Human trafficking

A teen feared taken in by a human trafficking ring has been found at a mall in Happy Valley, Oregon. Anji Dean, 17, was located at a mall by a Good Samaritan who tried to help Anji and notified officials, who quickly came and brought Anji home.

"It is clear that the local and national news coverage as well as the widespread sharing of this family's story via social media such as Facebook and Twitter was integral in leading us to her safe return," Sgt. Kevin Allais told the press. "This is an active investigation that includes the crime of human trafficking. We will be continuing our investigation."

Police believe that she was the victim of a human trafficking ring. A woman identified as Jennifer told KGW that Anji introduced herself using her real name but then asked to be called "Daisy." She reportedly told Jennifer that people were looking for her and she was being forced to do things she did not want. Jennifer tried to help her, but Anji disappeared before that could happen. more >>

Pope Francis told the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at a meeting on Monday that their division is a "scandal and an obstacle to our proclaiming the Gospel of salvation to the world," while both Church leaders expressed hopes to move forward in unity.

"We cannot claim that our division is anything less than a scandal and an obstacle to our proclaiming the Gospel of salvation to the world," Francis told Welby according to Asia News. The Roman Catholic Church leader added: "The goal of full unity may seem distant indeed, [. . .] it remains the aim which should direct our every step along the way."

Francis added that although they share a "commitment to the great cause of reconciliation and communion between Christian believers," a problem is that "Our vision is often blurred by the cumulative burden of our divisions and our will is not always free of that human ambition which can accompany even our desire to preach the Gospel as the Lord commanded (Matthew 28:19)." more >>

Angelina Jolie is lending her international stardom to a meaningful cause at the first ever Global Summit to end sexual violence in London this week.

The "Maleficent" star was joined at the summit in London by thousands of government ministers, military and judicial officials and activists, including British Foreign Secretary William Hague. The June 10-13 summit aims to produce practical action on ending sexual violence in conflict, therefore protecting women, men and children from rape and sex attacks in war zones.

Furthermore, Jolie and Hague vowed on Tuesday to not only help victims, but to punish those responsible. Jolie, a special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that the conference was two years in the making before offering a powerful message. more >>

Terrorist group Boko Haram's offer to exchange some of the kidnapped schoolgirls for prisoners has reportedly been rejected by the Nigerian government.

"I'm not surprised that the Nigerian government refused to negotiate in this manner with Boko Haram," Dr. David Curry, president and CEO of watchdog group Open Doors, told The Christian Post in a phone interview on Tuesday. "I think if the news is true that the girls are still together, I think that's hopeful news. I think many had feared that the girls had been scattered and already sold.

"Our hope at Open Doors is that Boko Haram will release the girls for humanitarian reasons because they are innocents, and so forth. But I don't know if they'll do that. They've shown a callousness toward human life that is shocking to most in the world." more >>

The over 270 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamic militants Boko Haram have likely been raped and face a life of sexual slavery if not rescued, a human rights group in Africa said.

"We can safely assume that the abducted girls have been raped by their captors, if not worse," said Rona Peligal, deputy director for the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, according to FoxNews.com. "If they return home, they could be traumatized and stigmatized if they are known to be raped, pregnant or with child from their abductors. What happens if they're trafficked would likely pale by comparison."

The Nigerian girls, most of them Christians, were taken last from an all-girls school in Chibok, Borno State, last month, after armed Islamic militants stormed in with trucks. more >>

First Lady Michelle Obama has been criticized by a women's rights group for failing to speak out during her week-long visit to China against forced abortions and human rights abuses.

"I am extremely disappointed that Mrs. Obama has deliberately ignored egregious women's rights abuses while in China," said Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, on Wednesday. "Mrs. Obama has positioned herself as an international women's leader. She could have done so much good if she had been willing to use her position to advance women's rights in a nation that tramples them.

"Mrs. Obama has chosen to ignore the intense suffering of hundreds of millions of women who have been victims of forced abortion, involuntary sterilization, gendercide and sexual slavery." more >>