Nurse 'Lost Her Job Over Christian Beliefs'

A nursery nurse has said she lost her job after telling a gay colleague her beliefs on homosexuality as a Christian.

Sarah Mbuyi said she made the comment after she was asked about her Christian beliefs by a co-worker at New Park Childcare in Highbury, north London, in January.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which is assisting Ms Mbuyi, said the Government has "seriously let down" the Christian community.

Ms Mbuyi is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of religious discrimination.

She said: "When I said 'no, God does not condone the practice of homosexuality, but does love you and says you should come to Him as you are', she became emotional and went off to report me to my manager."

During an internal disciplinary hearing she claimed her colleague had alleged she raised the issue of homosexuality of a number of occasions. She was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Ms Mbuyi added: "My disciplinary hearing was hopelessly one-sided because they put my accuser's claims to me as fact, without any forewarning and so I wasn't prepared.

"It seemed to me they had already made up their minds to justify sacking me, before hearing my side of the story."

Ms Williams called for Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene in the case.

She said: "Sharing Biblical truths out of genuine love and concern for colleagues is being outlawed in the workplace by a dominating cultural correctness.

"Sarah's case demonstrates the confusion we're experiencing in current times.

"David Cameron has given public recognition of the enormous positive impact that Jesus Christ has had on our nation but he wants to mould Christianity to his political agenda."

In an article for the Church Times this week, Mr Cameron said Britain should be "more confident about our status as a Christian country".

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Teachers Warn Of 'Constant' CCTV Surveillance

Teachers say they are being subjected to constant surveillance by CCTV cameras in schools which are supposed to be used to keep pupils safe.

A poll conducted by the NASUWT union has revealed 8% of 7,500 members questioned said classroom cameras record their lessons. They felt the footage was being used by school leaders to monitor their performance.

The survey comes as delegates attending the union's annual conference in Birmingham discuss a motion suggesting there is too much surveillance of teachers.

Teachers have complained the cameras are being used to judge performance

It says the monitoring is unreasonable, without justification, and adds little value to pupils' progress.

The motion adds: "Its impact is to stifle creativity in education, disempower teachers, put procedure before purpose and increase the workload of teachers."

One teacher said of their school: "CCTV has been used against staff to imply they are handling a situation incorrectly even though the CCTV has no sound."

Another said: "In my school it has been used specifically with newly qualified teachers that the senior leadership team think are not performing well."

Nearly 90% of teachers who have CCTV in their classroom say they cannot switch the cameras off and 40% claim the recordings are monitored by school leaders and the footage used to make judgments about staff performance.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are already wrestling with excessive monitoring, masquerading as classroom observation, carried out by senior management and a host of other people regularly visiting their classrooms.

"The stories teachers recounted to us in the survey are a shocking catalogue of professional disrespect and unacceptable intrusion.

"No other professionals are subjected to such appalling treatment; no one should be subjected to the stress and pressure of being watched constantly. Lab rats have more professional privacy."

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Islamist Extremism 'A Deadly Problem For Charity'

A charities' watchdog has warned that Islamist extremism is the "most deadly" problem the sector faces.

William Shawcross, chairman of the Charity Commission, said it was "ludicrous" that people convicted of terrorism offences or money laundering are not barred from setting up charities.

He told The Sunday Times the commission was taking action against any charity that was "sending cash to extremist groups in Syria" or "dispatching young Britons for training in Syria by al Qaeda or other extremist groups".

He said: "The problem of Islamist extremism and charities... is not the most widespread problem we face in terms of abuse of charities, but is potentially the most deadly. And it is, alas, growing.

"I'm sure that in places like Syria and Somalia it is very, very difficult for agencies always to know what the end use of their aid is, but they've got to be particularly vigilant."

In February, the Charity Commission was criticised as "feeble" after an investigation by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee, which found it had failed to act robustly on clear cases of abuse.

Mr Shawcross described the criticism as "completely wrong", but said the watchdog needs better funding and legal powers to improve its function.

He added he had written to the Prime Minister asking for legislation to strength its powers.

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Prince George Goes Walkabout With Bilbies

Prince George made his first walkabout on the Australian leg of the royal tour when he met some indigenous animals at a zoo.

The youngster looked fascinated as he was shown a bilby - a rabbit-like type of marsupial.

At one point, as he was held by his father Prince William, he held out his hand to attempt to touch the creature which was being fed by a keeper who has named the animal George in his honour.

George, dressed in a blue and white striped collared t-shirt and royal blue shorts, looked a little frustrated and waved his arms as he was unable to reach the animal, which was about a third of his size when standing on its hind legs.

Just before he was brought out for the cameras, the Royal family had been shown round the nocturnal house where several of Australia's animals who are awake during darkness are housed.

Staff said George coped well and was interested in what he saw, reaching out to a feather tailed glider and staring intently at some hopping mice and an echidna.

He was later given a soft bilby toy, which he promptly threw on the floor.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who was wearing a lemon yellow Stella McCartney skater dress, were visiting Taronga Zoo in Sydney where the new bilby enclosure will be named after their son.

The Royal couple went on, without their son, to be shown a few of the zoo koalas.

The zoo keeper who showed them round the enclosure, Paul Davies, said afterwards about George: "He was brilliant. He was regal. It was amazing how he coped with the dark environment of the nocturnal house.

"They seemed comfortable feeding (the bilby). Kate let him get really close. At one point he tried to grab the bilby by the ears.

"He was like any other child. He had a short attention span and wanted to go and look at something else. It was just like meeting any family."

Earlier, thousands of well-wishers turned out to see the Duke and Duchess mark Easter Sunday by attending a traditional church service in Sydney.

The couple arrived at St Andrew's Cathedral in the centre of the city and were greeted - as they have been throughout their tour of Australia - by officials and cheering crowds.

Kate looked elegant in a stylish dove grey Alexander McQueen coat and Jane Taylor hat, while William was in a smart suit.

If a Sunday falls within a Royal tour, visiting members of the monarchy usually attend a church service joining local parishioners.

At the cathedral's steps, the Royal couple were met by the Most Reverend Dr Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney, and the Very Reverend Phillip Jensen, Dean of Sydney, and chatted to the senior clerics before the service began.

The Easter service was private and the large group of media covering the event were not allowed inside.

A bilby is an endangered desert-dwelling marsupial, the name of which comes from an aboriginal language from New South Wales meaning long-nosed rat. There are only about 10,000 left in the wild.

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Farage 'Slandered' Front National, Le Pen Claims

The leader of the French Front National has claimed Nigel Farage slandered her party by calling it "anti-semitic".

Marine Le Pen, 45, told The Sunday Times Mr Farage had made "defamatory" and "extremely disagreeable" statements about her party.

Mr Farage has refused to join Ms Le Pen's right-wing alliance in the European parliament, siding with Nicolas Dupont-Aignan - a member of the EU Democrats party.

He claimed "anti-semitism is still embedded" in the FN and last week referred to the party's "compromising historic baggage", the newspaper reported.

Farage has sided UKIP with the EU Democrats led by Nicolas Dupont-Aignan

But Ms Le Pen has hit back, saying: "He is often reproached for the behaviour and comments of... his members.

"Slandering your neighbour to try and make yourself look whiter than white, it's not correct. He's doing it simply for electoral purposes."

Ms Le Pen was joined by UKIP founder Dr Alan Sked, who described Mr Farage as "alcoholic, dim and racist" in an interview with the think-tank Parliament Street.

He said: "He's got no idea. He can repeat things about how nasty the European Union is and how it's a threat to the working class but that's about it.

"Anything sophisticated is beyond his grasp."

It comes after two opinion polls showed UKIP was gaining ground ahead of European Parliament elections in May.

A poll for The Sunday Telegraph puts the party in second place in next month's European Parliament elections, three percentage points behind Labour on 30% and, crucially, pushing the Conservatives into third place.

Another, reported in The Mail On Sunday, reveals Nigel Farage could be on track to win a seat in the House of Commons. According to Survation, UKIP polled 32% in the Hampshire constituency of Eastleigh - four points ahead of the Conservatives - where the party narrowly lost out on winning in a by-election last year.

00.34 | 0 komentar | Read More

Islamist Extremism 'A Deadly Problem For Charity'

A charities' watchdog has warned that Islamist extremism is the "most deadly" problem the sector faces.

William Shawcross, chairman of the Charity Commission, said it was "ludicrous" that people convicted of terrorism offences or money laundering are not barred from setting up charities.

He told The Sunday Times the commission was taking action against any charity that was "sending cash to extremist groups in Syria" or "dispatching young Britons for training in Syria by al Qaeda or other extremist groups".

He said: "The problem of Islamist extremism and charities... is not the most widespread problem we face in terms of abuse of charities, but is potentially the most deadly. And it is, alas, growing.

"I'm sure that in places like Syria and Somalia it is very, very difficult for agencies always to know what the end use of their aid is, but they've got to be particularly vigilant."

In February, the Charity Commission was criticised as "feeble" after an investigation by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee, which found it had failed to act robustly on clear cases of abuse.

Mr Shawcross described the criticism as "completely wrong", but said the watchdog needs better funding and legal powers to improve its function.

He added he had written to the Prime Minister asking for legislation to strength its powers.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teachers Warn Of 'Constant' CCTV Surveillance

Teachers say they are being subjected to constant surveillance by CCTV cameras in schools which are supposed to be used to keep pupils safe.

A poll conducted by the NASUWT union has revealed 8% of 7,500 members questioned said classroom cameras record their lessons. They felt the footage was being used by school leaders to monitor their performance.

The survey comes as delegates attending the union's annual conference in Birmingham discuss a motion suggesting there is too much surveillance of teachers.

Teachers have complained the cameras are being used to judge performance

It says the monitoring is unreasonable, without justification, and adds little value to pupils' progress.

The motion adds: "Its impact is to stifle creativity in education, disempower teachers, put procedure before purpose and increase the workload of teachers."

One teacher said of their school: "CCTV has been used against staff to imply they are handling a situation incorrectly even though the CCTV has no sound."

Another said: "In my school it has been used specifically with newly qualified teachers that the senior leadership team think are not performing well."

Nearly 90% of teachers who have CCTV in their classroom say they cannot switch the cameras off and 40% claim the recordings are monitored by school leaders and the footage used to make judgments about staff performance.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are already wrestling with excessive monitoring, masquerading as classroom observation, carried out by senior management and a host of other people regularly visiting their classrooms.

"The stories teachers recounted to us in the survey are a shocking catalogue of professional disrespect and unacceptable intrusion.

"No other professionals are subjected to such appalling treatment; no one should be subjected to the stress and pressure of being watched constantly. Lab rats have more professional privacy."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nurse 'Lost Her Job Over Christian Beliefs'

A nursery nurse has said she lost her job after telling a gay colleague her beliefs on homosexuality as a Christian.

Sarah Mbuyi said she made the comment after she was asked about her Christian beliefs by a co-worker at New Park Childcare in Highbury, north London, in January.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which is assisting Ms Mbuyi, said the Government has "seriously let down" the Christian community.

Ms Mbuyi is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of religious discrimination.

She said: "When I said 'no, God does not condone the practice of homosexuality, but does love you and says you should come to Him as you are', she became emotional and went off to report me to my manager."

During an internal disciplinary hearing she claimed her colleague had alleged she raised the issue of homosexuality of a number of occasions. She was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Ms Mbuyi added: "My disciplinary hearing was hopelessly one-sided because they put my accuser's claims to me as fact, without any forewarning and so I wasn't prepared.

"It seemed to me they had already made up their minds to justify sacking me, before hearing my side of the story."

Ms Williams called for Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene in the case.

She said: "Sharing Biblical truths out of genuine love and concern for colleagues is being outlawed in the workplace by a dominating cultural correctness.

"Sarah's case demonstrates the confusion we're experiencing in current times.

"David Cameron has given public recognition of the enormous positive impact that Jesus Christ has had on our nation but he wants to mould Christianity to his political agenda."

In an article for the Church Times this week, Mr Cameron said Britain should be "more confident about our status as a Christian country".

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince George Goes Walkabout With Bilbies

Prince George made his first walkabout on the Australian leg of the royal tour when he met some indigenous animals at a zoo.

The youngster looked fascinated as he was shown a bilby - a rabbit-like type of marsupial.

At one point, as he was held by his father Prince William, he held out his hand to attempt to touch the creature which was being fed by a keeper who has named the animal George in his honour.

George, dressed in a blue and white striped collared t-shirt and royal blue shorts, looked a little frustrated and waved his arms as he was unable to reach the animal, which was about a third of his size when standing on its hind legs.

Just before he was brought out for the cameras, the Royal family had been shown round the nocturnal house where several of Australia's animals who are awake during darkness are housed.

Staff said George coped well and was interested in what he saw, reaching out to a feather tailed glider and staring intently at some hopping mice and an echidna.

He was later given a soft bilby toy, which he promptly threw on the floor.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who was wearing a lemon yellow Stella McCartney skater dress, were visiting Taronga Zoo in Sydney where the new bilby enclosure will be named after their son.

The Royal couple went on, without their son, to be shown a few of the zoo koalas.

The zoo keeper who showed them round the enclosure, Paul Davies, said afterwards about George: "He was brilliant. He was regal. It was amazing how he coped with the dark environment of the nocturnal house.

"They seemed comfortable feeding (the bilby). Kate let him get really close. At one point he tried to grab the bilby by the ears.

"He was like any other child. He had a short attention span and wanted to go and look at something else. It was just like meeting any family."

Earlier, thousands of well-wishers turned out to see the Duke and Duchess mark Easter Sunday by attending a traditional church service in Sydney.

The couple arrived at St Andrew's Cathedral in the centre of the city and were greeted - as they have been throughout their tour of Australia - by officials and cheering crowds.

Kate looked elegant in a stylish dove grey Alexander McQueen coat and Jane Taylor hat, while William was in a smart suit.

If a Sunday falls within a Royal tour, visiting members of the monarchy usually attend a church service joining local parishioners.

At the cathedral's steps, the Royal couple were met by the Most Reverend Dr Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney, and the Very Reverend Phillip Jensen, Dean of Sydney, and chatted to the senior clerics before the service began.

The Easter service was private and the large group of media covering the event were not allowed inside.

A bilby is an endangered desert-dwelling marsupial, the name of which comes from an aboriginal language from New South Wales meaning long-nosed rat. There are only about 10,000 left in the wild.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Farage 'Slandered' Front National, Le Pen Claims

The leader of the French Front National has claimed Nigel Farage slandered her party by calling it "anti-semitic".

Marine Le Pen, 45, told The Sunday Times Mr Farage had made "defamatory" and "extremely disagreeable" statements about her party.

Mr Farage has refused to join Ms Le Pen's right-wing alliance in the European parliament, siding with Nicolas Dupont-Aignan - a member of the EU Democrats party.

He claimed "anti-semitism is still embedded" in the FN and last week referred to the party's "compromising historic baggage", the newspaper reported.

Farage has sided UKIP with the EU Democrats led by Nicolas Dupont-Aignan

But Ms Le Pen has hit back, saying: "He is often reproached for the behaviour and comments of... his members.

"Slandering your neighbour to try and make yourself look whiter than white, it's not correct. He's doing it simply for electoral purposes."

Ms Le Pen was joined by UKIP founder Dr Alan Sked, who described Mr Farage as "alcoholic, dim and racist" in an interview with the think-tank Parliament Street.

He said: "He's got no idea. He can repeat things about how nasty the European Union is and how it's a threat to the working class but that's about it.

"Anything sophisticated is beyond his grasp."

It comes after two opinion polls showed UKIP was gaining ground ahead of European Parliament elections in May.

A poll for The Sunday Telegraph puts the party in second place in next month's European Parliament elections, three percentage points behind Labour on 30% and, crucially, pushing the Conservatives into third place.

Another, reported in The Mail On Sunday, reveals Nigel Farage could be on track to win a seat in the House of Commons. According to Survation, UKIP polled 32% in the Hampshire constituency of Eastleigh - four points ahead of the Conservatives - where the party narrowly lost out on winning in a by-election last year.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More