(SRN NEWS) The United States is prepared to provide 100 million dollars in assistance to Cuba. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio says neither the Cuban government nor its military would be allowed to manage its distribution. Instead, only faith-based groups and humanitarian organizations would be allowed to deliver the aid. Experts say the plan should work. Protestant and evangelical churches, including Baptist and Assemblies of God communities, maintain extensive networks across Cuba. Rubio says the U.S. is willing to provide assistance that will help the Cuban people, but it does not trust the Cuban government to distribute it.
( ) Religious congregations are helping refugees adjust to life in the U.S. In Durham, North Carolina, two congregations — a church and a synagogue — have stepped in to provide women from Afghanistan with a seven-week sewing circle. The Trump administration has proposed raising its refugee admissions cap from 7,500 to 17,500. The administration is also reportedly considering a plan to relocate over 1,100 Afghan allies who aided U.S. forces. Afghan women have had a more difficult time adjusting to life in the U.S. Many have little education and don’t speak English, which they are now studying so they can pass written driving tests.
( ) President Trump is moving to give administration officials more control over the billions of dollars in grants awarded by federal agencies in an effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse. The Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest gay pressure group, is complaining because the president’s action will strip money from any program that promotes abortion, transgenderism or the LGBT lifestyle. Mr. Trump says taxpayers should not be forced to support such things. His proposed new regulations would require senior appointees to review funding to see if it complies with the law and with White House priorities.
( ) Lawmakers in Ghana have passed a bill that would impose prison terms of up to 10 years for people who promote LGBT activities, reviving legislation that has long been promoted by religious groups in the West African country. The legislation, which is expected to be signed into law by President John Mahama (mah-HAH-mah), would also impose prison terms of three years for people who engage in LGBT acts. A similar bill was passed in Ghana two years ago but never signed by the president. Since then, activists and church groups have continued to push for a new version of the legislation and Mahama has indicated he will support it.
Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
