News

Darfur Peace Move Encouraging, but Still Early

The U.N. Secretary-General said on Sunday he was encouraged by the "credible progress" he felt had been made towards peace in Darfur during an Africa tour, but it was too early to talk of tangible results. Ban Ki-moon said the challenge now was to persuade all Darfur's rebel groups to attend talks with the Sudanese government next month, he told international news agencies in an interview at the end of his trip to Sudan, Chad and Libya.

Trade Unions say Close Tax Loophole to Meet UK Poverty Goals

Britain could meet its goal to halve child poverty by 2010 if it closed a loophole that allows more than 100,000 high earners to avoid paying tax on their overseas income, the Trades Union Congress said on Sunday.

UK Civil Service Unions Threaten Brown With Strike

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown could face strikes by more than a million civil service workers in his first year in power unless the government backs down over pay and job cuts, trade unions warned on Sunday. Any widespread industrial action would be a disaster for newly-crowned Brown as he seeks to build on improved public support for the ruling Labour Party ahead of any election following the departure of Tony Blair this summer.

Pressure on US Episcopal Church to Reveal Litigation Costs

Over 5,000 people have signed a petition demanding The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the USA reveals how much money it has spent since 2004 on litigation against individuals and parishes.

Parents of Missing Madeleine Return to Britain

British couple Kate and Gerry McCann, named as suspects in the disappearance of their four-year-old daughter Madeleine in Portugal, flew home on Sunday insisting they were innocent.

China Needs to Speed Up AIDS Fight, says UN Official

China needs to speed up efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS by giving freer rein to civil society organisations and enrolling the help of companies, a U.N. official said.

Pope Tells Pilgrims: Keep Sunday Special amid 'Mad Rush of World'

Pope Benedict on Sunday called on Catholics to keep the Sabbath a day set aside for reflection on their faith and the fate of the planet and not surrender it to "the mad rush of the modern world".

Red Cross Hands Over 11 Bodies in Colombia Probe

The Red Cross on Sunday handed forensic experts 11 bodies believed to be the remains of Colombian lawmakers killed in rebel captivity as authorities tried to end a bitter dispute over how the men died.

Sarkozy and Merkel to Tackle Kosovo, Market Crisis

French President Nicolas Sarkozy travels to Germany on Monday for informal talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel that will touch on Kosovo's push for independence and turmoil in the financial markets.

New Vicar to Ignite Evangelism and Mission Work in Midlands

A Blackpool vicar is preparing to move to Walsall where he will take up his new and unique role to help churches across the diocese develop and implement evangelism and mission work.

The Land of Hope

Where have you pitched your tent today? What are you expecting to happen in your life? What kind of attitude do you have? If you're focused on what's wrong...

No-Show from London Mega Mosque Group at Public Debate

The leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance, Councillor Alan Craig, has accused the controversial Muslim group behind the proposed Olympics "mega-mosque" of running away from a democratic public debate after its refusal to appear at the meeting in Stratford, east London.