Be A Part of God’s Plan for the Orphan-Laura Bush's endorses Orphan ministry. Click to see what you or your church can do to help!!!
Africa
Congo violence continues, help needed-"Paul Robman with World Relief says the agency is partnering with churches in and around Goma to provide essentials for thousands of families. He notes many are finding shelter in the forests. "The benefit there is there's some natural protection -- it's easier to hide in the forest," he explains. "As well, there's access to some food and drinking water, which otherwise is not accessible." Robman encourages Christians in the U.S. to pray for those displaced by the violence, become more educated about the situation, and help agencies and ministries that are providing assistance to those affected by the violence. It is estimated that more than five million people have died from malnutrition and disease brought on by the conflict."
African leaders called to protect life and democracy in Zimbabwe-""By failing to fully address the growing humanitarian catastrophe and question of illegitimacy of the current government, SADC leaders have let down the people of Zimbabwe."
The ecumenical organisations have called for future SADC and African Union-sponsored talks on the Zimbabwean crisis to include representatives of civil society and churches.
They have also called on the UN, EU and the President-elect of the United States of America, Barack Obama, to "mobilise and increase direct humanitarian support for the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe".
Business
Sears Supports Deployed Troops, Families-"Sears, Roebuck and Co. is proving to be a friend of military families -- from making up lost pay for its employees called to active duty in the National Guard and reserve, to donating $2 million to the National Military Family Association for military family programs.
The Chicago-based retailer announced in September that it is extending its military pay differential and benefits coverage to five years. This is the second extension this year. In January, Sears extended its military pay differential to three years, from 30 months.
The announcement, which affects about 200 full-time Sears employees, also means they can continue participating in the company's life insurance, medical and dental programs, if they choose.
By law, companies are required to provide deployed employees access to 18 months of continued medical coverage at the employees' expense. But Sears' policy, which provides these benefits up to five years, goes far beyond the law's requirements.
Sears spokesman Chris Brathwaite said the policy isn't new for Sears, which he said has extended the pay differential many times in the past for its employees, including those who served on military duty in Operation Desert Storm and, more recently, in Croatia.
In fact, he said, Sears always has supported its employees' military service, and store records show the retailer helped make up lost pay for its employees who served during World War I.
"Sears regards service to our country as one of the greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make," Brathwaite said. "We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time."
The retailer has demonstrated its support for the military in a variety of other ways, including a $2 million donation made earlier this year to the National Military Family Association. The donation, the largest in the association's history, is helping develop and enhance programs that address challenges faced by military families.
Part of the funding went to Operation Purple, a summer camp program held this summer for children of deployed servicemembers.
Sears and the National Military Family Association also co-published a book, "A Tribute to Military Families: Letters of Thanks from Our Nation's Children." The book is designed to increase awareness about the importance of military families and is used as a fundraiser for the association's programs.
Sears also partners with the Army and 12 other companies in the Army Spouse Employment Partnership, to help military spouses find jobs nationwide.
The company participates in the Partnership for Youth Success program, which helps servicemembers leaving the military find work and a military exchange program in which active-duty servicemembers with logistics expertise work for the company for a year.
Sears' support for deployed servicemembers and their families earned the company the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences' 21st Century Community Champion Award in July.
In presenting the award, association president Virginia Vincenti said Sears helps "support the families of these men and women, and consequently, support the communities in which they live."
Wal-Mart cracks down on China suppliers-" Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it will enforce stricter quality and environmental standards for its army of Chinese suppliers, a step likely to shrink margins and raise prices as the world nears recession. The move by the world's largest retailer comes after a slew of recalls of Chinese-made goods raised fears about the safety and oversight of goods produced under the "made in China" label.
"I firmly believe that a company that cheats on overtime and on the age of its labor, that dumps its scraps and chemicals in our rivers, that does not pay its taxes or honor its contracts -- will ultimately cheat on the quality of its products," Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott said at a company event in Beijing attended by hundreds of its suppliers.
"And cheating on the quality of products is just the same as cheating on our customers. We will not tolerate that at Wal-Mart."
Profit margins for Wal-Mart and suppliers were likely to be hit, Scott said, while customers could also pay higher prices.
"I would guess that all those things to be true in certain categories," he said. "Somewhere down the road, there are hard choices."
China has been swept by a series of food- and product-safety scandals involving goods as diverse as toys, tires, toothpaste, pet food, fish, beans, dumplings and baby cribs. It has been accused of turning a blind eye to child labor in its factories and widespread pollution of its lakes and rivers.
In the latest case, thousands of Chinese children fell ill and at least four died from drinking milk formula contaminated with melamine, which has since been found in a series of drinks and foods and led to products being pulled from shops worldwide.
Wal-Mart, with more than 60,000 suppliers worldwide, procures roughly $9 billion worth of goods directly from China. After millions of Chinese-made goods were recalled in 2007, Scott said earlier this year that Wal-Mart would be tougher with suppliers.
Mike Duke, vice chairman of the international division, said Wal-Mart suppliers would be responsible for their subcontractors' work and products.
"We expect you to have the answers and to take ownership in getting to the root of the problem," Duke said, describing requirements he said would begin from next month.
SUPPLIER SCEPTICISM
This week, U.S.-based Delta Enterprises recalled almost 1.6 million cribs made in Asia after two babies died. The cribs were sold at Wal-Mart as well as U.S. chains Target Corp and Kmart.
The United Nations said on Wednesday China needed a more coherent food-safety system, with unified laws, one overarching watchdog and faster sharing of information.
"We see that a disjointed system with dispersed authority between different ministries and agencies resulted in poor communication and maybe prolonged (the) outbreak with a late response," said Jorgen Schlundt, the World Health Organisation's food safety chief, referring to the melamine case.
"We need to have a coherent system that covers the full farm-to-fork table," he told a news conference in Beijing at the launch of a U.N. paper on improving food safety in China.
However, some Chinese suppliers attending the conference voiced skepticism about Wal-Mart's ability to police sub-suppliers.
"Actually, except for the contracts we have with suppliers, we can't control what they ship us," said Martin Wong, the managing director of Jiangsu Shuangshuang Group, a textile maker and Wal-Mart supplier.
Wal-Mart said it was creating a new supplier agreement that will require factories to certify compliance with laws and regulations where they operate, and to meet "rigorous" social and environmental standards.
Wal-Mart says its goals are aligned with Chinese government standards and that country officials would attend the summit.
It said its audits will look at a factory's air emissions, management of toxic substances and disposal of hazardous waste. The agreement will be phased in with Chinese suppliers over the next few months, and will be expanded to suppliers globally by 2011.
The crackdown comes as worries over a global recession mount. Wal-Mart argues the moves will save money by making factories more efficient, stripping out excess costs, and providing consumers with higher-quality goods.
(Editing by Nick Macfie and Lincoln Feast)"
Triathlon
What a story!!!
Parenting
