EURCP JUNE 09 – a new parliament begins

“The European Union Review & Call to Prayer”

Newsletter publishers: Hugh & Norma Davis [Not directed by any other ministry] http://www.euprayer.com/ 

.

JOIN THE 22 EUROPEAN PRAYER WALL MOVEMENT

NUMERICAL REF.

1 PRAY for and with the Christian prayer and spiritual activities in the nations of Europe

2 PRAY for internal EU government policies & operations of all branches.

3 PRAY for EU treaty revisions and enlargement policies

4 PRAY for family, Human Rights, Religion and ethical policies of the EU

5 PRAY for the Middle East policies of the EU

6 PRAY for the immigration policies of the EU & EU international relations

7 PRAY for EU policies on national emergencies, security and terrorism

8 PRAY for all 27 EU national governments & their citizenry

9 PRAY for EU employment, economics and business concerns [John15:4-5]

 

EU Voting Info  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/flash/html/eu.stm

 

PRAYER ISSUE: That the churches of Europe are able to assist in demonstrating to their fellow Europeans the importance of the Judeo-Christian values that so greatly influence the human rights and habits of the European people

 

2   European voters punish the left 

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8088309.stm

Page last updated at 01:16 GMT, Monday, 8 June 2009 02:16 UK

 

Spain's centre-right Popular Party was one of the night's big winners  Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left. Far-right and anti-immigrant parties also made gains, as turnout figures plunged to between 43 and 44%. The UK Labour Party, Germany's Social Democrats and France's Socialist Party were heading for historic defeats.

Correspondents say the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) looks set to continue to hold power in the parliament.

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that the vote of the EU citizenry will be honored and the result be fairly debated and resolved in Parliament.

 

2   New portal to translate EU dailies into 10 languages

http://euobserver.com/9/28187/?rk=1

26.05.2009 - 17:12 CET

HONOR MAHONY

 

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – A new website launched Tuesday (26 May) aims to get EU citizens across the 27 member states talking and reading about the same issues, something that to date has been hindered by language barriers.With €3 million of European Commission funds a year and a team of 10 journalists, www.presseurop.eu is part of the EU's drive to create a "European public sphere.”Margot Wallstrom wants to create a European public sphere (Photo: European Commission)

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray for the success of the new translation opportunity and the resulting increase in some EU compatibility and understanding.

 

2    Centre-right 'advance' in EU poll 

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8088309.stm

Page last updated at 20:03 GMT, Sunday, 7 June 2009 21:03 UK

 

Turnout has fallen every time since EU elections began in 1979

Centre-right parties have gained ground in elections to the European Parliament, according to exit polls. First results appeared immediately after voting ended in 19 EU countries at 2000 GMT. Eight other countries voted in the past few days. All 736 parliament seats are up for grabs. Preliminary figures suggest the lowest ever turnout, at 43.24%. BBC correspondents say the figures will dent the EU's credibility, and fringe parties may benefit

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that the vote of the EU citizenry will be honored and the result be fairly debated and resolved in Parliament.

 

2   ECB defends independence after Merkel attack

http://euobserver.com/9/28244/?rk=1

04.06.2009 - 17:37 CET

ANDREW WILLIS

 

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The European Central Bank defended its independence on Thursday (4 June) as doubts grow over how long current Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker will remain in the post. Speaking after a two-day meeting of the ECB's governing board, the bank's president, Jean-Claude Trichet, revealed he had held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday as a result of criticisms she made earlier in the week of current central bank policies. Mr Trichet defended the ECB's "fierce independence" in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Photo: The Council of the European Union)

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray for an accurate and thorough investigation of all of the charges and facts affecting the ECB.

 

2   Europeans see corruption in private sector as economic crisis hits

http://euobserver.com/9/28230/?rk=1

03.06.2009 - 10:44 CET

VALENTINA POP

 

EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS – Europeans distrust the private sector and perceive the anti-corruption drive by government to be inefficient, while in the new member states bribery is particularly hitting the poor, a corruption survey released by Transparency International shows."These results show a public sobered by a financial crisis precipitated by weak regulations and a lack of corporate accountability," said Huguette Labelle, head of the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, when releasing the 'Global Corruption Barometer' on Wednesday (3 June). The barometer found that the poorest families continue to be punished by petty bribe demands

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that evidence of corruption in the private or public arena receive the same fair treatment and final resolution.

 

4  Report slams 'widespread' use of ethnic profiling in Europe

http://euobserver.com/9/28186/?rk=1

26.05.2009 - 17:35

ELITSA VUCHEVA 26.05.2009 @ 17:35 CET

 

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Ethnic and religious profiling is still widespread in Europe, although it is both damaging and ineffective, a report released on Tuesday (26 May) argues. "Ethnic profiling" – a term describing the use of ethnic and religious criteria in law enforcement and investigative decisions about who may have committed a crime – has "intensified in recent years in Europe," according to a study by the Open Society Justice Initiative, a programme of the Open Society foundation. There was a steep increase in ethnic profiling after the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that the protection of order and justice allow reasonable room for initial investigation before issues are resolved in a lawful manner.

 

4   Church enters the fray in European elections

http://euobserver.com/9/28177/?rk=1

25.05.2009 - 14:25 CET

ANDREW RETTMAN

 

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Christian churches have in the UK, Austria and Poland spoken out against far-right parties in the EU elections, while in Sweden a fringe movement calling for internet freedoms is gaining ground. The UK's most senior Anglican clerics, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, at the weekend urged mainstream voters to go to the ballot box on 7 June in order to keep extremist parties, such as the BNP, out of the European Parliament.  Mountain cross: the church says low turnout could see far-right parties score high

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that freedom of political expression be maintained and all parties have the right to vote.

 

5    Lebanese ruling coalition claims poll victory 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8088410.stm

 Page last updated at 23:34 GMT, Sunday, 7 June 2009 00:34 UK

Saad Hariri said "the only winner is democracy in Lebanon"

The leader of Lebanon's governing pro-Western coalition has claimed victory over a Hezbollah-led bloc in a tight parliamentary election..Saad Hariri said his 14 March alliance would retain its majority in the 128-member parliament. A politician closes to the Hezbollah-led bloc, supported by Syria and Iran, admitted defeat in Sunday's elections, Reuter’s news agency reported. Official results are due later on Monday. Turnout was put at about 52%. "Congratulations to you, congratulations to freedom, congratulations to democracy," Mr Hariri told a crowd of his cheering supporters in the capital Beirut.

"There is no winner and loser in these elections, the only winner is democracy and Lebanon," he added.

PRAYER ISSUE; Pray for the people of Lebanon that they may have a fresh start at building national unity in common purpose

 

5   EU-Israel relations set to stay in limbo

http://euobserver.com/9/28184/?rk=1

26.05.2009 - 17:40 CET

ANDREW RETTMAN

 

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU is unlikely to upgrade relations with Israel when its foreign minister comes to Brussels in June, after a six month break in normal bilateral talks. A group of EU countries including Belgium,  Sweden and Portugal remains opposed to the move. The Netherlands has in the past stood almost alone in advocating it, while most member states are keeping silent.

Israeli soldier praying before he goes into battle in December 2008 (Photo: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi)

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that the European Union will be sensitive to the problems of Israel in dealing with a hostile power that has no interest in resolving their disputes.

 

6  [Comment] Europe needs a new approach to human rights in China

http://euobserver.com/9/28234/?rk=1

04.06.2009 - 09:11 CET

JOHN FOX

 

EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - Tiananmen Square marked a turning point not only in China's political evolution, but in its relations with the rest of the world. The violent suppression of student demonstrators put a sudden stop to the peaceful opening up and engagement with the West which Deng Xiaoping had pioneered throughout the 80's. "The EU's effort towards China is diluted with multiple competing dialogues run by individual member states" (Photo: EUobserver)

PRAYER ISSUE; Pray that the European Union will always be a champion of human rights and international law and justice.

 

7  Merkel and Sarkozy in joint call for 'strong Europe'

http://euobserver.com/9/28222/?rk=1

02.06.2009 - 09:26 CET ELITSA VUCHEVA

With only a few days left to the 4-7 June European elections, Germany and France's centre-right leaders, chancellor Angela Merkel and president Nicolas Sarkozy, have made a joint call on Europeans to head to the polls in the name of a "strong Europe."In a shared opinion piece published on Sunday (31 May) by the Journal du Dimanche newspaper in France and Die Welt am Sonntag in Germany, the two politicians said they wanted "a strong Europe that protects [its citizens]." Mr Sarkozy and Ms Merkel called on "all Europeans" to vote in this week's elections (Photo: The Council of the EU.

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray for success by these major national leaders in seeking to protect the European Union from enemies outside and inside.

 

8   Netherlands embraces far right in EU elections

http://euobserver.com/9/28248/?rk=1

05.06.2009 - 09:29 CET

ANDREW WILLIS

 

The Dutch far-right Freedom Party (PVV) of Geert Wilders made the greatest leap forward in the country's EU elections on Thursday (4 June), with 16.9 percent in exit polls. But the ruling conservatives came top overall. The result is a major victory for the openly anti-Islamic party, giving it four seats in the European legislature and a possibility that this could rise to five once the final count is completed. Neo-Nazi youth look on as Geert Wilder’s campaigns in Leeuwarden, Netherlands

PRAYER ISSUE: Pray that all political activity be in honest debate and legislative activity.

 

8   I won't walk away, insists [UK PM] Brown 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8085783.stm

Page last updated at 16:50 GMT, Friday, 5 June 2009 17:50 UK

 

"If I didn't think I was the right person, leading the right team, I would not be standing here."

Gordon Brown has unveiled a reshuffled cabinet and vowed to "fight on" with his "resilient" team to rescue the economy and clean up politics.He admitted Labour had suffered "a painful defeat" in Thursday's polls but added: "I will not waver. I will not walk away. I will get on with the job." And he unveiled Glenys Kinnock as Europe minister in a surprise move. Two more cabinet ministers - Geoff Hoon and John Hutton - have stepped down but neither backed a challenge to the PM.

PRAYER ISSUE; For the British people and for  their resolution of government.

 

9  Commissioner confident on EU-Gulf trade deal

http://www.theparliament.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/commissioner-confident-on-eu-gulf-trade-deal/

Wed 6th May 2009 Martin Banks

 

External affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said she is optimistic that an EU-Gulf free trade agreement (FTA) could be concluded by the end of the year. The commissioner was speaking following a high-level meeting in Muscat, the Omani capital, where it was agreed that the stalled talks on an FTA should be resumed. She said that although talks had been suspended, there had been "some bilateral meetings" and the EU had a "great interest in resuming negotiations as quickly as possible". Ferrero-Waldner said that "new, innovative" ideas had been mooted, adding, "You know, there are only two issues left and, as always, these are the most difficult sticking points.

PRAYER ISSUE: pray for a business success that might cool the “waters” in the Gulf area.