US missionary, captive for 20 months, is alive, reports Niger’s president
World Watch Monitor A US missionary kidnapped in Niger in October, 2016 is alive, according to the West African nation’s president. Jeff Woodke, who worked for Jeunesse en Mission Entraide et Developpement (JEMED), a branch of the US-based Youth With a Mission, was abducted by unknown assailants late in the evening of Friday, 14th October, […]
Foreign workers in US fall victim to traffickers – report
Thomson Reuters Foundation Foreigners with temporary work visas in the United States are falling victim to human trafficking as recruiters and employers exploit flaws in a system that includes several government agencies, an advocacy group said. Guest workers are often tied to one employer and can be deported if they change jobs or quit, making […]
One in four Australians go without household essentials, survey finds
One in four Australians go without household essentials and can’t pay bills because of the high cost of living, according to a new survey. The survey of 1,000 people across the nation – carried out by not-for-profit Good Shepherd Microfinance – found that during the past 12 months, 27 per cent of respondants couldn’t pay for medical […]
Indian app seeks to save lives by matching blood donors with patients
Thomson Reuters Foundation Just a few units of blood could have saved the life of Sushil Lalwani’s cousin, who died in India aged 32 as relatives mounted a frantic search for donors. Now Mr Lalwani hopes to prevent more needless deaths like his cousin’s with a new phone app called MBLOOD that aims to connect […]
POSTCARDS: “YIMBY” CALL TO BUILD MORE HOUSING DIVIDES BOOMING SAN FRANCISCO
GREGORY SCRUGGS, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on alternative approaches to San Francisco’s housing problems…
MEDICAL MARIJUANA: IN THE US STATE OF OKLAHOMA, BALLOT QUESTION SPLITS PEOPLE OF FAITH
BOBBY ROSS, Jr, of Religion News Service, reports on how a vote on legalising medical marijuana is dividing faith communities in the US state of Oklahoma…
“Race is on” to end trafficking, says UK anti-slavery chief
Thomson Reuters Foundation The starting gun has fired and “the race is on” to save the estimated 40 million people trapped in slavery worldwide, Britain’s outgoing anti-slavery chief said at a conference on modern-day slavery on Wednesday. The world needs legislation and protocols to tackle modern slavery, but most of all it needs action to […]
ESSAY: WHY UK CHRISTIANS ARE RAISING THEIR VOICES FOR TAX JUSTICE
DAVID HASLAM, chair of the recently launched Church Action for Tax Justice, explains why it’s important Christians speak up for a fair tax system…
Another Christian arrested in Iran as four others expected to start serving sentences following failed appeal, says CSW
A Christian man has been arrested by authorities in Iran and accused of “spreading propaganda against the establishment”, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The UK-based religious freedom advocacy said the man, whom the organisation identified as Mohammadali Yassaghi, known as ‘Estifan’, was arrested on 10th April and was later taken to prison. CSW said Mr Yassaghi is […]
STRANGESIGHTS: SPECIAL LANE FOR ‘PHUBBERS’; ELDERLY CHOCOLATE; AND, AN OYSTER RECORD…
DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…