HIV patients ‘told to rely on God’; Fracking protesters like MMR scaremongers, says Church of England; Abuse probe opens dead clergy files; War on Want boosts campaign against UK tax havens
HIV patients ‘told to rely on God’
BBC – Some young HIV patients are giving up their medicine after being told by Pentecostal Church pastors to rely on faith in God instead, doctors warn.
Read more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23729684
Fracking protesters like MMR scaremongers, says Church of England
Daily Telegraph – The Church of England has likened vocal opponents of fracking to scaremongers who spread misinformation about the MMR vaccine, leaving children at risk of a measles epidemic.
It also publicly accused opponents of shale gas exploration of ignoring the interests of the poor, who might benefit from cheaper energy bills and jobs.
And while strongly denying seeking to gain financially from fracking by reasserting centuries-old mineral rights, it refused to rule out the possibility of drilling on Church-owned land. In signs of a growing split within the Church over its approach to the controversial technique, senior officials also appeared to criticise one diocese that said fracking was a threat to “God’s glorious creation” as being not “sound scientifically”.
The row broke out as the Church issued its first official statement on the issue, setting out the arguments in favour of fracking. While insisting it had “no official policy” on whether or not it supported fracking, it criticised those who advocate “blanket opposition”.
It also warned against giving “cowboys and cavaliers” free rein to exploit the Earth’s natural resources but insisted that environmental risks could be minimised.
A statement drafted by the Church’s influential Mission and Public Affairs Group argued that the issue should not be seen through a “single lens” of environmental concerns.
Philip Fletcher, chair of the group, which advises the General Synod and the archbishops of Canterbury and York, said: “Fuel poverty is an increasingly urgent issue for many in society – the impact on energy bills is felt most by the least well off.
“Blanket opposition to further exploration for new sources of fuel fails to take into account those who suffer most when resources are scarce.”
He said the church shared the view of environmentalists that there should be proper controls, remarking: “We do not want cowboys and cavaliers digging up the land in a free for all exploitation.” But he added that the procedure might potentially be carried out safely.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he stopped short of accusing opponents of promoting “hysteria” but said: “There is a real danger of distorting the arguments through protest.
“If we take an example from a little way back you will recall the completely misguided attack on the MMR jab.
“[That] is still causing outbreaks of measles now in our vulnerable children because it gave many households and many parents the wrong impression that MMR was somehow dangerous.
“You could be in the same position with fracking if you just take the very limited views being expressed by some opponents of fracking at the moment.”
He added: “I think what often happens in a polarised debate [is that] you have those who are very strongly for or against something and the evidence gets lost in the middle.”
Describing experimental drilling as a “proper contribution to a proper debate” he also refused to rule out tests taking place on church land.
More at –
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10248468/Fracking-protesters-like-MMR-scaremongers-says-Church-of-England.html
Abuse probe opens dead clergy files
BBC – Church files on deceased clergy who served in the Diocese of York are to be opened as part of an investigation into alleged cases of child abuse.
Read more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-23731066
War on Want boosts campaign against UK tax havens
The global development NGO War on Want is calling on supporters to take action to help abolish the UK’s tax havens as soon as possible.
The UK is responsible for many of the world’s most significant tax havens such as the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
These Overseas Territories allow rich individuals and multinational companies to dodge taxes around the world, increasing their wealth and power rather than tackling poverty and funding public services.
This summer there has been a lot of talk from David Cameron about tackling tax havens, and about how he is “getting the UK’s house in order”, War on Want notes.
In June the Prime Minister staged a summit, asking the UK’s tax havens to sign an agreement to promise to work together more effectively with other countries’ tax authorities.
The government claimed it was finally standing up to these tax havens.
“But Cameron’s deal just tinkered at the edges of the UK’s tax havens’ secrecy – it was all show and no substance. The truth is that the UK is still responsible for many of the world’s most significant tax havens,” says Murray Worthy, the charity’s Tax Justice campaigner.
“It’s time to demand real action from the government to tackle the UK’s tax havens.
“Proper regulation is needed so that the UK’s Overseas Territories can’t be used to dodge tax. We need rules so that company owners can’t hide their identities, so that companies have to meet basic requirements like filing accounts, and so that effective taxes are applied to profits and wealth. This would mean that these jurisdictions would no longer be tax havens.
“The government is now proposing tougher rules to tackle tax evasion by disclosing the real owners of companies in the UK. This regulation would be a big step forwards. But these proposals completely leave out the UK’s tax havens.
“The UK government has even admitted it has the power to introduce regulation for the Overseas Territories, but it has failed to act. We would like people to join our call and email their MP now.
“The tide is turning against tax havens, but it is only through huge public pressure that governments will stand up to tax havens and the tax dodging companies that rely on them to boost their profits. Together we can end the UK’s role in this global scandal,” he said today (16 August).
* End Tax Havens campaign – http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/tax-justice-now/tax-havens/action/179…