causing power cuts and closing highways. Police and army units are on standby for rescue operations in Israel. In Lebanon heavy snow in the central Bekaa Valley closed gas stations, banks, schools and most shops; disrupting life for everyone but devastating for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees living in tents and makeshift shelters. Men were seen using brooms and sticks to try to clear heavy snow from tents, fearing the weight would cause them to collapse. Inside the tents families huddled around wood burning stoves, trying to keep warm. Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip declared a state of emergency over the storm. (Nearly one in three of Gaza’s population is living in temporary accommodation or homeless.)

Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, millions of displaced people have crossed the border with neighbouring Lebanon. Many refugees were initially welcomed by locals and given shelter, food, and renewed hope. However, tensions between the two groups are now common. Misunderstandings and lack of communication are a constant challenge to social unity and safe spaces for socialisation are needed. Please pray for the various agencies working towards conflict transformation and bringing together Syrians and Lebanese to talk about issues affecting their communities. Also Lebanon’s infrastructure cannot cope with the influx of 1,000,000+ refugees. This week new restrictions were placed on Syrians wanting to enter the country. They now need a clear purpose for their visit and must be sponsored by a Lebanese individual or company wanting to employ them for a certain duration. See 

In the coming months people in the UK will be pondering about and praying into this year’s general election. Globally 2015 will host many dynamic electoral battles in countries where political corruption, poverty caused by government mismanagement, potential nepotism in high places and opportunities for positive change will influence the ballot box. Two examples are:- On a date yet to be confirmed in Saudi Arabia women will be allowed to vote and run for office for the first time in Municipal Elections. Also in May, Spain’s elections will see Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy trying to improve his image after accusations of corruption and economic disorder that led to a historic bailout of Spain’s banking sector. For brief outlines of influences and issues surrounding other pioneering elections in 2015 click the more button.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a radical paramilitary group, is planning to convert 4,000 Christian and 1,000 Muslim families to Hinduism by the next 25th of December in Uttar Pradesh. Militants call it the ‘returning home’ programme. Father Francis Arackal, a Dominican priest and head of the department of Communication at St Joseph's College Bangalore said, ‘The RSS claims to be upholding the culture of India and Hinduism. They are doing cheap conversions. The proposed reconversion drive is being planned as a conspiracy politics. The State Assembly elections are due in Uttar Pradesh in 2016. This is a 'diverting attention’ trick. The other intention is to hide all the wrong doings, criminalising politics and communal violence in India.’

A Canadian prayer network reports, ‘Across Canada there has been a marked increase in speedy answers to prayer. It’s as if we have come into a time of fulfillment.’ Canadian intercessors ask us to join them as they pray for the following:- for God to move in new ways among the First Peoples (native Canadians), bringing life justice, healing, and redemption. Muslims: Last summer a great promise was given regarding a visitation of God to the Canadian Muslims. Radical Islam has been rising, pray for Muslims to begin to question their teachings and seek God anew. Prince Edward Island: Pray for the province of PEI as they are currently without a premier, and this province has been aggressively targeted by the pro-abortion special interest group. Pray that the birth place of confederation remains an abortion-free zone.

At a gathering organised by Father Gabriel Naddaf, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded Christian soldiers who fully integrate with Israeli society. Netanyahu said, ‘We are brothers in arms. I commend you for the will to be full partners in contributing to defending this nation.’ Netanyahu noted that it was not always easy for Arabic-speaking Christians to so fully join themselves to Israel, but vowed ‘We will firmly support you against all that would harass you. - Christians are suffering in the Middle East.’ The Israeli leader recalled the recent shrinkage and disappearance of entire Christian communities that were in the region since the birth of Christianity. He insisted that all who criticise Israel and work toward the birth of a Palestinian state (that would most likely fall to Hamas) must compare this larger  situation to Israel, the only nation in the region where the Christian population is growing.

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 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.

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: 

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.