RE is being 'killed off' in schools - report
The future of religious education in schools looks ‘bleak’ unless the Government takes remedial action, a new report has warned. The report by the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) says that RE was already being marginalised as a result of Education Secretary Michael Gove's decision to leave it out of the English Baccalaureate (EBac). RE has been a core subject for all pupils since 1870, but NATRE warned that it is ‘set to disappear’ from the curriculum of many secondary schools. Its survey of nearly 2,000 state maintained secondary schools found that a quarter are not providing statutory RE for 14 to 16-year-olds, a statistic that is expected to rise during the 2011/2012 academic year. The report stated that entries to GCSE level RE have dropped by more than a third in academies and community schools in the last year. In schools where entry levels fell, more than half attributed the drop to RE being excluded from the EBac. (See Prayer Alert 11-2011)
Pray: that this report will lead the Government to take action to encourage the return of RE as a core subject. (Dt.4:9)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/re.is.being.killed.off.in.schools.report/28218.htm
Scotland tops world cocaine use
The Scottish government said levels of cocaine use had been falling as Scotland has again topped the world league for cocaine consumption. Figures published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) show 3.9% of Scottish residents aged between 16 and 64 used the drug in the past year. That was a higher proportion than in any other country and compares to 2.5% for England and Wales. The figures also showed Scotland with a rate of heroin use twice that of the rest of the United Kingdom. The UN's annual World Drug Report was published in New York as part of the organisation's attempt to understand the trans-national nature of the drug trade which, it says, requires to be tackled globally. Pray: for the authorities to get a grip of this problem. (1Jn.2:26)
Greece: Legalities could sink bailout
A case against the EU deal has been brought by German plaintiffs, and the Greek vote could mean nothing if a court case launched by a group of German citizens derails Germany’s financial contribution to the bailout. The group, led by a member of parliament for the Christian Social Union party, includes legal academics led by Nuremberg constitutional law professor Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider. They argue that the bailout is unconstitutional both in German and European law. In the first instance, they argue the process by which the €22bn contribution to the Greek bailout package that was approved by Germany was improper. Also the moves infringe upon their rights as German citizens. They lean on article 125 of the Lisbon Treaty ’no bailout’ clause which expressly forbids the EU or a member state from undertaking the responsibility of covering the debts of another member state. Pray: for all that is hidden to be revealed and for leaders to use sound judgment and Godly insights pronouncements. (Pr.8:14-16) More: http://www.cityam.com/wealth-management/legal-battle-could-yet-sink-the-greek-bailout
Greece: Legalities could sink bailout
A case against the EU deal has been brought by German plaintiffs, and the Greek vote could mean nothing if a court case launched by a group of German citizens derails Germany’s financial contribution to the bailout. The group, led by a member of parliament for the Christian Social Union party, includes legal academics led by Nuremberg constitutional law professor Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider. They argue that the bailout is unconstitutional both in German and European law. In the first instance, they argue the process by which the €22bn contribution to the Greek bailout package that was approved by Germany was improper. Also the moves infringe upon their rights as German citizens. They lean on article 125 of the Lisbon Treaty ’no bailout’ clause which expressly forbids the EU or a member state from undertaking the responsibility of covering the debts of another member state. Pray: for all that is hidden to be revealed and for leaders to use sound judgment and Godly insights pronouncements. (Pr.8:14-16) More: http://www.cityam.com/wealth-management/legal-battle-could-yet-sink-the-greek-bailout
