Brazil's democratic government is investigating the torture and disappearances which took place under its previous military dictatorship, but so far the British government has ignored their request for access to British government paperwork. The Brazilian government has implicated the British government which trained them in the so-called "English system" which had been used on Irish prisoners. Ex-colonel Paulo Malhaes is quoted in their report as saying "psychological torture was best, and England was the best place to learn it”. At a time when there is rightful revulsion at further revelations of torture in the US the British government must stop the cover-up and come clean about its involvement in torture by the former Brazilian dictatorship. For more details see http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/10/brazil-president-weeps-report-military-dictatorship-abuses

At present voters in the UK do not have an option to indicate their lack of confidence in any of the candidates (or their parties). If they write their concerns on a ballot paper it is treated as a spoilt paper. I believe we should have the right to express our views if we feel that none of the candidates are suitable to become members of parliament.

Let's save Soheil Arabi's life , the Iranian Internet Activist, from the Death Sentence! Together we can. Soheil Arabi was arrested last year by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps over his posts on Facebook. The Islamic Regime of Iran have made a case of blasphemy against him and sentenced him to death. The appeal court has just upheld his conviction. He has only been exercising his right of freedom of belief and expression, peacefully. He has a 5 year old beautiful little girl who doesn't know his father could be killed. Any help from any fellow human being to save his life is really appreciated. This poem from Saadi, the great Iranian Poet, graces the entrance to the Hall of Nations of the UN building in New York: Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. Let's spread the word! Let's save his life! Love & peace

So many people face becoming Homeless. Including families with Children.

Justice for Shahzad and Shama On 4th November 2014, a Christian couple Shahzad Masih (26 yrs) and Shama Bibi (24 yrs) were beaten, tortured and burned alive in the fiery furnace of a brick kiln -while those baying for their blood screamed praises to Allah. The incident occurred after Muslim accusers led by Muslim landowner Yousaf Gujjar alleged Shama had burnt the Koran. He then sent men to three mosques in neighbouring towns, while he tried to coerce money out of the couple who he had locked in a room on his land. Eventually in response to local Mosques preaching hatred over their loud speakers, a mob of over 300 Muslims gathered outside the locked room. They climbed the roof of the building and entered through the straw roof. They then beat the couple with sharp and hard implements, stripped them naked while they goaded them and finally burnt then alive in the kiln - when they could no longer stand due to their fractured bones. Until Pakistan reforms their ways more Christians and other minorities will meet a similar fate. This is not acceptable in the 21st Century or any other century. Petition by Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association Read more here: http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/christian-couple-burnt-alive-in-brick-kiln-after-alleged-blasphemy The BPCA have initiated a benevolent fund for the family of Shahzad and Shama, if you would like to contribute, please follow this link: http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/protest-in-kasur-on-9th-november If you are in the UK please join our protest outside 10 Downing Street, from 11am on Saturday 22nd November 2014. http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/evangelical-christians-call-on-westminster-to-take-action-against-pakistan-for-summary-execution-of-

This petition arises from reading about of laws passed in Sweden that (a) made the purchase of sex a crime (b) decriminalised the sale of sex (c) trained the police in judiciary to view prostitution as a crime of violence against (largely) women and children (d) provided good funding for social services for prostitutes wanting to leave prostitution (e) provided funding to educate the public. As a result, human trafficking into Sweden is near zero, the number of women in street prostitution has reduced by up to two thirds and the number of johns has decreased by as much as 80%. The original article, with credits, can be found at http://esnoticia.co/noticia-8790-swedens-prostitution-solution-why-hasnt-anyone-tried-this-before

Crime numbers have not gone up Criminals need light to see .People will adapt to change by carrying torches when they are out between those hours if they have a problem with uneven paving and dog fouling.. Many private homes have security lights and if people feel uneasy let them take responsibility for lighting the front of their home.. Light pollution can diminish people's view of the night sky and for many people disturb their sleep with stray light shining through windows. We agree it is a good way to save the council money , It is setting an excellent environmental example but most of all it is a step in the right direction to protect the area from light pollution . I live in one of the areas affected, many people here have welcomed the change and there have been few complaints overall.

For the truth to out and justice seen to be done, he has the legal mind to take the establishment to task and let justice seen to be done. Do not allow the establishment to select another so called expert.

The Foreign Office say that there should only be essential travel to these countries, but in the UK the HO is still sending people back to an uncertain future. Many of these people will return to countries where health services, education and civil society is in a state of collapse. The USA have allowed Liberians to stay in the USA until the threat is over. The UK should do the same.

Paying a living wage to those supplying the company will make a massive difference to the lives of workers all over the world. For example on average, cocoa farmers earn less than $2 per day, an income below the poverty line. As a result, they often resort to the use of child labour to keep their prices competitive.3 By committing to paying a living wage not only will they drive up the pay of workers it will also mean that suppliers will not have to resort to exploiting child labour. In 2012 Nestlé UK used cocoa farmer Kouame Fasseri, from the Cote d’Ivoire to promote its Fairtrade Kit Kat. He spoke about the difference the Fairtrade premiums had made to his community going towards a new health centre, health insurance and a new school.4 Two years on it is time that Nestle started to pay a living wage to all its workers. 1 http://www.nestle.com/asset-library/documents/library/documents/suppliers/supplier-code-english.pdf 2 http://www.utzcertified-trainingcenter.com/home/images/stories/library_files/EN_UTZ_Core_Code_for_Individual_Certification_2014.pdf 3 http://www.foodispower.org/slavery-chocolate/ 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/Bvfr7qXS4gmWz3ptXVymT7/does-the-fairtrade-label-on-your-chocolate-bar-mean-100-fairtrade-cocoa-beans

At the moment, UK law allows any person to be disinterred for scientific testing, and without the consent of relatives or descendants if the remains are over 100 years old. Licences are issued routinely, regardless of the identity of the person being disinterred, and human remains must be kept available for testing as long as the licence holder chooses. Large portions of the remains are often destroyed during testing, and remains are frequently kept in storage boxes in universities and various other institutions. Even when remains are returned for reburial, by law, the licence holder is allowed to disinter again for further testing at will, and there's nothing the relatives can do to stop this. Nor can they prevent archaeologists from ignoring the known wishes of the deceased, their faith (if known or applicable), the circumstances under which they were originally buried, or relocating them to a different burial site. King Richard III has been significantly damaged during testing, and his remains are going to be scientifically preserved in a sterile ossuary hidden inside a coffin, so that he is prevented from decay after reburial - his remains are to be kept available for further disinterment and testing by law. Permission is being sought to search for and disinter three of his close relatives, two of them children, and a search is underway for King Harold (of the Battle of Hastings) at the moment. Other royal burials have also become of scientific interest since King Richard's discovery. In Leicester a couple who were buried over 1000 years ago holding hands, have recently been dug up and parted from each other for no justifiable reason. War graves have also been disturbed, and any soldiers that have died during WWI are at risk of disturbance and testing, with little to nothing their relatives and descendants can do to prevent it. All reburials over 100 years old are at immediate potential risk if the scientific community takes an interest in them, and if the law isn't changed to protect the dead, each one of us and our loved ones may also be one day at risk from disturbance and destruction for the sake of curiosity. The law needs to be changed to protect the dead from deliberate disturbance and destructive testing, and to make archaeologists, universities, and the Church of England respect the peace of the dead, respect their own burial wishes, and the rights of family and descendants (where traceable).

The chancellor has recently changed the annuity laws allowing people to to take their pension in a lump sum. Pensioners who recently cashed in their annuity, because they had no option at the time, are now stuck with pitifully small monthly pensions that will quickly lose their value with yearly inflation. This is especially true of small annuity funds with a value under £30'000. Due to the recession many people are trapped with debt that they have little chance of paying off. Allowing people to take their own money in a lump sum is just and fair. The chancellor has seen this and is changing the law, but what about those people who cannot take their money because the law does not allow it?