Mexico: Monterrey Mayor, gives keys to city to Jesus Christ
The mayor of the Mexican city of Monterrey, Margarita Arellanes, symbolically gave the keys to the city to Jesus Christ at ‘Monterrey Ora' (Monterrey Prays), an event organized by an alliance of pastors. Arellanes made a speech in which she welcomed Jesus Christ to Monterrey and asserted that the city had been born in the name of God and should be preserved, loved and defended as such. A video of the speech, along with debate over the secular nature of the state and its institutions, has gone viral. Watch it on ‘More’ link below. ‘I, Margarita Alicia Arellanes, hand over the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León to our lord Jesus Christ, so that his kingdom of peace and blessings may be established. I open the doors to this municipality to God as the maximum authority. I acknowledge that without his presence and his help we cannot have true success,’ the mayor announced. She went on to read Psalms 40 from the Bible.
Praise: God for the testimony of Margarita and pray for her protection from the drug cartels. (Matt.10:7)
Law Society and Christian group reach agreement over marriage conference
A Christian group has reached an agreement with the Law Society after its marriage conference was cancelled at the last minute. Christian Concern was due to hold a conference in May last year at the Law Society's headquarters exploring the nature and meaning of marriage, but the booking was cancelled after a member of the society complained that the conference was ‘anti-gay’. As part of a mediation process, Christian Concern and the Law Society met last week to discuss the cancellation. A joint statement released after the meeting said that both organisations ‘uphold the right and freedoms of other members of society based on the principles of a democratic society and debate’. The Law Society has announced it will organise a full debate on the issue of same sex marriage joined by a speaker from Christian Concern, and that it welcomes bookings from the Christian advocacy group in the future.
Pray: that, following the meeting between the two organisations , a meaningful open debate will allow Christian views to be discussed. (Ps.119:137)
Muslim prison numbers soar as staff warn of Islamic ‘gang culture’ in jails
Prison officers have warned of Islamic ‘gang culture’ in jails after figures showed the number of Muslim inmates has rocketed compared with other faiths. Stats obtained by the Sunday People reveal convicts in England and Wales who say their religion is Islam have passed the 11,000 mark for the first time. The total for Christians is 43,235, according to data given out under freedom of information laws. Prison officers’ association general secretary Steve Gillan said: ‘There is clear evidence of gang culture and a radicalisation of young men. They use the name of religion as an excuse to behave badly and in a threatening manner. Muslims in jail numbered only 3,681 in 1997 but last year there were 11,278. ‘Terrorists in maximum security jails have increased dramatically in number. It puts pressure on prisons at a time of cost cuts and overcrowding. This has been reflected in problems involving some Muslim gangs.’
Pray: against any growth in gang culture and radicalism amongst the prisoners. (Heb.13:3)
More: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/muslim-prison-numbers-soar-staff-1982124
New EU guidelines on religious freedom welcomed
The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has welcomed the European Union's adoption of guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion. The guidelines were adopted by the foreign ministers of all 27 EU member states at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. They were developed in consultation with the European Platform on Religious Intolerance and Discrimination (EPRID), founded in 2006 by the EEA, Open Doors International and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The focus of the guidelines is on the external policy of the European Union related to understanding, monitoring and promoting freedom of religion or belief and raising awareness of this right in non-EU countries. The EEA said the guidelines would strengthen the EU's capacity to defend religious freedom by addressing the causes of violations and formulating responses. Victims of religious freedom violations will also be in a stronger position to ask EU delegations and member state embassies to intervene on their behalf.
Pray: that the adoption of these new guidelines will strengthen the EU’s capacity to defend religious freedom. (Jam.2:12)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.eu.guidelines.on.religious.freedom.welcomed/32964.htm
New EU guidelines on religious freedom welcomed
The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has welcomed the European Union's adoption of guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion. The guidelines were adopted by the foreign ministers of all 27 EU member states at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. They were developed in consultation with the European Platform on Religious Intolerance and Discrimination (EPRID), founded in 2006 by the EEA, Open Doors International and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The focus of the guidelines is on the external policy of the European Union related to understanding, monitoring and promoting freedom of religion or belief and raising awareness of this right in non-EU countries. The EEA said the guidelines would strengthen the EU's capacity to defend religious freedom by addressing the causes of violations and formulating responses. Victims of religious freedom violations will also be in a stronger position to ask EU delegations and member state embassies to intervene on their behalf.
Pray: that the adoption of these new guidelines will strengthen the EU’s capacity to defend religious freedom. (Jam.2:12)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.eu.guidelines.on.religious.freedom.welcomed/32964.htm
France: Police swoop on Islamist terror suspects
French police are holding nine suspected Islamists as part of an anti-terrorism investigation. Three were arrested last Tuesday in southern France. The other six detained last Monday in the Paris area have been described by the Interior Minister Manuel Valls as ‘particularly dangerous’. They are being questioned by anti-terrorist investigators at Levallois, north of the capital. By law they can be held for up to four days. Monday’s raids by anti-terrorist police took place in three towns around Paris. Four of the six suspects are French, one is from Benin and the other from the Comoros Islands. They are all said to be aged in their twenties and thirties. They are thought to have been involved in armed robberies including a hold-up at a bank near the capital in April. Since the murders by one individual of seven people in Toulouse last year, several terrorist cells have been dismantled, according to the interior minister. France raised its domestic terror alert level after its military intervention in Mali.
Pray: that the authorities will continue to be successful in thwarting the terrorist activities. (Pro.2:7)
More: http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/25/french-police-swoop-on-islamist-terror-suspects/
France: Police swoop on Islamist terror suspects
French police are holding nine suspected Islamists as part of an anti-terrorism investigation. Three were arrested last Tuesday in southern France. The other six detained last Monday in the Paris area have been described by the Interior Minister Manuel Valls as ‘particularly dangerous’. They are being questioned by anti-terrorist investigators at Levallois, north of the capital. By law they can be held for up to four days. Monday’s raids by anti-terrorist police took place in three towns around Paris. Four of the six suspects are French, one is from Benin and the other from the Comoros Islands. They are all said to be aged in their twenties and thirties. They are thought to have been involved in armed robberies including a hold-up at a bank near the capital in April. Since the murders by one individual of seven people in Toulouse last year, several terrorist cells have been dismantled, according to the interior minister. France raised its domestic terror alert level after its military intervention in Mali.
Pray: that the authorities will continue to be successful in thwarting the terrorist activities. (Pro.2:7)
More: http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/25/french-police-swoop-on-islamist-terror-suspects/
NIGERIA: Militants force thousands to flee
Refugees say Islamic extremists threatening a bloodbath are forcing thousands of people from villages in northern Nigeria where the fighters have regrouped following a month-long military crackdown. People who escaped through the bush to the Borno state capital of Maiduguri say the Boko Haram terrorist network have also written letters warning government workers to resign their jobs or face death. Some villagers fled to neighbouring Cameroon. In a separate operation in Kano state police say they have rounded up 400 migrants and are deporting those who do not have the necessary documents. A state of emergency and military and police crackdown since May 14 have failed to crush the extremists blamed for the killings of more than 1,600 people since 2010. Meanwhile Amnesty International received credible reports that the authorities in the State of Edo in southern Nigeria have hanged four men in Benin City Prison on 24th June – the first known executions in the country since 2006. See also http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18587
Pray: for the Government of Nigeria to know God’s way forward and for God to empower them with His wisdom in all decisions at this time. (Is.30:21
More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/militants-in-north-nigeria-force-thousands-to-flee_856991.html
India: Floods
Every summer hundreds of thousands of devout Hindus make the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage to four temple towns in Uttarakhand, returning before monsoon rains begin in July. This year early monsoon rains,the heaviest in 80 years, swept away entire villages in Uttarakhand along with thousands of pilgrims. The Army has evacuated 100,000 stranded people. The Air Force is conducting search and rescue operations with 45 helicopters - but bad weather has hampered progress. They were unable to fly to the temple town of Badrinath where 5,000 pilgrims need rescuing. Officials said they must get to the affected areas urgently - time is running out for survivors. Thousands have no shelter, fresh water or food. On Wednesday morning Air Force Chief NAK Browne visited Uttarakhand to boost the morale of pilots a day after a rescue helicopter crashed near a pilgrimage site. More than 800 have died in the floods so far.
Pray: for the thousands who still need rescuing from remote mountain areas, for the children, elderly and vulnerable who are most at risk. (Neh.9:17b & Ps.86:15)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23058651
Congo: Women and children at risk
Tearfund says mothers and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are in need of vital help. Fighting has worsened in the last year and 2.7 million people were forced to leave their homes. ‘Again and again we are seeing families uprooted in waves of tragic turmoil,’ said Tearfund's International Director. ‘People continue to leave their homes in fear of the sexual violence which is widespread in the eastern DRC where armed groups frequently use rape as a weapon. Women and children have suffered unimaginable horror and yet they also show amazing strength, resilience and dignity. The DRC has been plagued by conflict since 1998. More than 5.4 million people have been killed and communities have been devastated.' Tearfund said fighting was only prolonging poverty in the country and hindering its development.
Pray: for an end to the continuous outbreaks of violence. Pray also for NGO’s ministering to the displaced, fearful and hurting Congolese people. (Ps.9:13)