• FEBC
  FEBC is using new technology to reach a closed Asian country with the gospel, by developing "memory chip lending libraries" to be used in cell phones. Listeners can borrow memory chips and play Bible messages on their cell phones and MP3 players. In some cases even speaker boxes can play the chips to larger groups within homes. Hubs are opening all over the country allowing thousands of cell phones access to FEBC's broadcasts.
  Contact David McElwee: info@febc.org
  

• AFGHANISTAN
  According to the latest International Religious Freedom Report from the U.S. State Department, there is no public Christian Church left in Afghanistan. The last one was razed in March 2010. This reflects the state of religious freedom in this country ten years after the United States first invaded it and overthrew the Islamist Taliban regime. US taxpayers have spent $440 billion to support Afghanistan's new government and more than 1,700 military personnel have died serving there. The new Afghan Constitution states that Islam is "the religion of the state" and that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam" but it also says that "followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provision of the law". The report also says that the right to change one's religion is not respected either in law or practice. Conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death under some interpretations of Islamic law. More than 99% of the Afghan population is either Sunni (80%) or Shia (19%) Muslim.
  Source: CNS News
  

• INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARD FOR 'MORE4ME'
  Australian Christian filmmaker Lincoln Fenner has won an award for Best Documentary at the New York Film Festival. "More4Me" is a feature-length documentary from Creation Box Films, which highlights the issue of 'need vs greed'. Viewers follow Lincoln across 5 continents as he asks, "What's the one thing you can't live without?" The film was inspired by an Operation Christmas Child DVD (Samaritan's Purse) which was sent to Fenner by his mother, showing Cambodian children receiving the only gift (a shoe box full of simple gifts) that they had ever received. The film has now been offered worldwide distribution, with 75% of the profits being donated to the aid organisations featured in the film. Visit www.more4memovie.com
  Source: Squawk   
   

• OLYMPICS 2012
  The 'More than Gold' Agency has been established to coordinate the Christian response to the Olympics and help Churches in the UK make the most of outreach opportunities. CEO David Willson asks each church to appoint a "Gold Champion" to coordinate information and resources. Willson says, "There is something appropriate that every church can do in the context of the Games to engage with their communities. And we are coordinating the skills and experience of over 60 Christian agencies to provide the resources and training that will help them."
  Contact: David Willson david.willson@morethangold.org.uk  
  
• GLOBAL DAY OF WORSHIP
  11-11-11 (11th November 2011) is the date set for the Global Day of Worship. Beginning at 7.00pm at the International Date Line, worshippers from across all 24 time zones are invited to share their unique expressions of praise via the internet. Everyone is encouraged to worship from 7.00pm - 8.00pm local time. Visit www.globaldayofworship.com for more information.
  Contact: Eunice Barruel eunice@globaldayofworship.com
  
• EMDC CONFERENCE
  The Eurasia Media & Distribution Consultation (EMDC) 2012 Conference will take place from 19-23 March near Frankfurt, Germany. EMDC is a multi-agency consultation that meets every 18 months at a secure venue, where minority language workers, translators, literacy workers and language development workers in the greater Eurasia region can meet with media specialists, IT technicians, and recording specialists. Write to info@emdcon.org for access to EMDC's secure website.
  Contact: Steve Baughman steve_baughman@sil.org

LATIN AMERICA

• PERU
  As SEAN International celebrates its 40th birthday, Peruvian Pastor Oscar Ugarte shared his testimony of becoming a Christian during his time in prison and being presented with SEAN's Abundant Life Course, which he studied and then put into practice within the prison. Ugarte started a church which grew to over 100 people during the time he was there. More information is available on www.seaninternational.com
  Contact: Terry Barratt admin@sean.uk.net
  

MIDDLE EAST

• EGYPT
  Egypt's top Muslim official, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb,  has called for emergency talks between Muslim and Christian leaders following the recent violence, which has left at least 24 people dead, mostly Coptic Christians, a number of whom were crushed to death by an armoured car that ploughed into a group of protesters as they sang hymns and held a Cross. They had been protesting against a recent attack on a church in the city of Aswan. Egypt's 10% Coptic minority of the Muslim-majority country's 80 million people have been the target of previous attacks.
  Source: Daily Telegraph
   

• FACEBOOK
  Facebook (FB) has filed paperwork to form a political action committee, FB PAC, which will advocate for social networks to American politicians. The PAC plans to back candidates in future elections and give FB employees a way of making their voice heard in the political process, according to a FB spokesman. The social network, which has 800 million users, has purchased domain names such as FBPAC.org and FBPAC.us. According to "The Hill", a congressional newspaper, Facebook has already spent $550,000 on lobbying and political influence in the 2011 fiscal year.
  Source: Mashable.com
  
• USA
  National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) released a report in September analysing various content policies of social networking websites. They say that several new media platforms, including Facebook, Apple, Comcast, AT&T and Google have adopted policies to censor certain Christian views on "hot button issues", and have already used these policies to remove some viewpoints considered too controversial. NRB Senior Vice President and General Counsel Craig Parshall plans to send the report to these companies with an invitation for dialogue and discussion. Contact: Craig Parshall cparshall@nrb.org
   ________________________________________________________________

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