On Tuesday a research project reported 714 protests nationwide in November after charges were dropped against Mubarak over complicity in killing protesters during the 2011 uprising. Recently students nationwide staged demonstrations on university campuses and generally protested against the government - mainly against the detainment of their colleagues. In Egypt the army plays an influential role in political and economic spheres. President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi was previously chief of the army, which toppled Mursi. On Monday an Egyptian prosecutor referred 399 civilians to a military court, including four top leaders, as the state expands a crackdown against political opponents, - causing more protests. Recently the Coptic Church marched to draw attention to the ‘lack of justice’ for 28 Christian deaths during the 2011 protests. http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/353974925.html
Lebanon: No more Syrian refugees
28 Dec 2014
Lebanon has announced it will not accept any more Syrian refugees. Lebanon has over a million officially-registered Syrian refugees (25% of the population) with an untold number of unregistered refugees living under overpasses, renting tent space in Bekaa Valley, hiding out in warehouses, garages, (in any space they can find). Some sources say there are over two million refugees in Lebanon. They have stretched the country’s infrastructure and residents resent losing low-paying jobs to non-Lebanese. The government is encouraging Syrian refugees to leave. Where can they go? They can’t go back to Syria. Many have lost their homes. It’s too dangerous for them to go back. There are very few options available to them. The weather in Lebanon is cold and few refugees have shelter that will withstand the conditions. There’s no education, no healthcare and food shortages.
Ghana: Economic woes and Christianity
28 Dec 2014
Twenty-five years ago the Christian message in Ghana was, ‘Repent and accept Jesus and you will be saved.’ Today, in many places, salvation is presented as an experience with Jesus Christ that will give Ghanaians the power to be successful in life, rub shoulders with the rich and be happy. The word ‘faith’ has a changed meaning in many Christian quarters to mean a power to ‘get what you want’. Theologians call it Prosperity Gospel. Also Ghana’s once stable economy is no longer on a firm footing. There are sharp rises in inflation, frequent power cuts, crumbling roads and dramatic plunges in the value of the currency that is causing unrest. The government recently requested a bailout from the International Monetary Fund, despite discoveries of vast oil reserves. Many are saying Ghana has gone the way of other African oil producers who became riddled with corruption when oil was discovered. See also:
Pakistan: Peshawar school massacre
28 Dec 2014
145 families have lost precious members after six gunmen walked from classroom to classroom in a school killing-spree. It’s Pakistani Taliban’s deadliest attack to date. They shot at random until army commandos arrived at the scene. ‘My son was in uniform in the morning - he is in a casket now,’ said Tahir Ali, who lost his 14-year-old son. ‘My son was my dream. My dream has been killed.’ Local hospitals are treating dozens of the injured. 136 children and nine staff have died. Mourners staged candlelit vigils overnight. Pakistani Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai said, ‘I, along with millions of others around the world, mourn these children, but we will never be defeated.’ A Taliban spokesman said the attack was revenge for Taliban members being killed by Pakistani authorities. His organization, Tehreek-e-Taliban, is a military group working to overthrow the Pakistani government.
Nigeria: Preparations for 2015 Elections
12 Dec 2014
Nigeria will hold a presidential election on 14 February and many are beginning to speculate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid and how political parties will address issues affecting Nigeria’s economy, terrorist and political challenges. In the coming weeks there will be quarrels over who is to be a delegate as well as many issues that may arise through primaries. Although a President can never solve all the problems in his country we can pray that the candidates for the next presidency will be men or women who have a heart to make positive differences to Nigeria’s future.
Egypt: Lawyer convert still in jail
12 Dec 2014
The first Egyptian citizen to attempt to change his legal religious identity from Muslim to Christian, Mohammed Hegazy, has been in jail for twelve months awaiting a verdict on separate misdemeanour charges, (due on 28 December). He faces five years in jail if an appeal court upholds his June conviction of ‘illegally filming anti-Christian demonstrations.’ His lawyer, Karam Ghobrial, said he is optimistic that the appeal court judge will overturn the conviction because no evidence was produced to prove the allegations against his client. Mr. Ghobrial contends that the real reason for the arrest and custody was because he is publicly known for a case he tried to open in 2007 to legalize his conversion to Christianity.
A week after the burning to death of Christian couple Shama and Shahzad in the Punjab, police accused Qaiser Ayub, 40, from Lahore of an alleged act of blasphemy. Mr Ayub is a Christian with a masters degree in computer sciences and a well-known blogger. He was accused of using derogatory language against the Holy Prophet in his blogs and of making threats. He went into hiding. He was found and arrested on 14 November. According to the chairman of Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan, his wife Amina Bibi and three children are in safe custody and will be taken care of while legal assistance for his case is organised. Qaiser Ayub remains in jail during the judicial investigation. Sources claim police are hiding the case and keeping the investigation secret while requesting the media to keep it in low profile. See also
Iraq/Syria: ISIS trains ten year olds
12 Dec 2014ISIS has released photographs showing children around ten years of age in soldier uniforms being trained to use assault rifles such as AK47s to kill people in Iraq and Syria. The children are also seen performing military drills, and marching before ISIS' black flag. The terror group has also been accused multiple times of carrying out extreme violence against children. Earlier this month, the vicar of Baghdad revealed that four Iraqi Christian children were beheaded by the terror group for refusing to convert to Islam. A CNN report in September shared the story of a 13-year-old boy who escaped a training camp and said that he witnessed militants carry out beheadings, stoning and a crucifixion. Chaldean-American businessman Mark Arabo said this week, ‘They are systematically beheading children, and mothers and fathers. The world hasn't seen an evil like this for a generation.