More religious studies teachers needed
10 Mar 2023
A new campaign has been launched to encourage more people to become religious studies (RS) teachers as the number of people applying to teach RS is down by a third compared to last year. Now, parliamentarians have joined religious groups in their plea for more applicants. The new campaign, ‘Beyond the Ordinary,’ aims to draw attention to the positives of the role. In the last decade, the Department for Education has missed their annual recruitment targets for the subject nine times. Yet despite concerns about the number of teaching staff, the subject is growing in popularity. Around 30% more students are taking the subject at GCSE level, compared to a decade ago. Politicians are united in the belief that religious education is fundamental to ‘life in modern Britain,’ yet the figures are ‘deeply worrying’ and young people are ‘missing out’.
Girl Guides drops 'God' from campfire songs
10 Mar 2023
Former DUP leader Arlene Foster has expressed ‘sadness’ that the Girl Guides organisation is to omit reference to God in campfire songs enjoyed by generations of girls. Girl Guides said the tradition of singing songs could have ‘references that have been hurtful to people’ and suggested groups could make changes ‘so everyone can join in’. The original version of Brownie Bells stated ‘Oh Lord, our God; Thy children call; Grant us thy peace; And bless us all; Goodnight.’ The altered version reads ‘Time for the end; our meeting’s past; Brownies is great; time flies so fast; Goodnight.’ A Christian Institute member said, ‘The Girl Guides and Scouts should remember that their founders, Robert Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes, were motivated by their faith. Erasing our traditions does not promote inclusion or diversity. Quite the opposite. I hope they reconsider this decision.’
Northern Ireland: Threat to police
10 Mar 2023
Linzi McLaren, who served in the Police Service of Northern Ireland for 18 years, said a dissident republican threat against relatives of Northern Ireland police could deter new recruits and was a new low that could lead to resignations. She also said that this threat will affect the very junior in service or those at the end of their career. Officers will now have to reassess their own personal security. ‘As police officers you're always very conscious of the threat towards you personally, and conscious of what has happened in the past,’ she told BBC Radio Ulster. ‘You never expect that something as personal as danger to your loved ones would be a consequence of your decision of being a police officer.’
Dame Deborah Bronnert, Britain's ambassador to Moscow, ran a gauntlet of loud-mouthed propagandists following her down the street shouting repeatedly, ‘You are not welcome here,' and ‘Britain sponsors terrorism.' She told the protesters, ‘We want peace,' and tried to continue speaking but was cut off and told repeatedly that Britain sponsored terrorism. She reiterated, ‘Russia must stop the war.’ Reports say she had no official meetings with the pro-war authorities in Vladivostok, but was hauled into their foreign ministry and forced to walk through what appeared to be stage-managed propagandists. Russia has increased rhetoric against the UK as its Ukraine invasion falters. Western officials say the wild claims are a distraction tactic. Moscow protests are rare and quickly crushed by police - suggesting this protest had tacit support from authorities.
France: Strikes
10 Mar 2023
A general strike is causing cancellations to flight, ferry and rail services plus disruption on the roads, over plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. 9th March was the seventh day of walkouts since the new year with more action expected to cause further upheaval in the coming days. President Macron’s proposals to increase the number of years of work required to claim a full pension are being debated in the French senate. President Macron is severely undermined on the domestic front as his centrist grouping failed to win a majority in parliamentary elections last June amid gains for the far right and radical left. Without a majority, the government must rely on the right-wing Les Républicains to back pensions changes, but their senators and lawmakers are pressing for alterations. Macron has not met with the Unions. Several unions have called for rolling cross-sector strike action. Next strike is 11th March. See
International Women’s Day
10 Mar 2023
It was International Women's Day this week to draw attention to how slavery disproportionately affects women and girls and is a huge violation of human rights. One of the many missions working to establish a world where women can know their full potential is the Nomi Network. They categorize modern slavery as bonded labour, domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and child labour. Poverty and economic marginalisation make women and girls vulnerable to exploitation. Nomi Network creates pathways to safe employment and economic stability, empowering women and girls to break cycles of slavery in their families and communities by:- Training women in life skills and technical skills. Connecting women to jobs with private sector employers and promoting fair labour standards. Creating transparent supply chains with responsible sourcing with ethically-made products. Raising public awareness of human trafficking. The organisation is named after Nomi, an 8-year-old Cambodian who was trafficked by her stepfather and suffered unthinkable abuse. Nomi Network provides a future for thousands of other women and girls like her.
Iran: Brutal chemical attacks on schoolgirls
10 Mar 2023
Toxic chemical attacks across the Islamic republic are poisoning schoolgirls. Over 1,200 girls have been hospitalised so far. School authorities and government bodies deny or downplay the strange objects landing in schoolyards and loud bangs being heard. Many believe the attacks are ‘revenge’ tactics against young Iranian women leading a revolutionary movement that erupted in September. Iran's Ali Khamenei demanded punishment for the females involved in the uprising, saying the punishment for teenagers would be special because they're aware of what they are doing. Officials try to blame foreign ‘enemies’ for the attacks, but student’s families believe the real enemy is their government. Parents gathered in one school chanting ‘death to the child-killing regime.’ Meanwhile, widespread social media footage shows a concerned mother brutally attacked by plainclothes security forces for demanding answers about her poisoned daughter. Other parents demand to know why school security cameras were off when the poison gas spread.
Gulf of Oman: Great day to be a Royal Marine
10 Mar 2023
The Royal Navy seized several Iranian anti-tank missiles and components for ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Oman. Britain’s HMS Lancaster gave a night-time high-speed chase, involving a Wildcat helicopter, tracking a speedboat which ignored radio calls demanding it to stop. The Royal Marines onboard searches found suspicious packages, which were screened then brought onto HMS Lancaster. The haul included Iranian versions of Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles (known in Iran as Dehlavieh) and medium-range ballistic missile components. The chase started after an American drone spotted the suspect speedboat moving very quickly through international waters under the cover of darkness. Marine Si from 42 Commando at Plymouth was in the team boarding the skiff and recovering the arms haul. He said, ‘We suspected it would be a successful op. and we soon realised the importance of the interdiction as we uncovered more and more weapons - a great day to be a Royal Marine!’