'Bomb' at Old Trafford was a hoax, say police

The suspect package detonated at Old Trafford was "not viable", Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.

A controlled explosion was carried out at Manchester United's Old Trafford football ground Sunday afternoon. The game against Bournemouth – the final one of the season – was called off and two stands, the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the Stretford End, were evacuated.

7 key signs that a church is behaving like a cult

Do you ever worry that your church is exhibiting strange behaviour? Asking for more commitment than seems sensible; encouraging an unusual amount of devotion to the leader? Requiring your life and all be given to them, rather than directly to God?

Mike Bickle, author of Passion for Jesus and founder of IHOP in Kansas, came up with a list of seven key 'tells' that suggest a church is behaving like a cult. Most churches could probably do better in one or two of these areas but for some, this checklist provides a dangerously accurate description of how things work. There are various 'cult watch' organisations which provide similar lists, but Bickle's is especially pertinent because it comes from within the church, and recognises some of the nuances and grey areas involved.

So here is the list, with some thoughts on how it might apply in practice, and what to watch out for. Because cult membership is dangerous, and can destroy your life; arguably the same could be true of a church which behaves just like one.

The importance of Pentecost in an age of fear and division

It's becoming a familiar argument... Christmas has been commercialised beyond all recognition. Easter is going the same way. So the church needs to take them back!

I'm not really convinced. Of course a lot of the meaning of Christmas and Easter has been lost but many of us still in churches still mark the great feasts with joy and celebration.

One idea I do find myself attracted to, though, is celebrating a day that doesn't have any commercial baggage attached. That day is Pentecost. It's one of the most significant dates in both the Eastern and Western church calendars.

Obama Declares War on Parents Who Oppose Sexual Perversion

The Obama administration declared on May 9th that forcing people to use bathroom facilities based on their God-given plumbing was state-sponsored discrimination.

Four days later they dropped an even bigger cultural bombshell.

The president issued a directive requiring every public school in the nation to accommodate transgender students — under Title IX guidelines.

Boys who identify as girls and vice versa must be allowed to use the bathrooms and locker rooms and shower stalls of their choosing. They must also be allowed to play on the sports teams of their choosing.

Arizona school stands by Catholic teacher under attack for distributing pro-life literature

An Arizona Catholic school is standing by one of their high school theology teachers who has come under attack because he distributed pro-life material in class.

An online petition to remove Xavier College Preparatory Theology teacher and Right to Life Club Moderator Gavin Ahern accuses him of giving out “hateful, racist, sexist” material, being a misogynist, and creating a climate of “fear of retaliation” in the classroom.

Tulsa's next bishop has history in campus ministry and carpentry

Pope Francis on Friday named Father David Austin Konderla, the longtime campus ministry director at Texas A & M University, as the next Bishop of Tulsa.

He will succeed Tulsa’s Bishop Edward Slattery, who turned 75 last August.

“My prayer of petition to God the Father is for the good health and spiritual strength of the new bishop,” Bishop Slattery said May 13. “I know our people have been praying that Pope Francis would send us an energetic and prayerful man to be our shepherd, and I believe God has heard our prayer.”

Anti-Corruption Summit reactions: Cameron failed to deliver 'major surgery needed'

David Cameron failed to tackle UK-sponsored corruption in the form of tax havens at the Anti-Corruption Summit on Thursday, according to a number of charities.

The summit aimed to engage global leaders with tackling the issue of corruption and to develop and agree practical ways to do this.

Does the Bible Really Predict an Antichrist Who Will Wreak Worldwide Havoc During the End Times?

Will the Antichrist be a future figure who will rise to power and wreak havoc upon the Earth? While some would say that they see biblical evidence for such a dynamic, others would fervently push back, yielding a variety of alternative views on the complex subject matter.

According to a new poll released in conjunction with my book, The Armageddon Code: One Journalist's Quest for End-Times Answers, nearly half of Protestant pastors (49 percent) in the U.S. said that they believe that the Antichrist will be "a figure who will arise sometime in the future" when asked to choose from a series of proclamations about the Antichrist.

Pakistani Christian boy on the run after $10,000 offered for his body

A fatwa has been declared against a young Christian boy in Pakistan after he was accused of blasphemy.

Imran is now on the run and a $10,000 reward has been offered for his body after Muslim colleagues accused him of watching an anti-Islamic video on his phone. Fellow Christians in his village in Punjab, Pakistan have been given three options: convert to Islam, leave the village forever, or hand over Imran so he can be burnt.

According to the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) who help persecuted Christians in Pakistan. In a statement they say one of Imran's Muslim work colleagues, Bilal, took Imran's phone and looked up the anti-Islamic videos on YouTube. Imran was then accused of blasphemy for having the videos.

UK accused of 'enabling corruption' as Cameron hosts global summit

David Cameron has announced measures to tackle money-laundering after the UK was accused of facilitating global corruption through tax havens.

In a media interview, a spokeswoman for Christian Aid said the "UK is enabling corruption around the world" and called on the Prime Minister to "focus on what he can actually do".

Spokeswoman Rachel Baird said: "Cameron should do what he can and start with tax havens the UK controls rather than lecturing other countries."

When the Church Chooses Deception

Our peers had told us what was true but nothing was going to change our belief; only to discover later on what we had believed was misinformation or worse, we had believed a lie.

Accurate reporting and a free press are critical to the well-being and the sustaining of liberty for an individual and for a nation. There is no greater bondage than someone living in deception; thinking themselves to be free when they are in fact slaves. Darkness has become their light. What they believe to be true is, in reality, misinformation or disinformation.

Apple's Siri Plays Starring Role in Miraculous Life-Saving Event

 

The talk of personal technological advancement is enough to drive some to the hills; but in one case, God used Apple's Siri to provide a life-saving miracle.

 

Teen Sam Ray was working under his truck when the vehicle collapsed, pinning him to the ground and crushing his arm and core.
 
No person was around to answer his cries for help. When a prayer came to his lips, he asked God for a miracle.

"It was a very labored job to breathe," Ray says. " ... I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where I was going if this was the end, so it made the moment so much easier to deal with."

After a half-hour of fighting for his life, Ray heard Siri's familiar line: "What can I help you with?"

Ray pleaded with his phone to call 9-1-1, and the voice-activated technology obliged, leading to the teen's rescue.
 
Watch the video to see the rest of his story. 

'Prophet' of cult-like church spat on and kicked church-goers

The former leader of a "cult-like" church in Ontario has pleaded guilty to nine accounts of assault in court.

Fred King, 57, formerly led the Church of Jesus Christ Restored, a fundamentalist offshoot of the Latter Day Saints Movement,  in Chatsworth, Ontario.

King admitted to forcing members of his church to strip in front of the rest of the congregation. He also admitted to spitting on people and kicking, punching or slapping church members, according to the Toronto Sun.

Archbishop of Canterbury rebukes Cameron in front of Queen: Nigeria president is NOT corrupt

The Archbishop of Canterbury intervened to defend the President of Nigeria after the British Prime Minister told the Queen his country was "fantastically corrupt".

Justin Welby corrected David Cameron at a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Cameron was talking to the Queen about an international anti-corruption summit he is hosting in London today. He said: "We had a very successful cabinet meeting yesterday morning, talking about our anti-corruption summit.

"We have got the Nigerians – actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain. Nigeria and Afghanistan - possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world." The Queen did not respond.

American Christianity Not the Answer to Global Revival, Charismatic Leader Says

Since the launch of the modern Pentecostal movement from Azusa Street 110 years ago in Los Angeles, man's attempts to harness the global expansion of the Acts 2 experience have taken multiple routes. From Azusa was birthed several contemporary denominations, such as the Assemblies of God and Church of God in Christ. Other movements came to embrace the charismatic outpouring, all with seemingly sincere intentions to unite the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Groping for this unity through the decades, much of the Pentecostal and charismatic movement has ultimately come with divisions, with groups splintering off, many times over the slightest of differences of interpretation or experience.

Gathering in London this week is the Empowered21 Global Council, a group with a significant grasp on bringing unity to the evangelical and Pentecostal influence. Leaders of churches, organizations, ministries and institutions are gathering for two days to reflect and visualize the future of the half-billion adherents of the Pentecostal movement.

12 Weird Items in Church Bylaws

Sometimes reading a church's bylaws is like taking a trip to the twilight zone.

Some are lengthy, very lengthy. Some are irrelevant. Some are unreadable.

And others are weird, really weird.

Knowing that I would get some incredible responses from my Twitter followers, I simply asked them if they were a part of a church with some weird bylaw provisions. Keep in mind these are provisions in bylaws, not in a policy manual.

Here are my 12 favorites:

Indiana installs first ‘safe haven’ boxes to save abandoned newborns

With newborns increasingly abandoned, sometimes literally thrown in trash bins or flushed down toilets, one Indiana pro-life organization is installing "baby boxes" for mothers who feel they cannot care for their baby to ensure the child's safety.

When a mother opens the box – which is climate-controlled, padded, and circulates fresh air inside – a call is made to 911.  The box automatically locks once the mother shuts its door.  Motion sensors trigger a second, backup call to 911.

Cut the jokes, churchgoers tell Christian preachers, as finalists gear up for 'Sermon of the Year' award

A ground-breaking Christian artist and theologian who preaches sermons while painting pictures is one of the finalists in the new Sermon of the Year competition.

Siku, a musician and one of Britain's leading comic book creators and concept artists who is a pioneer in creating interactive media on the life of Christ, will take part in a live preach-off against three other finalists later this month.

The final of the award, to be held on the last day of the Christian Resources Exhibition at the ExCel in London next week, was announced as exhibition organisers released results of a survey on sermons that showed preachers would be well-advised to cut the jokes.

The survey of 1,800 churchgoers by Christian Research found that, though the sermon is still a popular part of Sunday, those listening in the pews believe that preachers do less comedy and more serious content.

Why Many Walk Willingly Into the Enemy's Camp

"Grace changes the nature of man, but nothing changes the nature of sin." —John Owen

The principle of sowing and reaping applies to all areas of our lives. We must first discipline ourselves before desire comes. We must first empty ourselves in order to be filled. We must first obey before receiving the blessing. We must first break before there is restoration. We must first pray before there is transformation. We must praise Him before there is peace. And we must first seek Him if we are to truly find Him—we must sow before we reap.

Germany: Mass baptism of 80 Muslim refugees converting to Christianity

Over 80 Muslim refugees from Iran and Afghanistan have converted to Christianity and were baptised on Thursday in Hamburg, Germany.

"The motive for the change of faith is the same for many: they are disappointed with Islam," Albert Babajan, the pastor who conducted the mass baptism, told German magazine Stern.

111 United Methodist Church clergy come out as gay ahead of general conference

More than 100 United Methodist Church (UMC) clergy have come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and inter-sex ahead of the Church's General Conference this week.

A letter published on Monday by the 111 clergy accused the UMC of forcing clergy to hide their sexual identity.

"While we have sought to remain faithful to our call and covenant, you have not always remained faithful to us," the letter said.

"You have required that we not bring our full selves to ministry, that we hide from view our sexual orientations and gender identities.

5 Keys to Surviving Lies and Evil Attacks

Recently I have received so many messages from friends about lying accusations and spiritual attacks. It seems that as people are identifying their purpose and making strides towards their destiny, the enemy is creating unnecessary conflict and distraction. These slanderous attacks and accusations flow from the arsenal of hell.

It is sad to say but they often come from other people in the body of Christ that should know better.

British buses to carry 'Allah is Great' adverts during Ramadan

"Praise Allah" will adorn hundreds of buses across the UK as part of a campaign by an Islamic charity to help victims of Syria's civil war.

Islamic Relief, Britain's biggest Muslim charity, will run the campaign during Ramadan next month, when Muslims fast during daylight hours and give money to charity. The posters will appear on buses in London, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham and Bradford.

The charity said it hoped the posters would help show Islam and Islamic aid in a positive light.

Imran Madden, the UK director of Islamic Relief, said: "In a sense this could be called a climate change campaign because we want to change the negative climate around international aid and around the Muslim community in this country.

Chief Justice Roy Moore suspended for opposition to gay marriage licenses

A senior judge has been suspended over he told local judges not to grant marriage licenses to gay couples.

Roy Moore, Chief Justice in Alabama's Supreme Court, is an outspoken critic of same-sex marriages and is accused of violating the state's ethics laws by the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.

Moore faces charges before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary and a potential removal from office.

The Issue of Soul Mate

That [soul mates] do not exist is to be kept TOP SECRET. … Let’s be blunt. This concept is more New Age than Christian.

One New Age website, however, gives three signs you’ve “definitely” found your soul mate:

1. You just connect without trying,

2. Your level of communication is unmatched, and

3. You create your own world together. That’s cute, it’s nice, maybe it’s even romantic . . . but it’s certainly not biblical.

Now, all of this confusion might be kind of funny if it weren’t so harmful to naïve Christians and others who’ve fallen for this idea. Because, this idea implies that somewhere out there is that “perfect person” for you, and if your marriage is not exploding with intense communication, romance, and a great sex life--then, maybe it’s because your spouse is not your “soul mate.”

American Bible Society Celebrates 200 Years of Advancing the Kingdom

On May 11, American Bible Society will celebrate a milestone few organizations ever reach: its bicentennial anniversary. During the following week, the organization will welcome more than 450 Bible ministry leaders from around the world, not to glory in the past but to look ahead to the future.

"American Bible Society has spent 200 years increasing access to the Bible in the United States and around the world helping people in every generation engage with God's Word," said Roy Peterson, the ministry's president and CEO. "Across two centuries, American Bible Society has led translation efforts in many languages, including six of the world's most spoken; distributed some six billion Bibles, including more than a million Scripture portions at ground zero following the Sept. 11, 2011, attacks; and assisted hundreds of millions of people in discovering the hope and encouragement of God's Word."

Court orders dad to start treating his 11-year-old daughter as a boy

Faced with two estranged parents in utter disagreement about their daughter’s wish to be a boy, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge has appointed the child a legal guardian to protect her interests.

The father not only wants his daughter to cease taking hormone blockers but also to cease all contact with transgender activists or transgender-friendly therapists.

Though the case is about whether the 11-year-old can give informed consent to such serious medical treatment, which is intended to delay the onset of female puberty, the judge appears to have already conceded the point by referring to the girl by her preferred, male, initials, J.K., and accepting her male self-identification.

In his ruling, Mr. Justice Ronald Skolrood declared that, “This case is really about J.K. and his role in determining his own future. In my view, these issues cannot be properly considered without J.K.'s direct participation.”

Obama moves to name Stonewall Inn, site of gay riots against police, a national monument

President Obama has taken the first step to name the scene of a famous riot by homosexuals against police, the Stonewall Inn, a national monument.

The president plans to kick off June, LGBT Pride Month, by preserving the area around the Greenwich Village, New York, tavern as a site for future generations to revere as the birthplace of the modern LGBT political movement.

Brian Sullivan, a former bartender at the establishment, greeted the news with joy, saying, “This is the Mecca; it's where it all started."

Bishop Efraim: To build bridges with Catholics, we must prioritise evangelicals

The Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, Bishop Efraim has warned against forgetting the plight of minority evangelicals in the effort to find unity with the Catholic Church.

"In order to have relations with Roman Catholicism, we need to be first sensitive towards our own group, and particularly those who are from the Latin side," Tendero told Evangelical Focus.

While unity with the Catholic Church remains a key focus for the Bishop, he reiterated that the priority remains to first ensure "a good relationship" with evangelicals.

China and India protest US religious freedom report

China and India have strongly refuted the findings of a US report that condemned violations of religious freedom around the world.

China was so angry it lodged a formal diplomatic protest after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan federal body that defends the universal right to freedom of religion or belief around the world, condemned "systematic, egregious and ongoing abuses".

The report said China was violating in a "severe" way the religious freedoms of Muslims, Buddhists and Christians in particular.

Prophecy: It's Time to Shed the Skin of False Identity

I heard the Spirit saying, "Now is the time to shed the skin of false identity and put on your true identity."

It is time to allow the Lord to help you shake off any false identity that you have been wrapped in, clothing you in misrepresentation of who God created you to be. You have been fashioned in His image and the Holy Spirit lives within you; He is there to do great and mighty things through your life. His Spirit reveals the love of the Father to you, reveals truth to you, and empowers you to resist the devil and his lies.

Are you living under an identity that brings shame, distress, insecurity, self-hatred—anything short of amazing beauty? If so, then you are not living in His image or His design for your life.

Christian Humanitarian Group Urges Congress to Act on This Crisis

A Christian humanitarian aid organization is calling on Congress to provide appropriate funding for the fight against the Zika virus.

Malteser International Americas says its volunteers have been "on the front lines of the Zika outbreak" in northern Colombia since its initial outbreak. Its leaders have reported they were able to mobilize against Zika quickly by using established channels and techniques resulting from their work on the ground with pregnant women and children.

The organization is now reaching out to members of Congress, urging them to not wait before acting upon the international medical crisis. Its director, Ravi Tripptrap, says investing in preparedness is vital to national security, and would potentially save thousands of lives and billions of dollars.

‘Sick and twisted’: Scientists keep embryos alive outside womb up to 13 days for experimentation

Two teams of scientists have announced that they have been able to keep human embryos alive outside the womb for 13 days for the purpose of conducting scientific experiments. Some call the announcement the onset of a “Brave New World,” while others are petitioning lawmakers to lift sanctions that would keep scientists from experimenting on newly conceived babies even longer.

Researchers from Cambridge University, King's College, and Rockefeller University said in two separate reports that they stopped at 13 days only to avoid violating an internationally accepted law. At least 12 nations restrict the amount of time a newly conceived child may be kept alive in a laboratory to 14 days, the point at which scientists believe “individuality” begins.

Feminist Party in Spain denounces surrogate mother fair

The Feminist Party of Spain has filed a complaint in court over an upcoming surrogate motherhood “fair” as constituting an illegal practice in the country by promoting human trafficking.

The Surrofair will take place in Madrid May 7-8. The fair will provide information and the different ways to contract with a surrogate mother.

Organized by Babygest, “the leading magazine on surrogate pregnancy,” the event will have various presentations and information on the legal aspects of this practice, especially in Russia, Greece and Ukraine, in which it is legal under certain conditions.

The Feminist Party has condemned the fair, which it considers to be promoting human trafficking.

Pakistan: Christians protest plan to demolish four churches

Four churches are set to be torn down to make way for a train line in Lahore, Pakistan, plans which campaigners say "belittle Christians".

Christians protested in front of the Lahore High Court on May 3, insisting that they would not allow their places of worship to be destroyed.

They chanted slogans including "we don't give an inch of our holy places" and "we want our rights".

Four churches in Lahore will be affected - Cathedral Church, Naulakha Church, St Andrew's Church and Bohar Wala Church.

"There is no respite for them and one problem after the other seems to follow Pakistani Christians," said Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK.

Bangladesh Islamist party leader to hang for war crimes

Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a final appeal from the leader of the top Islamist party against death sentence for atrocities committed during the 1971 war of independence, lawyers said, meaning he could be hanged at any time.

The Supreme Court in January upheld the death penalty for Motiur Rahman Nizami, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, for genocide, rape and orchestrating the massacre of top intellectuals during the 1971 war.

How to Teach Your Teen That Being Awkward Is OK

As a mom of 10 kids, I've been through every stage (a few times!), and I have to say that the hardest, most confusing time for girls is the pre-teen and teen years. Between ages 12 to 16, girls' bodies are changing, their emotions are charged, and on a scale from 1-10, their desire for peer approval is an 11.5!

All the lessons that little girls soaked in during quiet time devotions about their value, worth and beauty dissipate as soon as they become a teen, walk into a group setting and have a half-dozen sets of eyes fixed on them.

The truth is that there are multiple situations a day when teen girls have to deal with going with the crowd or choosing a different way and feeling uncomfortable and awkward. We raise our teens to be different than the world, but being different is painful for girls who want to fit in!

Christian ministry to 'feed 5,000' atheists at Washington Reason Rally

Next month's 'Reason Rally' in Washington is expected to attract around 20,000 atheists, including actor Johnny Depp and other big-name speakers like Bill Nye and Lawrence Krauss.

As well as fiery speeches against religion, however, participants in the June 4 event will be given a voucher for a Subway sandwich and a free book – both courtesy of a New Zealand-born evangelist.

Ray Comfort, who hosts popular TV show The Way of the Master, is donating $25,000 of gift vouchers and a book entitled Fat Chance: Why Pigs Will Fly Before America Has An Atheist President.

Cameron and Corbyn clash over antisemitism and Islamophobia at PMQs

David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn have clashed over antisemitism and Islamophobia in a heated Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) ahead of local elections on Thursday.

The Prime Minister repeatedly grilled the Labour leader over his reference to Hamas and Hezbollah as his "friends" and said they are "terrorist groups who believe in killing Jews, not just in Israel but around the world".

He asked the leader of the opposition: "Will he take this opportunity and withdraw that they are his friends?"

Corbyn insisted Labour was "an anti-racist party" and he "absolutely does not approve of these organisations".

Two US Christian missionaries found slain in Jamaica

 Randy Hentzel.

Two American missionaries in Jamaica have been found dead, apparently murdered.

Harold Nichols (53) and Randy Hentzel (48) went missing in the northeastern parish of St Mary this weekend.

According to The Gleaner, police found the men's bodies almost 24 hours apart in the Albion Mountain region.

Marks of violence were seen on Nichols' body, according to the police. Hentzel's body was found face down in bushes with his hands tied behind his back.

Fined for praying Rosary, elderly Aussie pro-lifers will fight new buffer zone

The first pro-lifer fined by police in the Australian Capital District (ACT)  for violating its new buffer zone designed to protect abortion clinic customers from pro-life messages, religious symbols or pamphlets says he won’t pay the $750 and will see the police in court.

75-year-old Kerry Mellor, like the seven other Catholics warned away from the abortion facility in the ACT Health Building in downtown Canberra, carried no signs nor pamphlets aimed at pregnant women. Their crime was praying 15 decades of the Rosary, comprising 150 Hail Marys, and 15 Lords’ Prayers interspersed with meditations on the lives of Jesus and Mary.

According to the Catholic Voice, the official newspaper of the Canberra Archdiocese, the others left when warned by police, but Mellor decided to stay. “We do not believe we are protesting,” Mellor told the newspaper. “We are praying, which is directed exclusively to almighty God and his Blessed Mother. It’s not a protest, it’s a petition that God will act to change the hearts and minds of people.”

The new law calls for fines between $750 and $3,750 for passive activities such as carrying signs and between $1,500 and $7,500 for aggressive activities such as taking pictures or videos of the abortion facility’s customers or staff.

Bangladesh: Christian family attacked with homemade bombs

A Christian family were attacked with crude bombs at their home in Bangladesh on Tuesday morning.

Unidentified assailants targeted the family's house in a Christian-majority area of Baghadanga Girjapara with homemade bombs.

One man, Alam Mondol, 45, was injured outside his house and another man was wounded as he and other local villagers tried to force the attackers away.

5 Viruses That Will Kill Your Relationships

Want to be healthy? Hitting the gym and eating properly are vital but it turns out your relationships matter as well.

The depth and breadth of your relationships impact your health as much as diet and exercise. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found the size and quality of your relationships affect specific health measurements.

Adolescents who are socially isolated are at the same risk from inflammation as those who don't exercise. Older adults are at higher risk for developing hypertension from social isolation than from diabetes. And relational strain even increased their risk for overall obesity. The researchers used surveys that identified factors such as number of friends, marital status, religious affiliation and involvement in the community. They also looked at the quality of relationships by asking questions on whether friends and relatives were critical, loving, supportive, argumentative or annoying.

We all know relationships impact our emotional health. Now that we know the additional physical impact, having healthy relationships are even more crucial for each of us. Relationship problems can develop because we are all a blend of gender, background and personality. And when you add in some sinful behavior, it leads to various viruses that negatively impact our relationships.

Here are five relational viruses and the antidote for each of them.

Baby bodies bonanza: StemExpress revenues more than doubled in one year

StemExpress – the corporate partner that paid Planned Parenthood for aborted babies' body parts and tissue – grew by a whopping 1,316 percent in three years, and its revenue more than doubled in a single year, according to business authorities.

The tissue and blood procurement company went into business in 2010, generating barely $100,000, according to reports.

By 2013, the company had $2.2 million in revenues.

A year later, StemExpress reported $4.5 million in revenue – more than a 100 percent increase in funds in one year.

Use your vote to protect life: a message from Northern Ireland's bishops

Northern Ireland’s voters should use their vote to uphold the right to life, not violate it, the Catholic bishops of the region said.

“The social and moral teaching of the Church is clear, that it is never morally acceptable to support any policy that undermines the sacred inviolability of the right to life of an innocent person in any circumstances,” they stressed.

The bishops released an April 27 pastoral reflection message ahead of Northern Ireland’s May 5 elections.

Christian missionary sentenced to 10 years hard labour in North Korea

A Christian missionary has been sentenced to 10 years in one of North Korea's punitive hard labour camps for alleged "unpardonable espionage".

Kim Dong Chul, aged 62, who was born in South Korea and is a naturalised US citizen was accused of stealing information, including military secrets, and passing it on to South Korea.

4 Ways You Could End Up With a Teen Who Hates You

Imagine me holding the ends of two very long strings in between my thumb and finger.

The strings go a long way off into the distance side by side. Now imagine if one of those strings went left, but only by the slightest degree. If you followed the strings, they would appear to be side by side for a while; however, eventually they would end up further and further apart.

That's what it can be like for many parents of kids moving from childhood into adolescence. They had been parenting a certain way and it was working fine. Then things changed. All of a sudden there was attitude and rebellion. The harder the parents try, the worse things seem to get. Oftentimes they wonder, "Where did my sweet little kid go?"

Anti-immigrant AfD says Muslims not welcome in Germany

Members of the anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Sunday backed an election manifesto that says Islam is not compatible with the constitution and calls for a ban on minarets and the burqa.

Set up three years ago, the AfD has been buoyed by Europe's migrant crisis, which saw the arrival of more than one million, mostly Muslim migrants, in Germany last year. The party has no lawmakers in the federal parliament in Berlin but has members in half of Germany's 16 regional state assemblies.

Philippines: Islamist militants free 10 hostages

Islamist militants in the southern Philippines released 10 Indonesian hostages on Sunday, ending a month-long ordeal during which a kidnapped Canadian held by the same group was beheaded after a ransom deadline passed.

The chief of police on Jolo island said the hostages, who were crew of a Taiwanese-owned tugboat intercepted by Abu Sayyaf rebels, were delivered to the local governor's home at around 1am ET then taken to an army base.

"They appeared tired but were in high spirits," said Police Superintendent Junpikar Sitin.

Looking into the Sexes

I wrote last week that the women stand for something negative, and the men for something positive.
I even went as far as citing Samson the Strongest and Delilah in the bible, just to drive home my point.
Unfortunately, I forgot to mention the story of John the Baptist and Herodias in the same bible.

It does not mean that I hate the women. As a matter of course, the life am living today was made possible by a woman (Janet).
I was born and nurtured by a woman, but that would not prevent me from calling a spade a spade.
I am sounding like that because some people see this life (world) as a competition ground or better still a battlefield--whatever you can do to succeed--do; whatever you can do to shine more than others--do, and so on.

Of course, I am not against succeeding, or shining more than others. It is always good for you to define and distinguish yourself by what you are able to do or achieve more than others. But, EMPHATICALLY not by any means, and not by whatever you can do--do.
If the foregoing is the case, I would then say that the battle or competition is more between the sexes (genders).