Church of Cyprus has offered to help.
‘The entire wealth of the Church is at the disposal of the country so that we c
an stand on our own two feet and not relying on foreigners,’ Archbishop Chrysostomos said after meeting Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades early on Wednesday. The Church of Cyprus is a major shareholder in Cyprus's third-largest domestic lender, Hellenic Bank. Unless Europe, the International Monitory Fund or Russia give Cyprus more money or the banks will go bust. Cyprus has become the tax evasion centre for Russian oligarchs. It is doubtful Angela Merkel would agree to a bailout blueprint that causes German taxpayers to subsidise Moscow billionaires with a German election looming this autumn. Anastasiades - a month in the job - gathered party leaders and the governor of the central bank at his office on Wednesday and was due to hold talks with officials from the EU, European Central Bank and IMF while Finance Minister Michael Sarris was in Moscow negotiating a Russia bail out to safeguard high levels of Russian deposits in Cypriot banks.
Pray: for God in His mercy to sort out the looming turmoil that would affect ex-pat European citizens. (Ps.20:1)
More: http://news.yahoo.com/cyprus-throws-bailout-disarray-seeks-russian-help-074339638--sector.html
EU’s Ashton expects breakthrough In Kosovo dispute
The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Serbia and Kosovo are close to a deal to end the ethnic partition of the former Serbian province. She spoke after the leaders of both nations expressed optimism about an agreement as early as this week. In a significant U-turn, Serbia offered to recognize the authority of Kosovo's government over the north, in exchange for autonomy for Serbs living there. The two sides were at odds however over the powers any Serb institutions in the north would have. But Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic now says they are in his words ‘never closer’ to settling their differences. Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters earlier they were at what he called ‘the beginning of the end’ in reaching an accord to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The two men spoke after separate talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Belgrade and Pristina.
Pray: for the success of these discussions and pray for a breakthrough that will bring reconciliation. (Eph.4:13)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/27189-news-watch-eus-ashton-expects-breakthrough-in-kosovo-dispute
EU’s Ashton expects breakthrough In Kosovo dispute
The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Serbia and Kosovo are close to a deal to end the ethnic partition of the former Serbian province. She spoke after the leaders of both nations expressed optimism about an agreement as early as this week. In a significant U-turn, Serbia offered to recognize the authority of Kosovo's government over the north, in exchange for autonomy for Serbs living there. The two sides were at odds however over the powers any Serb institutions in the north would have. But Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic now says they are in his words ‘never closer’ to settling their differences. Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters earlier they were at what he called ‘the beginning of the end’ in reaching an accord to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The two men spoke after separate talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Belgrade and Pristina.
Pray: for the success of these discussions and pray for a breakthrough that will bring reconciliation. (Eph.4:13)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/27189-news-watch-eus-ashton-expects-breakthrough-in-kosovo-dispute
Brief Report on Launch of WPA East Africa Chapter
The launch of the World Prayer Assembly East Africa Chapter was carried out on Friday 8th February 2013 in response to the request to the Kenyan team to implement the strategies they had received in Indonesia at the WPA 2012 meeting. About 50 people attended this event.
Pastor Mary Aruwa, Pastor Esther Kiarie, and Pastor Stephen Mutua all helped lead the gathering, reviewing the vision of the WPA and its history and hearing the responses of participants. Pastor Mutua, outlined the way forward as Kenyans come together under WPA East Africa chapter to begin to go out to the surrounding nations carrying revival and the new wave of God’s glory. He added that the work would extend to teaching and encouraging brethren to be more effective in prayer. He informed the team that the steering committee would work on the modalities and the planning strategies to ensure that in 2013 at least 6 nations in the region would experience the new wave of glory as the WPA Kenya team began to mobilize teams to go out. They then proceeded to launch the WPA EA chapter as he prayed powerfully and commissioned those present to go out to East Africa and the surrounding regions. Later participants were invited to share their responses to this vision and their responses were in agreement as they expressed their thoughts e.g. “this is a good vision”, they affirmed their commitment to this cause and asked the team to keep them informed as they were willing to participate in the activities that would be put in place by the steering committee.
For more information, please contact Pastor Stephen Mutua
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Catastrophic Antibiotic Threat: 'Untreatable Infections' Coming
Health officials in the United Kingdom are warning of possible catastrophic consequences after the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. One of the reasons antibiotic resistance is on the increase is the fact that bacteria are adapting quicker than researchers can develop new drugs to fight them, according to England's chief medical officer. "Antimicrobial resistance poses a catastrophic threat. If we don't act now, any one of us could go into hospital in 20 years for minor surgery and die because of an ordinary infection that can't be treated by antibiotics," Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, told Reuters. She added that there have only been a few drugs successfully developed and made available on the market in the past few decades which led to the current situation. It also means that procedures that were once thought to be routine may pose a serious health risk to patients.
Pray: for the work of medical researchers as they seek to find new solutions to this problem. (Ac.10:38)
More: http://global.christianpost.com/news/catastrophic-antibiotic-threat-untreatable-infections-coming-uk-and-us-doctors-warn-91611/
Majority of UK children 'living below the breadline by 2015', says TUC
Government welfare and tax changes, together with lower than forecast wage growth, will leave the majority of children in the UK living in families below the breadline by 2015, according to new Trades Union Congress research. Tax and welfare reforms alone - both existing and future changes - will be responsible for nearly half a million more children living below the breadline, says the TUC. In 'A Bleak Future For Families', the research finds that the cumulative impact of government policies and slower than forecast wage growth over the course of this parliament will mean that 690,000 more children will be living below the minimum income standard - the level of income needed to achieve a minimum acceptable standard of living in the UK - by 2015. TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Families are suffering the tightest squeeze in their living standards in nearly a century.” See also last week's Prayer Alert 'Archbishop of Canterbury attacks Government welfare reforms'.
Pray: for Government to ensure that children are not adversely affected by economic policies. (Pr.19:17)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18176
Season of change for Wycliffe Bible Translators
2014 will be a big year for Wycliffe Bible Translators with the relocation of their headquarters and celebrations to mark their 50th anniversary in the UK. The charity has announced the sale of the Wycliffe Centre in Buckinghamshire, where they have been based for the last 40 years. Wycliffe executive director Eddie Arthur said the facility, with its training and conference centre, was larger than what was needed for its operations. There are plans to move to office space nearby and change the way they engage with supporters. "The Wycliffe Centre has been a wonderful home for our mission, providing us with office space, a training centre and allowing us to host church groups and conferences. "However, changing patterns in missionary training worldwide mean that we no longer need such a large facility for our own needs. From this August, Wycliffe training courses will be available to a wider audience through Redcliffe College in Gloucester.
Pray: for the staff and work of the Wycliffe Centre especially during the period of transition. (Lk.4:43)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/season.of.change.for.wycliffe.bible.translators/31805.htm
MPs attack Government’s 'downgrading’ of religious education
Religious education in schools is to come under attack in a report which will warn that more than half of those who teach the subject do not have any expertise. A cross-party group of MPs, peers and bishops will claim that “a raft of recent policies” have undermined the teaching of RE in schools. Their report, includes a survey of 430 schools, which found that 10 out of 130 secondary schools broke the law by not teaching RE to some pupils. In a quarter of the primary schools surveyed, pupils were being taught by teaching assistants, rather than qualified teachers, while 43 per cent of staff teaching RE in primary and secondary schools did not have any specialist training in the subject. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education described its findings as “unacceptable”. “A raft of recent policies have had the effect of downgrading RE in status on the school curriculum, and the subject is now under threat as never before.
Pray: for those with control over the content of schools' curriculum will recognise the vital importance of R.E. In our multicultural and multi-faith society. (Dt.6:5-8)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9934940/MPs-attack-Governments-downgrading-of-religious-education.html
Police corruption in Wales
No police officer in Wales has been prosecuted for police corruption in the last four years despite scores of complaints .In Freedom of Information responses to questions from Plaid Cymru the four Welsh police forces disclosed none of their officers ended up in court after internal inquiries found them culpable. While three of the forces went as far as disciplining officers who had allegations upheld against them, Dyfed-Powys Police failed to take any action against officers.’ Between April 2008 and December of last year they recorded 80 allegations of improper disclosure, 36 allegations of corrupt practice and 141 allegations of irregularity in evidence/perjury. Only 16 were upheld. In answer to the question about what disciplinary action or criminal prosecutions have resulted from the upheld allegations, the force replied, ‘I can confirm that there is no information held by Dyfed-Powys Police. This is as a result of the fact that none of the ‘upheld’ allegations resulted in disciplinary action or criminal prosecutions.’
Pray: that the Police would not see themselves as above the law, may they see fit to discipline officers found guilty of wrongdoing, and may all that is hidden be revealed. (Is.5:1)
Right now, the situation in Nigeria is incredibly tense and urgently needs your prayers. AT least 60 people are thought to have been killed yesterday in a car bomb attack in Kano City. Most of the victims are likely to have been from the predominantly Christian Igbo tribe, who are constantly targets of religion-related violence.
Victims Burned Beyond Recognition
The busy motor park in the Sabon Gari area was a prime target for a suicide bomber. Suspected to be a member of the militant Islamist sect Boko Haram, the attacker, reportedly rammed his car into a bus full of passengers as it was moving off. The victims were heading for southern Nigeria. The death toll is likely to increase since the explosion caused four other buses to catch fire. This vicious attack was clearly meant to stoke tribal divisions in Nigeria. Tensions are now rising in the south with reports of northerners either fleeing or taking refuge in military barracks. Lift up prayers ¬¬for peace right now. Please pray:
• For comfort for the families of the victims.
• That reprisal attacks will not take place.
• For wisdom for the authorities in Nigeria as they handle this situation.
• For God to stop the devastating violence and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
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