Russia has positioned at least seven Russian T-90 tanks at an airfield near the Syrian government stronghold of Latakia, in a continued show of support by the Kremlin for President Bashar Al-Assad. Washington has said that the movement on the ground in Syria appears to indicate that Russia intends to create a forward air operating base at the airfield in the port city, which has been at the centre of a recent Russian military build-up in Syria. The Syrian Ambassador to Russia has rejected the claims as a lie spread by the US. ‘We have been co-operating with Russia for 30-40 years in various areas, including the military sphere. We receive arms and military equipment in line with agreements between our countries.’ He added, ‘Supplies to Syria are accompanied by Russian specialists, who help to adjust the equipment and train Syrian personnel how to use the weaponry.’
Azerbaijan: Old world and new
17 Sep 2015
Sadly, corruption prevails here. Azerbaijan has high ratings of human development, but the government in this prosperous country abuses many rights of its population. Christianity is frequently associated with Russian imperialism and Armenian enmity, so Christians are harassed by law enforcement and threatened with heavy fines. As the first Muslim-majority democratic and secular republic, there is evidence of a new movement in Azerbaijani history. God has blessed the land with oil and natural gases and we are asked to pray for God to protect the nation from outside forces plundering its resources and territories. Most Azerbaijanis do not know Jesus Christ. We can pray for the few believers in the land to ‘proclaim what great things Jesus has done’ (Mk.5:20) in the dozens of towns and villages which have never heard the Gospel. Pray for believers to lead the way in providing enduring solutions to conflicts with Armenia and Russia by ‘loving and doing good’ (Lk.6:27)
Jordan: Refugee food rations cut - now what?
17 Sep 2015
200,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan were told by text message last week that their food rations were being cut. The United Nations’ World Food Programme sent the message as a last resort when no major donors stepped forward to fund the programme further. As startling as that is, it’s not much better anywhere else. In just eight months, more than 350,000 refugees have crossed into Europe. More than half of Syria’s population have fled their homes or been killed since the crisis began four years ago. The countries receiving them are cash-strapped. Tasos Ioannidis of AMG International said, ‘Some countries have talked about closing borders so that the refugees will not be able to continue and enter their territory. They’re concerned about the economic cost of the refugees, and also fear that somehow those who are coming in are going to be a problem for their local communities.’
Prostitution consultation deeply misguided
17 Sep 2015
Last Tuesday an independent MSP launched a consultation on decriminalising prostitution and brothel-keeping. It was slammed by anti-trafficking charity, CARE for Scotland. The consultation, launched by Jean Urquhart who is standing down after next year’s Holyrood elections, would allow the keeping of brothels, soliciting and kerb-crawling - all currently illegal under Scots law. CARE for Scotland said the consultation was deeply misguided and would send a terrible message to victims and those who find themselves in prostitution because of a range of external factors such as poverty, abuse or trafficking. The charity is calling on the Scottish government to bring forward a new piece of legislation to criminalise the purchase of sex, a method which has been proved to help reduce trafficking levels in Nordic countries. The charity has already urged MSPs to consider Northern Ireland’s trafficking laws, where the purchase of sexual services is banned, as a template for Scotland to follow.
MP warns PM of Sunday trading rebellion
17 Sep 2015
Conservative MP David Burrowes warned David Cameron that he faces strong opposition over proposed changes to Sunday trading laws which the government will discuss this week. Mr Burrowes said that many Conservatives would not vote for the proposals, pointing out that ‘this wasn’t in the manifesto or the Queen’s Speech.’ The reforms would undermine family life and hit the poorest in society. In April a Conservative representative said the government had no current plans to relax the Sunday trading laws and believes that the current system provides a reasonable balance between those who wish to see more opportunity to shop in large stores on a Sunday and those who would like to see greater restrictions. See http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/family/conservative-u-turn-on-sunday-trading
Each year more than 20,000 children in Scotland have to deal with a parent going to prison. Labour proposed special assessments to be carried out to help these youngsters. Even though SNP MSPs on Holyrood's Justice Committee rejected the call for child and family impact assessments to be carried out, Labour MSP Mary Fee's amendment was passed by the committee, and now forms part of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill going through the Scottish Parliament. Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was concerned that the SNP could use its majority to remove the bill at a later stage and urged the First Minister to ‘do the right thing’ and instruct her MSPs to back it. Ms Sturgeon told her, ‘I can assure parliament we will give full consideration to the amendment that was passed and will consider whether or not that amendment meets our objective to help the children of those sent to prison.’
David Cameron is warned of IS infiltration
17 Sep 2015
Lebanese education minister Elias Bousaab met the Prime Minister during his lightning visit to the region and warned him that IS is sending trained jihadists ‘under cover’ to attack targets in the West, and that two in every 100 Syrian migrants smuggled into Europe are Islamic State-trained fanatics. If true, it could mean up to 400 of the 20,000 refugees Britain has promised to accept by 2020 have been radicalised. Mr. Bousaab said the extremists choose targets, including children, in refugee camps and schools before trafficking them into Europe via Turkey and Greece. On his first visit to Lebanon, the PM said that without aid, hundreds of thousands more people could attempt the perilous crossing into Europe. Bousaab said, ‘IS will not stop at the border with Lebanon, before you know it IS will be in Europe.’ He warned that without more help for those in the refugee camps people with ‘no hope, no work, no education’ and who are poor are ‘easy to recruit’.
Mental health and well-being
17 Sep 2015
The Mental Health Foundation reports that one in ten children aged between 5 and 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder - that’s three children in every classroom. More than half of adults with mental health problems were diagnosed in childhood, but less than half were treated appropriately at the time. Today one in four adults experience mental health problems, and every church has a role to play to support all members of their community. There is a ‘mental health access pack’ designed specifically for the church community to help them to help others. Justin Welby said, ‘The action pack will help equip churches to make God’s love more visible in the welcome they offer. I am grateful to Livability and to Mind and Soul for all the thought and prayer that has gone into this resource, and I commend it to churches as a valuable pastoral tool.’ See also: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-statistics/children-young-people/