The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed the British government’s decision to not fund schools that teach creationism or are run by creationist groups. The Department of Education issued a new revision of the model funding agreement for Free Schools in order to preclude "the teaching, as an evidence-based view or theory, of any view or theory that is contrary to established scientific and/or historical evidence and explanations"  The change follows the BHA coordinating the ‘Teach evolution, not creationism!’ campaign, which called for this precise change.

Two court decisions announced this week have received contrasting responses from American Humanists. A decision ordering the removal of a religious banner from a state school in Rhode Island was applauded by Humanists, whereas a Supreme Court decision to exempt religious groups from laws against employment discrimination was strongly criticized.

Public prayer will no longer be part of local authority council meetings in England and Wales, if the National Secular Society (NSS) wins a case that began at the High Court on Friday, 2 December. About half of local government councils in England say prayers as part of their meetings.

Six billion euros. That's how much the Catholic Church costs Italy every year, according to the first detailed investigation of the impact of state support and tax privileges received by the Church. The findings by Italy’s Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (UAAR), a member organization of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, were published the day after Italy’s new government announced a budget filled with new taxes and drastic spending cuts.

RESOLUCIÓN APROBADA EN EL CONGRESO: Posiciones laicas ante el -->

RESOLUTION ADOPTEE AU COLLOQUE : POSITIONS LAIQUES EN TERME DE « BIOETHIQUE ».

The conference “Secular Positions in 'Bioethics' -- Assessment and Outlook”, held Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2011, at the University of Barcelona has issued a resolution on “Freedom of conscience – freedom for research.”

The European Humanist Federation (EHF) has accused the European Commission of discriminating against non-religious organizations. EHF has lodged a complaint with the European Ombudsman, stating that the Commission, which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU), is violating its legal obligation to work with non-religious groups in the same way it works with religious groups.

One in five Icelandic Members of Parliament (MPs) went to a Humanist event to mark the opening of parliament on October 1. The number of MPs choosing to attend the Humanist event instead of the traditional Lutheran Mass in the National Cathedral has been increasing since the first Humanist event four years ago. Hope Knutsson reports: