Climate change march
Christians will join a Campaign Against Climate Change march in London on 1 Dec that starts at the US Embassy. The US consistently rejects the Kyoto protocol and is still the biggest immediate barrier to effective internationally coordinated action on climate. The march finishes at the Houses of Parliament. Christians, Ecology Link and Operation Noah will be joining together ahead of the start of the march for an ecumenical worship service at Grosvenor Chapel. Global climate change is having a devastating impact on the lives of people around the world. In the UK Christian Aid is lobbying the Government to give the poorest people a voice in climate negotiations. They ask us to support their partners by bringing the issues to God in prayer. See: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/churches/prayer/climate-change.aspx
Pray: that this march will motivate governments to take further positive actions. (Eph.2:10)
More: http://www.campaigncc.org/
Universities receive Saudi funds
Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia has been the largest source of donations from Islamic states and royal families to British universities, much of which has been to the study of Islam, the Middle East and Arabic literature. A large share of this money has been used towards establishing Islamic study centres. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal donated £8 million to Cambridge and Edinburgh respectively for this purpose. Over recent years Oxford received Saudi support of £2 million to the Ashmolean Museum and £1 million to the Middle East Centre. There are many other donors. Oxford’s £75 million Islamic Studies Centre was supported by 12 Muslim countries. Sultan Qaboos bin Said, of Oman gave £3.1 million to Cambridge to fund two posts, including a chair of Arabic. The Saïd Business School at Oxford University was set up by a Syrian-Saudi businessman, with a £23 million donation.
Pray: for Universities to be able to tap a variety of lucrative sponsors without abandoning established national syllabus and ethos.
More: http://www.arabnews.com/british-universities-receive-saudi-funds
Reality of austerity
As part of 'Living Wage Week' the Northern TUC will be holding a conference on 'Wages, Poverty and Pay Day Loans - the reality of austerity' on Friday Nov 9th showing how austerity measures have depressed wages and increased the squeeze on living standards and hardship for people in low wage jobs. Facts revealed include * The majority of children living in poverty are in households where at least one person is in work * £6 billion each year is spent in benefits and tax credits to top up the wages of low paid employees * Over 90% of new housing benefit claims are from people in work * If the national minimum wage had increased in line with top earners, it would be more than £19 per hour today.
Pray: for God to give the Government, unions and others in positions of authority His wisdom as they face social and economic problems. (Is.58:10-12)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17329
15th Nov Police elections
Elections for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will take place next Thursday across England and Wales. They are described as the biggest policing shake-up for 50 years. For the first time ever an individual will be responsible for setting police budgets and strategic priorities. A Police and Crime panel sitting alongside the elected Commissioner would make sure that their decisions, including the sacking of a chief constable, were not taken ‘maliciously or capriciously’. New York famously managed to halve crime by adopting zero-tolerance policing when Mayor Rudy Giuliani asked his Police Chief to focus on small crimes, sending a message of order being restored. In the UK Ray Mallon, a former Police Officer, helped cut crime in Middlesbrough when he was Mayor.
Pray: for those elected to be free to work independent of political agendas in the communities that they will be responsible for. (Ps.37:37,38)
More: http://www.policeelections.com/
