Government urged to clear up confusion over Big Society
A week after Prime Minister David Cameron re-launched the initiative, the Jubilee Centre warned that the Big Society would be judged a failure if all it accomplished was the proliferation of charities and volunteers while poverty, inequality and crime remained high. The Centre said that 'the Government should not be allowed to sidestep its responsibilities by passing them on to third sector organisations. I In particular, the Centre pointed to the need to promote religious freedom as it warned that red tape was preventing people from volunteering, particularly people of faith. ‘In reality it is therefore highly unlikely that any Big Society ambitions can succeed without the help of faith groups,’ the Centre said. (See Prayer Alert 3010) Pray: against confusion and pray for clarity and understanding. (Gal.5:10b)
EU: Concern over violence towards Christians
EU foreign ministers have issued a statement condemning violence against Christians and calling upon states to protect freedom of worship. The statement was issued after the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting in Brussels on Monday. The foreign ministers said: ‘The Council expresses its profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance and discrimination, as epitomised by recent violence and acts of terrorism in various countries against Christians and their places of worship, Muslim pilgrims and other ‘religious communities’ which it firmly condemns. The ministers expressed their condolences and ‘solidarity’ with the countries where religious violence was being experienced, as well as with the victims’. They went on to affirm the EU’s ‘strong commitment’ to the promotion and protection of religious freedom and called upon states to protect their citizens, including members of religious minorities. Pray: that this statement will be taken seriously by all the states within the EU. (Pr.10:6) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eu.expresses.profound.concern.over.violence.towards.christians/27565.htm
EU: Concern over violence towards Christians
EU foreign ministers have issued a statement condemning violence against Christians and calling upon states to protect freedom of worship. The statement was issued after the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting in Brussels on Monday. The foreign ministers said: ‘The Council expresses its profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance and discrimination, as epitomised by recent violence and acts of terrorism in various countries against Christians and their places of worship, Muslim pilgrims and other ‘religious communities’ which it firmly condemns. The ministers expressed their condolences and ‘solidarity’ with the countries where religious violence was being experienced, as well as with the victims’. They went on to affirm the EU’s ‘strong commitment’ to the promotion and protection of religious freedom and called upon states to protect their citizens, including members of religious minorities. Pray: that this statement will be taken seriously by all the states within the EU. (Pr.10:6) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eu.expresses.profound.concern.over.violence.towards.christians/27565.htm
Turkey: Cyprus issue moving to forefront
Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots are preparing a second round of protests against Turkey in early March. There is a growing mood of bitterness among Turkish Cypriots over the way nationalist electioneering in Cyprus and Turkey, along with Ankara's fading enthusiasm for European Union accession, is eroding hopes for a lasting settlement on the divided Mediterranean island. The anti-Ankara protests began January 28, when 40,000 Turkish Cypriots, a sixth of the population, gathered in the divided Cypriot capital of Nicosia. The protests were sparked by austerity measures imposed by Turkey, which provides $700 million in aid every year to the Turkish Cypriot entity, unrecognized internationally and embargoed by the European Union. Many are however expecting a much larger crowd in March, as Cypriots worried about their jobs are joined by those angered by the Turkish Government's heavy-handed reaction to the first protest. Pray: that there would be a period of reconciliation and forgiveness. (Ep.4:31-32)
Turkey: Cyprus issue moving to forefront
Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots are preparing a second round of protests against Turkey in early March. There is a growing mood of bitterness among Turkish Cypriots over the way nationalist electioneering in Cyprus and Turkey, along with Ankara's fading enthusiasm for European Union accession, is eroding hopes for a lasting settlement on the divided Mediterranean island. The anti-Ankara protests began January 28, when 40,000 Turkish Cypriots, a sixth of the population, gathered in the divided Cypriot capital of Nicosia. The protests were sparked by austerity measures imposed by Turkey, which provides $700 million in aid every year to the Turkish Cypriot entity, unrecognized internationally and embargoed by the European Union. Many are however expecting a much larger crowd in March, as Cypriots worried about their jobs are joined by those angered by the Turkish Government's heavy-handed reaction to the first protest. Pray: that there would be a period of reconciliation and forgiveness. (Ep.4:31-32)
Russia: Deadly clashes on border
A gun battle on the Karachayeva-Stavropol border stirs fears of violence spreading across the ethnically divided Caucasus. Violence in that particular area has been less frequent than in neighbouring Dagestan, or Ingushetia and Chechnya where deadly attacks take place almost daily. One of the bombers behind numerous attacks has been Marina Khorosheva, a young Russian woman also linked to the failed suicide attack in Moscow's Red Square on December 31. She and her husband, Vitaly Razdobudko, were Orthodox Christians who converted to Islam - leading press to dub them ‘the Russian Wahhabi’. Pray: for God to calm ethnic conflicts and religious fanaticism and release a Holy Spirit revival to the region. (Pr.3:7) More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011215172731379883.html
Russia: Deadly clashes on border
A gun battle on the Karachayeva-Stavropol border stirs fears of violence spreading across the ethnically divided Caucasus. Violence in that particular area has been less frequent than in neighbouring Dagestan, or Ingushetia and Chechnya where deadly attacks take place almost daily. One of the bombers behind numerous attacks has been Marina Khorosheva, a young Russian woman also linked to the failed suicide attack in Moscow's Red Square on December 31. She and her husband, Vitaly Razdobudko, were Orthodox Christians who converted to Islam - leading press to dub them ‘the Russian Wahhabi’. Pray: for God to calm ethnic conflicts and religious fanaticism and release a Holy Spirit revival to the region. (Pr.3:7) More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011215172731379883.html
Middle East - North Africa Situation
As massive public protests sweep across the Middle East, North Africa, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and Iran – many are being met with violent government crackdowns. Pray for God’s provision to be in place as change comes to the regions.
Pray for God’s wisdom in every decision made at this time.
Libya - At a crossroads
Saif Al-Islam Gadhafi, 38,the son of Moammar Gadhafi warned that the country faces civil war and ‘rivers of blood’. Several cities, including Libya's second most populous Benghazi have fallen to demonstrators following the defection of some army units. The International Federation for Human Rights put the Libyan death toll at 300 to 400.
Media watchers are saying, ‘If reforms are not agreed we will be mourning thousands not hundreds’, and ‘The mindset of a dictator is hard to change’.
Pray for Gadhafi to be levelheaded and prudently choose an immediate and gracious stand down of all aggressive actions against his people.
British energy giant BP is preparing to evacuate some staff from Libya, which holds Africa's biggest oil reserves. Oil prices have soared since the turmoil.
Pray that financial interests in the regions’ oil reserves will not influence global governments’ attitudes and proposals in this crisis.
A privately-run Libyan newspaper reported that the country's justice minister had resigned and had sided with the protesters. He said he is trying to ‘organize good things in all cities.' He also said that key cities near Libya's border with Egypt were now in the hands of the protesters, which he said would enable foreign media to now enter the country.
Pray for God to raise up many people within Libya to work towards a peaceful resolution.
Pakistan: Defender of Asia Bibi keeps his cabinet position
Many Pakistani Christians are delighted with the news that Minorities Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, has survived a major Government reshuffle that took place last Thursday. In recent times, Bhatti has become a lightning rod for extremists in Pakistan, who have issued multiple death threats against him, including beheading, because he had proposed an amendment to the country’s controversial blasphemy law and also his recent request for a pardon for Asia Bibi, the mother of five, who was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. (See Prayer Alert 5010) For many Christians in Pakistan, this is an astounding development, as there were reports that the Ministry of Minority Affairs would not be included in the new Federal Cabinet, but we have discovered that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) took notice of the concerns of the minorities and invited Mr Bhatti to the oath-taking ceremony.
Praise: God for enabling Shahbaz Bhatti to continue supporting minorities including Christians in the Federal Cabinet. Pray for his protection. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35655&PN=1&TPN=1
Pakistan: Defender of Asia Bibi keeps his cabinet position
Many Pakistani Christians are delighted with the news that Minorities Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, has survived a major Government reshuffle that took place last Thursday. In recent times, Bhatti has become a lightning rod for extremists in Pakistan, who have issued multiple death threats against him, including beheading, because he had proposed an amendment to the country’s controversial blasphemy law and also his recent request for a pardon for Asia Bibi, the mother of five, who was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. (See Prayer Alert 5010) For many Christians in Pakistan, this is an astounding development, as there were reports that the Ministry of Minority Affairs would not be included in the new Federal Cabinet, but we have discovered that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) took notice of the concerns of the minorities and invited Mr Bhatti to the oath-taking ceremony.
Praise: God for enabling Shahbaz Bhatti to continue supporting minorities including Christians in the Federal Cabinet. Pray for his protection. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35655&PN=1&TPN=1