The OCR exam board planned to become the first to include the subject alongside six major religions in its draft GCSE syllabus. But its proposal was rejected by Ofqual, the exams regulator, which ruled that humanism was a “body of belief” and not a religion. The British Humanist Association (BHA) described the decision as a “kick in the teeth” and is seeking a judicial review. Legal row over humanism in religious studies at school – Telegraph.

Two Nobel prize winners – Sir Harry Kroto and Sir Richard Roberts – have demanded that the Royal Society sack its education director, Professor Michael Reiss. The call, backed by other senior Royal Society fellows, follows Reiss’s controversial claim last week that creationism be taught in schools’ science classes. Reiss, an ordained Church of England minister, has since alleged he was misquoted. Nevertheless, several Royal Society fellows say his religious views make him an inappropriate choice for the post.

Discrimination on the grounds of faith, race, gender, sexual orientation and disability is outlawed under UK and European human rights law. There would be an outcry if any school overtly refused entry to a black child, or turned down an Asian teacher on the grounds of race, yet schools can routinely refuse entry to children on the grounds of their religious adherence, or lack of it, because faith schools are exempt from the equalities legislation.

Creationism and intelligent design should be taught in school science lessons, according to a leading expert in science education. The Rev Prof Michael Reiss, director of education at the Royal Society, said that excluding alternatives to scientific explanations for the origin of life and the universe from science lessons was counterproductive and would alienate some children from science altogether. He said that around one in 10 children comes from a family with creationist beliefs.

Meet like-minded people for lunch in Sproughton. Let us know if you’re coming by 20th October, so we can grab a space – you can’t book at The Beagle. We’ll be discussing whether or not you’d say you’re anti-religious.

I’ve been tipped off that a nasty atheist has been making trouble locally. My source informs me, A self-confessed atheist took issue with a Christian neighbour who had placed a metal fish on the rear of her car. He went on to subject her to months of harassment and intimidating behaviour. The anti-social atheist was in court today. In anticipation of any “There, you see! Atheists are all nasty people!

The recent debate in the UK about organ donation was surprisingly heated. People complained about a “nanny state” infringing on their post-mortem rights; some threatened to tear up their donor cards if the proposed change to an “opt-out” system went ahead. “Opt-out” means presumed consent, or a legal system in which people no longer have to actively join the organ donor register in order to become donors. Everyone is automatically treated as a potential donor, unless they actively opt out.

Following the leaking of the now infamous Tom Cruise video earlier this year, the internet saw the emergence of Anonymous, a protest movement dedicated to bringing down the Church of Scientology. On 10 February Anonymous burst from the internet onto the streets, with large numbers of masked teenagers and students picketing Scientology centres worldwide. They’ve been doing it every month since, and New Humanist’s Paul Sims and stand-up comedian Christina Martin paid a visit to one of their London protests to see what Anonymous are all about.

The National Secular Society, together with the International Humanist and Ethical Union, has been working over the past year to try to raise the alarm about the concerted efforts by Islamic groups to write blasphemy laws into international human rights legislation. Our efforts seem to be paying off, as other countries and organisations begin to appreciate the profound dangers to free speech posed by proposals from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).

On 8th August 2008 a young Swazi man, Musa Gamedze, was hunted down and executed in broad daylight at his home, in full view of his children. According to eyewitness reports the man who fired the fatal shot was the General Manager of a local private game reserve, Mkhaya, accompanied by three police officers. Musa was shot in the back. He was unarmed and not posing a threat or danger to himself or others.