Controversial new London Mayor Boris Johnson's deputy, a former Church of England minister, faces an enquiry into historic claims of inappropriate behaviour and financial misconduct, which he has dubbed "groundless".

Following public criticism, several embarrassing cases resurfacing from the past and a painstaking subsequent review of procedure, the Church of England has published its "model protocol" for handling child protection cases.

Following renewed criticism of its past practice, the Church of England has confirmed "the broad principles for a protocol for the systematic review of past child protection cases", following on from the Archbishop of Canterbury's announcement earlier in 2007.

There is a continuing row between Amnesty International and the Vatican over access to abortion by women who have been abused and raped. Here AI explains its policy and contests representations of it by some critics and campaigners.

The president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called for a binding international treaty to protect churches, mosques, synagogues and other sites of spiritual significance.