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’.
Researchers urge families to be more active
Researchers compared the TV viewing habits of more than 6,000 British people born in a single week in 1970, at the ages of 10 and 42. Parents should increase children's physical activity to ensure they become fit and healthy adults, the University College London (UCL) authors conclude. ‘Do something active to displace TV,’ advised co-author Lee Smith. ‘In the evening time when families tend to sit down and watch TV they should try to go for walks instead.’ If you can't go outside, try active computer games, anything that gets people up and expending energy rather than sitting down and snacking,’ said Dr Smith, of the UCL epidemiology and public health department. The authors acknowledge that for today's children TV viewing is often replaced by time on computers, smartphones or tablets. Parents should play active computer games with their children, say researchers.
Teacher stress levels in England 'soaring', data shows
Stress levels among teachers in England's classrooms are soaring, a BBC investigation has found. Unions are blaming workload for large numbers of staff taking time off work or leaving the profession. Insurance industry data suggest stress is the biggest cause of staff absence save for maternity. The Department for Education insists it is working ‘to tackle the issue of unnecessary workload which we know can lead to stress’. The BBC has also seen a survey of 3,500 members of the NASUWT teaching union which shows more than two-thirds of respondents considered quitting the profession in the past year. Workload was the top concern, with 89% citing this as a problem, followed by pay (45%), inspection (44%), curriculum reform (42%) and pupil behaviour (40%). In addition: NASUWT General Secretary Chris Keates described the results as ‘frightening’. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has expressed her concerns over excessive working hours.
