National Secular Society - Your daily media briefing

Your daily media briefing - Monday 28 October

In the Media is our daily collection of news and commentary related to secularism, available delivered to your inbox. You can also read the latest news and opinion and listen to our podcasts on our website.

Secularism in the media

Campaign launched to decriminalise abortion in Great Britain

A campaign has been launched to abolish an old law which means abortion is still technically illegal in England, Scotland and Wales.

Evening Standard

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: IS leader 'dead after US raid' in Syria

The fugitive leader of the Islamic State group killed himself during a US military operation in north-west Syria, President Donald Trump has said.

BBC

Archbishop of Canterbury weighs in on Brexit again

Justin Welby has spoken out about the use of language in the Brexit debate.

The Independent

Woman acquitted of buying abortion pills for her daughter after landmark law change in NI

A woman acquitted of buying abortion pills for her daughter after a landmark law change said she is relieved to move on with her life.

Irish Mirror

Father launches bid for school evolution lessons in Scotland

A bid to have evolution taught in primary schools in Scotland has been launched amid concerns that pupils with no religious beliefs are "not represented" in the classroom.

The Scotsman

Cheshire priest Matthew Jolley jailed for child abuse plan

A priest has been jailed for attempting to meet a two-year-old boy he wanted to abuse, police have said.

BBC

‘By the Grace of God eviscerates paedophile priests and Vatican evasion’

This review gives a new film about the cover-up of child abuse in the Catholic Church four stars and describes it as "compassionate but forensic".

Time Out

PCCs call for reassessment of law on assisted dying

Eighteen police and crime commissioners have signed an open letter to the Ministry of Justice asking for the government to reassess the law on assisted dying.

Dorset Echo

‘We should allow assisted dying in the UK’

A letter says it is so sad we have to flee to a foreign land to do what is logical.

The Guardian

Founding principal of Christian colleges charged with historic sex abuse in Australia

The founding principal of two Christian colleges is facing historical child sex abuse allegations that date back to his time at the schools, in the 1970s and '80s.

The Age

Jordan urged to stop imprisoning women for defying the wishes of men

Amnesty International has called on Jordan to end what it has described as an abusive system that jails women if they disobey their male "guardians" or have relationships deemed inappropriate.

The Guardian

Latest from the NSS

'By the Grace of God' shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse

Keith Porteous Wood says a film highlighting the struggle to bring a senior Catholic cardinal to account for covering up child abuse is a sign that the Vatican's wall of silence cannot hold.

Latest NSS podcast

Ep 17: Thought for the Day | RE in Wales

In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by Chris Sloggett and Helen Nicholls to discuss whether BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for "speakers from the world's major faiths". Emma also speaks to Stephen Evans and Alastair Lichten about a consultation on the reform of sex and religious education launched by the Welsh government this month.

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