California’s Supreme Court has upheld a ban on same-sex marriage, disappointing gay rights campaigners across the USA, who took to the streets in solidarity. The California Council of Churches has condemned the Court’s decision.

When people hear the word 'health' they think immediately of medical matters, says Juan Michel. But health is also an issue of clean drinking water, nutritious food, a safe work environment and essential care accessible at the community level - not least in a time of flu panics.

Aid and development agency World Vision has warned that the continuing global financial crisis and the damage it is causing local economies is forcing more and more children around the world into the worst forms of child labour.

Respected mental health charity Mind has this week published a disturbing new report presenting evidence that the recession is having an adverse affect on men’s mental health, in particular. It dovetails with a week of awareness-raising.

Kenyan church leaders have become embroiled in an argument about a draft marriage law with a clause on polygamy. But civil rights activists say that the bill could end a range of abuses, and that church practise should not be imposed on the whole of society.

California’s leading gay rights organisation is launching an ad campaign to promote acceptance of gay marriage, and is also forming a coalition of 1,000 clergy to help change negative religious attitudes towards same-sex unions.

Pope Benedict XVI has met privately with a delegation of Canadian native people to express his sorrow for the abuse suffered by indigenous children in Canadian residential schools. The meeting took place at the end of last week.

The Methodist Church has circulated guidance among church leaders in the event of an H1N1 flu pandemic in the UK. Anglican, Catholic, Free Church and independent church leaders are asking people not to overreact to the media hype.

More than 200 young people from many faith backgrounds, travelling from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Tanzania and the United States, gathered this month at the Kenya Youth Peace Summit in Nairobi.

Amnesty International has welcomed news that Marnie Pearce, a British woman jailed in Dubai for adultery, has been released. But it says that the decision to deny her custody of her children must be reversed.

The UK government has been accused of ignoring research evidence on the harmful effects of gambling, as parliament agrees to double the amount of money that can be staked and won on fruit machines in pubs and amusement arcades.

An alliance of nine Christian organisations (including representatives of major denominations) is calling on the government to reject moves to further liberalise Britain's gambling laws.