Banks to block internet porn sites
Websites which fail to stop children accessing pornography will have payments to them blocked by banks and credit card companies as part of a government plan to help clean up the internet. Purveyors of explicit images will be starved of paying customers under the proposals, even if the material itself is not illegal. It is thought to be the first time banks have been asked effectively to police the internet in such a way. A ‘summit’ between financial organisations and the video services regulator will be held next month in an effort to finalise the agreement. The move is intended to address the growing exposure of under-aged children to legal but highly explicit internet pornography, which David Cameron has said is ‘corroding childhood’. Restricting such exposure is a priority for Downing Street. (See Prayer Alert 30-2013)
Pray: that this move will lead to a blocking of this form of pornography. (Col.3:23)
Number of families living in B&Bs at 10-year high in England
The number of homeless families living in emergency bed and breakfast accommodation is at its highest in nearly ten years, says the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. The charity says 2,090 homeless families across England have been placed in B&Bs after losing their homes, an eight per cent rise on the same period last year, and the highest since September 2003. Overall homeless figures also rose by more than five per cent in the last year. This includes 8,790 families with children – the equivalent of one family losing their home every 15 minutes. A Shelter poll found that six in every ten working families paying mortgage or rent are struggling with their payments. Campbell Robb, Shelter’s chief executive, said: ‘These figures are a wake-up call. Ordinary families are falling through the net and risk losing everything.’ The charity reports that it sees many families placed in unsuitable B&B-style accommodation, often for weeks at a time.
Pray: that accommodation may be found for homeless families that will bring stability. (Ps.113:9)
Rowan Williams pledges support for arms trade activists
Former archbishop condemns treatment of campaigners who are due to stand trial for blocking entrance of London arms fair. Justin Welby's predecessor as the archbishop of Canterbury has sent a message of support to five Christian activists who will appear in court this week after blocking one of the entrances to the London arms fair earlier this month. Telling them that he wished them well, Rowan Williams added: ‘I am very grateful for those who have courageously drawn attention to the scandal of this situation, and to the wider question of the way governments support and subsidise the arms trade. Outrage about one kind of horrific and illegal weaponry will not be taken seriously unless it is part of a comprehensive willingness to tackle all forms of collusion with technologically advanced violence against human beings.’ (See Prayer Alert 37-2013)
Pray: for those who have been arrested and are taking a stand against the arms trade. (Is 2:4)
More: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/22/rowan-williams-arms-trade-activists
Bedroom tax has pushed one in three council tenants into arrears
Nearly one in three council housing tenants affected by the bedroom tax have fallen behind on their rent since its introduction earlier this year, according to new figures released on 17 September. Figures provided by 114 local authorities across Britain in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by False Economy show that since the bedroom tax was introduced this April, over 50,000 council housing tenants - 31 per cent of all tenants affected by the tax in these areas - have been pushed into arrears. However in some areas the proportion of tenants that have been pushed into arrears is far higher. In Barrow, three-quarters of all council house tenants affected by the bedroom tax have been pushed into arrears since April. With emergency funding from councils rapidly drying up, the situation is likely to get far worse over the coming months, warns False Economy. (See Prayer Alert 37-2013)
Pray: that the government will take notice of the serious problems that are being caused. (Lk. 20:22)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/19083
