Asif Khan, a teacher at Oldknow Academy (implicated in the Trojan Horse scandal), allegedly led anti-Christian chants of ‘We don’t believe in Christmas, do we?’ ‘and 'Jesus wasn't born in Bethlehem, was he?' at assemblies. He is also accused of talking to pupils about 'hellfire' and 'prostitutes'. Some teachers, disgusted by Khan’s actions, walked out of school assemblies. A tribunal hearing into his behaviour is listed to run until 18 November. Khan and former deputy head Jahangir Akbar stand accused of unacceptable professional behaviour and / or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Khan denies the claims. Bhupinder Kondal was head teacher there for twelve years before she left in January last year, claiming a group of teachers were trying to impose a strict Muslim ethos. Lessons were segregated, with the girls sitting at the back of the room, and pupils could not sing, use musical instruments or draw trees or eyes.

HMP Littlehey is a ‘Category C’ prison (men there cannot be trusted in open conditions but are unlikely to try to escape) and a Young Offender Institute. Chapel attendance is entirely voluntary. The Revd Barry Trayhorn, an ordained Pentecostal minister, has worked as a prison gardener since 2011, and has helped with prison chapel services for the past three years at the invitation of the chaplain. Revd Barry was leading worship in the prison chapel in May last year, and his subject was the glorious forgiveness of God for those who repent. He quoted 1Cor.6:9-11. Four days later a complaint was made. Barry was immediately suspended from helping at the prison. He was told that his comments during the service were ‘homophobic’ and breached national prison policy. Last November he felt compelled to resign as gardener. A hearing of Mr Trayhorn’s case began last week at Bedford Employment Tribunal: the outcome is not yet known. See also: http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/freedom-of-speech/christian-prison-worker-forced-to-resign-after-quoting-bible-in-chape

It is alleged that properties in Rome owned by the Vatican are being run as saunas and massage parlours, sometimes used by Catholic priests, according to leaks in the Italian press. The reports also allege that church-owned buildings are being let at low rents to powerful friends and allies. The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith is cited as owning hundreds of high-value properties in central Rome, worth hundreds of millions of euros. Two years ago the Vatican bought a £16m stake in a Rome apartment block which housed Europe's biggest gay sauna, according to the Independent. There were many reports of priests using the sauna with the website promoting special ‘bear nights’ that included a video of a man stripping off to change into clerical vestments. Another report said that Vatican-owned properties in Rome are operating as places where priests pay for sex. See also: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vatileaks-scandal-vatican-properties-used-as-brothels-and-massage-parlours-where-priests-pay-for-sex-a6729251.html

Catalonia’s regional assembly voted on Monday in favour of a resolution to split from Spain, energising a drive towards independence and deepening a standoff with central government in Madrid. The declaration, which pro-independence parties in the northeastern region hope will lead to it splitting from Spain altogether within eighteen months, was backed by a majority in the regional parliament. The fraught debate over Catalan secession has railroaded campaigning for December's national elections away from the country’s lopsided emergence from an economic crisis. Parties favouring independence from Spain won a majority of seats in the Catalan assembly in September. But the Spanish constitution does not allow any region to break away, and the centre-right government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has repeatedly dismissed the Catalan campaign out of hand. The Catalan parliament wants a democratic process of massive, sustained and peaceful disconnection from the Spanish state.