Kyrgyzstan: Tense after ethnic fighting
Kyrgyz troops patrolled burnt-out streets of the city of Osh to maintain a fragile peace between ethnic groups following days of fierce fighting. Mainly Muslim Kyrgyzstan has been on edge since a revolt in April toppled the president of the ethnically divided Central Asian country and brought an interim government to power. Clashes between its main ethnic groups, Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, erupted in the south on June 10 and escalated into the deadliest violence in the former Soviet republic in 20 years. At least 179 people have been killed, mainly in Osh and nearby Jalalabad. The violence has subsided in past days but a constitutional referendum expected next week may reignite tensions. The son of the deposed president was arrested in Farnborough having flown from Kyrgyzstan to the UK in a private jet. The interim government is seeking his extradition, accusing him of funding this latest violence. STOP PRESS: Kyrgyz Christians are already risking extra hostility for protecting Uzbek believers in the midst of the violent ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan. This morning (16 June) a pastor in Kyrgyzstan told Barnabas Fund that threats are now being voiced against Christians - rather than simply against a particular ethnic group. Barnabusfund Pray: that the fragile peace in Kyrgyzstan would continue and that the referendum would bring stability. (Pr.29:4)
INSIGHT ARTICLE G8/20 Summit
The Canadian Prime Minister has extended invitations to Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Colombia, Jamaica and Haiti to attend a special session at the G-8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario, from June 25-26. ‘The G-8 has a long tradition of developing credible solutions to global challenges in partnership with Africa and others in the international community,’ said the Prime Minister. See: As the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations gather June 25-27th in Canada for the G8/G20 Summits there is an opportunity for this summit to influence healing for the nations. Canada’s Prime Minister put forward an agenda for maternal health, in the spirit of caring for widows and orphans, and we can cover this and other influential proposals in prayer for a global move towards righteousness and justice; and for Jesus to bring healing to the nations. Click the 'Iinfo' button for prayer helps for the summit.
Pray: for solutions that will positively affect the poor in our world. (Ps.12:5) Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/G8G20insights1.pdf
Christian Aid condemns 'two-faced' EU
Europe is behaving in a dangerously two-faced way when it comes to protecting the world’s climate, Christian Aid warned as the UN climate talks drew to a close in Bonn last week. ‘European Union leaders claim they still support the only existing climate deal that has legal teeth, the Kyoto Protocol, but their actions tell a different story,’ said Dr Alison Doig, Christian Aid’s Senior Adviser on Climate Change. ‘By not giving the Protocol their strongest possible support and by allowing other rich countries to abandon Kyoto and instead make weak, non-binding pledges through the Copenhagen Accord, they are condemning Kyoto to death. Since many other rich countries want to let the Protocol expire, only enthusiastic backing from the European Union will save it now. We urge European leaders to seize the remaining opportunity in Bonn to show leadership on climate change.’ Under the Copenhagen Accord, countries would merely pledge the emissions cuts which they feel are politically expedient. Pray: for the Lord’s wise guidance to those in authority. (Job 12:13)
Christian Aid condemns 'two-faced' EU
Europe is behaving in a dangerously two-faced way when it comes to protecting the world’s climate, Christian Aid warned as the UN climate talks drew to a close in Bonn last week. ‘European Union leaders claim they still support the only existing climate deal that has legal teeth, the Kyoto Protocol, but their actions tell a different story,’ said Dr Alison Doig, Christian Aid’s Senior Adviser on Climate Change. ‘By not giving the Protocol their strongest possible support and by allowing other rich countries to abandon Kyoto and instead make weak, non-binding pledges through the Copenhagen Accord, they are condemning Kyoto to death. Since many other rich countries want to let the Protocol expire, only enthusiastic backing from the European Union will save it now. We urge European leaders to seize the remaining opportunity in Bonn to show leadership on climate change.’ Under the Copenhagen Accord, countries would merely pledge the emissions cuts which they feel are politically expedient. Pray: for the Lord’s wise guidance to those in authority. (Job 12:13)
