Nicky Morgan has said the Government will not be requiring visitors to adult websites to upload proof of their age; thus protecting people under 18 from the damaging effects of adult content on the web. She said that the duty of care on companies to improve online safety would instead be delivered through a proposed online harms regulatory regime. CARE said that the Government announcement was a ‘betrayal’ of young people who are better protected offline than online. A survey has found that half of British children aged 11-13 had seen adult content, with some aged 7 or 8 having seen it online. CARE said a poll conducted in 2015 found that proposals to introduce age verification checks were supported by a majority of the public, and there was ‘no logic’ in giving up the scheme.

On 27 June we reported that Scotland’s homeless status was up by 3% on the previous year. Four months later another report stated the number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales had risen by 22% - nearly two a day. The number of deaths related to drug poisoning has risen by 55% since 2017, compared to 16% of the population as a whole. Homeless families living permanently in office blocks, and homelessness among old people soared by 39%. There are an undisclosed number of empty houses in England despite a homelessness crisis. The majority of known deaths (641) were of men. Shelter said, ‘This is a moment to pause and reflect on what matters to us as a society. These tragic deaths are the consequence of a housing system and economy that is failing too many of our fellow citizens.’

Albania was once the poorest nation in Europe, but poverty has been cut by more than half and the economy continues to show positive signs of growth. Despite having well-known gangsters, it has made notable steps in combating drugs, weapons and human trafficking. Last year the European Commission said that it had shown enough progress towards implementing the required reforms that accession negotiations can begin. Under Communist rule, no religion was allowed. Now, Islam claims twice as many followers as Christianity. Christian believers enjoy worshipping openly in a country that once restricted religious freedom, although most who claim Christianity are reported to be nominal in their faith. Praise God that children’s ministry is drawing whole families into church and multiple generations are coming to faith. Pray for isolated believers to find safe ways to meet with others, and for believers from Muslim backgrounds to be protected from pressure and attack from friends and family.

A legacy of brokenness endures from the days of Ceausescu’s regime, a moral vacuum filled with every kind of social evil. Substance abuse, prostitution, pornography, human trafficking, and challenges to child welfare are widespread. Romania has one of the highest abortion rates in the world, with three or more abortions for every child born. Poverty is still common, with widespread unemployment and economic instability, caused to a large degree by rampant and entrenched corruption. Divisions in government reduce its effectiveness; major strides forward are needed in its legal, education and health care systems as well as police and local administrations. Pray for leadership to have the wisdom to chart the right path and the integrity to implement the right policies. Few pastors have a theological library. Pray for Christian publishing houses and distribution networks to establish a viable, indigenously-funded Christian literature ministry and for more locally written material to be available.