This week, the (not) Primate of All Ireland tracks his colleague’s ‘progress’ with his sponsored fast – including an awkward incident with a chocolate Swiss roll…
Thousands of followers of fringe US Christian figure Harold Camping have packed their bags for heaven tomorrow – but it’s not good news for the rest of us.
Nine things you need to know at 9am: Appeal for missing person; Northern assembly filled; violence in Egypt; a one per cent cut on Ireland’s bailout; Queen’s visit concerns; and the French president intervenes in his country’s racial quota row.
The controversial 1987 photograph – named “Immersion (Piss Christ)” – which depicts a crucifix submerged in urine has been attacked with a hammer while on exhibition in France.
In a landmark case that on religious symbols in schools that will be binding across Europe, the European Court of Human Rights has said that crucifixes should be permitted in Italian classrooms.
A GROWING NUMBER of Americans believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim, while the number of those who believe he is a Christian has declined.
A nationwide survey by the Pew Research Centre shows that nearly 18% of Americans believe Obama is Muslim (up from 11% in March 2009), 34% believe he is Christian (down from 48% in 2009) and 43% say they don’t know what religion he is.
The survey was carried out and completed before August, before Obama’s comments regarding the construction of a mosque near the Ground Zero.
Split between critics and supporters
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the view that Obama is Muslim is more prevalent amongst his opponents than his supporters.
When respondents were asked how they had learned about Obama’s religion, in a opened-ended question, 60% said from the media – mostly from television.
Out of those who believe that Obama is Muslim, 11%Â say they learned of his religion through his behaviour and what he has said.
Political undertones
It seems that beliefs about Obama’s religion are closely related to perceptions of him politically: those who say he is Muslim strongly criticise his job performance, whereas those who say he is Christian approve of his performance. And, accordingly, those who are not sure about his religion are divided regarding his job performance.
However the American public generally believes he handles his religious beliefs appropriately, seeing him as less influenced by religion than his predecessor George W Bush.
A NEW STUDY has claimed that the number of deaths caused by smoking in the home could be comparable to the number of road deaths recorded in Ireland.
According to the NUI Galway-led research, the concentration of particulate pollution in the homes of smokers (who smoke indoors) is six-times higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for general outdoor air quality, 10 times the allowable level for healthy breathing in homes and up to 17 times greater than levels actually found outdoors.
Smoking at home causes greater levels of air pollutants than using solid fuels such as coal, wood, peat and gas, says Dr Marie Coggins.
Since the introduction of the smoking ban in Ireland, many people have found it easier to stop people smoking in their own homes. So, in today’s poll we ask: Do you allow smoking in your home?
Clouds and sun
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Min: 4 °C
Some sun with a couple of showers; cool
Max: 10 °C
Min: 4 °C
Partly sunny
Max: 13 °C
Min: 3 °C
