And Now for the News of the Day - Tuesday, October 11

Here are today’s News briefs from around the world. Here is some information to read, to reflect upon. Each of these events and issues require our prayers. Remember that God has a plan for each believer, each faithful follower.

Always direct love and generosity toward God. Strive to be good tenants of the vineyard. Do not betray God. Fidelity with God is essential for our spiritual health, spiritual well-being.


Mr. Thein Sein, Burma’s president granted amnesty to approximately 6300 prisoners. The announcement was made on state radio and television. This appears to be the first step steps of reforms of the new elected government. There had been an appeal from the government appointed Human Rights Commission requesting that the president to grant amnesty as a gesture of forgiveness.


According to a report issued by the United Nations Taliban detainees in 47 facilities, in 24 provinces run by the Afghan National Police and Directorate of Security received interrogation techniques considered to be torture under international and Afghan law. These practices were not encouraged by the government. They were individual actions routinely overlooked by the security services.


In the 14 years since control of Hong Kong was returned back to the Chinese government the number of poor has increased by a staggering 50 percent. The Chinese government estimates that there are 1.26 people living below the poverty line. The conditions of the poor are now for the first time worse on Hong Kong than in many of China’s mainland cities. There is pressure for Hong Kong’s political leadership to correct this situation.

Despite having available land, the city built under 14000 units last year. 150000 families are on a waiting list for low rent public housing. Many poor citizens live in tenements subdivided by slumlords into plywood boxes locally known as “coffin homes”.


Would-be travelers to Japan may receive free flights to Japan sponsored by the Japan Tourist Agency to boost tourism in the country following the March natural disasters. Travelers would apply online, provide details on which parts of the country they would like to visit. Successful entrants will be asked to write a report on the visit to Japan which would be published on the internet.

If the program is approved, it is scheduled to begin in April. Travelers would still have to pay for their accommodations. Tourism declined over 50 percent in the three months after the March 11 earthquake tsunami caused meltdowns and explosions at the Fukishima Daiichi nuclear plant.


Coptic Christians are beginning three days of fasting and prayers to mourn Christians killed in violence with Muslims and Security forces on Sunday night.


At least 26 deaths occurred in Cairo, Egypt after what started out as a peaceful protest requesting police protection of Christian churches became violent with police shooting into the crowd of protesters and driving their vehicles over the protesters.

Coptic Christians in Egypt are the victims of sectarian attacks on both churches and Coptic worshippers. Several churches have been destroyed. Hundreds of Coptic worshippers have been injured or killed. Islamist militants with connections to Egypt’s Salafist sect are blamed for the violence.

Coptic Christians constitute approximately 10 percent of Egypt’s 85 million population. Egypt’s interim government’s inability to provide adequate protection for the Coptic Christians does not provide a postive outlook for the country’s future political development.

Christians throughout the Middle East find themselves under attack by radical Islamic groups.


The European Union is preparing to announce new sanctions against Syria because of the increased violence in the country and the defiant political rhetoric of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad in which foreign meddling is being blamed for the turmoil and unrest in the country. Estimated dead is 3000 including 30 people killed after security forces open fire on a funeral in the city of Homs where the army fought against former soldiers who defected to the opposition.

This rebellion started as essentially peaceful demonstrations which escalated to an armed insurrection that is building strength, mobility, popularity on the periphery of what remains a civilian revolt.


Pope Benedict’s October general prayer is: “That the terminally ill may be supported by their faith in God and the love of their brothers and sisters”.

Pope Benedict’s mission intention is: “That the celebration of World Mission Day may foster in the People of God a passion for evangelization with the willingness to support the missions with prayer and economic aid for the poorest Churches”.

World Mission Day is October 23, 2011.

October is Respect Life Month.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

There Is Something You Must Hear

The major conversation topic this week was Tuesday’s earthquake. Everybody was an expert. Everybody wanted to know where you were, what you were doing, what you were thinking, what you were feeling. The opinions expressed here may not be my own. I just heard them.


Uncle Willie was at a funeral for his former boss, Mr. Ralph Lawrence. Uncle Willie did not like Mr. Lawrence but went out of respect and to make sure that it was indeed Mr. Ralph Lawrence in the casket. Well, all the chemicals and the draining of blood did something to Mr. Lawrence who on his best day was very, very hard on everybody’s eyes. Uncle Willie always wore sunglasses or closed his eyes tightly when Mr. Lawrence was around. Well just as the casket was to be lowered into the ground that’s when the ground started shaking, the trees started shimmying, the flowers started swaying, some of the car alarms started making noise. Well, all the shaking woke up Mr. Lawrence who opened his casket and said “Hello.” Luckily the doctor was there and said that was just an involuntary muscle reflex as he closed the casket.

Uncle Peter felt his living room shake violently while he was watching something about the pre-season and then he automatically ran out of the house because his new wife Melanie Louise can not cook, she has blown up two stoves, one grill, one refrigerator, and his car.

Cousin Ethel was at work talking about the latest jobless figures. She has an interior office. She has high blood pressure. Well on Tuesday she ate all the wrong foods intentionally and at first she thought that she was having a bad case of indigestion, then a heart attack.

Jasper and Cordelia were having lunch in some downtown restaurant. Jasper was complaining about the waiter and the President. Cordelia was texting her daughter Miranda who was upset because her current boyfriend had not proposed yet. The plates started rattling, the walls started swaying. Jasper was unamused and thought that it was a trick to get more tip money. Cordelia didn’t know what to think and kept texting her daughter. All of the white people and Asian people scream and leave the restaurant. Jasper and Cordelia look around and with great dignity leave the restaurant. Jasper muttered something under his breath.