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
