News Headlines - 21 May 2015

▽SNP secures Commons debate on Trident safety - BBC News

The safety of the Trident nuclear weapons system is to be debated in the House of Commons next week.
Former SNP leader, Alex Salmond, said his party had secured time on Thursday to question the government over issues raised by a Royal naval submariner.

▽Boy Scouts president says ban on gay leaders needs to end | Reuters

Boy Scouts of America President Robert Gates said on Thursday the group's ban on adult gay leaders needs to end, taking a step toward dismantling a policy that has caused deep rifts in the 105-year-old organization.

▽The Threat to Press Freedom in Japan - NYTimes.com

In Japan, relations between the state and journalists are formally maintained through a network of reporters’ clubs, or kisha kurabu. There is a reporters’ club for each ministry, each local government, each political party, each industry association. Membership in the clubs is generally limited to reporters at major media companies. Typically, only members are allowed to attend the press conferences, and only members have access to the organizations’ officials. In return for endowing reporters with this privileged status, the officials take it for granted that their organizations will get favorable coverage. And very often they do.

▽Japan aquariums to stop buying Taiji dolphins - BBC News

Japan's aquariums have voted to stop acquiring dolphins caught during the controversial annual hunt in the town of Taiji.
It comes after the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza) suspended Japan's membership because of the "cruel" way the dolphins are caught.

▽New York Times Changes Film Review Policy, Can’t Guarantee Coverage | Variety

The New York Times has changed its film review policies, and the paper is now telling film publicists that it can no longer guarantee its critics will weigh in on every film that screens in the city.