Newspaper headlines: Clergy backing for gay marriages makes the news By BBC News

Staff Published duration 16 February 2017

The rejection by the Church of England's ruling body of a statement that marriage in church could only be between a man and a woman is one of the main topics in the day's papers.

The Daily Telegraph believes the Church of England has now moved a step closer towards allowing gay marriages. It also says the vote exposes deep divisions within the Anglican church.

image copyright Getty Images image caption The Church of England's general synod rejected a report that maintained church marriages should be between men and women

The Times calls it a "historic vote" which narrows the gap between the law of the land and the doctrine of the established church.

According to the Times , the warning by Donald Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis, that Nato members in Europe must increase their defence spending "heralds a bruising new phase in the transatlantic relationship".

The paper says his message reinforced Mr Trump's refusal on the campaign trail to confirm that the US would meet Nato's commitment to help a member nation if it was attacked.

Meanwhile The Guardian says Palestinians are angered and bewildered by President Trump's apparent break with two decades of US commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The paper describes it as "a casual abandonment of of a pillar of US-led peace efforts." Its correspondent in Jerusalem, Peter Beaumont, talks of Donald Trump "discarding decades of diplomacy" while showing an apparent ignorance of the subject he was addressing.

It says half a million small businesses, shops, pubs, GP surgeries, schools and colleges will be "hammered" and compares that to revelations that big companies like Amazon will pay less.

It says figures "slipped out" on Wednesday show that the Treasury will benefit to the tune of an extra £1bn despite claims that the changes are revenue neutral.

"In his budget next month," says the Mail, "Phillip Hammond should announce a freeze on business rates, pending a root and branch overhaul of an archaic, bonkers system that is destroying the quality of life for millions."

The Daily Express leads on figures released on Wednesday showing that the ranks of foreign-born workers in Britain rose by 431,000 last year - while the number of British-born workers fell by 120,000.

The paper says it's vital the the UK establishes a migration policy "that ensures that British workers feel the benefits of the government's job creating policies".

One of the heroes of England's 1966 World Cup winning squad, George Cohen, has told the Daily Mirror he'll donate his brain to help research into dementia in footballers.

image copyright AP image caption George Cohen was in England's 1966 World Cup winning squad

A study yesterday linked heading balls to the condition. He says he'll do whatever will help, and his brain will be no use to him after death. Cohen also lends his support to calls for under-tens to be banned from heading footballs.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is considering pursuing foreign governments through the international courts - to force them to pay London's congestion charge, according to the Times.

Diplomats from 145 countries apparently have outstanding bills totalling £100m. Transport for London has written to Mr Johnson requesting that the issue is passed to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, to clarify the law over diplomatic immunity.

image copyright PA image caption Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is considering pursuing foreign governments who have not paid London's congestion charge, the Times says

Three-quarters of nations do pay the fee, the Times says. Among those who don't, the worst offenders are the US, Japan, Nigeria, Russia, India and Germany.

But not just any drone - one that can carry a human passenger.

Dubai's transport agency, it says, has bought a number of them and the "self flying taxis" will be in use from July.