The amendment abolishing the blasphemy law was carried by 148 votes to 87 in the House of Lords. The fiery debate had a near record turn-out of bishops, who were split between those accepting the inevitability of change and those lamenting the signal abolition would give about the decline in religious influence and the secularisation of society.

The 77th National Convention of the Rationalist Association of India meeting in Palanpur, Gujarat, with over 200 Human Rights, Humanist, Rationalist, Secularist, and Atheist participants from various parts of the country, expresses its horror, and condemns in the strongest terms the threats held out to our Humanist colleague Taslima Nasrin by Muslim fundamentalists, and the subsequent reaction by the state government of West Bengal.

Even in these hard times, there are days which bring glad tidings. Last week we received an e-mail from a former death row prisoner who has won his freedom after being acquitted by the Sessions Court, Islamabad.

Indian Rationalist Leader Sreeni Pattathanam needs support!

Kerala Government renews attempts to prosecute author for book with explosive details on religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, the "Hugging Mother"

Hugging Mother

Mata Amritanandamayi (nee Sudhamani, 1953) of Kerala is known to the world as the 'hugging mother'. She was also the subject of a television documentary in the 'Weird Weekends' series on BBC TV, presented by Louis Theroux. She hugs people and passes on to them 'energy'. Reputedly she has hugged and healed some 20 million people all over the world as part of her mission. On Fridays she acts as the goddess Kali, and on many occasions she has claimed to be Lord Krishna himself.

Humanists Shahriar Kabir and Muntassir Mamoons Must be Released! Bangladesh Government Impunity must End!

The International Humanist and Ethical Union denounces the Government of Bangladesh's efforts to continue to detain well known journalist and respected Human Rights activist Shahriyar Kabir, and his colleague teacher-activist Prof. Muntassir Mamoons, in defiance of a High Court judgement which declared that their arrest and detention was illegal. Suffering from hypertension, the detainees have been denied basic medical facilities and have complained to the court that they were tortured and that they have not even been given proper drinking water.