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NEWS: 5 Things that happened on Change.org This Week

1. Over 100,000 save a refugee children’s cafe in Calais

Campaigners have won an urgent fight to save a cafe in the Calais Jungle that supports unaccompanied refugee children.

Volunteers started a petition earlier this week after discovering the centre could be up for demolition in less than 24 hours.

The Kids’ Cafe, which provides 200 meals a day, English and French classes, and asylum advice was at risk of being demolished alongside dozens of other restaurants, shops and amenities.

Decision time: The Kids' Cafe, which provides 200 meals a day, English and French classes, and asylum advice  Decision time: The Kids’ Cafe, which provides 200 meals a day, English and French classes, and asylum advice

A French court was due to decide whether the knock-down would go ahead on Wednesday but the judge decided to delay the decision until Friday.

Hari Reed, 23 from south London who started the petition to save it said: “While teaching English in the Cafe I got to know many of the boys individually and it is so significant for them to have somewhere they can go to eat, play, study, charge their phones and feel secure… we are absolutely overjoyed at the news and want to thank each and every person who signed and shared.”

2. Family of jailed Nazanin Ratcliffe “pleased” Theresa May has spoken out on case

The Prime Minister “raised concerns” about the welfare of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe during a phone call with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, Downing Street said last night.

Mum of one, Nazanin is due on trial on charges that remain unclear. Iranian officials have previously accused Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe of leading a “foreign-linked hostile network”.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe, 41, who has dismissed the accusation said: “All my family were very pleased to hear that the Prime Minister had raised Nazanin’s case.

“We are thankful to her for her personal care and hope the Iranian authorities will answer it positively. I hope that she is home soon”.

Torn Apart: The PM has called on Iran to resolve the case of Nazanin Ratcliffe Torn Apart: The PM has called on Iran to resolve the case of Nazanin Ratcliffe

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister raised concerns about a number of consular cases involving dual nationals, including that of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and stressed the importance of resolving these cases as we worked to strengthen our diplomatic relationship.”

3. Doc slams “detox tea” promoted by celebs

Dr Lauretta Ihonor has started a petition on Change.org to remove laxatives from popular Bootea Teatox, which claims it will ‘leave you feeling energised and motivated to reach your goals’.

She says that the teatox trend is a ‘worrying one that has been raised to me by numerous girls and women desperate to lose weight’.

Not as Boo-tea-Ful as it seems: A doctor has hit out at Bootea's claims about its Teatox brand Not as Boo-tea-Ful as it seems: A doctor has hit out at Bootea’s claims about its Teatox brand

The popularity of the beverage has risen since celebrities raised its profile by posing holding a box or cup of it on their social media feeds.

However, Dr Ihonor says a laxative called senna included in Teatox, doesn’t actually help drinkers lose weight and instead can cause extreme dehydration, and colon, liver and heart damage if taken for longer than two weeks. She says she has tried to contact Bootea and companies behind other weight-loss tea brands but has yet to receive a response.

4. Google Maps under fire for no mention of Palestine

A massive 300,000 people signed a petition calling on Google to mark Palestine on its Maps service.

Google said that it never had Palestine labelled as a country on its maps, but the omission of Palestinian territories such as Gaza and the West Bank were deleted due to a tech error.

“Grievious insult”: Palestine does not appear on the Google Maps App

Petition starter Zak Martin said: “The omission of Palestine is a grievous insult to the people of Palestine and undermines the efforts of the millions of people who are involved in the campaign to secure Palestinian independence and freedom from Israeli occupation and oppression.”

5.  A massive step towards #Helen’sLaw

The date for the first reading of a Bill to pass a law which would see killers kept behind bars until they reveal where their victims’ bodies are, has been set.

Bill Reading: Marie McCourt's daughter Helen was murdered 30 years ago but her body was never found Bill Reading: Marie McCourt’s daughter Helen was murdered 30 years ago but her body was never found

Marie McCourt’s daughter Helen was murdered 30 years ago but her body was never found as her killer refused to reveal where it was. Over 324,000 people have signed her petition.

The first reading of the Bill in Parliament is scheduled for October 11. We’ll bring you more exclusive news and updates on the campaign closer to that time.

Written by
Change.org
August 11, 2016 4:20 pm