Pope's Easter message condemns failure to help migrants

Pope Francis has condemned those who fail to help migrants, during his traditional Easter speech in Rome.

Pope Francis also condemned terrorism as "a blind and brutal violence"

The Pope said migrants often met "rejection from those who could offer them welcome and assistance".

He also condemned terrorism as "a blind and brutal violence" that should be fought with "weapons of love".

The Pope was delivering his "urbi et orbi" (To the city and the world) message to thousands amid tight security in St Peter's Square.

Syrian prayer

The Pope said: "The Easter message of the risen Christ... invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees... fleeing from war, hunger, poverty and social injustice.

Pope Francis takes a tour of the square after his blessing and before his speech

"All too often, these brothers and sisters of ours meet along the way with death or, in any event, rejection by those who could offer them welcome and assistance."

Tens of thousands of migrants, mainly fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq, are now stranded in Greece, after European nations and Turkey agreed a plan to shut their route to northern Europe.

Pope Francis also offered a prayer for Syria: "The risen Christ points out paths of hope to beloved Syria, a country torn by a lengthy conflict with its sad wake of destruction, death, contempt for humanitarian law and the breakdown of civil concord."

He expressed his hope for success at peace scheduled to resume next month.

The Pope also urged people to use the "weapons of love" to combat the evil of terrorism.

From BBC News

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Minute's silence to remember the victims of the 7/7 attacks

Many parts of the UK fell silent at 11.30am today to remember the victims of the London bomb attacks on the 7th July 2005.

52 people died and more than 770 people were injured.

It was the worst single terrorist attack on British soil.It became known as 7/7 because of the date the bombings took place.

A minute's silence was held at special remembrance and memorial services across London and in other parts of the UK to remember those who lost their lives.

It was also to pay tribute to the emergency services who gave help to many of the injured on the day.

On the morning on July 7th 2005, four men with rucksacks full of explosives attacked central London.

The target was London's transport system, at the end of the morning rush hour.

The underground station bombs went off at about 8.50am on trains near Liverpool Street and Edgware Road stations, and on another tube train travelling between King's Cross and Russell Square.

A fourth bomb went off on a bus in Tavistock Square, London, about an hour later.

This morning the Prime Minister David Cameron laid wreaths at the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park in London. The Queen was also there.

In a note attached to his wreath, David Cameron wrote: "To the victims of terrorism in London 10 years ago today. We grieve your loss and will honour your memory forever."

There has also been a special remembrance service at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

During a minute's silence the congregation stood, as petals fell to the floor from the cathedral's dome.

From BBC News

A Song for Peace from Chibok

Lindii's official site

It has been one year since the Islamist militant group Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from their school in the northern Nigerian village of Chibok. Lindii is a young musician from Chibok whose song "Salama" is calling for peace in her country.

From BBC News