Syria: the West has betrayed Christians
27 Nov 2015
The head of the Syriac Catholic Church has accused Western governments of betraying Christians in the Middle East, and said it was ‘a big lie’ to suggest Islamic State could be defeated with airstrikes. Syriac Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan said, ‘All Eastern patriarchs, myself included, have spoken out clearly to the West from the very beginning: be careful, the situation in Syria is not like Egypt, Tunisia or Libya. It’s much more complex, and conflict here will create chaos and civil war. They disagreed, saying the Assad regime will fall soon. That hasn’t happened and five years later, innocent people, especially Christians, have no support. The West has betrayed us.’ The West is now stepping up attacks after terrorists killed 130 in Paris and dozens in Beirut, but the patriarch said airstrikes were ineffective at targeting IS because its religiously-indoctrinated operatives are well financed and well armed, and have infiltrated local populations.
Mali: Christians vulnerable following attack
27 Nov 2015
Gunmen shouting Islamic slogans attacked the Radisson Blue Hotel, frequented by foreigners, early last Friday. After Malian commandos stormed the hotel, a large number of hostages were freed. Although it is suspected that the attack was sparked by terror attacks on Paris last week, it is important to keep in mind that the attack happened within the context of insecurity that has been lingering since the 2013 Islamic rebellion. A fragile peace accord reached in June 2015 has so far not succeeded in brokering lasting stability. An Open Doors worker said, ‘Some of the Christians who were forced to flee the North during the 2013 rebellion have ventured back, but have found it very hard to cope with the destruction of their properties and the ongoing anxiety. However, as this attack clearly shows, Christians in the South also continue to face insecurity.’
Turkey: will anybody support the Turkmen?
27 Nov 2015
Turkish-Russian relations, already tense due to Moscow’s military engagement in Syria to aid President Bashar al-Assad, took a dangerous turn when a Russian fighter jet was shot down by the Turkish military. Ankara said the plane had violated Turkey’s airspace, a claim that Russia is rejecting. The incident follows angry statements in recent days from Ankara aimed at Russia for hitting targets in an area where Turkmen fighters armed and supported by Turkey are fighting the Syrian army, which is supported by Russian fighter jets. A fuming Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned Ankara after the downing of the jet that there would be ‘significant consequences,' signalling Turkish-Russian ties changing radically as Turkey faces Moscow’s increasing resolve to fight anti-Assad groups supported by Ankara. Ankara insists that there is no IS presence where Turkmen are located. The Turkmen are ethnic Turks who have lived in the region since the 11th century.
India: Nellore floods prayer request
27 Nov 2015
Nellore is a city on the banks of the Penna River in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is the fourth most populous settlement of the state, well known for its agriculture and aquaculture. There have been horrendous floods in Nellore district for two weeks, with a calamitous impact on families and industry, destroying homes and farming equipment. A pastor living there writes, ‘Please pray for our state as there is lot of flooding. My family and many more relatives are stuck in this situation. My nephew is crying every day. I don't know how many people are crying like that; they are unable to come out of that place and we cannot reach them. Please watch and please pray for us. No power for three days, many lack food. As we help and support them please stretch your blessed hands towards these people who have lost everything due to floods.’
Israel: the battle against terror
27 Nov 2015
During the first thirty days of the new Jewish year which began on 13 September, there were 778 terrorist attacks in Israel. Fourteen Jewish people were murdered in these attacks, 167 were seriously wounded, and twenty are fighting for their lives. Since the beginning of October stabbings, shootings and vehicle rammings have killed another 22. Over 80% of the perpetrators came from the West Bank. Neither Mahmoud Abbas nor the Palestinian Authority (PA) have condemned any of these hundreds of acts of terror against innocent Jewish civilians. Instead they have encouraged them with PA-produced videos such as ‘Nothing is as Sweet as Martyrdom’ which encourages Palestinians to murder Jews (see link below). This week new measures were introduced in the West Bank to tackle Palestinian terror attacks. IDF soldiers have set up checkpoints surrounding Hebron, Hawara, and Nablus, and around villages adjacent to the Etzion settlement bloc. See also: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202514#.VlSULHbhCM8 and Palestinian video link: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/203522#.VlSR33bhCM9
On Tuesday, at the beginning of the tenth Church of England General Synod, Archbishop Justin Welby used his presidential address to say he had two fears for the Synod. ‘If I might begin with the worst,’ he said, ‘it is that we approach this Synod as a place of suspicion and conflict. To use Pope Francis' phrase, we cannot come together in a “hermeneutic of conspiracy”’. The Archbishop said the system of Synod suggested one side must win and the other lose, but this was not the case. ‘If any lose, we all lose. If any win, we all win. The Church must not be ashamed that it has its arguments in public, it is healthy and good.’ He cited the Church's discussions on sexuality as a successful way Christians were able to discuss a controversial issue in a respectful way but he accepted the next five years of Synod offered 'enormous challenges to the future of the Church'.
Talking Jesus: New Year prayer call
27 Nov 2015
The Evangelical Alliance, HOPE, and the Church of England are launching a time of prayer from 31 December 2015 to 3 January 2016 in response to the game-changing research about perceptions of Jesus published earlier this year, ‘Talking Jesus’. The three organisations have collaborated on resources to encourage churches and individuals to pray during watch-night services on New Year's Eve and on the first Sunday in 2016 that more people would come to understand better the hope that is in Jesus. The research showed that an increasing number of people in the UK have little understanding of who Jesus is. Christians are being encouraged to respond in prayer to the publication, as well as to embark on a long-term commitment to changing the story in the UK, so that people might meet Jesus, love him and follow him. Resources include a video to play at the prayer events, a Talking Jesus New Year prayer, and a leaflet to equip congregations to pray.
Alarming scale of steroid abuse in Welsh rugby
27 Nov 2015
UK anti-doping figures reveal that Welsh rugby players constitute 34% of all sportspeople serving drugs bans. An ex-player told BBC Wales he is surprised more people have not been banned, but WRU chief Martyn Phillips says he is ‘not overly concerned’. The player, who would not be named, said, ‘It's totally off-the-scale. I think people are probably blind to it and if the truth came out there would be a lot more players who are banned from playing.’ An anti-doping expert said it was easy for cheats to avoid being caught because some drugs leave the body quickly. Seventeen Welsh rugby union and league players, from grassroots to semi-pro, are currently banned, with the majority found to have traces of anabolic steroids in their systems. In a survey of one hundred rugby union clubs, fifteen players said they had used a performance-enhancing drug, but only five had been drug tested.