ACL compiles a daily media monitoring service of stories of interest to the Christian constituency relating to children, family, drugs and alcohol, marriage, human rights, religious freedom etc.
Visit the ACL’s website each day to see what’s of interest in the news. Please note that selection of the articles does not represent ACL endorsement of the content.
.
.
Abortion
British Govt: Prosecuting sex-selection abortions not in the “public interest”
Dave Andrusko – Life News
The battle over sex-selection abortion in Great Britain continues unabated and as confusing as ever. Last week, in a letter to doctors, the Health Minister said they will be issuing “urgent” guidelines following the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to prosecute two abortionists who were willing to abort female babies–not because there wasn’t sufficient evidence, but because prosecution would not be in the “public interest.”
Video shows Vic premier desperate: Oppn
News Ltd
The release of a video by Victorian Premier Denis Napthine ruling out laws that would restrict a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion was a move by a rattled and desperate premier, the opposition says. Independent MP Geoff Shaw, who holds the balance of power in the parliament, has reportedly approached Dr Napthine wanting to overhaul the state’s abortion laws.
Children & Family
The ABC’s evil plan to get tentacles into kids
Miranda Devine – The Daily Telegraph
The ABC is an enormous beast, with tentacles stretching across the internet and digital TV at a time when other media organisations are struggling to survive.
The social cost of no siblings
Shannon Roberts – Mercator Net
It was recently announced that China’s one child policy will be relaxed. Families are to be allowed a second child if at least one parent is an only child. Currently, only families with two only-child parents are allowed to have two babies.
Education
We’re good in education, but getting better won’t be easy
Kevin Donnelly – Herald Sun
When Julia Gillard was education minister, she promised that Australian students would perform among the top five countries in the Programme for International Student Assessment test by 2025.
Euthanasia
Belgium Senate committees pass bill to allow child euthanasia
Hilary White – Life Site News
Two senate committees in Belgium have voted to approve a measure that will allow children to be euthanised under the country’s current law.
Gambling
Brawls, sexual assaults, drugs and theft – the shocking incidents revealed at Gold Coast’s Jupiters Casino
Paul Weston – Gold Coast Bulletin
Drunken patrons headbutt each other in the bar with one losing his front teeth, a screaming female is groped outside the lifts and disgruntled gamblers throw coins at croupiers. At the Atrium Bar, as a man waits to be served, a clipsal bag containing drugs falls out of his shorts.
Indigenous
Remote welfare ‘deters success’
Patricia Karvelas – The Australian
Funding for job and training agencies servicing unemployed Aborigines should be tied to success rates, reducing the welfare “gravy train”, says Andrew Forrest, the head of Tony Abbott’s indigenous jobs review.
Marriage
Same-sex marriage bill: Christians vow to fight on if High Court allows equality in ACT
Peter Jean and Lisa Cox – The Canberra Times
A High Court ruling in favour of the ACT’s same-sex marriage scheme may not bring political debate over the law to an end. Lyle Shelton, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, said he was optimistic the court would overturn the marriage equality law. Mr Shelton said if the court ruled the ACT law was found to be constitutional Australia would be left ”with a hodge-podge of marriage laws”. ”Now that is not in the nation’s interest and something would need to be done to get us back to a state of uniform marriage laws,” he said.
Drama surrounds gay marriages
Crispin Hull – Canberra Times
The marriages of those gay couples who marry in the ACT this weekend will be null and void if the High Court strikes down the ACT’s same sex marriage law. It will be as if they had not married at all. But the symbolism will have been important.
Croatia votes for traditional definition of marriage
Michael Trimmer – Christian Today
A majority of Croatians have backed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as exclusively a union between one man and one woman. They showed their support in a referendum on Sunday which asked the question “Do you agree that marriage is the union between a man and a woman?”. Just under two-thirds (65.8%) voted “yes”.
UK: Top judge to step down over lack of ‘support’ on marriage
The Christian Institute
A senior High Court judge is set to retire early, partly because of the lack of support from some of his colleagues for his pro-marriage beliefs. Sir Paul Coleridge says there are “hundreds” in the judiciary who agree with him in private, but are too frightened to say so publicly. The judge set up the Marriage Foundation in 2012 to combat the culture of broken families.
200,000 march for marriage in Taiwan protesting proposed same-sex ‘marriage’ law
Peter Baklinski – Life Site News
About 200,000 people marched in front of Taiwan’s Presidential Office on Saturday, according to organizers or the march. The crowd was protesting a proposed law that would allow same-sex couples to ‘marry’ and adopt.
Politics
Peter Slipper application to have dishonesty charge thrown out rejected by ACT chief magistrate
Ewan Gilbert – ABC
The ACT Magistrates Court has rejected an application by lawyers for former parliamentary speaker Peter Slipper to have a criminal case against him thrown out.
Court rejects bid to delay former Federal MP Craig Thomson’s case
ABC
A Melbourne magistrate has rejected the latest prosecution bid to delay the criminal case against former Federal MP Craig Thomson.
Prostitution & Sex Trafficking
Philippine children at risk for trafficking in wake of typhoon
Kristin Wright – Religion Today
As a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and missionary in the Philippines for over 44 years, Father Shay Cullen has witnessed firsthand the risks that children face in the wake of a natural disaster. Now, he is warning that children orphaned by Typhoon Haiyan face a grave new danger: becoming victims of human trafficking. Aid agencies estimate that up to 2 million children may be at increased risk for trafficking in the wake of the disaster.
France goes after prostitute users with stiff fines
Herald Sun
French politicians have approved a controversial bill that will make the clients of prostitutes liable for fines starting at 1500 euros ($2250).
Buying sex should be banned in Australia
Meagan Tyler – The Conversation
Imagine a scenario where prostitution is not restricted or sanctioned but buying sex is banned. Could such an approach work in Australia? It already has elsewhere, and the evidence suggests it’s worth considering. This week, French MPs will vote on a raft of measures to curb the sex industry.
Religious Freedom & Persecution
For Gregory III, Syria’s Greek-Catholic Church has three “true martyrs”
Fady Noun – AsiaNews
The Syrian Greek-Catholic Church has three “true martyrs”. They are the “three men from Maaloula who refused to repudiate their faith,” and were killed for this reason, said Patriarch Gregory III Laham during his meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday, this according to a press release issued by the Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkites.
Other
Transparency International ranks the most corrupt countries in the world
AAP
Australia is clean but New Zealand is almost squeaky-clean, graft watchdog Transparency International says in a just-released survey. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia are seen as the world’s most corrupt countries while Denmark with New Zealand are the least corrupt each scoring 91 out of 100 on the least sleazy list. Australia had a score of 81 in the top 10 clean countries.
Your taxes, their ABC
Daryl McCann – Quadrant
Tony Abbott’s sanguine attitude to the national broadcaster will win him no friends, as John Howard must surely have told him. Worse, it is alienating those who cannot grasp why anyone would endure this crony-infested nest of salaried, sniping bohemians.
Army defends gay pride pins
Nick Butterly – The West Australian
The Defence Department is standing firm behind its decision to issue rising sun cufflinks and lapel badges emblazoned on a gay pride flag. A Queensland Army Reserve officer has lashed out at the idea, claiming it is inappropriate for the rising sun symbol to be used for a “political cause”.
Crackdown on sorcery related violence in PNG
ABC
In Papua-New Guinea, a spate of horrific murders have been linked to sorcery, prompting an investigation into how to reign in the violence. The practice dates back years, but there have recently been some particularly gruesome killings, including a woman who was burnt alive on a main street in one of PNG’s biggest towns.
Report: Christian church growing at a rapid rate in India
Garrett Haley – Christian News
Ministries in India are reporting significant growth in the Christian Church among middle and upper caste Indians and the younger Indian generations.