There needs to be more and better laws and legislation to safeguard children from online sexual exploitation. Later this month the Online Safety Bill will be debated in Westminster as it enters its second reading. The bill will require online platforms to take action to improve child protection. Pray for consensus on the importance of further strengthening child protection, particularly in preventing the livestreaming of child abuse.

For six years, Kristie was a pastoral assistant at a secondary school. When her school notified staff of a 'No Outsiders' programme to be introduced Kristie went to a meeting to find out more. No Outsiders introduces young children to ideas about family and gender that are very different from Biblical teaching. She was concerned and did further research and shared a couple of posts on Facebook. But one of Kristie's Facebook ‘friends’ sent her Facebook posts to the school’s headteacher complaining that ‘a member of your staff, working directly with children has posted homophobic and prejudiced views against the lgbt community on Facebook.’ Kristie was sacked for gross misconduct. Her appeal was denied. She appealed but the decision was upheld. Kristie took her case to an Employment Tribunal but they ruled against her. In a few weeks’ time an Employment Appeal Tribunal will conduct their hearing. 

Boris Johnson is sending £100m worth of weapons, including Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles and 800 anti-tank missiles, to Ukraine after an ‘unconscionable bombing’ of a crowded railway station killing dozens of refugees. He said, ‘It is a war crime to attack civilians, and Russia's war crimes in Ukraine will not go unnoticed or unpunished. Boris is sending precision munitions capable of lingering in the sky until directed to their target plus more helmets, body armour, and night vision. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK will also be providing heavily armoured Mastiff vehicles suitable for road patrols and convoys. Sensitive equipment will be removed, and British troops will help with training in a neighbouring country. So far sanctions have frozen £275bn of Russian foreign currency reserves, which is 60% of their total reserves. It is having deep and damaging consequences for Putin's ability to wage war. 

The government continues facing pressure over gatherings in and around Downing Street during lockdowns. The police are investigating 12 parties and on April 12th issued 50+ fines, with more to come. Boris and Carrie Johnson and the chancellor are among those fined; making Boris the first serving prime minister to be caught breaking the law. All three apologised, but bereaved families called their actions ‘truly shameless’ with ‘simply no way’ they could continue in their jobs. Labour MPs also want the PM and Mr Sunak to quit. Mr Johnson said he felt ‘an even greater sense of obligation to deliver’, while the chancellor said he was ‘focused on delivering for the British people’. Amanda McEgan, whose daughter died during the pandemic, said the prime minister's conduct during lockdowns made restrictions on the 19-year-old's funeral ‘more hurtful’. Boris said he accepted ‘in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better’ from him.