The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) has teamed up with Premier Christian Radio in challenging people to take simple actions that will change the world and confront global poverty during Lent.

In an audience at the Vatican today, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has invited Pope Benedict XVI, leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, to Britain and has promised him a "warm welcome".

UK-based international development agency Christian Aid is urging supporters to recruit their local MPs in a bid to pressurise the British government to bring tax justice to economically impoverished countries.

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has told the General Synod of the Church of England that the real significance of the world financial crisis and economic downturn is its impact on the poor and vulnerable.

Two major UK-based international development agencies have welcomed a British newspaper's campaign on corporate tax avoidance, which they point out is unjust and hits the world's poor badly.

A front-line worker tackling poverty in Peru has warned that without stronger climate change action from the West ‘millions of poor people will be abandoned to the escalating ravages of an unpredictable climate.’

A high level United Nations conference in Doha has proved a lost opportunity for instituting reforms to the global financial system to help poor countries, say leading development agencies Christian Aid and ActionAid.

Progressio has welcomed the British government’s repeated promise to deliver 0.7% of GNP in development aid to the world's poorest countries, but says it must follow through on long-term commitments to developing nations.

Christian Aid says poor countries should be able to use their own wealth and resources to help them overcome poverty, and is urging people to pressure PM Gordon Brown to end tax loopholes that undermine this possibility.