What constitutes persecution and discrimination? It can be viewed on a scale from 1 to 10, ranging from someone hurling insults at you, all the way to the unfathomable evil of genocide. According to the Pew Research Center, a well-known organisation, Christians are the group most persecuted today, followed by Muslims primarily within the context of the conflict between the Shia and Sunni branches of their own faith. Jews, of course, continue to face persecution, not only in Arab nations but also in Western democracies; for instance, in the Swedish city of Malmo, Jews are moving away to avoid being attacked.
Historically, Jews and Christians have been, by far, the most persecuted groups. Millions of Christians became true martyrs, bearing the message of the Gospel on their lips and holding a Bible (rather than a sword) in their hands during the Roman Empire, the expansion of Islam and under Communist regimes.
As for the Jewish population, 90% of Poland’s Jews were murdered by the Nazis. By comparison, 3% of the Palestinian population in Gaza were killed, the majority of whom were active Hamas terrorists who used civilians as human shields in their war against Israel.
Today, more than 388 million Christians worldwide face persecution and discrimination. This information comes from Open Doors, an international human rights organization with extensive operations in over 70 countries. The persecution includes the burning down of homes, the seizure of possessions, physical abuse, torture, imprisonment and murder, placing it quite high on the scale of persecution.
Furthermore, it is reported that Christians are being persecuted by Communists and Hindus in China, North Korea and India, as well as by Islamists in a large number of Muslim-majority countries. Some media outlets currently report on the ongoing slaughter in Christian villages in Nigeria, where over 125,000 people have been killed, and so in many other nations Christians are being shot, burned alive or hacked to death with machetes.
Just recently, 60 Christians were murdered in a series of attacks in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. You didn’t know? Exactly, only “some” media outlets report on this. Here, then, is a “media-gate”, a scandal! Our media is selective; the persecution of those who are the most heavily persecuted is being kept in the dark. Why? One likely explanation is that left-leaning media, in particular, operate with an ideological agenda that shapes their coverage, an agenda that does not include showing sympathy for “conservative” Christians. Yet, this is not the whole truth. To offer an answer from the perspective of Christians themselves, their Bible states:
“When the light came into the world, people loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light, for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light”. In short, Christians are persecuted because they bear witness about Jesus, who is the Light, while those who persecute them love the darkness.
This explains the fascination with things like Halloween, with its ghosts, monsters, demons and devils, and with death in general, as well as humanity’s capacity for a myriad of evil deeds, including persecution. Certain media outlets downplay the persecution of Christians because, in their love for the darkness and their aversion to the Light, they do not wish to expose these evil acts. This is the Christian perspective, if you are open to accepting it.
Jesus himself said: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one city, flee to the next”. Furthermore, God loved the world and its people so much that Jesus died for us, offering salvation from the darkness; this is also what the Christian Bible explains.
So, how do you define persecution and discrimination? Personally, as a Finn living in Sweden during the 1970s, I was occasionally subjected to unpleasant remarks about “drunken Finns with knives”. Yet, it feels trivial even to mention this when compared to forms of persecution that involve torture, imprisonment and murder.
We must all take every form of “real” persecution seriously; we cannot be selective or turn a blind eye to truth and facts. Otherwise, we risk repeating the meaning behind Winston Churchill’s famous words: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Perhaps the call to us all is also to turn away from the darkness, not only regarding persecution, but all forms of evil, and instead let every heart draw near to the Light. Everyone would benefit most from this, even those who persecute others.
Sadiq is delivering a bold new pro-jobs approach to growing the capital’s economy through the London Growth Plan and is committed to building on this by supporting growth and jobs in our hospitality industry and ensuring businesses thrive.
New licensing call-in power begins today, allowing the Mayor to make the final decision on significant licensing cases across the capital, such as large venues, live music, later opening hours or festivals
Sadiq calls today a ‘new era for London’s nightlife’
The Mayor will shortly consider public consultation responses on the draft London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy before setting out his first ever Strategic Licensing Policy for the city
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today heralded the start of a new era for London’s nightlife as his historic licensing powers took a significant step forward.
The Mayor is delivering a bold new pro-jobs approach to growing the capital’s economy through the London Growth Plan and is committed to doing what he can to build on this by supporting growth and jobs in our hospitality industry and ensuring businesses thrive.
From today, using new powers granted by the Government the Mayor can choose to call in licensing applications of strategic importance to London – meaning that, for the first time ever, a UK Mayor can make a direct decision on a licensing application.
The Mayor can now step in following local licensing decisions, and decide whether to approve a licensing application which can be defined as strategically important for on London’s economy and reputation as a global city, such as applications for large venues, live music, later opening hours or major events and festivals. Keeping people safe and protecting local communities will remain at the heart of licensing.
He will also shortly formally consider the consultation responses on his draft London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy. This was set out earlier this year to try to create a licensing system that is consistent and supportive of London’s culture, hospitality, events and nightlife.
The Mayor has consistently shown his commitment to supporting growth and jobs in the capital, with London’s Growth Plan, in partnership with London Councils, supporting businesses to turbocharge economic growth and increase prosperity across the capital.
London’s nightlife contributes more than £21bn to the capital each year, however it has faced a huge number of challenges in recent years, including inconsistent licensing rules and complex processes.
The Government has given the Mayor and City Hall a series of new powers to help support the capital’s nightlife and make licensing more consistent. This includes the need for the Mayor to be consulted when boroughs revise their licensing policies, for City Hall to receive all licensing applications and be able to make formal representations to Licensing Committees, and, from today, the ability to use the power to call-in licensing decisions of strategic importance to London.
The Mayor was also given the power to set a first-ever London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy by creating a more unified and consistent licensing system for boroughs and businesses. Earlier this year, a public consultation was held on the proposed new policy and the Mayor is now carefully considering the results of the consultation, before setting his final policy later this year.
Through his Mayoralty, Sadiq has done all he can to support the capital’s life at night. He has consistently championed al fresco dining to encourage growth and local businesses, and earlier this year invested nearly £500,000 to boost dining and events across London through his Summer Steets Fund. He also created an independent Nightlife Taskforce which earlier this year set recommendations across 10 areas to protect, support and grow London’s vital night time industries.
Today the Mayor visited a music venue in London with Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner to celebrate the new powers.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Today is a hugely significant moment and marks the beginning of a new era for London’s nightlife
“As Mayor I have always tried to be pro-jobs and pro-business and I’m determined to build on this. These new licensing powers create an opportunity to further champion London's amazing venues, particularly our hospitality industry.
“From today, thanks to the Government, I can step in and make decisions on licensing applications of particular importance for our economy, reputation and nightlife – allowing me to back the venues that make our high streets and communities thrive and help cement our city’s nightlife reputation - while keeping people safe and listening to communities.
“I’m looking forward to setting a new direction for our capital’s life at night, creating a morestrategic and consistent approach to licensing.
“It will bolster our capital’s reputation as a global nightlife destination and ensure that our hospitality, culture and nightlife can thrive, as we build a better London for everyone.”
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner said: "Nightlife is about so much more than a good night out. The musicians on stage, the staff behind the bar, the small businesses that depend on them – that's jobs, that's growth, and a big part of what makes London the world-famous city it is.
"So, we're giving the Mayor of London historic new powers over licensing decisions that have the biggest impact on the capital. It's about backing the venues and events that keep London buzzing."
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said: "This is a significant moment for London's world-class hospitality sector and I'm delighted to back the Mayor's pro-jobs approach, which will support a sector already employing half a million Londoners.
"I was pleased to lead the Government's licensing sprint which recommended these changes and it's encouraging that some of the most significant are being introduced so swiftly.
"We look forward to working with the Mayor to deliver on his commitment to support the hospitality sector in London."
Mark Davyd, Founder & CEO of Music Venue Trust, said: “This is a significant step forward for live music across the capital, offering the opportunity for a consistent, robust, and constructive licensing process. There are many challenges to a thriving music ecosystem, these new statutory powers are an important tool to unlocking everything that the city can be as a leading voice in music. We look forward to working with the Mayor and his team to ensure that London remains one of the most exciting and important music cities in the world.”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said: “This is a landmark moment for London’s nightlife and a hugely welcome step towards creating a more progressive, consistent and business-friendly licensing environment. For too long, outdated and fragmented licensing processes have held back investment, innovation and growth across the capital’s night-time economy.
“The Mayor’s new powers offer a real opportunity to restore confidence, protect our cultural infrastructure and unlock the potential of a sector that is vital to London’s economy, identity and global reputation. We look forward to working closely with City Hall to ensure these powers deliver meaningful change for businesses, workers and communities.”
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “The West End is a national economic asset, generating £55 billion a year for the UK economy and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“Licensing is not just about regulation. It has a critical role to play in unlocking investment, creating jobs and driving growth, particularly across London's night-time economy. Getting it right means protecting public safety while giving responsible businesses the confidence to invest and thrive.
“We are working with the Mayor, Westminster City Council and wider partners to ensure licensing supports London's wider growth agenda and our shared ambition for a thriving, internationally competitive West End, both day and night.”
Human Rights Commission links water tanker provision to corruption
The South African Human Rights Commission has raised concerns over the continued use of water tankers, linking their provision to corruption.
Commissioner Dr Henk Boshoff is briefing the media as the commission releases its findings on the state of water and sanitation services in Gauteng.
The inquiry was conducted earlier this year following persistent complaints about water supply interruptions, failing infrastructure and pollution.
The commission found that many municipalities are struggling to provide communities with reliable access to water.
Boshoff says the continued reliance on water tankers is concerning.
"It is simply not acceptable where metropolitan municipalities are spending hundreds of millions of rands a year on water tankering. Those hundreds of millions of rands could have been used to upgrade your infrastructure. But you have decided that it's more lucrative for the service provider and for municipal employees to rather perpetuate the procurement of water tankering for self-interest." Article written by Tsholofelo Tsoku, EWN
Commissioner Dr Henk Boshoff is briefing the media as the commission releases its findings on the state of water and sanitation services in Gauteng.
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