News Bulletin 11 October 2013

Christian hotel owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull have been at the Supreme Court this week in an attempt to overturn a ruling which said they had ‘discriminated’ against two men in a civil partnership, by refusing them a double room. They were also invited to appear on ITV Daybreak, but faced hostile questioning from presenter Lorraine Kelly — Abortions on grounds of gender can be legal, the Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer has suggested — More than half of England’s schools are failing pupils in religious education, according to schools watchdog Ofsted — The Scout Association has announced that it is to introduce an alternative ‘atheist pledge’ from next year — Singer Annie Lennox says some pop videos have become ‘highly styled pornography with musical accompaniment’, and should be subject to an age-rating system — And Magistrates are to consider a proposal that the taking of ‘oaths on the Bible’ in courtrooms should be scrapped, because many people giving evidence no longer take it seriously.