The organisation linking together 35 of America's mainline Christian churches, accounting for 50 million members, has accused President George W. Bush of neglecting the needs of sick children, especially in poor communities.

The health of children should be a bipartisan concern, says the US United Church of Christ's general minister and president, calling politicians to override of a presidential veto against an expansion of a crucial children's health insurance programme.

A church charity has attacked Tory Leader David Cameron and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, over their new commitments on inheritance tax. The challenge comes after a Cameron speech pledging to "make British poverty history".

Recent stock market turmoils have disturbed the faith of financiers and scuppered the vulnerable, says Jonathan Bartley. Rather than accept that profit must always be the motivator, institutions can be built around alternative values.

Anglican churches will soon return to their mission to alleviate poverty, disease and injustice and abandon a "fixation" with homosexuality, says Anglican Bishop Trevor Mwamba, the recently-appointed dean of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa.

In order to fight poverty, Africa needs to mobilize similar efforts to those rallied against colonialism, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Dr Samuel Kobia has told Tanzanian church leaders.

On the day Tony Blair stood down as British Prime Minister, the relief agency Christian Aid joined many others in applauding his achievements but expressing disappointment at "a job half done" on poverty and development.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told Germany's biggest Protestant gathering that the results of her meeting with leaders from the G8 industrial nations marked a "step forward" - though much remains to be done.

The UK-based Catholic aid and development agency CAFOD has sent out a strong message on the eve of the G8 summit. It wants to see definite anti-poverty action and an 80 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Speaking ahead of the G8 Summit to be held in Germany on 6 June 2007, the heads of Britain's major Free churches have appealed to the UK government and world leaders to make global poverty their top priority.