France: Move border checks back to Britain
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has been warned that measures designed to keep illegal immigrants out of Britain could collapse unless he pledges to address a new immigration crisis. As violent clashes took place in an illegal refugee camp in Calais, French officials wrote to Mr Cameron to say they would no longer support British border officials working in France. Philippe Mignonet, the deputy mayor and immigration chief at Calais, told The Telegraph he was losing patience with a treaty which allows British border guards to check passports in France before passengers board ferries or Channel Tunnel services. The British border was moved to France in 2003 as part of a deal to close the infamous Sangatte refugee camp, and to stop illegal immigrants reaching British soil to claim asylum. ‘We are suffering in Calais. Calais is a city, not a country. We are suffering by having the English border on its territory,’ said Mr Mignonet.
East Ukraine danger increasing, warns UN
Civilians in eastern Ukraine are facing increasing hardships, with wrecked infrastructure and limited access to power and water supplies, the UN says. UN humanitarian chief John Ging said ‘immediate action’ was needed to halt the conflict and prevent the situation from putting more people in danger. At a UN Security Council meeting Russia blamed Ukraine for the hardships, but the UK said it was Russia's fault. More than 1,500 people are believed to have been killed since April. The crisis erupted when well-armed pro-Russian gunmen took over various cities and attempted to break away from Ukraine. They have been slowly beaten back and the fighting is now focused on the two rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk. Heavy fighting once again erupted on Tuesday in a suburb of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. Mr Ging told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that the lack of a political solution in Ukraine would only lead to more people being killed.
France: Move border checks back to Britain
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has been warned that measures designed to keep illegal immigrants out of Britain could collapse unless he pledges to address a new immigration crisis. As violent clashes took place in an illegal refugee camp in Calais, French officials wrote to Mr Cameron to say they would no longer support British border officials working in France. Philippe Mignonet, the deputy mayor and immigration chief at Calais, told The Telegraph he was losing patience with a treaty which allows British border guards to check passports in France before passengers board ferries or Channel Tunnel services. The British border was moved to France in 2003 as part of a deal to close the infamous Sangatte refugee camp, and to stop illegal immigrants reaching British soil to claim asylum. ‘We are suffering in Calais. Calais is a city, not a country. We are suffering by having the English border on its territory,’ said Mr Mignonet.
Amazing miracle in Wales
A couple camped nearby as they wished to have some quiet space and be at Ffald-y-Brenin (a House of Prayer near Fishguard) on their wedding anniversary, 30 July. The wife was upset to discover they had missed morning prayers. They went to the High Cross where she listened to The Grace Outpouring on her phone. She couldn't read it because she is blind. She has a stick, dark glasses and a guide dog. They went to evening prayers which were led by one of our volunteers. When it came to 'wherever darkness touches me I trust you to lighten it' the Holy Spirit came onto this blind lady and she fell to the floor crying 'my eyes hurt, my eyes hurt'. When she stood up and opened her eyes her first words were - 'I like your shirt!' Then she turned to her husband and saw him for the first time in eight years. They hurried home to see the children whom she has never seen before.
Digital Bible platform surpasses 200 million users
Coming from modest beginnings as a cassette tape lending library more than 40 years ago, Faith Comes By Hearing can truly say they understand and appreciate the saying, ‘You’ve come a long way, baby.’ At one time, the ministry focused solely on those in the American church and provided content in one language: English. Today, they are an international organization providing free digital access to Scripture recordings in over 830 languages that are spoken or signed by over 5.7 billion people. Across all of their digital platforms, the ministry has seen Bible engagement from more than 200 million users in just the last four years. Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) has been on the technological forefront in digital Bible distribution with the Digital Bible Platform, which houses the world’s largest repository of digital Scripture text, audio and video that is freely shared with partnering developers via an open API (application programming interface).
Amazing miracle in Wales
A couple camped nearby as they wished to have some quiet space and be at Ffald-y-Brenin (a House of Prayer near Fishguard) on their wedding anniversary, 30 July. The wife was upset to discover they had missed morning prayers. They went to the High Cross where she listened to The Grace Outpouring on her phone. She couldn't read it because she is blind. She has a stick, dark glasses and a guide dog. They went to evening prayers which were led by one of our volunteers. When it came to 'wherever darkness touches me I trust you to lighten it' the Holy Spirit came onto this blind lady and she fell to the floor crying 'my eyes hurt, my eyes hurt'. When she stood up and opened her eyes her first words were - 'I like your shirt!' Then she turned to her husband and saw him for the first time in eight years. They hurried home to see the children whom she has never seen before.
Digital Bible platform surpasses 200 million users
Coming from modest beginnings as a cassette tape lending library more than 40 years ago, Faith Comes By Hearing can truly say they understand and appreciate the saying, ‘You’ve come a long way, baby.’ At one time, the ministry focused solely on those in the American church and provided content in one language: English. Today, they are an international organization providing free digital access to Scripture recordings in over 830 languages that are spoken or signed by over 5.7 billion people. Across all of their digital platforms, the ministry has seen Bible engagement from more than 200 million users in just the last four years. Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) has been on the technological forefront in digital Bible distribution with the Digital Bible Platform, which houses the world’s largest repository of digital Scripture text, audio and video that is freely shared with partnering developers via an open API (application programming interface).
Statistics reveal prisons struggling to cope
Figures released on 31 July by the Ministry of Justice paint a complex picture of a prison service making heroic strides in some areas while struggling to cope with the impact of rising prison numbers and dramatic cuts to prison staff and budgets, says the Prison Reform Trust. Most worryingly, the figures show a significant increase in the numbers of self-inflicted deaths in custody, the number of incidents of recorded assaults (including fights) in prison and the number of assaults on staff. Commenting, Juliet Lyon, Director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: (these figures are).. ‘warning signs of a prison service placed under unprecedented strain. Ministers must heed and not dismiss what the facts and figures are telling them. Slashing prison budgets while warehousing ever greater numbers in larger prisons overseen by fewer and less experienced staff is no way to transform rehabilitation.’
Bishops urge David Cameron to grant asylum to Iraqi Christians
The Church of England has demanded that the British government offers sanctuary to thousands of Christians fleeing jihadists in northern Iraq, warning that ignoring their plight would constitute a ‘betrayal of Britain's moral and historical obligations’. A number of bishops have revealed their frustration over David Cameron's intransigence on the issue, arguing that the UK has a responsibility to grant immediate asylum to Iraqi Christian communities recently forced to flee the northern city of Mosul after militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) threatened them with execution, a religious tax or forced conversion. On Monday, France responded to the so-called religious cleansing by publicly granting asylum to Christians driven from Mosul. The Anglican Church argues the UK has an even greater responsibility to intervene, citing its central role in the 2003 allied invasion, which experts say triggered the destabilisation and sectarian violence that shaped the context for Isis to seize control of much of northern Iraq.
TV gambling ads: ‘PM should step in so kids not bombarded’
The Prime Minister should ‘step in’ to prevent children being overwhelmed by TV adverts that ‘normalise and glamorise’ gambling, a columnist has said. Writing in The Times, Rachel Sylvester criticised the coverage of this year’s World Cup, saying that children ‘could not avoid being bombarded by a campaign to encourage them to take a punt on the outcome of every match’. She highlighted Ofcom findings, which show that four to fifteen-year-olds are exposed to an average of 211 gambling adverts a year each. She noted a 600 per cent increase in TV gambling adverts since Labour liberalised the law in 2007, allowing sports betting, online casinos and poker to be promoted on television. The Labour sports minister who introduced the liberalisation, Gerry Sutcliffe, has admitted his government got it wrong. We did not envisage so much advertising for sports betting before the 9pm watershed’.