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Delegates from almost 200 nations will begin talks in the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Monday to prepare for a global summit on a UN climate pact. The search for new targets on emissions cuts promises to be a hotly debated issue with many developed nations eager to set a more cautious tone, but some environmental campaigners say tough action is still needed. The biggest greenhouse gas emitters China and the United States have pledged to curb carbon, but on a modest scale. In Europe, recession and green energy use mean the EU has already nearly met its 2020 target of a 20 percent cut in comparison with 1990 in greenhouse gas emissions, which include carbon and methane. Goals for 2020 agreed by EU leaders in 2007 became an international benchmark for climate ambition.
Pray: that the focus on climate change would lead to further steps to implement further reductions.
More: http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/10/warsaw-prepares-to-host-fresh-global-climate-talks/
Violent extremism, which is at its highest level in Europe since World War II, is becoming the continent's top security threat, the European Union's executive body has said. In a speech on the eve of talks on how to detect and prevent extremism, the EU's commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmstroem urged the EU 'to stand up and protect our values that are now being challenged in many countries in Europe'. She said that 'there has been a growth of extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, hatred and nationalism'. According to News 24, she added that 'not since World War II have extreme and populist forces had so much influence on the national parliaments as they have today. In some countries even neo-Nazis have been elected'. She said that if the trend continues, next year's European elections might further strengthen these forces, threatening the entire European project.
Pray: against this growing trend of extremism across Europe. (2Sam.22:3)
On January 25, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a non-binding resolution stating: ‘Euthanasia, in the sense of the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit, must always be prohibited.’ The purpose of the resolution, entitled ‘Protecting human rights and dignity by taking into account previously expressed wishes of patients,’ defines the principles that should govern the practice of ‘living wills’ or ‘advance directives’ in the 47 States of the Council of Europe. The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) welcomed the adoption of the PACE resolution. ‘This Resolution is a major victory for the protection of life and dignity,’ said ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck. Puppinck noted that because ‘living wills’ or ‘advance directives’ are open to abuses, and are a ‘backdoor’ for introducing euthanasia or assisted suicide into legislation, PACE's resolution was necessary.
Pray: that this resolution will be adopted across Europe. (Pr.13:14)
More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=9780
While Colonel Gaddafi was in Rome on an official state visit marking the second anniversary of a friendship treaty signed with Italy he said Islam should 'become the religion of all Europe'. The secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Evangelisation, Archbishop Robert Sarah dismissed the comments as a 'non-solicited provocation lacking seriousness. To speak of the European continent converting to Islam makes no sense because it is the people alone who decide consciously to be Christian, Muslim or to follow other religions', he said. True danger for Europeans was relativism, a lack of attention to faith, the weakness of religion and an indifference to the sacred. These are true enemies for our faith which could create a fertile ground for the eventual future penetration of Islam in all of Europe. Pray: for a Christian revival in Europe, enabling Christians to reclaim the years consumed by secularism, mammon and idolatry. (Joel2:25) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/vatican.dismisses.gaddafis.call.for.europe.to.convert.to.islam/26612.htm
A working paper released during Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to Cyprus to prepare for a crisis summit of Middle Eastern bishops in Rome in October also cites the ‘extremist current’ unleashed by the rise of ‘political Islam’ as a threat to Christians. In his final Mass in Cyprus on Sunday, the pontiff said he was praying that the October meeting will focus the attention of the international community ‘on the plight of those Christians in the Middle East who suffer for their beliefs.’ He appealed for an ‘urgent and concerted international effort to resolve the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, especially in the Holy Land, before such conflicts lead to greater bloodshed.’ Pray: for the Holy Spirit to give peace to those suffering for their faith in the Middle East. (2Th.1:5)
A major highlight for the Year of Faith will be a two-day celebration in Rome on the Church’s teaching about the dignity of life and how it fits with the New Evangelization, reports Catholic News Agency. Father Geno Sylva, the English-language official for the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, hopes the event will speak so clearly to the secularworld that it is 'going to have to listen and say, ‘well, there is a culture of life coming out of the Church.' The June 15-16 international gathering will begin on Saturday morning with a catechesis session on ‘The Gospel of Life and the New Evangelization The event will ‘explore the enduring and timeless truths of Blessed John Paul II's 1995 encyclical, ‘Evangelium Vitae,’ and the central role that the Gospel of Life continues to have in the Church's mission of the New Evangelization,’ according to organizers.
Pray: that this event will bring wisdom and understand ing on the subject of the dignity of life.
Middle East Bishops have demanded that Israel end occupation of Palestinian lands. In a final joint communiqué, they also told Israel not to use the Bible to justify ‘injustices’ against the Palestinians. While they condemned terrorism and anti-Semitism, they laid much of the blame for the conflict squarely on Israel. They listed the ‘occupation’ of Palestinian lands, Israel’s separation barrier with the West Bank, military checkpoints, political prisoners, demolition of homes and disturbance of socio-economic lives as factors that have made life increasingly difficult for Palestinians. All forms of racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Christianism and Islamophobia are to be condemned. Religious leaders’ responsibilities are to promote dialogue between cultures and civilizations. That the bishops are making these ‘bold’ statements is a testament to Israel’s essential decency and humanity. The bishops know that there will be no serious consequences or massive reprisals against Christians in Israel for ‘speaking out’, whereas similar Christian criticism or questioning of an Arab government in the region, or Islamic extremism, would produce such. Pray: for even-handedness to prevail in judging Middle East issues by opinion-formers. (Pr.16:10) More: http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/10/singling-out-israel-isnrsquot-christian
The Pope’s resignation letter said, ‘After examining my conscience before God, I am certain that my strengths, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.’ His brother Georg Ratzinger said, ‘He felt he was gradually losing the abilities he had that it takes to fulfil this office properly,’ The Pope later said, ‘In today's rapid changes and amid questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strengths which in the last few months have deteriorated in me and I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me.’ Meanwhile the media are asking could the next Pope be black?‘Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, Peter Turkson of Ghana and Marc Ouellet of Canada are among cardinals tipped to replace Pope Benedict XVI.
Pray: the Pope and his team in the days leading up to and during the conclave to elect a new Pope. (Is.46:4-11b)
The Pope's private butler, 46 year old Paolo Gabriele, stole a raft of private documents from the Pontiff's office and ‘leaked’ them to the media as part of a campaign to rid the Vatican of ‘evil and corruption.’ A judge ordered Gabriele to stand trial for aggravated theft. A Vatican IT expert was also charged in connection with the leaking of the documents and faces a lesser accusation of aiding and abetting. According to a 35-page document Gabriele had told prosecutors that he had acted because he had seen ‘evil and corruption everywhere in the Church’ and he wanted to stop it spreading, adding. ‘I reached the point of no return. I was sure that a shock, perhaps by using the media, could be a healthy thing to bring the Church back on the right track.’ The Pope's spokesman said the Pope could step in and pardon Mr Gabriele and avoid a trial.
Pray: that the Vatican will open itself up to appropriate external scrutiny so that anything hidden will be revealed. (Job 9:4-6)
Six Baptists who led Sunday worship in an old people's home near Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent face criminal and administrative charges after an ‘anti-terror operation’ against their service, Baptists told Forum 18 News Service. Asked why the authorities halted the service and harassed participants, deputy police chief Major Sofar Fayziyev – who took part in the raid – told Forum 18: ‘They could not produce any proof that they had authorisation for their activity.’ Elsewhere, three Baptists were fined after police raided a Sunday morning church service. As happens frequently, the court verdict ordered the destruction of Bibles and other confiscated Christian literature. Judge Abdumumin Rahimov who handed a massive fine to a young resident of Navoi for transporting literature insists that ‘the main purpose of the punishment is not revenge against the offender, but teaching him to respect the law’. Pray: for the believers in Uzbekistan that the authorities will cease to block God’s Word and His message. (Ps.1:6)