News Bulletin 3 August 2012

The BBC watchdog has said Jeremy Paxman did cause offence by talking about “religious hogwash”, and saying that “stupid people” believed in a literal understanding of Genesis — A Government advisor has run into controversy by saying evangelical Christians are like totalitarian Muslims — Primary school storybooks which promote gay marriage may be pushed into classrooms if marriage is redefined in Scotland — A senior activist in the Scottish National Party has resigned over the party’s push for gay marriage — Meanwhile in America, a multi billion dollar fast-food chain has been attacked for opposing gay marriage — New research says that fathers who lovingly bond with their babies in the first months of their lives have a good influence on their child’s later behaviour — A Viking longboat has sailed up the River Tyne in Newcastle to thank the people of Northumbria for sending them the missionaries who brought Christianity to Norway 1,000 years ago.