Winter Olympics: Russia launches Sochi security clampdown
Russia has launched one of the biggest security operations in Olympic history, a month before the start of the winter games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The authorities are deploying more than 30,000 police and interior ministry troops and limiting access to the area. The main concern is the threat of attack by Islamist militants from the restive North Caucasus region. Russia's most wanted man, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov, has urged his fighters to target the Winter Olympics. The BBC's Steven Rosenberg in Moscow says recent deadly bombings in Volgograd have intensified those worries. President Vladimir Putin was in Sochi on Monday night to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas, appearing at a church service. ‘Starting 7 January, all divisions responsible for ensuring the guests' security at the Games are being put on combat alert,’ Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said.
Europe's young Christians encouraged to have missional lifestyle
Between December 28 and January 2, more than 2,700 young people from across Europe met in Offenburg, Germany, for the bi-annual Mission-Net conference. Primarily aimed at people ages between 16 and 30, the conference and its network encourage a Christian missional lifestyle that links spiritual expressions of faith with practical outworkings. Mission-Net is commissioned and supported by the European Evangelical Mission Association and the European Evangelical Alliance. The theme of the five-day conference was 'Work in Progress'. Around 75 theologians and speakers shared their thoughts on the topic through large-scale meetings as well as interactive seminars. Main speaker Karin Ramachandra spoke from the book of Nehemiah on the opening night, in which she stressed that all things are possible with God, regardless of how large our own shortcomings are.
Winter Olympics: Russia launches Sochi security clampdown
Russia has launched one of the biggest security operations in Olympic history, a month before the start of the winter games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The authorities are deploying more than 30,000 police and interior ministry troops and limiting access to the area. The main concern is the threat of attack by Islamist militants from the restive North Caucasus region. Russia's most wanted man, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov, has urged his fighters to target the Winter Olympics. The BBC's Steven Rosenberg in Moscow says recent deadly bombings in Volgograd have intensified those worries. President Vladimir Putin was in Sochi on Monday night to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas, appearing at a church service. ‘Starting 7 January, all divisions responsible for ensuring the guests' security at the Games are being put on combat alert,’ Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said.
Welby dismisses critics' calls to stay out of politics and stick to talking about God
The Archbishop of Canterbury shrugged off calls from critics to steer clear of politics and “just talk about God” insisting that the Church has increasingly become the “glue” holding society together. The Most Rev Justin Welby used his first New Year address as leader of the Church of England to reaffirm tackling poverty as one of the biggest priorities. Archbishop Welby, a former oil executive, has drawn from his knowledge of the City as a prominent critic of practices by bankers, payday lenders and others. It was a theme he returned to in his first Christmas sermon last week when he spoke about combating “injustice” adding that politics and religion “cannot be separated”. But it led to attacks from some commentators who claimed that the Archbishop was failing to talk about faith. The Archbishop replied saying that as Christians if you love your neighbour you’re going to be deeply concerned in the things that trouble them, whether it’s about heating bills, insecurity in families and the need for good community life.
Pray: for the Church to continue its involvement in supporting so many aspects of society. (Mtt.28:18)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10546198/Welby-dismisses-critics-calls-to-stay-out-of-politics-and-stick-to-talking-about-God.html
