Egypt's Christian martyrs are witnessing to the nation
Undaunted by the slaughter of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, the director of the Bible Society of Egypt saw a golden gospel opportunity. ‘We must have a Scripture tract ready to distribute to the nation as soon as possible,’ Ramez Atallah told his staff the evening an IS-linked group released its gruesome propaganda video. The world stopped for a moment on hearing the news of 21 Coptic Christians, murdered by IS on the shores of a beach in Tripoli. Coptic Christians don’t get much attention on the world stage, but this was different. The pictures of those orange-clad men on the beach surfaced everywhere, the stories of their lives gaining more attention every day. Less than 36 hours later, the booklet ‘Two Rows by the Sea’ was sent to the printer. One week later, 1.65 million copies have been distributed in the Bible Society’s largest campaign ever.
Hundreds of babies are now being born clinically obese in the UK
Hundreds of babies are being born clinically obese every year - including some weighing more than a stone. As many as 1,403 newborns have been classified as obese since 2011, according to shocking figures from a series of Freedom of Information requests. At just one trust nearly 400 babies born in the last four years weighed 9lb 15oz or more - the marker for an obese baby. Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said that although some mothers suffer from medical conditions, which increase the size of the baby, most just overeat. 'Women have to understand that they have to keep themselves in shape due to the huge responsibility they have of producing the next generation. Successive governments have not really addressed the obesity problem. It starts at conception and sometimes even before then. If we get it wrong, it's a vicious circle and it will just go on and on and on.'
Jail terms proposed for those who 'neglect' sex abuse victims
Teachers, counselors and social workers in England and Wales who fail to protect children could face up to five years in jail under new proposals. The new measures, being unveiled by the prime minister, would see the crime of ‘willful neglect’ extended to cover children's social care and education. There would also be unlimited fines for individuals and organisations shown to have let children down, and police will now prioritise sexual exploitation as a ‘national threat’. This means such abuse will be treated in a similar way to serious and organised crime, with police forces, chief constables and police and crime commissioners having a duty to collaborate in order to protect children. The government's proposals - also to include a national helpline being set up to enable professionals to report bad practice - are a response to child abuse scandals including those in Rotherham and Oxfordshire.
Nick Clegg: Having faith must be the most wonderful thing
In an exclusive extended interview, Nick Clegg has told Premier he thinks it must be the most wonderful thing to have a faith and would embrace it if it came his way. The Deputy Prime Minister has been speaking ahead of the election and touched upon his personal faith journey, his time in the coalition government and the role of Church in society and politics. Mr Clegg, who's been labelled an atheist in the media, said he felt uncomfortable with the title and remains open to religion. ‘I now accompany Miriam [his wife] and the children, and do so with great joy, to Mass pretty much every weekend,’ he explained. ‘I sometimes think it must be the most wonderful thing to be infused with faith. It's not something that's happened to me, it's not happened to me yet. I would embrace it.‘
Under fire Christian school fights back on BBC Radio 4
A threatened Christian school has defended itself on BBC Radio 4, saying a critical Ofsted report ‘contradicts’ clear evidence. The Durham Free School is set to be closed after Education Secretary Nicky Morgan restated that its funding would be withdrawn. However, the leader of the governors at the school, John Denning, said the Ofsted report which led to the funding decision ‘contradicts a whole raft of evidence’. He also addressed accusations of bullying at the school, saying pupils who had been targeted elsewhere are happy at The Durham Free School. Answering questions on Friday’s Today programme, Denning said the school was taking legal advice. He commented that parts of the schools’ watchdog’s critical report were ‘inaccurate’ and ‘just plain wrong’. The flagship BBC radio programme also heard from parents who praised the school, with one saying the school was a ‘lifeline’ for her child.
Churches urged to get tech-savvy to tackle self-harming
Churches and youth workers are being encouraged to get up to speed with social media and the internet to support those who are self-harming. A new poll, commissioned in the run up to Self-Harm Awareness Day, has shed light on the number of 11-21 year olds exposed to online self-harm images. Organised by ChildLine, SelfharmUK, YoungMinds and YouthNet, the research found that over half of 11-14 year olds have either self-harmed themselves or know someone who has self-harmed, whilst eight out of every ten 18-21 year olds say they have self-harmed or know someone who has self-harmed. Speaking on Premier's News Hour, Rachel Welch called on those in churches to do more to understand what's happening so they can make a difference. She said: ‘They're all engaging with social media so it's critically important that youth workers and other people from within the church are using those same places. It's important we go to where the young people are.‘
Oxfordshire grooming victims may have totaled 373 children
As many as 373 children may have been targeted for sex by gangs of men in Oxfordshire in the last 16 years, a serious case review found. The investigation came after a sadistic sex gang of seven men were jailed in 2013 for abusing six girls in Oxford, between 2004 and 2012. Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council made ‘many errors’ in that case and could have acted sooner. A victim of the gang said the issue had been ‘swept under the carpet’. Of the 373 cases, the council said about 50 victims were boys. Speaking at a press conference, the chair of Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) Maggie Blyth said: ‘What happened to the victims is deeply disturbing. It is shocking that these children were subjected to such appalling sexual exploitation for so long.’
Iran: A problem of nuclear proportions
On Monday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, reminding them of Iran’s support for terrorist organisations and its stated goal to destroy the Jewish State. He asked the crowd to ‘imagine what Iran would do with nuclear weapons.’ Shortly afterwards President Barack Obama disparaged his comments. On Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a much-anticipated speech to Congress regarding the Iranian nuclear deal. Again his comments revealed opposition to President Obama’s views. Meanwhile in Iran individuals in leadership positions are propagating poisonous agendas against the USA and Israel. An aide to Iran’s supreme leader vowed to 'raise the flag of Islam over the White House’ and said that taking over Washington would be part of a 'resistance front' in revenge for the deaths of members of the militant group Hezbollah.’ The USA is often mentioned in the same breath as Israel because of its financial and diplomatic support for the nation. See:
Nigeria: Boko Haram beheadings echoes IS
The Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram released a video on Monday showing militants beheading two men. It’s their first online posting using the advanced graphics and editing techniques associated with IS. Past Boko Haram films have been cruder, often featuring a man identified as the leader Abubakar Shekau discussing local gripes. The latest one preaches ‘global jihad.’ The footage will stoke concerns that Boko Haram, which evolved out of a clerical movement focused on north-east Nigeria, is expanding its scope and seeking inspiration from global militant networks including al-Qaida and IS. Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, said ‘Boko Haram is allied to both al-Qaida and IS’, though it has not been confirmed by the militants who have killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in a drive to carve out an Islamist state in Nigeria.
Syria: Update on situation in north-east
Last week you prayed into a developing situation in north-east Syria involving the abduction of Assyrian Christians by Daesh. We are pleased to report that nineteen hostages were released on 1 March. However an estimated 200+ are still being held. The nineteen released were taken to the Church of Our Lady in Hassaka. Most are men and all are over fifty years old. There is speculation that an Islamic court ordered their release after 'tax payments' were made on their behalf. In the days following the abductions all sources increased their initial estimates of how many fled and how many were seized. Most sources now agree the number of abductees is over two hundred. The Assyrian Church of the East reported that fifty-one families escaped – but in fact they failed to escape. The number of families who have fled is expected to reach 1,200. Church leaders have appealed to the international community to redouble efforts to stop the killing and systematic displacement of Christians, and to promote a peaceful settlement in the region.