World Bodies Pledge 500 Million Dollars to Palestine

An international meeting of donors in Stockholm, Sweden has seen US$500 million (£262m) promised in aid for the Palestinian region.

UN aid chief Jan Egeland, has warned that lack of aid had made Gaza a "time bomb", but following the pledges he warmly welcomed the news, but said a new peace process with Israel was vital.

On Thursday, donors pledged US$940m of help to rebuild Lebanon. But in comparison, donations for the Palestinian territories have been significantly less.

Mr Egeland had earlier told the conference that the Palestinians needed at least as much aid and money as the Lebanese.
News
Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce rates, study finds
Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce rates, study finds

People who regularly attend church are more likely to report happy marriages, according to a new report examining the relationship between faith and family life.

Indian churches fearing anti-conversion laws tell non-Christians: enter at your own risk
Indian churches fearing anti-conversion laws tell non-Christians: enter at your own risk

Churches in Dhamtari, a town in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, have put up notices warning non-Christians that they enter at their own risk, weeks after a law against religious conversion came into force in the state.

£1k bursaries to help churches develop youth and community mentoring programmes
£1k bursaries to help churches develop youth and community mentoring programmes

Churches across the UK are being offered bursaries to help them establish mentoring programmes aimed at supporting young people and others in their communities.

World Evangelical Alliance celebrates 180th anniversary
World Evangelical Alliance celebrates 180th anniversary

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has held an online celebration to mark its 180th anniversary. Hundreds of people from more than 22 countries attended, and the event was rebroadcast to accommodate different time zones.