Morocco: Purge of Christians continues
Morocco expelled a teacher for allegedly attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity. According to the Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais’, authorities expelled Sara Domene of Spain for ‘threatening public order.’ It's a common phrase used to allege ‘proselytizing.’ Domene, also a member of an evangelical church, denies the charge, saying she was giving Spanish lessons. The 1992 constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all while designating Islam as the state religion. Any criticism of Islam is banned under the Penal Code and is punishable with up to five years in prison. The government is being especially vigilant this year in upholding the code. In March, King Mohammed VI expelled 20 foreign missionaries. Shortly afterward, about 7,000 Moroccan theologians publicly supported his decision. Several mission agencies note that this action set the stage for another wave of deportations and expulsions. The latest round reveals itself as a calculated effort to purge Morocco of all Christian elements. Pray: that many followers of Christ will be able to continue His work in Morocco. (Ps.5:11)
G20: Leaders agree to halve deficits by 2013
Leaders at the G20 summit in Toronto, Canada have agreed to cut national budget deficits in half by 2013. Heads of state also agreed to new rules that would force British banks to boost their funds by £130 billion to reduce the risk of another Lehman Brothers-style collapse. In a reversal from the unity of the past three crisis-era Group of 20 Summits, the leaders decided to adopt ‘differentiated and tailored’ economic policies for each country. ‘Our challenges are as diverse as our nations,’ US President Barack Obama said. ‘But together we represent some 85 per cent of the global economy, and we have forged a coordinated response to the worst global economic crisis of our time.’ George Osborne, Chancellor of the Excequer, hailed the G20 statement as a vindication of the coalition government's policy. A sign of how much work was involved to forge the G20 consensus, is that negotiators spent at least 45 hours drafting the summit's final communique. Pray: that the policies the world leaders have adopted will not only benefit the rich but also the poorer nations. (Ecc.5:11)
Micah Challenge calls Christians to pray
World: The International Christian movement Micah Challenge is calling upon millions of Christians to pray and take action against extreme poverty as part of its 10.10.10 campaign. Today (Thursday) marks the 100-day countdown to 10.10.10, when as many as 100 million Christians worldwide will remind their political leaders of the promises they made to halve extreme global poverty by 2015. Micah Challenge and its many partner organisations, including The Salvation Army, World Vision and Tearfund, warn that unless urgent action is taken now, many of the Millennium Development Goals agreed in 2000 will not be met. On October 10, Christians will join in saying a specially written 10.10.10 prayer asking for God’s intervention on behalf of those still suffering in poverty and confessing their own failure in ignoring God’s call for justice. They will also make a promise to remember the poor and remind their political leaders of the need to keep their commitments to the poor. Pray: And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Mic.6:8) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/micah.challenge.calls.christians.to.pray.and.act.for.worlds.poor/26201.htm
Human Rights Watch and torture
Three countries - France, Germany and the UK - acquire foreign intelligence for security and police matters from countries that routinely use torture to obtain information, claims a report issued on 28 June by Human Rights Watch. Additionally the use of torture intelligence in the fight against terrorism damages the credibility of the European Union, as they contradict anti-torture guidelines. Intelligence services in the three countries claim it is impossible to know the sources and methods used to acquire shared information in states such as Algeria, Syria, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. But officials in the UK and Germany have made public statements indicating that they believe it is sometimes acceptable to use foreign intelligence even if obtained under torture, the report notes. The 62-page long document cites the case of Djamel Beghal, whose statements made under ill-treatment in the United Arab Emirates were used against him in a French court, where he was on trial for plotting a terrorist attack. Pray: that even those plotting inhumane deeds are treated humanely. (Ps. 79:11)
