Fracking - license demand growing
The government will vote next month on whether to allow fracking firms to drill under people’s properties without the permission of the land owners. Ahead of this vote shale gas licences are attracting solid interest from investors. A government spokesperson said ‘There’s more big companies coming into this space with the resources and I warmly welcome them.’ The Department of Energy and Climate Change will simplify underground access for oil and gas developers despite 99% of respondents to a consultation objecting. The UK-wide plan gives companies the right to drill 300 metres or more under private land without negotiating a right of access. On the flipside of the fracking coin the British firm Ineos is accused of a ‘bribes and bulldozers’ approach to fracking by offering 6% of future shale gas revenues to those sitting on reserves or affected by extraction. See:
Trojan Horse scandal 'worse in London' claims Department for Education
Some schools in east London are being taken over by Muslim extremists who are trying to convert pupils and staff to their hardline ideology, according to a report in The Sunday Times. The newspaper spoke to a contact within the Department for Education (DfE) who claims the problem there is even worse than in Birmingham, where a 'Trojan Horse' plot to take over schools was revealed this year. ‘Tower Hamlets is expected to be the next Birmingham,’ said the DfE source, ‘but even worse, because the problems surrounding Muslim fundamentalists imposing their views on education seem to be more embedded.’ One of the schools highlighted in the report is Marner Primary School, which has been inspected by Ofsted following the raising of concerns by the Home Office. The council said it expects Marner to be given a ‘clean bill of health’ within the coming days.
Hong Kong - 'Prayer must be our loudest response'
Prayer vigils in churches throughout the city are being held for those involved in the pro-democracy demonstrations gripping Hong Kong. Congregations are upholding Hong Kong in prayer as the protests are into their third day. (see world article 3). Among the leaders of the movement, under the banner 'Occupy Central with Love and Peace', are former Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and Baptist minister Rev Chu Yiu-ming. The Vine, an international church located a few blocks from the protests is open for 48 hours as a place of prayer, intercession, rest and refuge for those involved. Pastor Andrew Gardener said, ‘We're digging into prayer and worship over the next 24 hours which will be crucial, and on the practical side we're saying if you need rest, refuge, first aid, if you're hungry or thirsty come to us.’
Algeria: God builds his church
‘It is impossible to comprehend what is happening in Algeria apart from a mighty move of the Holy Spirit and years of patient intercession and sowing of the Word,’ reports Greg Kernaghan of OM International who visited the country to report how Christians in this nation are faring. ‘People from all walks of life are coming to Christ in numbers that church leaders cannot keep pace with. Conversions and miracles are testified and there is an enormous hunger to be trained and discipled. Believers have been set free from fear and their zeal and compassion is felt across the land. The growth of the Algerian church in the past decade - encircled by Muslim unrest and antagonism toward Christians in North Africa - is truly miraculous. There are at least 75,000 believers in Algeria today and their number is growing.’ Kernaghan reports.
