Julian Assange and Wikileaks provided a very important service to the whole world by exposing the extent to which the US National Security Agency (NSA) is invading everyone's privacy, among other things. He should not be forced to spend the rest of his life in the Ecuadorian embassy in London when there is a simple solution. Why have the Swedish prosecutors refused to see him over here, given that there are so many of his supporters who would be willing to pay their costs. He has not ben charged with any offence in Sweden - they merely want to question him over rape allegations.

Dr Gilbert worked tirelessly trying to save the children of Gaza during the recent bombing campaign by Israel, the Israeli government are attempting to silence him for speaking out about the atrocities that he witnessed first hand, Dr Gilbert carried out great humanitarian work in the most difficult of circumstances, banning from entering Gaza for like is tantamount to a kind of punishment and is certainly not the actions of a 'democratic government' http://bit.ly/1sMZrV3

There are many people speaking openly online about the fact that this is far from historic and is still going on now and as well as parties from both houses the suspects go into the church and royal family at the highest levels. if a small amount of the allegations are real then we have the right to know and the appropriate parties should be removed from office and society. If any of us were suspected you would be in custody NOW, there wouldn't be an "inquiry" into it simple POLICE ACTION and that's what we need

George Orwell wrote "some animals are more equal than others". Did you know that government grants to FCA and its predecessor FSA (UK’s financial services regulator) statutory immunity from liability to damages? You do now! Why? Only government could tell you. But it won’t! FCA's not immune from prosecution. Nor is it immune from liability to costs of successful litigation. It’s only damages. Bizarre! UK Courts are forbidden by law to award any damages against FCA, however much damage has been done by it. The immunity gives carte blanche to damage citizens’ interests. None may sue for redress. The law provides that FSA/FCA maintain a public register ACCURATELY at all times. Years ago, FSA falsely displayed two individuals on that register as directors of a large national firm. It then publicly censured that firm for gross professional misconduct. That censure's published on the same register! Nothing's changed since; the false data and public censure remain on that register today! Damage to those individuals’ reputations is immense; the knock-on effect on their business has been devastating. FSA upheld the individuals' complaint. It admitted to MISLEADING register users, acting UNFAIRLY and publishing UNCLEAR data. Case closed? No! FSA refused to remove the data, believing it also to be “LEGALLY AND FACTUALLY CORRECT"! Yes, that’s right; "MISLEADING, UNFAIR AND UNCLEAR", but "LEGALLY AND FACTUALLY CORRECT"! That takes some doing! (don’t try this at home)... But FSA, protected by law from suit for damages, got away with it. What a way for a major UK industry regulator to behave! FCA endorses FSA’s position. It enjoys the same immunity. The individuals referred their case and the immunity issue variously to the Independent Complaints Commissioner, Ministry of Justice, HM Treasury, their MP, the Information Commissioner, their MEP, the European Commission, Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Ombudsman and even the Prime Minister – all to no avail. This immunity seems inviolable; no one dares challenge it! The police don't have such immunity. Nor does NHS. Nor does the Serious Fraud Office. Nor do the armed services. Nor do other UK industry regulators. Even GCHQ is not immune from liability to damages! Human rights legislation affords citizens equal treatment under law and by Courts, including the right to justice and a fair trial. This is enshrined in UK's Human Rights Act, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; UK GOVERNMENT IS A SIGNATORY TO ALL OF THESE! But how CAN citizens be treated equally and exercise rights to justice and fair trial when their government bars Courts from awarding damages? Does government care? No. It maintains the status quo without explanation, claiming “contentment” with current arrangements. Government invited an international law firm to submit a consultation paper. Published at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtreasy/writev/1574/fca38.htm , it is deeply critical; it demands that the immunity be scrapped and FSA/FCA made more accountable. Government ignored ALL of its criticisms and recommendations! Were this typical Government behaviour, laws might never change! Only by rescinding this immunity can justice be done and be seen to be done. FCA will lose nothing if it’s removed. It would instead rely on Professional Indemnity insurance, just like everyone else has to do. Parliament stands to gain credibility by abolishing it. We ask everyone who's concerned about this threat to citizens’ rights to support this petition and publicise it as widely as possible until Parliament sits up, listens and removes this unfair privilege. Please share this on Facebook, Twitter et al and with your friends and colleagues; we need all the support that we can get! As the National Lottery's catchphrase once had it – “it could be you!”…

Britain first are a far right hate group that promotes racial and religious hatred via their website and Facebook page. The number of their likes, even though fake, gives them a veneer of respectability and increases their global reach. The comments on their posts are of the vilest hate speech imaginable. Facebook needs to investigate Britain Firsts page and remove their fake likes.

Fracking carries significant risks. Strong evidence suggests risks of significant health and environmental damage, damage to the quality of home and family life—and damage to property. Fracking releases pollutants into the air and risks polluting water supplies. Stories come in from all over the world. The evidence is well supported and researched. Families can't drink water. Cattle die. Children suffer. There are also risks from fumes, vibration, heavy traffic, from light pollution, and much, much more. The UK government is ignoring important democratic and human rights considerations in its 'dash for gas'. Human rights to health, to a healthy environment, to enjoy wellbeing don't even figure in the debates. On top of this, ordinary people, many of whom have never, ever protested before, are being subjected to underhand tactics designed to intimidate them and which violate their civil and political rights. Enough is enough. The UK government has important responsibilities under human rights law. It is time to ban fracking until a full human rights impact assessment has been made, based on the best evidence, and independent of the companies with an interest in fracking the UK.

Last year, the UK government said it was no longer willing to support rescue missions in the Mediterranean designed to come to the help of migrants who find themselves in distress at sea. This is in violation of internationally recognized minimum humanitarian standards. More than 20,000 men, women, and children are estimated to have lost their lives in the past two decades, while trying to cross the Mediterranean in search of a safe place to live. The majority of these people are refugees escaping violence, persecution, and hardship from countries like Libya and Syria. It is the duty of the international community and in particular the EU to minimize loss of life and do as much as possible to rescue as many people as possible.

In June this year I visited the Lebanon. Whilst there I saw destitute refugee women and children begging on the streets, and I met young Syrians fleeing from their country. When I asked a teenager whose leg was bandaged whether he was studying, he shook his head. By way of explanation he told me he was from Syria. He raised his hands to his chest and gestured a broken heart as he said this. The UNHCR has confirmed that there are now over 3.2 million refugees from Syria. Over half are children. Most are in situations that are not sustainable in the long term. 80,000 refugees alone live in Zaatari, one of the world's largest refugee camps in the desert of Jordan. These are people who have lost loved ones, experienced violence and are unable to return to the places where they grew up and the lives that they had before. They are seeking safety. In her recent TED talk, the UNHCR's Melissa Fleming said that the average time a refugee spends in exile is 17 years. When we could be offering some thousands the chance of safety and education and a future in the UK, 'to thrive not just survive' as Melissa Fleming puts it, we are choosing not to do so. In January this year, the UK announced a commitment to resettling the most vulnerable Syrian refugees but since then we have resettled just 50. (4000 Syrians in total since the war began according to Home Office figures). By contrast Germany and Sweden sheltered 42,000 refugees last year. The UK's commitment to resettlement is not enough if we are not prepared to help people get here. I am calling on the leaders of the main political parties to show compassion and commit the UK government to giving resources to transport Syrian refugees here and fund their resettlement in the UK. Each person sheltered can be a life changed for the better. Let us lead the way and work with European countries to care for some of the victims of this devastating conflict. (Picture is of 3 year old Aisha Nour from Azaz, Syria, outside the container in which she and her family live at the 'Container City' refugee camp in Oncupinar, Turkey. Photograph by Sam Tarling.) More information: Refugee Council news 'UK resettles just 50 refugees from Syria' http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/4144_uk_resettles_just_50_refugees_from_syria You can see UNHCR's Melissa Fleming's TED talk here http://www.ted.com/talks/melissa_fleming_let_s_help_refugees_thrive_not_just_survive?language=en

It is morally reprehensible to allow fellow humans to die when we are able to save them. Turning our backs on desperate people to let them die is not something that we would do as individuals and we shouldn't do this as a country. No research or evidence has been offered to back up the argument that current search and rescue causes a pull-factor. The issue needs to be addressed by resolving the issues at the root that put our fellow humans in the situation where they are willing to risk life and limb, simply letting them drown will do nothing other than killing people.

Our dad, Andargachew ‘Andy’ Tsege from Islington, London, was kidnapped by Ethiopian security forces from an airport in Yemen in June 2014. He is now held in a brutal prison in Ethiopia. We're not able to speak to him, and we have no idea what is going to happen to him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqmqj0Pvmfg In 2009, the Ethiopian regime said that they would execute our dad for his political activism. Now they’ve kidnapped him - and they are even preventing British consular staff from checking on his welfare. Time is running out to save his life. Please, Prime Minister, tell the Ethiopians to let our dad come home. Andy made Britain (London) his home in 1979, after fleeing political persecution by the Ethiopian government. He is a prominent opposition activist, working towards a democratic Ethiopia. In 2009, the regime said that they would execute our dad if he ever returned. Since Dad’s disappearance, our family has been in agony. We still don’t know where our dad is being held, or how he is being treated. The only glimpse we’ve had of him was when he was paraded on Ethiopian state TV giving a forced 'confession' in July 2014. He looked thin and unwell. So far the Ethiopian government has ignored British requests for ‘assurance’ that our dad will not be executed. We also know that torture is very common in Ethiopia, and we are desperately worried about his safety in detention. Dad is a kind, loving and caring man – we are so worried about him and miss him so much. We need him home with us in London. Please, Prime Minister, tell the Ethiopians to let our dad come home. His kidnapping and detention is a serious breach of international law – please take firm action with the Ethiopian authorities and demand his return to the UK without delay. (This petition was written by Yemi Hailemariam, Andy’s partner, and their children: Helawit, Menabe, and Yilak.)

Someone who is a member of the Government should not hold discriminatory views. Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29628557

As winter draws nearer, temperatures will plummet making the rough sleepers of Hull even more vulnerable. A warm bed and a shower could could potentially save lives. Although there are other hostels in Hull, these do not provide enough beds to the rise in homelessness.