have all bibles withdrawn from university-owned bedrooms will be put forward by the university's Students' Union council at a meeting later this month. A survey of students at Pentre Jane Morgan halls of residence was conducted by Aberystwyth Students' Union. It found that around 50 per cent of respondents found the compulsory inclusion of Bibles 'uncomfortable' or 'unacceptable.' The matter was raised at a student council meeting by student John David Morgan on January 22, where 50 people showed up. The motion, put forward at a student union council meeting, will be discussed later this month