News Roundup

Mother’s nurturing linked to greater brain development in children

Pre-school children who receive motherly support display brain development at twice the rate of neglected youngsters, a new study has shown. Specifically, the study, conducted by researchers at America’s Washington University reveals that children nurtured by their mothers show more growth in the hippocampus, that region of the brain linked to learning, memory and the regulation of emotions. “The parent-child relationship during the preschool period is vital,” said Dr Joan Luby, author of the study’s findings

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Same-sex couple gains joint guardianship of daughter

A same-sex couple has been granted guardianship of a daughter born to one of them, effectively offering legal recognition to the unit as a family. Marie Cloke-Hayes gave birth to a daughter in 2012 in a pregnancy made possible by sperm donation. Now, a judge at Ennis Courthouse has used provisions of the the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 to extend guardianship rights to Marie’s wedded partner, Angela.

 

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Majority of Americans oppose gender choice on toilet facilities

A majority of Americans believe transgender people should use the toilet facility corresponding with their biological sex and not their chosen gender identity. The finding has come from a new poll conducted by Reuters which showed that 45% of people hold the belief, against 40.9% who would allow for gender choice. The results also showed a decrease in support for gender choice over facilities from a previous poll two weeks previously.

 

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Bishop calls on Catholics to reject pro-abortion candidates

A US Bishop has urged Catholics to vote pro-life in the forthcoming presidential election. In a Facebook post, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Rhode Island wrote: “I encourage faithful Catholics to vote pro-life – and never to vote for any candidate, of any party, who supports abortion. And don’t be fooled by those who say they ‘aren’t pro-abortion, but are just pro-choice’. It’s a smoke screen for what they really believe, but are afraid to admit.”

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Norway priests to end role in civil marriages because of same-sex marriage

Catholic priests in Norway will no longer officiate at civil weddings so as to avoid pressure on the issue of same-sex weddings. Bishop Bernt Eidsvig of Oslo revealed that the decision had been reached after the Lutheran Church in Norway voted to accept same-sex marriages, raising the prospect of the government pressurising other faith communities to do the same, “so the best option is for us to stop conducting marriages on the state’s behalf”.
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America urged to act now on Islamic State genocide

The Knights of Columbus in America have said that the country must now act against the actions of Islamic State against Christians and other minorities following their labelling as ‘genocide’ by Congress. Speaking before a congressional committee, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson warned that if Christians disappear from the Middle East as is Islamic State’s plan, “pluralism and stability leave with them”.
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Chinese leader warns of ‘religious infiltration’

China’s President Xi Jinping has warned his country to be on guard against infiltration of the nation through religion. State media reports that during a high level meeting, Mr Xi stated: “We must resolutely resist overseas infiltration through religious means and guard against ideological infringement by extremists.” The President also pushed for greater management of the internet towards promoting the Communist Party’s own theories on religion.
 
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MEPs call for protection of freedom of conscience

Members of the European Parliament are calling on the legislative body to counteract what they say is a deterioration of freedom of conscience on the continent. Parliamentarians from four political groups have signed the ‘Declaration on the Importance of Strengthening the Fundamental Right of Freedom of Conscience’ which calls for “robust protection of freedom of conscience”. The religious freedom lobby group ADF International described the declaration as “a wake-up call” for the EU.

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Rural Ireland ‘eroding’ – SVP

The Society of St Vincent De Paul is calling on the Government to act at once to reverse what it says is an escalating “erosion” of rural Ireland. Citing the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), the charity points to “a continuing escalation of poor living conditions and a lack of basic services which adds to the exclusion of those who live in what is called ‘rural’ Ireland”. The charity added that “a large number of people suffering from stress and anxiety, [feel] forgotten by successive government agencies”.

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Loss of Christians will damage Middle East – Report

A new report compiled by three Christian charities and the University of East London charts the extent of modern decreases in Christian populations across the Middle East and argues that the departure of the community risks damaging the fabric of Middle Eastern society as well as, in the case of Iraq and Syria, impacting their economies. Before 2011, Syrian Christians comprised around 8-10% of a 22 million population, though 40-50% of those Christians have since left. Meanwhile, there were approximately 1.5 million Christians in Iraq before 2003, but estimates now range from 200,000 to 500,000.

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