Britain has 'turned its back' on child refugees
Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has harshly criticised David Cameron’s refugee policy and accused the British Government of ignoring the plight of refugee orphans who wash up on Europe's shores. Mr Farron sent a letter to the Prime Minister demanding that he accept 3,000 unaccompanied orphans from the Middle East in addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees the UK is already pledged to take over the next five years. ‘The British and French governments are guilty of turning their backs on hundreds of unaccompanied children in Calais and Dunkirk, with increasing evidence that children are subject to trafficking by criminal gangs involved in prostitution and drugs.’ The 3,000 number was originally developed by Save the Children, following reports that 4,000 children have gone under the radar since arriving in Italy in 2014; authorities fear that they have been taken by people-traffickers and forced into drugs or prostitution.
Scotland: calls for prayer
Alistair Barton, the director of Pray for Scotland, writes, ‘For many the year opens up like a new dawn - full of potential and promise. We may have fresh excitement about what God may do in us, with us, through us, and in our nation. But as the pressures of the world flood in on every side, it can often be difficult to maintain our sense of excitement, anticipation and hope that God will break through the seemingly ever-increasing darkness. Nevertheless, we continue to believe that prayer changes things, and that persistent, faithful prayer can change the destiny of families, communities and nations.’ “Trypraying” is launching a new forty-day prayer guide for Lent entitled ‘Catching the Wave’. Pray for Scotland and Parliamentary Prayer Scotland are jointly promoting a forty-day prayer call from Easter Sunday to the Holyrood elections on 5 May, called ‘As One! - Prayer Shield 2016’.
Man arrested on suspicion of terror offences.
A 22-year-old man in Maidenhead was arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act by the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command. Police said the arrest was in relation to the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism. The man is being held in custody in a central London police station, while officers search a residential and business address in Berkshire. The local police area commander for Windsor and Maidenhead stated that he understands that the local community may be concerned following today's operation. He said, ‘I would like to reassure everyone that today's activity is as a result of an ongoing investigation which was intelligence-led. There is no evidence to suggest the community was at risk.’
USA and Uganda Primates in Canterbury
The Most Revd Dr Foley Beach, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, was a full, voting participant in the Primates’ gathering, but did not feel it appropriate to vote as he’s not part of the official Anglican structures. He is in communion with provinces which represent the majority of the Anglican Communion but left the Episcopal Church after it approved consecration of non-celibate homosexual persons to be bishops and gave approval to liturgies for same-sex unions. The Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Revd Stanley Ntagali, left the gathering. This was because canons passed by Uganda’s provincial synod prevented his sitting with the US Episcopal Church or the Church of Canada unless they repented on their stand on the same issue. For him to attend was putting him out on a limb with his people. He didn’t leave out of anger. He just felt he was not being faithful to his duties as an archbishop. So the Primates blessed him, and he blessed them and left. See also article 1 in the British Isles section of this week’s Prayer Alert.
