Turkey: Supporting Mosul from the sidelines
At the moment Turkey is supporting forces forming to retake Mosul from IS by assisting America to train and equip Syrian rebel forces in Turkey, strengthening border security and upgrading discussions with the international coalition. Turkey also has influence among the Sunni Arab tribes of Mosul and other Sunnis, which allows it to collect human intelligence. A Turkish security official requesting anonymity said, ‘1.3 million people live in Mosul, at least 300,000 people will escape toward the Turkish border. We have to get ready for this potentially massive wave of immigration. Sadly Turkey is not at all ready for this serious issue.’ Another Turkish intelligence official said that Turkey is the only country with considerable influence with all Mosul tribes and other Sunni Arabs; and Turkey could easily be an intermediary, talking to all the parties and potentially achieving results with minimum bloodshed.
Turkey: Supporting Mosul from the sidelines
At the moment Turkey is supporting forces forming to retake Mosul from IS by assisting America to train and equip Syrian rebel forces in Turkey, strengthening border security and upgrading discussions with the international coalition. Turkey also has influence among the Sunni Arab tribes of Mosul and other Sunnis, which allows it to collect human intelligence. A Turkish security official requesting anonymity said, ‘1.3 million people live in Mosul, at least 300,000 people will escape toward the Turkish border. We have to get ready for this potentially massive wave of immigration. Sadly Turkey is not at all ready for this serious issue.’ Another Turkish intelligence official said that Turkey is the only country with considerable influence with all Mosul tribes and other Sunni Arabs; and Turkey could easily be an intermediary, talking to all the parties and potentially achieving results with minimum bloodshed.
Switzerland: Geneva - Supporting the Human Rights of Christians
Part of a statement released at the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the 13 March said, ’The Middle East is living in a situation of instability and conflict. The consequences are disastrous for the entire population of the region. The existence of many religious communities is seriously threatened. Christians are now especially affected. These days even their survival is in question. Efforts to build a better future for all are frustrated. We witness a situation where violence, religious and ethnic hatred, fundamentalist radicalism, extremism, intolerance, exclusion, destruction of the social fabric of whole societies and communities are becoming the features of a non-viable political and social model, endangering the very existence of many communities, the Christian community in particular. We are confident that, all civic and religious leaders in the Middle East, will join us in addressing this alarming situation by building together a culture of peaceful coexistence. In our globalised world, pluralism is an enrichment.
Videos of Christians forgiving Islamic State go viral in the Arab world
SAT-7 Egypt Director says ‘Resistance through forgiveness’ videos of a 10-year-old Iraqi displaced by Islamic State (IS/ISIS) and of a brother of two Egyptian labourers beheaded in Libya, both voicing forgiveness for their persecutors, have been watched by a million viewers and drawn the attention of mainstream Arab media which rarely cover Christian news. Under the title ‘Iraqi Girl Myriam Faces IS with Love’, pan-Arab broadcaster Al Arabiya told how the clip of young refugee Myriam had spread via social media and was impressing ordinary viewers and media commentators. A columnist in Lebanese newspaper Al Nahar said the SAT-7 interview with her ‘should be presented in Lebanese schools as a lesson in humanity’. Farid Samir, Egypt director of Christian satellite channel SAT-7, which made both clips, said: ‘The massive interest in them shows the impact of resisting violence through forgiveness’.
Christian businesses fighting the sex trade
Every night in Sonagacchi, in India, more than 10,000 women stand in line waiting to be picked up for sex. Many of them were trafficked into prostitution. But now Freeset, a Christian business, has bought a building that will transform India's most infamous sex district. The 20,000-square-feet Gateway building is situated at the front of the red light district, but it will not be turned into more brothels where probably 1,000 women would be working. The new space will give Christian businesses the opportunity to employ women and free them from sexual slavery. One of the biggest issues facing those who want to start businesses in Sonagacchi is a lack of space. The Gateway building would act as a business incubator, gradually helping more and more freedom businesses to start and so providing an increasing number of opportunities for Sonagacchi's women.
Videos of Christians forgiving Islamic State go viral in the Arab world
SAT-7 Egypt Director says ‘Resistance through forgiveness’ videos of a 10-year-old Iraqi displaced by Islamic State (IS/ISIS) and of a brother of two Egyptian labourers beheaded in Libya, both voicing forgiveness for their persecutors, have been watched by a million viewers and drawn the attention of mainstream Arab media which rarely cover Christian news. Under the title ‘Iraqi Girl Myriam Faces IS with Love’, pan-Arab broadcaster Al Arabiya told how the clip of young refugee Myriam had spread via social media and was impressing ordinary viewers and media commentators. A columnist in Lebanese newspaper Al Nahar said the SAT-7 interview with her ‘should be presented in Lebanese schools as a lesson in humanity’. Farid Samir, Egypt director of Christian satellite channel SAT-7, which made both clips, said: ‘The massive interest in them shows the impact of resisting violence through forgiveness’.
Christian businesses fighting the sex trade
Every night in Sonagacchi, in India, more than 10,000 women stand in line waiting to be picked up for sex. Many of them were trafficked into prostitution. But now Freeset, a Christian business, has bought a building that will transform India's most infamous sex district. The 20,000-square-feet Gateway building is situated at the front of the red light district, but it will not be turned into more brothels where probably 1,000 women would be working. The new space will give Christian businesses the opportunity to employ women and free them from sexual slavery. One of the biggest issues facing those who want to start businesses in Sonagacchi is a lack of space. The Gateway building would act as a business incubator, gradually helping more and more freedom businesses to start and so providing an increasing number of opportunities for Sonagacchi's women.
Mothers' Union calls for prayers for election candidates' families
The Mothers' Union is calling on its thousands of members up and down the country to pray that the families of election candidates ‘will not be affected by criticism or physical threats’. The organisation, which has 140 years experience of working with families, says in its pre-election advice that people should also ‘thank God’ that anyone is actually willing to stand for public office. ‘Pray for energy and stamina for the candidates as they campaign,’ the union adds. It urges people to take seriously their involvement in the coming general election, and even consider organising hustings. Other things they should pray for include ‘positive not negative campaigning’ and ‘true and honest manifestos’ as well as mutual respect between the parties. The union is also calling for an increase in paternity leave and for new policies to prevent violence against women and girls. It urges prayers for the winners as well as the losers.
Faith schools under attack by 'forces of intolerance', says Tory MP
Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh made a passionate defence of faith schools in the face of what he said was an attack on their basic ethos by the ‘forces of intolerance’. Leigh proposed the motion that ‘this House believes that Ofsted should respect the ability of faith schools to teach their core beliefs in the context of respect and toleration for others’. He was particularly critical of Ofsted because of what he said was its inappropriate treatment of Christian schools such as Grindon Hall and the Durham Free School, which is fighting closure after an adverse report. He said: ‘Ofsted appears to be guilty of trying to enforce a kind of state-imposed orthodoxy on certain moral and religious questions.’ He said: ‘The Minister should remind Ofsted that the law prioritises the teaching of the Christian faith in RE and school assemblies because we are a Christian nation with a Christian heritage.’
Most deprived areas bear the brunt of local government cuts, says new report
Research published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that the most deprived areas of England have seen the largest cuts in funding since 2010. There is still scope for many councils to save money by redesigning the way services are run but the current pace of the cuts risks making this more difficult. Many local authorities will struggle to invest in and remodel services to lower costs in the medium term, while still meeting residents’ needs and balancing their budgets. Analysis of local government expenditure data reveals that the poorest English authorities have seen reductions of £182 more per head than the most affluent, this breaks the historic link between the amount a local authority spends per head and local deprivation levels. In 2010/11, the most deprived councils had an extra 45 per cent of expenditure per head to cope with additional needs. By 2014/15, this had been reduced to 17 per cent.