Story Links:

Teenage pregnancy:

The Sun newspaper Dad at 13

telegraph.co.uk Julie Henry’s blog

romanceacademy.org A novel approach

Jade Goody:

uk.reuters.com Dying Jade Goody to marry on Sunday

hindustantimes.com  Pray for Jade Goody, says Shilpa Shetty

Oscars:

oscar.com Official site

independent.co.uk  All ready for your Oscars gilt trip?

Story Links:

Assisted Suicide:

belfasttelegraph.co.uk Why assisted suicide should not be an option

theeconomist.com Assisted suicide in the public interest

carenotkilling.org.uk promoting palliative care

Homelessness:

savethefamily.uk.com homelessness charity

shelter.org.uk Shelter

Christmas Survey:

theosthinktank.co.uk One in three Britons believes in a Virgin Birth

jesuscentral.com The birth of Jesus

biblegateway.com The Christmas story from the Bible

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine (pictured) about the latest news from a Christian standpoint.  Today, how Prince Charles will face a challenge on his coronation, if he wants to be “defender of faiths”, how a couple lived their married life through online identities, and the teenage girl who chose to refuse a life-saving heart transplant.

Story links:

Prince Charles:

timesonline.com  Prince Charles turns 60

telegraph.co.uk  Prince Charles to be known as “defender of faith”

independent.co.uk  Prince cannot defend all faiths

Virtual marriage:

telegraph.co.uk Avatars and Second Life adultery

secondlife.com  Official site

Heart transplant girl:

ap.google.com British girl allowed to refuse heart transplant

specialchildren.about.com Girl says no to life-saving heart transplant

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher editor of the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine,   about the latest news from a Christian perspective.  Today, a survey of children find that they want more time from their parents, rather than money, and most would bring up their own children differently.  Also,  surfing the internet is as good for your brain as crossword puzzles among older people, and the main ambition among girls is to have instant fame, thanks to the messages of modern media.

Story links:

Children want time, not money:

inthenews.co.uk  Children want time, not cash

careforthefamily.org.uk  Care for the Family

The web is good for your brain:

bbc.co.uk  Internet use ‘good for the brain’

cnn.com Google does a brain good

Girls just want to have fame:

telegraph.co.uk Girls just want to win the X Factor

telegraph.co.uk  “Who are we to judge?”

barbara-follett.org.uk  Barbara Follett, MP

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of  the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine,  about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, Naturalist Sir David Attenborough says female literacy will help stop decline in frog and newt population, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly puts her family before her career, and the first baby to the born under the NHS reflects on a life of free healthcare.

Story Links:

Frogs, newts and literacy:

bbc.co.uk David Attenborough on ‘Today’

Ruth Kelly:

Ruth Kelly’s website

timesonline.co.uk Ruth Kelly to quite cabinet for family reasons

guardian.co.uk Minister’s exit undermines Britain’s Brown

NHS baby:

bbc.co.uk  First NHS baby at Labour meeting

walesonline.co.uk  First NHS baby speaks out

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of  the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine,  about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, how the financial crisis was only to be expected, and provides an opportunity to watch out for your neighbours,  how politicians can easily fall from popularity, and why scientists have come up with a new way to research “near death experiences”

Story links:

Financial crisis:

tucsoncitizen.com  The Bank Meltdown-blame everybody

guardian.co.uk A financial crisis unmatched since the Great Depression

eauk.org  The Credit Crunch

Politicians and popularity:

guardian.co.uk  Tessa Jowell interview

bbc.co.uk Conference Guide

Near Death Experiences:

soton.ac.uk World’s Largest-ever Study of Near Death Experiences

aglimpseofeternity.org  The Website of Ian McCormack

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of the Mother’s Union Families First Magazine,  about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, fewer women in the UK are getting the top jobs, couples place high importance on their wedding vows, and there’s surprise at the extent of faith among young people in Scotland.

Story Links:

Women in top jobs:

guardian.co.uk  “Mummy Track” keeps women from top jobs

bbc.co.uk Women lose out in top jobs race

Wedding Vows:

Church of England  “For richer for poorer….”

youandyourwedding.co.uk vows and readings

Faith in Scotland:

churchofscotland.org.uk  Young peoples’ attitude to church and religion

Patrick Woodward talks with the editor of  the Mothers Union “Families First” magazine,  about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, the row over gas-guzzling car tax shows what we really think about green issues, the Islington Marriage Registrar wins her right not to conduct gay “weddings”, and the new iPhone spurs a conversation about our love of technology.

Story links:

Car tax row:

telegraph.co.uk “Green” Car Tax Will Hit Poorest hardest

guardian.co.uk  Cameron tells PM to apologise after car tax revelation

Islington Marriage Registrar:

independent.co.uk Registrar Wins Right to Refuse Gay Weddings

eauk.org Truibunal ruling for Christian registrar “a triumph for the place of conscience in public duties”

iPhone rush:

telegraph.co.uk The Apple iPhone 3G and me

wikipedia.org iPhone

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks with the editor of the Mothers Union ‘Families First’ magazine, Catherine Butcher, about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, how the Mothers Union is helping prisoners not to re-offend when they leave jail,  comparing Nelson Mandela – world statesman, with Robert Mugabe – a different sort of African leader, and how Bill Gates plans to use his time and money as he retires from Microsoft.  Is there a new philanthropy directing the lives of the super-rich?

Story Links:

Prisoners and re-offending:

themothersunion.org -  Mothers’ Union Prison Initiatives

bbc.co.uk –   Violence Bucks Reoffending Trend

Nelson Mandela

bbc.co.uk -  Profile: Nelson Mandela

afp.google.com – Mandela marks 90th Birthday with london Concert

Bill Gates

guardian.co.uk -  BIll Gates Logs Off Today

microsoft.com -  Bill Gates – Biography

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